Wei School's Three Good Students

Chapter 63 The world is in chaos
In the 30th year of the Tianli reign, although the offensive by Guotai at the junction of the three northern prefectures had stalled, the order in the north deteriorated rapidly. Bandits rose up everywhere.

Guotai's previous general (Zhao Cheng) made a series of bold moves, which seemed more like a desperate gamble to catch his breath.

Therefore, now that the strategic situation has improved slightly, the focus has shifted to stability.

Such a smooth and effortless shift from the bandit-spreading tactics to a strategy of "building high walls and stockpiling grain" left Wu Fei, who had been focusing on the north, bewildered and uncertain.

…The perspective shifts from emperors and generals to the common people and ants…

The collision of Guotai and Dayao is like a collision between Mars and Earth, producing a large number of fragments. Even these fragments, when they land in the interface, form mountains. Indeed, the bandits who were insignificant in the eyes of Dayao and Guotai's regular army have become a scourge to the people.

The bandits who fled to the Central Plains were originally scattered armies, and many of them were quite capable. For example, there were geniuses who could build siege ladders and use earthen tunnels for gunpowder explosions. Of course, there were also some unorthodox individuals who were proficient in the arts of Yin and Yang, and who infiltrated the chaotic army to assist the bandits in their rebellion using supernatural methods.

These bandits roamed the north, and although they lacked the ability to breach large cities, they caused immense destruction to various villages.

And amidst the chaos, some unscrupulous players thrived.

In the northern part of Luochuan County, there lived a typical band of thieves. Among these burly, menacing-looking bandits stood a Taoist priest, clad in a feather fan and turban, spinning a compass for dividing gold. Beside him was his unassuming partner, who resembled a mongrel and carried a bag with an iron shovel.

Before the world descended into chaos, these two were tomb raiders; one was responsible for feng shui surveying, and the other for digging tunnels and excavating for gold.

Originally, they weren't much of a threat; they were just rats forced to run around by powerful clans, hated by everyone. As for their names, one was surnamed Chang, and the other Dai? They had too many aliases. For example, when they teamed up to rob tombs, one was called "Qian" and the other "Kun." Their pseudonyms were "Wang Ri" and "Tan Yue."

In the past, the world was stable, and everyone had high moral standards. No one wanted their ancestors to be disturbed. Such scoundrels rarely had a chance to rise to power. However, now that most of the refugees are struggling to survive and can't get any justice from the lords in the fortified villages, everyone has started to allow crooked ways to flourish.

This gang of bandits blocked Liujiabao, a place where a local wealthy man stored his valuables.

On a hillside a mile away, the bandits who had been staking out the plate were gathered together watching the shaman perform his ritual.

"To find the dragon and uncover the gold, look at the winding mountains. Each winding mountain is a barrier. If there are eight layers of danger at the gate, it will not go beyond the shape of Yin and Yang and the Eight Trigrams!"

With a single step and a shake of the bell in his hand, Chang Wangri, dressed as a scholar in white, was not digging a grave, but rather breaking his luck!

Dai Tanyue, who looked like a mutt mixed in with the other bandits, curled his lip and muttered to himself, "You bastard, you've already calculated it with the compass, but you still have to pretend to be a fortune teller."

Of course, Dai Tanyue also understood that it was Chang Wangri's pretentious act that could fool the even more vulgar bandit leader.

After Chang Wangri stopped walking, Dai Tanyue asked anxiously, "How did it go?"

Chang Wangri picked up a cloth and wiped away non-existent sweat from his brow, saying, "At 11:45 tomorrow night, the gate of life will be in the northeast corner. Find a place where the wood grows. At that time, have fifty brothers cover their heads with three handfuls of yellow earth and hold elm leaves in their mouths. They can then pry open a hole and pour water into this village."

The second-in-command slapped his thigh and said, "That's right, the Taoist priest is good at divination. The day before yesterday, I was scouting the area and saw a wild vine in the northeast corner. I figured the bricks there must have been loosened, and we could definitely break through the wall."

