Chapter 97: News of the Yellow Turban Rebellion

During the period of his son's illness, Huang Zhong stayed at home to care for him. As his son's coughing gradually lessened day by day and his condition improved, the heavy burden on his heart was finally lifted. Feeling that idleness at home was unproductive, he decided to visit Luan Yi to seek employment.

At that moment, Luan Yi was swamped with work. The Yellow Turban Rebellion was about to erupt. On the southern bank of the Ji River, under Zheng Hui’s leadership, the Luan family’s factory had shifted all its production toward military supplies. Black smoke billowed from the charcoal furnace chimneys; within the furnaces, molten metal poured like rivers of gold and silver, replaced by flowing iron. Blacksmiths sweated profusely, wielding heavy hammers to forge blades and armor. The lumber mill no longer made tables or chairs; instead, two-foot-long wooden shafts were transported between workshops. Craftsmen who had once made folding fans and screens had ceased their former work, now attaching feathers and arrowheads to these shafts, producing bundles of arrows.

Mao Jie was busy coordinating the factory’s operations, gathering provisions from various regions into granaries and booking horses from traveling merchants to supply the cavalry.

The factory was bustling with activity, and the training grounds were equally busy.

According to Luan Yi’s plan, the once 1,000-strong Holy Hall Warrior Battalion and the Holy Temple Knights were to be expanded fourfold. Those granted sacred lands at home would become professional soldiers, increasing the number to 4,000. The Holy Temple Knights, under Zhao Yun’s command, would manage the cavalry, comprising 1,000 men. The Holy Hall Warriors were divided into three battalions—Divine Wind, Divine Might, and Divine Rock—each with 1,000 men, led respectively by Huang Zhong, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei. As for Xu Shu, he partnered with Xu Chu and Taishi Ci to oversee a corps of 2,000 faithful protectors each.

To expand the forces, manpower became a pressing issue. Luan Yi dispatched Zhao Yun, Dian Wei, and Zhang Fei to recruit guards from the counties, while Guan Yu and Xu Shu were tasked with training the new troops.

Guan Yu and Xu Shu were strict commanders. Every morning, the soldiers ran drills and formations; every afternoon, they engaged in intense combat and archery practice. Even Guan Yu admitted the training was rigorous.

Yet, to their surprise, none of the new recruits complained despite the heavy workload. They sweated profusely, training diligently without a word of dissent.

Xu Shu was greatly amazed. Even the most disciplined troops of the Great Han Empire wouldn’t show such unwavering discipline. What explained this extraordinary quality among Jinan’s recruits?

Upon closer observation, Xu Shu discovered the reason: whenever the soldiers were exhausted, they would silently recite prayers to the Holy Mother.

After finishing their prayers, these weary men, whose eyes had grown dull with fatigue, would suddenly shine with a radiant light, as if filled with boundless strength that carried them through the remainder of the training.

Moreover, to replenish the soldiers’ energy, Luan Yi added a midday meal between breakfast and dinner, providing hearty, high-protein dishes. During these meals, church attendants mingled with the troops, sharing scripture and insights about the Holy Mother’s teachings. They used the faith’s principles to ease complaints about the harsh training—acting much like political officers in later armies.

By satisfying the soldiers’ appetites with rich food and guiding their spirits with faith, the troops naturally endured the hardships without complaint.

By early spring, the new army’s training had begun to yield results. The recruits were assigned to their respective battalions under their commanding officers.

One day, while Luan Yi was in his office at the Great Nuwa Cathedral handling military affairs, a servant reported that a man claiming to be a disciple of the Great Sage had come to pay respects to the Holy Mother’s leader.

Upon hearing the words “Great Sage,” Luan Yi’s heart tightened. He thought to himself, the inevitable has finally arrived. Lazily, he waved his hand and said, “Bring him in.”

Soon, a tall middle-aged man entered. Standing over seven feet, his face was handsome but marred by a conspicuous mole the size of a copper coin at the corner of his mouth.

The man glanced at Luan Yi, who was half-reclined in his chair, one hand resting on the armrest, the other splashing ink with his brush. A flattering smile crossed his face as he respectfully bowed and said, “I am Tang Zhou, a disciple of the Great Sage, sent by my master to pay respects to Mr. Zi Qi.”

“The Great Sage?” Luan Yi lifted his head briefly, casting a sidelong glance at Tang Zhou before returning to his writing. “Never heard of him. Who is this Great Sage?”

Tang Zhou’s expression darkened, but he suppressed his anger. “My master is the leader of the Way of Great Peace, called the Great Sage…”

Before Tang Zhou could finish, Luan Yi cut him off disdainfully, “Oh… you mean Zhang Jiao.”

Calling Zhang Jiao by his personal name was considered extremely disrespectful. Tang Zhou was about to erupt in fury but knew that Jinan was not a place for empty threats. “Indeed… my master is the Great Sage Zhang Jiao.”

“And what brings Zhang Jiao to Jinan through you?”

Tang Zhou resumed his ingratiating tone, “Nothing more than to pay respects to Mr. Zi Qi.”

