Taiping Dao at the end of the Han Dynasty

Chapter 86 The affairs of the world cannot wait! Send Cheng Fu to Luoyang to replace Yuan Yi!
A faint aroma of tea and subtle fragrance of herbs filled the room for the four people. A detailed and rare map of Yingchuan was unfolded between them as they knelt. The renowned physician Zhang Liang pointed to the map, which he had personally drawn and considered "secret," explaining in detail the geographical situation of this "throat of the Central Plains." Zhang Chengfu listened intently, absorbing this crucial knowledge, rarely passed down even among ordinary powerful clans, essential for military campaigns and the governance of prefectures and kingdoms.

"Yingchuan Commandery is located in the heart of the land, serving as the 'throat of the Central Plains.' It controls the territory of Yuzhou, connecting Luoyang to the north via Xuanyuan Pass and the Yangtze and Huai Rivers to the south via the Pu River and Honggou Canal. This was a strategically vital location, determining the fate of the Central Plains. The Chu-Han Contention took place in the Yingchuan Commandery area, with repeated battles between Sili Xingyang in the north and the commandery's capital, Yangdi, in the center. Yangdi, the commandery's capital, was the capital of Yuzhou during the Xia Dynasty, the fiefdom of Yu the Great, and also the capital of the State of Han during the Warring States period—a truly formidable city! From a celestial perspective, Yingchuan is a 'ruin of the starry sky,' corresponding to the constellations 'Jiao' and 'Kang,' belonging to the Azure Dragon of the East, and has long been said to be favored by Heaven."

"Yingchuan Commandery has a population of one million, the highest in the land. Its capital, Yangdi, has an extremely developed iron smelting and pottery industry, and possesses a large armory capable of arming tens of thousands of soldiers. This is the outer barrier of Sili Luoyang. Once our Taiping Dao raises an army here and captures the capital Yangdi, the Luoyang court will surely be shaken, and the hearts of the people will be changed!"

Upon hearing "Yangdi Armory," Zhang Chengfu's heart skipped a beat, and a thoughtful expression appeared on his face. If he remembered correctly, although the Yellow Turban Rebellion in Yingchuan had once been powerful, even besieging Zhu Jun's army that had marched east from Luoyang, there seemed to be no record of the rebels capturing the prefectural capital of Yangdi and obtaining the armory's weapons and armor. It was likely that the powerful clans of Yingchuan had long coveted the imperial armory of Yangdi and had been eyeing it for a long time. Historically, it was estimated that half of the weapons and armor in this armory eventually fell into the hands of the local powerful clans of Yingchuan, while the other half fell into the hands of Cao Cao, who was supported by the Yingchuan gentry, becoming the capital for Cao Cao's rise to power.

The powerful clans of Yingchuan, determined to maintain control over the local Yellow Turban Rebellion, would never allow the Yellow Turban army to breach the fortified Xia capital and seize the armory and crossbows from the armory! Given the formidable defenses of Yangdi, the Yingchuan rebels could not possibly breach it without the tacit approval and inside support of the local powerful clans. With just a thousand armed members from these clans, and the assistance of able-bodied men within the city, even a siege and assault by tens of thousands of Yellow Turban rebels would be impossible to capture!

Even without the armed forces of the powerful clans of the prefecture, the eight hundred soldiers from the two detachments of Yangdi, plus several hundred guards from the Zhang clan of Yangdi, would be sufficient to defend this formidable Xia capital. Furthermore, upon learning of the Yingchuan uprising, the imperial army from Luoyang would quickly march east to provide support. Therefore, while the great city of Yangdi was alluring, and the benefits of its capture immense, it was destined to be a deadly lure, something desirable but unattainable.
After explaining the geographical situation of Yingchuan and the importance of its capital, Yangdi, the chief physician Zhang Liang's expression shifted slightly, and he changed the subject, speaking with a profound meaning.

"Since the Former Han Dynasty, Yingchuan has been a 'prefecture of scholars,' with numerous aristocratic families and a flourishing literary culture! After the restoration of the Han Dynasty under Emperor Guangwu, the court was far more lenient towards aristocratic families and powerful clans than in the Former Han Dynasty, and the situation in Yingchuan was even more dire. Ban Gu and Ban Mengjian once said, 'The people of Yingchuan are strong-willed, and many powerful figures seize and plunder, requiring strong officials to govern.' The reality behind this is that there were too many powerful aristocratic families in Yingchuan, and their annexation was too heavy, making it difficult for the court to suppress them!"

