Chapter 183: Liu Guoneng

At the foot of Mount Jing, over two hundred li east of Zhushan County which Zhang Xianzhong had captured, there was a place called Anping Fort where a band of roving bandits had made their lair. The bandit chief was also a native of Shaanxi, Liu Guoneng by name, nicknamed "Chuang Ta Tian" (Heaven-Toppling Chuang).

Liu Guoneng was also one of the many roving bandits who had participated in burning the Imperial Tombs in the eighth year of Chongzhen. Later, fearing retaliation from the government forces, he had wandered all the way to the Huguang region. Several months prior, Liu Guoneng, together with Lao Huihui, Geli Yan, and others, had led their forces in an attempt to take Xiangyang Prefecture, but failed against the government forces under the defense of Huguang Governor Fang Kongzhao. Helpless, the bandits continued their westward flight.

When they reached Ankang County at the border between Yunyang Prefecture and Xiangyang Prefecture, Liu Guoneng saw that the area around Anping Fort was suitable for resting. At the same time, he felt that his strength was currently weak and he urgently needed to gather grain and supplies, then recruit soldiers and expand his forces. So he decided to temporarily halt at Anping Fort, rest for a while, and observe the situation before making further moves. As for the supplies needed, he could send people with silver to Xiangyang to purchase them. With the turbulent situation, there were no longer government checkpoints on the road inspecting travel permits. When entering the city, one could discreetly slip some silver to the gate guards, and no one would pay much attention. As for attacking Ankang County town, Liu Guoneng did not want to for the time being, because he had other ideas in mind. Lao Huihui, Geli Yan, and the others had gone to nearby Fang County instead. The two sides could support each other, so as not to be wiped out while isolated.

Liu Guoneng's situation was similar to that of Zhang Wenyao, who had surrendered in Shaanxi — both were of border troops origin. Unlike Zhang Wenyao, Liu Guoneng had enlisted in the Shaanxi garrison. Relying on his strength and courage, Liu Guoneng had earned considerable merit in battles against the Tartars after enlisting. However, because he had offended his immediate superior, he was never given important positions, only serving as a minor squad leader.

Liu Guoneng's family was in Ansai County. Originally, his household consisted of his father, mother, and a younger brother. The family struggled to get by on ten mu of farmland. During the slack farming season, his father herded sheep for wealthy households, earning a few dozen copper coins each month to buy oil, salt, and other necessities.

In the fourth year of Tianqi, while in the midst of his growth spurt, he could not eat his fill. Helpless, the sixteen-year-old Liu Guoneng hid the matter from his family and enlisted in the Shaanxi garrison. First, he hoped to eat his fill in the army; second, he could send his military pay home to support his family.

In the following years, relying on Liu Guoneng's intermittent military pay and the reward silver earned from the severed heads of Tartars he had killed, the Liu family's life improved considerably compared to before. His parents, counting the silver they had saved up, were already preparing to find wives for both brothers, so that the Liu family could continue its bloodline.

It was at this time that misfortune descended upon this suffering family.

In the third year of Chongzhen, Liu's father encountered extremely harsh weather while herding sheep. A sudden gale of flying sand and stones struck, making it impossible to see one's hand in front of one's face even in broad daylight. Liu's father only avoided being blown away by crouching in a crevice of a cliff. The gale lasted a full quarter-hour before subsiding. Afterwards, when Liu's father counted the flock, over twenty sheep had been blown to who-knows-where.

The wealthy household that employed Liu's father accused him of losing the sheep and demanded the Liu family compensate them at full value. The honest and simple Liu family, helpless, had no choice but to hand over all the property they had saved over several years. Who would have thought that the household would find the seven-plus taels of silver insufficient and insist on ten taels instead.

Seeing the money saved to find wives for his two sons vanish in an instant, and with the creditors still coming to demand more, the honest but timid Liu father could no longer contain his anger. He argued with the men who came to collect, and a fight broke out. Liu Guoneng's twelve-year-old younger brother also joined in to help. In the end, both were severely beaten by the numerically superior opposing side, and after suffering for several days, father and son died one after the other. Liu's mother, watching her husband and son die before her very eyes, wailed day and night without cease, and cried until she went blind in one eye.

Villagers who were close to the Liu family secretly sent word to Liu Guoneng. Upon receiving the news, Liu Guoneng's eyes turned red. He immediately took up his weapons and, together with several close comrades who had fought alongside him in the army, rushed back to Ansai through the night.

After Liu Guoneng and his men returned to the village, one of them went into the village during the day to scout out the target. The group then hid in an abandoned kiln outside the village. When night fell, they found the household, climbed over the wall, and slaughtered the entire family — over twenty people, young and old alike. They also ransacked the place of all gold, silver, and valuables.

Carrying the severed head of his enemy, Liu Guoneng went to the ancestral graves to offer incense to his father and younger brother. After weeping bitterly, he returned home, took his mother, and together with his sworn brothers, threw in with the roving bandit Wang Zuogua and his gang.

Liu Guoneng and his men were all skilled soldiers. Whether in experience or intelligence, they were countless times superior to those rustic bandits. After joining, they used the skills learned in the government army to drill the troops, practicing blade combat. Before long, this band of bandits, mostly farmers, had become quite presentable. The bandit chief Wang Zuogua greatly appreciated and trusted Liu Guoneng and his men. All the brothers were appointed as leaders, each commanding several hundred bandits.

