Chapter 471: Natural Enemy

Wang Ziyong, along with Suo Kang and the others, followed the disarmed Sechen Taiji back to Suzhou City on the fifteenth day of the third month.

The common folk of this majestic walled city were still common folk, the markets opened as usual; the Banner troops were still Banner troops, their drills went on as always.

Apart from the Marshal's headquarters' five-direction flags flying atop the city walls, the Marshal's army squads standing guard at the crossroads, and the houses torn down in the chaos of the streets and alleys, it seemed as if nothing had changed at all.

He simply could not find the slightest trace of the Three Tribulations Society's existence within this great city.

This left Wang Ziyong both furious and deflated. In truth, back at the Golden Pagoda Temple outside the Great Wall, he had already secretly wondered whether Liu Chengzong's great army entering the pass would swallow up his Three Tribulations Society.

But thinking was one thing; Wang Ziyong knew perfectly well that the decision rested in Liu Chengzong's hands. Once the Marshal's headquarters' brave and battle-hardened army entered the pass, the frail Three Tribulations Society had no means to oppose them; and if the Marshal's headquarters did not enter the pass, the Three Tribulations Society being mopped up by the Gansu government troops was only a matter of time.

So the only thing he could trust in was Liu Chengzong's virtue.

But now, it seemed, Wang Ziyong felt that perhaps he had a slight misunderstanding regarding Liu Chengzong's moral standards.

However, very soon, Song Xian, the Assistant Commander of the Suzhou Guard from the Marshal's headquarters who welcomed him into the city, cleared up this slight misunderstanding through his actions.

The Three Tribulations Society was still in Suzhou City. The campsite Liu Chengzong had arranged for them was east of the Suzhou Drum Tower. The Suzhou Drum Tower was the eastern city gate of ancient Jiuquan City, so the first crossroads east of the Drum Tower was called Release Crossroads. Since ancient times, this crossroads had been the place where prisoners released after serving their sentences were set free.

The alleys on the north and south sides of Release Crossroads both had liquor distilleries, so they were called North and South Liquor Distillery Alleys. The north alley ended at the Wen Chang Temple, so it was called Wen Chang Little Crossroads; the south alley ended at the Shaanxi Guild Hall, called Guild Hall Alley.

Wang Ziyong followed Song Xian, head down the whole way toward Guild Hall Alley, walking with a deep sense of resentment.

This Song Xian was not a member of the Three Tribulations Society; he had merely used the Suzhou Society members, turning their uprising into a stepping stone for his own advancement.

And now, look—the Three Tribulations Society in Suzhou was gone, yet Song Xian had become an Assistant Commander of the third rank.

The Three Tribulations Society's camp was right at the Shaanxi Guild Hall built by Shaanxi merchants. When he reached the Shaanxi Guild Hall, Wang Ziyong was dumbfounded. The vast guild hall was piled high with White Lotus Northern Dipper flags, yet only a pitiful dozen or so people sat around sighing in despair.

A sweeping glance told him a few were the Society's Langtou and Tudi, and there were several others Wang Ziyong had never even met. All he knew was that there were only eighteen people in total.

Song Xian called over his own manager and said, "Manager Du, tell Chief Wang what happened."

Manager Du, looking utterly wretched, saluted Wang Ziyong and then said, "Chief, originally the Society members in Suzhou City numbered in the thousands. But after the Grand Marshal entered Suzhou City, first he issued a proclamation to pacify the people—robbery meant chopping off hands, murder meant beheading; then he established the Suzhou Battalion, recruiting soldiers and buying horses; afterward, land was to be distributed door to door... So the members either joined the battalion or went home."

Wang Ziyong's expression turned complicated as he stood stunned for a moment, then he let out a sigh. It reminded him of the pattering light rain in Yanchang County many years ago. In that drizzle, the rebel army advancing toward the next county town had halted. People, carrying the grain he had seized, kowtowed to him and said they wanted to go home and farm.

Manager Du looked utterly at a loss in the face of such a turn of events, but Wang Ziyong was a man who had been through it all. He could accept this outcome calmly, even managing to tug at the corner of his mouth into a strained smile. Smiling at Manager Du, he said, "Come with me."

Not long after, Wang Ziyong followed Song Xian to the first large crossroads south of the Drum Tower on South Street. Because the Ming Dynasty Military Defense Circuit reviewed troops at this crossroads, it was called Parade Ground Crossroads.

The alley west of Parade Ground Crossroads was called Guard Gate Alley, where the yamen of the Suzhou Guard Commander was located. It was now Liu Chengzong's station.

