Taiping Dao at the end of the Han Dynasty

Chapter 57 A murderous intent erupts from the ground; dragons and snakes rise from the land!

The main hall was dimly lit, with a brazier burning brightly. The statue of the Eastern Peak God stood tall, and the Yellow Heaven God tablet was enshrined.

The night was deep. The Great Teacher and the Heavenly Physician sat cross-legged with their eyes closed, their faces expressionless. Zhang Chengfu knelt down and bowed to the ground in respect.

"The Duan family, a powerful clan; the Li family, a wealthy and influential family... Chengwu County, Chengshi County, Dayeze, Sishui..."

He inhaled the smoke from the talisman paper, pondering the words of his two mentors. The complex situation flashed through his mind. Finally, it settled on the distance between Chengshi County and Chengwu County, separated by the Si River, about fifty or sixty li apart.

"So? What are your plans?"

After a long silence, a question drifted over. Zhang Chengfu's expression turned solemn, and he bowed respectfully. His heart was as firm as iron; without hesitation, he answered in a deep voice.

"They should be intercepted and killed!"

"Intercept and kill the head of the Li family?"

"Yes!"

"Where? When?"

"It happened right here in Sishui. When the head of the Li family led his men to the Duan family manor in Chengwu County to apologize!"

Zhang Chengfu's expression was stern, and his eyes were filled with murderous intent.

"The Duan family specifically requested that the head of the Li family, along with his direct descendants and the eldest son of the Cheng family, come to apologize. He had no choice but to bring more people or prepare more money on the way."

“He can’t come empty-handed. He’ll be bringing his disciples, prisoners, and valuables; there will be a lot of people. And the Si River runs between Chengshi County and Chengwu County! The Si River connects to Daye Marsh. Please have my disciple lead men to ambush him! We’ll wait for him here and eliminate the Li family head and his direct descendants in one fell swoop, thus achieving our pre-arranged plan!”

"Ok!"

Upon hearing this, the Great Teacher Zhang Jiao and the Heavenly Physician Zhang Bao exchanged a glance, both showing a hint of a smile. Indeed, he possessed the temperament of a fierce tiger; his Dao heart was just as they had predicted. Then, the Great Teacher stroked his short beard and calmly said...

"If we eliminate the head of the Li family and his direct descendants, how will we handle the aftermath? What about the Duan family, the Li family, the gentry of Yanzhou, and the Yanzhou government? How will we deal with them?"

“Teacher, the powerful Li family and the Onozawa clan have a long-standing feud, with numerous conflicts and animosity between them. This ambush is naturally being carried out in the name of the Onozawa clan and has nothing to do with my Taiping Dao!”

Zhang Chengfu was confident and made judgments on the reactions of all parties.

"The Duan family is wary of the Li family and harbors thoughts of eliminating them. However, out of consideration for the Li family's members, they have left the Li family with an opportunity to become their lackeys. If the head of the Li family can humble himself, offer lavish gifts, and pledge allegiance, he might actually gain the Duan family's forgiveness and protection. Therefore, we must not allow the two families to meet; we must strike first!"

"We'll strike first, using the name of Onozawa Shu, and suddenly eliminate the head of the Li family and his direct descendants! As long as the head of the Li family doesn't come knocking, the Li family's crimes won't be cleared and will remain on the official records. Then, we'll have Onozawa Penggui take the head of the Li family and the Li family's wealth to the Duan family to surrender and pay money to clear their names!"

"The Duan family doesn't need to lift a finger to eliminate the Li family, who fulfilled the prophecy and colluded with the gentry. They'll acquire the Li family's wealth and the Onoze bandits who will come to serve them. Their prestige and power in Yanzhou will only increase! And the Onoze bandits, who have no background and no connection to the gentry, are even more suitable to be their weapons against the gentry!"

"Therefore, the Duan family will be satisfied with this outcome!"

Then, Zhang Chengfu lowered his eyes and said in a deep voice.

