Chapter 7, the Peaceful Horse and the Great Year of the Horse
Please speak, sir
Having spoken, a whistle sounded, and more than two hundred horsemen immediately withdrew with him
Cao Yue seized the fortune teller by the neck and said, "If you do not divulge, then go tell King Yama today that you refuse to reveal the secrets of heaven and will be killed; you might still become a minor ghost official."
Old man Cao hurriedly presented fifty coins
Is it possible to seek refuge with Kang Sanshi?
Cao Yue smiled and said, "How did you figure that out?"
The fortune teller adjusted his nearly fallen melon-shaped hat and said with a mix of laughter and tears: "Of course, it's not a green hat"
Matriarch Tai Sui was born with a loud voice, and at this moment, he disdainfully said to the ants: "Four days ago, my son, Ma Zifang, came to your town seeking wealth, but unfortunately, he was captured and sent to the Tongguan Da Zi Camp. I was puzzled as to who had the audacity to capture my son. Later, I found out that a tyrant had emerged in Anle Township, named Cao Erlang. They say that Erlang Shen has descended to the mortal realm, bah! What Cao Erlang! In front of me, Matriarch Tai Sui, they are all nothing but the offspring of a dog!" Later, I found out that a tyrant had emerged in Anle Township, named Cao Erlang. They say that Erlang Shen has descended to the mortal realm, bah! What Cao Erlang! In front of me, Matriarch Tai Sui, they are all nothing but the offspring of a dog!
"What is the right path?" asked Cao Yue.
Cao Yue did not wish to find himself, after several years in the Green Camp, suddenly appointed as a police officer in Shaanxi by an imperial edict from Empress Dowager Cixi
Well... the fortune teller twirled his fingers and pretended to ponder for a long time
He knew that Kang Sanshi valued his martial skills, and if he were to join Kang Sanshi, he would surely be able to become a cavalryman or a personal guard. However, that was not his ideal, as he held a disdain for the Qing army's Green Standard troops, viewing them as a form of private militia.
A father and son whispered to each other as they passed by a fortune-telling booth. The fortune-teller, who had been calmly tidying up his stall, was startled upon seeing Cao Yue. He quickly composed himself, rolled up his sleeves, and waved at Cao Yue, saying: "This gentleman has a fierce look on his face; he is likely to encounter difficulties soon."
The bandits quickly drove the villagers to the threshing ground by the Qingshi Bridge, like herding ducks. Crying children, terrified adults, and emaciated elders huddled together, trembling in fear and at a loss for what to do. Old man Cao was also among the crowd, but he was just an ordinary boatman from the Yellow River, so the bandits had no interest in even casting a glance at him.
The secrets of the heavens must not be revealed
Old Man Cao said: "Fortunately, he is not here to look for you, my son. Let us go back, tidy up, and leave as well"
The secrets of heaven cannot be revealed; brave souls must comprehend them on their own, the fortune teller said with an air of profound mystery
At this moment, Mat Tai Sui rode out and approached the crowd, shouting loudly: "I am Tai Ping Mountain, Mat Tai Sui!"
After the crowd was driven to one place, the horsemen suddenly drew their knives and waved them around. The glinting blades instantly sent a shiver through everyone, causing the timid to wet their pants.
Cao Yue and the old man Cao immediately stopped in their tracks and walked up to the fortune teller. Cao Yue, with one hand resting on the flying knife, smiled and asked, "What is it? Please explain in detail." The old man Cao understood his son all too well and quickly grabbed his son's sleeve, signaling that they were all from the same village and that there was no need to kill anyone. This gentleman is not a bandit. Moreover, there has been a long-standing custom of not harming scholars since ancient times, and he truly did not want to see his son take action against a learned man.
