248: Fifth Incarnation: Heavenly Physician (40)

In the early winter of the Heluo Region, the cold wind, carrying the scent of smoke and blood, lingered among the ruined city walls.

The Yellow Turban Army camp was stationed on the former site of the imperial coalition forces; the camp was brightly lit by bonfires, and the sound of voices rose in a clamor.

The joy of victory was like strong liquor, flushing many faces wrapped in yellow turbans with an excited crimson glow.

Captured armor and weapons were piled like mountains, while the captive imperial soldiers were corralled within wooden fences, shivering with fear.

Inside the central command tent, however, the atmosphere was completely different.

Xu Yuan sat in the main seat, various intelligence reports and military dispatches spread out before him.

The halo of the oil lamp cast shadows of varying depths upon his face, giving his features—still retaining the contours of youth—a gravity inconsistent with his age.

Seated below him were over a dozen people, all of whom were now core figures of the Yellow Turban Army.

On the left sat the military officers, led by A Niu.

A Niu had exchanged his coarse cloth garments for a set of captured light armor belonging to a captain; though it did not fit well, it made his stature appear even more imposing.

Dried blood still stained his face, and his eyes burned with a fiery light—the excitement and craving born from wielding power for the first time and using it to win a victory.

On the right sat the old believers of the Way of Great Peace and the internal affairs managers, led by Xiao Qi and Aunt Zhang.

Xiao Qi was still dressed as a peddler, though a short blade now hung at his waist.

Aunt Zhang wore a faded, washed-out Daoist robe, her expression anxious.

Inside the tent were also several leaders who had recently defected or had distinguished themselves in battle, all sitting in their respective places with varying expressions.

"Grand Teacher of Great Peace!"

A Niu was the first to speak, his voice slightly hoarse from excitement. "The brothers showed our might in this battle! We slaughtered the imperial army of fifty thousand, leaving them scattering their armor and abandoning their weapons! Now, in the entire Heluo Region, who doesn't know the power of the Yellow Turban Army? Local magnates and leaders of displaced refugees have all sent people to make contact; some want to defect, others want to form an alliance!"

He paused, looked around the tent, and his voice suddenly rose. "If you ask me, this is the perfect opportunity for our Yellow Turban Army to rise! We should take advantage of the momentum to march north and strike directly at Luoyang! Or march east and take Bianliang! Those dog officials and magnates usually bully the common people; now it's our turn to act on behalf of Heaven!"

"Right! Brother A Niu is right!"

A young leader with a scar on his face slammed his hand on the table and stood up. "We are now strong and well-equipped; this is the time to change the dynasty! Grand Teacher of Great Peace, lead us, and let's win a world for the yellow turbans!"

Sounds of agreement erupted from the military officers' seats, surging like a tide.

Xu Yuan listened quietly, his face showing neither joy nor sorrow.

When the clamor subsided slightly, he looked at Xiao Qi. "Xiao Qi, what is the situation in the various Daoist halls and settlements?"

Xiao Qi stood up, his expression grave. "Reporting to the Grand Teacher of Great Peace. Of the seven counties and twenty-three townships in the Heluo Region, we control about sixty percent. Although we won this battle, civilian casualties are no less than three thousand, and over a thousand houses have been destroyed. We captured plenty of grain and weapons, but our own food reserves are being depleted extremely quickly because we must provide relief to refugees and sustain the army."

He paused, glanced in A Niu's direction, and continued. "In addition... there are about seven or eight factions of refugee armed groups that have recently defected, numbering over ten thousand people, but they are a mixed bag. Among them, several have already engaged in plundering nearby villages that have not yet submitted, and forcibly demanding money and grain. Although our people have stopped them, resentment has already arisen."

Aunt Zhang also stood up shakily, tears in her eyes. "Grand Teacher of Great Peace, if I may say something unpleasant... We followed you in the beginning for a full meal, to survive, and to be able to help each other live like human beings. But now... some of the youngsters, holding swords and spears, look at people differently now."