"As for the Li family, they have lost their head of the family, their direct descendants, and their wealth, and they have not even come to apologize. They are still criminals of the government, and without the protection of the authorities, their fate is already sealed. Under such circumstances, their servants and retainers will waver and scatter as long as my Taiping Dao secretly instigates and spreads the word. They will never follow the Li family down the same path!"

"Once the Li family is weakened and panicked, we should ask Dong Dubo of the county and state army to take action, along with the 'righteous men' of Dayeze. We should search and confiscate the Li family's property and completely eliminate this hidden danger near Dayeze! Then, we should do the same thing: bribe the Duan family with the majority of the wealth, and take the grain for ourselves."

"As for the Li family's vast farmland, the half officially designated will likely be divided among the local officials. The half privately cultivated in Daye Marsh can be taken over by the Daye Marsh residents, who will also swallow up the Li family's scattered farmhands and tenants. If Peng Gui is respectful enough to the Duan family, and with Wang Du, whom the Duan family trusts, interceding on his behalf, and using the money he obtained from the Li family to buy an official position... then Peng Gui might very well take over the position of county magistrate that the Li family previously held in Chengshi County, replacing the Li family!"

"Therefore, the Li family will be completely divided up, and everyone will benefit! We need to take the grain and the fields by the Great Lake, and swallow up the remnants of the Li family!"

After speaking of the Li family, Zhang Chengfu pondered for a moment, somewhat unsure of what to do. He knew too little about the gentry of Yanzhou and the government of Jiyin, making it difficult to make a prediction; he could only frankly admit it.

"Although the powerful Li family is strong and dominant in the county, they are merely a local strongman and shouldn't have much influence among the gentry and officials of Yanzhou. I don't see any prominent families or high-ranking officials who would stand up for them. So, the subsequent impact of this matter is probably not significant."

"Heaven bears witness! These opinions among the aristocratic families are beyond my reach; I can only rely on my renowned teachers and uncles, and my fellow disciples from humble aristocratic backgrounds!"

Ha! You!

Hearing this witty remark, Zhang Bao shook his head and laughed. Zhang Jiao first raised the corners of his mouth, but then quickly seemed to remember something and asked the crucial question.

"Chengfu, after the Li family, are you still planning to continue? The Man family of Changyi, Shanyang?"

"Yes, teacher! The Li family has children studying in the Man family, and it's very likely that some of their nephews or nieces have fled to the Man family in Changyi... This connection is perfect; we can add two more threads to tighten the ties between the Man family and the Man family..."

"Um…"

Upon hearing this, the Great Teacher lowered his eyes and remained silent, his face revealing little emotion. After a long while, he slowly spoke, his voice soft, yet firm in his decision.

"Changyi in Shanyang is the seat of Yanzhou. Although the Man family is not a prominent clan in the prefecture, they are still considered a distinguished family in the county. Every move of their family is under the watchful eyes of the prefect and governor, and indeed, the entire gentry of Yanzhou!"

"Chengfu, once the Li family matter is settled and the connection to the Man family is solidified, you should withdraw! It's not the right time for you to expose yourself to the powerful clans. Leave this connection to the Duan family; let them handle it themselves! As for how far the Duan family can go, that depends on fate and destiny..."

"Ah? Teacher! If it weren't for my Taiping Dao coming from behind and delivering the crucial blow, given the Duan family's mobilization of troops from various prefectures and kingdoms, and their lingering connections with those aristocratic clans... I'm afraid even if the Man family of Shanyang broke down the gates, they could have allowed all their members to escape!"

"Then let them escape! I forbid you from taking action in Changyi!"

The Great Teacher Zhang Jiao's expression turned solemn, and he spoke in a deep voice.

"Once this matter is settled, we'll head west to Yuzhou. Your third uncle, Zhang Liang, is probably waiting for you in Yingchuan, Yuzhou, for quite some time now..."