When Wang Ziyong stepped into the Guard Yamen, Sechen Taiji was in the main hall complaining to Liu Chengzong about Zhang Tianlin's bandit-like conduct: "Great Khan, you be the judge. Is my Chinese really that hard to understand? He's an officer who started as a Ming squad leader, yet he claims to be a rough fellow who couldn't understand a word I said!"

Liu Chengzong sat in his chair, listening to the Chahar Taiji's complaints. Only after he had finished venting did Liu Chengzong gently shake his head and smile, saying, "Guotianxing handled this matter poorly. For you, Taiji, to speak to me this way today shows a broad and generous heart."

Sechen Taiji was sharp as a tack. From start to finish, what he complained about was not Zhang Tianlin robbing an ally, but Zhang Tianlin insulting his level of Chinese.

This matter could be big or small. Since Sechen Taiji's complaint did not define the nature of Zhang Tianlin's actions, Liu Chengzong naturally would not pin a major crime on a general fighting on the front lines. In fact, Zhang Tianlin had already written to him from Linshui Post Station explaining the situation.

Sechen Taiji caught the implication behind Liu the Lion's words and nodded gently.

Liu Chengzong had said Zhang Tianlin handled the matter poorly, not that he had done the wrong thing. That single word difference gave rise to far too many disappointing associations in Sechen's mind.

He said, "Since the Great Khan puts it that way, what can I do even if my heart weren't broad? I won't ask for the horses and weapons back."

Hearing this, Liu Chengzong's brow furrowed. He waved his hand and said, "The warhorses and weapons—once the battle is over, he must return them all to you. And since a victory was won, he must repay double... When I said he handled it poorly, there were reasons. The main reason lies with me. Military equipment, coin, and grain are all external things. That there were no major losses of men is already a great fortune; I cannot be overly harsh on him."

Hearing Liu Chengzong say this made Sechen Taiji feel considerably better inside, but he was still deeply frustrated, because he did not know whom he ought to blame.

Ever since his elder brother Ligdan Khan died at Eight Corner City, the Chahar faction had been absorbed by the Marshal's headquarters, but integrating was actually very difficult, because the Marshal's headquarters had too many Mongols—and all of them were Mongols who, in the past, had never had the concept of a Mongol Great Khan in their heads.

Tracing back from Huoluochi, they were men of Altan Khan; Xie Erhu of the Yungshiyebu was a wild man who had emerged from the Chidan Desert; Choghtu Taiji's Khalkha remnants; and the Oirat Mongols who were barely related at all... To put it bluntly, the Mongols of the Marshal's headquarters disliked dealing with the Chahar people even more than the Han Chinese of the Marshal's headquarters did.

Living under someone else's roof is a bitter taste, especially for someone like Sechen, who was used to being an idle prince. He was now the leader whom the Chahar tribe looked to for guidance, which was precisely why he was determined to form a unit of armored cavalry.

Sechen knew he could not afford to maintain armored cavalry—once they mobilized, even Liu Chengzong could not afford them. But he was not forming this armored cavalry unit for war. The inner drive compelling him to do so was to display the orthodox majesty of the Chahar Khan's court to the Mongol savages of the Marshal's headquarters, and to win respect for the Chahar remnants.

This plan was not clever; it was like a rabbit strutting into a wolf's den to show off how white it was—showing off in the wrong direction entirely.

But Sechen Taiji had no other options. He knew perfectly well that the entire Marshal's headquarters only recognized strength. Those who could fight were the true ancestors. But the Chahar, at this point, truly could not afford to fight a hard battle.

The Chahar population was quite large, totaling just over fifty thousand, but among them, children and women alone numbered over thirty thousand. Of the over ten thousand able-bodied men, half had become part of the ladies' dowries and turned into the Grand Marshal's private property.

The most bizarre part was that the remaining few thousand men could somehow still form a complete Khan's court, lacking not a single noble or official of the court's various ranks... Which is to say, the actual strength of the Chahar tribe at present was just over a thousand combat soldiers.

If these thousand-plus men died in war, the Chahar tribe would become a cold, lifeless historical term.

The Chahar had no capacity for practical substance, so Sechen Taiji could only pursue the superficial. Forming an armored cavalry unit would boost the prestige of these thousand-plus men, and prevent their wives from all running off with Han men who received a bachelor's subsidy.

As a result, the very first time the armored cavalry went out for a stroll, they were robbed by Zhang Tianlin.

But in his heart, he actually did not blame Zhang Tianlin. He knew full well that Zhang Tianlin's robbery had only one cause: Wang Ziyong, who was supposed to provide support from the Qilian Mountains side, had failed to handle his own business properly.

But Liu Chengzong could blame Zhang Tianlin, Zhang Tianlin could blame Wang Ziyong, Wang Ziyong could blame Hong Chengchou... The storm-tossed Chahar, the grievance-filled Sechen—whom could he blame?

