Gu Wangyan [Complete] - 23

In the twenty-first volume of "Gu Wang Yan,

" Dun Weng says:
(14 characters missing) Zhu He was a real person, not a fabrication (11 characters missing). These three men, according to the historian Sima, were truly capable of [illegible characters], not just armchair strategists.

Hearing that they donated their salaries, Ji Duanjin was nearly driven to desperation. Fu Sheng, a very wealthy minister, ignored national affairs, refusing to contribute a single penny, yet complained of many troubles. Hearing that they needed to borrow from the treasury, Niu Xing was extremely greedy. With such ministers, how could they not have handed over the Ming dynasty to the Ming?

Jia Wenwu's donation was due to Bao Xin's encouragement. Jia Wenwu's contribution to saving the masses was great, but Bao Xin's encouragement was also significant. It was only right that Jia Wenwu be rewarded with an official position. It was not unreasonable for Bao Xin to also receive an official post. The rebel leader's

successive captures of Luoyang and Bianliang are both recorded in the official history, without a single error. However, the official history is not as detailed as this, which is infuriating.

The official history records that the abolition of the postal service was initiated by Mao Yujian and completed by Liu Mao. This is an insult to Yujian, calling him a homosexual and his wife having an affair with a servant, which is not enough to fully condemn him. Some argue that while this insult is directed at Yujian and his wife, it shouldn't extend to Wen Tiren. However, there's a saying that when Tiren first entered the cabinet, a folk rhyme circulated: "The pigs are afflicted with plague." Zhu is the imperial surname, referring to the court's use of Wen Tiren as prime minister. In reality, Tiren was not only incompetent and cowardly but also ruined many important matters; insulting him is not an exaggeration. Yujian, because of his shrewish wife, brought disaster to the country. His crime was minor, but his crime was great because of the emperor's dislike. The memorial to abolish the postal service was approved by Liu Mao through his efforts; his crime was greater than Yujian's, hence his later execution, and his wife's subsequent marriage to a thief and subsequent adultery.

In this book, each person has a short biography. Some writers narrate their origins before the events themselves; some narrate events from beginning to end and then mention their origins in the middle; some mention their origins only after the events are finished; some narrate the events of others and then subtly reveal the origins of the person in question. The variations are numerous and cannot be discerned without careful observation. Just as a master writer might use two main sections, three sections, a free-flowing style, or an eight-section style, it is not like a primary school student's first attempt at writing, where everything is rigidly structured with sixty-four sections, fixed and unchangeable.

The events concerning the Mao family are numerous, but only now are the details revealed. Not only does the writing possess a subtle interplay of order, but it also demonstrates the writer's meticulous attention to detail.

Chapter Twenty-One: Sima Shi's Concern for the Country and the People, Scholar Jia's Donation to Kill the Traitors.

Appendix: Li Zicheng's Heinous Evils, Bao Xin's Unwavering Righteousness.

What righteous act did Jia Wenwu perform? He was, in fact, a display of fervent patriotism and concern for the people. Because of this wicked bandit, Xiang Nian's army attacked Fengyang, felling the imperial tombs, burning the palace, killing officials, releasing criminals, and looting everything, reaping a great harvest. Not content with this, he marched on to the counties along the Yangtze River, coveting Nanjing. The government troops fled at the mere mention of his name, leaving behind countless elderly and weak civilians, their families and valuables scattered in carts and horses—the carnage was unbearable to describe.

Because Fengyang was a strategic location for the ancestral tombs, the surrounding government troops, though terrified, had no choice but to request its restoration, and reinforcements arrived from all sides. The bandits, burdened by the abundance of women and supplies, had no time to attack Nanjing. Originally, he had no interest in the city or land; upon hearing this news, he, dressed in red skirts and green sleeves, carrying silver and gold, departed with laughter and merriment. These rebels, seeing the area prosperous and undefended, and able to move freely, were delighted and constantly caused disturbances.

Let me explain the origins of this blind thief clearly, so that the officials may know his background, and then I will recount his atrocities to show the suffering of the people at that time. Let us all curse him to vent the resentment of those people back then.

His ancestral home was Mizhi County, Yan'an Prefecture, Shaanxi Province, where his family had lived for generations. His father's name was Li Shouzhong. Seven or eight generations ago, one of his ancestors was very wealthy and devoted his life to supporting monks and Taoist priests, practicing this diligently for decades. Everyone called him Li Shanyou (Li the Benevolent Friend). As he approached old age, one day, a disheveled Taoist priest, who smelled terrible, came to his house to beg for alms. Li Shanyou showed no disgust and gladly entertained him. After the vegetarian feast was over, the Taoist priest said to him, "I have long known that you, venerable sage, are tireless in your benevolence, and that your descendants will surely produce great and distinguished individuals. I have been traveling far and wide, and about two hundred li from here, amidst the mountains, there is a blessed burial site. You can choose this site after your passing, and it will surely bring prosperity to the family." Li Shanyou was overjoyed and invited the Taoist priest to go with him to see it, which the priest readily accepted. Li Shanyou prepared his luggage and supplies and went to a village at the foot of the mountain to stay overnight.

It turned out that there were many people with the surname Li in this village. When Li Shanyou recounted their family genealogy, he found that they were all from the same clan and still in mourning, which made him even happier. The next day, he went into the mountains with the Taoist priest to select a burial site. The Taoist priest said, "When burying the dead, a large enclosure must be built, with a large iron vat inside, filled with lamp oil. If the iron lamp does not go out, the Li family will prosper." Li Shanyou thanked the Taoist priest deeply and invited him home to give him a generous gift. The Taoist priest laughed and said, “I chose this auspicious site for you, sir, to repay your good deeds throughout your life. [Reading this, one can see the ancient saying that a virtuous heart is worse than a burial site, which is indeed true. If the site chosen by this Taoist priest is not good, how can the withered bones in the tomb rest in peace? When the tomb was later excavated, a dragon was found in the skull, and the bones were all blue, which is also an unusual site. If it is a good burial site, the withered bones in the tomb are still exposed, and the descendants have almost all died by the law. What is good about it? In the past, Zhu Xi saw a wicked person buried in an auspicious site and sighed, ‘If this place does not prosper, it is because there is no geomancy. If this place prospers, it is because there is no justice.’ Later, the tomb was washed away by water, which shows that a virtuous heart is worse than a burial site. I think the Taoist priest chose this site not because of me, but because of Li Zicheng. We must look at it from the other side.’ Is he seeking repayment?” Then he flicked his sleeves and left as if flying. Li Shanyou could not catch up with him, and everyone was astonished, thinking it was divine guidance. When Li Shanyou returned home, he told his children and grandchildren about this and repeatedly instructed them to be buried properly after their death.

More than ten years later, Li Shanyou passed away, and his descendants buried him according to his last wishes. Later, his clan heard that this was a blessed land, and everyone wanted to share in the good fortune. Li Shanyou's grave was in the center, and there were more than ten other burial sites around it. The lineage then passed to Li Shouzhong, who had a brother named Li Shouyi, about thirty years older than him. They had a son and a daughter; their son, Li Zida, was two years older than Li Shouzhong. Li Shouzhong became a constable in the county. He was naturally violent and extremely vicious, yet highly skilled. Every bandit and thief within hundreds of miles was under his command, receiving tributes year after year and gifts month after month. He was over thirty years old and still unmarried.

One day, a fortune teller happened to meet him and exclaimed in amazement, "I have seen many people, but I have never seen anyone with such an extraordinary appearance." Li Shouzhong asked him why. The fortune teller said, "Others' fortunes, poverty, longevity, and premature death are determined in their own lives. But your noble countenance is destined for your descendants; you will surely have a noble son. You only need to accumulate some good deeds, and then your future glory will be unparalleled." Hearing this, he realized it matched the prophecy passed down from his ancestors. At this time, he had accumulated more than two thousand taels of silver, so he resigned from his post. Thinking that his son was still motherless, he asked a matchmaker surnamed Lian to find him a wife. [The matchmaker's surname was Lian; it meant that the man and woman, sharing the same surname, were destined to be united through him.] She told him what the fortune teller had said, urging him to marry a blessed wife and bear a noble son. At that time, there was a famous courtesan surnamed Gou. The madam had died, and he was now in charge. He was over thirty years old and had spent nearly twenty years in the brothel, experiencing all its hardships. He wished to leave the profession but was undecided.

One day, a foreign monk came to his house to solicit prostitutes. Although this man, surnamed Gou, had seen many men, he had never seen such a strange creature with sunken eyes, a protruding nose, a curly beard, and ringed ears. He gladly stayed the night. After their encounter, the monk told him, "I see you have an extraordinary physique; you are destined to give birth to a noble son. Don't waste your time in this world of pleasure; it would be a pity. You must marry a noble husband to ensure a comfortable life in your later years." Gou, upon hearing this, felt it perfectly aligned with his long-held desire to leave his profession. He asked a matchmaker to find him a good husband, and this matchmaker happened to be Lian, whom Li Shouzhong had entrusted to him. Lian then told Gou what the fortune teller had said about Li Shouzhong, and Gou was overjoyed to marry him. Lian then went to Li Shouzhong and also told him that Gou was destined to give birth to a noble son. Li Shouzhong was overjoyed to see that the two men were of one mind. He chose an auspicious day for the betrothal and married her. One was from Guiyang, the other from Guiyin; they spent every night trying to conceive a noble son. However, after several years of trying, their lineage had almost run dry, and no noble son was to be born. One night, Li Shouzhong sighed to Gou Shi, "We've conceived countless children over the years, but a whole pot of them has been wasted, and we haven't seen a single child. It's such a pity." Gou Shi laughed, "Even if you did have a child, it would only be a matter of chance. If every child you conceived was a son, my Chen Mama would be a high-ranking official." They both laughed heartily.

That year, he turned forty and still had no child. The couple became anxious and decided to fast, bathe, and go to the Jintian Dadi Temple on Mount Hua in the west to pray for a child. After returning from burning incense, that night, while the couple was sleeping, they both dreamed that the Jintian Dadi led a Yellow Emperor with a soaring crown and ochre-yellow robe, who said to them, "This is the Po Jun Star; I bestow upon you a son." The couple were overjoyed and bowed in gratitude in their dream. Upon waking, they told each other about it and found it very strange. They quickly got up, bathed, burned incense, and kowtowed in thanks. Having received this omen, the two of them tried even harder each night. You see how hard he worked, until he was completely exhausted, and Gou Shi indeed became pregnant. Seeing that it had come true, the two were overjoyed and worked even harder, until the tenth month was complete, and a son was born, who was Li Zicheng. Li Shouzhong, because he dreamt of him wearing a yellow robe, gave him the nickname Huang Lai'er (Yellow Comet). The couple cherished this son like a priceless treasure. When he was seven or eight years old, he became lazy and idle, and would fight and wrestle with other children his age in the streets every single day.

At this time, Li Shouyi, his wife, and their son Li Zida had all passed away. Their daughter was married, and her wife had remarried. Only one grandson remained, named Li Guo, who was only a year younger than Zicheng. Although they were uncle and nephew, they treated each other like brothers and helped each other cause trouble. When Li Shouzhong wanted to send them to school, they heard this and disappeared. Li Shouzhong was terrified and searched everywhere for them before finally finding them and never daring to mention it again. By the time they were fifteen or sixteen, both uncle and nephew were addicted to whoring and gambling. Li Zicheng had been spoiled by his parents since childhood, and they indulged his every whim. If he wanted something beyond his control, he would get it. Otherwise, he was allowed to do whatever he wanted. When he wanted money to gamble and whore, did Li Shouzhong dare to stop him? He let him squander it.

Li Zicheng was guilty of all four vices: wine, women, wealth, and anger, but he was particularly obsessed with women. Although he was vicious by nature, he also had a touch of foolishness. Li Guo was as ferocious as his uncle, and even more cunning. Li Zicheng, often causing trouble, was nicknamed "Li Chuangzi" (Li the Rebel). Li Guo, strong and unruly, was also given the nickname "Tiger."

Li Zicheng frequented the homes of prostitutes. His penis was unusually small, only about three inches long and as thick as a thumb. The prostitutes made up a rhyme to mock him: "Li Zicheng, Li Zicheng, his penis is laughable! When erect, it's only the size of a thumb; when soft, it's like a thin rope." After a while, he learned of this and felt ashamed, no longer daring to visit prostitutes. He thought, "These harlots, having been with thousands of men, naturally find mine too small." At first, he still wasn't confident, but later, when he went to latrines or bathhouses, he carefully observed other people's penises and realized none were as small and elegant as his. Only then did he accept it. He thought to himself, "My thing is really ugly. I only married a real girl. He's only seen me once, so naturally he won't dislike me." Then he thought, "Even if I marry someone else's daughter, how can I know if she's real or not?" Suddenly, he had an epiphany: "I've often heard people say that a girl's first time is always painful. I'll just see if he's in pain, and I'll know." Having made up his mind, he asked his father for a wife.

Li Shouzhong, seeing his son's reckless behavior, had long wanted to find him a wife, hoping to keep him in check. He didn't know what his son was thinking and dared not speak up. Now, hearing that his son wanted to marry, he was overjoyed and asked a matchmaker to arrange a marriage for him with a woman surnamed Qu, who was indeed a real girl. On their wedding night, because his penis was too small, the woman didn't find it difficult and accepted him. Seeing that he showed no signs of distress, Li Zicheng became suspicious, thinking, "This isn't my daughter." He was still unsure, thinking, "Yes, if she were a real daughter, she wouldn't recognize my penis. I'll ask her and see if she recognizes it, then I'll understand." He then pinched his penis and asked the woman, "What is this?" The woman remained silent, blushing. He asked her every night, and after several days, she became familiar with him. Seeing that he only asked questions, she laughed and said, "It's just a penis, why do you keep asking?" He was greatly surprised and said, "If you're a girl, how can you recognize a penis? It must not be real." He got up and told his parents that his wife was a broken vessel and he wanted to divorce her. Li Shouzhong initially refused, but couldn't bear his constant commotion. Li Shouzhong had no choice but to have the matchmaker send the woman to her parents' home. The old man, Qu, didn't know what was going on. Although both families had tried to persuade him, he still suspected something was wrong with his daughter and had to endure it. Li Zicheng personally entrusted a matchmaker to find him a real daughter. The matchmaker inquired everywhere and found another virgin. After a few days of marriage, the daughter was returned because of the matchmaker's infidelity.

The girl's father, Han Yuan, was a prominent man who was indignant. He complained to the county government, and Li Zicheng was arrested and questioned. He insisted that the girl was not a virgin and therefore refused to marry her. The county magistrate, having no way to verify the claim, could only say to Han Yuan, "Husbands and wives are meant to stay together until death. If he is unwilling, forcing him will only make your daughter's life difficult in his home. It would be better if you kept your daughter." Han Yuan, seeing that the official's reasoning was sound, had no choice but to let the matter drop, despite his resentment. After the two families had a lawsuit, Li Zicheng complained incessantly about the matchmaker, saying that he hadn't investigated the truth and had twice ruined things. The matchmaker was very suspicious and went to ask the two women, "Why didn't you say it on the wedding night, but only after several days did you say it was virginity? What's the reason?" The woman, both ashamed and indignant, explained the reason in detail. The matchmaker couldn't help but laugh, and then understood the reason.

At that time, there was a prostitute also surnamed Han, who was quite pretty. Although she was only in her twenties, her vulva was incredibly loose. From her lower abdomen to her buttocks, a patch of long hair covered it, making it almost impossible to enter. Moreover, during intercourse, her vaginal fluids flowed constantly, trickling incessantly. Her vulva was as cold as ice. Those who had patronized her, seeing this unusually beautiful vulva, gave her the elegant nickname "Han Songquan," referring to its coldness and looseness, and also to the abundance of her vaginal fluids.

When Han Songquan's name was mentioned, few people paid him any attention. Only a yamen runner in the county named Gai Junlu, whose penis was over seven inches long and as thick as a club, was a sight that made other prostitutes hesitate and fear, unable to satisfy their desires. But Han was not afraid, and he often came to patronize her. The two were a perfect match. Gai Junlu's penis was so large that he didn't find it too loose. Besides, he was a bachelor without a wife, and once he had a woman's thing, he was no longer bothered by it. He didn't care about Han's coldness or wetness, only her courage to face the challenge. The two were very close, one willing to marry and the other willing to be married. However, although Gai Junlu wanted to marry her, he had no money to redeem her from her servitude.

His madam, seeing that her daughter had few customers, wanted to sell her. She asked a matchmaker to find a buyer. This matchmaker was the same one who had arranged the marriage for Li Zicheng. The matchmaker thought for a moment and laughed, "I'll just sell this beautiful girl to this stupid wretch." Then she said to Han, "Your mother wants to sell you now. I think that a daughter of a respectable family would either end up doing this kind of thing after being sold, or become someone's concubine. Now there is a good family that will take a proper wife. I'll let you go and enjoy yourself. But there's one thing: if a man asks you what his thing is called, you must grit your teeth and say you don't know it. That's important." "She then told him about the two women she had mentioned earlier, and Han agreed with a smile.

Although Han was in love with Gai Junlu, she was unable to control her own body. She secretly discussed with Gai Junlu that after she married into the Li family, he should pretend to be her cousin so they could visit each other often and have their own private affairs. Gai Junlu happily agreed and left.

Meanwhile, the matchmaker came to Li Zicheng and said, 'This time, I have truly found a real daughter. She is beautiful, but the dowry must be generous.' Li Zicheng was overjoyed and determined to marry her. His father dared not dissuade him, and he married her. On the wedding day, Li Zicheng penetrated her, but Han was completely unaware. Seeing him moving on her belly, she knew he had penetrated her and pretended to be in great pain, crying out incessantly. Li Zicheng thought it was real and quickly pulled out. Han still cried out in pain. Li Zicheng said, 'I have already pulled out, why are you still crying out in pain?' Han said, 'I am a real daughter. Yours is too big. It still hurts when I'm empty.'" Li Zicheng was even more delighted. Afterwards, he asked her about her penis dozens of times, but she only said she didn't recognize it. Li Zicheng thought to himself, "This is a good daughter." He then smiled and said to her, "This is called a penis." The woman thought to herself, "I've seen countless penises, but I'm not interested in yours." She couldn't help but laugh. Li Zicheng asked, "What are you laughing at?" She didn't answer. After being asked repeatedly, she smiled and said, "I've grown up so much, and only today do I know what a penis is. I always thought they were the same as a man's penis, but so that's what it looks like." Li Zicheng was overjoyed and deeply in love with her.

