Ji Han Liu Zhang

The prison of mediocrity.

Wen San, who rarely had a full meal, felt the feeling of fullness coming from his belly, and suddenly felt a sense of relief throughout his body. It had been a long time since he had eaten a full meal, and it had been a long time since he had eaten anything with oil or water. In prison, The food of pigs and dogs and the small space almost destroyed his consciousness, making him become more and more sluggish and trance-like.

After a big meal, Wen San, who looked slightly excited, asked Kuai Qi about what he was most concerned about at the moment: "County Magistrate Kuai, when do you think Xiangyang will send someone to redeem us?"

"I don't know." Kuai Qi shook his head. He glanced at the small window that was the only light in the prison. His eyes revealed the desire for light and freedom. Unfortunately, the light that shined into the prison from the small window, It is as straight as a bubble, touchable but out of reach.

It has been almost a month since Kuai Qi was trapped in Fangling and was transferred to Shangyong Prison. After a month of imprisonment, Kuai Qi, who was born in an aristocratic family and has always been graceful and luxurious, suffered physically and mentally. He and Wen Sanyi Likewise, they are also concerned about when Xiangyang will redeem them.

As a descendant of the Kuai family, a wealthy family in Xiangyang, Kuai Qi was confident that Xiangyang, under the operation of his uncles Kuai Liang and Kuai Yue, would definitely send someone to redeem him. However, he did not know when exactly it would be, so he could only keep silent. 's waiting.

"It should be after the new year." Wenpin interjected. Although there was an element of speculation in his words, his tone was very certain.

"Why did Captain Wen have such speculation?" Kuai Qi asked seriously. Since being imprisoned, he has seen Wenpin living in prison, but it is different from him and Wen San. Wenpin's expression is calm and natural, as if he is not in prison. Among them, he is a free person. He admires this kind of cultivation. Subtly, he respects Wenpin very much, so Wenpin's words naturally aroused his response.

Wenpin answered without thinking: "General Cai Zhonglang was defeated one after another, and Fangling fell. At this time, Liu Jingzhou's face may not look good, and his heart may be furious. At this time, Xiangyang should be full of troops, so We hope to fight again next year to wash away the shame of this defeat... Therefore, it is difficult for us and other captured people to be put on the table for a while. Even if the two uncles of County Magistrate Kuai are willing to send people to redeem us, they will wait a moment. A few days later, after Liu Jingzhou's anger has subsided, he will then speak sideways and make excuses for us."

"That makes sense." Kuai Qi agreed. He stroked the beard on his chin thoughtfully. The unkempt beard was messy, very much like his mood.

After thinking for a moment, Kuai Qi let out a long sigh. He followed Wenpin's train of thought and guessed: "Perhaps Xiangyang doesn't intend to redeem us, but is thinking of rescuing us later when they attack Shangyong. This is better than Redeeming us will make Liu Jingzhou look better."

"Then how long will it take?" Wen San's voice was a little loud. He had had enough of the days in prison and just wanted to be freed as soon as possible. But after Wenpin and Kuai Qi analyzed it for a while, he seemed to have no idea when it would be. You can be relieved.

If according to Kuai Qi's guess, Xiangyang intends to rescue them when they attack Shangyong, Wen San estimates that Jingzhou's combat power is based on Jingzhou's combat power. Although the soldiers and horses are far superior to Zhang Lu's, Xicheng, Shangyong, and Fangling counties have The land of four fortresses is dangerous and solid. Under attack and defense, God knows how long the battle will last.

After Wen San made a loud and panicked inquiry, he seemed to have been drained of all his strength. He sat on the ground dejectedly, looking at the beam of light that entered the prison through the small window with a lonely expression.

Wenpin shook his head slightly, and replied to Wensan's question in a calm tone: "The day when we will escape is unknown... I can only wait and wait."

……

An elder brother is like a father. As Zhang Wei's elder brother, Zhang Lu worked hard on Zhang Wei's wedding today. He was busy with everything, arranged and watched everything with his own eyes. What happened to Zhang Wei's wedding? At night, when the newlyweds Zhang Wei and Shen Gong's daughter entered the bridal chamber, Zhang Lu had no intention of making a bridal chamber ceremony. He was a little tired. At the same time, as a master of Tianshi Tao, it was not in line with his status to make a bridal chamber ceremony. He only sent Zhang Wei and Shen Gong's daughter entered the bridal chamber, and his brother returned to his residence to rest.

