Taiping Dao at the end of the Han Dynasty

Chapter 85 No matter who the Prefect of Yingchuan is, he can only accomplish nothing!

The four seats were close together, the steaming medicinal soup filling the air, creating a warm and harmonious atmosphere. A plate of seasonal mulberries was laid out, and a small jar of last year's dried dates was also present. However, these fruits, which the great physician Zhang Liang had intentionally brought, were hardly eaten by the great teacher Zhang Jiao. On the contrary, Gao Daonu blinked, his mouth watering as he looked at the dates. Listening to the conversation between the two great physicians, Zhang Chengfu couldn't help but ask a serious question.

"Uncle-Master! There are so many Yellow Turban leaders in Yingchuan and Runan, yet only Leader Bo Cai is of one mind with us?"

"Yes. Bo Cai is a country hero who has been personally taught by me and my brother Zhong for about ten years. In fact, his qualifications are similar to Yuan Yi's, but he has always been based in Yingchuan County and is the head of the Yingchuan Taiping Dao. He was also one of the earliest local core members to join our Taiping Dao. So, when you and Dao Nu see him later, you can call him Senior Brother!"

The great physician Zhang Liang laughed heartily, took a few dates, and stuffed them into Gao Daonu's hand. Then, looking into Zhang Chengfu's eyes, he solemnly said...

"The Yellow Turbans in Yingchuan and Runan number in the hundreds of thousands! However, the powerful clans of Yuzhou each control a region and a county, and the scale of their land and tenants is unparalleled among all the provinces! The influence of these local powerful clans has long since permeated every aspect of life, including the followers of the Way of Peace that I have founded! Apart from the prefectural capital, the imperial court's control over other local counties and townships is simply no match for that of the powerful clans!"

"Although these powerful families do not have the title of fiefdom, they have formed an impenetrable web through intermarriage, recommendation, and recruitment. Each major family holds positions in the county and township, annexes land, and reduces their own taxes, making them veritable 'nobles' in their own right! In addition to keeping retainers and training guards, these powerful families also join forces with local magnates and even send their collateral descendants to join the organizations of my Taiping Dao."

"Therefore, although the Yellow Turbans of Taiping Dao in Yuzhou have gathered a large number of peasants from the lower classes, they also have many local powerful families and gentry members as their core members! Their operations in the localities are inseparable from the local aristocratic families, and naturally, the local leaders and core members also have their own ideas. Although they are powerful, they cannot be mobilized by us simply raising our arms or issuing a few orders! They will not easily leave their entrenched homelands, take their followers, and go with us to Jizhou and Yanzhou!"

"Like He Yi of Ruxi, Huang Shao of Yingnan, He Man of Runan, and Liu Pi of Runan, these four leaders all came from local powerful families. Although they believed in the Yellow Heaven and gathered people in the name of the Way of Great Peace, calling themselves Yellow Turbans, they were not actually disciples of the Way of Great Peace, nor had they learned much of its doctrines. They were merely nominal 'Yellow Turban Army,' but in reality, they were local powerful families forming their own society. They all had their own ideas, local interests, and the shadows of local aristocratic families behind them. And I have no confidence in leading them to revolt or in controlling the Yellow Turban followers under their command!"

"He Yi, Huang Shao, He Man, Liu Pi."

Hearing his martial uncle's words, Zhang Chengfu remained silent, repeatedly pondering the four somewhat familiar names. These local Yellow Turban leaders were equivalent to local leaders affiliated with the "Taiping Dao Alliance." They controlled the Taiping Dao forces in their respective areas, but their faith in Taiping Dao was limited, even among the middle-level members. Even the Taiping Dao's leader couldn't force them to make decisions that didn't align with their own interests.