It turned out that when Han was a prostitute, Li Guo had also patronized her, and the two had developed a deep affection. Li Guo, fearing his uncle would see them and take her away, had kept it a secret from Li Zicheng, so Li Zicheng had never seen her. Since Han had married into the family, the two recognized each other immediately, but

since Han was now his aunt, Li Guo dared not bring up their past relationship. Han, knowing Li Zicheng's lack of wealth and ability, harbored a lingering affection for him. One morning, while Li Zicheng was still asleep, Han saw Li Guo urinating in the backyard with his back turned. She quietly went to the back, reached out, and pinched his penis. Li Guo was startled, turned around, and saw her. She chuckled and said, "Now that you're an aunt, you've climbed up the social ladder, and you still think about him?" Han hugged him and kissed him, then grabbed his penis with one hand and said, "You heartless wretch! How close we were back then! You wanted my pubic hair as a token, and I even plucked a handful for you. I've been here all this time, and you haven't even paid me a peep." Li Guo said, "How could I forget you? I long to be close to you. First, I don't know how you feel, and second, my uncle has a bad temper, and I'm afraid he'll find out. Since you seem so kind, I have a brilliant plan. Today I'll trick my uncle into going outside, get him drunk, and when he's sound asleep tonight, you can come to my place, and we can make it happen." Han happily agreed. At this moment, she wanted to vent her anger, but fearing Li Zicheng would come out, she simply squatted down, took his penis into her mouth, sucked on it a few times, and then they parted ways.

That day, as expected, Li Guo went out with Li Zicheng and got completely drunk by dusk. Li Guo helped him back and put him to bed in his room. Their house had three main rooms; Li Shouzhong and his wife lived in the east room, Li Zicheng in the west room, and Li Guo slept in the main room. That night, seeing Li Zicheng asleep, Han quietly opened the door and came out to meet him. The two hadn't seen each other for a long time, and Han, having been apathetic to Li Zicheng's advances, had accumulated a great deal of lust. Today, meeting Li Guo, she wanted to unleash all her desire on him. They made love repeatedly, twice, for most of the night, until they

had to separate, fearing Li Zicheng would wake up. This happened several times. Shouzhong's husband heard some noises at night, but fearing his son's fierce temper, he dared not make a sound, pretending to be deaf and dumb, letting the two enjoy themselves. Han was a prostitute; she had no desires. Since marrying into the Li family, Gai Junlu, following his previous plan, pretended to be her cousin and often came to visit. Li Shouzhong and his wife were both elderly and unable to provide much care, and they also assumed the two were truly siblings, so they didn't keep a close watch on them. Little did they know that there was something going on between them. Li Zicheng was an idle man who was often away from home. Gai Junlu and Han would often reminisce about old times and engage in intimate acts.

One day, as the two were enjoying themselves in their room, Li Zicheng and Li Guo unexpectedly returned. Finding the door closed, they pushed it open and saw Gai Junlu in the throes of pleasure. Upon seeing him, he became even more terrified and limp, collapsing onto Han's stomach. Li Zicheng was enraged, drew his dagger, and stabbed Gai Junlu several times in the ribs and back, killing him. Terrified, Han suddenly had a flash of inspiration and cried out, "Good riddance! Good riddance! He raped me!" Li Zicheng angrily asked, "If it was rape, why didn't you scream?" Han replied, "If I screamed, the neighbors would hear and you'd lose face." Li Zicheng knew this was a lie, and though he was reluctant to kill her, Li Guo was nearby and feared Li Zicheng would kill Han. Hearing this, Li Zicheng grabbed Li Zicheng's wrist and said, "Listen to your aunt, it has nothing to do with him. Don't wrong her." He then took the knife from her. Taking advantage of this, Li Zicheng released his grip, only punching Han a few times and twisting her genitals hard. Han screamed in pain, and Li Guo, seeing this, felt great distress and quickly stopped her. Hearing the commotion, Li Shouzhong came over and saw that the adulterer had been killed, but the wife had not. Having served in the yamen before, he knew the situation and said to Li Zicheng, "You only killed the adulterer, which is punishable by death. Since you can't bear to kill your wife, you can't stay at home. Your nephew stood by and did nothing to help; he will also be severely punished by the authorities. You and your nephew should flee quickly. I will take your place in court . If there is a pardon, we can plan our return." Li Zicheng, disregarding his parents, hurriedly packed his belongings, asked for some travel expenses, and fled to Ganzhou with Li Guo.

Li Shouzhong reported the incident to the local authorities. The magistrate questioned his son's whereabouts, and he replied, "After the murder, I fled to avoid punishment; I don't know where I went." The magistrate asked, "The murder happened in your home; you clearly allowed your son to commit the crime and escape. How can you deny it?" He ordered Li Shouzhong imprisoned and his son taken from him. Han denied everything, was given twenty strokes of the cane, and sent to a matchmaker to be sold. The same old madam bought him back, and he went back to his old ways. If Li Shouzhong had a few hundred taels of silver to bribe officials, he could have been safe. However, his son had squandered all his family's wealth, leaving him unable to help. Being old and imprisoned, he was preoccupied with his children and grandchildren. People knew he had made a fortune in the government office, but they didn't know he had emptied it all. They only suspected he was reluctant to part with it and, having suffered hardship, was filled with resentment and died a few days later.

He had given birth to such a fine son, yet he hadn't enjoyed a single day of his blessings, first dragging his father to prison. His wife, seeing her husband dead in prison, her children and grandchildren missing and with no end in sight, and her daughter-in-law sold into officialdom, was utterly desolate. She recalled how lively the prison had been; if she hadn't sought to have such a son, she would still be a madam today, living in such loneliness. She regretted listening to the foreign monk's words, which had led to this situation. Overwhelmed with sorrow and melancholy, she died soon after.

His only relative was Li Guo's daughter, their niece. She oversaw the sale of the house and the burial of the couple. Meanwhile, Li Zicheng and his nephew fled east and west, finding no home for months. At that time, bandits rose up everywhere, and he joined their ranks. You ask when the banditry began, given the peace and stability of the land? It spread throughout Shaanxi in an instant. This banditry originated from the elimination of post station workers. The elimination of these post station workers was initiated by the censor Mao Yujian and completed by the censor Liu Mao. Do you know their backgrounds? What led to such a national catastrophe?

They were brothers, both from Nanjing. Mao Yujian's father, whose courtesy name was Mao Bao, came from a family of scholars. He had a son and a daughter; the son was Yujian, and the daughter was the wife of Ruan Dacheng. Mao Bao had passed the imperial examination and served as an instructor before being promoted to magistrate of Niaocheng County in Huzhou Prefecture, Zhejiang Province. His elder sister had married into the Han family, but her husband died young, leaving only a nephew named Han Jishou. Mao Bao took Han Jishou and his mother to his post. Liu Mao, the son of his two aunts, had also come along, having lost both parents at a young age. Because of their familial ties, Mao Bao treated Liu Mao like his own son. Liu Mao was fifteen, Mao Yujian was thirteen, Han Jishou was eighteen, and Mao's mother was sixteen; they were like brothers and sisters.

Mao's mother and her brother Mao Yujian were strikingly similar in appearance. While the girl wasn't as beautiful as Wang Zhaojun, and the boy wasn't as handsome as Song Yu, both had fair, delicate features, making them quite attractive. Even Han Jishou and Liu Mao were clean-cut and handsome, unlike the cowherds from the three villages. The three of them studied together, and Liu Mao and Yu Jian shared a bed at night. Han Jishou, being older and more knowledgeable, took a liking to his cousin. Although Mao was only sixteen, she possessed an innate lustful nature and was inherently promiscuous. Believing herself to be of marriageable age, she secretly desired her cousin, wanting to "break" his vows.

Han Jishou visited his mother daily, and the siblings, each with their own desires, would flirt and tease each other when alone, their relationship becoming increasingly passionate. At first, it was just playful banter, but later they became intimate, and their affair escalated. They had many trysts, and their relationship was now complete. Eventually, Mao Bao also learned of the affair but couldn't bring himself to speak out. Mao Bao, wanting to emulate Jia Chong's cunning, decided to go along with it and marry his daughter to Han Jishou, not only to cover up the scandal but also to fulfill his own youthful desires. One day, Han Jishou and Mao were enjoying themselves in bed, with the canopy drawn. Just as things were getting intimate, a cat chasing a mouse fell from the canopy and landed on a copper basin with a loud clatter. Startled, Han Jishou tumbled off Mao's stomach and onto the floor. Being a young man, his blood still surging, and in the midst of this ordeal, the fright caused him to develop palpitations. Whether sitting or lying down, even the slightest sound while eating would startle him violently, causing him to jump high. No medicine could cure him, and he eventually died of palpitations. His mother, who only had him, wept bitterly.

Mao was also deeply grieved and wept silently. Liu Mao and Mao Yujian both knew of this incident. One night, the two of them lay together whispering. Liu Mao said, "The world is strange indeed. A man and a woman, complete strangers, become incredibly intimate just by sharing a piece of flesh. Look at how affectionate Cousin Han and his sister are! You're too young to understand, but I often watch them flirting and exchanging glances—it's so sickening! I think if we brothers were to share a child, wouldn't we be even closer? Although they've been intimate for a while, Cousin Han was scared to death. If we were to share a child, there wouldn't be any fear, and we'd be happy forever." Mao Yujian also became pleased. Come on, he laughed and said, "Since that's the case, you do it for me first, and I'll do it for you too." Liu Mao said, "I'm older than you, so naturally I should go first." Mao Yujian said, "It doesn't matter who goes first, so I'll let you go first." Liu Mao helped him up, laid him on the pillow, and used some saliva to insert it, asking, "How do you feel?" Mao Yujian said, "I don't feel anything, just a dull, swollen feeling." Liu Mao did it for a while and then Mao Yujian did the same. He was young, and his penis was like a finger, so he inserted it without realizing it. He also finished after a few thrusts. The two of them lay down, embracing and kissing, their intimacy surpassing that of a married couple, but this was left unsaid for now.

At that time, Wen Tiren had not yet entered the cabinet; he was still a minister. He was from Wucheng and was currently at home on sick leave. He had a daughter who was not particularly beautiful, and he was determined to find a handsome husband. Although there were sons of officials in the county, none of them met his standards.

One day, Wen Tiren happened to meet Mao Yujian and took a great liking to him. He then asked someone to tell Mao Bao that he wanted his son to be his son-in-law. Mao Bao was secretly delighted that a high-ranking official wanted to be his son-in-law, but he repeatedly said that he dared not presume to accept such an offer. Wen Tiren repeatedly asked someone to speak on his behalf, saying that he did not care about rank or wealth, as long as he had a good son-in-law. Mao Bao was overjoyed and hurriedly went to express his gratitude. Mao Yujian was already fifteen years old, and Wen Tiren wanted him to be married that year, which Mao Bao readily agreed to.

It turned out that this Miss Wen was not only ugly in appearance but also lustful and jealous, and she was already nineteen years old. Her dowry at her wedding was incredibly wealthy, including eight servants, eight maids, and eight servant boys, filling the entire county government office. Seeing the way his dowry maids served the young lady with such reverence, Mao Yujian couldn't help but feel intimidated. Lying beside her, he was timid and fearful. Moreover, he had long been close to Liu Mao, and though his body was there, his heart was elsewhere. After a few days, he hid in the study and slept with Liu Mao.

Miss Wen, believing herself to be a noblewoman, was destined to marry the son of a high-ranking official to be a good match. Unexpectedly, she married a county magistrate's son, whose humble dwelling was unappealing to a noblewoman's daughter, and she was deeply displeased. However, seeing Mao Yujian's handsome and charming appearance, which was far more attractive than her own, she felt somewhat relieved. Moreover, Mao Yujian and Liu Mao were accustomed to each other's intimate parts and knew the intricacies of intercourse, so Miss Wen made do. Unexpectedly, just as she was beginning to enjoy the pleasure, she suddenly saw him go out to sleep, suspecting there was a reason.

His wet nurse's husband was also surnamed Wen, a distant cousin of Wen Tiren. Because of poverty, he had pawned himself to become her wet nurse. He had two sons, one named Wen Shixing, only fourteen years old, with white teeth and red lips, clever and obedient. Miss Wen truly doted on him, letting him come and go as he pleased.

That night, she sent him to inquire what her son-in-law was doing outside. Wen Shixing came out and, seeing that everyone was quiet, squatted under the study window to eavesdrop. He heard the two people on the bed laughing and talking. One said, "You have no conscience! We've been together for two or three years, and today you've got something new and beautiful, while I'm enjoying myself, you've forgotten about me." Then he heard the son-in-law say, "How could I forget you? He's a newcomer, and I couldn't get away, so I hid out today to keep you company." After that, he heard the two of them panting for a while, and then one said, "You're probably having more fun with the newcomer than this." Then he heard the son-in-law say, "Although it's the same thing, I'm a little afraid of him, so I'm not excited at all." After that, they fell silent. After listening for a while, he heard them snoring and knew they were asleep. He went up to report to his mistress, but found the bedroom door closed. He didn't dare to knock and stood under the window. It was already past midnight, and the moon was high in the sky. The maids were all fast asleep. Wen Shi was annoyed and couldn't sleep, partly because she was waiting for Wen Shixing's reply. Seeing a figure outside the window, she knew it was him. She got up, put on her clothes, and went to open the door. Upon seeing it, she found it was indeed Wen Shixing. She called him in and quietly questioned him, and the boy recounted the whole story. Wen Shi knew it was those two cousins who had done that sort of thing, and she was filled with resentment. She angrily said, "Since they are so shameless, I can follow suit!" She then ordered Wen Shixing to bed, and they undressed and slept together. It turned out that this boy also frequently engaged in anal sex. His penis was even stronger than Mao Yujian's, and he was skilled in both penetration and withdrawal, which Wen Shi found very appealing. After they were finished, she quietly let him out. Afterwards, whenever she had free time, she would frequently favor him. [This is why he was named Wen Shixing.]

The next day, Mao Yujian came in, but Wen Shi was not like usual; she had a completely different expression and didn't say a word to him. [The heart of a harlot is different; she feels no shame when she engages in anal sex with a boy, but she gets angry when her husband engages in anal sex with another man, and she imitates him with great enthusiasm.] That evening, in bed, Wen recounted what the boy had overheard the previous night, saying, "You're from an official family, yet you engage in such despicable and shameless acts, and still dare to try and get intimate with me." Mao Yujian was utterly ashamed. From then on, he dared not leave her side at night, and could only catch up with Liu Mao in the study during the day.

Mao Bao, after ten years as a poor instructor, was promoted to county magistrate. Wucheng was a wealthy area, but he was incredibly greedy, having almost completely embezzled the land. His superiors investigated and impeached him for corruption and cruelty. Fortunately, Wen Tiren intervened and intervened, and he was only dismissed and sent back to his hometown. Back home, Ruan Dacheng's father, knowing of his father's wealth and hearing of his daughter's beauty, asked for her hand in marriage.

Ruan Dacheng, who was studying alongside Mao Yujian and Liu Mao, saw the younger brother's good looks and knew his older sister must be equally beautiful, and was delighted. Although Mao Bao knew that the flower he loved had already been picked, and that there was no reason to keep his poor daughter at home for life, he readily agreed to the Ruan family's marriage proposal. His mother, fearing her son-in-law would discover something amiss, was very worried. There was a bad custom in Nanjing: on the wedding night, the mother-in-law would give the son-in-law a piece of white silk for a dowry. Knowing her daughter hadn't had such a piece in a long time, his mother dared not give it to her son-in-law. Instead, she prepared some safflower water, hoping to stain the silk with spots before the bride's departure and have her daughter carry it with her as a substitute.

However, on the day of the wedding feast, the family had dyed the fruits red and green, leaving a bowl of locust flower water. The maids, seeing the bowl of safflower water, assumed it was leftover and placed it aside. Mao's mother repeatedly warned him, "You know what you've done. You must be very discreet during the wedding night. If your son-in-law discovers it, not only will your parents be ashamed, but you will never be able to hold your head high again." Mao nodded in understanding. When it was time for her to get into the sedan chair, his mother went to dye the white silk. Without looking closely, she dipped it in a bowl, only to discover it was a bowl of locust flower water.

She quickly handed it to her daughter and hid it. On their wedding night, Ruan Dacheng tried to undress Mao's wife, but she refused, holding on tightly. Ruan Dacheng, already smitten by his bride's beauty, thought she was just a shy virgin and repeatedly tried to undress her. Mao, after being entangled for a while, became somewhat aroused, and knowing that everything depended on this, she let him undress her. When it came time for intercourse, he acted as if it were an extremely difficult ordeal, not like sex, but like being tortured. He cried out in agony, utterly speechless. [He suffered because of his mother's upbringing; as the saying goes, "You can't sing the songs your mother taught you."] Ruan Dacheng, however, became suspicious and said, "I've also heard people say that although a girl's first time is somewhat painful, it shouldn't be to this extent." After it was over, he picked up the bridal handkerchief and looked at it. It matched two lines from an ancient poem: "

I see no blood, I return you a piece of white silk."

Not only was there no bright red blood on his handkerchief, but it was also covered with yellow stains here and there. Ruan Dacheng was furious and cursed, "Shameless harlot! Who have you been having an affair with? I don't know how many times you've done it! Today you're putting on this act to fool me! Get up, put on your clothes, and go back to your home right now! I don't want a lewd woman like you!" What could Mao Shi say? Naked, she got out of bed and knelt, pleading, "It was my fault for being so foolish. Now that I'm in your house, please have mercy and forgive me. Just let me have the empty title of principal wife to save face for both families. You can take concubines or mistresses as you please. If you drive me away, not only will I be destitute for life, but my parents will also lose face. Consider it an act of good karma." Ruan Dacheng was still angry that Mao Shi wasn't a virgin, but Mao Bao knew that his daughter's virginity was ruined, so he compensated her for her external possessions with a full tenfold amount, amounting to several thousand taels of silver. Ruan Dacheng had been greedy since childhood. [Mao was born with lust in her bones, and so was he.] He thought to himself, if he were to send her away, it would indeed be bad for both families. Moreover, there was no reason to leave these dowries behind; they would have to be returned to her anyway, which would be a pity. Besides, Mao was very beautiful. Kneeling naked on the ground, she looked like a person carved from jade. The slit below her navel, though wide inside, was plump on the outside and quite lovely. He felt a bit of pity for her.

An old servant woman from the Mao family, who had come to accompany the young lady, pushed open the door and said, "Young master, you two are celebrating your wedding night tonight. Why aren't you sleeping peacefully? What are you making such a fuss about?" Seeing Mao kneeling naked on the ground, she said, "Poor thing, poor thing! My daughter is a pampered young lady. How can you bear to treat her like this?" Ruan Dacheng sneered, "Your daughter is a fine young lady, but her manhood has been ruined like a leather bag. She's a mother now." The old woman said, "Amitabha, young master, don't speak ill of her. My daughter and her mother are inseparable. How could such a thing happen? Don't wrong her." Ruan Dacheng threw the handkerchief at him and said, "Look at your daughter's wedding handkerchief." He took it and looked at it under the lamp. There were many yellow stains. After a while, he said, "Oh dear, what happened? Young master, it seems you were too cruel and broke the young lady's gallbladder." Ruan Dacheng was both amused and annoyed. The old woman knelt down as well, saying, "Young master, please forgive me for my age. Even if it were a real virgin, it would be torn by your actions. Just consider it as you who tore it, and you won't be angry. Whether the bridal veil is red or yellow, it's only the first time there's a few red dots; afterwards, it's all white. Just consider it as the second time, why be angry? I remember when I married my husband, I was a real virgin, and the first time there wasn't a single red dot, and he didn't say anything. Young master, I advise you to calm down." Ruan Dacheng found her words amusing, and his heart softened somewhat. Seeing her pleading, he took the opportunity to back down. He said to Madam Mao, "Since she says so, I'll forgive her. If you do anything wrong in my house again, please don't blame me. Get up."

