Chapter 84

Zhang Ning, who was by his side, noticed it immediately. She threw herself forward, grasped her father’s hand, and cried out.

By now, her eyes were already red and swollen from crying.

Clearly, she had shed many tears over the past half-day.

Seeing this, Zhang Jiao felt a pang of heartache. He reached out to wipe her tears and comforted her: "Father is fine!"

Then, he looked at Zhou Cang and Zhang Yan behind her: "How long have I been unconscious?"

"Reporting to the Great Virtuous Teacher, you have been unconscious for half a day!"

Zhang Yan and Zhou Cang replied immediately.

"Hmm!"

Zhang Jiao nodded and then asked: "The morale in the city seems somewhat unstable. You two must quickly spread the news that I have awakened to stabilize the troops and defend the city well."

"Understood!"

Zhou Cang and Zhang Yan bowed and left to carry out the order.

Afterwards, Zhang Jiao waved away the guards in the vicinity.

Only then did he look at Zhang Ning and speak earnestly: "Ning'er, I fear that this time, Father truly cannot go on!"

"What?"

Zhang Ning felt a buzzing in her brain and was about to cry out loud.

"Don't! Don't say anything! And don't have too big a reaction, lest those outside hear!"

Zhang Jiao hurriedly stopped her.

Although Zhang Ning was very confused, she managed to steady her emotions, though tears continued to stream down her face uncontrollably.

She looked at her father and asked: "Why? Didn't you say just a few days ago that you could still live for several months? Why?"

Zhang Jiao shook his head and said: "Because I forcibly calculated the fate of a certain person and suffered a backlash."

"I estimate that I only have three days of life left."

"What?"

Zhang Ning was shocked and couldn't help but ask: "Who exactly did you calculate to end up like this? Is there no way to change it?"

"It's useless!"

Zhang Jiao shook his head, then smiled and said: "But I do not regret this calculation. On the contrary, I am very glad that I performed it;"

"I calculated that this person will completely change this corrupt and wretched world in the future and realize true Great Harmony."

Zhang Jiao himself had not expected that an unintentional calculation would yield such a satisfying answer.

Although, for unknown reasons, the information he calculated was very vague and only a small amount.

But Zhang Jiao felt that this was enough.

He looked forward to the day when that person would change the world.

"Does Great Harmony really exist?"

Zhang Ning asked with some confusion.

Her father and two uncles had already paid a bloody price to achieve this goal;

Countless righteous people of the Taiping Dao had done the same.

Doesn't all this prove that Great Harmony is nothing but a delusion?

"Naturally, it exists!"

Zhang Jiao nodded with a smile: "It is just that my methods were wrong!"

"But that person possesses the power of miracles and will surely be able to do it!"

"Therefore, I want you to leave here under my arrangements, take the Taiping Heavenly Book, go see that person, and hand the book to him;"

"At the same time, I hope you can stay by his side, live well, and witness the arrival of Great Harmony for me;"

"If possible, I even hope you can marry him;"

"Can you promise me this?"

Zhang Jiao looked at Zhang Ning with anticipation.

Admittedly, he wanted Zhang Ning to witness the arrival of Great Harmony.

But wasn't he also taking this opportunity to let his daughter completely escape danger and have a happy, stable life?

Others might not be able to, but that person would certainly be able to give his daughter these things.

Such destiny, such a life chart, such heavenly favor—it was countless times stronger than that of Emperor Emperor Guangwu of Han back in the day.

He would certainly be able to give his daughter happiness.

"This..."

Zhang Ning was stunned, but couldn't help asking: "Who is the person Father is talking about?"

She was truly curious.

Who could be the person praised so highly by her father?

"You should have seen him. It is the commander of the government army outside the city, Su Xuan, who comes from the Su family of Dengxian, Nanyang."

"It's him?"

Zhang Ning was shocked, then pulled a long face and said: "He is the one who caused you to be like this, Father! He also killed Uncle Zhang Zhang Mancheng and Uncle Bo Cai. You actually want me to marry him and hand the Taiping Heavenly Book to him;"

"And you even think he can realize Great Harmony in the future?"

How absurd!

Zhang Ning found it completely unbelievable.

Although she admitted that Su Xuan was very handsome and had a good temperament.

But that didn't stop her from hating Su Xuan.

Zhang Jiao shook his head with a wry smile and comforted her: "I am like this now because I brought it upon myself. I was the one who took the initiative to calculate him; in a way, I offended him. How can I blame the victim for this?"

"As for Zhang Zhang Mancheng and Bo Cai?"

"They were just serving their respective masters, standing on different sides!"

"Moreover, Zhang Zhang Mancheng was too arrogant, actually daring to call himself the 'Messenger of the Gods'; it was clear he already had ulterior motives;"

"Furthermore, after he started the uprising, he caused no small amount of harm and coerced the common people;"

"The same goes for Bo Cai;"

"Therefore, their deaths, to some extent, can also be said to be self-inflicted!"

"In the end, the Yellow Turban Army changed from the very beginning!"

"We were originally an army of the people, meant to save the people, change their dire situation, and lead them to a better life;"

"We were meant to overthrow the corrupt Han;"

"But look at what the Yellow Turban Army has actually done since we started the uprising?"

"And have we truly brought any benefits to the people?"

Zhang Ning shook her head.

She knew it all too well.

This was also the reason she was so repelled by the Yellow Turban Army.

This was completely different from the world of Great Harmony her father had described at the beginning.

So, her father also knew that the Yellow Turban Army had changed from the start.

"It’s not that I didn't think about changing and reversing the situation of the Yellow Turban Army, but I failed!"

Speaking of this, Zhang Jiao sighed and shook his head: "The evil in the human heart cannot withstand testing and temptation;"

"Once the evil in the human heart is released, it can never be taken back;"

"The Yellow Turban Army has already failed. Promise me, go find Su Xuan; he is the new hope for the future."

"This is my final request."

Zhang Ning nodded sadly, gritted her teeth, and decided: "Alright! I promise you!"

"I will go to his side and hand the Taiping Heavenly Book to him;"

"If he is willing, I will also marry him;"

"And I will witness him creating the world of Great Harmony on your behalf."

If Su Xuan failed to do so in the future, or even became like the current Han or the current Yellow Turban Army, she would kill Su Xuan and then kill herself.

— Author's Notes —

PS: The new book is out; I am asking for first-time subscriptions, auto-subscriptions, and support!