Han Ji

Chapter 157 Sparks in Mianzhu (Part 1)

He didn't want to be an official; he wanted revenge. That old dog Xi Jian raised the salt tax last year, driving countless salt workers to their deaths. His own brother died from exhaustion in a well; when his body was pulled up, he was as thin as a piece of firewood.

This grudge must be avenged.

But suspicion, like a thorn, is stuck in the flesh.

Why him of all people? Why so much money? Why... wait until May?

"Master Ma," Wu Si leaned closer and whispered, "Won't Master Liu... change his mind?"

Ma Xiang glanced at him: "What change of heart?"

"The imperial court is on edge lately, I heard they're going to investigate the remnants of the Taiping Dao." Wu Si rubbed his hands together. "What if the person behind Master Liu..."

""

"There's no 'what if'," Ma Xiang interrupted him. "The arrow is on the string, and we have no choice but to release it. We've taken the money and hidden the weapons; we're all in the same boat now. Want to get off now? It's too late."

Wu Si shrank back, not daring to say anything more.

A string of sparks burst from the fire pit, landing on the back of Ma Xiang's hand. He didn't move, watching the red spot slowly dim and turn to ash.

As they remained silent, footsteps sounded outside the temple.

It was light, but rapid.

A young salt worker on lookout rushed in, panting, "Master Ma! A convoy of three carts has arrived. They say they are salt merchants from Hanzhong and want to see you!"

Ma Xiang suddenly looked up.

"How many people?"

"There were four coachmen. The one in the lead looked like an accountant, and he said... his surname was Liu."

柳？

Ma Xiang and Wu Si exchanged a glance.

"Please come in." Ma Xiang stood up, brushed the grass clippings off his clothes, and said, "Brothers, grab your weapons and get into ambush."

The twenty or so people quickly dispersed, hiding in the shadows of the dilapidated temple, behind the clay statues, and between the beams and pillars. Knives were drawn and bows were strung, but no one showed themselves.

Ma Xiang straightened his fur coat and walked to the temple entrance.

The sky was overcast, the clouds thick and seemed to press down on the rooftops. Three carriages were parked in the open space outside the temple, their tracks leaving deep imprints in the mud. The curtain of the middle carriage was lifted, and four people stepped out.

The leader was a middle-aged scholar, wearing a worn silk robe, a sheepskin vest over it, and a warm hat with the brim pulled low. Behind him were three men dressed as waiters, all with their heads down.

The scholar walked three steps in front of Ma Xiang, stopped, and bowed.

"Could it be General Ma Xiang?"

His voice was gentle, with a slight accent from Hubei.

Ma Xiang sized him up.

He was short and thin, with a pale face and a small mustache. His eyes were calm, and his expression was unreadable.

"I am the Minister of War." He paused. "And you are?"

The scholar took out a bronze talisman from his pocket and handed it over.

The bronze talisman is about the size of a palm, with a horse engraved on the front and a letter engraved on the back.

Ma Xiang took it and examined it. It was made of bronze, old, with smooth edges. It was indeed Liu Jun's.

"Where is Master Liu?" he asked.

Jian Yong bowed slightly: "There has been a change in Luoyang, and Lord Liu is unable to leave his post, so he specially sent me, Liu Yong, here. I am Lord Liu's cousin, and I am away managing business most of the year."

Ma Xiang stared at him for three breaths.

Then he stepped aside and said, "Please come in."

Inside the temple, the fire pit was burning brightly.

Jian Yong sat opposite Ma Xiang, with Zhang Wu, Chen Da, and Zhao Er standing behind him. Wu Si sat next to Ma Xiang, his eyes darting around as he sized up the newcomers.

"Mr. Liu, you must be tired from your long journey," Ma Xiang said, picking up a ceramic bowl from the hearth, pouring some wine, and pushing it towards him. "It's cold; have a drink to warm yourself up."

Jian Yong took it, but didn't drink it; he placed it beside him.

"General Ma, this is urgent, please allow me to speak frankly." He took out an oilcloth bag from his bosom, took out the piece of silk cloth, unfolded it, and spread it on the dry grass between the two of them.

The flickering firelight illuminated the words on the silk cloth.

Ma Xiang looked down.

