1848 Great Qing Charcoal Burners

Chapter 90 The Last Lesson

Peng Gang happily accepted Chen Picheng and Zhang Handai as his two students. The next day at dawn, he continued south and returned to Honglian Village.

It was afternoon when we returned to Honglian Village, and the sound of students reading aloud could be heard all around the school.

Inside the thatched shed of the school, Huang Bingxian was holding the "Elementary Chinese Language Textbook" and standing on the podium, teaching the students below to pronounce pinyin.

In a pavilion near the school, used for cooling off and resting, thirty-five or thirty-six students with good academic backgrounds sat on the ground, copying math problems that Peng Yi had written on the blackboard.

"Sir! You run a private school here?!"

Upon arriving at Honglian Village, the lively Chen Picheng found everything new and exciting, wandering around and looking at different places.

Although his family was very poor, Chen Picheng's father, Chen Balan, still gritted his teeth and sent Chen Yucheng to a private school before his death. However, due to the family's poverty, Chen Yucheng had to drop out of school after studying intermittently for less than a year.

He began a life of odd jobs, herding cattle, and repairing houses to supplement his family's income. It wasn't until last year, after joining the God Worshippers Society, that Chen Picheng followed his uncle Chen Chengrong to Mengchong.

“You two are my students now.” Peng Gang found two red scarves, put them on Chen Picheng and Zhang Handai respectively, tied them up, and patted their heads as he spoke.

"Go inside and start class. I'll have Mr. Huang inside give you two paper and pens in a bit."

"Paper and pens?" Chen Picheng and Zhang Handai stared wide-eyed in surprise.

Such precious tools as paper and pens, how could they suddenly become rich?

The two peeked into the classroom and saw that each of the students, who were a few years older than them, had a pen, a notebook, and a ceramic bowl filled with fine river sand in front of them. Only the inkstones were shared among several people, and not one was provided for each student.

"Sir, can I not use paper and pen? I just want to go in and listen to the lecture." Chen Picheng hesitated for a moment, gritting his teeth, and said stammeringly, "My uncle is just a carriage driver and doesn't have money to buy paper and pen."

Upon hearing this, Chen Chengrong felt a lump in his throat. This child may be a bit mischievous, but he is still sensible and knows how to be considerate of the hardships adults face.

"Who said I was going to take money from your uncle?" Peng Gang laughed. "Go in and collect it without worry, I won't take any money from you."

Watching Chen Picheng and Zhang Handai timidly enter the classroom, Peng Gang ordered people to bring over three hundred mulberry wood spears and three thousand five hundred catties of newly burned charcoal, which Chen Chengrong then loaded onto a cart to return to Mengchong.

Although Yang Xiuqing had already said that the fifty shi of grain was a gift to him to help him through his difficulties.

However, Peng Gang couldn't let Chen Chengrong's convoy return empty-handed, taking Yang Xiuqing's things for nothing.

Another year of spring famine has arrived, and this year's famine is accompanied by a spring drought, causing rice prices to soar.

In addition, the Huang family has put pressure on the Chamber of Commerce in Xunzhou Prefecture, so now no major grain merchants in Guiping County dare to sell grain to Peng Gang.

The fifty shi of grain provided by Yang Xiuqing could only solve the immediate crisis.

Although they could still sell weapons to Meng Chong in exchange for food, Yang Xiuqing and Xiao Chaogui were also training troops and recruiting new members. It was uncertain how much food they could exchange for information with him in the future.

We still need to find ways to secure a stable source of food.

After explaining the schedule for the next few days to Peng Yi and Xiao Guoda, Peng Gang packed up the land deeds and licenses for the mountain area and headed south to Guixian County.

Hearing that Zhang Jiaxiang's Heaven and Earth Society had indulged in plunder and debauchery in Guixian County before withdrawing from the city, Li Dianyuan and Sheng Jun seized the opportunity to recapture the county.

Even a fool could tell that Guixian was in turmoil due to the Heaven and Earth Society uprising and the devastation of war. Peng Gang did not dare to go to Guixian alone, but instead took the first and second groups of musketeers with him as bodyguards.

Carrying dry rations and land deeds, Peng Gang's team crossed the Qianjiang River and headed south towards Guixian County.

After crossing the Qianjiang River, Peng Gang first arrived at Qishixu.

Because the Longshan and Lianhuashan mountainous areas in the northwest of Guixian County are relatively poor, Zhang Jiaxiang had already plundered the Longshan Tongling area two years ago.

Furthermore, Lianhua Mountain and Longshan Mountain are now the territory of Shi Dakai and Qin Richang of the God Society.

Shi Dakai and Qin Richang, one based on his clan and fellow villagers, and the other based on miners from Longshan, were already formidable forces.

When Zhang Jiaxiang attacked and plundered Guixian County, he deliberately avoided the Longshan and Lianhuashan areas, thus saving the western mountainous areas of Guixian County from banditry and war.

Thanks to the protection of Shi Dakai and Qin Richang, the local people were able to escape disaster, which also deepened their goodwill towards the God Worshippers Society.

At Qishixu, Peng Gang saw Shi Dakai's armed forces.

The clan and local militia of the Shi family were no less elite than those of Meng Chong, Xiao Chaogui, and Yang Xiuqing.

However, their numbers were not as large as Xiao Yang's and Peng Gang's armed forces. Shi Dakai told Peng Gang that the only able-bodied men he could currently use for combat were the Shi family members from the village who had been training since the beginning of last year, along with other villagers, totaling only about four hundred people.