"As for the literary tradition of Yingchuan, during the reign of Emperor Guangwu, Zhang Xing, a native of Yanling in Yingchuan, studied the *Liangqiu Yi* and taught it to others. He had thousands of disciples in Yingchuan and was one of the most important originators of the literary tradition of Yingchuan in this dynasty. Afterwards, many Yingchuan gentry studied the classics, entered officialdom, taught disciples, and intermarried, forming a unified whole over two hundred years! Now, these prominent families of Yingchuan can even be listed separately and regarded as the 'Yingchuan gentry'."

"The gentry of Yingchuan have long been renowned! The so-called 'Four Elders of Yingchuan'—Zhong Hao, Xun Shu, Han Shao, and Chen Shi—are the leading figures of the Yingchuan gentry, and behind them are all prominent families of great renown. Moreover, the Yingchuan gentry have close ties with the partisans, acting as their double agent, and can be called the 'Yingchuan Gentry Party.' The key figures in the first partisan purge, the 'model of the world' who executed Zhang Rang's brother Zhang Shuo, Li Yuanli and Li Ying, are the benchmarks of the Yingchuan Gentry Party! In the past thirty years, during the two partisan purges, hundreds of members of the Yingchuan gentry have been included in the list of partisans!"

"The reason why our Taiping Dao was able to grow and thrive in Yingchuan is twofold. First, we formed a society to resist taxes, which resonated with the common people's desire to survive. Second, it was due to the extreme dissatisfaction of the Yingchuan gentry and partisans with the emperor and the court's deliberate suppression of partisans! Even when we raised an army, the partisans and gentry of Yingchuan secretly supported us, and even sent their collateral relatives to participate under different names."

Upon hearing the description of Yingchuan as a "county of scholars," the Great Teacher Zhang Jiao nodded slightly, while Zhang Chengfu's thoughts raced. He knew clearly that these "Yingchuan gentry" were not only the most important backbone of Cao Cao's military and political group, but also continued into the Jin Dynasty, forming one of the core aristocratic clans. Until the Yongjia Rebellion more than a hundred years later, when the Xiongnu cavalry marched south and captured Luoyang, Yingchuan was no longer defensible, and the aristocratic clans migrated south across the river.
"In short, the entire Yingchuan Commandery is home to numerous powerful and interconnected clans. It has long been a commandery for scholars, not for the imperial court. Even though it is only three hundred li from Luoyang, the taxes the emperor can collect from Yingchuan Commandery are still very limited. As for the family of Zhang Rang, the eunuch Zhang clan of Yangdi, they are key to collecting taxes for the emperor and suppressing the powerful clans of Yingchuan!"

"From Yangdi, the capital of the prefecture, outwards, every county was home to powerful and influential families. Behind the 'Four Elders of Yingchuan' were four prominent families from Yingchuan. Zhong Hao was from the 'Changshe Zhong Clan,' Xun Shu was from the 'Yingyin Xun Clan,' Han Shao was from the 'Wuyang Han Clan,' and Chen Shi was from the 'Xuxian Chen Clan.' Further down the line, there were the 'Li and Du Gentlemen' of the partisan faction. Li was Li Ying, from the 'Xiangcheng Li Clan,' and Du was Du Mi, from the 'Yangcheng Du Clan.' Both of these powerful families were imprisoned during the partisan purges, but their prestige only increased. They still owned tens of thousands of acres of land, and their influence in the county remained strong."

"Besides these six most prestigious and powerful families with the most clans and land, there are many smaller aristocratic clans. For example, the Xin clan of Yangdi migrated eastward from the Xin clan of Longxi during the reign of Emperor Guangwu. Although their origins differ from those of the local aristocratic clans of Yingchuan, they still intermarry frequently, especially with the Xun clan. Young members of the Xin clan, such as Xin Ping and Xin Pi, are both talented. However, there are too many powerful clans in Yingchuan, and the number of candidates for the civil service examination is limited, so the Xin clan has never had a chance. Then there's the Guo clan of Yangdi. One of their young members, Guo Tu, is a clerk under Prefect Yin. He has dealt with my Taiping Dao (Way of Peace) before; he's a capable man, but unfortunately, he doesn't want to join us."