Chang Wangri nodded and explained, "The arrangement of this family's ancestral grave and residence was guided by a master." He pointed to the hillside halfway up the northern slope of the Yaotian Mountains, where the family's ancestral graves were located, saying, "The feng shui of this ancestral grave is extremely auspicious, channeling blessings and wealth to the descendants in the residence. The residence will retain a feng shui energy center. This energy center rotates every sixty years, ensuring that each branch of the family receives this great wealth and prosperity every sixty years. It's just a pity!"

The leader asked, "What's a pity?"

Chang Wangri, feigning composure, stood with his hands behind his back, facing away from the chief, gazing at the sky and saying leisurely, "It's a pity that future generations don't cultivate virtue."

He raised his hand and pointed to the overlapping Aotian Mountains to the south, saying, "Look, everyone, the feng shui of Aotian Mountains has a hand branching out here, hmm, that's the group of graves, those seven graves protruding into the depression to the south. Do you think those seven graves look like a hand begging to the south? This is the Big Dipper borrowing fortune, trying to borrow a wisp of dragon vein from Aotian Ridge! They're really audacious."

The ancestors of this family attempted to ensure that their descendants would ascend to the heavens amidst the chaos of the world.

Alas, is a dragon vein so easily borrowed? Even powerful clans, with their deep-rooted wealth, don't know if borrowing a trace of a dragon vein will bring them fortune or misfortune. This family enjoyed all the blessings and prosperity of the region during times of peace, but forgot to give back during times of chaos. Look at the feng shui spot now; a wild vine has appeared. If I'm not mistaken, this vine grew several months ago. What was originally auspicious feng shui has become a "soaring serpent riding the mist"!
The chieftain's face darkened upon hearing this. Yes, if Liu Family Village were benevolent and righteous, he would have risked his life for them. Why would he have become an outlaw?
The leader is now lost in memories of the past.

Ten years ago, when he buried his father, the eldest son of that family gave him five taels of silver to buy his meager plot of land. Later, when he went to buy a coffin, he was blocked by the family's servants, who robbed him of his silver. When he went to reason with them, he was accused of "spreading rumors" and beaten out. He was extremely aggrieved, but fortunately, he later met a sage with three eyes between his eyebrows who guided him to jump off a cliff to obtain a secret manual, and then he became a hero in his own right.

Just as the chief was reminiscing about the past and looking to the future, a seductive voice came from the side: "Chief, the Liu family can't hold onto this borrowed fortune, but this borrowed 'dragon vein fortune' is still there. As long as you do as I say after you conquer the manor, I can perform a ritual to place this dragon energy on you."

The seductive voice startled the leader, who then chuckled and said modestly, "Haha, the world is in chaos. I just want to lead the brothers to find a place to live. Dragon veins and such are too far-fetched."

At this moment, the second and third leaders shouted, "Big brother, you have the appearance of a true dragon. After you succeed, you must appoint me as a great general!" "Yes, the third brother is right. The heavens are dead now, and the stars have descended to earth. The day before yesterday, I saw a colorful cloud above your head and I was wondering about it. Now I know it's because of this."

Amidst the flattery, the leader, though still waving his hand, was already basking in his own glory. No one noticed, however, that beneath the feng shui compass, a strange eye appeared, watching the chaotic shadows of the bandits, tangled together like a jumbled mess.

…pry open the wall, build a ladder, and use the sound of owls to send a signal…

As expected, the bandits successfully stormed into the manor at night, and fires quickly broke out. Then came shouts of killing. Some servants, sensing danger, fled the manor, only to be ambushed by bandits blocking the way outside. They couldn't allow any escapees to go and fetch reinforcements. These servants were dragged into a ditch, and before they could even utter a plea for mercy, their heads were chopped off.

The next day, the entire estate was burned to the ground, all the grain was taken away, and the men, women, and children who had surrendered were gagged and taken into the estate like pigs.

Dai Tanyue began the ritual, starting the blood sacrifice. All the bandits were instructed to take wooden spears and poke the men, women, and children of Liu Family Village. Each person stabbed several times on average. As the blood on the ground began to flow into a small stream, a strange blue light suddenly shone on everyone. When the strange blue light disappeared, all the bandits seemed to have an epiphany and suddenly understood many things.

