“Can strategists not ascend the throne?”
Chapter 276: The Thousand Lantern Buddha Festival
Oh boy… the factions involved are becoming clearer, but Qiao Ting isn’t feeling the pressure.
She’s bound to face challenges like this eventually.
Earlier, Li Ru was barely dealing with Liu Yan, the governor of Yizhou, Yizhou officials, Dongzhou officials, and the court—just four sides to juggle—now it’s six, but who’s to say she can’t pull off a masterstroke?
Besides, having six factions crowded on a chessboard could just mean the situation is primed to explode rather than descend into chaotic warfare.
As the best-hidden player in this game, if she could just tilt the board from one side, she could flip this so-called peaceful stalemate on its head.
Her situation isn’t as tough as it looks.
Now, she needs to think about how to proceed.
Exposing Ze Rong’s plan to Tao Qian, prompting direct conflict between those two factions, would clearly be a bad move.
Even if her sister’s latest intel suggests Ze Rong gained the old troops of Yan Baihu and Zu Lang, let’s not forget Ze Rong and Zu Lang aren’t exactly boss and employee.
If Zu Lang finds himself in a tight spot, he’s sure to retreat back to Danyang County, and Yan Baihu’s old troops would look like bandits to the well-organized troops of Xuzhou.
Whether they can replicate the Yellow Turban Army’s previous invasion of Xuzhou is anyone’s guess, let alone overcoming the provincial governor, Tao Qian.
Even if Mi Zhu pretends to support Ze Rong’s insubordinate actions, it probably wouldn’t lead to anything substantial.
Revealing the ambition of the Yang Province folks to Tao Qian, trying to incite conflict between Xuzhou and Yang Province, is a no-go.
Tao Qian’s current state of doing nothing is already a reflection of his cautious style.
He won’t act rashly just because of potential provocations from Sun Ce or Zhou Yu; after all, he’s also been eyeing the situation in Yang Province.
With that, the situation stands clear.
Six factions—Tao Qian, Ze Rong, Sun Ce, Zhang Yi, Jun Hou, and the still lurking Liu Bei in Yu Province.
The entirely weak Zhang Yi and Liu Bei must not move. They won’t make a move until the situation shifts; should they get weakened further, they’d be out of the game.
Jun Hou and her crew should maintain their role as behind-the-scenes players.
Ze Rong and Sun Ce, based on previous analysis, also must remain still.
That leaves only one person standing.
None other than Governor Tao Qian of Xuzhou!
But getting Tao Qian into hot water isn’t exactly a walk in the park.
Yuan Shu was caught off guard by the private troops led by Ju Shou from Chenliu, making one chuckle at the squabbles between the Yuan brothers, while also serving as a reminder to not underestimate those lurking strong families.
Tao Qian learned that lesson well.
From the brief exchanges between Qiao Ting and Chen Deng, she not only noticed Chen Deng’s respect for Liu Bei but also picked up on another signal—
Tao Qian’s defenses in Donghai County are now tighter than ever.
Perhaps they need to employ a different strategy.
With that thought, Qiao Ting sent her analysis along with a particular idea to Guangling County.
The letter reached Qiao Lan’s hands half a day later.
Thus, the folks in Sheyang County soon learned that this merchant, who traveled from Shu through Chang’an and Luoyang to reach Xuzhou, had nearly sold out his goods, with only a few left to be gone within half a month.
As a savvy businessman, he wouldn’t return empty-handed, so he planned to procure more goods within Xuzhou before heading back.
“Mountain goods?” Zhang Yi’s wife came to talk to Qiao Lan about booking her next shipment to Xuzhou but, hearing Qiao Lan’s query, asked curiously, “Xuzhou is by the sea, famous for East Sea pearls. Why opt for mountain goods instead of sea goods?”
“Madam, you’re mistaken! We do buy sea goods,” Qiao Lan replied. “My brother is currently in Donghai County. We visited the old gentleman Chen Hanyu upon arrival in Xuzhou and struck up a conversation with Chen Yuanlong, precisely for securing a purchasing route in Donghai.”
“It’s not a violation of any rules; my brother and I aren’t engaging in bribery, just hoping for a reliable place to get fairly priced, quality goods. Since the Mi family head isn’t in Donghai but has come to Guangling, some business has been unblocked, so of course we can buy sea goods.”
“But we do need to get some mountain goods too. After all, there are unique local specialties in the southeastern hills and the mountains of Shu—like this tea here differs from that in Guanzhong and Shu. Wouldn’t that make sense?”
