Taiping Dao at the end of the Han Dynasty

Chapter 78 This humble Taoist priest's Highness possesses the aura of an emperor!
The plains of Chen State were flat and boundless, bursting with the vibrant life of spring in March. This was the border between Yan Province and Yu Province; to the north lay Yu County of Chenliu Commandery in Yan Province, and to the south, Yangxia County of Chen State in Yu Province. This invisible boundary line not only demarcated the boundaries between commanderies and states but also served as a powerful constraint on the vassal kings under Han law.

From the time Emperor Guangwu established the Eastern Han Dynasty, strict restrictions were placed on the vassal states. Except for regular court audiences, vassal kings were not allowed to leave their fiefdoms without imperial decree. During the reign of Emperor Ming, this supervision of the vassal kings and the defense against royal families of the same surname were further strengthened. Officials in the vassal states were appointed by the central government, and the prime minister of each state was responsible for supervising the vassal kings. If a vassal king violated any court prohibitions, the prime minister could report him to the emperor at any time.

Just like more than a decade ago, one of the charges against Liu Kui, the Prince of Bohai, for being executed by Emperor Ling was "unauthorized hunting." "Unauthorized hunting" here means leaving the territory of one's fiefdom. Why would a vassal king not stay within his fiefdom but leave the country? Hunting? The emperor might punish him for hunting, but what he truly feared was not merely overt hunting.

Therefore, for the vast majority of Liu-surname vassal kings, their fiefdoms were havens of comfort and pleasure. But for a small number of ambitious and driven vassal kings, they were prisons, graveyards for heroes. Their concern and aspirations for the "Han dynasty's rule" outside their fiefdoms were no less than those within, only they were powerless to pursue them.

"Splash!~"

The wind howled across the plains, causing the pierced Yellow Heaven banner to flutter and shift in the breeze. Beneath the banner, nearly a hundred elite disciples of the Way of Peace, each armed, faced off against the forty or so well-armed cavalrymen under Prince Chen. All were tense, their gleaming blades gleaming, their eyes fixed on the figures in the center of the standoff, ready to fight to the death at any moment!

Surrounded by Zhang Chengfu, Gao Daonu, Yu Jin, and Dian Wei, Prince Liu Chong of Chen remained calm. His eyes held a scrutinizing, even curious, gaze as he carefully observed the emerging Great Teacher Zhang Jiao, this vigorous old Taoist priest dressed in coarse linen.

In the more than ten years since he inherited the fiefdom, this was the first time King Chen had met the Great Teacher of Virtue. No matter how many times he had heard of the Great Teacher of Virtue, as long as the Great Teacher of Virtue did not enter the state of Chen, he could neither meet him openly nor privately. It wasn't until this time, when the Great Teacher of Virtue came to preach in Jiwu County on the border of Chen, making a great show of it, that King Chen, having heard the news, sent men to keep a close watch for a long time, finally waiting for this opportunity, which prompted him to immediately and excitedly "hunt" his way there.

"The Great Teacher, the Evil Taoist Zhang Jiao"

Prince Liu Chong of Chen muttered softly, causing Zhang Chengfu to frown deeply and tighten his grip on the hilt of his sword. The Great Teacher Zhang Jiao calmly looked over, smiled gently at Prince Liu Chong, and asked again.

"Your Highness Prince Chen, what brings you here?"

"Ahem! Your Taiping Dao is quite the show of force! You've actually gathered a large number of people on the border of my Chen Kingdom under the guise of holding a sacrificial ceremony!"

King Liu Chong of Chen coughed lightly, staring sharply at Zhang Jiao, and said sternly.

“You Taoist priest, do you know the majesty of the Han law? You have been engaging in this immoral worship without cause, disrupting the moral education of the county. Naturally, I have brought people here to see what kind of person this famous Taoist priest is!”

"Your Highness, according to the laws of the Han Dynasty, whether I have committed any crime is for the judge of the prefect and magistrate. As for my offerings to the deceased for the people, I do not seek money or offerings; I merely encourage good deeds and help the people, acting with a sense of public duty! Chengfu, release Your Highness, you must not be so rude!"

