Chapter 91: Yellow Turbans of Qingzhou In Qingzhou, among the rolling, deep and tranquil mountains, Guan Hai lived with difficulty with more than 30,000 remnants of the Yellow Turbans and many women and children. The once powerful Yellow Turban Rebellion Army, in just a short year, was completely reduced to a group of traitors that everyone hated. In the mountains and forests, an atmosphere of despair and confusion that seemed so thick that it could not be dissolved was spreading wildly. Guan Hai's originally free and easy face was now full of vicissitudes, and his eyes revealed endless helplessness and sorrow. The young and strong men were dressed in rags, and their worn clothes rustled in the wind. The weapons in their hands were also worn out and their blades were blunt, without any of their former majesty and sharpness. They desperately searched the mountains and forests for anything that could fill their stomachs, even the most inconspicuous wild vegetables, sour wild fruits, or even the hard-to-swallow, extremely rough tree bark. The women and children looked haggard, and they silently managed the few extremely simple supplies they had. The children have lost their former innocence and liveliness, and their eyes are filled with confusion and helplessness brought about by fear and hunger. The lofty ambitions of the past were gradually worn away by the cruel reality and the ruthless difficulties, just like a candle blown out by the wind. However, they still followed Guan Hai closely because he was their only hope in this endless darkness.
At night, the campfire flickered in the camp, and the faint and flickering light illuminated everyone's exhausted and haggard faces. A Yellow Turban soldier could not help but speak up: "General, we can't go on like this. Let's go and plunder the villages like Chen Zhong and the others! Otherwise, if we continue like this, we will all starve to death!" "Yes! Marshal!" Seeing someone taking the lead, the people around also echoed and persuaded. Their voices were full of desire for survival and helplessness towards reality. For such a long time, Guan Hai has been doing his best to restrain them and try to prevent them from becoming robbers who burn, kill and loot. To this end, Guan Hai chose to take them to farm in the mountains, trying to achieve self-sufficiency through their own hands. But the land in the mountains was barren, and no matter how hard they worked, they could not grow much food. And the little food they harvested was just a drop in the bucket for the huge population. Moreover, natural disasters have occurred frequently in recent years. The scorching sun has caused the land to crack and many crops to fail. If this continues, everyone will starve to death. Although Guan Hai would occasionally organize attacks on some powerful people who bullied the local people and committed crimes, he had to pay a huge price every time and suffered considerable losses, but gained very little, and was unable to solve the fundamental problem. Guan Hai looked at the skinny and emaciated young men around him, and felt as if his heart was pierced by thousands of arrows. The pain was unbearable. But the great and virtuous teacher had repeatedly warned us not to become bandits who oppressed the people. Guan Hai, who was faced with a difficult choice between survival and humanity, felt as if his heart was tightly entangled by a myriad of ropes, and he was extremely entangled: "Let me think about it again." He knew very well that once this sinful loophole was opened, it would be almost impossible to close it again. However, how could he bear to let these people who had followed him through thick and thin really starve to death? They had eaten almost all the edible things on the mountain, and if they continued down they would have to eat grass roots and soil to fill their stomachs. Just as Guan Hai was struggling inwardly, as if wandering in the abyss of darkness, a young general suddenly ran over excitedly, his voice trembling with excitement: "Food! Marshal, someone is here to deliver food! Lots of food." "Who sent the food?" Guan Hai was not overwhelmed by the sudden news, but calmed down instantly and asked cautiously. There were people who wanted to send them food, but they were all local tyrants with ulterior motives. They wanted to use them for their own purposes and let them rob the people to satisfy their own selfish desires. Guan Hai righteously rejected their offer. They had revolted in order to save the people from dire straits. How could they become accomplices of these powerful people and go against their original intentions and beliefs? "He said he was an old friend of the Marshal and was on his way." "Old friend?" Guan Hai frowned.