These bandits, who were honest farmers just a few months ago, now know how they were tricked by Da Xiaodou when collecting rent, how they were manipulated by loan sharks when lending money at exorbitant interest rates, and how those powerful figures played them when they were bowing their heads in submission.

The simple people suddenly became wise; blue light flashed in everyone's mind, and then they began to hear some great insights.

The blue light grew stronger, seeping into the earth's veins and connecting to the heavens. The spiritual and malevolent energies of heaven and earth, caught in its grip, began to rage. Meanwhile, within the manor, the bandits were all blessed. The men, women, and children of Liu Family Village, who had been sacrificed to the Supreme Elder, were transformed into fruits with distinct patterns amidst the eerie blue flames. The bandits stared at these fruits, their pupils already reflecting the ones they would choose, their minds urging them to consume them quickly.

The leader was the first to swallow the fruit. After feeling nauseous, he gained the ability to stretch and mutate his body like rubber. With the leader as an example, the other bandits also swallowed these strange-looking and disgusting fruits. After grimacing, they all gained the ability to manipulate water and fire, or to heal and regenerate flesh.

…A time of chaos has arrived…

Just over 30 years into the Xu Tian calendar, unusual phenomena frequently occurred throughout the land.

First, the Aotianling Mountains inexplicably experienced an upheaval, with the entire mountain range, stretching for tens of miles, collapsing hundreds of feet inexplicably. This collapse wasn't due to falling rocks, but rather like an island sinking into the sea, directly sinking into the earth. The once majestic mountain peaks instantly became open spaces for tigers, leopards, and monkeys to leap across. The mountain range's tremors spread like dominoes, causing the entire Great Yaoling Mountains and Rivers to shake violently.

Subsequently, the chief astronomers of dozens of nearby prefectures, as well as the disciples of local sects, received messages that their sects had encountered a great calamity.

During the first month of the lunar calendar, people throughout the Luo River basin saw a sinister blue moon appear in the sky. Those cultivators with extraordinary spiritual insight saw that this sinister moon seemed to be devouring boulders flying across the land, and the outlines of their own sects were faintly visible on the flying boulders.

These enlightened cultivators were right; it was indeed "devouring." The collapse of the earth's veins in Aotianling didn't mean the matter vanished into thin air; rather, its mass was transferred to that mysterious moon in the sky. This mass transfer stemmed from the rampant spread of evil cults. And in the following months, demonic powers began to appear among the bandits.

These bandits, relying on their supernatural powers, began further destruction.

Months later, several so-called "righteous armies" appeared north of Da Yao. These people breached the riverbanks, flooding some river fields and looting during the flood. The imperial court's original ten armies in the north had lost their will to fight on the front lines.

Like the Wu family army, each of these armies was essentially a local force. Because the world was at peace, the soldiers' pay for fighting directly on the front lines was insufficient; therefore, all rewards were only given upon their return home. After returning home, the soldiers received tax reductions and could hold respectable positions such as village elders or village heads. Only then were they considered to have received their due compensation.

Over time, the peace of their hometown became extremely important to them. If the imperial court forced these soldiers to leave their homes and relocate thousands of miles away during times of chaos, it would most likely lead to disaster.

Narrator: No matter how many titles or battlefield experience an army may have previously accumulated, once its homeland is taken away, it immediately becomes a rootless duckweed. For example, after the An Lushan Rebellion, the soldiers of Chang'an followed the "Sage Emperor" into Sichuan. Halfway there, at Mawei Slope, they mutinied.

While a great strategist can mobilize troops across several prefectures and counties, he must ensure that his home is not raided after the troops leave.

Especially in the eyes of the people, the Da Yao court has made a series of blunders in recent years. The unusual phenomenon is even more likely to be associated with such things.

People began to discuss past grievances: initially, providing sufficient provisions and pay to the guards and soldiers of Bo County would have been enough to keep the northern dragons out of the pass. However, due to the Bo King's rebellion, suspicion arose, allowing the dragons to seize the pass and enter.

What followed was a different story. They only needed to maintain three armies rotating to wear down their forces. Instead, they mobilized fifteen armies, attempting to overwhelm their nation with overwhelming force and risking the entire country's resources.