Only after the two left did the fortune teller let out a sigh of relief, muttering to himself: "Cao Erlang, oh Cao Erlang, fortunately, three days ago I was also in Tongguan County and heard your news. I went to the city gate to take a look at you and managed to find out your background. Earning these five taels of silver is quite comfortable, but whether you can escape disaster by joining the army, I cannot say. Well! Now that I have money, I should hurry home to tidy things up and hide in the county for a while"
This group led by Ma Chao exceeded his expectations, numbering at least two hundred, each mounted on tall steeds. Some of the henchmen wielded long spears, while others brandished ghost-headed sabers, encircling a robust man with a square face and a full head of white hair. Judging by his appearance, this man was over fifty years old and bore a striking resemblance to Ma Zifang, undoubtedly Ma Taisui. No wonder Kang Sanshi recognized at a glance that Ma Zifang was not an imposter; the resemblance between the two was even closer than that of brothers.
The fortune teller was greatly frightened, thinking to himself that indeed, Cao Erlang, who could kill a horse as easily as one would kill a blade of grass, exuded a terrifying aura. He hurriedly said, "I say, I say, what I mean is that it would be better for you to seek refuge in the Green Camp and become a soldier—this is what my divination revealed. Don't ask me why; I only know how to read the hexagrams."
The shopkeepers in Anle Township were also disinclined to conduct business, stating that they were preparing to go to Tongguan to take refuge. Cao Yue could only smile bitterly in his heart, feeling that he had implicated his fellow townsmen. He climbed down from the house, and Old Man Cao returned as well. Upon seeing his son, the two exchanged a nod and left the lamb soup shop.
Why not enlist in the military
Hurry to Tongguan, or it will be too late; it will be difficult to deal with the massacre by the Horse God.
The bandits from Tai Ping Mountain have all entered the village, and Cao Yue turned around to hide behind the wine cabinet on the second floor. Feeling uneasy about his safety, he looked around and noticed that the view from the roof was broad and open, which encouraged him to escape. Even if he couldn't flee, he could still fight back. Thus, Cao Yue climbed onto the roof, found a relatively secure spot, and lay down on the green tiles to look down.
Cao Yue is not a reckless person; throughout his journey back, he pondered where he should go from here. This question of direction is not about evading Mattaisui, but rather concerns his true future. Is aligning himself with Yuan Shikai the only way out?
The fortune teller said: "The so-called righteous path is to walk a road that aligns with the destiny of the warrior. The warrior belongs to the Metal element. What is Metal? It is represented by weapons and horses. I shall offer the warrior a strategy to avert disaster."
Cao Yue coldly took out five taels of silver and placed them in front of the fortune teller, saying: "If you speak well, I will give you five taels of silver; if you do not, I will give you five punches." He clenched his right hand tightly, producing a creaking sound. With such five punches, this scholar would surely become the next Zhen Guansi.
Old man Cao hurriedly said: "How can my son seek refuge?"
But what about seeking refuge with Yuan Shikai
Matthew rode on horseback, exuding an imposing presence, wielding his whip with a sharp crack. Yet, his brow was furrowed with anxiety and regret. He had been careless; he should not have allowed this young man to act recklessly. He had clearly warned him that in the southern Shaanxi region, aside from Tongguan, anywhere else was fair game for robbery. Yet, this young man had chosen to come to Tongguan County, unaware that his mortal enemy was present. This insolent brat had grown accustomed to bullying others, and now, unexpectedly, his first misstep could cost him his life. He had been careless; he should not have allowed this young man to act recklessly. He had clearly warned him that in the southern Shaanxi region, aside from Tongguan, anywhere else was fair game for robbery. Yet, this young man had chosen to come to Tongguan County, unaware that his mortal enemy was present. This insolent brat had grown accustomed to bullying others, and now, unexpectedly, his first misstep could cost him his life.