Wang Ziyong entered the main hall of the Guard Yamen and overheard what Sechen Taiji was discussing with Liu Chengzong. He was so shamed he dared not speak. In the end, it was Liu Chengzong who rose first, cupped his fists, and smiled, saying, "Brother Wang, what took you so long? The brothers of the Three Tribulations Society have earned the first merit in seizing Suzhou. I was just about to find you to discuss what comes next."

Hearing this, Wang Ziyong first cupped his fists in return salute, then waved his hand and paced a few steps around the hall. With a sigh, he said, "The Grand Marshal surely knows better than I do—where in Suzhou is there still any Three Tribulations Society!"

Before Liu Chengzong could speak, Wang Ziyong continued, "Grand Marshal, I'm afraid I cannot go to the Tianshan Mountains. There is no need for me there anymore. The Marshal's headquarters, having seized the Hexi Corridor, naturally has the ability to migrate people to the Tianshan Mountains. There is no need for the Three Tribulations Society to make a superfluous move."

Liu Chengzong waved his hand and said, "Brother Wang, do not be so dejected. Please, have a seat first. This matter of Suzhou City has given me much inspiration. I believe we should talk it over carefully... In truth, the Three Tribulations Society is still in Suzhou."

"Just eighteen people left."

Wang Ziyong's smile was very weary, yet it could not quite be called a bitter smile. Rather, there was a hint of relief in it. He said, "Grand Marshal, there is no need to console me. On the way here, I already thought it through. You get what you ask for. I gathered people because they lacked food and clothing; now that they have food and clothing, it's only natural they would leave me."

Hearing this, Liu Chengzong nodded gently. "It is good that you can come to terms with it."

What he feared most was that Wang Ziyong could not come to terms with it, or that he would develop a misunderstanding toward the Marshal's headquarters.

The Suzhou affair was rather awkward. Without understanding the reasons behind it, to an outsider it would all look like the Marshal's headquarters had used the Three Tribulations Society and then, after seizing the city, disposed of the tool once its purpose was served.

But the truth of the matter was nothing of the sort.

Wang Ziyong seemed to have no desire to delve into the reasons. After taking his seat, he said, "Grand Marshal, rest assured, I can come to terms with it. This isn't the first time something like this has happened. Three years ago, a party of seven of us entered Liangzhou Garrison. Now, a whole Suzhou City has left me with just eighteen people... Once the fighting here is done, I plan to go to Ningxia."

He raised a single finger. "This time, I'll have plenty of manpower. One year—I'll turn Ningxia upside down!"

To be honest, Liu Chengzong greatly admired Wang Ziyong's spirit of fighting on despite repeated defeats. Whether it was military setbacks or the disbanding of his rebellion, he had never once seen Wang Ziyong lose heart.

However, Liu Chengzong was noncommittal about his desire to go to Ningxia. After a moment's thought, he spoke: "Brother Wang, regarding this Suzhou affair, I've seen a few things. May I share my thoughts?"

Wang Ziyong cupped his fists. "Grand Marshal, please speak."

"When the Marshal's army entered Suzhou this time, during that first half day, the relationship between the troops and the Three Tribulations Society was not very good. This is a problem of coordination between allied forces. The problem lies not only with me, but also with you."

Liu Chengzong shifted into a more comfortable sitting position, rested a hand on the tea table beside him, and looked at Wang Ziyong. "I've thought it over. I still want to grant you, my brother, an official post. Since you're unwilling to go to the Tianshan Mountains, and whether you go to Ningxia can be discussed later — Third-Class Zhaoyi General, serving as Staff Officer of the Three Kalpas Battalion. And a Three Kalpas Guard Commander for Little Sixteen."

Wang Ziyong was deep in thought. He had never regarded himself as an outsider. He knew what Zhaoyi General meant — the twelfth rank among Ming army honorary military titles, and the eighth rank in the Marshal's headquarters' honorary system. He was mainly pondering the "yi" in Zhaoyi, suspecting that Grand Marshal Liu might be subtly mocking his repeated defeats.

Liu Chengzong interpreted this as Wang Ziyong being somewhat dissatisfied with the post, because he had never treated an independent leader as a subordinate. He explained, "Whether you accept an official post or not, brother, you have my full support. But the greatest benefit of accepting a post is the convenience of future coordination. With guaranteed personnel organization, situations like Suzhou won't happen again."

As he spoke, he shook his head. "Otherwise, if you go to Ningxia, it will be hard to avoid repeating past mistakes."

Wang Ziyong frowned. "Why is that?"