The old woman quickly stood up, helped Mao up, and draped a coat over him while saying, "Young master, please forgive me. My daughter is young and made a mistake; there's no right to just accept it." She laughed and said to Mao, "How could someone so young so easily snatch such a thing? I've lived over seventy years and never encountered such a lucky break." Mao was both ashamed and angry, and shoved her forcefully. The old woman stumbled and fell, only to be caught by the doorframe. She said, "I came to mediate with good intentions, and you almost pushed me to my death!" Coughing, she left.

Two years later, Ruan Dacheng, Mao Yujian, and Liu Mao all passed the provincial examination. The following year, they all passed the imperial examination and were selected as probationary officials. Later, Mao Yujian became a censor, Liu Mao became a censor in the Ministry of Revenue, and Ruan Dacheng became a censor in the Ministry of Works. Mao Yujian and Liu Mao were not only sworn brothers but also husband and wife through marriage, their bond incredibly strong. Now, in the officialdom, they were always in sync, working together as one.

At that time, some famine-stricken people in Shaanxi rebelled, and Mao Yujian was specially dispatched to oversee the suppression. Upon arriving in Shaanxi, he found himself without a superior. He had been controlled by a jealous and ugly woman for many years, and now, finally free, he had taken a beautiful concubine, whom he adored. Most of his family members were concubines of the Wen family, who usually only knew their mistress and not their master. How could they dare conceal this matter? They reported it to the Wen family as if it were news. The Wen family had Wen Shixing as their favorite servant at home, and although Mao Yujian was practically irrelevant, his jealousy was hard to suppress. Upon hearing the news, he took Wen Shixing and his family and maids, and traveled by boat overnight.

Along the way, they heard that the woman was the wife of an imperial envoy and censor, and dared not disobey. They didn't even have time to inform Yujian. The Wen family only found out when they arrived at the Wen family's office. The beauty could not be hidden any longer and had no choice but to meet her. Lady Wen, displaying her power and authority, immediately dismissed the concubine. Mao Yujian, seeing Lady Wen's swift arrival and caught off guard, was furious but dared not harm his wife. Instead, he took his anger out on the post station staff. [An ancient saying goes, "Anger at one's wife leads to anger towards one's wife." This refers to Yujian.] He advocated for the abolition of the post station staff, submitting a special memorial to the throne. He argued that eliminating the post station staff would save hundreds of thousands of taels of silver annually. Emperor Chongzhen convened a meeting of the Nine Ministers and the Censorate, but everyone disagreed. However, Liu Mao, then in charge of the Ministry of Revenue, strongly advocated for it, arguing that Mao Yujian was saving the country money, and the motion was approved. With the post station staff eliminated, millions of idle people, those who relied on the post station for their livelihood, would have no way to make a living and would turn to theft, leading to widespread crime. The rebel leader Li Zicheng was able to recruit them, spreading poison throughout the Central Plains and destroying the nation. The two main culprits deserve death a thousand times over. Yet, the real culprit was a woman; the cruelty of a woman's calamity lurks in the pillow—how can one not fear it?

Now, let us say that Li Zicheng was born with considerable strength, a reckless and impulsive nature, and great courage. He always victorious in his endeavors. Initially, he was a leader among bandits, but as his army grew and his power increased, he openly declared himself king. He said that Xiang Yu had called himself the Overlord, and because his own nickname was Chuangzi (meaning "Chuang the Scoundrel"), he dared

to call himself King Chuang. At that time, the country had been established for over two hundred years, and generals and soldiers were no longer competent. He led his band of rebels, never occupying any territory, but merely wandering from place to place, hence the people called him a roving bandit. When he arrived at prefectures and counties, he would plunder and kill without hesitation, leaving these cities in ruins. Princes, members of the imperial family, civil and military officials, soldiers, civilians, and children were almost all slaughtered by him. Let me briefly recount a few of his evil deeds to show his wickedness and the suffering of the people at that time.

When he captured Fengyang, the carnage was so brutal that the heavens and earth seemed to turn black. They would bind men's fathers and husbands, forcing others to rape their wives and daughters before killing them. Or they would seize men's fathers, making them rape their daughters for amusement, before killing them. Or they would strip pregnant women naked and have everyone guess whether they were carrying a boy or a girl. They would bring out the samples of King Zhou, cutting open their bellies to check; if one guess was wrong, they would cut open another. Countless pregnant women died in a single day. They would also boil oil in cauldrons, throwing children inside, watching them jump and cry, only to have them instantly turn to bones, for their amusement. They would bind people to the ground, cut open their bellies, fill them with rice and beans, and feed them to their warhorses. They would also take human blood and cook porridge with rice and wheat to feed the horses and mules, making them strong enough to fight. Hundreds and thousands of children were captured, but unable to be taken, they were all killed before leaving. Or, during sieges, they would burn the bodies of the dead among reeds and firewood beneath the city walls. The foul stench and smoke assaulted the soldiers guarding the city walls, causing them all to collapse.

On the day he captured Fengyang, the two Chen commanders, Zhu Guotong and another Chen, who were left to guard the city, fought to the death in a fit of rage. Other civil and military officials were either dead or had fled. The imperial mausoleum was burned to ashes, over 300,000 pine trees were burned, more than 60 eunuchs guarding the mausoleum were killed, 91 members of the imperial clan who had committed crimes were released from the high walls, 594 rooms of the garrison's office and government offices were burned, 67 rooms of the Drum Tower and Longxing Temple were burned, and 22,652 houses of soldiers and civilians were destroyed. Prefect Yan Rongxuan, dressed in prison clothes, hid in the jail, but was found by the bandits, first beaten and then killed. Six colleagues, six civil officials, and eleven military officials were also killed. Sixty-six students were killed, 2,284 guards on the mausoleum walls were killed, 196 guards on the high walls were killed, 755 elite soldiers were killed, and 800 cavalrymen were killed.

When besieging Liuhe County, he gathered hundreds of children, piled firewood around them, set it on fire, and watched them scream and flee. Soon they all died, the stench unbearable, which he found exhilarating. During the siege, he had hundreds of women stripped naked and made to curse the city. Any woman who showed the slightest shame was hacked to pieces at the foot of the city walls.

On the day Liuhe fell, he gathered the soldiers and civilians to massacre them. Suddenly, an order came to spare their lives, but each person had one hand chopped off. The people were overjoyed at being spared and rushed to extend their arms; not one cried out in pain. Therefore, many people in Liuhe were left without hands. He would not kill them by chopping off their hands, but if they extended their right hand, he would chop it off. If they extended their left hand first, and it was chopped off, he would still chop off their right hand. Can you believe how cruel he was?

When he captured Jiangpu, one morning, he had a woman dismembered outside the east gate. It turned out that this woman had been kidnapped, and Li Zicheng had tried to rape her, but he had broken her face. Li, the traitor, hated her so much that he didn't want her to die quickly, so he had her dismembered outside the city and publicly humiliated her. Let me recount the story of this virtuous woman to show her loyalty and chastity.

When the bandits broke through Jiangpu and entered the city, there was a minor bandit leader named Xian Qin. Because he was short and stocky, he was nicknamed "Shrinking-Head Turtle." He came to a house and saw a beautiful woman hanging herself. He went forward and rescued her. The woman cried and cursed, "You thieving slave, why did you rescue me instead of killing me?" Shrinking-Head Turtle laughed and said, "The Great King is looking for a beautiful woman to amuse himself with. He has issued an order that anyone who offers a beautiful woman will be rewarded. If you go, you will surely be fortunate, and I will also receive a great reward." The woman cursed, "You wicked slave, I am a pure and virtuous woman, how could I submit to a thief? Just kill me!" Shrinking-Head Turtle tried to grab her hand, but the woman cried and cursed and tried to throw herself to the ground. Shrinking-Head Turtle was quick-witted and rushed forward to grab her. The woman cursed him vehemently, "I am a virtuous woman, how dare you defile me with your thieving hands!" The coward let her curse, grabbed both of his hands, and had two or three petty thieves push and shove them from behind, leading them to Li Zicheng's residence. Li Zicheng was staying in the county office, where he had abducted some women and was drinking and making merry. He found none of the women attractive and didn't find any to his liking. Suddenly, he heard a report that Xianqin had won a prize and acquired a beautiful woman. Overjoyed, he ordered her to come in quickly. From afar, he saw three or four men pushing a woman, pulled by Xianqin. Although her hair was disheveled and her face was streaked with tears, her alluring beauty was undeniable. Only

when they reached her did Xianqin release her. The woman sat on the ground, crying and shouting, "You thieving slave, kill me! Kill me! I won't obey you!" Li Zicheng, all smiles, asked Xianqin, "Where did you get this living treasure?" Xianqin knelt and replied, "I happened to come across a house where this woman was hanging herself. I saw she was beautiful, so I rescued her and presented her to Your Majesty." Li Zicheng was overjoyed and said, "Excellent! Excellent! Go out and receive your reward." Xianqin kowtowed and said, "Thank you, Your Majesty," and went out.

The woman continued to cry and curse. Li Zicheng laughed and said, "Beauty, don't be so foul. It must be fate that I met you today. What's your name?" The woman said, "You wicked scoundrel! How could I tell you my innocent name? What kind of thieving slave are you to dare to talk to me about fate? Just kill me!" Li Zicheng, somewhat intoxicated and delighted, let her curse without getting angry. He laughed, "Don't be silly. If you submit to me, you'll enjoy immense wealth and honor. When I later gain control of the Ming Dynasty, you'll be a noble concubine, wouldn't that be wonderful?" The woman retorted, "You thief! Tomorrow, the heavenly soldiers will capture you, tear you to pieces, and feed your body to pigs and dogs. How dare you covet the throne and desire wealth? Heaven won't tolerate such a lewd and wicked scoundrel!" Li Zicheng said gently, "My beauty, is anger easily suppressed? You've cursed enough. Today, I'll consummate our marriage, and you'll be completely satisfied." He then said to the women, "Help her change her clothes and wash up so she can have some wine." The woman said, "You thieving slave, what am I supposed to wash up? What clothes should I change?" She sat on the ground, refusing to get up. Li Zicheng said, "Fine, she doesn't need to wash up. Help her up and come sit down." The women stepped forward to help her up, but the woman was a delicate and timid girl, and she couldn't resist. She was lifted up by the women. [The word "lifted up" is brilliant; it vividly portrays the fierce woman.] When asked to come near the table, he refused, struggling and twisting wildly.

Seeing that the women couldn't pull him away, Li Zicheng personally rose to reach out and pull him back. The woman, seeing him approach, quickly pulled her hand away, her eyebrows furrowed, her face flushed red. She shouted, "You thieving slave, don't be rude! You won't kill me? Fine!" Seeing a woman nearby holding a golden wine pot, she forcefully broke free, snatched it, and slapped Li Zicheng across the face. The rebel, caught off guard, was struck squarely. Blood streamed down his face, and the wine from the pot spilled all over him. Li Zicheng was enraged, cursing, "You shrew, how dare you hit me!" He shouted, "Tie her up and behead her!" His personal guards on both sides responded and stepped forward to tie her up. Just as they were about to take her away, Li Zicheng said, "If I only kill this wicked woman, it'll be too easy for her. Tomorrow morning, I'll strip her naked and cut her into pieces on the bridge outside the east gate of the city, letting ten thousand people see her wretch. Only then will I be able to vent my anger." The woman stopped crying and instead laughed and cursed, "You villain, you can strip me naked and humiliate me in front of everyone. If I die, I'll show my innocence. What harm is there? I can't eat your flesh in life, but I'll haunt your soul in death." Li Zicheng ordered her to be taken away for guard duty, and the execution was to be carried out the next day. The crowd took the woman away.

The next morning, it was this virtuous woman who was cut into pieces on the bridge. [In ancient times, those who cursed traitors were generally considered to be Yan Changshan and Zhang Suiyang. Looking at this virtuous woman, how is she inferior to these two gentlemen?] Li Zicheng ordered a mirror to be brought over, and saw that his face was broken and blood was flowing everywhere. He became furious and turned his anger on Xianqin, ordering him to come. The woman who had offered her reward was waiting to receive it when she heard the call and hurriedly went in. Li Zicheng cursed, "Why did you offer up such a shrew? She's broken my king's face! How despicable! Tie her up and behead her!" The crowd rushed forward, tied her up outside, and cut her in two with a single stroke, turning the cowardly woman who had offered her reward into a decapitated ghost. [The woman who offered her reward.] There is a folk rhyme describing the chaotic scene of that time, which is heartbreaking:

The bandits rose up and started fighting, the city was filled with fire and a net was spread.
Song Ziqi and Jiang were defiled, how could they bear the chaos? [This is as poignant as the palace maids weeping in red sleeves and the prince walking in white. Emperor Huizong of Song was in Wugu City. One day, he happened to go to a tavern. He saw a woman leading a girl, singing songs at each table and asking for money.] A little further away, the woman asked, "My lord, you seem to be from Dongjing (Kaifeng), so you must have been abducted here as well." Emperor Huizong nodded and asked in return, "Whose daughter are you, that you have been captured and brought here?" The woman wept and replied, "I am the niece of Empress Dowager Ciyi, and unfortunately, I have come to this place." If even an emperor's niece, an empress dowager's daughter, has been forced into this predicament amidst the chaos, what about the daughters of ordinary people?

Meanwhile, Li Zicheng killed Xianqin and sat for a while, his anger subsiding somewhat. He chose one of the women and dragged her to bed to sleep with him. His penis, already small, was now limp as cotton due to his anger, and he couldn't get an erection. He told the woman to suck on it. The woman was still a virgin, overwhelmed with shame, but seeing the woman's fierce spirit, she was somewhat moved. She thought to herself, "We are both women, yet he is so fierce, so fearless in the face of death. Why should we be humiliated by this thief? It's just death, what is there to fear?" Thinking this, she felt no shame, lowered herself, grabbed his penis, and put it in her mouth to suck on it, thinking, "If I bite it off, this thief will be dead, eliminating the root of the problem for everyone, and my death will not have been in vain." So she bit down hard. Firstly, she was a young woman, flustered and timid; secondly, if it were hard, it might have been bitten off. Because it was soft skin, it didn't break, only leaving a few teeth marks and blood. Li Zicheng was in excruciating pain, and kicked the woman off the bed. Filled with hatred, he drew his waist knife from the bedside, swung it in two, and then cut it into several pieces with several more strokes. Sadly, these two virtuous women lost their names. Li Zicheng quickly applied medicine to his wounds, rested for several days, and then raised his army to leave.

After the thieves retreated, the local people pitied their integrity and greatly respected them. Because their surnames were unknown, no official commendation was requested. Instead, a shrine was privately built, inscribed "Two Heroines," to commemorate them. These two women, compared to the Ming dynasty officials who surrendered to the rebels, were worlds apart.

Later, the rebel leader Li Zicheng led his troops to attack Bianliang. Disguised as a scout, he mingled among the rebels, scouting the city's defenses. Some soldiers recognized him, pointing him out to be the son of General Chen Yongfu. Known for his archery skills, he secretly fired an arrow, blinding Chen Yongfu in one eye. From then on, he was known as Blind Li.

He captured Luoyang, killed the Prince of Fu, and cooked the prince's flesh with venison. He then mixed the prince's blood with venison and wine to feast his generals, calling it the "Feast of Fortune and Prosperity." Li Zicheng's camp was heavily patrolled, and his men could no longer escape. Those who fled were called "outcasts" and executed by dismemberment. His camp stretched for a hundred li, and it took a whole day to cross it, so escape was impossible. He forbade his followers from hiding gold and silver; those who secretly carried it would be beheaded. Elite soldiers are allowed to bring wives and children, but they are not allowed to keep them. Each soldier is allowed to take men aged fifteen and women aged fourteen as servants to gather hay and feed horses. When setting up camp, they are responsible for fetching water, cooking, and taking care of the pack animals; some have thirty or forty men, while others have at least ten.

When passing through cities, they are not allowed to stay in houses but must live in tents. Each soldier must have three or four good horses, and in winter, their hooves are padded with cotton blankets to keep them warm. Human bellies are cut open to make troughs, hence their horses have serrated teeth like tigers and leopards. After setting up camp, soldiers are ordered to shoot arrows until nightfall. Every night at the fourth watch, they must eat their fill and await orders. When passing high hills and steep slopes, they must leap straight up without crossing. Only the Yellow River, which blocks the reins, is allowed to be crossed by boat. When crossing the Huai, Si, Jing, and Wei rivers, soldiers sit on their backs, or cling to the mane and tail, riding forward as if calling for the wind. The horses' hooves block the water, making it shallow and less than a foot deep, so the infantry must wade through it with their paws. Before engaging in battle, he deployed 30,000 cavalry in three walls. Those in front only needed to look back before being killed. After a prolonged and unsuccessful battle, the cavalry feigned defeat. When government troops pursued, he had ambushed 30,000 elite infantrymen, their spears flying like lightning. The cavalry returned to the encirclement, and the government troops were wiped out. Upon receiving his order to attack, the enemy surrendered immediately, neither burning nor killing. If they held out for one day, they killed three-tenths; if they held out for two days, they killed seven-tenths; on the third day, they slaughtered the entire city, leaving no chickens or dogs alive. The bodies of the killed were bound and burned, a practice called "lighting up." When the city was about to fall, 10,000 infantrymen were ordered to surround the walls, while cavalry patrolled outside. Anyone attempting to lower themselves down the walls would not escape.

Zhang Xianzhong, on the day he breached a city, would leave one side for someone to escape. But when this blind bandit breached the city, it was like the proverb: "Like rats in boiling water, they all die in one nest." Among the spoils of war, beautiful women and jewels were the highest reward for the officers and soldiers, followed by mules and horses, and then bows, arrows, and cannons. The blind bandit leader sought out many people from Qihuang County as spies. These included doctors, fortune tellers, astrologers, monks in black robes and yellow hats, beggars, acrobats, porters, and metalworkers, scattered throughout the area to spy on the situation. He also intercepted scholars traveling to the capital for the imperial examinations, persuading them to cooperate and secure their places in the examinations, thus acting as their inside agents. Therefore, on the day the city fell, a multitude responded, gathering in droves, their origins unknown. He also had people spread rumors: "Open the gates, welcome the King of Chuang! When the King of Chuang comes, there will be no taxes!"

He used this to deceive the ignorant masses. Later, as the bandit's power grew, the imperial court secretly ordered Wang Qiaonian, the governor of Shaanxi, to investigate his relatives. Bian Dashou of Mizhi County captured and tortured a member of Li Zicheng's clan, who confessed that his ancestral graves were over two hundred li away, nestled in the mountains, consisting of sixteen tombs, one of which belonged to his ancestor. Legend had it that this burial site was chosen by an immortal, with an iron vat placed in the grave. It was said:

"The iron lamp will not go out, and the Li family will prosper."