What does it mean? Green... green hat?" Cao Yue said angrily
I do not know who this Cao Erlang is, to be so bold
Cao Yue was taken aback; could it be that this fellow has figured out that he intends to ally with Yuan Shikai
Indeed, General Tu Bukang is the foremost general of Tongguan
Cao Yue furrowed his brow, and the old man Cao quickly expressed his gratitude while leading him away. The two were anxious to leave the village quickly, fearing that lingering on the street would attract attention. Fortunately, the only shaman in the village who recognized Cao Yue had been summoned early that morning by another villager to perform an exorcism, so even if the villagers had heard of Cao Erlang, they had never seen him in person
The fortune teller, having received his payment, smiled and said: "From the perspective of a valiant warrior, the recent days have seen a flourishing of gold and fire. However, the sun is in opposition, and the solar eclipse affects gold. As the saying goes, 'Flowers do not bloom for a hundred days, nor do people remain in the limelight for a hundred days.' The warrior has likely experienced a period of smooth sailing over the past hundred days, encountering no setbacks or obstacles. This is because it is indeed the warrior's prosperous time. However, as the saying goes, 'When water is full, it overflows.' It is precisely because the warrior's sun is at its zenith that there will be losses. Everything seems to be going smoothly, yet one must not forget the hidden arrows and blades. Starting from yesterday, the warrior has entered a period of adversity. During this time, the warrior will face obstacles everywhere and attract the attention of petty individuals. To avert disaster, one must walk the righteous path.
The common people hesitated for a long time before daring to move, and then there were those who shouted, those who sighed, those who were conflicted, those who took the opportunity to grope young women, and those who were so frightened they were stunned. A few ruffians on the street took advantage of the chaos to steal from others, and at that moment, no one cared about such matters; the city was about to be slaughtered by the deity of misfortune, and who had the time to worry about material possessions
He surveyed his surroundings with a hawk-like gaze, his eyes sweeping like sharp blades, causing the common people to fall silent and lower their heads, avoiding eye contact with him. Ma Tai Sui then said: "I am old, and I have only this one son. If the court executes my son, I must inform you all that I will surely wash the streets of Anlexiang with blood. However, as long as the court agrees to my two conditions, I will wash my hands of this life and never again be a bandit or a troublemaker! I will no longer cause the court any trouble! Listen, my first condition is to hand over my son, Ma Zifang! The second condition is to hand over Cao Erlang, so that I can flay him alive. I give you five days to create a disturbance in Tongguan; you people should not remain in Anlexiang, for after five days, this place will become the eighteenth level of hell."
What does that mean?" Cao Yue asked again
Old Man Cao said: "Yes, alas! Before leaving, I will go to offer incense to your grandfather, great-grandfather, great-great-grandfather, and ancestors. After this, I will have to wait until the Year of the Horse and the Old Man dies. I estimate that I won't be able to return this time, I won't be able to come back..." Thinking about how he would no longer be able to return to his roots because of the Year of the Horse, Old Man Cao was suddenly overwhelmed with tears.
To go to Tongguan, with General Zhang and General Kang, we will be safe
The fortune teller shook his head and said: "To escape this calamity, one must have no less than five taels of silver."
Cao Yue agreed, saying: "Father, let us leave tonight for Tianjin. We have over 900 taels of silver, so we should be able to live quite well."
Mr. Suan Zi did not notice Cao Yue's private actions, and he forced himself to sit down calmly, saying: "I see that you have the three evils converging at the top; it seems you have recently stirred up some life-and-death grievances. Vengeful spirits seek retribution, and the living may retaliate. It appears you are facing a calamity."
In the late Qing Dynasty, the Green Battalion was not only unable to contend with foreign powers but also proved incapable of dealing with bandits, ultimately becoming adept at extorting the common people. Later, Empress Dowager Cixi disbanded the Green Battalion, and hundreds of thousands of its soldiers became the first batch of police in the late Qing and the Beiyang Republic. This illustrates that Cixi had a unique and accurate vision, knowing precisely where to place those who extorted the populace.
The fortune teller said: "I will give the warrior a word, green"
This sudden shout immediately frightened everyone into tears