Wang Zuogua's gang roamed about robbing homes and sacking villages, building up a considerable reputation that also drew the attention of the authorities. Finally, in the winter month of the third year of Chongzhen, they were suddenly attacked and routed by Mobile Corps Commander He Huchen, sent by Hong Chengchou, then Governor of Yansui, with a thousand border troops. Wang Zuogua was killed on the spot.

Liu Guoneng and his men narrowly escaped with their lives. After the government forces left, they began gathering the remnants and eventually assembled over a thousand men. After finding Wang Zuogua's corpse, Liu Guoneng had it buried in a proper place, repaying Wang Zuogua's kindness in taking them in. Afterwards, Liu Guoneng led his mother and the remaining troops in constant movement. Relying on their abilities, they gradually built up a reputation, and more and more people came to join them, at their peak numbering over ten thousand.

Although Liu Guoneng's mother was blind in one eye, she had always been firmly opposed to her son's rebellion. In the beginning, she even refused to eat the food Liu Guoneng brought her, saying she would rather starve to death than eat the food of bandits. Only after Liu Guoneng begged her repeatedly and promised not to harm the innocent did she reluctantly begin eating again. But from then on, she never gave Liu Guoneng a kind look. Whenever she saw him, she would scold him. Liu Guoneng could only find a coarse serving woman to care for his mother.

Over the years, Liu's mother followed her son from place to place. As time passed, she stopped scolding him, but she constantly longed to return to Ansai. Every time she saw her son, she would nag him to surrender to the court and return to Ansai to farm the land, and to tend the graves of his father and younger brother. The filial Liu Guoneng gradually began to entertain thoughts of surrender.

Since stopping at Ankang and establishing contact with Zhang Xianzhong, Liu Guoneng had also instructed his subordinates to inquire about news from all sides while purchasing salt, medicine, and other goods in Xiangyang, so as to learn more about the state of the world.

On this day, a subordinate who had gone to Xiangyang city to make purchases brought back an important piece of news: the Dashing King Gao Yingxiang had been captured by government forces and sent to the capital, where he was executed by slow slicing.

After the news was confirmed, Liu Guoneng immediately summoned the several brothers who had helped him take revenge to discuss the matter.

Hearing that Gao Yingxiang had been captured and executed by slow slicing, they were all greatly shocked.

Wang Erwa, the youngest, spoke up: "Big brother, this Dashing King was truly formidable, with so many men under him. How could he be defeated just like that?"

Liu Shuan, dark-faced with a lean, sturdy build, picked up the conversation: "Maybe he fell into an ambush by the government forces? We've been away from Shaanxi for quite some time now. When did this region produce such strong government troops? Could it be that old Hong fellow who led the campaign to wipe them out?"

Speaking of Hong Chengchou, they all still felt lingering fear. It was precisely under the blows of Hong Chengchou's troops that they had been forced to flee from Shaanxi to Henan and other places.

Although Liu Guoneng had been a bandit for years, he had once been a military leader and still maintained his original reverence and respectful titles for court officials. He shook his head and said: "It wasn't Lord Hong. Li Laosi made inquiries — it was the new Governor of Shaanxi, Lord Sun. He's been in Shaanxi for over a year and trained a formidable army! It was Lord Sun who ambushed the Dashing King!"

He Sanguan spoke up: "It seems we can't go back to Shaanxi. With old Hong there, and now an even more formidable old Sun having appeared, going back would be suicide! Big brother, what are we to do from now on? If even the mighty Dashing King Gao was wiped out, we'd better not end up being sliced to pieces!"

Wang Erwa and the others all remained silent. At the thought that Gao Yingxiang's several hundred thousand troops had all been annihilated, unease weighed on everyone's hearts.

Liu Guoneng spoke in a low, muffled voice: "All you brothers are my Liu Guoneng's sworn comrades in life and death. Today I'll speak from the heart: when we first rose up in rebellion, it was out of desperation. In these years, though we've done much evil, compared to the sins committed by other rebel forces, ours have been fewer. My old mother constantly nags me, telling me to find an opportunity to surrender to the court and become a good citizen again. I've been thinking along those lines myself. Now hearing that the Dashing King Gao has been wiped out — this means the court's forces are growing stronger and stronger. If we keep fighting, we might well walk the same path as the Dashing King Gao. I truly don't want to see you brothers end up without even a grave to be buried in! We've served in the military before. Seeing that being rebels truly offers no way out, why don't we just surrender to the court!"

Wang Erwa and the others exchanged glances. He Sanguan hesitated for a moment before speaking: "Big brother, in these years we've clashed with government forces countless times, broken into no small number of prefectures and counties, and taken more lives than we can count! If we surrender, will the court spare us from death?"

Liu Shuan picked up: "Old He is right! Surrendering to the court is fine, but how will the debts of the past be settled? If the court tricks us into surrendering and then kills us, wouldn't we be the biggest fools?"

Wang Erwa nodded: "That's exactly what I've been thinking! I'm afraid that after we surrender, the court will spare the common soldiers but kill us leaders! Besides, we've grown accustomed to a life of comfort over the years. Even if the court spares us, I truly wouldn't be content to go home and farm!"

Liu Guoneng looked around to make sure no one else was present, then lowered his voice: "Do you think I don't know what you brothers have said? Here's my plan: first, we send someone to make contact with the high official who has the final say in the government, and ask that official to obtain an imperial decree for us, pardoning us from death. After that, we won't go home to farm. We'll lead our men into the government army and go wipe out Eight Great King and the others! First, this serves as a pledge of loyalty, proving our sincere submission. Second, with merit to our names, our future prospects will be secured! What do you brothers think?"