Magistrate Bian personally led his men to the grave and ordered it dug up. Inside were several stones of ants, and the firelight still flickered. Upon opening the coffin, the bones were all bluish-black, covered in yellow hair. Behind the head was a hole the size of a coin, inside which coiled a four-inch-long green snake with horns on its head. Upon seeing the sunlight, it flew up, over ten feet high. It looked at the sunlight with its eyes, swallowing the sun's rays six or seven times, but its eyes could not open when shooting at the sun, and it fell back down. Magistrate Bian dried the snake and presented the skull to the emperor. Governor Wang Qiaonian then sent it to the capital for the emperor's review. Li Zicheng's blinding and failed uprising were also due to the disruption of his feng shui.

In the eleventh year of the Chongzhen reign, General Hong Chengchou and Commander Sun Chuanting decisively defeated the rebel leader Li Zicheng at Tongguan. [Li Zicheng at Tongguan was like Zhang Xianzhong at Gucheng. Killing them then would have been as easy as slaughtering a pig.] The subsequent actions were unforeseen and could not be replicated, leading to the downfall of the emperor and the destruction of the nation. Although the high-ranking officials who commanded the army at that time were foolish and incompetent, there was indeed divine will at play, which could not be dictated by human intervention. [From Shu to Chu, he went to rely on Zhang Xianzhong. Xianzhong refused him, so he fled to Shangluo. He relied on an old Hui man, stayed in the camp for half a year while ill, and after recovering, the old man gave him a hundred men. He went to Gufang, joined the bandits, and issued a document, which could not be replicated afterward.]

In the fourteenth year of Chongzhen's reign, rumors spread that the bandits had crossed Tongguan and were plundering and killing along the Henan route. The brutality of the slaughter was even greater than before. Luoyang had fallen, and the Prince of Fu had been killed. Now, the bandits were attacking Bianliang, and many people were fleeing to Nanjing with their wives and children. The refugees were in great distress. A few lines describe them: "

People fled in chaos, searching for brothers; men and women wept in panic, carrying their children." Father calls for son, son calls for father, a pitiful sight; wife calls for husband, husband calls for wife, a heart-wrenching sound. Nine out of ten houses are empty, no one lives in the village; through countless hardships, only the cries of those who have lost their homes can be heard on the road. The night moon is bleak, a few phosphorescent lights illuminate the fields; the setting sun is bleak, piles of white bones fill the road. The wind howls and cranes cry, one suspects a vicious bandit is pursuing; trembling with fear, one worries only that one's own life will not be spared. It is truly better to be a dog in peace than a person caught in the chaos of war.

The residents everywhere lived in constant fear, terrified several times a day. At that time, in the three counties of Tianchang, Liuhe, and Jiangpu, there were more than a dozen righteous heroes: one named Mu Yiming, another named Lin Zhong, courtesy name Baoguo (son of Mei Sheng's aunt), and another named Shang Zhi. These three were considered the strongest among the heroes, all exceptionally brave and resourceful. Seeing the increasingly corrupt government and the rise of treacherous officials, and knowing that the court relied heavily on eunuchs, they refused to serve and preferred to live as outlaws.

Of the three, Lin Baoguo was the tallest and strongest, the most courageous and ambitious. From a young age, he had mastered a solid iron spear. He had a leopard's head, piercing eyes, and bristling whiskers, inspiring fear in all who beheld him. Later, he met a strange man who taught him two sword techniques, allowing him to move through armies as if they were nothing.

Who taught him these sword techniques? Several years earlier, a friend of his was going to the capital to trade, carrying thousands of taels of gold worth of goods. Hearing that bandits and outlaws were rampant along the roads of Shandong, he feared for his safety and asked his friend to protect him on his journey. The friend laughed, "I've often heard of these cunning thieves who prey on passing merchants; they're quite formidable. Everyone says they're highly skilled, adept at archery and horsemanship, and unmatched. I've been wanting to test their abilities, but haven't had the chance. Now I'll take this opportunity to meet them." He readily packed his bow and arrows and set off, and the journey was uneventful.

After arriving in the capital, he stayed for several days, enjoying the scenery of Chang'an. He then prepared to return home, bid farewell to his friend, and lodged outside Xuanwu Gate (also known as Shuncheng Gate). On the eve of his departure, a heavy snow fell. He saw a handsome young man, wearing a single fur coat, carrying two swords, and riding a donkey, hastily seeking lodging. He resembled a beautiful woman, radiant and dazzling. Upon entering the inn, he immediately demanded a bushel of strong liquor and a pig's shoulder for his meal. The host, intending to have many companions, provided them as required. As dusk fell, none arrived, so he served them cooked meat and warm wine. The young man drew his sword, cut the meat, and drank heartily until he was thoroughly drunk, more than halfway through

his meal. Lin Baoguo, having initially noticed his refined and elegant demeanor, was already secretly intrigued. Seeing his coarse and hearty eating habits, he was even more astonished. He stepped forward, bowed respectfully, and calmly inquired about the young man's name and background. The young man gazed at him for a long time, then smiled and said, "You are one of us." He then offered him a seat and said, "My surname is Zhu, I have no official title, and I am from Taiyuan, Shanxi. My mother dreamt that a divine being gave her a red pearl, which illuminated the four walls, and I was born, hence the name Zhu'er (Pearl). At the age of ten, I began studying at my maternal grandparents' home. At the end of the year, I left the school and was taken to a deep mountain by an old man with a white beard. He placed me on a precipice and taught me the art of flying, running, and striking. After a year, I became as light as a leaf, able to walk on a screen and stand on water. I could fly a sword and kill someone from five hundred paces away, hitting the target every time. At the age of thirteen, I mastered the skill and was sent home. By then, my mother had passed away, and my father had been robbed by a wealthy family. I was filled with resentment and stabbed my enemy in the marketplace. I surrendered to the officials, who, having accepted money from the wealthy family, wanted to execute me. Therefore, I fled to eastern Zhejiang and met Jiang Yao, a noble young master from Kuaiji." "Good. Later, the official was executed for his greed and cruelty, and I returned to my hometown. Jiang also traveled south to Taiwan and Yan, but encountered a sudden uprising of mountain bandits, and the road was blocked, preventing him from returning. The bandit leader knew of his talent and wanted to forcibly detain him, but Jiang Yao refused. He said to the bandits, 'My father and I have received deep favors from the country, but we regret that scholars are too weak to wield weapons and kill you. Would you rather submit to us? If you rebel against Heaven, the calamity of extermination of our clan is imminent. And you want someone to be executed in the West Market? Who would agree to that?' The bandit leader was furious and immediately imprisoned him in the army, cursing, 'Wait until I have conquered Zhejiang and Jiangdong, and then I will kill this pedantic scholar.' I now wish to rush to his rescue." Lin Baoguo said, "Now that he is trapped by the bandits, what strategy do you have to rescue him?" Zhu'er raised her sword and showed it to him, saying, "With this lord, even if there are many bandits, what can they do to me?" After speaking, she filled her cup and invited Baoguo to drink together.

Lin Baoguo said, "I will also return south tomorrow morning. If you don't mind, could we ride together?" Zhu'er laughed and said, "I can travel eight hundred li a day, which you cannot match. Moreover, I have an important guest to meet soon, so I will linger for a while. We can meet midway, and you can continue your journey. The inn I stay at will have a painting of an eagle on the wall, with the date written below. You can check that to know where I have been. If you can't find it, you can look for it in the taverns of Huaiyin City." They then went to bed.

The next morning, they rode side by side for about a li from Zhangyi Gate. Zhu'er, on the back of her donkey, bowed and said, "I'm going first." She then spurred her donkey and flew away in a flash. Lin Baoguo traveled more than a hundred li a day and arrived at Gaotang after several days. He saw that there was indeed a painting of an eagle on the wall of the inn. Reading the inscription, he realized it was the night he left the capital. He asked the innkeeper, who said, "The person who painted the eagle stayed here for two nights, but his companion did not arrive. He has been gone for eight days." Only then did he believe that her claim of eight hundred li was true. Upon arriving in Huaiyin, they indeed found it in a restaurant in the city. They shook hands and laughed heartily, "I've been waiting for you for over twenty days! You've finally arrived!" They immediately ordered wine and drank together. Baoguo, envious of the donkey, kept clicking his tongue. Zhu'er said, "Do you like it? I'll trade it to you." Baoguo thanked her, saying, "How dare I accept?" The next morning, they got up early, prepared their horses, and set off together.

Zhu'er rode the horse, and Baoguo rode the donkey. They left the shop together, but the donkey wouldn't move. Zhu'er, impatient, caught up with Baoguo on horseback and said, "You're not good at riding, and I'm not used to riding with you. Please go first and wait for me at Shugang." She then spurred the horse and galloped away like lightning. Baoguo, seeing her go, was like a hawk chasing a pheasant, a powerful arrow shot from a bow, and couldn't help but be terrified. He tried his best to spur the horse, but couldn't catch up, so he walked. When they arrived in Jiangdu, Zhu'er had already been waiting for two nights in Wucheng. [Wucheng is located on Shugang in Jiangdu County.] She told Bao Guo, "The speed of travel depends on the rider, not the horse. If one truly understands the way, even with a weary and worn-out horse, one can travel a thousand miles a day; how much more so with a good steed?" Bao Guo, realizing her extraordinary skill, bowed again and begged to be taught, wishing to become her student. Zhu'er, recognizing her sincerity, agreed, saying, "I have received kindness from the Jiang family. Now, Jiang is trapped by bandits, and I urgently wish to rescue him, but I cannot now. Perhaps on the Lantern Festival in spring, I will visit you to teach him." She then departed. She galloped into the bandits' camp, freeing Jiang from his bonds. The bandit leader sent his iron cavalry in pursuit, arrows raining down, but none hit. Zhu'er then used her flying sword to cut down dozens of bandits, causing the bandit leader to retreat in fear. She escorted Jiang Yao back to Kuaiji and returned home before returning herself. On the Lantern Festival of the new year, she indeed arrived at Bao Guo's home. Bao Guo bowed to her as his student, requesting instruction in martial arts. She then taught him eighteen weapons, with particular mastery of the double swords. Zhu'er taught him and then departed.

At this time, Mu Yi, Lin Baoguo, and Shang Zhi, having heard news of the bandits, gathered together to discuss the matter. Mu Yi said, “We, along the river, have neither deep mountains and valleys to escape to, nor fierce generals and powerful armies to defend ourselves. We either abandon our homes and flee to other places, or our wives and children are torn apart and killed by the bandits. This place was ravaged by the bandits years ago; the tragedy is unbearable. Even now, several years later, the wounds have not healed. Why don’t we gather among ourselves, heroes, and protect each other? Rather than fleeing east and west, unable to survive, we should do our utmost to kill the bandits and seek life in the face of death. What do you all think?” Lin Baoguo said, “This is no small matter. If we succeed, we can not only serve our country loyally, but also protect our fellow villagers. It requires everyone’s concerted effort. If we start strong but finish weak, we will not only harm ourselves and our families, but also become a laughingstock to the bandits.” Shang Zhi said, “This…” "I have long had this plan in mind, but we must divide and do it. If it works, all the better. If not, we should stop now and think of another way." The crowd said, "We would like to hear your brilliant plan." Shang Zhi said, "Our three counties have no fewer than tens of thousands of households, not counting the extremely poor. We will select about 30,000 households from those that are somewhat well-off and have a little surplus. Ten households will collectively support one person's clothing and food for all four seasons, and each person will receive fifty taels of gold per year. It wouldn't be unreasonable for each of the ten households to receive five taels; it would be better than sending bandits to capture them all, even if they had to provide their wives and children. These 3,000 men must be well-trained and inspired with loyalty and righteousness. One thousand will be stationed in each county, like a long snake. If the bandits attack one place, they will come to the rescue from both sides. There will be no escape, only death. (Shang Zhi, Xin Ren, Yong Yan Wu)" Every single word is indispensable. This force of soldiers, trained to be elite and strong, is composed of fathers, sons, and brothers, united as one, like fingers linked together. What fear could they possibly have of a horde of bandits? Yue Fei defeated Wuzhu's 100,000 Iron Pagoda soldiers with only 500 Beiwei troops; how could 3,000 of his own men be no match for tens of thousands of rabble? These bandits are said to be exceptionally fierce and brave. Because those officers, fearing swords and arrows, led their untrained soldiers, they were terrified of him. They were terrified at the mere mention of his name, fleeing at the sight of bandits. It is said that government troops are often annihilated, not in battle, but because they run at the sight of bandits, trampling each other to death. Those who cannot run either commit suicide, jump off cliffs, or drown themselves. Few remain, and then the bandits catch up and kill them all, leaving none alive. "These bandits have never encountered a formidable foe, and are therefore arrogant and overconfident, thinking themselves incredibly brave. I once heard that when they raided Huguang, five hundred bandits laid a long cable across the river, causing millions of soldiers, civilians, men, women, and children in Hanyang and Hankou to throw themselves into the river, stopping its flow. These millions surrendered to death without a single one daring to fight back, so they have become even more dismissive of the government troops. We, the local militia, live off the provisions of the people for a year, are exempt from our own corvée labor, and are all family. We must fight not only for the common good but also to protect our own homes. If we unite as one, we will brave arrows and stones, lead the charge, and give them a good thrashing. We will make the bandits tremble with fear, their souls filled with terror, and they will never again covet our territory. What do you all say?"

Among them was a man named Guo Shou, Lin Baoguo's brother-in-law, who said, "Brother, your plan is excellent, but there's still something you haven't considered. These corrupt officials will certainly cower and flee at the sight of thieves, but they'll readily prey on the common people. Seeing our actions, they'll want our money. What should we do? If we give it to them, how can we, who have performed this righteous act, hand over money to these scoundrels? If we don't give it to them, they'll accuse us of raising an army to support the thieves, and then we'll have no way to defend ourselves. We won't kill the thieves, we won't gain anything, and we'll lose our lives and property first." Lin Baoguo said, "Brother, you're right. There's another point: if these three thousand men are to practice fighting the enemy, how can they move without armor and weapons?" "Well? If we make these items again, they'll be even more astonishing. Besides, where will the money come from? Could it be levied on these 30,000 households again?" Shang Zhi said, "Brothers, don't doubt it. There's much discussion but little success. I've already made arrangements. These are all matters for later; we'll proceed step by step. Now, as long as these 30,000 households are willing to provide the supplies, and we can indeed select 3,000 brave men from among them, then it will make sense." Everyone said, "People call Brother Shang a strategist, and he's truly right. Let's follow his advice, each of us will act separately, and see how people's hearts are, then we'll discuss it further." Shang Zhi said, "There's no time to lose. Whether it's feasible or not, send a reply quickly so we can discuss it further." Everyone agreed.

Mu Yi returned to Jiangpu, and Lin Baoguo returned to Tianchang; they all went their separate ways. This Shang Zhi was from Liuhe County. He had more than twenty relatives and nephews, and his family had a fortune of about a thousand taels of silver. He was generous and righteous, and his name was known throughout the county. He slaughtered four or five cattle and more than a dozen pigs in his pens, and took out dozens of jars of wine that had been stored in the cellar. He invited more than a hundred people, including the gentry, village heads, and other prominent figures in the county, to sit on the ground and drink in the threshing ground.

During the drinking, everyone asked, "Brother Shang, what brings you all here today?" Shang Zhi replied, "I've invited you all here to discuss a very important matter. Seven or eight years have passed since our area was ravaged by bandits, and we haven't recovered. Nearly half the county's population is destitute, a sight that breaks our hearts. Recently, I've heard from men and women who fled from Henan that these vicious bandits have already destroyed seven of the eight prefectures in Henan, leaving only Bianliang unconquered, and now they intend to come here to plunder and kill. I think none of you are willing to sit idly by and wait to die. When the bandits came in haste, many were killed before they could escape. Now that we know the news, we naturally want to take our families and seek refuge. Even if we escape with our lives, when the bandits return, our homes will be reduced to ashes, and all our belongings, grain, and livestock will be gone." "But all our savings will be gone. If we encounter bandits on the way, not only will our parents and wives be killed, but we ourselves will also be at risk, let alone our own lives. Now, I have discussed my foolish plan with you all. Our three counties of Liutong, Tianchang, and Jiangpu are located on a triangular border, not far apart, making them a place that can be defended and attacked. We will select three thousand strong men from these three places. Each of these three thousand men will be supported by ten families, with each family contributing five taels of silver per year. The extremely poor will not be included, but we will select strong men from these poor households and exempt them from corvée labor. Once we have enough men, we will train them, and the three counties will support each other and do their best to kill the bandits. This will not only provide local protection for the court, but also protect our own lives and property, and avenge past grievances. What do you all think?" The crowd said, "This is an excellent plan. But we are afraid that the government..." "These are trivial matters, not child's play," Shang Zhi said. "Can the drum be beaten secretly? I'm afraid the people won't be of one mind. If we explain things to those below, we'll have to report to our superiors first. We haven't explained what's going on below yet, and we don't know if everyone will work together. If we rashly report to the higher-ups first, and they can't do it right away, wouldn't that be deceiving the government?" The people said, "Brother Shang's thinking is extremely thoughtful. We'll discuss it and then report back." Shang Zhi said, "There's another point. Each of you, the head of the household, must make two registers. Write down those who are willing to contribute supplies in one register. Also, note the names of any able-bodied young men from poor households who are willing to help in another register. We can make more and then select from them. This is a righteous act for everyone, and it's beneficial to everyone. Right now, everyone's hearts are with us." "I am filled with anxiety, but you all spoke tactfully. It seems there is something that can be done, but it cannot be forced."

Four or five days later, the men returned with letters, saying, "Our county suffered greatly at the hands of bandits years ago. Recently, we heard news that in the places they passed through, not only were people maimed, but even chickens and dogs were left unharmed. For thousands of miles, there is no human or animal. We were in a panic, but after hearing about what Master Shang has done, we are all willing to help. The register clearly states that there are about ten thousand households in the city and various villages that will provide supplies. For those with slightly less strength, we will combine two households into one. There are also fourteen or fifteen hundred strong young men from poor households who are willing to help." Shang Zhi was overjoyed and said, "We are just waiting for letters from those two counties. If they are as righteous as those in our county, then this great undertaking can be accomplished. I will inform you all when they reply." The men departed.