If Zhang Chengfu remembered correctly, these four leaders were active in the Yingchuan and Runan areas until Emperor Ling's death, Emperor Xian's ascension to the throne, and even after Cao Cao pacified Yanzhou. It would have been impossible for them to escape Emperor Ling's army without the help of powerful local clans to cover for them. As for the extent to which these four leaders raised their banners in response to the Yellow Turban Rebellion and the grand plan to attack Luoyang, it's hard to say.
Of course, since they wear yellow turbans, believe in the Yellow Heaven, and are the leaders of the thirty-six factions, they are neutral allies that can be won over. However, it is important to be clear that they should not be regarded as the core force of the Way of Peace, with whom one would live and die.

"Uncle-Master, what about Commander Peng Tuo?"

“Peng Tuo is located in the northern part of Runan, near Yingchuan and the State of Chen, and also very close to Pingyu, the capital of Runan. He has heard my sermons and is a thoughtful and capable man! However, too many of his core members are from powerful families in Runan. If an uprising breaks out next year, he will definitely join in! But whether he can break out of Runan Prefecture is hard to say. As for letting him leave his base and lead the Taiping Dao followers to retreat to Yanzhou? Hmm, perhaps we can try, but there are great obstacles both inside and outside the region!”

Upon hearing this, Zhang Chengfu fell into deep thought. These Yellow Turban leaders in Yuzhou were like cocoons in the spiderweb of powerful clans; though they appeared large, they were difficult to move. Their every move was under the watchful eye of these powerful clans. If he couldn't take drastic measures to break this web and dismantle the constraints imposed by the powerful clans of Yuzhou, then their fate after their uprising would likely be entirely in the hands of these clans! But could these Yellow Turban leaders in Yuzhou truly be ruthless towards the local powerful clans? Did they have the courage and the ability to do so?

"The Yuzhou Plain is crisscrossed by rivers, stretching as far as the eye can see, making it easy to attack but difficult to defend. Once the powerful imperial army arrives and reaches a compromise with the local aristocratic families, with local leaders guiding the way, the Yellow Turbans in Yuzhou can almost be defeated in a single battle! This is unlike the Yellow Turbans in the Nanyang Basin, who have mountains as a retreat route and can be engaged in a protracted conflict."

Seeing Zhang Cheng deep in thought, the Great Teacher Zhang Jiao sighed softly, seemingly sensing something about the future. He pondered for a moment, then looked at Zhang Liang and said gently.

“Brother, you have been operating in Yuzhou for a long time and are quite familiar with the powerful families in various places. Why don’t you tell Chengfu and Daonu about the situation in Yingchuan and Runan?”

“Alright, elder brother! Then I’ll start with Yingchuan County.”

Zhang Liang smiled and nodded, then drew a rough map of Yingchuan on the ground and pointed it out.

"Yingchuan Commandery, with Yangdi as its capital, boasts a population of one million, making it one of the largest commanderies in the land! However, the amount of tax revenue the imperial court can collect here is limited and dwindling. To be precise, it was probably around 30 years ago, after the powerful eunuch Cao Teng (Cao Jixing) became the governor of Yingchuan, that the aristocratic families of Yingchuan gradually gained control of the local power." "The powerful eunuch Cao Teng? Is that the Cao family of Qiao County, Pei State?"

"Indeed! It is the Cao family of Qiao County! Although Cao Teng is from an official family, he is of upright character and has close ties with the prominent families and political factions of Yingchuan, and has left behind many favors. His reputation still circulates throughout the county! As a result, the Cao family of Qiao County is also respected by the gentry of Yingchuan."

Zhang Liang stretched out his finger, pointing east to Pei County in Yu Province, and then west to Yingchuan in Yu Province. Zhang Chengfu seemed to understand something. Cao Cao's ability to gain the support of the Yingchuan gentry was probably not only related to his own talent and reputation, but also closely linked to the prestige and connections left by his grandfather Cao Teng in Yingchuan!
"After Cao Teng, from Emperor Huan to the current emperor, the next famous Prefect of Yingchuan was Duan Jiong. This man, known as the 'Three Heroes of Liangzhou,' had rendered meritorious service in the campaign against the Qiang, and was capable of keeping the powerful families of Yingchuan in check and collecting taxes for the court. However, Duan Jiong had a close relationship with the powerful eunuch Wang Fu, and because of his military achievements, he was disliked by the emperor. Four years ago, in the spring of the second year of Guanghe, the powerful eunuch Wang Fu was beaten to death by the cruel official Yang Qiu, and his body was dismembered, leading to the extermination of the Wang clan. Duan Jiong was also imprisoned and died from a cup of poison."

