Taiping Dao at the end of the Han Dynasty

Chapter 68 The Daoist tradition is passed down, heading west!

The blue smoke from the Taiping Talisman rose from the brazier on the ground. The incense from the Yellow Heaven God Tablet fell from the bronze cauldron on offering. The Heavenly Physician Zhang Bao, with a solemn expression, took a pinch of incense ash from each of the "Heaven" and "Earth" positions and sprinkled it into the talisman water container passed down in Zhang Chengfu's hand, and shouted in a deep voice.

"Drink the talismanic water, and Heaven and Earth will bestow their mandate!"

"Gudong!"

Amidst the complex gazes of all the leaders, disciples, and followers, Zhang Chengfu, with a resolute expression, drank the talismanic water in the container in one gulp! Then, he raised his hands, displaying the empty container of talismanic water to everyone! Zhang Bao, at the head of the table, once again recited the prayer in a low voice, sternly instructing Zhang Chengfu.

"This dou is not made of copper, this water is not made of water; it carries the mandate of Heaven and Earth and continues the benevolent wishes of the people! Now that you hold it, you are bearing the burden of the joys and sorrows of all people and walking the great path of the Way of Peace to save the world and save lives! You must always keep in mind the hunger and cold of the people, the helplessness of the elderly, and the destitution of orphans. If you lose this thought, even if you hold the dou, it is truly empty. Remember! To guard this dou, first guard this heart!"

"Yes! This disciple will keep it in mind!"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Chengfu, holding the talisman, respectfully bowed three times to the chieftain, the ancestral tablet, and the statue above. After the third bow, he solemnly rose and, at Zhang Bao's signal, faced the crowd with unwavering determination in his eyes! The assembled leaders remained silent, only hearing Zhang Bao's booming voice proclaiming this before the unfathomable will of Heaven and the turbulent hearts of the people in the hall!

"As everyone can see: from this day forward, we will uphold the will of Heaven and Earth, unite the hearts of the people, and walk the path of peace for all living beings! Those who walk this path do not act for themselves or their families, but solely for the benefit of the people!"

"Come! Those who revere the Way!"

After speaking, Zhang Bao set an example by bowing respectfully to Zhang Chengfu. Then, the Great Teacher Zhang Jiao also bowed respectfully. As their teachers, this was the highest level of courtesy they could offer. After a moment's hesitation, the Yellow Turban leaders in the two rows also bowed to the boy holding the talisman and water vessel.

Zhang Rao, the leader of the Qingzhou chieftains, remained expressionless and cupped his hands in a respectful gesture. Guan Hai, another Qingzhou chieftain, was equally carefree and smiled as he cupped his hands in a similar gesture. However, Bu Si, the leader of the Yanzhou chieftains, performed a more formal bow. Zhang Bo and Liang Zhongning, the chieftains of Dongjun, and Fan Shuo, the chieftain of Jiyin, all bowed deeply. Wang Du of Dong'e and Peng Gui, the chieftain of Dayeze, performed a deeper bow. As for the others, their gestures were somewhere in between, primarily out of respect for the two renowned physicians.

"Dongjun, Jiyinjun, and Dayeze—these are the three places where I have carried out numerous operations. The leaders of the Taiping Dao in these three places have benefited and been most influenced by me, and have fought alongside me through thick and thin; they can be considered my core base. As for Wang Du and Peng Gui, they are trusted confidants whom I personally brought into the Dao. As for the Yellow Turban leaders in other commanderies and kingdoms, especially in Qingzhou, which I have never set foot in, we will have to wait and see."

Zhang Chengfu neither dodged nor avoided the gaze, calmly scanning the faces of each chieftain, looking them in the eye one by one, analyzing the degree of intimacy and trust between them. Then, after surveying the entire group, he respectfully bowed and returned the greeting to His Highness's chieftains.

"I wish to walk the same path as you all!"

May there be peace!

With a collective prayer, the solemn ceremony concluded. Afterwards, Zhang Bao invited the chieftains to stay for a meal, where they unusually drank a couple of cups of wine. At his signal, Zhang Chengfu raised his cup to toast everyone, his talisman and water vessel hanging at his waist, making him appear like a local host. Regardless of their true thoughts, the Yellow Heaven Ceremony was complete, and the inherited magical artifacts had been passed on; thus, this young man could indeed be considered half a host.

"Come! Let's have a drink together!"

The leaders, according to their closeness, toasted each other a few times, their faces flushed slightly, but no one dared to drink too much. If they drank any more, some might lose control and fail to maintain the facade of camaraderie. The banquet ended that evening in an atmosphere of camaraderie. Later that night, Zhang Chengfu went alone to see his martial uncle, Zhang Bao, and respectfully presented him with a small booklet.