Three or four days later, Mu Yi and Lin Zhong arrived. He said, “When everyone heard that we were doing this for the common good, they all united in their righteousness and even prepared a draft register.” The crowd counted the households in the three counties and found there were over 34,000 households, with a total of 5,100 to 5,200 able-bodied men. Shang Zhi said, “That’s enough. Let’s move on to the second step. Now, the two gentlemen, Shi Kefa, the Minister of War in Nanjing, and Le Weishan, the Prefect of Yingtian Prefecture, are both good officials who care about the country and its people. Let’s go see them together. We’ll prepare a petition explaining everything in detail. Seeing that it’s about protecting the local area and safeguarding lives, they will have no objections. We also request that they reward us with these armors and weapons, ten taels of silver per person, and 30,000 taels of gold to fund this righteous act.” The crowd said, “That might not be possible. If they hear we need the silver, they might refuse immediately, ruining this good deed.” Shang Zhi said, “Everything requires careful consideration from beginning to end. There’s a reason for this. We don’t have the silver right now, but we have other options, but…” Military uniforms and equipment are not something we commoners should be doing. Once this task is completed, protecting the city and its inhabitants will require the complete eradication of the bandits before we can disband; it's not something that can be done overnight. Can these two good officials be guaranteed to remain in these places? What if they are promoted or die, and a wicked person takes their place, accusing us of privately manufacturing weapons? Wouldn't that cause them great trouble? Now, the things we've obtained from the officials serve as leverage, not only preventing future troubles but also preventing the current officials who are looking for trouble from making many unfounded accusations.” The crowd said, “Brother Shang’s idea is absolutely perfect. We must act quickly and not delay; let’s go together immediately. If we wait until we’re thirsty to dig a well, it will be too late.” So they all got up, crossed the river, and arrived in the city, finding an inn to settle down. They carefully wrote two notes, listing the names of Mu Yi, Shang Zhi, and Lin Zhong at the beginning, followed by the names of Kaiguo Shou, Wu Bei, and more than twenty others, and went to the prefectural government office the next morning to wait.
When the door opened, only the three of them entered and knelt on the steps. Magistrate Yue was somewhat surprised to see their distinguished appearances: Mu Yi had a square face and large ears, a round, fan-shaped beard; Lin Zhong had a leopard-like head and a bushy beard; and Shang Zhi had a fair face and a long beard. He presented their petition, and Magistrate Yue, after reading it, was delighted, saying, "You are all loyal and righteous heroes, be pleased!" He summoned them to the hall and asked, "This is no small matter. Are the people of these three counties truly of one mind?" The three replied, "This is a matter of serving the court above and protecting our lives below; everyone is willing. If Your Excellency grants your permission, we can proceed immediately." Magistrate Yue said, "This is for the country and the people; it is an excellent act of righteousness. How could I refuse? However, it must be reported to the Ministry of War first. Moreover, this thirty thousand taels of gold is no small matter; it requires further discussion." The three said, "We have prepared another petition to submit to the Ministry of War, to inform Your Excellency first..." "Sir, then go and submit it. But we have to ask for a favor to provide these thirty thousand taels of silver. Now, to support these three thousand local militia, we must provide them with generous clothing and food; otherwise, how can we expect them to work so hard? Each person needs fifty taels a year, so three thousand people would require one hundred and fifty thousand taels annually. For the common people of these three counties, that's already quite a lot. Of course, they have to protect their lives and families, so they have no choice but to pay. If it's more than that, they won't be able to manage. There's no other way to allocate this amount of silver, so we have to ask for a favor to provide it." Lord Le said, "What you say makes sense. Go and submit the petition to the Ministry of War, and I will then discuss it with Master Shi and come up with a plan." The three of them thanked him and left, then went to the Ministry of War.

Just as Shi Gong was leaving the yamen, the three men stopped his sedan chair, knelt down, and presented his memorial. Shi Gong, who had just received the urgent report of the bandits, was also worried. He took the memorial, read it, and was delighted. He then turned and returned to the yamen. He called the three men to him and said, "I never expected to find such loyal and righteous men among the common people. But there are many people in the three counties, of varying wisdom and intelligence. This matter depends on each person's righteous act, and we cannot force them. Are you all willing to unite?" They replied, "We are here to protect the region for the court, and we have suffered greatly from the bandits in the past. Now we also ask that we protect our parents, brothers, wives, and families. We are all willing to do our best. We only ask for Your Excellency's permission and the funds for armor and weapons, and then we can act immediately. But we have heard that the bandits are moving very fast." "Seeking mercy quickly is the best course of action; otherwise, it will be in vain and all our efforts will be in vain." Shi Gong asked, "Where will these thousand men be stationed in each county?" The reply was, "Each county already has a commander leading troops to garrison it. Now, not far from the county seat, and taking into account suitable locations, we will build a large fortress overnight, surrounded by a deep moat, with two gates, one to the north and one to the south. The interior will be filled with thatched huts, which will not only be suitable for garrisoning troops but will also form a strategic defensive position within the county. Moreover, the people here are numerous; one city cannot accommodate them all. Upon hearing news of the bandits, they will gather here..." "One place. Half in the city and half in the fortress, that's enough to protect them and prevent any mishaps." Shi Gong said, "Your idea is good, but since you're here to protect the region, it's better to guard it from within the city." The men said, "We've all considered this. Garrisoning troops in the city is certainly a good idea. But when facing an enemy, opportunity knocks but once. We must fight when we need to fight, and defend when we need to defend. We're afraid that local officials might hold us back, and if we make a mistake, it could cost hundreds of thousands of lives. Secondly, the city is too small to hold all these people." Shi Gong said, "Since each county has been given a thousand local militia, we should naturally select some of you to lead and command them. Otherwise, how can you be in charge of the army? The decision to act or not is entirely up to you. Why should you listen to the local officials' orders? Both things must be done simultaneously. Half the troops are in the city, and half are in the fortress. Building fortresses to house the people is also an important matter and should be done quickly. I approve everything, but I will also submit a report to show your loyalty." Just then, the Governor of Fengyang's alarm dispatch was thrown into the hall. Shi Gong hurriedly took the document and read it. It stated: "

The bandits are attacking Bianliang day and night, and reinforcements from all four directions dare not advance. The Prince of Zhou has repeatedly sent urgent requests for people to be lowered down the mountain. All the generals and commanders stand idly by, unable to offer any solutions. Bianliang seems indefensible. I fear that once Bianliang falls, the bandits will take advantage of their victory and advance south. Not only should the capital be placed under strict defense, but Fengyang, being a crucial location for the imperial tombs, may also be unable to defend due to insufficient troops and generals. Your department, responsible for its own troops, should also consider selecting experienced and seasoned generals to command well-trained soldiers as reinforcements. Any negligence will be the responsibility of the responsible party.

" Yue Gong read it, then handed it to Shi Gong. After reading it, Yue Gong sighed, "A woman from a remote village knows to die for her chastity, while men who receive the court's salary bow down to the bandits, begging for mercy. What are their intentions?" Yue Gong immediately ordered his office to prepare a report requesting commendation. In the afternoon, the two counties sent in their reports. The two officials opened the register and found that most pawnshops, silk shops, and gold and pearl shops only had taels or two in their money, with a few having three or five taels, but none had ten taels. Turning to the smaller shops at the back, they found only one tael. They spotted a rice and money shop called Bao Xinzhi, noting a donation of one hundred taels of silver. [This was truly a sound from a desolate valley, utterly astonishing.] The two officials exclaimed in surprise, “So many large shops don’t even have ten taels. How much capital could a rice and money shop possibly have to offer this much? There must be a reason. Let him in.” A yamen runner went out to announce his arrival, and Bao Xinzhi followed, kneeling down. The two officials said, “Get up.” He stood up. The official said, “Come closer.” He walked over. Lord Le said, “The two registers list over four thousand names from the two counties, and not a single one has donated ten taels. How much wealth do you have that you’d be willing to donate one hundred?” Bao Xinzhi knelt down again, but Lord Le said, “No need to kneel, stand up and speak.” He stood up and said, “Gentlemen, today’s action is merely an act of loyalty to the emperor and love for the people, not something I intend to pocket. I only regret that my capital is too small; my shop only has a few hundred taels. If I had more wealth, I could donate one or two thousand. Moreover, I know the viciousness of the bandits and wish I could kill them all to rid the world of this scourge. Although I am a commoner, I have some sense of loyalty and righteousness, but I regret that I lack the strength.” The two gentlemen sighed upon hearing this, “If everyone were like you, what couldn’t you do?” They ordered the clerk to calculate the amount of silver in the registers, which totaled less than ten thousand taels. Shi Gong said, "This is still less than a third of the total, what should we do?" Yue Gong said, "We shouldn't take their money now. If we can't get the job done, wouldn't that be like using money obtained by deceiving the people? Let them all go back, and we'll send word when we need it. If we don't need it, then forget it." The two counties came out and gave the instructions. The crowd dispersed, and Bao Xinzhi also left.

Shi Gong asked, "What should we do about this?" Yue Gong replied, "There's no use rushing things now. Let's wait a bit and devise a plan." Shi Gong said, "It's good to be greedy when you're an official. If we've been in office for a long time and our positions aren't disrespectful, yet we have no personal wealth, how easy would it be to accumulate official wealth? Why go through all this trouble?" Yue Gong laughed and said, "No, those who are willing to amass official wealth might not be doing these things. Besides, even if we can't accomplish this today, we won't be ashamed before the court or the people. Compared to the greedy and stingy, we feel somewhat at peace. Today, thanks to the Holy Emperor, if these hundreds of thousands of lives don't have to suffer the pain of battle, or if there's another opportunity, who knows?" Shi Gong sighed twice and took his leave.

Meanwhile, Bao Xinzhi was on his way home, passing by Jia Wenwu's door. He thought, "I haven't seen my master in a long time; I'll just pop in and see him." When he reached the gate, Jia's gatekeeper went in and spoke to him. Jia Wenwu was in his study when he heard this and asked him to come in. Bao Xinzhi entered, bowed, and sat down. Jia Wenwu said, "It's been a long time. Where have you been today?" Bao Xinzhi replied, "I've been busy and haven't had time to be close to you. This morning, Prefect Le summoned me to the yamen, and I just returned." Jia Wenwu asked, "What brings you here?" He then recounted the words of encouragement and help from the two gentlemen, Shi and Le, saying, "These servants, with thousands upon thousands of taels of silver in capital for their big businesses, only lend three or two taels. There isn't a single shop in the whole city that lends ten taels. My men, moved by a little bit of righteousness, wrote down one hundred taels. Although I know it's futile, I've done my part, and I'm ashamed of these misers." "But I hate that I'm poor. If I had over ten thousand in savings, I would gladly take it all upon myself. This act of righteousness, if it could save hundreds of thousands of lives, wouldn't it be greater than Master Tong's act of distributing porridge to save tens of thousands that year? Wouldn't it be more benevolent than Master Huan's act of paying off debts? I see how desperately Master Shi and Master Le were to raise the money; their actions were merely out of concern for the country and its people. Although I have a heart for righteousness, I lack the means to contribute. What can I do?" Jia Wenwu listened and pondered, "How much capital do they have, yet they have such righteousness? I calculated my savings the other day; over the years, they've accumulated to over two hundred thousand. Brother Huan and Brother Tong have done so many good deeds, while I have none. Why don't I perform this righteous act alone, loyal to the emperor and loving the people? My merit would be no less than theirs." Having made up his mind, he said, "Alright, I'll take care of this matter myself. I'll gather the silver today and go see Lord Le in person tomorrow morning. You come early tomorrow morning, take me a note, and report to Lord Shi at the Ministry of War, so he'll be pleased." Bao Xinzhi encouraged him, "If you do such a good deed, sir, it will naturally reach the ears of the emperor, and you'll become famous throughout the court and the country. I'll come to serve you early tomorrow morning." Then he took his leave and went back. When

Jia Wenwu arrived at his room, he brought his four concubines with gold, silver, pearls, and jade, and took out six wads of silver, piling them together. Fu asked why, and was truly delighted, saying, "This is a good deed to save people, it's what I should do. Besides, even if we lose all this, it won't make my family poor. I often meet with the maids of the Huan family and the aunts of the Tong family, and everyone praises their husbands' virtues, which makes me feel ashamed. Today, you've done this, and I've gained so much face." Seeing Fu's enthusiasm, Jia Wenwu was greatly encouraged.

The next morning, Jia Wenwu got up and wrote two notes. Bao Xinzhi also came and gave him one to take to the Ministry of War. He had a servant bring one and took a sedan chair to the prefectural government office. The gatekeeper recognized him as a close confidant and quickly ushered him in. Lord Le invited him into the inner hall, and after they sat down and had tea, Jia Wenwu said, “I have heard that you, sir, and Grand Marshal Shi have done something for the country and its people. The only thing lacking is 30,000 taels of gold, yet no one has been willing to help you two gentlemen in your righteous deeds to save the people. I deeply regret this. Although I am not wealthy, I am willing to contribute 30,000 taels of gold to help you two gentlemen complete this good deed.” Lord Le was overjoyed and said, “You three are truly devoted to good deeds. But this 30,000 taels of gold is no small matter; it is urgently needed. Have you made arrangements, brother? When can you expect it?” Jia Wenwu replied, “Sir, how could I dare to be so presumptuous? I only dared to inform you after everything was prepared.” "If needed, it can be retrieved." Lord Le was even more delighted and said, "The actions of a gentleman are often unknown to the masses. I will go with you to meet with Master Shi and please him. It's still early today, so we can proceed." Jia Wenwu said, "I have already sent someone to inform Master Shi." Lord Le said, "In that case, please sit here and wait for your envoy's reply." He called over a yamen runner and instructed, "Go quickly to the Ministry of War and summon Master Jia's steward." The runner reported, "I wonder what Master Jia's steward's surname is? May I ask?" Jia Wenwu said, "It's Bao Xinzhi, who was here yesterday." The runner agreed and left. Lord Le asked, "This Bao Xinzhi is quite righteous. So he is your esteemed Ji Gang." Jia Wenwu said, "He is not a member of my family, but he frequents my humble abode. He told me about this matter yesterday when he returned from your yamen, and I only just learned of it."

Leaving aside their idle chatter, let's turn to Bao Xinzhi's arrival at the Ministry of War, where he found Lord Shi sitting in the main hall. This matter of the silver hadn't yet caused any problems; firstly, the enemy's intelligence was tight, and secondly, as a high-ranking official, he had enthusiastically approved the petition and issued a permit for building the fort and recruiting soldiers—a fact known to everyone. Now, due to a lack of funds, the matter was suddenly abandoned. How could this be acceptable? He was in a great dilemma, truly feeling: "My heart is

breaking down the worries of the people, my brows are furrowed with sorrow for the lack of money.
" Just as he hesitated, a gatekeeper entered and reported, "A person who contributed funds is outside reporting for duty." Lord Shi was pleased but also surprised, and ordered him to be brought in quickly. A moment later, Bao Xinzhi followed and knelt down. Lord Shi recognized him as the man who had contributed one hundred taels of silver the day before, assuming he had delivered the money, and said, "Come up." He rose and walked to the side of the official's seat. Shi Gongdao said, "Did you bring the silver? If everyone in the city were as righteous as you, why would I need to worry? Just now, the gatekeeper came to report that someone had come to contribute funds, and I was wondering where such a good person could come from. It turns out it was you." Bao Xinzhi replied, "I didn't bring silver. I don't think that's enough to help you two gentlemen." He then presented Jia Wenwu's report, saying, "Yesterday when I returned, I saw this Jia Jinshi. He told me that despite your and Elder Le's hearts being so devoted to the country and its people, no one seems to appreciate it. Jia Jinshi..." "I admire the kindness of the two gentlemen and have generously donated 30,000 taels to make this a great undertaking. He dared not come to report this himself, so he sent me to inform them first." Shi Gong was overjoyed and laughed loudly, "I never imagined there was such a righteous man among the Confucian scholars! He truly puts these mediocre servants to shame. How do you know him?" Bao Xinzhi replied, "I am his disciple, and I was promoted by his kindness." Shi Gong said, "You, Easterner, are so virtuous; no wonder you possess such righteousness. Since he has such noble intentions, I will go to his house to express my gratitude." He then got up and asked for a sedan chair. Bao Xinzhi said, "When I came, Scholar Jia had gone to see Master Le, and he is probably not home now. I dare not trouble you, sir." Shi Gong said, "Since he is with Master Le, I will go there to pay my respects. I also have something to discuss with Master Le; you will come with me." He then got into the sedan chair and ordered that they go to the prefectural magistrate's office.

At this moment, the prefect's yamen runner was waiting for Bao Xinzhi at the gate. Seeing that Lord Shi had gone to meet his superior, he rushed off to report. Le Gong was talking with Jia Wenwu when the runner came to report, "I was waiting for Master Jia's steward at the Ministry of War's gate, but he didn't come out. Master Shi has come to meet you." A short while later, hearing that Lord Shi had arrived, Le Gong and Jia Wenwu came out to greet him. Lord Shi asked Le Gong, "Is this Brother Jia?" Le Gong replied, "Indeed." Lord Shi stepped forward, grabbed his hand, and laughed, "Brother Jia, you are of such high moral character and righteousness, yet I, your humble servant, have never met you. I am truly a lowly official." Jia Wenwu said, "I have long admired you, but dared not pay you any respects. To be able to meet you now is an immense honor." They then took hands and went into the inner hall together. Jia Wenwu bowed and then knelt down. Shi Gong quickly embraced him, saying, "How could I trouble you? I should be the one thanking you." After bowing, Shi Gong said, "I was on my way to your residence, but your esteemed servant said that you, my elder brother, are here, so I came to pay my respects." Jia Wenwu bowed deeply to the ground, saying, "How could I trouble you, sir? I would be so disrespectful." Shi Gong asked Yue Gong, "Are you and Brother Jia acquainted?" Yue Gong replied, "We have known each other for a long time. When I first took office, I encountered refugees from two provinces who were starving and freezing, and I was at a loss." He then recounted how the three of them had rescued more than ten thousand starving people. Master Shi said, “What happened before was admired by everyone, needless to say. But today’s act of kindness is something not only I admire, but these merchants are nothing. If the officials of various government offices heard of this, they would all be ashamed.” Jia Wenwu said, “It’s such a small matter, how dare I accept such praise from you, sir?” Master Shi then saw Bao Xinzhi beside him and asked Jia Wenwu, “Is this man one of your students?” Jia Wenwu said, “He runs a small money shop and often visits your place.” Master Shi said, “Brother, you are a learned gentleman, that’s one thing. But I never expected that a mere broker would be so righteous; that’s truly rare.” Then he asked, "When will the items you mentioned be ready, brother?" Yue Gong replied, "Brother Jia, you've already prepared them; they can be retrieved whenever needed." Shi Gong exclaimed happily, "Excellent, excellent! Since we are so grateful for your kindness, the sooner we receive them, the better. Brother Jia, please sit here for a while, and I'll trouble you to send them back to your residence." Jia Wenwu said, "I must go back and take care of it, and have Bao Xinzhi escort them. I won't come back to report." Shi Gong said, "Since that's the case, I dare not keep you, and there's no need to trouble you further. We'll meet again another day." Jia Wenwu took his leave, and the two gentlemen wanted to see him off. Jia Wenwu repeatedly said, "Please stay, sirs, how could I trouble you?" Yue Gong said, "Please sit, sir, I'll see you off." Jia Wenwu said, "The two gentlemen are discussing important matters; I've relied on you for a long time, why be so formal?" Yue Gong said, "In that case, I will obey." He escorted him to the back of the main hall, bowed, and departed. As Jia Wenwu left, Bao Xinzhi followed.

