The capital of the Kushan Empire.

After a series of battles and the Crown Prince's tyrannical rule, the once prosperous capital city with a population of 500,000 has become extremely desolate.

Commercial activities in the city have almost come to a standstill. The people in the city are either being conscripted into the army or are being driven to ruin by the high taxes.

The city's population is now less than 200,000.

Walking on the desolate and dilapidated streets, Yuan Shao felt an involuntary sense of guilt.

The Kushan capital has become what it is today, and apart from the brutality of the Kushan rulers, the main reason is the result of their secret machinations with Xi Zhicai, Jia Xu, and others.

Unlike Jia Xu, who always hid in the shadows, Yuan Shao, who came from the Imperial Guard and always prided himself on being a soldier, was clearly not used to such insidious methods that had brought a country to the point of widespread suffering.

On the deserted streets, corpses lay everywhere by the roadside, along with emaciated Kushan people.

At this time, the plague in the Kushan Empire had just passed, and the people were suffering greatly. Most of the 200,000 people in the capital were on the verge of starvation.

Logically speaking, as the eldest prince in charge of the capital, he should have allocated a sum of money and grain to relieve the disaster-stricken people.

But this eldest prince not only ignored the people's hardships, but also levied additional taxes, trying to squeeze every last penny out of them.

"Sigh, a country like this would be better off dying sooner!"

Seeing the miserable state of the people on the street, Yuan Shao couldn't help but shake his head and sigh before heading towards the palace.

"Amitabha Buddha, you are all my Lord's subjects and are entitled to my Lord's protection!"

Just then, a familiar voice drifted out from a small alley.

Yuan Shao stopped and turned to walk to the alley entrance.

Inside the alley, several Taoist priests dressed in robes were distributing food to the starving and freezing Kushan people while also treating the sick.

"Zhang Tianshi?"

Yuan Shao immediately recognized the leading Taoist priest as none other than Zhang Jiao, the Celestial Master of the Taiping Sect.

Zhang Jiao also saw Yuan Shao at the alley entrance, and then slowly walked up to Yuan Shao and bowed.

"Commander Yuan, how are you today?"

"It's alright!" Yuan Shao returned the greeting with a cupped hand, then asked in confusion, "Master Zhang, when did you arrive here? Why didn't you send someone to inform me?"

Zhang Jiao smiled and said, "I was originally preaching in the Western Regions when I heard that the Kushan Empire was in turmoil and the people were suffering. That's why I led a group of disciples here, and it took me two days to arrive."

We have come here solely to relieve suffering and to spread our teachings, therefore we have not bothered you..."

Yuan Shao said with a worried expression, "Master Zhang, the Kushan Empire is currently plagued by internal war and disease. You and your disciples should be extra careful."

Zhang Jiao nodded slightly: "Please rest assured, sir, we are all fine!"

"That's good!"

Seeing Zhang Jiao's confident and calm expression, Yuan Shao nodded in relief.

Zhang Jiao then said, "By the way, Envoy, since we have come here to preach, we are afraid that some people will obstruct us. We hope that you can put in a good word for us in the Kushan court and ask them to make things easier for us!"

“That’s easy. The Taiping Sect is the state religion of the Great Han Dynasty, and I will certainly do my utmost!”

Upon hearing Zhang Jiao's request, Yuan Shao agreed without hesitation.

Yuan Shao was aware of Zhang Tianshi's identity and status.

For things like spreading religious doctrines, there was absolutely no need for Zhang Jiao to get involved.

Now that Zhang Jiao has come in person, he must have received the emperor's permission.

Their aim was either to take advantage of the internal strife and widespread suffering in the Kushan Empire to have the Taiping Religion replace the Futu Religion, or to use the preacher's abilities to lead a major uprising in the Kushan Empire to overthrow the Kushan regime.

Regardless of the purpose, Yuan Shao, as an envoy of the Han Dynasty, naturally had to provide full support without hesitation.

After bidding farewell to Zhang Jiao, Yuan Shao walked towards the palace, pondering what to do next.

Watching Yuan Shao's departing figure, Zhang Jiao smiled slightly, then turned around and began to preach the doctrines of the Taiping Sect to the dozens of Kushan people who had gathered around.

"Our Lord has said that all beings are born equal. The One has given us life and will treat each of us believers fairly."

However, there will always be some heretics who will steal everything that belongs to us from us, and we will have to take it all back from them...

The people who had benefited from the Taiping Sect listened very attentively to Zhang Jiao's words.

For the Kushan people, who were mired in despair, the doctrine of the Taiping Religion, which taught them to be self-reliant and courageous in resistance, was far more practical and easier to accept than the doctrine of the Futu Religion, which emphasized that all beings suffer and that one should wholeheartedly worship Buddha.

I was starving to death, and you bald guy were still nagging me to endure it? Isn't that just blatantly telling someone to willingly accept being enslaved?

Of course, the most important thing is that when people were suffering, those bald men ran away completely, but these Taoist priests took the initiative to stand up and give them food and cure their illnesses.

Who to believe and who not to believe—isn't it obvious?

Soon, thanks to Zhang Jiao's propaganda, the Kushan people who had accepted the Taoists' benefits immediately became the most loyal supporters of the Taiping Sect.

Meanwhile, Yuan Shao also arrived at the palace and met the eldest prince.

After exchanging greetings, the eldest prince asked urgently, "Han envoy, has that batch of military equipment arrived yet?"

Yuan Shao replied, "The weapons have already been transported to a city two hundred miles northeast of the capital. Your Highness only needs to prepare the funds to purchase the weapons and then you can go and receive them!"

"Good, it's good that it arrived!"

Upon hearing Yuan Shao's reply, the eldest prince smiled with some delight.

Previously, when he was fighting against the Third Prince, he suffered a great loss in this regard.

Two hundred thousand elite border troops were utterly defeated in a single encounter by one hundred thousand enemy troops equipped with Han army armor, and almost lost their last stronghold.

Therefore, after the third prince withdrew his troops, the eldest prince also ordered equipment for 100,000 men from the Han army.

However, the eldest prince hesitated for a moment, considering the high cost of the equipment.

He looked at Yuan Shao with a hesitant expression and said somewhat reluctantly, "Han envoy, the money and provisions I have are only enough to cover 80% of the expenses. Could the remaining 20% ​​be paid after I defeat the third brother?"

"Well..."

Upon hearing the eldest prince's request, Yuan Shao pondered with a troubled expression.

Seeing this, the eldest prince also looked at Yuan Shao nervously, afraid that he would be rejected.

"By the way, I have a request. If Your Majesty can grant it, the 20% fee can be waived!"