"Uncle-Master! This is a booklet containing my thoughts over the past two months: 'Uprising Program and Objectives,' 'Analysis of Enemy and Weakness and Countermeasures,' 'Establishment of Military Envoys,' 'Guerrilla Tactics,' 'Detailed Rules of the Three Prohibitions and Six Taboos,' and 'Military Law Rhymes.' Much of the content here is just my idea and doesn't yet align with the actual situation in Yanzhou and Qingzhou; it can only serve as a reference. I hope that after the uprising, it will be beneficial to you, Uncle-Master, in your command of Yanzhou!"

"Ok!"

The Heavenly Physician Zhang Bao took the booklet made of talisman paper, looked at the densely packed small characters written in brush, and patiently read it through, his eyes flashing with thought. After a long while, he nodded slightly and solemnly put the booklet away.

"This booklet has a rather profound meaning; does it have a name?"

"Ah, it's called... Well, I haven't named it yet, I only wish to make the people's peace my goal!"

"Oh? Since it's a strategy for achieving peace, let's call it 'The Strategy for Peace' for now! If you can write more scriptures and compile a complete set of ideas in the future, it can be called 'The Scroll of Peace' or even 'The Scroll of Yellow Heaven's Peace'."

Zhang Bao smiled and nodded, giving Zhang Chengfu's little book a name. The two characters "Taiping" in the name indeed represented the legitimacy of the Taiping Dao lineage. Before the swaying pine torches, the two sat facing each other, chatting about many mundane matters, enjoying a pleasant conversation. Only when night deepened and the temple fell silent did Zhang Bao smile meaningfully.

“Chengfu, because of you, my elder brother has revised the original plan to quickly attack Luoyang. He has also entrusted you with the Daoist tradition, and I have agreed to that as well. Do you know what we brothers value most about you?”

Upon hearing such frank and open words, Zhang Chengfu was visibly shaken and bowed respectfully.

"Ah! This disciple does not know, please enlighten me, Uncle-Master!"

"Heaven bears witness! Your insight is as if bestowed by heaven, yet it does not surpass those of the most outstanding scions of noble families. Your wisdom and meticulousness in action may not match those of a true veteran official from a humble background. Your bravery is sufficient to lead disciples, but it may not be able to contend with the most valiant generals in the army. And all of this is not the most fundamental! As the heir to the lineage, the most important and fundamental qualities are actually only two: one is the stance one takes, and the other is the determination to practice the Way!"

"On these two points, you have always stood on the side of the people. Your unwavering will to sacrifice yourself and not be afraid of powerful families is what my brother and I truly value! Only by passing on the tradition to you can we see the true hope for the continuation of the Way of Peace! You must always remember your promise today, never forget your original intention, never hesitate or back down, and never betray the way of the people!"

Before the orange-red torch, Zhang Bao, his expression gentle, gazed into Zhang Chengfu's eyes. For the first time, he extended a finger, touching Zhang Chengfu's forehead, and drew a "Peaceful Talisman" with practiced ease. Then, looking at the spark in the boy's eyes, as bright as the torch, he earnestly instructed, "Your teacher's health isn't good. He has too many worries on his mind; his energy is burning like a candle. Take good care of him on the journey! Especially make sure he gets enough sleep so he can conserve his strength for the journey back."

"As for you, it's the same! You're still young, with fifty years of future ahead of you. Although you can't be afraid to risk your life when doing great things, you can't always be so reckless in your daily actions. Remember, too much rigidity leads to breakage. A sharp blade is not as useful as a hammer! Be a hammer that goes with the flow, not a sharp knife."

"Regarding the matter in Luoyang, your teacher is hesitant. He has too high expectations for Yuanyi and has invested too many disciples! He didn't tell you, but I feel that although Yuanyi has a generous spirit and is the eldest disciple, he lacks your decisiveness and sharpness! He is not cut out to carry out such earth-shattering killings, and he trusts those partisans too much. In the end, I'm afraid... Alas! This matter should have been handled by doing everything possible. If it could be done, then do it; if it couldn't, then withdraw in time. Enough, you should go back now!"

Zhang Bao patiently gave instructions for a long time, but in the end, he sighed and didn't finish. He patted the boy's head one last time and then dismissed Zhang Chengfu. The orange-red firelight illuminated his thick eyebrows, large eyes, and resolute, heroic old face, which looked very much like Zhang Jiao, yet was not the same.

Zhang Chengfu stepped outside the door, bowed deeply to his uncle, and then bid farewell with mixed emotions.

"The matter of Luoyang, my senior brother's collaboration with the partisans to assassinate the emperor, is undoubtedly a major event that truly concerns the overall situation of our Yellow Turban Rebellion! Should I, like a moth drawn to a flame, risk my life to participate in it?"

Zhang Chengfu stood in the courtyard of the ancestral temple, gazing at the bright moonlight in the sky, silently watching for a long time. After a long while, he closed his eyes, gripped the fine iron dagger at his waist, and went to his lodging with his eyes closed. Even with his eyes closed, he followed the steps he remembered, yet his movements were never disordered, and so light that he was barely audible. He lay down fully clothed on the straw bed without disturbing the other disciples and followers in the room.
"Commander Bu! Commander Fan! Commander Zhang! Commander Guan! Today we part ways, may you all take care, and meet again in the future!"