The two men sat down again, and Shi Gong laughed, "Sir, you have such foresight; I am far inferior to you." Yue Gong asked, "What do you mean by that, sir?" Shi Gong replied, "Yesterday, you said that thanks to the Holy Emperor's blessing, these hundreds of thousands of people would have a chance to be saved. Unexpectedly, they encountered such a generous and righteous man as Brother Jia Nian. Isn't this a testament to your foresight? This good deed must surely reach the Emperor's ears. If there is imperial favor, we can at least repay such a great kindness." Yue Gong said, "Sir, your opinion is very correct. Although he doesn't expect anything in return, if the court is willing to bestow favors upon him, it will encourage future generations." Shi Gong said, "Now that the great matter is accomplished, we can immediately instruct them to lead the troops. But we only have soldiers without a commander; what should we do?" "Is that acceptable? My idea is to appoint the three leaders, specifically the three garrison commanders, as commanders. The remaining leaders listed in the petition will be divided into three battalions with nine captains and twelve lieutenants. They will be formally appointed upon meritorious service. This will both strengthen his sense of justice and encourage the righteousness of his followers. What do you think, sir?" Lord Yue said, "This is in accordance with the people's wishes and is perfectly reasonable." Lord Shi looked around and asked, "Where are Mu Yi and the other two? Go and summon them." The others replied, "They are at the head of the yamen." A short while later, Bao Xinzhi entered and reported, "The silver has arrived. Please instruct the two gentlemen where to place it?" Lord Shi said, "Place it in the hall."

The two officials came out of the hall together, sat down, and ordered that Mu Yi and the other two be brought in. Mu Yi and the others entered and knelt down. Shi Gong rose, approached, and said, "The silver is ready. Whatever you need to buy, come here and get it. Make it quickly and prepare it as soon as possible. I see that you three are not only commendable in your loyalty, but also outstanding in wisdom and courage. I hereby appoint you three garrison commanders to lead the troops. The three headquarters will name the three battalions for easy identification. Mu Yi's battalion will be called the Righteous and Brave Battalion, Lin Zhong's will be the Loyal and Brave Battalion, and Shang Zhi's will be the Wise and Brave Battalion. The three newly built forts will also be named Righteous and Brave Fort, Loyal and Brave Fort, and Wise and Brave Fort." The three knelt down and said, "We are deeply grateful for Your Excellency's grace, but we have not yet repaid any of our kindness. How dare we accept such appointments?" Shi Gong said, "How can there be discipline among thousands of men without a commander? I will also give you nine battalion commanders' certificates, three in each battalion: one for the central army and two for the left and right wings. I will also give you twelve battalion commanders' certificates, four in each battalion, to serve as guerrilla commanders." "You shall appoint the heroes named in the previous list according to their abilities. I will give you blank appointment slips; just fill them in and submit your applications. Tomorrow morning, come to my office to collect your slips. Once you have rendered meritorious service, I will request your official appointments." The three men kowtowed in thanks, and then kowtowed to Lord Yue. They then reported, "If bandits come, we will fight with all our might. The responsibility of defending the city lies with the local officials. Each has their own duties, and we must not shirk our responsibilities, lest we cause trouble." Shi Gong said, "That is very true. What are the names of the three county garrison commanders? Do you remember them?" They replied, "One is named Qiu Daorao, stationed in Tianchang. One is named Bu Jishi, stationed in Liuhe. One is named Wen Zetao, stationed in Jiangpu. [I fear that at that time, not one of the civil or military officials was not one who sought mercy from bandits, was incompetent, or fled upon hearing of bandits; there were probably more than just three commanders."] Shi Gong said, "I will issue a document to him at the yamen tomorrow. The three of them will each be responsible for guarding their respective areas. If there is any negligence, they will be dealt with according to military law." Mu Yi and the others knelt down and said, "Although we are each in our own battalion, we still beg you, sir, to send a civil official to work together with us. In case of any incidents in the area, even if we have merits or demerits, it will be easier to report them. We will only be responsible for our own camp affairs." Shi Gong said to Yue Gong, "This is also their way of being cautious. They are afraid that some civil officials in the area may have unscrupulous intentions and make false reports to gain favor. What official would you recommend, sir?" Yue Gong said, "Each official has their own duties. If the wrong person is chosen..." "This has ruined their plans." He then summoned Bao Xinzhi and said, "I see you as a loyal and righteous man, so I'm giving you a promotion and a position of assistant. You'll be stationed in three forts for four months at a time. Report their merits and demerits truthfully. When they achieve their goals, I will also recommend you for a higher position." Bao Xinzhi quickly knelt down and said, "I am but a lowly commoner, utterly useless; how dare I accept such an honor?" The official said, "This is because Lord Le appreciates your loyalty and righteousness. By appointing you, you can work with them. As long as you cooperate wholeheartedly, it will be considered a promotion; there's no need to refuse, just thank him." Bao Xinzhi kowtowed to the two officials in gratitude. Lord Yue said, "You will also receive your official documents tomorrow morning. The character '之' in your name is inauspicious, so I'll remove it and just call you Bao Xin. You and the other two, including Mu Yi, should prepare your official belts tomorrow. After receiving your documents, take the silver as collateral and set off together." Mu Yi and the other two then reported, "We still need to purchase some necessary items; please grant us two more days." Lord Shi said, "Very well, just come to Lord Yue to get the required amount of silver." Bao Xin reported, "Thirty thousand taels of silver for military uniforms is no small matter. I beg you, Lord Yue, to instruct the county to allocate laborers for transport and to send a garrison and soldiers to escort them, ensuring their safety." The two officials laughed, "He's got the airs of an official; he's got the idea." They instructed the clerk to send a document to the county magistrate, allocate laborers for transport, and appoint a city garrison commander and fifty soldiers to escort them. They were told to assemble at the appointed time and not to be late. Shang Zhi then reported, "These three thousand selected local militia members request that Your Excellency grant them exemption from their corvée labor." Lord Le said, "That's only right. Transfer this list to the county office for their dismissal, and have them submit their applications." After giving these instructions, Lord Shi also took his leave.

The next day, the four received their official appointments at the two government offices. Shang Zhi and the other two wore tiger-patterned robes with gold belts, while Bao Xin wore a quail-patterned robe with a horn belt. They all wore gauze hats with round collars and caps. They bowed in gratitude at both offices and then went about their business. Mei Sheng and Zhong Sheng came to their residences with a wine box to offer their congratulations. Zhong Sheng wanted to invite the three of them, but they declined, saying they had urgent official business. They only went to Zhong Sheng and Mei Sheng's homes to express their gratitude, and before they could even exchange a few words, they left to purchase various items.

Bao Xin, a merchant, suddenly received an eighth-rank official position—a complete surprise! He even closed his money shop. Nanjing was a prosperous place; with money, one could do anything. He hired three or four servants and bought a new official hat and cap. Upon receiving the official document, he arrived home in a sedan chair for two. He burned incense and paper money for the gods of heaven, earth, and ancestors, and many newlyweds and their spouses came to offer their congratulations with fruit boxes. His cousin, Bao Fuzhi, and his wife, Zhen Gu, also came to offer their congratulations. Hanxiang was overjoyed, her grandmother rising in surprise. She secretly thanked Jia Wenwu, thinking how fortunate she had been to benefit from his influence in her youth, and how she and her husband had brought them both good fortune. Bao Xin then went to Jia Wenwu's house to express his gratitude. Jia Wenwu was also genuinely pleased to see him become an official. He said, "This is all thanks to the kindness of the two gentlemen, Shi and Le. Why thank me?" Bao Xin replied, "If it weren't for your great fortune and support, sir, how could I have achieved this? I will repay your kindness over the years." Jia Wenwu treated him differently than before, wanting to invite him to stay for a meal and drinks to celebrate. He declined, saying, "I have to help the three of them buy things, and I also have some things to take care of at home. My departure is urgent, so I cannot come to express my gratitude again." Jia Wenwu, seeing that he had other matters to attend to, did not insist.

Within two days, they completed their purchases, bid farewell to Shi and Le, and set off together, arriving in Jiangpu that very day. Although Bao Xin held only an acting title, he was still an official appointed by the county magistrate, and all the county officials had to come and pay their respects. He handed over the two items to the magistrate and ordered soldiers and laborers to be sent to Tianchang and Liuhe.

Mu Yi, Lin Zhong, and Shang Zhi arrived home and ordered men to supervise the construction of fortifications overnight. They worked day and night to manufacture armor and weapons and purchase horses, completing the task in a few days. Together with Bao Xin, they filled in the vacancies according to the names and submitted the official documents. They also registered three thousand able-bodied men and sent them to the county for dismissal. They also selected several dozen strong and robust men to serve as captains, flag bearers, and battalion commanders. They also erected a beacon tower along the route, so that if an alarm was raised, the two towers would respond. Mu Yi and the other two wanted to display their prowess, so their own troops were called the Flying Tiger Army, and Lin Zhong's troops were called the Fierce Tiger Army. Shang Zhi, having settled all matters concerning the Tiger Army, heard that Bianliang had been flooded by bandits, and Haozhou had also fallen to them. Urgent reports were pouring in from Fengyang and other places. Knowing the bandits would soon return, the three men were eager to fight.

Meanwhile, Shi and Le jointly submitted a memorial, first stating that Mu Yi, Lin Zhong, and Shang Zhi, along with three thousand local militia, had prepared their own supplies to protect the area, and were all temporarily appointed as garrison commanders, with Bao Xin entrusted to oversee their duties. They then detailed the donation of 30,000 taels of silver from Jia Wenwu, a successful candidate in the Jiazi imperial examination, for the production of military uniforms. They further stated, "We beg for your gracious reward, to encourage future generations to uphold justice." Emperor

Chongzhen was pleased and ordered the Ministry of Personnel and the Ministry of War to convene and submit a memorial. The two ministries deliberated and submitted their proposals, deeming Mu Yi and the others' loyalty commendable, and requesting that they be officially appointed upon their meritorious service in suppressing the bandits. Jia Wenwu donated funds for the country, and was exempted from the palace examination, granted the title of Second-Class Jinshi, and promoted to Assistant Director of the Ministry of War in the capital. Bao Xin was to be recommended for the same position. Following the imperial decree, a messenger arrived overnight and went to deliver the message.

The messenger arrived at Jia Wenwu's house to congratulate him and ask for the reward. Although Jia Wenwu was pleased, he thought, "Brother Zhong is a man of great insight. I should ask him if he should accept it." So he went to Zhong Sheng's house to meet him and inquire about the imperial decree regarding his donation to kill the bandits and the appointment. Zhong Sheng asked, "What do you think, brother?" Jia Wenwu replied, "I am undecided, hence my visit. Given our close relationship, please do not conceal anything." Zhong Sheng said, "Such a high promotion is a great joy, and I should not try to dissuade you. However, since you have come to me with your question, I dare not fail to give you honest advice. But everyone who has heard of your righteous act praises and admires you. If you were to receive an official position because of this, how would it differ from a minor official position? It would be better to refuse." Jia Wenwu exclaimed with delight, "Fortunately, I have sought your wise counsel; otherwise, I would have almost made a mistake." He then went home, feigning illness, and did not go. When the official document arrived, Shi Gong sent someone to congratulate him, but Jia had already feigned illness for a long time and was unwilling to accept the post. Shi Gong tried to persuade him several times, but he resolutely refused. Shi Gong and Yue Gong personally went to his home to earnestly persuade him, but he politely declined again and again. The two officials respected his noble character even more and had no choice but to report, "Jia Wenwu has been ill for a long time and was unable to take the palace examination. He was granted the title of Jinshi by imperial grace and wrote this on behalf of the emperor to express their gratitude. I cannot accept the post." Emperor Chongzhen was short of funds and wanted to boost morale, so he decreed, "Jia Wenwu may come to the ministry to take up his post when he recovers from his illness." This was reported again. Jia Wenwu came to seek advice again, and Zhong Sheng said, "The emperor's grace should not be disobeyed by his subjects. Brother, you only accept the honorary title and do not go to take up the post. What harm is there in that?" "He had just accepted it. Although he hadn't yet taken office, he was already granted a fifth-rank official position in the capital, a title bestowed upon him by imperial decree. Everyone came to pay their respects, and relatives and friends flocked to his door to offer congratulations. Zhong Sheng told Huan E about what had happened, and then arranged for Mei Sheng and Tong Zida to host a banquet to celebrate. Jia Wenwu returned the favor and expressed his gratitude. Officials outside and wealthy families inside were also in a lively atmosphere for more than ten days. The two gentlemen, Shi and Le, both came with flowers, red mutton, and wine to offer their congratulations. Jia Wenwu specially invited them to a banquet and also invited Zhong Sheng, Huan E, and Tong Zida to accompany them.

But let's leave that aside for now. Let me recount in detail the atrocities of the bandits' attack on Bianliang."

On the 22nd day of the first month of the fourteenth year of the Chongzhen reign (1644), the rebel army, starving and exhausted, besieged Henan Prefecture, where Prince Fu, Changxun, was located. Of the eight prefectures in Henan, only Bianliang and Luoyang remained unconquered. Li Zicheng, having run out of food, was determined to capture them and launched a fierce attack. The generals of each prefecture deployed cannons densely around the city, firing swiftly like thunder. Three days later, the rebel forces were slightly weakened. At dusk, General Wang Shaoyu's troops mutinied, and Luoyang fell. The rebels rushed into the city, killing and setting fires, creating a great uproar. Prince Fu, along with his heir apparent Yousong (later known as Hongguang) and Consort Zheng, fled down the city walls. Prince Fu, being obese, could not travel far. At dawn, he hid in a nearby residence but was searched and captured by the rebel soldiers and dragged into the city. [The character "王" (king) has never been preceded by "牵" (draggled). Prince Fu was dragged; what kind of king was he? He was like a sheep or a pig, no wonder he was cooked and eaten by the rebels.] The former gentry Grand Marshal Lü Weiqi was also captured. Upon encountering Xiguan, the Prince cried out, "Sir, save me!" Lü Weiqi replied, "My life is also hanging by a thread. But honor is of utmost importance; Your Majesty must not humiliate yourself." He tried to speak further, but was already dragged away.

When the Prince of Fu saw Li Zicheng, he was terrified and begged for his life. Li Zicheng, in his tyranny, repeatedly denounced his crimes. Nearby, a bandit general stroked the Prince's flesh, drooling, and exclaimed, "Such a fine piece of meat! Why doesn't Your Majesty kill and eat it?" Li Zicheng nodded, and the bandit killed the Prince of Fu, who weighed 360 jin. He dismembered him, cooked him with deer from the enclosure, and served it to the bandits, calling it "Fu Lu Jiu Fan" (a dish of food and drink). [Tang Fengdao Hong was fat and had large buttocks. Li Ji jokingly said to him, "Your buttocks are just big enough to sit on; why are they so large?" I said, "The Prince of Fu's body is only slightly fat; why are they so large? They only serve to satisfy the bandits." It is common knowledge that the Prince of Fu was eaten by the bandits.] After Hongle ascended the throne, he did not think of killing the rebels to avenge himself, but only indulged in womanizing. He can be said to have completely lost all conscience and morality. Lu Weiqi cursed the rebels without wavering in his integrity, which angered the rebels, who killed him. The area was in an uproar. Governor Li Xianfeng was out fighting local bandits in Hebei, and Chen Yongfu, the deputy commander of Bianliang, was in Luoyang to gather the remaining rebels and had not yet returned.

On the ninth day of the second month, taking advantage of the fact that all the Bianliang troops had left, the rebels marched swiftly for three days and nights, arriving in Bianliang on the twelfth. At dawn, three hundred horse bandits, falsely claiming to be government troops, arrived at the west gate, and residents flocked into the city. At noon, infantry and those already in the camp arrived. The governor ordered the gates to be built and guarded. Because the rebels attacked the west city, Wang Bian, the magistrate of Xiangfu County, led his yamen runners to the city walls to defend it, while Governor Gao Mingheng and other officials guarded the various gates. Zhou Fan, along with his officials Cao Kun, Zuo Liangshi, and Li Yingchun, led eight hundred brave warriors from the Zhou family to the west city walls to defend it. An order was issued that anyone who could go out of the city and kill a rebel would be rewarded with fifty taels of silver. Anyone who could kill a bandit would be rewarded with thirty taels of silver. Anyone who wounded a bandit or was injured by bricks or stones

would be rewarded with ten taels of silver. Commoners, armed with bows, arrows, knives, and spears, flocked to the city walls. Initially, tabletops and door panels were used to shield the crenellations from cannonballs, but they still penetrated, rendering the soldiers unable to maneuver. The scholar Zhang Jian presented a suspended tower design, constructed with three large cypress logs and over ten horizontal beams on top, resembling a raft. Its width could span five or three crenellations, extending four or five feet beyond them,

with each tower accommodating ten people. When bandits approached the city, soldiers would bombard them from above with fire pots and stones. The towers were sturdy and thick, impenetrable to cannonballs, and their height provided cover, allowing soldiers to maneuver freely. Magistrate Huang Shu oversaw the construction, and over fifteen towers were completed overnight and placed on the city walls. Previously, bandits would hide beneath the six crenellations, outmaneuvered by soldiers on the walls; now, attacks from the suspended towers were unerring. Enraged, the bandits were bombarded with arrows all day long, leaving the city walls riddled with arrows like hedgehogs. The bandits, with forty-eight men carrying a large siege ladder, were about to reach the city walls. Government troops fired cannons at them, killing them all. They then deployed fire jars capable of killing ten thousand men, burning them all, including the bandit leader in red armor. Zhu Zhicang, a member of the imperial family, lowered himself down the city wall to lure the bandits into a conversation, then beheaded him and returned, receiving a reward of fifty taels of silver.

General Chen, hearing of the bandit attack on Bianliang from Luoyang, rushed to its aid in two days and nights. He arrived at the West Gate on the night of the sixteenth, and at the third watch, he entered the city through the Lonely Soul Altar and the Little West Gate, killing countless bandits. He then led his cavalry to the city walls. The Imperial Inspector ordered his son, Chen De, to inspect the situation and open the water gate to let them in. The infantry, greedy for the mules and horses left behind by the bandits, were still fighting at the Little West Gate the next morning, suffering heavy casualties. One soldier climbed onto a roof and killed seven bandits with his bare hands. The bandits dared not approach and were killed by a hail of arrows. The West Gate had eighteen layers of stone, which frightened the bandits, who then dared not attack.

On the 17th, Li Zicheng, a bandit leader, mingled with the rest of the rebels and peered out from under the city walls. Someone with knowledge pointed him out, and General Chen's son, Garrison Commander Chen, shot him, striking him below the left eye, penetrating about two inches. [This arrow failed to kill the bandit; is this not fate? The Ming Dynasty was destined to rise, yet Guo Ying unintentionally killed Chen Youliang with an arrow. The Ming Dynasty was destined to fall, yet Garrison Commander Chen intentionally failed to kill Li Zicheng with an arrow. Truly, it is the will of Heaven.] Li Zicheng clutched his head in shock and fled, thus beginning the nickname "Blind Li Zicheng." The bandits frequently challenged the government troops, and General Chen would send troops to meet them, but they would all retreat at the Hao River. The bandits attempted to lure the government troops deep into their territory to attack, but the government troops, outnumbered, were not fooled. A bandit leader in blue armor, enraged, retreated and was killed by Chen's troops.

At dawn on the 18th, the bandit vanguard lingered westward all day, disappearing at sunset. News then spread that the Left Guard was approaching, and that the Protectorate was crossing the river; the bandits lifted the siege. They captured Mi County and then fled to Dengfeng. This time, the rebel leader took advantage of Bianliang's undefended position to attack. He led no more than three thousand elite soldiers, and his followers numbered no more than thirty thousand.

