Taiping Dao at the end of the Han Dynasty

Chapter 30: Judgement of the Emperor, We Have Another Matter... (Bonus Chapter by Alliance Leader "wyhJessica")
"Da da da…"

Snowflakes accumulated on the official road, and horses' hooves trod through the snow, leaving deep and shallow hoofprints. Then, more snowflakes swirled in, fading the deep imprints and covering the shallow ones. Thus, for the pursuers, these marks became the most obvious traces, indicating not only the number of people and their movements but also the time.

"Five hoof prints... just one or two hours ago!"

Jiang Qian squatted down and reached out to probe the hoofprints. A man from Youzhou with extensive experience in snowy terrain, he quickly gave an estimated time. Hearing this, Zhang Chengfu raised an eyebrow and nodded.

"Then hurry up! Lead the horses for two hours to build up their strength. Then, ride after them!"

"promise!"

The five men from Taiping Dao dismounted and led their horses along, feeding them beans to replenish their energy. A horse's running time in a day, even a trot or a slow walk, is limited. Often, for half the day, the five men had to lead the horses on foot to give them a chance to recover; otherwise, the horses would truly "run themselves to death."

Moreover, there were no stirrups at this time, making it difficult to gain leverage while riding for extended periods, and greatly depleting one's physical strength. Now that they had chased for two and a half days and finally caught sight of the enemy, they naturally needed to take a break. Both man and horse needed to conserve their energy for the next encounter.

"Whoosh! Whoosh!..."

The north wind howled, and snow fell thick and fast. No one was on the road, only occasional small hills beside it, littered with the remains of unknown people. Two hours later, the hoofprints ahead became clearer, changing from five hoofprints to five hoofprints and footprints. Clearly, the people ahead, too, had to lead their horses.

"We've rested enough! Mount up and let's go!"

"promise!"

"Da da da…"

The horses' hooves pounded lightly, following the trail for another half an hour. After rounding a bend, a group of people suddenly appeared two or three miles away. They seemed to have tied their horses to trees by the roadside and were sitting and eating something. As they drew closer, another sharp-eyed man, Jiang Kun, squinted and whispered...

"Zhang Jun, there are five people!"

"Oh? Slow down your horse and approach slowly."

So the group slowed their horses and moved closer to the resting group ahead. Upon seeing five riders approaching, the five resting men immediately became alert. They stood up, placed their hands on their weapons, and stared intently at the newcomers.

“Zhang Jun, there are four armored men! The armor is worn under their robes, but it is stiff and rigid; it must be the sleeveless lamellar armor of the government troops!”

"Ok!"

Zhang Chengfu nodded slightly and slowed his horse down a bit. In this increasingly chaotic world, slowing down was clearly a gesture of goodwill. When they were within two hundred paces, he removed his straw hat, dismounted, and gestured to the other four. Then, the five members of the Taiping Dao, leading their horses, slowly approached the five people in front, until they were within fifty paces, their faces clearly visible…

"Stop! Halt!..."

Among the five men in front, one armored man frowned, gripped the ring-pommel sword at his waist, and shouted loudly.

"You all must go around to the other side! Do not offend my lord!"

"... "

Upon hearing this, Zhang Chengfu paused and stopped. He looked at the five people in front of him. The four on the left and right were all burly men wearing robes over armor. Only the one in the middle was a young man of about twenty-six or twenty-seven, with a cold face, thick eyebrows, a straight nose, and thin lips, exuding a very stern and aloof air.

"Um…"

Zhang Chengfu's eyes flickered slightly as a scene flashed through his mind, bearing a striking resemblance to the other person's. He smiled, met the other's gaze, and bowed respectfully like a scholar.

"To meet you, sir, in the snow is a delightful surprise! May I ask which distinguished scion of your noble family is here? Please allow me to come forward and pay my respects!"

Upon hearing this, the young man in the middle raised an eyebrow, looking at the group with some surprise. He saw four people opposite him, all carrying long staffs and vaguely visible knives. The leader, however, carried a hunting bow and appeared to be a boy of fourteen or fifteen years old.

Upon closer inspection, the young man had a slightly dark complexion and an unremarkable appearance, except for a pair of bright, piercing eyes that conveyed a resolute and determined air. His composed and unassuming demeanor was rare even among ordinary scholars. After a moment's thought, he asked in a clear voice.