Qiao Lan’s words left Madam Zhao a bit dazed; she thought to herself, “This merchant certainly has a smooth tongue,” and then replied, “That’s true! If we’re capturing all the specialties of Xuzhou, we can’t miss either sea or mountain goods.”
“I’ll see if I can connect with any acquaintances to help,” she said, pausing for a moment. “However, if I can really do something significant…”
Qiao Lan chuckled, “Don’t worry, madam. Next time I come, I’ll bring you a fine piece of Shu brocade.”
Madam Zhao left beaming, blissfully unaware that Qiao Lan was crafting a handy excuse for herself and her underlings to temporarily enter the mountains and lay low, simply thinking she was managing her household well.
Not that it was surprising she was being thrifty; since Zhang Yi had lost his official position, he naturally also lost his two thousand shi salary, so she had to tighten her belts a bit.
But when she recounted Qiao Lan’s words to Zhang Yi, hoping to hear her husband praise her cleverness, she found an odd expression on his face instead. “You say Mi Zhu is in Guangling?”
Mi Zhu’s arrival hadn’t been made a big deal of; all Zhang Yi knew was that they were to hold the Buddha Festival again in early July. He hadn’t specifically inquired how many guests were coming, so he hadn’t expected Mi Zhu would be among them.
Mi Zhu and Ze Rong had no known friendship, so hearing the news felt rather peculiar.
Zhang Yi couldn’t tell if he was overthinking it.
Still, with a mindset of being prepared and his dissatisfaction toward Tao Qian and Ze Rong, he sent someone to Gaoyou, hoping to gather some intel.
Meanwhile, Zhou Yu, also present, had noticed Ze Rong’s attempt to ally with Mi Zhu.
He contemplated whether there was an opportunity for him within this, changing into simple clothes, blending in on the streets of Gaoyou, taking a good look at this city that’s been the most transformed by Ze Rong.
Like Mi Zhu’s first impressions of this place, Zhou Yu felt a certain sickness in the atmosphere.
Even though the upcoming Buddha Festival had people hanging Yuhao leaves, Buddhist banners, and little Buddha figurines in the streets, it still didn’t give off a lively vibe.
He pretended to casually stop by a vendor and inquired about the price of the fragrant soup base, all the while avoiding a run-in with Zu Lang and his entourage.
He overheard Zu Lang chatting with his subordinates; at a distance, he could vaguely catch snippets of talk, such as “Ze Rong is quite the loyal guy” alongside mentions of Sun Ce’s name.
Zhou Yu couldn’t shake off a bad feeling.
If it weren’t so crucial to avoid alarming the snake before confirming the situation in Xuzhou, he would have wanted to intercept Zu Lang to clarify matters.
But as he tried to follow and listen further, he saw that Zu Lang had already joined forces with Ze Rong’s crew and left.
“You still buying?” As Zhou Yu pondered, he was interrupted by a vendor’s voice. He turned to find the vendor looking at him strangely.
Zhou Yu hurriedly replied, “Yes, I’m just curious. These guys don’t seem to be locals from Yang Province. Why do they get so much respect here?”
The vendor muttered, “They’re not nearly as strange as these Buddha figures.”
His voice was quiet, so low that Zhou Yu nearly missed it even standing this close.
When Zhou Yu looked over again, the vendor had returned to his usual nonchalant expression.
“After all, he makes a living selling Buddha-related stuff, so criticizing him openly in such a public place seems a bit off.”
But when the Buddha Bathing Festival ceremony formally appeared before Zhou Yu, he thought that the people living in the Guangling area were merely venting a bit of their complaints toward Ze Rong and his Buddha out loud—it was actually quite restrained!
The “Bathing” in Buddha Bathing Festival is the highlight of this festive ritual.
The monks in the temple were to use fragrant water to wash the Buddha statues, symbolizing the cleansing of dirt.
However, today, due to Ze Rong wanting to make this festival feel like a city-wide celebration, he moved the statue washing ritual to the square in front of the Nine-Tiered Pagoda.
Four golden Buddha statues appeared before everyone, and Zhou Yu, who had been busy with financial calculations in the various regions of Yang Province, couldn’t help but convert these statues in his mind into their equivalent in copper coins and grain, gasping at the extravagance of this scene.
The spices in the fragrant water held by the monks were certainly not cheap.
Even someone from a noble family like Zhou Yu felt that such behavior was overly lavish in these times, let alone those merely passing through, who had momentarily stopped here due to the festivity of the Buddha Bathing Festival.
