Chapter 264 The Rebellion Ends
Meng Qing's move was not merely about acquiring troops from the Commandant of the Vanguard. She shifted her posture and asked calmly, "Who is the current abbot of Ruiguang Temple?"
"Master Kongzhi".
Meng Qing thought to herself, "This old fogey isn't dead yet!" When she was young, she used the identity of Kong Zhi's niece to attend the temple and study with the other young monks. Kong Zhi would chase her away three or four times a year. She was thick-skinned and managed to stay until she was nine before finally ending her time at the temple. When it was Meng Chun's turn, she also sent him to the temple to study, but Kong Zhi chased him away several times. Meng Chun was so frightened that he refused to go again and developed a strong aversion to learning to read.
"Senior brother, could you persuade Master Kongzhi to order the warrior monks of Ruiguang Temple to go to Yangzhou with me to help vindicate Empress Wu?" Meng Qing didn't understand Kongzhi's true nature, and she was worried that if she didn't handle things properly, she might ruin things, so she intended to send Huijue as the envoy.
Huijue pondered to himself and asked, "What is the current situation in the court?"
"Don't you trust your master's decision?" Meng Qing replied, seemingly changing the subject. "As far as I know, Li Jingye, who raised an army in Yangzhou, decided to use armed force after being demoted. In the court, he was a defeated general under Empress Wu. An uprising called by a defeated general is his desperate gamble. What do you think the chances of success are? I think this move is nothing more than a mantis trying to stop a chariot."
“I trust my master.” Huijue made his choice. “Tell me all your other plans.”
"I have no grand schemes, only two objectives. One is to gather as many people as possible, such as pilgrims, lay Buddhists' servants and guards, bodyguards, warriors, scholars, and students—both literary and martial. The second is to vindicate the Empress Dowager. The proclamation states that Empress Dowager Wu is not gentle by nature, comes from a humble background, has corrupted the harem, harmed loyal officials, murdered the emperor and poisoned her mother, and coveted the imperial regalia, etc. The intention is clear: to ruin her reputation and make her despised by the people. If the rebels want to pin crimes on her in the secular world, shouldn't the Buddhists create a revered name for her in the Buddhist world?" Meng Qing stopped there.
"I understand." Huijue understood Meng Qing's intention. His mind was in great turmoil, and he closed his eyes and recited Buddhist scriptures for the duration of an incense stick before calming down.
When he opened his eyes, he found himself all alone in the meditation room.
Meng Qing and Yin Caiwei had already left Ruiguang Temple. After descending the mountain, she went straight to the prefectural school to find Dr. Xu and persuaded him to take the lead in writing an article to refute the proclamation denouncing Empress Wu.
Dr. Xu is a lay Buddhist who has studied under Master Konghui. Meng Qing revealed to him Konghui's whereabouts over the years and also revealed the same story he used to deceive Huijue. Dr. Xu asked with some doubt, "Is Master Konghui really serving the Empress Dowager?"
“Absolutely true.” Meng Qing nodded.
"Let me think about it," Dr. Xu said hesitantly.
"Dr. Xu, you are outnumbered and outmatched. I will not make things difficult for you. I only ask that you speak up in support of the monks at Ruiguang Temple when they express their opinions." Dr. Xu has served as a doctor in the prefectural school for more than 20 years and has accumulated considerable influence. His voice can shake the stance of scholars and can also convince farmers who are illiterate but have great respect for scholars.
Dr. Xu pondered for a moment and then agreed.
Upon hearing this, Meng Qing breathed a sigh of relief. She got up to say goodbye, politely declining Dr. Xu's offer to stay for dinner, and walked out of the prefectural school with Yin Caiwei.
Standing on the riverbank bathed in the glow of the sunset, the two sisters-in-law gazed at the water in a daze. One silently tried to calm her excited emotions, while the other did the same.
The boatman's shouts to attract passengers startled the two of them awake. Yin Caiwei turned her head to look at Meng Qing, then quickly walked down the steps, bowed her head reverently, and raised her hand, "Madam, please board the boat."
Meng Qing smiled, reached out and patted Yin Caiwei's hand lightly, then took her hand and walked down.
*
Five days later, the Commandant of the Vanguard arrived at the gate of the post station to meet Meng Qing. He scrutinized her for a long time before asking only one question: "Were the words and actions of the Lady of the County instructing the Empress Dowager?"
Meng Qing shook his head. "I've been away from Luoyang for over three years. Even if the Empress Dowager intends to create momentum, it's not my place to serve her. Besides, how could the Empress Dowager have predicted that the rebels would raise an army in Yangzhou?"