"Go! This time when you go south, take more reliable men with you, and bring along all the wandering knights of Mount Tai. They are quite disciplined and capable of fighting. You may also command all the horses in the temple and the disciples of the various chieftains."

"Remember! If the Cheng family of Dong'e County are the night owls in the trees, then the Li family of Cheng County are the wild boars in the fields. When you make your move, don't worry about them escaping, but be careful of their biting teeth!" "Yes! I will obey your orders!"

Hearing these patient words of advice, Zhang Chengfu felt a surge of warmth in his heart and bowed his head deeply. He performed the proper etiquette meticulously and then backed out the door. Before leaving, he paused and said to his master and uncle.

"It's late! Teacher, Uncle-Master, you should rest early! Early to bed is the best way to nourish oneself, better than anything else! ... By achieving utmost emptiness and maintaining perfect stillness, one can nourish one's spirit and energy, thus preserving one's health. This is what my teacher once taught me..."

After saying this, Zhang Chengfu hurriedly bowed and left as if fleeing. The two men at the head of the table chuckled, shook their heads, and then closed their eyes to meditate again.

"Wow~Wow~"

The following afternoon, a gust of wind blew through the Tianqi Temple in Dongpinglu, and the Taipingdao people busied themselves with their tasks.

Zhang Chengfu brought all the recruited Taishan followers, a total of 42 men. Then, he selected 31 skilled archers from the Taiping Dao, borrowed bows from the other leaders, and also acquired a heavy battle bow with a capacity of one stone and two dou (approximately 600 grams). Finally, he took all the horses from the temple, including the 12 captured from the Cheng family, making a total of 27 cavalrymen. All this brought him to a full 100 men, the largest force he had ever led!

"Daonu! You are the best horseman, so you will lead these 27 cavalrymen! Guan Hai, you are the bravest, so you will be the deputy leader of the cavalry!"

"Okay! We'll do whatever you say!"

Gao Daonu earnestly agreed, while Guan Hai still grinned. Zhang Chengfu patted the two men on the shoulder, then walked up to Yu Jin and said seriously.

"Wenze, you are the leader of the Taishan group. All 42 infantrymen are under your command! You will have full authority over them! And the 20-odd suits of lamellar armor that we have put together will also be given to your infantrymen to arm the swordsmen and shieldmen in the front row!"

Yu Jin stood calmly, his face as solemn as stone. He nodded heavily, performed the traditional greeting, and simply responded with a single word.

"promise!"

"Commander Bu, Commander Fan, you are both excellent archers. Come with me and lead 31 archers! We will be the first to fire arrows and launch this surprise attack!"

"Row!"

The two commanders nodded and smiled, their expressions very friendly. Fan Shuo glanced at the heavy war bow that Zhang Cheng was carrying on his back and exclaimed in surprise.

"Chengfu, where did you borrow such a heavy bow? Are you even capable of using it?"

"Yes, this bow was lent to me by Commander Zhang of Qingzhou. It's his bow, and it's indeed very heavy. I can barely use this heavy bow, but my strength is depleted too quickly... However, in this ambush, the initial volleys were the most advantageous! We need to aim for the most important result and fire a few heavy arrows..."

Zhang Chengfu smiled and explained a few words. Then, his expression turned serious, he punched Onozawa Pengui in the chest, and solemnly gave his orders.

"Peng Gui, you'll have to do the work. Go to Dayeze first! Get all your brothers on board and keep a close eye on the Li family's movements. As for our journey south to Dayeze, we'll need your small boats to bypass the Li family's territory and get to Sishui ahead of time to ambush them!"

"Yes! We will obey your orders, my lord! If you make a move against the Li family, my brothers from Onozawa will not even need to sleep; they will be watching for twelve hours straight!"

