New Trickster

  Nothing is more serious than death, the government and court are urging, the powerful landlords are oppressing, this is the root of the raging fire. Once the people are not afraid to die together, what can stop them?

  In his heart, he secretly asked himself, was it because of his own arrival that the banner of "Wang Er" was raised earlier? Did this change history? Was it just a stroke of fate that wrote down Tian Xing, Zhao Da Hai, and himself, who died for righteousness and loyalty? But wasn't it also because of his own arrival that these Han people, who could have survived, were extinguished one step ahead in the late Ming dynasty.

  Lü Shizheng hesitated and wavered, but also received information from small heads who came to ask questions, all of whom were blown away by the heavenly stars.

  "What are you looking at? Wait until everything is arranged and planned properly, I will definitely give you a definite message. Go back and wait, don't delay my discussion with my brothers on important matters."

  In the midst of the shouting voices, Lü Shidao took a deep breath and looked at everyone's tense expressions. He smiled and comforted them, saying: "Don't be too pessimistic, actually I'm giving you all some money and grain, I don't want you to risk your lives attacking the city. I have a way to capture Zhangjiabao without attacking it, my fellow villagers will benefit, and you'll get your money and grain, isn't that a win-win situation?"

  "Really, sir? Is there a way?" Tianxing's eyes lit up again, and he exclaimed excitedly: "It's good, no matter what, there will be casualties. This is inevitable. We have been in this line of work for so long, we should be prepared for it. As long as the casualties are not too many, that would be a blessing from heaven! Sir, please tell us your plan quickly!" Tianxing and Er Dangjia's spirits lifted upon hearing that they could take over the fortress with minimal casualties and obtain a large amount of food to last the winter. They stretched their necks and looked at Lü Shi with eager eyes, waiting for his answer.

  Lü Shi looked around and rubbed his belly, saying: "We've been traveling all night, my stomach has been growling for a long time. Brother Tianxing won't just treat me to some plain food, will he?" He said this to change the atmosphere, which was too gloomy and solemn.

  Guo Tianxing slapped his head and changed his mood, laughing awkwardly: "Damn it, this is really my fault. How can I let Brother and the others starve?" He turned around and shouted outside: "Why haven't you brought out the wine and meat yet? Are we going to starve to death before the big thing is done?"

  One sentence brought laughter from everyone in the hall.

  "Being called by the heavenly star, someone outside quickly responded. In an instant, an old man appeared, with a towel draped over his shoulder and a large bowl in hand, steaming hot, as he apologized repeatedly: 'I see that you masters have important matters to discuss, I dare not disturb you, but the wine and meat are already ready, it's better for you masters to eat while discussing.'"

  The dish was just a pot of some unknown wild flavor, and nothing else.

  An old man followed by an elderly aunt, holding a tray of coarse bowls, placed them in front of each person one by one, and then went out again. The old man brought up a wine jug, opened it, and the whole room was filled with a strong aroma of good Fenyang liquor, which was probably stored by some wealthy landlord.

  The wine was passed around and everyone took turns pouring some into their cups. Then, they raised their cups and sang a drinking song, politely declining at first, before finally downing the liquor with gusto.

  Guo Tianxing picked up his chopsticks and clamped a piece of the most tender meat into Zhao Dahan's bowl, smiling: "The mountain stronghold is hard to endure, there's nothing much here, just this yellow sheep that was hunted down yesterday to dispel boredom, I hope brother won't despise it."

  Zhao Dahai was also a straightforward person and didn't stand on ceremony, laughing as he picked up the quick-fried meat and put it in his mouth. As he chewed, however, his brow furrowed.

  Lü Shiyè picked up two pieces of meat brought by the second master and put them in his mouth, but they were under-salted and tasteless, and had a strong fishy smell that was hard to swallow.

  At that time, Guo Tianxing saw through the situation, his old face turned red, he slammed the wine bowl and shouted loudly towards the outside: "Old Lin, come over."

  Outside the door, a group of shabbily dressed children gathered to watch everyone eat and drink, their mouths watering in envy. At a loud shout from the master of the house, the children let out a cry and ran off together, but each one kept looking back three times with every step.