"I am Shen Zhengnan of the Yin'an Shen clan. May I ask who you are?"

"Oh! It is a great honor to meet you, Lord Shen, today! We are wandering knights from Youzhou, all surnamed Jiang, not from any noble family..."

"A wandering knight from Youzhou?"

Upon hearing this, Shen Pei's face turned cold. Knights-errant, using their martial arts to defy the law, have always been frowned upon by the government. As a strict clerk in the prefecture, he had no patience for these wandering knights who disregarded the law. Hmm, wandering knights of Youzhou, no wonder everyone has a horse…

Having confirmed the other party's identity, Zhang Chengfu felt relieved. He released his horse, smiled, and led the group forward a few steps to respectfully bow.

"So it's the prestigious Shen family of Yin'an! We commoners have heard of them... We've heard that the Shen family has a distinguished young man named Shen Pei. He is known for his integrity, uprightness, and unwavering commitment to his promises, and for his concern for the world..."

"I've heard that such talented individuals from Ji Province are like a needle in a bag. Once they encounter a wise and enlightened ruler, they will surely soar to great heights! With his abilities, he is more than qualified to serve as the Prefectural Governor, overseeing the entire prefectural government!"

"Do you know this Shen Pei, who is also from the Yin'an Shen clan?..."

Zhang Chengfu spoke these words with utmost sincerity, coming from the very bottom of his heart. Shen Pei, upon hearing this, was stunned for a long time, looking at this earnest young man, and suddenly felt a sense of kinship! He remained silent for a few breaths, his expression complex, and sighed softly.

"My name is Shen Pei, courtesy name Zhengnan. The Shen Pei you praised is me! But such praise, with titles like Prefectural Attendant and Governor of a Province… sounds shameful and laughable. I am currently just a Legal Clerk of Wei Commandery, and dare not aspire to any high position in any prefecture or commandery…"

"No! The world is in chaos. With your talent, it's only a matter of time before you rise to a higher position!"

Zhang Chengfu spoke respectfully, taking a few steps forward with a friendly demeanor. He stopped when he reached a distance of twenty paces and saw that the man who had shouted earlier was now gripping the hilt of his knife.

At this moment, Shen Pei also came to his senses. He looked the "young knight-errant" carrying a bow up and down, and after a moment, he spoke. "You are knights-errant from Youzhou, what business do you have in my Jizhou?"

"Disasters and plagues rage across the land, and the Xianbei invade every year. We have brought our horses south, hoping to find a safe haven and protection..."

"You want to seek refuge with a powerful clan? To ask for their protection?"

"Yes! Since I have the honor of meeting you, Judge, I shall ask you a few questions!"

Zhang Chengfu, with a humble expression, bowed again before respectfully asking the question.

"When we traveled south, we passed through Julu... We heard that the Way of Great Peace provides relief and medical care to the people, and that the leader of the Way of Great Peace, the Great Virtuous Teacher, is renowned throughout the land for his medical and Taoist skills... I wonder if it is worthwhile to join the Way of Great Peace?"

"Ha! Joining the Way of Peace? The Great Teacher Zhang Jiao?..."

Upon hearing this, Shen Pei's eyes instantly sharpened. He coldly rebuked him.

"Zhang Jiao is nothing but a commoner. He commands ghosts and gods, feigns divine authority, confuses the common people, and corrupts morality. He calls himself a 'Great Teacher of Virtue,' but in reality, he is a traitor who disrupts the people!"

"He deceived the people with talismans and water, proclaiming that 'Heaven's mandate has passed,' and used heretical words to incite the starving masses. The so-called name of peace is nothing but a cover for his rebellious intentions! The court has long been aware of this and will arrest and execute him sooner or later... You must not make a mistake for yourselves!"

"."

Hearing this, Zhang Chengfu lowered his eyes and remained silent. Then, a look of doubt appeared on his face, and he asked.

“Shen Jun, I did see the Taiping Dao providing relief and medical treatment to the people when I traveled south from Youzhou, and the people were all speaking highly of the Taiping Dao… I heard that this year Jizhou was first hit by a major epidemic and then by a severe drought. The imperial court did not provide any relief, and it is not even as good as the Taiping Dao… How do you explain this?”

Upon hearing such remarks, Shen Pei frowned, all goodwill he had felt towards the young man vanished completely. He stared coldly at the other man for a moment, then spoke sternly.