The great teacher Zhang Jiao spoke calmly and gently, gesturing for Zhang Chengfu to release Prince Chen. Zhang Chengfu hesitated for a moment before gritting his teeth and releasing Prince Chen. Afterward, he and a few others retreated to stand guard beside their teacher, their eyes fixed intently on Prince Chen.

Chen Wang raised an eyebrow, flexed his aching wrist, and his trusted guards surged forward, protecting him tightly. The atmosphere in the room eased considerably, except for the white horse lying dead on the ground, its blood flowing like a flower.

"Now that Your Highness has seen this humble Taoist priest, have you gained anything from it?"

The Great Teacher remained expressionless and spoke with a smile. Prince Liu Chong of Chen, however, curled his lip, slightly raised his head, and sneered.

"He's just an old Taoist priest, looking like a farmer. He probably doesn't have many years left to live!"

“What King Chen said is correct, that is indeed the case.”

The Great Teacher nodded with a smile, and Prince Chen was immediately speechless. His initial imposing manner, which had been one of capture and release, had diminished considerably. After a few moments, he stared at the old Taoist priest and demanded an explanation.

"You old Taoist! Why do you spread prophecies and rumors to slander my Han dynasty?! 'The Azure Heaven is dead, the Yellow Heaven shall rise,' 'The virtue of fire has declined, the virtue of earth shall rise.' These prophecies circulating among the gentry, were they all spread by you with ulterior motives?!"

Upon hearing this, the Great Teacher paused for a moment, then smiled calmly.

"Your Highness, the interaction between Heaven and Man is a natural phenomenon, and celestial signs warn of human affairs. In recent years, there have been solar and lunar eclipses, earthquakes, celestial phenomena, floods, droughts, plagues, and locust plagues. Does this mean that Heaven is acting normally and that the element of fire is still flourishing? The people of the world suffer greatly, displaced, starving, and dying, yet receiving no relief. Countless commoners weep and beg, eating dirt to fill their stomachs, exchanging children to eat, yet they cannot survive. This is a sign of moral decay in both the upper and lower classes, and the world bearing the blame! Therefore, I say, 'Heaven is dead!' This is not a prophecy yet to come, but a world situation that everyone can see."

Upon hearing these words, Prince Liu Chong's expression shifted repeatedly, and he could no longer maintain his composure. Soon, those complex emotions transformed into an unwilling anger, leading him to vehemently refute them.

"You old Taoist priest, you're spouting nonsense! The people of the world are displaced, starving, and dying? Look at my own Chen Kingdom, how few ordinary people have died of cold and hunger! Has the government never provided any relief? I only opened the granaries last year to provide relief to the people of Chen!"

Upon hearing this, the Great Teacher nodded. Looking at the excited Prince Chen, he actually bowed and acknowledged it.

"King Chen is virtuous, and I thank you on behalf of the people of Chen! If all the kingdoms and prefectures in the world could be like Chen, then Heaven is indeed not dead, and the virtue of fire can still flourish. It's just a pity! What a pity!"

"you!."

Looking at the old Taoist priest bowing respectfully, King Chen was speechless for a moment, as if every punch had landed on soft linen. He gripped the bow in his hand and said coldly.

"You old Taoist, you certainly know how to talk! But how can the laws of our Great Han allow a Taoist like you to comment on things so freely? The affairs of this world cannot be spoken of indiscriminately!"

Upon hearing this, the Great Teacher stroked his short beard and, under the sharp gaze of King Chen and the watchful eyes of dozens of Chen cavalrymen, smiled and said.

"Your Highness Prince Chen, this humble Taoist believes you possess the aura of an emperor, favored by Heaven!"

"what?!"

Prince Liu Chong's expression shifted instantly. At that moment, his heart was filled with a turbulent mix of excitement, shock, and a confident realization! He stared intently at the old Taoist priest before him, his face stern, only his lips twitching slightly. However, the next moment, he heard the old Taoist priest smile and ask a question in return.

"Your Highness Prince Chen, were my words just now mere nonsense? Would you believe them?"