Luan Yi raised his head slightly. “In that case, Mr. Tang, since your visit is complete, you may take your leave.”

Tang Zhou was stunned. “What?”

Luan Yi asked coldly, “What? You have no intention of leaving? Is there more business?”

“There are indeed a few minor matters,” Tang Zhou admitted.

“Oh?” Luan Yi placed his brush on the stand, narrowing his piercing eyes and fixing his gaze on Tang Zhou. “Speak quickly. I have many official matters to attend to.”

As Tang Zhou met Luan Yi’s deep eyes, he felt as if he were being stripped bare, his thoughts laid open and scrutinized. A wave of unease gripped him, making his speech falter. “To be honest… Since the founding of the Way of Great Peace, my master has spread his teachings widely throughout the Great Han. Wherever we go, the people believe. Our followers number over a million. However, maintaining so many believers is costly—distributing talismans and food consumes great resources. Recently, my master heard of Mr. Zi Qi’s talent for saving the world and generosity. He sent me to establish friendly relations and to request a donation for the Way of Great Peace’s daily expenses.”

Luan Yi sneered, “Borrowing money from the Holy Mother’s Church to fund the Way of Great Peace? Zhang Jiao is truly audacious.”

Tang Zhou knew this mission was somewhat absurd.

“Enough! I, Luan Yi, am not short of a few coins,” Luan Yi said.

“Mr. Zi Qi is willing to donate?” Tang Zhou’s eyes lit up, thinking he had achieved his mission.

Luan Yi reached into his pocket, tossed a money pouch onto the floor before Tang Zhou, and said coldly, “Here. Take it.”

“You…” Tang Zhou, already simmering with anger, lost control at being dismissed with mere copper coins. “Is Mr. Zi Qi treating me like a beggar?”

Luan Yi’s rage flared. He stood abruptly and overturned the massive wooden desk with a crash. “What do you think you are? To me, you’re nothing but a beggar, and your master Zhang Jiao is just a beggar’s investment. The Way of Great Peace? Hmph, a band of beggars! A curse upon the nation!”

“Tsk, Luan Zi Qi, you’ll regret those words!” Tang Zhou yelled, pointing at him.

“Regret? Regret what?” Luan Yi strode up to Tang Zhou and grabbed his collar. “Regret offending you now, only to bring the Way of Great Peace rebels upon Jinan shortly after?”

Tang Zhou was dumbfounded, stammering evasively, “I do not understand what Mr. Zi Qi means!”

“Don’t understand? Don’t think I’m unaware of the petty schemes your Way of Great Peace has hatched in the court—colluding with officials, plotting treasonous deeds!”

“This is slander, Mr. Zi Qi!” Tang Zhou protested.

“Slander?” Luan Yi chuckled lightly and called two guards from outside. He tossed Tang Zhou into their grasp. “You won’t walk through the gates of heaven and insist on the path to hell. I’ve been looking for you, yet here you come to me. Tell me, when do you plan to rise in rebellion?”

“To falsely accuse is easy. You may insult me, but do not implicate my master or the divine path,” Tang Zhou continued to argue.

Luan Yi’s face twisted into a grimace. “Not telling the truth? Hmph, I have ways to make you talk. Take him to the interrogation chamber!”

The church’s interrogation chamber was no ordinary place; it was the heart of the religious inquisition, akin to the Ming dynasty’s Eastern Depot—an internal secret police used to eliminate dissent.

The torture instruments were horrendous, encompassing all the Great Han’s known punishments, combined with cruel methods inspired by later Qing dynasty tortures and the brutal techniques employed in camps like Zhazidong.

Tang Zhou was tough, enduring finger clamps, bamboo skewers, five sessions on the tiger bench, and drinking three measures of chili water over two days and nights. Eventually, he broke and revealed the conspiracies of Zhang Jiao and his brothers, Zhang Bao and Zhang Liang.

He disclosed that the Way of Great Peace had gathered over 300,000 believers and planned to launch armed uprisings across the Great Han on the fifth day of the third lunar month in the seventh year of Guanghe—that is, this very year.

This testimony was no surprise to Luan Yi but was of utmost importance to Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, Zhao Yun, Huang Zhong, Xu Chu, Xu Shu, and Mao Jie. They marveled that the chaotic times Luan Yi had long foretold were finally upon them and were astonished by his farsightedness.

Among them, Xu Shu and Mao Jie were especially impressed. They recalled that over five years ago, when Luan Yi was about ten, he had said, “The world will fall into great chaos, and after chaos will come great order.” Those words now seemed prophetic.

After the interrogation, Luan Yi promptly drafted an urgent memorial in the name of his father, the Chief Historian of Jinan, and dispatched Tang Zhou and his testimony on horseback to Wang Yun in the capital. Ten days later, Wang Yun received the report and immediately presented it to the court.

The entire realm was shaken. Within the capital, Ma Yuan Yi, an inside agent exposed by Ma Zhou, was torn apart by chariots. The eunuchs Feng Xu and Xu Feng, who conspired with him, were arrested along with their families. The government declared a harsh crackdown on all followers of the Way of Great Peace, executing a thousand in a single day.