“This humble servant has never met the Empress Dowager, nor does he believe in gods or Buddhas. My agreement to send troops today stems entirely from my admiration for the Lady of Wu. A mere merchant’s daughter has transformed herself into the Lady of Wu in just twenty years. Her abilities and vision far surpass those of men. This humble servant trusts your judgment.” The Commandant of the Vanguard clasped his hands in a fist salute. “The Vanguard Prefecture has three thousand soldiers, ready to serve you at any time.”
Meng Qing did not mention being turned away. She promised, "Although I am just a woman, I know the value of human life. I have been entrusted with the trust of the Commandant and his troops. I will act cautiously and do my best to protect their lives. As for military campaigns, I am a novice. I ask the Commandant to teach me."
"Your subordinate obeys."
"This is Governor Zheng's order. The Military Advisor fell from his horse and is unconscious, unable to assist in troop mobilization. Take this order and mobilize the Suzhou Prefecture troops." Meng Qing issued the first command.
Three days later, the eight hundred soldiers were taken over by the Commandant of the Vanguard.
During this period, Abbot Kongzhi of Ruiguang Temple convened a Dharma assembly with more than 400 monks from the temple and more than 100 lay Buddhists from Wu County. He claimed that the Buddha appeared in Empress Wu's dream and told her that she was the reincarnation of Maitreya Buddha, who had descended to earth to undergo tribulation. Now that the tribulation had arrived, Buddhist disciples should help her overcome it.
At the Dharma assembly, Huijue revealed that Master Konghui had early wisdom and had received a dream from the Buddha ten years ago, in which he went north. He is now practicing under the tutelage of Maitreya Buddha.
After the Dharma assembly, Dr. Xu wrote an article in response to the "Proclamation Against Wu Zetian," stating that Maitreya, when reincarnated as a human, must experience the three obstacles and four demons like a human, go through the control of greed, anger, ignorance, and desire, and understand human emotions in order to break through ignorance and liberate sentient beings.
A concise article sanctifies the various crimes mentioned in the "Proclamation Against Wu Zetian." This is because Maitreya reincarnated to experience human greed, anger, ignorance, and desire in order to understand human emotions and to liberate all sentient beings.
Upon the publication of this article, Buddhist laypeople offered their money and effort, not only contributing financial resources to support the suppression of the rebels, but also eagerly signing up when they heard that the Commander-in-Chief was recruiting men, and even offering up all the servants and guards in his household.
Seeing that public opinion had fermented enough, Meng Qing went to the governor's mansion again, carrying Governor Zheng's order, to command the yamen runners, servants, and loyal officials and righteous men of the six counties of Suzhou to gather in Wu County, and to go to Yangzhou on the sixth day of the tenth month to suppress the rebels.
Over the course of ten days, heroes and warriors from all walks of life flocked to Wu County, where the Commandant of the Vanguard was responsible for registering and receiving them. By the fifth day of the tenth month, an army of 8,300 men had been formed, consisting of monks, soldiers, yamen runners, laborers, household guards, bodyguards, merchants, gentry, scholars, and farmers.
On the sixth day of the tenth month, the army departed from Wu County by official ships, cargo ships, painted boats, fishing boats, and small boats, heading towards Yangzhou.
Halfway there, Meng Qing heard the news that Li Jingye had led an army of 100,000 men out of Yangzhou to attack Runzhou.
"Commander Xu, what do you think?" Meng Qing asked the Commander of the Vanguard.
“The disparity in numbers is too great. It is not advisable for us to pursue the main army. Firstly, our numbers are too many, making us an easy target. Secondly, our military strength is insufficient. If we are surrounded, we will be completely annihilated,” said the Commandant. “We should go find the imperial army and join up with the main army.”
"Do you think there are still troops left to defend Yangzhou? Are the rebels' families being housed in Yangzhou?" Meng Qing pondered. If she had captured a city, she certainly wouldn't be willing to give it up. "Commander Xu, how about we infiltrate Yangzhou? When the imperial army defeats the rebels' forces, Yangzhou will be an option for them to escape. Even if they don't settle in Yangzhou, they will return to pick up their families. We can lure them into a trap. If our secret operation fails, but we break through the rebels' first stronghold and take their families hostage, we can definitely crush their morale."
"Great!" Commandant Xu was overjoyed.
"When I returned to Wu County to mobilize troops, Minister Du had already sneaked into Yangzhou City. He may still be in the city now. We should send someone into the city to contact him and launch a coordinated attack from within and without to open up Yangzhou City and reduce casualties," Meng Qing said.