Prince Liu Chong of Chen was speechless once again. Although he wanted to believe he possessed the aura of an emperor, in this situation, responding was neither right nor wrong. Finally, he could only say, "Ha! You old Taoist, you only know how to feign divine will and deceive people!"

Upon hearing this, the Great Teacher shook his head and said solemnly.

"Your Highness, you overestimate me! The will of the people is not something I can sway, but rather a manifestation of the world's order and celestial phenomena! Many noble families and virtuous scholars have their own judgments. They are merely using my name to say what they want to say! As for ordinary people, they have no choice but to believe or not; they are already exhausted just trying to survive. It is this world that is forcing them to struggle for their lives!"

"Among the many officials of the court, countless are more talented, virtuous, and promising than I! Yet the court continues to sell official positions in the Western Garden and collect bribes to exonerate criminals throughout the land. The will of Heaven and the tide of history are like a tidal wave, not something that can be stirred up or controlled by one or two individuals! From the highest court to the lowest county and township levels, from the highest emperor to the lowest county official, selfishness and greed are rampant everywhere. Their actions defy the will of Heaven and harm the people's livelihood. If Heaven were not dead, how could we have reached this state?"

At this point, the Great Teacher paused, his voice lowering considerably. His eyes were deep as he looked at the changing expression on Prince Chen's face, speaking softly so that only a handful of people around could hear him.

"Heaven bears witness! In my humble opinion, these officials in power are not lacking in talent, but they lack public spirit and are too self-serving. Even the emperor himself is no exception! Judging from the will of Heaven and the people, he is not as good as Your Majesty, Prince Chen. Therefore, when I say that 'Your Majesty possesses the aura of an emperor,' it is not mere idle talk, but comes from the bottom of my heart."

"."

Hearing the words of the Great Teacher of Wisdom, Prince Liu Chong of Chen's expression changed several times. Especially the last sentence, "Prince Chen possesses the aura of an emperor," made him involuntarily take a half-step forward, as if he had heard some unforgettable, lingering melody. When he came to his senses, the anger that had filled his face earlier had vanished. He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, wanting to continue asking questions. But in the end, he only exhaled a long breath and replied in a low voice.

"You old Taoist priest, you can't be trusted! With such a great reputation, I wonder if you really have the ability to see qi, or if you're just spouting nonsense to deceive people?"

"Your Highness, the throne is bestowed by Heaven and belongs to the virtuous. Although the Former Qin was strong, it treated the people like grass, and the whole world rebelled. It perished because of its lack of virtue. Although Xiang Yu was brave and invincible, he killed too many people and also perished because of his lack of virtue. Although Emperor Gaozu came from humble origins, he made a three-point agreement with the people. He ascended to the throne because of his virtue. This is the will of Heaven and is by no means an empty saying."

The Great Teacher looked earnestly into the eyes of Prince Liu Chong of Chen, bowed again, and spoke with Zheng Chongjian.

"Your Highness's imperial aura stems from your governance of the State of Chen and from your virtuous act of saving the people. Last year, during the severe drought and plague, the State of Chen opened its granaries to distribute grain, allowing the people to survive the spring famine. This year, another severe drought looms, and even my celestial observations suggest that next year will also be a drought. I urge Your Highness to prepare early and stockpile grain. When the drought worsens, continue to distribute grain to save the people and implement this virtuous policy! And the weight of this virtuous act is the support of the people, the imperial aura favored by Heaven!"

"."

This time, upon hearing the old Taoist priest's explicit explanation of the source of "the aura of an emperor," and upon hearing this heartfelt advice, Prince Liu Chong of Chen was taken aback. He then scrutinized the Great Teacher of Wisdom for a long time, looking him up and down carefully. After a while, he replied with a strange expression.

"You old quack, the affairs of Chen State are for me and the Prime Minister to decide! I already know what you're saying, so there's no need for you to say more!"

"Oh! If that's the case, then I'm afraid I've been presumptuous!"