After the rebels left, Magistrate Wang Bian supervised the repair of the city walls, working day and night, and completed the task in ten days. Officials recruited soldiers to establish new camps to prevent the rebels from returning. Magistrate Wang Bian established community soldiers, setting up eighty-four communities in eighty-four different areas. Each household with one or two thousand taels of gold was selected to provide one soldier, or two households to provide one soldier, and households with ten thousand taels of gold to provide two soldiers, as were wealthy merchants. Each community had fifty soldiers. In addition to selecting honest and upright officials as leaders and deputy leaders, five people were selected as the head of the community. Each community was assigned one person to command five gates and five posts, totaling four thousand two hundred unpaid soldiers. Those who served in the capital were rewarded. In peacetime, they practiced martial arts; in wartime, they guarded the city walls.

At noon on the twenty-third day of the third month, seven rebel riders rushed to the Cao Gate, posting two false notices on the fence. The guards could not catch up with them. That night, the bandit camp arrived. The rebels camped outside the earthen embankment in the Prince of Yingcheng's garden, while Luo Rucai, nicknamed "Little Cao Cao," camped at Fanta Temple. Knowing the bandits would attack the east city, Magistrate Wang dispatched Li Guang as the Right Commander of the Right Garrison at midnight, ordering his troops to defend the gates from Cao Gate to the North Gate. The Inspector Ren, the Governor Gao Mingheng, and the Deputy Commander Chen Yongfu, along with other civil and military officials, were assigned to guard each gate.

On the 24th, Commander-in-Chief Ding Qirui led 3,000 troops from Nanyang to Bianjing, where they built fortifications along the moat. The bandits arrived and were defeated in a single battle; their soldiers surrendered, and the barbican at the North Gate fell to the bandits. Some soldiers reached the barbican and returned to camp to guard the North Gate. Li Yao, a newly appointed Commander, led several dozen soldiers, each wielding a large willow branch, leaped over the barbican, and attacked the bandits who fell from the city walls. Magistrate Wang quickly threw firewood and burned the barbican. Cao Chengfeng led the brave warriors of Zhoufu to build a gate with earth. When it was halfway completed, two holes appeared in the gate. When thieves came to dismantle the gate, they were hooked through these holes and beheaded, deterring the thieves from approaching.

The governor ordered that any man from the populace who did not climb the city wall alone be executed. The thieves drove over a thousand refugees to carry the gate and dig into the city wall. The defenders used bricks and stones to attack, killing many. Where bricks and stones could not penetrate the wall, firewood and baking powder were used to burn it. The thieves fled, and the fire burned day and night, stretching for over ten li from Cao Gate to the North Gate.

The next day, the thieves attacked the northeast more fiercely. Village soldiers who killed thieves reported their achievements to the Kaifeng Prefecture headquarters. In the northeast corner, the thieves dug a large hole and used cannons to attack the city, inflicting many wounds. The defenders used another cannon to kill even more thieves. The thieves breached the city wall by more than two zhang (approximately 6.6 meters) and fired more than ten cannons. The infantry climbed first, followed by cavalry. The government troops also fired more than ten cannons. Those infantry that reached halfway were swarmed down, resulting in countless deaths. They attacked dozens of times each night, only slightly resuming their assault at dusk. In Bianliang, tenant farmers were called "ox-men," and at this time they were called "ox-soldiers." One night, the governor issued a decree ordering Magistrate Huang to quickly dispatch 300 ox-soldiers to reinforce the northeast corner.

On the first day of the first month of the fifteenth year of Chongzhen's reign, [the siege began on the twelfth day of the second month of last year, and almost a year has passed. Yet, no reinforcements have come from any of the four routes to kill the rebels. What kind of world is this? What kind of military and political system is this? The state of a fallen nation has reached such a state; it is lamentable.] The rebels used a treacherous formation, driving women naked to the moat to shout and curse at the city walls. The cannons fired from the city walls all failed to fire. [In the past, an emperor of the Ming Dynasty saw pigs being kept in the palace and said to his courtiers, "What use are these kept in the palace?" He ordered all the pigs to be given away. The following night, a strange creature was captured in the palace, demanding pig and dog blood to ward off evil. But as night deepened, the pigs could not be obtained. The emperor sighed, "The laws of our ancestors have profound meaning. Who knows if keeping pigs before was not for this purpose? It is said that it is better to have something and not need it than to need it and not have it." I once said that the teachings of monks are also something that the world can do without.] Having read this far, the Yin Gate Formation is also very useful and indispensable. However, a great doubt arises: men all have genitals, so why can't this formation be broken by monks instead? My humble opinion is that it's because a man's genitals are small and insufficient to withstand the overwhelming Yin. Is it because monks have two bald heads, using two Yangs to break one Yin? This is utterly incomprehensible; I await a wise person to explain. Yi Yuanzi said, "The three teachings are one, the wise and the foolish are not the same; the wise will understand for themselves." The person who wrote this comment is foolish and stupid, utterly tasteless. [The city walls urgently used the Yang Gate Formation, ordering monks to stand naked on the parapet shouting and cursing. The enemy cannons were deflected, and the enemy then attacked the city walls. The city walls dug holes through the walls and used bricks, stones, and long spears to pierce the enemy, preventing their survival. Later, the enemy didn't dig straight holes but instead dug smaller holes around the walls to avoid them. The enemy felled cypress trees and built several platforms, over ten zhang long, over five zhang wide, and about three zhang high, capable of holding over a hundred people, and used cannons to attack the city.] A square platform, over ten feet long and two or three feet wide and thick, was built on the city wall, rising three feet above the cypress platform. Cannons were placed on it and fired, killing all the bandits on the cypress platform. The scholar Zhang Eryou presented a cannon-mounted stone model, with three long cypress logs erected like tripod legs, upon which a cannon was suspended, aimed at the cypress platform, killing several bandits in succession.

The Governor-General of Baoding sent soldiers disguised as beggars to deliver a wax-coated letter, saying that a large army was about to arrive. The Inspector-General Ren Jun announced this on the city wall, further calming the crowd. Commander Ding's three thousand troops had already surrendered to the bandits. Fearing they were internal collaborators, the rebel leader lured them to his old camp for a roll call, then bound them all and beheaded them, throwing them into the Lotus Pond. [Well done, truly gratifying!] The bandits dug a huge hole under the heart-shaped tower north of Cao Gate, which our soldiers dug through from the city wall. The bandits held out inside, and our soldiers could not enter.

The governor placed a reward of two thousand taels of silver at the entrance of the cave, inscribed in red ink: "A reward will be given to anyone who can capture this cave." Zhu Chengxiang led over a hundred men, first suspending firewood halfway into the cave, adding baking powder, and then filling the cave with more firewood. The heat became unbearable for the bandits, so they poured in over a hundred bushels of water, grabbed short knives, and jumped in. [As the saying goes, "A great reward will surely bring forth brave men."] The city was defended by over fifty soldiers in thirty-six caves. The bandits toiled day and night, their efforts becoming a tool of the government troops, which further boosted morale.

One night, at midnight, snow fell. The governor ordered five hundred elite troops to be selected and escorted out through the water gate. A signal was given to the headquarters, and a secret code was established. The elite troops crossed the moat and attacked the bandit camp from several points. The bandits were startled and the elite troops retreated into the moat. The bandits pursued them, and the soldiers from each cave rushed out to cut off their escape route. The elite troops returned and joined forces, killing seven hundred and eighty-three bandit leaders. Dozens of bandit leaders, wielding knives, drove the enemy through the back gate and into the original dug tunnel with short spears. The government troops fought fiercely inside, but dared not approach. They attempted to dig another tunnel, but were driven away by the bricks and stones of the hanging tower. Returning to the moat, the knife-wielding bandits were all killed. Repeatedly driving them away and killing them, the enemy suffered over ten thousand deaths throughout the day.

General Chen guarded the main tunnel entrance, fighting the bandits for days. The bandits unleashed over a hundred cannons, and the infantry followed the cannon fire up the city wall. The cannons fired from the city wall, knocking down three or five cannons in succession. General Chen placed a large cannon between his legs, ordered it fired quickly, and shouted, "A loyal minister fears no death!" The cannon did not fall. A hundred cannons and ten thousand crossbow bolts fired simultaneously, killing many bandits, turning them into dust, while the bandits' cannon fire also wounded many government troops. The government troops fought back with even greater ferocity, leaving no gap in the battle lines. They hastily seized over a thousand gates from the Prince's Palace and various temples to reinforce the city walls. They added one layer, then breached it, building up to seven layers before stopping.

The bandits then dug a hole in the outer wall of the city, about ten feet wide and ten feet long, south of the northeast corner and north of General Chen's garrison. They carried several dozen bushels of gunpowder into the hole daily, along with two fuses, each four or five feet long and as thick as a bushel. On that day, over a thousand horse bandits, along with countless infantry, were reined in their horses by the moat. At dawn, the gunpowder was detonated. The smoke filled the air, making it as dark as midnight. Amidst a deafening roar, over a hundred large millstones and bricks were thrown into the air, shattering and falling more than two miles outside the city. The horse and infantry were reduced to a pulp; some died, and others were thrown about. No one was injured, either on the city walls or inside; this was truly divine intervention, not human skill. The bandits seemed to have a reason to retreat. Their resolve weakened, and their attacks slowed, though the cannon fire continued.

On the fifteenth, the bandits in the old camp broke camp at dawn, but the attacking bandits did not move. At noon, the bandits' horses galloped away, shouting for their men to flee quickly, moving from northwest to southeast, raising dust that blotted out the sun.

On the 16th, the imperial inspector ordered the gates opened and dispatched Magistrate Huang and Magistrate Wang to inspect the rebel camp. Upon inspection, the camp was found filled with the heads, skins, bellies, and lungs of cattle and donkeys, interspersed with human corpses, the stench permeating the air. The camp stretched for eight or nine li in width and over twenty li in length. The Fanta Temple was used as a granary, the grain stored three feet deep. Over two thousand three hundred women, abandoned by the rebels, were all brought to the city walls. They were brought into the city, and the militia were forbidden from looting them, pending their relatives' identification. The next day, after those were taken away, over three hundred remained, all sent to nunneries, each given one liter of wheat daily. Magistrate Huang, Magistrate Wang, Zhang, and Li Guang, the head of the local government, went out of the city to inspect the area. From the Cao Gate to the North Gate, a distance of over ten li, the rebels had carved thirty-six wounds, almost leveling the ground. Corpses lay everywhere, severed hair covered the ground, and the dead and wounded numbered no less than one hundred thousand. The local authorities were ordered to bury them, but this was not completed within ten days.

On the 19th, Generals Ma Ding and Zhang He led three thousand troops from Runing Prefecture to provide reinforcements. These three thousand men were fortunate to have encountered the bandits. Had they arrived a few days earlier, they might not have survived. They were all ordered to set up camp along the moat and guard the city walls. Once completed, they were sent away again. These three thousand soldiers were merely supervisors; they were hardly a rescuer. This time, the two bandits, Cao Cao and Li Zicheng, jointly attacked Bianliang. The elite bandits numbered about 30,000, with over 400,000 coerced followers. Nearly half of them died in the attack. When the two bandits reached Zhuxian Town to inspect their elite troops, besides the dead, over 2,870 were wounded, all carried away on square tables. Zuo Liangyu's army arrived at Qi County, boasting 100,000 men. The bandits were terrified and, upon hearing the news, lifted the siege and fled. Zuo's army pursued them for two days to the Baisha River in Yanshi, fighting the two bandits for eighteen days, winning repeatedly. Seeing that the bandits could not be completely defeated, Zuo Liangyu only managed to drive them away, lifting the siege of Bianliang, and then led his troops back to defend Xiangyang.

The two bandits fled to Xiangcheng, killing three thousand Western soldiers. After the bandits of Bianliang left, Magistrate Huang and Magistrate Li Guang, together with their men, transported bricks and burned ash, working tirelessly for forty days and nights, personally overseeing the construction of the city walls, which were now completely renewed. The bandits' scouts, seeing the city as before, suspected divine intervention.

The Imperial Inspector Ren and Governor Gao jointly submitted a memorial praising Li Guang's achievements, and by imperial decree, he was granted the title of "Selected Scholar," [but the reward was too lenient]. Magistrate Wang was to be sent to the capital. Li Guang declined the offer, [this was almost acceptable, but Magistrate Huang had also rendered great service, yet received no reward]. This was not permitted. The two bandits, Chuang and Cao, captured seventeen prefectures and counties in succession. [There is a humorous anecdote: A man was accidentally struck by a stray arrow and asked a surgeon to examine him. The surgeon sawed off the arrow shaft and demanded payment. The man said, "The arrowhead is still inside, what can I do?" The surgeon replied, "That's the surgeon's business, it has nothing to do with me." The Left General was a renowned general of the time; he came to kill the bandits, only lifting the siege of Bianliang before returning to defend Xiangyang. Even if the bandits slaughtered these seventeen prefectures and counties, were these cities not part of the imperial territory?] Judging from his intentions, he said: "Xiangyang is under my jurisdiction. Now that Bianliang has been relieved, it is crucial for each region to defend its strategic locations. These seventeen prefectures and counties are not under my jurisdiction, and their fate is similar to that of the 'saw arrow' in the surgery."

On March 22nd, the enemy attacked Suizhou. The bandits entered the city and looted its valuables, but did not kill a single person. [How fortunate were the people of this city?]

On the 27th, they captured Guide Prefecture, razed the city, and carried out a brutal massacre. [Song Xianze was from Guide and a confidant of the rebel leader. Seeing him slaughter his hometown, he did not offer a single word of help. How could he be so heartless? This is a traitor.]

In April, he joined forces with the local bandit Yuan Shizhong and arrived at Qi County, massacring the city. The rebel leader wanted Yuan to attack Bianliang first, but Yuan, fearing for his life, broke camp and fled east at midnight. The rebel leader pursued him to the border of Haozhou, defeated him in successive battles, and then returned to besiege Bianliang.

On the 28th, rumors spread that the rebels were approaching, and all the officials went to the city walls to defend it.

On the second day of the fifth month, the bandit scouts arrived first. Horse bandits lingered on the dike, while foot bandits dragged dust from the dike's edge, creating a diversion. The next day, the main bandit force arrived and encamped at Yanli Village, twenty li from the city. The rebel leader, Chuang, encamped there, with his leaders surrounding the camp, which stretched for about fifteen li. Cao's bandits encamped at a nearby stretch. The rear of the rebel forces arrived, and bandit horses constantly moved along the dike. Occasionally, scouts would descend the dike, turning back before reaching the city. Foot bandits went down the dike to harvest wheat, sometimes in groups of dozens or hundreds. Government troops also came out of the city to harvest. Bandits to the east and soldiers to the west, they rarely encountered each other. If they did meet by chance, the larger force of the bandits would cause them to flee, and vice versa. Within days, all the wheat was gone, except for the wheat along the dike.

On the thirteenth day, Zuo Zhen and the two commanders, Yang and Ding, led a large army to reinforce Bianjing, with their vanguard reaching Zhuxian Town. The bandits sent three thousand cavalry to scout, and the bandits burned all the unharvested wheat on the dike. General Zuo stationed his troops at Zhuxian Town, leading a large army to subdue the local bandits, including Liu Bianzi. The camp stretched for forty li, boasting a force of four hundred thousand. Three thousand of the rebel scouts were captured and killed.

On the night of the sixteenth, the rebels staggered to a new camp to resist General Zuo's army. Knowing their scouts had been killed, the rebels were terrified and abandoned all their belongings. The next day, refugees arrived from the southwest, saying the rebels had fled in the night. General Chen selected strong soldiers to investigate and found the camp indeed empty, returning laden with their loot. The rebels had left behind a great deal of wheat and beans, numerous fish, chickens, geese, ducks, pigs, and sheep, as well as gold, silver utensils, bedding, carriages, and clothing—everything was there. The finest items were taken by the soldiers, and the civilians carried provisions twice a day. Within several days, the soldiers and civilians had collected over twenty thousand shi of wheat and beans. On the

twenty-third, General Yang Weicheng, an officer in Commander Ding's camp, escaped from Zhuxian Town and called for the gates of the western city. Lowered down the city wall, he reported that Commander Ding's army had suffered a defeat, General Zuo had fled south, and the rebels were returning. The governor rewarded him with food and drink and sent official documents to Commander Ding.

The next day, the bandit leader Tang Ma returned to his camp, finding everything gone except for beans and wheat. [The officials in the city knew the bandits would return; why didn't they immediately bring all the wheat into the city? It was a huge mistake.] Soldiers and civilians went to retrieve it, only to see the bandit's horse galloping back.

On the 25th, the bandits returned to Yanli Village to occasionally gather provisions. Groups of two or three hundred bandits traveled fifty li. Only twenty li outside Caomen, fearing interception by local soldiers, they dared not advance.

On the fourth day of the sixth month, a woman named Huo, a kind old woman, led a young woman out of the city under the pretense of gathering vegetables, to deliver her to the bandits' main camp. Huo told the bandits about the Prince's Palace, and the bandits were overjoyed, giving her four ingots of gold, weighing forty taels, and two silver ingots. They instructed her that if she delivered a palace maid to the camp, she would receive one thousand taels of silver. Huo entered the city, appearing fearful. Commander Zhang Wurui searched her basket, found the gold and silver, and presented them to the bandits. The governor interrogated her thoroughly, executed her in the marketplace, and subsequently banned women from leaving the city. The city was short of food, and officials sought to purchase and distribute it.

Magistrate Huang Shu established a large righteous society, raising a large white flag above the Cao Gate, inscribed with the words, "Heroes of Bianliang who wish to join us, stand under this flag." Nobles, gentry, commoners, and merchants alike were eager to join; heroes from all directions and local wise and brave men arrived, numbering approximately ten thousand. A sacrificial animal was offered to Guan Yu, and the people drank blood wine to seal their oath. Over five hundred flags were made, and each person received a society pass. Those who wore a "worry-free sash" around their waists were members of the society. Weapons were distributed to each person, and the flags, according to the five cardinal directions, were neatly arranged and brightly displayed on the city walls. They met with the governor, who was greatly pleased. The nobles, gentry, the society's leaders, and all their chieftains dismounted, drank three cups of wine, and were given a silver plaque. Forty li around the city, men and horses thronged, banners obscuring the sky, and officials praised them endlessly.

Initially, one of the bandits suggested digging a canal to flood the city. The rebel leader then used over a thousand men to dig the upper reaches of the canal, making it flow upstream. The water level was low, rising no more than five inches, but within three days it filled the moat. The rebel leader, frustrated that the water couldn't flood the city, instead filled the moat itself. It became four or five zhang wide and over three zhang deep, making it impossible to cross even if one wanted to attack the city. [This bandit who offered the plan was considered a savior of the city's inhabitants. The blind rebels were ultimately unable to enter the city because of the power of this moat.] He then dispatched over ten thousand men to fill the old canal with soil, and subsequently killed the bandit general who had offered the plan. [If one were to discuss cause and effect, it would be said that this bandit was a descendant of the Western Paradise.]