"Yangdi also has the Handan clan, which produced a great calligrapher, Handan Chun and Handan Zishu, a disciple of Cao Cao of Fufeng. The Hu clan of Yingyang also has a member named Hu Zhao, equally outstanding in calligraphy. The Zhang clan of Yingyang has a patriarch named Zhang Ziyi, who is quite renowned. The Chunyu clan of Yingyang reportedly has a member serving as a military officer in the Luoyang army in Sili. Oh! By the way, Yangdi also has the Sima clan, which produced a Daoist named Sima Hui, who also entered the Daoist path and received the Daoist name 'Water Mirror.' It is said that he 'has a heart as clear as a water mirror and is quite discerning of people. It's just a pity that I have never had the opportunity to meet this Daoist Water Mirror."

Hearing this series of familiar names, Zhang Chengfu was filled with emotion and genuine amazement. Yingchuan truly lived up to its reputation as a "prefecture of scholars," boasting four prominent families, more than ten large clans, and dozens of figures whose names have been passed down through generations! Take the "Guo family of Yangdi," for example; not only did they have Guo Tu, who served Yuan Shao, but they likely also had Guo Jia, who served Cao Cao. And mentioning Guo Jia brings to mind Xi Zhicai of Yingchuan. However, Xi Zhicai's origins were far too humble; he was most likely from a poor scholarly family or a commoner, and his family name did not enjoy the same renown in Yingchuan.

"In Yingchuan County, there are so many distinguished figures! It's just a pity that most of the gentry here have opposing views to our Taiping Dao. Since our paths are different, it's difficult to work together! And Yingchuan County has to support so many powerful families and their members. I'm afraid that the fertile fields of Yingchuan have long since belonged to the powerful families, and the common people have all become tenant farmers!"

"Land consolidation reduces people to tenant farmers. The common people must feel deeply bitter about this! But if they were to become tenant farmers in the hands of powerful families, they would only need to pay taxes to those families steadily, no longer needing to fear the corrupt and unpredictable tax collectors of the government. The common people would probably be grateful and would rather hand over 60% of their harvest to a powerful family than become self-cultivating farmers for the imperial court!"

"However, the taxes evaded by these powerful families would eventually fall on the shoulders of other self-cultivating farmers, making life increasingly difficult for the remaining farmers in the prefecture, leading to more and more bankruptcies and land annexations. Unable to collect taxes, the emperor simply sold official positions, letting eunuchs act on his behalf. Those who bought their positions with large sums of money would prioritize recouping their investment. With the bureaucracy so corrupt, the partisan struggle became an intractable problem, accelerating the demise of the Han Dynasty. Later, the rise of powerful local clans inevitably led to the complete annihilation of the small farmers who formed the foundation of the Han Dynasty."

"But if our Yellow Turban Rebellion fails, and the emperor dies in his prime, then everything that is happening in Yu Province now will happen in Ji Province and Yan Province as well! From then on, the affairs of the world will be decided by the powerful clans! Family schemes and private calculations will become the norm!"

A jumble of thoughts flashed through Zhang Chengfu's mind, causing a thunderous roar within him, while his face grew increasingly calm and composed. By the time the great physician Zhang Liang had finished explaining the situation of the gentry in Yingchuan County in great detail, the night outside the window was already deep, with the clear chirping of night birds.

"Chengfu, Daonu, you two go to your quarters first! Your martial uncle and I haven't seen each other for a long time, we need to have a good chat tonight."

"Yes, teacher! You should get some rest."

"Ah."

The pitch-black night enveloped the temple, the yellow spirit tablet reflecting the flickering light of the pine torches, like a dawn that might never arrive. After Zhang Chengfu, with some apprehension, bowed to his two teachers and withdrew, only the Great Teacher Zhang Jiao and the Physician Zhang Liang remained at the banquet. The two drank some cooled medicinal tea, sat closer together, and once again began a long conversation in the dim light of the pine torches. This time, without their disciples present, they were able to discuss more deeply, reaching the more crucial issue of the Taiping Dao's choice.

"Brother! I don't fully understand your plan to revise the Taiping Dao's strategy and establish a long-term base to await the changes after the emperor's death. However, after much thought, I believe it might be feasible, and I'm willing to support you! We have a year left. I will mobilize the Taiping Dao in Yuzhou and prepare as much as possible for this path! I will also devise a narrative to deal with the partisans temporarily." "As for the Taiping Dao leaders in Yuzhou and Nanyang in Jingzhou, I will send people to contact them! Even if they are unwilling to bring their followers, they can still start an uprising locally, diverting the court's troops and attention, and buying time for Jizhou and Yanzhou! However, regarding the arrangement of the future successor of my Taiping Dao..."