"The Mandate of Heaven is constant and cannot be discussed recklessly by bandits. This is the first crime of the Way of Peace."

Relief and aid should be provided by the authorities, not by ordinary people acting arbitrarily. This is the second crime of the Way of Peace.

The livelihood of the people is based on agriculture, weaving, and paying taxes. Resisting the imperial court and forming societies to resist taxes are the third crime of the Way of Peace.

The Way does not follow scriptures, nor does its teachings establish a doctrine. Using the doctrines of ghosts and spirits to arbitrarily gather followers and worship licentious shrines is the fourth crime of the Way of Peace…”

"With these four crimes on his hands, his so-called relief and medical treatment of the people are nothing but acts of chaos and disorder! Our Han Dynasty has its own laws and regulations, governing the country with propriety, nurturing the people with policies, and spreading education so that order prevails and the world can be at peace..."

"With the Emperor and his officials above us, and virtuous families governing the regions, how can we allow local gentry to spread falsehoods and sow discord among the people? If you were to join the Way of Peace, the day your heads are hung on the city gates would not be far off! I have said all I have to say!"

Hearing this resounding rebuke and understanding the ruling logic of the aristocratic families, Zhang Chengfu lowered his head and remained silent.

At this moment, he finally understood: no matter how loyal and trustworthy the other party was, and no matter how much loyalty and virtue of the gentry they possessed, it was only related to the gentry and had nothing to do with the common people!

To these aristocratic families, who were born different, the hunger, cold, sickness, and death of the common people were merely natural changes of spring, summer, autumn, and winter, things like grass, trees, moths, and ants—never important. What truly mattered was the stability of the court and the powerful families, the "laws and rites of the state," and the principle that "order between superiors and inferiors ensures the peace of the nation."

Under this logic of governance, ordinary people must remain content with their place, and even if they die from disasters or epidemics, they must not gather to cause chaos or shake the foundation of the nation. As for the foundation of the Han Dynasty, it has never been about the survival of ordinary people, but about the emperor and officials high above the court, and the powerful families in the various prefectures and counties!

Whose empire was this, really? The gentry knew the answer without even asking…

"Thank you for your guidance, Judge!"

Zhang Chengfu bowed his head for a long time. When he looked up again, he still had a smile on his face, but it was much more subdued. He bowed again, thanking this outspoken scholar for allowing him to see more of the inner world of the gentry. Then, he asked with a smile.

"Besides the Way of Peace, does Lord Shen have any other places to recommend? For example, the various powerful families..."

"Um…"

Shen Pei, with a stern face, observed the consistently polite and well-mannered young man for a while before offering his comments.

"Within Ji Province, the Cui clan of Qinghe and the Cui clan of Boling are both renowned families of propriety and righteousness. Both are famous throughout the country for their emphasis on Confucianism and education. Their guests are numerous, and their words and deeds are all in accordance with the law."

"The Tian family of Bohai was extremely wealthy. The Tian family possessed grand mansions and granaries, and not only were they rich, they were also known for their respect for the virtuous and talented."

"After passing Jizhou and heading south of the Yellow River, the Yuan family of Runan is naturally the foremost! The Yuan family has been a distinguished family for generations, with a reputation for virtue passed down through generations, and they are respected by scholars. Their family style is elegant yet not arrogant, and they are honest, prudent, and decisive, making them the most outstanding family in the world, and no other prominent family can surpass them!"

"If you can join any one of these four prestigious families... you will have received their guidance and entered the right path!"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Chengfu took the commentary to heart. Clearly, this reflected the prevailing sentiment among the gentry at the time, and it was information he rarely had access to. He sincerely bowed one last time to Shen Pei, offering his apologies.

"Your Majesty, we have one more matter to discuss..."

"What's the matter?"

"I will take your life!"

As he spoke, Zhang Cheng smiled faintly, and in a flash, he took the hunting bow from his back. Then, from a distance of twenty paces, he nocked an arrow, and with practiced ease, raised his hand and fired a swift arrow at the astonished Shen Pei!
"Whoosh!"

"ah!…"

This swift arrow pierced the scholar's robes in an instant, striking his chest with a loud "thud!" Immediately afterward, a scream was heard, and the figure clutched his chest, falling backward!
(End of this chapter)