"Yes! My lord, take good care of yourself!"

The departure on the second day was like the gathering and departure of swallows. Zhang Chengfu smiled and bid farewell to the group of chieftains, and only when he faced Dong'e Lingwang Du and Da Yeze Peng Gui did he speak some intimate words from the heart.

"My lord, manage Dong'e County well. When we rise up next year, it will be the key to Dongjun! But after you take Dong'e County, don't stay there too long. Gather your followers, acquire military supplies and provisions, and head south to Daye Marsh as soon as possible! Only the area around Daye Marsh is the foundation for long-term development!"

"Yes! I know what's important!"

"Brother Peng, you must patiently manage the Li family manor south of Dayeze and its arrangements in Chengwu County! You should recruit as many of the Li family's servants and tenants as possible, explain the principles of peace and prosperity to them, and turn them into our own people! Once the uprising begins next year, you must seize Chengwu County in one fell swoop and quickly take control of this county town south of Dayeze!"

"Very well! I will obey you, my lord!"

The three exchanged friendly greetings and chatted for a few more minutes before bidding farewell. Then, Zhang Chengfu walked to Yu Jin's side, looked at the tall, resolute man from Mount Tai, and at the yellow turban he wore, and said with a smile.

"Wenze! Your teacher personally gave you the yellow turban. How does it feel to wear it?"

"Yes. Very good! The Great Teacher's words are very pertinent. It is a good deed to be able to do something for the people! And the poverty and hardship of the people of Taishan is indeed caused by the government. Although I don't care much about the people in other places, I would be more than happy and pleased if I could do something for the people of Yanzhou, especially in Taishan Township!"

Yu Jin's face was ashen, and his words were simple and sincere, each sentence concise and powerful. The thirty-four members of the Taishan Guard he led officially joined the Great Teacher's ranks, serving as a more capable escort force. Zhang Chengfu patted the man on the shoulder, nodded, and said nothing more.

Some people first find common ground and then go through life and death together. Others are united by loyalty and gratitude, first experiencing life and death together before gradually becoming "partners." In today's world, for the Way of Peace, the former are fewer in number, while the latter are actually the mainstream.
"Da da da!"

As the sun rose and set, the Taiping Dao group, leading their horses, embarked on their westward journey, bidding farewell to the leaders of Qing and Yan. The Taishan Mountains receded into the distance to the east, and the Daye Marsh appeared in the southwest, then shifted to the southeast. This time, the group traveled from Dongping Kingdom to Jiyin County, circling the northern and western sections of the Daye Marsh, but deliberately avoiding Chengwu County, where the Duan family resided. Then, a vast marshland suddenly appeared on the western horizon, faintly opposite the Daye Marsh that had disappeared to the east—this was the "Thunder Marsh."

“‘Shun cultivated the land at Mount Li and fished at Lake Lei.’ This is the place where Shun led his tribe to cultivate the land and fish.”

The Great Teacher Zhang Jiao stood beside Leize, looking at the vast lake, and smiled as he spoke to Zhang Chengfu and Gao Daonu.

"Many years ago, when I first went south to Yanzhou, I stayed overnight by Leize. There is a Fuxi Temple nearby, which is also where I used to distribute talismanic water and heal the sick."

"Fuxi Temple?"

"Yes! Legend has it that Huaxu stepped on a snake's tracks in Leize and became pregnant, giving birth to Fuxi. Fuxi developed the Eight Trigrams and is not only one of the Three Sovereigns, but also one of the founding ancestors worshipped by our Taoist school, on par with the Yellow Emperor."

The Great Teacher Zhang Jiao smiled, stroked his short beard, and stroking forward with great enthusiasm. Barefoot, he walked faster than his two disciples in the muddy waters by the marsh.

"Let's go! Let's go see what's going on at the Fuxi Temple! I know the old Taoist priest there well; he farms his own land and is quite skilled at interpreting divination symbols. Let's go and get some fresh fruits and vegetables!"

Zhang Cheng followed closely behind his teacher, walking for a full quarter of an hour before finally spotting a very old temple. The temple, situated by the marshland, had walls made of adobe bricks, weathered and worn by time. Only half of the temple door remained, creaking slightly ajar. Hanging from the lintel was an ancient wooden plaque, bearing the six ancient seal characters "Temple of Fuxi's Primordial Beginning" (伏羲先天之庙) from right to left, their age a mystery.

"Ok?"

The Great Teacher Zhang Jiao had just entered the temple when he stopped in the Fuxi Hall. Inside stood a statue of Fuxi, seated cross-legged, with a serene expression. The peeling paint on his face revealed glimpses of the wooden core beneath, and the ancient seal script character "易" (Yi) was carved in his hand. However, on the offering table before the statue, there were neither bundles of reeds nor any fruits or vegetables, only a dusty, coarse earthenware brazier. Upon closer inspection, in a corner of the earthen floor, scattered incense ash and a few offering coins formed a mysterious hexagram, silently awaiting visitors.

(End of this chapter)