Onozawa Peng Hui nodded respectfully, his face filled with excitement. After being enemies with the Li family for so long, he had finally found an unprecedented opportunity to completely wipe out Onozawa's enemy!
"Excellent! With the protection of the Yellow Emperor and the Emperor of the Eastern Peak, let's head south and wipe out the Li clan!"

Zhang Cheng gave the order loudly, and nearly a hundred men, leading their horses, carrying bows, swords, and spears, discreetly headed south, avoiding the main road. Two days later, they arrived at Daye Marsh. The infantry and archers boarded small boats, while the cavalry took a longer route, splitting up and heading south under the guidance of guides at Daye Marsh.

Upon reaching the south bank of the Great Wilderness Marsh, about twenty miles from Chengshi County, the group ceased their activities and gathered to rest at a secret stronghold of the heroes in the marsh. Meanwhile, intelligence from the Li family manor continued to arrive, revealing the anxiety, helplessness, anger, and decisiveness of the Li family head under the oppressive pressure from the Duan family.

"The envoys sent by the Li family to Changyi and Dingtao have all returned! The clan temples were lit all night, and you could vaguely hear arguments in the distance!"

"Young clan leader Li Zheng has gone mad! He mobilized all the villagers, telling them to prepare their weapons! He said he's going to fight the Duan family to the bitter end!"

"The people in the village were in a state of panic. Several elders stepped forward and stopped the young clan leader from acting recklessly! The next day, clan leader Li Qian issued an order to empty all the villages and for the villagers to lend money to their masters... All the money and valuables were to be sent to the main village! They were all packed into large boxes and filled several carriages, probably amounting to hundreds of thousands or even millions of coins!"

"The clan elders took action and arrested the eldest son of the Cheng family, whom they had always treated so well! They even had a prison cart made for public display overnight!"

"Clan Chief Li Qian has made his decision! In two days, he will lead one hundred trusted clan members, along with carriages, valuables, and prisoners, to the Duan family in the south to apologize! But everyone must wear leather armor and prepare bows and swords!"

Hearing the specific time, Zhang Chengfu felt much more at ease. He looked at Peng Gui, who had come to deliver the news in person and was beaming with excitement, and asked him carefully.

"Are you sure it's one hundred men? How many are cavalry? Do they have iron armor? Are they carrying long weapons and crossbows?"

“My lord, there are one hundred men! There are 18 horses, but 16 of them are used to pull the heavy goods in the carriage. Only 2 riders are scouts!”

Peng Kui lowered his voice, glanced at the crowd who were already prepared to fight, and said with a smile.

"The Li family has come to confess their crimes. Although they have made preparations as a precaution, it's impossible for them to bring conspicuous and prohibited weaponry like iron armor, long weapons, and crossbows to Chengwu County. Moreover, the Li family has limited connections compared to those powerful families, and they probably don't have many iron armor and crossbows..."

"We're fully equipped, caught off guard, and have set up an ambush beforehand... Haha! This time, we'll make sure Li Qian doesn't leave alive!"

"Hmm! Peng Gui, has the location of the ferry crossing in Sishui been confirmed?"

"It's confirmed! The Li family is carrying a large cartload of valuables, and there's only one shallow opening where they can cross the Si River!"

"Okay! Great!"

Zhang Cheng nodded boldly, a seasoned sternness appearing on the young man's face. He carried a heavy war bow on his back, gripped the fine iron dagger at his waist, and looked towards the vast, reed-covered marshland, as well as towards the Si River tributary flowing south.

"With the Si River flowing swiftly, to plot a great undertaking, we must take the head of the Li family!..."

"Let's go then!"

"Walk!!"

A group of infantrymen, armored soldiers, and archer disciples boarded the small boats at Da Ye Ze. Dozens of boats glided swiftly forward, with over twenty horsemen riding along, heading south along the riverbank. The riverbanks sprouted vibrant green buds in spring, and amidst the lively earth, a deadly intent was gathering. Dragons and snakes rose from the land, awaiting the unprepared enemy…
(End of this chapter)