The great physician Zhang Liang had piercing eyes and a face full of determination and courage. He was skilled in martial arts, looked much younger than his elder brother Zhang Jiao, and was clearly in better physical condition. Upon hearing his uncle Zhang Liang's promise, the great teacher Zhang Jiao nodded slightly, but his eyebrows gradually rose. He had already discerned something unspoken in Zhang Liang's words.

"Brother, what are your thoughts? Please speak frankly!"

"Brother, was the talisman that Chengfu is carrying given to him by my second brother?"

"Ah."

"You and your brother both favor him?"

"Ah."

Upon hearing the clear answer, the renowned physician Zhang Liang also became serious. He remained silent for a long time, then raised his voice slightly and gave a definitive reply.

"No! Brother, I disagree!"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Jiao, the Great Teacher of Virtue, had a flicker of interest in his eyes. He smiled and looked at his third brother, asking with a smile.

"Oh? Uncle, you disagree? Chengfu is a child you personally taught martial arts to and took good care of. Haven't you always liked him very much and recognized his talent?"

"Yes! Chengfu is a child I personally taught martial arts to, and he is someone I like very much! Whether it is literature or martial arts, his talent is among the best of all the young people I have ever seen! What is even more rare is his perseverance and courage, and his stance of standing on the side of the people. He is the disciple who is most like me among all my disciples!"

The great physician Zhang Liang straightened his back, his expression more serious than ever before, like a seated statue. At this moment, his voice also suppressed all soft emotions, leaving only the unwavering determination of a stone thrown from a mountaintop.

"If we wait another ten years! I admit that Chengfu will be the best successor for my Taiping Dao, far superior to Yuanyi! But that's ten years from now, not now!"

"Next year, the year of Jiazi, we will rise up! With Chengfu's qualifications, prestige, and connections, there is no way he can shoulder the identity of the leader and successor of the Way of Peace next year! He is too young, has never been active in Yuzhou, Jingzhou, or Sili, and is even less likely to be recognized by the leaders of various states and regions! He cannot unite the forces of all sides, and he is even less likely to succeed us in the subsequent uprisings in the seven states!"

"Our Taiping Dao has thirty-six branches, spanning seven provinces: Yu, Jing, Yan, Qing, Xu, Ji, and You. It also has many followers and influence in Sili! This is such a large operation, with a diverse range of participants, from eunuchs in the imperial court to members of the political faction and powerful local families. How can a young man possibly manage this? Without ten years of experience in spreading the Dao, it is impossible to integrate all parties, gain their recognition, or win their support!"

"In fact, apart from my three brothers, the only successor of the Taiping Dao who can barely connect the various states and unite all parties is Yuan Yi! Only Yuan Yi in Luoyang! He is the most suitable and only successor of the Taiping Dao at present!"

After giving this serious advice, the great physician Zhang Liang paused, his voice softening slightly, and then earnestly advised the wise and virtuous teacher Zhang Jiao, who was silently pondering.

“Brother, I understand what you mean! You lack confidence in next year's uprising, perhaps even harboring thoughts of martyrdom. Therefore, you value the more uncertain and distant future after our failure. However, ‘The Blue Heaven is dead, the Yellow Heaven shall rise. In the year of Jiazi, great fortune will come to the world!’ Once we rise up, we will exert all our strength, even unto death, with the ultimate goal of overthrowing the court! The fate of the world, the survival of millions of believers, rests on our shoulders. Even if it means sacrificing our own lives, we must strive forward! How can we place our hopes for a peaceful and prosperous world in the future? In ten years, in after our deaths, in a future so distant and uncertain?”

"In my opinion, Chengfu is decisive, strong-willed, and skilled in assassination—he's the sharpest blade! But right now, he's unknown and goes unnoticed, like a blade coated with black lacquer, offering no reflection whatsoever. A blade as sharp and black as his should be used in the most crucial places!"

"Therefore, why not send Chengfu to Luoyang to replace Yuanyi? Let Yuanyi return to Jizhou to establish a long-term foundation and make arrangements in Bingzhou, while Chengfu seeks an opportunity to cooperate with the partisans and assassinate the emperor in Luoyang!"

(End of this chapter)