  Old Lin hastily came over and asked, "Is there anything you need, master?"

  "What's wrong with you? My benefactor brother has come, and yet he can't bear to part with your salted pork, making my brother eat bland food?"

  Lao Lin couldn't help but smile bitterly: "The master of the house, the salt and medicine on the mountain stronghold are in short supply, this is already a tight spot, and we still have to leave some for future injured brothers to use."

  Guo Tianxing heard this, his face fell and he sat down dejectedly, not speaking for a moment. Then he smiled apologetically at Zhao Dahu and said: "I'm sorry to make you laugh, but I really have no choice. The Mongolian salt hasn't arrived, and the Shandong salt is in chaos, so everyone's suffering. This salt was ordered by me, and I didn't eat it, leaving it for my brothers who might get injured."

  "It doesn't matter, it's even more delicious this way. It's really good, come on, have another piece." Lü Shibang hurriedly mediated.

  Everyone burst out laughing and ate and drank with gusto.

  After drinking and eating, Lü Shi said to the anxious Da Dangjia: "Don't worry, my lord. With this method, we won't have to kill or injure many people to capture Zhangjiabao. Once we take Zhangjiabao, its wealth and supplies will be yours."

  "Hurry up and tell us, don't keep us in suspense. We're all rough men here, not as refined as you, Master Lü." Zhao Dahi patted Lü Shidao on the back.

  "Yes, sir, you'd better speak quickly. I would stand up for the Zhao family brothers even if it weren't about money and grain, let alone the Zhang family's century-old savings."

  Lü Shixiao smiled and said: "My method is simple and follows the trend. Gentlemen, please listen to what I have to say."

  Lü Shi's method was actually very simple, not only could it occupy Zhangjiabao with the least casualties, but also unexpectedly protect the safety of the fellow villagers who were taken hostage in the fort to the greatest extent possible.

  "We are actually only a road away from Zhangjiabao, but the situation is like ice and fire, two extremes. The houses in Zhoubian Mountain are low, dilapidated and connected to each other, we can use these houses to hide our troops."

  Guo Tianxing and Zhao Dahan were both bewildered, unsure what was going on.

  Lv Shixiao smiled and slowly explained to them while organizing his thoughts: "When I came, I asked the villagers to pretend to collect food and supplies to go to Zhang's house to redeem people. In fact, we are now poor and white, and have been collected to not even a single blade of grass. What can be used to redeem people? It's just pretending, to numb Zhang's family, making them think that we really have no other way, only to redeem people."

  "Brother, you instruct me thus, but what is your deeper intention?"

  "First, we paralyzed the enemy and made them relax their vigilance. Then, we invited the Tianxing brothers to bring a large group of people, marching stealthily at night, rushing towards Zhubing Mountain, hiding and ambushing in these villagers' homes. After Zhao Gege and I returned to the village, at dawn, we brought a group of fearless villagers, pulling wooden carts filled with sacks, selecting dozens of brave warriors, carrying knives and guns hidden in the carts, led by us, rushing towards Zhangjiabao, saying it was to deliver grain to redeem people. The Zhang family saw that we had been busy preparing grain for two days, so they would not suspect anything. When they opened the gate, we pushed the wooden cart inside."

  "That's right! This way our brothers can seize the gate in one move." Tianxing shouted excitedly, with one foot on a stool.

  "It's not just about occupying the gate, but also making use of that wooden cart."

  "What's the use of that?" Zhao Dahai also asked excitedly.

  "We pushed the wooden carts into Zhangjiabao, then arranged them in a fan shape, tightly blocking the road leading to the fortress gate, isolating the militia's counterattack and buying time for our brothers to occupy the fortress gate."

  "Great, it's really great." Tianxing exclaimed loudly.

  "At this time our brothers who are ambushing in Zhūbīng Shān will rush out, and we can immediately occupy Zhangjiabao. In that case, do you still worry about casualties?"