The Great Teacher Zhang Jiao smiled. Prince Chen, with a stern face and head held high, did not smile. Yet, a tacit understanding seemed to have emerged between them, dispelling their previous hostility. Zhang Chengfu watched all this, deeply shaken. His teacher had managed to turn enmity into friendship with Prince Chen with just a conversation? This ability to "preach the Way of Goodness"—no wonder he could even draw the Ten Attendants of the palace into the Way of Peace!
Next, the Grand Master of Good Learning and the King of Chen spoke in hushed tones for a long time. Their voices were so low that only faint whispers of "celestial phenomena" and "omens" could be heard. The King of Chen would ask questions, and the Grand Master of Good Learning would answer. This unplanned conversation was interrupted when a rider on horseback hurriedly arrived from Yangxia in the south. The middle-aged scholar on horseback looked anxious and was covered in sweat.

"Drive! Drive!"

"Your Highness Prince Chen!"

"Oh? Xiaoyuan, what brings you here?"

"Upon hearing that His Highness had suddenly left the city and was leading his men on a 'hunting' trip north, Jun immediately spurred his horse and caught up with him!"

Chancellor Luo Jun of the Chen Kingdom was visibly tense. He glanced at the fallen white horse in the distance, then at the situation in the arena, his eyes twitching. His Highness Prince Chen might not know the Great Teacher's connections, nor his ability to spread prophecies and communicate with eunuchs, but how could he, the shrewd and capable Chancellor of the Chen Kingdom, not know? This time, if blood were to be spilled, the Great Teacher's death would be insignificant, but the terrible consequences of the public opinion would be handing the knife to the emperor and the eunuchs!
Thinking of this, Luo Jun quickly walked up to the Great Teacher Zhang Jiao, bowed respectfully, and apologized.

"Great and wise teacher! Prince Chen is impetuous; please forgive His Highness's offense!"

"It doesn't matter!"

Upon hearing this, the wise and virtuous teacher nodded gently and smiled sincerely.

"I have always wanted to meet Prince Chen, and I am overjoyed that my wish has been fulfilled today."

"Yes! I have long admired the name of the Great Teacher, and I am equally delighted to meet you today! If the Great Teacher has the time, why not come with us south to Yangxia, where His Highness and I will personally host a banquet to express our gratitude?"

"Prime Minister, there's no need for such formalities! I have a prior appointment with the Prefect of Yingchuan and must go immediately. If I have the time, I will certainly pay him a visit when I pass through Chen on my next trip!"

The Great Teacher smiled and politely declined. He glanced at the brave and composed King Chen, then at the courteous and respectful Chancellor Luo Jun, and sincerely praised him.

"It is a blessing from Heaven, truly a perfect match between ruler and minister! With plagues raging across the land, the people of Chen are able to enjoy peace and tranquility, and survive amidst the disasters. This is all thanks to the two rulers working together to protect the people!"

"Ah?! This, Your Excellency, you are too kind! This is all thanks to the Emperor's virtue, which extends to our Chen Kingdom. Cough! Your Highness and I dare not take credit!"

Chancellor Luo Jun of the Chen Kingdom was sweating profusely. His political acumen far surpassed that of the King of Chen. After all, how did the former chancellor die? He was executed by imperial decree for privately performing sacrifices and seeking divine intervention! How could he possibly bear such praise from the Great Teacher of the Way of Peace? He could only hope that the King of Chen hadn't gotten too entangled with this old Taoist priest, lest the other party spread rumors of his "imperial aura" or prophecies of "usurping the throne and replacing the emperor."
"Since the Great Teacher has already made an appointment with the Prefect of Yingchuan, then we will not disturb you any longer! The affairs of Chen State are complicated, so Jun will now return to Yangxia with His Highness the King of Chen!"

After chatting for a while, Chen Guoxiang Luo Jun judged the Great Teacher's gentle and friendly attitude. He breathed a sigh of relief and quickly pulled the somewhat reluctant King Chen to bid farewell to this old Taoist priest whom neither could be touched nor killed. The Great Teacher Zhang Jiao nodded with a smile, performed the farewell ceremony, and then smiled at Zhang Chengfu.

"Chengfu, you will personally escort Prince Chen to his place!"

"Yes, teacher!"

(End of this chapter)