"Where are Xiangzhen and Zhenlun?" Peng Gang noticed that Shi Xiangzhen and Shi Zhenlun, who were usually inseparable from Shi Dakai and accompanied him in training troops, were not there.

"Qituan went with Li Dianyuan to suppress Zhang Jiaxiang," said the mature-beyond-his-years Shi Dakai, his hands behind his back.

“I am the head of the gang in Qishixu. Besides, my relationship with Zhang Jiaxiang is not as good as your relationship with Luo Dagang and the others. You can act and fool the gang members with Luo Dagang and the others, but Zhang Jiaxiang will not cooperate with me to put on a show.”

Indeed, as the head of the Zijingshan gang, he had also received an order from Li Dianyuan to establish a gang, but he declined on the grounds of preventing the suppression of boat bandits.

After having a casual meal with Shi Dakai, Peng Gang stopped by Liu Bingwen's residence to visit him.

After exchanging pleasantries, Peng Gang said, “Sir, your county is not peaceful right now. I am now a member of the local militia and can protect you to some extent. Why don’t you come with me to Pingzaishan? I have opened a school there, and you can teach and spread your teachings there.”

Liu Bingwen was Peng Gang's mentor and helped him during his most difficult time.

It's true that Peng Gang wanted to protect Liu Bingwen's safety, but it's also true that he had his own selfish motives.

Although Liu Bingwen had never even served as a county magistrate, he was still a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations) who passed the imperial examinations twice.

Having Liu Bingwen by his side, even if Liu Bingwen is unwilling to do anything for him, can still serve as a role model.

“Is Pingzaishan safe?” Liu Bingwen shook his head and declined, “Pingzaishan is also full of boat bandits. Right now, Xunzhou Prefecture is either in trouble with the Heaven and Earth Society or your God Society. It’s chaotic everywhere. Where is there a peaceful place?”
"I am over sixty years old and nearing the end of my life. I don't want to go anywhere else; I only wish to be buried in my hometown after I die."

Although Liu Bingwen lived in the countryside and taught in a private school for a long time, it did not mean that he was indifferent to worldly affairs.

The God Society was thriving, and his two students were key members of the Society. Liu Bingwen knew exactly what they were up to.

Seeing Liu Bingwen's firm attitude, Peng Gang knew that Liu Bingwen had made up his mind and would not go to Pingzaishan with him, so he did not force him.

Peng Gang brought out a three-pound bag of silver and left it behind: "In that case, please take care, sir. This silver is my token of appreciation. I'm leaving it for you to enjoy your retirement."

Since Liu Bingwen was unwilling to go with him, he certainly wasn't willing to go with Shi Dakai either.

To protect Liu Bingwen, the best way is for Peng Gang not to visit him anymore.

After putting down the silver, Peng Gang bid farewell to Liu Bingwen and prepared to leave.

Just as he turned around, Liu Bingwen called out to Peng Gang, "Stop!"

Peng Gang was stunned for a moment, then turned around to look at Liu Bingwen in surprise.

Liu Bingwen stood up and said, "I will not accept a reward without merit. How could I, your teacher, take your money for nothing! Come with me."

As he spoke, Liu Bingwen led Peng Gang into the study: "I have nothing else but some books. Take a look and see if there's anything you like. Pick some to take with you. My descendants are all useless; they won't need these books."

Peng Gang knew Liu Bingwen's temperament well; Liu Bingwen wouldn't take his money unless he picked out some books. So he thanked Liu Bingwen and selected a few books that interested him from Liu Bingwen's collection: "Complete Treatise on Agricultural Administration", "Comprehensive Examination of Timekeeping", "Comprehensive Discussion on River Defense", "Golden Mirror of Water Management", and "Comprehensive Gazetteer of the Qing Dynasty".

After selecting the books, before parting, Liu Bingwen asked Peng Gang, "I remember you haven't taken your courtesy name yet?"

“No,” Peng Gang replied.

"In that case, shall I give you a courtesy name today?" Liu Bingwen said, stroking his increasingly thinning beard.

"It is my honor to receive your courtesy name, sir. I would be most grateful. Please bestow upon me your courtesy name," Peng Gang said.

As Liu Bingwen ground the ink by hand, he said, "The Book of Documents, in the chapter 'The Great Plan of Yu,' says, 'Only through learning can one achieve stability, and only through practical application can one govern effectively.' The gods and spirits in heaven and on earth are ultimately illusory and can only deceive the ignorant for a time, not forever."

As a teacher, I am ignorant of matters of spirits and deities. The Master did not speak of strange phenomena, physical prowess, or supernatural beings; it was not that I did not believe, but rather that I respected spirits and deities while keeping them at a distance. Even the Chinese people's own gods cannot protect them; how can we expect Western gods to save them? How ridiculous!

After finishing his speech, Liu Bingwen had already prepared the ink, picked up his brush, and wrote the two characters "惟实" (meaning "truth-seeking") on the paper. He then put down his brush and continued speaking.

"Today, I am not only giving you a courtesy name, but also giving you your last lesson. Whatever you do in the future, I hope you will be practical and avoid superficiality, uphold true learning and virtue, and benefit all people."

Peng Gang was slightly surprised. Liu Bingwen was able to tell him these things, which meant that he had obviously read the God God Society's writings, or at least knew about the God God Society.

Even a disillusioned and disillusioned scholar like Liu Bingwen didn't have a high opinion of the God Worshippers Society. It goes without saying what the attitudes of other scholars of the same period were towards the God Worshippers Society now and in the future.

"I am grateful for your instruction." Peng Gang bowed to show his gratitude and accepted the courtesy name bestowed upon him by Liu Bingwen.

(End of this chapter)