Commander Xu was overjoyed. He volunteered to lead the merchants, servants, guards, scholars, and farmers who were traveling with him to sneak into Yangzhou to make contact with Minister Du.
“Okay.” Meng Qing nodded.
The group immediately split into several smaller groups, heading towards the twelve city gates of Yangzhou, while the rest hid fifty miles away from Yangzhou.
*
Inside Yangzhou, Du Min, Du Li, and Gu Wudong were also discussing the matter of kidnapping the families of the rebels.
“We have less than a hundred men available on our side, while the garrison in the city numbers over three thousand. If we were to take action, it would be like throwing an egg against a rock.” Gu Wudong did not want to take the risk.
“Wait for my second sister-in-law. She has gone back to Suzhou to mobilize troops,” Du Min said. “Gu Wudong, find a way to go out of the city and find out what’s going on. If you hear any news about my second sister-in-law, go find her and ask her to lead the troops to Yangzhou.”
Before Gu Wudong could even leave the city, Commandant Xu had already come to his door openly. He presented a handwritten letter bearing Meng Qing's personal seal to prove his identity before he could meet Du Min.
"Yangzhou City is already under lockdown. How did you get in?" Du Min asked.
"I informed the city guards that Lady Wu, carrying a warrant from Governor Zheng, had gathered over five thousand men in Suzhou and was planning to pursue the army and burn their provisions. I told them to hurry and report this." The merchants, scholars, and farmers that Commandant Xu had brought were all unable to enter the city gates. Left with no other choice, he decided to reveal his identity directly and pretend to have escaped from Suzhou to deliver the message.
"Did the city garrison officer believe it?" Du Min pressed.
"I sent someone to inform the Lady of the County, but I don't know what she did, but the person who went to investigate believed it." Commandant Xu took out an article from his pocket. "We are outnumbered and cannot break through the city gate from the outside. The Lady of the County instructed me that, regardless of whether we find you in the city or not, we must use a scheme to incite the people in the city to open the city gate from the inside."
After reading the article and listening to Commandant Xu's account of Meng Qing's recruitment of men in Suzhou, Du Min personally went to Chanzhi Temple to persuade him.
*
Outside Yangzhou, Meng Qing's army changed course halfway to Runzhou, bypassing the fortified city and heading towards Hailing County.
The monks of Ruiguang Temple traveled and persuaded, and the number of soldiers increased daily. By the time they reached Hailing County, the number of soldiers had reached nine thousand, more than the number of households in Hailing County, and the army easily stationed itself in the county.
With the governor's order, nine thousand soldiers, the persuasion of monks, and the appeals of scholars, the army grew by eight hundred men in just two days, and the magistrate of Hailing County also defected.
After passing through Hailing County and entering Liuhe County, we arrived directly at Jiangdu County, which was only ten miles away from the Yangzhou Grand Governor's Office.
After seven days of public opinion fermenting in Yangzhou, and with troops guarding outside the city walls, five hundred guards defected under the combined pressure of external threats and internal intimidation.
On the night of October 27th, the city gates opened, and Meng Qing led an army composed of people from various factions into the city, killing 800 people and capturing 1,800.
Yangzhou changed hands overnight. After Du Min took control of Yangzhou, he learned of the battle situation: Runzhou had been captured, the imperial army had arrived, and the two armies were currently facing off in Gaoyou.
Du Min decided to spread the news that Yangzhou had been recaptured and the families of the rebels had been captured.
Nine days later, Li Jingye's army was attacked by fire in Gaoyou. Li Jingye died while fleeing to Hailing. The rebel army was scattered, and a remnant force rushed towards Yangzhou.
Du Min led the families of the rebels to the city wall, forcing the remaining troops outside the city to lay down their weapons and surrender. "You were misled by the rebel Li Jingye and fell into his treacherous scheme, which is why you picked up weapons and turned against your comrades. If you are willing to repent today, I will write to the Empress Dowager and ask for leniency in your punishment."
On the city wall, his wife and children wept, his old mother wailed, and his young child called out for his father.
A weapon rang out, followed by thousands upon thousands of weapons falling to the ground. The rebels surrendered amidst the cries of their wives, children, and elderly mothers.
The gates of Yangzhou were opened, and Commandant Xu led his troops out of the city to take over the surrendered soldiers.
A rebellion began at the end of August and ended at the beginning of November.
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Author's note: See you tomorrow night.
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