His pupils contracted when he saw the phrase "On the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, gather crowds and raise flags".

"It's earlier than planned?" He looked up at Jian Yong. "Wasn't it supposed to be May?"

"There's been a change in the court." Jian Yong spoke calmly, "My cousin's informant in Luoyang has learned that the court is suspicious of Yizhou and intends to replace its ruler."

Therefore, I order the general to rise quickly and strike while Xi Jian is unprepared, killing him in one fell swoop.

Ma Xiang remained silent.

He ran his fingers along the silk cloth, touching the dark red seal—Liu Jun's private seal. The ink seemed not to have completely dried.

"Why...didn't you notify me sooner?" he asked.

"This happened suddenly." Jian Yong took out a small wooden box from his pocket, opened it, and inside were the pair of fish-shaped jade pendants. He took out the Yin pendant and placed it next to the silk cloth. "Lord Liu ordered me to hold this pendant as proof, the copper tally as evidence, and the code name as 'General Xin,' which you may verify."

Ma Xiang picked up the Yin Jue and looked at it in the firelight.

The jade was warm and lustrous, the carving exquisite, with each fish scale clearly defined. He turned around, took out his Yangjue from his robes, and put the two pieces of jade together.

Perfectly fitted.

"What's the code?" Ma Xiang looked at Jian Yong.

Jian Yong spoke, his voice low and clear: "The road is too far to reach, so I can only sigh in despair."

Ma Xiang's Adam's apple bobbed as he continued, "What is there to be worried and troubled about?"

correct.

All of them are correct.

The jade pendant, bronze talisman, secret code, and seal are all genuine.

Ma Xiangchang let out a long breath.

He believed it.

"Mr. Liu," he put down the jade pendant, his voice lowered, "my husband wants me to start the uprising on the fifteenth of the first month, and now there are only five days left."

How many people can be gathered in such a short time?

Jian Yong withdrew his hand and lowered his sleeve.

"How many men does the general currently have under his command?"

"I usually have about two hundred men with me," Ma Xiang said. "They are all salt workers and refugees, and they are willing to fight to the death. But we don't have enough weapons; we only have thirty knives and twenty bows."

"I brought some weapons with me." Jian Yong turned his head and gave Ambassador Chen a wink.

Chen Da went out and dragged two long wooden boxes out of the carriage. He opened them and found ten ring-pommel swords, twenty bows, and several bundles of arrows inside.

Ma Xiang's eyes lit up.

He walked over, grabbed a knife, and drew it. The blade was gleaming, reflecting the fire with a chilling light.

Good knife.

"There's still money." Zhang Wu went out and dragged two long wooden boxes from the carriage. Opening them, they revealed three hundred gold ingots, worth three million coins, gleaming alluringly in the firelight. "This is additional funding," said Lord Liu, "I hope the general will not hesitate and will prepare it immediately."

Three million.

Ma Xiang's hand trembled slightly.

He had never seen so much money in his life.

Wu Si leaned closer, staring at the gold cake, his eyes almost popping out of their sockets.

"Master Ma..." his voice trembled, "This...this is enough for us to recruit soldiers and buy horses!"

Ma Xiang ignored him. He turned around, walked back to the fire pit, sat down, stared at the gold ingot, and then stared at Jian Yong.

Ma Xiang's chest heaved, and his breathing gradually became heavier.

He recalled the way his brother died, Xi Jian's ugly face, and the humiliation he had suffered over the years.

Dry!

He slapped his thigh and exclaimed, "Great! On the fifteenth of the first lunar month, I, Ma Xiang, will raise the flag!"

Jian Yong rose and bowed deeply: "General, you are truly magnanimous. I must return to Luoyang to report back and cannot linger any longer. I hope you will make preparations soon and achieve a resounding victory."

Ma Xiang also stood up: "Mr. Liu, won't you have a drink before you leave?"

"The military situation is urgent, and I dare not delay." Jian Yong cupped his hands in farewell.

He led Zhang Wu, Chen Da, and Zhao Er out of the dilapidated temple.

The carriage turned around and drove away.

Ma Xiang stood at the temple gate, watching the convoy disappear at the end of the muddy road, still clutching a gold ingot in his hand.

Wu Si leaned closer and whispered, "Master Ma, are you really going to do it?"