Finally, just when the situation seemed to be at its most critical juncture, the officials in the court recommended King Zhou to seize the spoils, turning what should have been a decisive siege into a precarious defensive battle.

These people in the court have repeatedly acted recklessly in matters of national importance, irresponsibly withdrawing from their posts. Now, it's not just generals like Wu Hanluan who are questioning the court's capabilities. Even the ordinary soldiers on the front lines are wondering if the Great Yao's fate is waning.

……

In July of the 30th year of the Tianli reign, multiple armies returned to the northern prefectures where civil unrest had broken out. They raised their banners and began to suppress the bandits. At the same time, they sent out a proclamation to quell the rebellion, stating that "only the ringleaders will be punished, and those who lay down their weapons and return home will be forgiven for their past transgressions." The civil unrest was quelled in almost a month.

Ironclad halberds were almost certainly no match for straw clothes and bamboo poles. After the largest uprising in the area was surrounded and wiped out, most of the bandits fled to the court but could not find a place to stay. They then began a new round of development in the mountains, forests, and marshes. The tumultuous rebellion melted away as quickly as summer snowflakes.

But then, when faced with the imperial court's summons, these troops began to drag their feet, citing "exhaustion" and "the need for rest."

In the eyes of the court officials, these armies had become like leeches, sticking to the local areas. Indeed, these armies had set up camps directly in the region, cultivating relationships with local powerful clans.

In April of the same year, just as the peasant uprisings in the northern prefectures had begun, the fleeing Prince Bo reappeared in the northwest of Da Yao, towards Xingzhou. He colluded with the Hu people, established a state, and claimed that there were treacherous officials in the court who needed to be purged. He captured Yongzhou in August.

Emperor Xu was furious and ordered troops from nearby prefectures to quell the rebellion. However, Xingzhou was located in the northwest of Da Yao and its people were exhausted, making it difficult to support a large army. Nevertheless, His Majesty attached great importance to the rebellion in Yongzhou and still issued an edict to suppress it. The newly appointed Grand Marshal saw through His Majesty's intentions and drafted the edict.

Subsequently, after receiving the imperial edict, the northwestern states began to adopt a war posture, strictly blocking the expansion of the Guan state established by the King of Bo.

Under the orders of Emperor Shu, another son of Emperor Shu, King Lelang, whose fiefdom of Zhenzhou was adjacent to Yongzhou, immediately marched north like a mad dog after learning of his brother's rebellion, causing bloodshed along the way.

Emperor Shu had never liked King Lelang, and he loathed his bloodthirsty and belligerent nature. However, Emperor Shu no longer cared about his people and instead coldly watched his two sons fight each other.

The Emperor was so nervous because it involved the issue of "imperial lineage".

Four hundred years ago, a palace coup occurred in Dayao. The then-Crown Prince Li, attempting to defy fate, secretly practiced supernatural arts and colluded with the evil forces of the Li Huo Sect, harming the people. Fortunately, the wise and powerful Prince Dan investigated the crimes of the Crown Prince Li's associates and reported to the Emperor, restoring order to Dayao.

The Dan King of that time is the current imperial lineage. This imperial lineage claimed that the throne belonged to the virtuous, but for hundreds of years there have been rebels claiming that the Dan King usurped the throne, and such rumors even circulated during the Gonghe Rebellion fifty years ago.

For centuries, the imperial lineage of King Dan has dealt with such treasonous remarks with swift and decisive action, showing absolutely no leniency.

Emperor Xu understood perfectly the logic of the current system of rites and rituals: for the soldiers and noble families of the world, if there were a second royal heir who claimed to be the legitimate heir, then they would have reason to wait and see.

Emperor Xu did not want to leave this trouble to his children and grandchildren, so when the rebellious Prince Bo emerged, Emperor Xu announced to the world: "Prince Bo is deposed and reduced to a commoner."

……

While the world was in great chaos, the north remained unusually quiet.

Pu'e stopped Guotai from launching a military campaign at this moment, because she also saw the moon in the sky devouring the broken spiritual veins on the earth, just as Haotian Realm had done before its destruction.

(End of this chapter)