"The day before last, Widow Li from the East Township came crying, saying that the only two laying hens her family had were snatched by a few soldiers wearing yellow turbans, who claimed it was 'requisitioning'... How, how is this any different from those dog imperial soldiers?"

The tent fell silent.

A Niu's face flushed red, and he said urgently, "Aunt Zhang! That was just a very small number of new recruits who didn't understand the rules! Our Yellow Turban Army has strict military discipline; the Grand Teacher of Great Peace has long issued clear orders..."

"Military discipline?"

An elderly man who had been sitting in the corner and remained silent spoke up suddenly. He was a former teacher from the Heluo village school, surnamed Wen, who had joined because he admired the philosophy of the Way of Great Peace and was in charge of documents and education.

"General A Niu, I have been organizing the rosters of the various camps recently and discovered something: since the great victory, in the past three days, over twenty thousand people have added themselves to the ranks of those calling themselves the 'Yellow Turban Army.' Among them, those who can be confirmed as original believers of the Way of Great Peace who have participated in mutual aid are less than thirty percent. The rest are mostly refugees, routed soldiers, and even... mountain bandits."

He lifted his cloudy yet clear eyes and looked at Xu Yuan. "Grand Teacher of Great Peace, water can carry a boat, but it can also capsize it. People's hearts incline toward profit; now that the yellow turbans are powerful, many come to join out of admiration, but how many of them truly believe in the path of 'self-help and mutual aid'? And how many are simply using the yellow turbans as a shortcut to change their allegiance and seek wealth and honor?"

This question was like cold water poured over the heads of many hot-blooded officers.

Xu Yuan finally spoke, his voice calm, yet it made everyone in the tent hold their breath. "What Mr. Wen said is exactly what I am worried about. Do you all still remember why the yellow turbans rose up?"

His gaze swept over the crowd. "It was not to claim kingship, not to seek hegemony, but simply because the government was unjust and cut off our path to survival; we had no choice but to unite for self-preservation in order to live. Wearing the yellow turban is to swear to defend the land beneath our feet to the death, and to remember the Dao of 'Heaven does not help those who do not help themselves, people must help themselves.'"

"However," he changed his tone, "now that we have won a great victory, some people feel that since we have 'power,' we should use this power to seize more—land, cities, and authority. I understand this mindset. In chaotic times, might makes right seems to be an ironclad rule."

Xu Yuan stood up and walked to the simple map of the Heluo Region hanging in the tent, his finger tracing the areas controlled by the yellow turbans. "But have you ever thought about it? If we also walk down that path—expanding by force, ruling by might, and maintaining an army by plundering—then how are we essentially any different from the imperial court and magnates we are resisting? It would just be one pack of old wolves falling, and a new pack of wolves rising."

He turned around, his eyes as sharp as knives. "The Foundation of the Yellow Turban Army does not lie in swords and spears, but in the hearts of the people. It lies in the millions of common people who believe that 'mutual aid allows us to live' and 'justice resides in the hearts of the people.' If we obtain swords and spears only to forget our original intention and begin bullying the weak and plundering our compatriots, then the Foundation of the yellow turbans will be destroyed. When that time comes, there will be no need for imperial soldiers to suppress us; we will rot from within on our own and be spurned by the people!"

A Niu opened his mouth, wanting to retort, but was momentarily lost for words. Behind him, some of the young generals looked thoughtful, while others remained unconvinced.

"But Grand Teacher of Great Peace," one of the newly defected leaders couldn't help but say, "chaotic times require heavy penalties! If we don't plunder, others will! If we don't fight, others will! Once others grow strong, they will come to attack us! By then, talking about principles will be useless!"

"So, we must strike first to gain the advantage?"

Xu Yuan retorted, his tone still calm.

"Using violence to control violence, using killing to stop killing, a never-ending cycle—has this world become even a fraction better because of it?"