But as the lord, Zhang Lu rarely had a moment of peace, and he couldn't rest even if he wanted to. As soon as he sat down and took a sip of tea, the meritorious Cao Yanpu came to him over there, holding a letter and silk in his hand, and asked He reported the news that came from time to time.

The first is the situation in Hanzhong. Hanzhong is the upstream of Shangyong. From Hanzhong down the Han River, it has the potential to break the bamboo. It poses the greatest threat to Shangyong and is also the aspect that Zhang Lu is most worried about.

Yan Pu, the meritorious official, said: "According to my Tianshi Taoist in Hanzhong, after Liu Zhang captured Hanzhong, he first appointed Huang Quan, the chief administrator, as the prefect of Hanzhong to recuperate and recuperate, and to bring peace to the people. Secondly, he ordered The officials severely interrogated the followers of Tianshi Dao in Hanzhong and killed me for offering wine to Tianshi Dao. The ghost soldiers tried to persuade them to give up their belief in Tianshi Dao..."

"Hateful." Zhang Lu interrupted Yan Pu and said angrily. Under the strong suppression of the government, the Tao of the Heavenly Master he had worked so hard to spread in Hanzhong would probably decline.

However, Zhang Lu encouraged himself: "Guizhou leaders, scholars and common people all suffer in this life and enjoy the next life, so they believe in our Tianshi Dao. Even if Liu Zhang's son attacks and suppresses it, the fire of Tianshi Dao in Hanzhong will not be destroyed." Extinguished.”

Zhang Lu recited a verse from the Five Pecks of Rice classic "Laozi Xiang'er Zhu": "The accumulation of taiyin is also the palace of refining the body. When things are difficult to deal with in the world, the sage avoids them and passes death in the taiyin, and then the image is born on one side. , You will not be in danger without your body. If a common man cannot accumulate good deeds, then he will really die if he dies, and the earthly official will go away."

He also read: "Taoists prepare for the journey, and the Taoist gods return. They escape from the world and entrust themselves to die in the lunar calendar. They are reborn as immortals, so they have longevity. If ordinary people have no good deeds, and the deceased belongs to the local officials, they will die."

As the saying goes, "If you follow the Tao, you will live; if you don't follow the Tao, you will die." The death of those who speak and practice the Way is an illusion. They pass through the palace of Taiyin and then are reincarnated as human beings. The unruly people will return to Diguan when they die. Diguan means the god of the earth, which means that people return to the earth after death, which means they truly disappear.

As a master of the Celestial Master's Way, Zhang Lu instilled in his followers the idea that there is no afterlife for those without the Way, and only those who practice the Immortal Way will have an afterlife. Of course, the afterlife is not the ultimate pursuit of Taoism. The ultimate pursuit of Taoism is immortality.

Relying on this saying that "you will live if you follow the Tao, and die if you fail to follow the Tao", while intimidating believers, it also brings hope to believers in the next life. Zhang Lu can conclude that the Tianshi Tao believers in Hanzhong may pretend to be Give up your belief in Tianshi Dao, but privately you must still believe in Tianshi Dao as before.

Listening to Zhang Lu's heroic words, Yan Pu's face was not inspired by Zhang Lu's words, but was darkened. As Zhang Lu said, the people in Guizhou Province believe in the Tao of the Heavenly Master because they are suffering in this life and have no idea about the next life. Hope, this idea is very strong and cannot be easily erased.

But this belief can be transferred to other sects, not just Tianshi Dao, as Liu Zhang is doing now.

Yan Pu handed the book and silk in his hand to Zhang Lu and said bitterly: "Master, Liu Zhang established the Chenghuang Temple in Han Dynasty. Many of my followers have converted. If things continue like this, the Tao of the Heavenly Master may no longer exist in Hanzhong."

"City God's Temple?" Zhang Lu looked confused, with a hint of fear in it. Although he didn't know the meaning of the word "City God", he was somewhat afraid of Liu Zhang's various methods. (End of chapter)