"As for the reasons behind Yang Qiu's cruel actions, they naturally stemmed from two sources: first, the hatred of the aristocratic families towards the eunuch families; and second, the emperor's tacit approval or even secret instruction. The eunuch Wang Fu had helped the emperor eliminate Empress Dowager Dou and Dou Wu's faction, as well as Liu Kui, the Prince of Bohai, and even participated in the deposition of Empress Song. After the deposition, this eunuch's power became too great, and he had connections with border generals, showing signs of slipping out of control. Therefore, the emperor allowed Yang Qiu to continue, executing Wang Fu's entire clan, and incidentally poisoning Duan Jiong and his confidants!"

"Of course, Yang Qiu and the other party members didn't have a good ending either. He was just the emperor's knife; once it was stained with too much blood, the emperor would immediately break it. Also in the second year of Guanghe, just half a year later in the autumn, Chen Qiu, the Minister of the Imperial Household, Liu He, the Commandant of the Capital Region, Yang Qiu, and Liu Na, the Commandant of the Infantry, were accused of treason by Zhang Rang and Cao Jie, the Palace Attendants, and all of them were executed in prison! This was a single blow, losing the heads of three officials with salaries of two thousand shi and even one of the Three Dukes. They were all from the aristocratic faction closely associated with the party members, and it was an extension of the second purge of the party! This life-and-death struggle between the eunuchs and the aristocratic families was all manipulated by the emperor behind the scenes!"

Hearing about the bloody turmoil in the Han court, Zhang Chengfu raised his brows, his emotions stirring. In this late Eastern Han Dynasty, eunuchs and aristocratic families fought to the death; the Three Dukes and officials of the rank of two thousand piculs were killed without hesitation. The contradictions within the empire's upper echelons were long since irreconcilable! In this political storm at the top, officials in various prefectures and counties were often affected, their fate determined by their own allegiance and the protection of local powerful families. They had long since lost the ability to represent the emperor's authority and govern the prefectures and counties, and were no longer concerned with local governance!
"Prefects come and go, various disasters frequently erupt, while local powerful families grow ever stronger! After Duan Jiong, He Jin, a relative of the emperor, briefly served as the prefect of Yingchuan for a year, but did nothing of note. Then, in the third year of the Guanghe era, when Consort He was made empress, He Jin was promoted to governor of Henan and transferred to the capital region. Later, Yang Biao, also known as Yang Wenxian, was associated with the partisan faction and secretly participated in Yang Qiu's assassination of Wang Fu, but because of his prestigious lineage from the Hongnong Yang clan, he wasn't punished along with Yang Qiu. He briefly came to Yingchuan, took the position of prefect, but did nothing, and was then promoted to the more prestigious position of prefect of Nanyang. And then there's the current prefect of Yingchuan, Yin Xiu Yin Yuanji, who is about to leave office!"

"Cultivating Yin Yuan Foundation in Yin?"

Zhang Chengfu blinked, a strange familiarity lurking within him. Zhang Liang stroked his chin and shook his head.

"Indeed! Yin Xiu comes from the Yin clan of Xinye. The Yin clan of Xinye can hardly be considered a prominent family, barely even a county-level clan. This Prefect Yin came to Yingchuan, a place teeming with aristocratic families, so naturally he is benevolent to the gentry and has nothing to do with the common people! In the past two years, he has recommended many filial and incorruptible officials and opened up new academies, all of whom are outstanding talents from prominent families! As for the governance of Yingchuan, the prefectural capital, Yangdi, has the Zhang family, a powerful clan of eunuchs who sell official positions, and there are also prominent families in various counties and prefectures. Given this prefect's background, even if I think he is a capable person, he can only try to smooth things over and prioritize 'recommending virtuous and talented people' and 'promoting education'!"