On the seventh day of the seventh lunar month, at dawn, the troops set out. Magistrate Huang, leading the general patrol, oversaw the pursuit of the bandits outside the city gates, chasing them to the earthen embankment. Forty-one bandits were beheaded, twelve were captured alive, nine horses were seized, and over a hundred pieces of cloth, tents, and weapons were taken. Over three hundred were shot dead. The bandits at the embankment were defeated, and the main camp's shouts approached. The troops withdrew and returned to the city to report their victory. The governor rewarded them with three hundred taels of silver. From then on, they went out of the city daily, often achieving minor victories.

The next day, General Chen hosted a banquet for the generals, feasting the soldiers with beef, wine, rice, and cakes. At dawn, they attacked the bandit camp on the earthen embankment, killing over two hundred bandits in their hideouts, beheading them, and seizing their cloth, tents, and food. Afterwards, the various camps either fought each other or attacked each other's camps daily.

On the thirteenth, a proclamation arrived from Hebei, stating that reinforcements would cross the river on the fourteenth, and the city was preparing to receive them. The next morning, beacon fires lit up the northeast corner, but no ships or troops were seen. General Liu Zeqing crossed the river to attack the bandits, achieving victory on both days. Suddenly, the camp was thrown into turmoil, and they retreated back to Hebei. [Liu Zeqing was considered a famous general of his time, yet his tactics were so rudimentary; the enemy knew this all too well.] Outside Bianliang, there was an earthen city wall, five li from the city itself. On the earthen embankment, the rebels had their men level it, making it as solid as a wall. Previously, some sections had been left untouched, but here they had all been dug into deep pits to prevent entry and exit. One or two small paths were left, used by scouts during the day and blocked with straw at night. The surrounding area was filled with infantry, who shouted and sounded watch every night, their fires constantly burning. Horse bandits were all on the main embankment. A

general from Caomen raided the rebel camp at night, but had both hands severed by the rebels, and was carried back by his soldiers. In the north and south corners of Caomen, there were several tens of acres of reed-lined walls. Soldiers and civilians cut reeds every day, and the rebels also cut them to feed their horses. Now, the rebels used poisonous smoke to burn the walls for three days and three nights. Those on the city walls saw the smoke and smelled the stench, knowing it was poisonous. They each took areca nuts and licorice, placing over a hundred large vats on the city walls, filled with water and licorice as an antidote, so the smoke poison could not harm them.

The rebels moved three camps outside Cao Gate. Three thousand rebels set up one camp, called the New Camp, outside the earthen city wall to the south. Two camps were set up outside the northeast earthen city wall, led by the false deputy general Luo and the rebel commander Zhang. Five hundred able-bodied men, each carrying three or four bushels of wheat, crossed the river from the isolated mound west of the city. They fled outside the dike at night, passing the old rebel camp, where they were captured and all had their hands severed. Driven to the west gate, they knelt and bowed towards the city; half drowned, and half entered the city. The rebel leader who lost a hand was always sent to the enemy's headquarters, while Cao Cao's rebels only lost half a finger, some even losing three middle fingers, yet they were not rendered useless. Wagon camps and tents were set up within the city.

On the first day of the eighth month, they formed ranks at Dongyanpo, and more than three thousand men volunteered to lead the vanguard. They set out on the third day. A large tent was set up inside the wagon camp, with the governor seated above, the generals seated below, and the rest seated in order, carefully inspecting the wagon camp. Just then, a soldier captured a very fat rebel outside the city and had him executed by dismemberment in front of the wagon camp. Magistrate Huang reported to the governor, "Currently, ten taels of silver cannot buy even a pint of wheat in the city. While the people are still strong, we can still let them roam freely. I wish to send the wagon corps out of the city to fetch grain, without a single government soldier; only the militia and community soldiers will suffice. Outside the city, I and Li Kuangshe will be in charge. I only request that the general send four hundred artillerymen, and that reinforcements be sent from both sides of the city." The general smiled but did not reply. The governor asked Li Guang, "Aren't the roads rugged? Are you familiar with them?" Guang replied, "From the north gate to the river, the main road is smooth as a whetstone. The thatched huts along the roadside have been destroyed by the bandits. There are a hundred large trees. Have the strong men climb the trees and shout 'Bandits are here!' when the bandits approach a certain spot." The governor said, "The cannons are weak when raised; at seven li, can they kill the bandits?" Guang said, "Raising the cannons seven li away might not be enough to kill them. The central army camp has just arrived at the river; each wagon can take one man, totaling two thousand four hundred men." "We positioned ourselves against the river, with our backs to the water. Signal cannons were fired from the city walls, with a range of four li (approximately 2.5 kilometers) for each shot fired from the riverbank. We sent a skilled advisor to Hebei to request reinforcements. Would the Hebei troops not rush across? The Hebei troops marched straight to the moat and camped there, firing cannons for two days and nights, preventing the enemy from approaching our camp. Would the Hebei troops not cross? If they did cross, wouldn't their supplies be insufficient? Success was achieved without a fight, and the enemy fled in panic. Before the enemy arrived, I inspected the riverbank; there were no pits or traps along the way. Military strategy says: 'Know yourself and know your enemy.' It also says: 'He who gains the advantage of terrain will surely win.' This is what it means." The governor said, "We have received word that the western troops will leave the pass in August and arrive around the Mid-Autumn Festival. My son went to the capital on the fourth day of last month to request reinforcements; I believe he has already arrived in Hebei. How about we wait another half month?" Everyone remained silent.

Magistrate Huang, with a flick of his sleeve, stepped out of the tent and declared, "The matter is beyond saving. We should burn all the carts and have Shu leap into the fire to become a vengeful ghost and kill the thieves." Prefect Wu came out to comfort him, saying, "Half a month is not long; we can wait until the Mid-Autumn Festival." Magistrate Huang replied, "At this time, some people can still exert themselves if they eat only half a meal a day. But if after half a month, they are all starving, how can we summon hungry ghosts to use them? There will be no reinforcements either during the Mid-Autumn Festival or the Double Ninth Festival." The governor, upon hearing this, remained silent and mounted his horse to go west of the city. [Although the governor was experienced and insightful, he feared that the situation would be like that of Ma Su, who faced certain death but ultimately perished. However, circumstances are different. Now, alone in this impoverished city, awaiting certain death, why not allow him to leave and seek survival in the face of death? What is wrong with hoping for a miraculous escape? His inability to devise a plan is truly a fault of incompetence.]

The officials returned to their posts, and after twenty days and nights of strenuous effort, it all amounted to nothing. The city's food supplies were exhausted, and hundreds of thousands of women sat on the streets by day and lay on the ground at night; the number of the dead was countless. Magistrate Huang, moved by their plight, distributed porridge at the Dongyue Temple for three days. People in the city began to eat each other; some lured people to their deaths, others captured a single person, killed them, and divided the body among themselves. Each time a person was captured, their hind legs were broken and thrown down from the city walls, where soldiers and civilians alike ate them. By mid-August and early September, fathers ate sons, husbands ate wives, brothers ate brothers, and even in-laws ate each other—it was unthinkable.

An elderly couple conspired to eat their daughter-in-law. Upon hearing this, the woman ran back to her parents' home, saying that her in-laws wanted to eat her, so she fled. Her parents privately remarked, "Why should our own flesh and blood be given to others?" "Then they killed and ate the woman. They ordered the people to report cattle, horses, donkeys, and mules as provisions, to be sent to the city and paid for. Each soldier was given one pound of meat and one liter of grain, which was exhausted in five days. They opened the five gates and let the women out of the city. They had heard that the rebels had ordered that anyone hiding women in their dens would be beheaded, so they released more than 30,000 people, letting them go wherever they wanted. Some even returned to the city with a few liters of grain. When people had nothing to eat, they ate cowhides and fur coats. They also took yam, poria, and lotus seeds from pharmacies as the best, followed by he shou wu, chuanxiong, angelica, cinnamon, peony, white wood, rehmannia, polygonatum, asparagus, cistanche, dodder seed, and plantain seed, followed by hazelnut peel, eucommia, aconite, bupleurum, angelica dahurica, and tangerine peel." Tribulus terrestris, and all kinds of thorns and thistles, are eaten. [A proverb says: "A blessed person takes medicine even when healthy." At this time, everyone in the city is taking medicine even when healthy; what illness or blessing could they possibly have?]

At the four corners of the city are salt slopes, the water three or four feet deep, where tender, edible twigs suddenly grow. Men and women go into the water, picking and eating them by hand. Even water hyacinth, which is normally inedible, is swallowed. Small red worms in the water, which were later collected to feed fish, are sewed into gauze bags to collect. They are called "goldfish roe," and when stir-fried with scallion oil, they taste like fish roe. They sold for 800 coins per pound, later reaching 3,000 coins and disappearing completely. Rossilized leaves on roof tiles sold for 200 coins per pound, later reaching 1,200 coins and also disappearing. In manure piles, there are fat, white, inch-long plants that have accumulated for one or two years. They dug up and ate everything. When they had eaten all, they ate mud. A man riding a horse passed by, and the crowd ate it. They collected its excrement, fried it until pale yellow, and swallowed it with water. People ate medicinal herbs, and their faces became swollen. A woman sold medicinal wine on the street, made with licorice and cinnamon, a soup the color of yellow wine, one coin a cup, which cured immediately upon drinking. A cartload of tea belonging to Zhang, a criminal investigator, was found to be hidden. Upon inspection, eight hundred packets were found. Each officer was given ten catties, and soldiers one catty. The tea was soaked in boiling water to remove the juice, dried in the sun, ground into powder, mixed with a little flour, and made into cakes to eat. Bones piled up in the city, and severed hair covered the ground. The roads were deserted, travelers were gone, gods wailed and ghosts cried, and the sun was dark. Occasionally, one or two people, withered and filthy, like ghosts, clung to the walls, knocking on people. The soldiers were starving. From Cao Gate to the North Gate, three or four hundred soldiers died of starvation every day. At night, the city walls were deserted, and ghostly cries could be heard everywhere. Officials, princes, and generals wept facing north day and night.

Xie Tingxi, a retainer, led the Great She Army out of the city to scout for the enemy. He mustered his troops at 9 am and withdrew at 1 pm, but found no enemy. By this time, the Great She Army was also severely weakened, with only a thousand men remaining under Cheng Dan's leadership of the Southern Army on the right wing. They climbed the city walls day and night, gazing north and weeping. All were starving and unable to carry weapons; those

on the city walls were barely alive, unable to move. An old farmer lived near Cao Gate and had a cellar of wheat hidden there. The scholar Zhang Eryou visited his home and said, "You have wheat but dare not eat it, dare not sell it, why bury it? I will take it to the city walls for you, saving the officials and princes, a great service. I will also leave you some to eat." The old farmer nodded and said, "It's by the stove." "They distributed all the grains, obtaining thirty-two bushels. One bushel was sent to the governor, five dou to the road guards, and the grains were distributed among the princes, generals, and officers for five days. General Chen's family still had several bushels of yellow and black beans, which he secretly ordered to be scattered in the streets and open spaces. The next morning, the starving people saw them and ate them, exclaiming in surprise, 'Heaven has rained down beans to save us, the remaining people!' Some even collected half a liter."

The two bandits, Cao and Chuang, besieged Bianliang with 100,000 infantry, 30,000 cavalry, and nearly a million followers. The blind bandit, knowing Bianliang's wealth, intended to break through and plunder it, but the prolonged siege fueled his resentment. Coincidentally, continuous rain caused the Yellow River to swell. On the night of the 14th, he ordered his bandits to breach several sections of the upper reaches of the Yellow River, allowing the water to rush down. The city was filled with panic as the sound of the water could be heard from afar. At dawn on the 15th, the water reached the southwest of the city, and the bandits fled far away; countless bandits in the northeast drowned. On the 16th, the water reached its peak. Magistrate Huang sat below the city walls, while Li Guang and Zhang Eryou led two battalions of soldiers to block the gates with earth. The water poured in through the gaps, its force unstoppable. The roar of the water was like thunder, and the water at the Cao Gate rose more than ten feet. Those entering the gates immediately flowed south; the south gate collapsed first, followed by the north gate. By nightfall, the Cao and east gates had also been submerged, the sound of the water like tens of thousands of bells ringing in unison. On the 17th, at dawn, the entire city was flooded, with only the Bell and Drum Towers, the rooftops of the various princely residences, and the roof of the Xiangguo Temple remaining. The Zhou residence and the Forbidden City, except for the mountaintop of Yishan, were dry, and those fleeing the floodwaters gathered in droves. On the 18th, Magistrate Huang sent two skilled swimmers, Li Yong and Liu Tizhi, to cross the river to request aid. They crossed by boat. After three days and nights, they reached the earthen embankment. The supervising officer reported, "Wang Xie received the magistrate's letter and immediately dispatched over twenty boats, personally taking a small boat, to sail directly in from the north gate." Governor Gao and Magistrate Huang each sailed to the Forbidden City, met Prince Zhou, and wept bitterly, pleading, "Please, Your Majesty, cross to the north!" Five or six hundred members of the imperial family accompanied them. The common people, some clinging to the city walls, rooftops, or treetops, gradually crossed the river to the north. Upon reaching Liuyuan, they cooked porridge to feed the refugees. Truly, there had been unprecedented suffering and unprecedented defense throughout history. The wicked bandits, due to the high and fortified city walls and the wide and deep moat, could not quickly cross. Despite repeated attacks, the city's defenses were formidable, resulting in the loss of many enemy soldiers. Filled with venomous hatred, the rebels opened the Yellow River, flooding the city and turning millions of lives into food for fish and turtles. Rumors circulated in the rebel camp that on the day the city was opened, not only would chickens and dogs be spared, but even brooms would be chopped three times. Thus, the soldiers and civilians remained entrenched, their resolve unwavering even in the face of death. When the wicked rebels flooded the city, almost no one survived. Although the blind rebels had vented their anger, they had wasted many days and gained nothing. Countless of their own men had also drowned, leaving the city a vast expanse of water with nowhere to hide. They then led their main force to conquer Haozhou in victory. The prefect, Jin Su, was neither dead nor escaped, leaving no trace. [Those who were terrified were naturally scared to death; where could they possibly escape to?] These wicked rebels had plundered and slaughtered the entire city and the surrounding hundreds of miles.

Meanwhile, the garrison commander of Chenzhou, named Cen Jipeng, was feared by the rebels. On the day of the siege of Bian, they feared he would lead troops to its rescue. First, Li Guo, a tiger-like general, along with Li Yan, the young master of the Li family, led several valiant generals and ten thousand bandit soldiers to attack Chenzhou and intercept this contingent of troops. The wife of General Cen was a princess of the Chu vassal state. From a young age, she was skilled in military strategy and possessed extraordinary courage. Her maids and concubines all carried swords and stood by her side. At fifteen, she was a master archer, adept at piercing willow branches and wielding two swords, capable of decapitating a person from dozens of paces away. Yet, she was gentle and never spoke harshly or angrily to those around her. At seventeen, she excelled in calligraphy, displaying the elegance of Lady Wei. The King of Chu greatly admired her and carefully considered choosing a wife for her. Looking throughout his ranks, none could match her.

At that time, General Cen was just twenty years old, and having served as a loyal and distinguished officer in the military camp due to his skill in riding and archery, he was ordered by the commander to enter the palace to report on matters. The Chu vassal state, seeing his extraordinary bearing, married his princess to him. When bandits invaded the border, their forces were rampant. The princess taught General Cen field battle tactics, and he led five hundred brave men to a great victory over the bandits, capturing their leaders Tie Zao'er, Huang Biao, and Hu Lu, among others. He was promoted to deputy general for his merits. Later, when Zhang Xianzhong launched a major invasion, he repeatedly defeated them and was promoted to general, stationed in Chenzhou and other areas. The areas along the Henan border were spared from the ravages of the bandits, thanks to his efforts. When the blind bandit army attacked Bianliang, Li Yan and Li Guo besieged Chenzhou. Cen Jun strictly supervised the militia in various defenses, and the princess often advised him on strategies, leading to numerous surprise attacks against the bandits. Sometimes he personally led hundreds of concubines to charge into the enemy lines, invincible and utterly routed, inspiring fear in the bandits. Li Yan said to Li Guo, "The enemy is extremely fierce; we cannot fight them head-on, only to injure our troops. We should establish a long siege. When their food supplies run out and reinforcements are cut off, the city will fall without a fight." The siege lasted for over a year. The city ran out of food, firewood was scarce, roads were blocked, and no reinforcements arrived. The soldiers below the city were hungry and unable to hold their weapons. The bandits, having learned of this, launched a full-scale attack. Unable to defend themselves, the city fell.

When Cen Jun fell seriously ill and was on the verge of death, the princess immediately summoned her household and prepared horses and weapons. The princess bound Cen Jun with silk, carried him herself, and led over five hundred men and women from her household, mounted on horseback, and brandished double swords as a vanguard. Seeing her unstoppable prowess, the bandits all avoided her attack and broke through the encirclement. Li Guo, unwilling to give up, led his troops in pursuit. The princess ordered her household to fire pre-made repeating crossbows; each shot fired forty-nine arrows, and the bandits all fell dead. Li Guo dared not pursue further and led his men back.

The princess swiftly fled a hundred li away, where she rested her troops. A check of the men and women revealed no one missing, a testament to her usual skill and training. Li reported this to Haozhou, where the blind bandit learned that Chenzhou had fallen and Cen Jun had fled. Seeing no further threat, he was overjoyed and planned to take Nanjing. He issued an order: all camps should rest and recuperate in Haozhou. A trusted general, holding the rank of General Quan and Commander-in-Chief of the Vanguard, named Shi Qi, nicknamed "A Wall," was dispatched to lead his troops forward to assess the defenses along the riverbank and gather intelligence on the military and political situation in Nanjing. Report back quickly! This bandit general was dark-faced and bearded, strong and vicious, always boasting of his valor and prowess, always charging ahead unchallenged. He rode a black horse, wore black armor, and wielded a black-tasseled spear. A few lines praised his appearance and abilities: "

His face is like black iron, with two fierce glints between his brows; his voice is like thunder, with a murderous aura hidden in his chest. He makes a living shooting arrows, tall and strong; riding a bad horse, he is a bandit, strong and courageous. Where his bow is drawn, government troops fall; when his iron-tipped spear strikes, the people's souls fly away. A black, fierce god descended from the heavens, a wicked son of a blind bandit in his past life." [The opening mentions many reincarnations, but only Bu Duoyin and Shi Qi clearly indicate their origins.] He

led his vanguard of three thousand black-armored sentries, charging forward to scout the area, intending to attack and seize Nanjing. The rebel army was incredibly powerful; it was truly a force that

shook the heavens and earth, moved like lightning and thunder; water turned to ice, and mountains were cleared by their might. Rivers and mountains trembled, and vegetation withered. Even tigers and leopards hid in the deep forests; chickens and dogs vanished from the villages.

Shi Qi has arrived; what brilliant strategy will Shang Zhi employ to defend against the enemy? To find out the outcome, you must read the next chapter. (

End of Chapter Twenty-One)

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