  "Don't worry, don't worry, those village braves in Zhangjiabao are just temporary workers, who among them has seen as much blood as I have? Those brothers of mine who take life lightly can't compare. The real killing is when they're like chickens and dogs, but the real casualties occur during the siege, after all, the enemy has the geographical advantage. With this trick of yours, it's a piece of cake to get home now. That Zhangjiabao is already in our pocket." Hou Tianxing's eyes were already filled with the joy of success.

  "Is that all? The ambition of the great master is too small." Lü Shi said with a hint of ridicule.

  "Is there anything else?"

  "Of course, it's a big deal for the wealthy Zhang family. After all, they're just a local landlord with limited silver, grain, and fodder. For the thousands of people on this mountain, it's just a drop in the bucket. To live a stable and prosperous life through winter and spring, the next step is to target the county town. You should know that after the autumn harvest, there are tens of millions of stones of grain and tens of millions of taels of silver in taxes stored in the county town. Wouldn't these wealthy families be tempted by such riches?"

  Everyone in the great hall gasped at Lü Shi's words.

  Are you going to attack the county town? This is a rebellion against the officials, which is different from the current situation. The current rebels are all composed of refugees, and the famine-stricken people in various places can no longer bear the exploitation of the officials, so they have risen up and gathered in the mountains and forests, causing unrest in various places. As a result, the imperial court has dispatched another high-ranking official, the Xuanwei Governor, to take charge of civil and military affairs in Shaanxi Province. This Xuanwei Governor, Yue Hesheng, is a clever person who fears that the famine-stricken people will rise up and cause trouble, which would lead to him being held responsible by the imperial court and receiving severe punishment. At the same time, he fantasizes that after the summer harvest next year, the rebel farmers who are forced by hunger and cold will disperse automatically and return to their hometowns. Therefore, he adopts an ostrich policy, prohibiting various prefectures and counties from reporting "rebellion" news.

  In the early years of Chongzhen, Hu Tingyan, who was appointed as the governor of Shaanxi Province, would beat the messengers from the states and counties with a board whenever they reported on "banditry" without asking for the reasons. He would say: "These are just starving refugees, they will settle down by next spring." This was his way of shirking responsibility.

  However, paper cannot wrap up fire, the momentum of the peasant uprising is getting bigger and bigger every day, and local officials can no longer cover it up. They had to report to the imperial court with a hard scalp, and when the Ministry of War investigated, local officials pushed each other around.

  Shaanxi Governor Hu Tingyan said it was the border soldiers under the jurisdiction of Yan-Sui Governor Yue Hesheng who rioted, while Yue Hesheng claimed that they were starving civilians from Shaanxi's interior who became "bandits". They started a verbal argument.

  Shaanxi's touring censor Wu Huan reported to the emperor, each hitting fifty big boards, saying: "The bandits emerged in July of the White Water year, then there were fewer border thieves and more local thieves. This year's reports of bandits all had sharp horses, moving up to 7,000 or 8,000 people. Then the two governors' pushing and evading, actually brewing it." Soon after, Yue He died of illness, Hu Tingyan was dismissed; Liu Guangsheng was replaced as governor of Shaanxi, Zhang Mengjin as governor of Yanwei, at this time the peasant uprising in northern Shaanxi had already begun to take shape and could not be controlled, but that's a later story.

  So now everyone is still a stick of refugees, no one wants to really confront the imperial court.

  Attacking some forts is just a robbery, but attacking the county town would be killing officials and rebelling, which is an unbearable consequence for anyone.

  Lü Shiye also knew the consequences, but the Zhang brothers were in the county town, and it was a crime of rebellion, they would be beheaded soon, he couldn't just watch the Zhang brothers die in vain.

  Originally crossed over to the present, I was thinking of heading south, and peacefully passing through this turbulent era, without any intention of rebelling.

  How difficult is it to rebel? Now it's still the first year of Chongzhen in the Great Ming Dynasty, and there are still 17 years before the fall of the Great Ming. Even that little strongman Li Zicheng had risen and fallen several times, and walked to the end of the road several times. What about this little white?

  But things are like this, step by step pushing you forward, eventually walking towards a road that you can't anticipate at all.

  As long as I still have a conscience, I must repay Zhang Lao's kindness for taking me in when I needed help the most. I will see this through to the end, even if it means attacking the county town.