"As for the two major epidemics, last year's drought, and the likely drought this year, even if the prefect is willing to provide relief and has released some stored grain, he can only help two or three thousand people. As for more, the prefectural treasury simply cannot spare any money or grain! Can he collect taxes from the Zhang family of Yangdi? Can he collect taxes from the Chen family of Xuxian? Can he collect taxes from the Xun family of Yingyin? Impossible. Prefect Yin would have to personally visit these three prominent families to recommend their young talents, and he would never dare to offend them. Even if he wanted to collect some taxes, the officials in the prefecture would not allow it! After all, the 'two thousand shi' of grain may come and go, but the powerful families remain."

"Since the prefecture was unable to provide disaster relief, the local powerful families were taking in tenant farmers and seizing land, while the Taiping Dao (Way of Peace) formed societies to provide aid and resist taxes. This Prefect Yin could only turn a blind eye. He served as the prefect of Yingchuan for two years, and nothing major happened. Even though tens of thousands of disaster victims starved to death, at least no one rebelled, which was better than most prefects! It is estimated that he will be able to leave office before the end of the year with a good reputation for 'governing peacefully' and 'appointing virtuous and capable officials,' and be transferred to Sili. As for the rest of Yingchuan, with its scattered firewood, hidden flames, powerful families with their own agendas, and the people struggling to survive, let the next prefect take on that responsibility!"

Upon hearing of the actions of this imperial prefect, Zhang Cheng remained silent for a long time, unsure of what to say.

This Prefect Yin was able to maintain a balance between the eunuchs and the partisans, avoiding being drawn into the court's power struggles, and also balancing the situation between the powerful clans and the common people struggling to survive. He landed safely and even earned a good reputation, demonstrating that he was no ordinary person and showcasing his skill and ability! However, given the state of affairs at the end of the Han Dynasty, even capable individuals, even prefects with a salary of two thousand shi (a unit of grain measure), were powerless! Even if Zhang Chengfu were placed in the position of prefect, he would still be shaky and unable to accomplish anything. It was far better for him to truly stand firm in the Taiping Dao (a faction of the Han court) and stand on the side of the people!
"Brother, you said that Prefect Yin is about to leave office. Who will succeed him as Prefect of Yingchuan?"

“Brother, I’ve heard from the Zhang family, a powerful clan. They say that the court is still arguing about who should be appointed and hasn’t been able to decide on a definite candidate. However, according to the Zhang family, the next governor of Yingchuan will either be a corrupt official who bought his way into office to make money for the emperor, or a respected official who doesn’t actually do anything.”

The great physician Zhang Liang looked into the eyes of the great teacher Zhang Jiao and understood his elder brother's meaning. He spoke meaningfully, word by word.

"In any case, the court would never send another prefect as powerful as Duan Jiong. It would be difficult for the court to find such a person, and even if they did, they might not dare to come or act! You see, Duan Jiong and Yang Qiu, who were decisive and truly got things done, were both discarded by the emperor and killed in prison! In Yingchuan, a major prefecture so close to Luoyang, just like Nanyang to the south, only by governing passively can one have a good ending. The more one does, the more forceful one's methods, the more people one offends, and one will inevitably be drawn into the storm of the court! And once caught in the struggles of the eunuchs and gentry, seeking a peaceful end will be extremely difficult."

“Brother, in my opinion, no matter who the next governor of Yingchuan is, he will not be able to suppress the powerful clans with their own agendas, save the hundreds of thousands of people suffering from disaster in Yingchuan, or change the overall situation of our uprising in Yingchuan!”

(End of this chapter)