Liu Chengzong smiled with a hint of self-satisfaction, raised his hand and gestured back and forth between the two of them. "Brother, you and I are both the best of the best when it comes to rebellion under heaven. In this line of work, there aren't many who've done better than us. I won't hide anything — I'll speak frankly and openly."

Wang Ziyong thought to himself, when it comes to rebellion, who could be stronger than Liu the Lion, who founded the Marshal's Headquarters?

He nodded decisively and waited for Liu Chengzong's profound insight.

He heard Liu the Lion say, "You and I follow different paths. I am a rebel army — everything I have today relies on military force. You lead a peasant uprising, following the path of grassroots folk societies. A few years ago, I lodged overnight at a Three Teachings Nunnery in Yan'an Prefecture. The Three Kalpas Society is that Three Teachings Nunnery in the hearts of the poor."

In truth, Wang Ziyong's behavioral model was the underlying logic of the White Lotus Sect. It lacked a tight organization or the backing of a strong political power. It relied solely on doctrines that few people understood but that sounded vaguely profound, gathering together the most destitute at the very bottom of society — those without food or clothing.

Everything revolved around two words: eat and survive.

Giving them hope to survive — on ordinary days, someone to help with farm work and mediate disputes; in famine years, someone to organize eating at the rich households' expense and begging for food; add a bit of shamanistic medicine and funeral rites... Ultimately, Wang Ziyong was the first to give. The more people in need, the greater the Three Kalpas Society's power became.

In the ideal scenario, the secret folk society would completely push out the imperial court and local powers, and the poor would be their own masters. In a sense, Liu Chengzong considered the Three Kalpas Society a temple fair.

Common folk carrying farm produce to trade, praying to all the gods in heaven and earth — the strength of the toiling masses gathered at a single point, and they were more efficacious than the deities in the temple.

"But this cannot achieve great things."

Liu Chengzong put it brutally: "Among thousands upon thousands of ordinary people, there are certainly unrecognized talents suffering from ill fortune. Yet grassroots folk societies find it very hard to offer these people paths to advancement. And most people have limited ability — they couldn't thrive when there were rules, and without rules, it's even more the survival of the fittest... So most uprisings are mere riots, and they behave like a child."

"Just feeling uncomfortable, unable to speak, not knowing what to do — so they can only cry, shout, and throw tantrums. And after the tantrum is over, they don't know what to do next. That was the situation in Suzhou."

Wang Ziyong's face showed a bit of embarrassment. He argued, "But the Marshal's Headquarters troops entered the pass — they didn't need to worry about what to do after the tantrum was over either."

"That is another problem. If the Marshal's Headquarters troops hadn't been there, when the government army arrived, the thousands upon thousands of ordinary people of the Three Kalpas Society would have had to fill the moats with their bodies and have their heads hung on merit ledgers. A few hundred would escape, gain experience, and grow."

Liu Chengzong spread his hands. "But the Marshal's Headquarters came, and the situation became worse. Because the Three Kalpas Society could grow out of the Great Ming court — the Great Ming court was not its natural enemy. The Three Kalpas Society's natural enemy is the Marshal's Headquarters... The Three Kalpas Society was born for rebellion, and the Marshal's Headquarters was also born for rebellion. The Three Kalpas Society knows how to mobilize commoners for riots, while the Marshal's Headquarters knows how to organize commoners."

"Whatever a folk society can do, a government office can do — it only depends on whether they want to. The Marshal's Headquarters handles all these matters, so the Three Kalpas Society naturally melts away like ice."

Wang Ziyong sighed. He truly had not expected that when facing the Marshal's Headquarters, the Three Kalpas Society would be silently chewed up, bones and sinews swallowed together. And it seemed that as the Marshal's Headquarters advanced through the Hexi Corridor, it would likely swallow up wherever it went.

This was not the Three Kalpas Society's fault for being underdeveloped. A folk society and a rising hegemonic power simply could not be compared in their control over a region.

He asked, "Then, Grand Marshal, you must have a solution in mind — that Sixteen and I accept official posts in the Marshal's Headquarters?"

"My idea is to divide the Three Kalpas Society into two parts in the Hexi Corridor. Recruit those skilled in battle into the Three Kalpas Battalion to follow the campaign. Merge ordinary households into the Three Kalpas Guard, to go open up Anxi and settle the frontier. Those adept at mobilizing commoners will each receive official posts and infiltrate Ningxia, to do what you wish to do."

Liu Chengzong finished, then looked at Wang Ziyong. "However, in my mind, the best place for the Three Kalpas Society to infiltrate is not Ningxia. That place is full of border troops, and those who could flee have mostly fled already — it's not convenient for the Three Kalpas Society to develop... The Central Plains is where your talents can truly be used, brother. Xi'an, Luoyang, and Kaifeng."

Good evening!

(End of chapter)