"Guardian!" From a distance, Guan Hai heard a familiar shout. Turning his head to look at the familiar figure in the distance, Guan Hai's face suddenly showed an ecstatic smile. He trotted over like an arrow from a bow: "Zhang Ersha!" Zhang Erniu, like Zhang Niu, was an orphan adopted by Zhang Jiao and his brothers in their early years. He had more experience than Guan Hai. Although he was not very talented, he got along very well with Guan Hai and other leaders of the Yellow Turban Army because of his kind and easy-going character. When old friends met, Guan Hai and Zhang Erniu hugged each other tightly, and all the memories of the past flooded into their minds like a tide. "Okay, you're too strong, it hurts me so much." Zhang Erniu patted Guan Hai's back gently and said with a bit of joking, but tears were flashing in his eyes and he felt heartbroken. Looking at Guan Hai's tired and old face, he really found it difficult to connect the person in front of him with the arrogant, naughty and energetic figure he once was. In the past year, his brother has suffered too much and endured too much hardship. "Why are you here?" Guan Hai, slightly excited, let go of his old friend and asked impatiently, with an expectation that was hard to conceal in his voice. "I came to see you and take you back." Zhang Erniu said bluntly, his eyes firm and fiery. "Back? Back to where?" Guan Hai smiled weakly: "Now that the great and virtuous teacher is gone, do we still have a home?" Zhang Erniu did not say anything, but mysteriously took out three yellow talismans emitting a pale white light from his sleeve. "This! This is!" The moment Guan Hai saw the talisman, his eyes widened, his face full of unbelievable surprise, as if he had seen the most precious treasure in the world. Zhang Erniu casually slapped one of the talismans on Guan Hai. The familiar feeling of warmth suddenly enveloped his body like a tide, as if a spring breeze was blowing across the cold earth in winter. All of Guan Hai's fatigue during this period seemed to be swept away in an instant. Guan Hai held Zhang Erniu's hand tightly, his eyes red, his voice hoarse with excitement: "The Great Sage Master is still alive?" Zhang Erniu's expression dimmed slightly, and he shook his head slowly: "No, the Great Sage Master has already passed away." "Then, what is this?" Guan Hai asked unwillingly, clutching the talisman in his hand, his eyes full of eagerness and desire. "I can't tell you for now, Guan Datou." Zhang Erniu looked at Guan Hai with a solemn and serious expression. "I want to ask you if you still remember the teachings of the Taiping Sect, and if you are willing to go back with me to the new world we have built." "The new world we build?" Guan Hai murmured to himself. Looking at Zhang Erniu's determined eyes, a glimmer of hope ignited in his heart. "How's it going there?" The voice was trembling slightly, full of anticipation and uneasiness, like a child groping in the dark. "Very good! Very good! It is exactly the same as what the Great Sage Master described! Moreover, this is also the will of the Great Sage Master and General Ren Gong!" "There, we have no worries about food and clothing, live and work in peace and contentment, and there is no oppression or heavy taxes." Zhang Erniu's eyes were full of the light of faith. "really?" "I swear in the name of the Great and Good Teacher that if I tell a lie, the heavens will strike me with lightning, and both humans and gods will perish." Under the influence of Zhang Niu, these people did not give up their beliefs, but simply transferred them to Tian Ze.
Zhang Jue gave them hope, but Tian Ze turned hope into reality. In their eyes today, Tian Ze's status is no less than Zhang Jiao, and even better. Guan Hai fell into silence, with a fierce struggle going on in his heart. After a long while, he raised his head and asked, "Can we all go?" Zhang Erniu nodded and said, "Yes, but only good people can live well there. If you have committed murder, looting, or committed evil, you will probably be punished." Guan Hai smiled and said, "It doesn't matter. Most of the people you mentioned couldn't stand the hardship in the mountains and left the mountain a long time ago." "Okay, I'll have my disciples pack up and get ready to go." "By the way, can we tell you where we are going?" Zhang Erniu shook his head again: "No, you will know when you get there." "That is our last hope and pure land. Sorry, brother!" The doubts in Guan Hai's eyes completely disappeared. He hugged Zhang Erniu's neck tightly and said heroically: "What are you talking about! You saved me, I can't thank you enough." "You don't know, managing the food, drink, defecation and urination of more than 30,000 people almost exhausted me to death. I haven't had a good night's sleep this year. It's not easy! Why did you come now? You should have come to see me a long time ago!" Seeing Guan Hai regain his usual lively personality, Zhang Erniu smiled knowingly: "The time has just come! You are the first person I have looked for. I haven't visited the others yet." "You're going to look for someone else?" "There is strength in numbers, and we really need people." Zhang Erniu answered honestly. "I just don't know if those people are like you, still remembering their identity as Taiping believers, or have completely turned into bandits." Hearing Zhang Erniu's words, Guan Hai sighed slightly: "This damn world! I hope they haven't been changed yet." "Do you have enough food this time? Don't let the brothers starve. Many of them haven't eaten for several days and have big appetites." "Don't worry, there is definitely enough food, and more can be delivered at any time. Just don't get too full, and don't eat or drink too much, or you'll get into trouble. There will be delicious food waiting for you when you get to the new place!" "Good boy, we are suffering here, but you are enjoying yourself over there. No, I have to teach you a lesson." "No, no, no, Brother Guan, didn't I come to see you right away? When we get there, I'll pay for your reception out of my own pocket." "That's better, I want to eat meat!" (End of this chapter)