They had already seen the agricultural scene that developed in Xuzhou due to natural conditions well before entering Gaoyou, and now suddenly witnessing this spectacle, one could easily think they had stumbled into a heavenly paradise on earth amidst the surrounding drums and Buddhist chants.
Little did they know, such a flourishing scene had been built upon the sweat and blood of many.
Fragrant water poured over the Buddha statues reflected the sunlight in a dazzling golden sheen, showcasing the wealth behind these symbols as they paraded through the streets.
Mingling in the crowd, Zhou Yu tried not to stand out too much, placing the sticky rice cake he bought on the street in front of the Buddha statues, then using leaves to sprinkle the soaked fragrant water on them.
According to the monks, this action would imbue the leaves with the Buddha’s auspicious energy, which could then be worn on one’s head.
Putting this talisman above the doorway would protect the household with peace and good fortune.
“Is Zhou Lang not worried about this thing…?”
Zhou Yu waved his hand, signaling his subordinates to hold their tongues. “As long as one acts appropriately and sits straight, there’s no need to worry about such matters.”
He wanted to see what else Ze Rong had up his sleeve.
In the procession carrying the Buddha statues, the strongest and most robust monks under Ze Rong were picked out to be easily spotted by everyone when they saw the statues.
This was precisely Ze Rong’s way of subtly convincing people that his Buddha kingdom was not just wealthy, but had enough armed strength to protect its territory.
It was merely a different form of armed organization than what they usually encountered.
With these warrior monks’ assistance, the four golden Buddha statues completed their parade and returned to the square.
A high platform had been constructed in front of the pagoda, and the four statues were placed at the corners of the platform.
Ze Rong stood atop the platform.
Thanks to the sunlight, Zhou Yu could clearly see the golden aura surrounding Ze Rong’s Buddha robes.
That was the result of weaving with gold and silver threads.
In an era where burlap was the norm and cotton clothes could even become trendy, Ze Rong’s dazzling appearance was truly blinding, yet his self-proclaimed identity as a Buddhist preacher made it hard for anyone to criticize him.
He looked down from the platform, chanting scriptures, while simultaneously observing the expressions of a few people he particularly cared about.
Mi Zhu’s astonishment and admiration, Zu Lang’s confusion and hesitation were excellent signals for Ze Rong.
But the show of strength wasn’t over yet!
After the Buddhist scriptures were chanted came the speeches of repentance and atonement by Buddhist followers, followed by the exhibition of Buddhist texts.
The scriptures he showcased were intricately embroidered onto silk, the very texts translated during the reign of Emperor Huan of Han that introduced Buddhism to China.
Even in a society where books were still seen as exclusive to the upper class, such scriptures were a sign of nobility.
By this time, the sky had begun to darken.
The festival, in which the entire city participated, was drawing to a close.
At this moment, the lamps set up around the square were lit by the monks, keeping the area aglow.
Though the night breeze occasionally blew by, the flickering lamps added a certain charm.
Moreover, along with the breeze came a whiff of fragrance—this was Ze Rong’s usual banquet of food and drink provided to the attendees as the festival wrapped up.
The food and drink were laid on tables along the main street, and as people gathered around to eat, Ze Rong didn’t feel the need to maintain the earlier facade anymore.
In the cover of night, he thought these fools he looked down upon would only focus on the food and wouldn’t pay attention to what he, their Buddha spokesperson, was doing.
At most, when he stepped down from the platform to talk to Mi Zhu, he would still maintain a bit of respect for him, or rather, respect for Mi Zhu’s wealth.
He held back his glee and asked Mi Zhu, “What does Mr. Zizhong think of this Buddha Bathing Festival?”
Mi Zhu looked around, mentally counting the tables of food and drink set up in the area.
Thinking back to Qiao Yan’s strict limits on alcohol production in Chang’an to keep control of grain, and then contrasting Ze Rong’s lavish display, he felt that his earlier bet was indeed the right choice.
However, such words weren’t necessary to share with Ze Rong.
He replied, “It truly looks like a scene from heaven.”
Upon hearing this, Ze Rong immediately felt that his upfront investment was worth it!
Mi Zhu’s further softening attitude made him see the possibility of rallying Mi Zhu’s Eastern Sea Mi Clan’s allies to mount a dual attack on Tao Qian.
This speculation caused a smile to emerge at the corners of his mouth.
But at that moment, he suddenly noticed his subordinates staring at something behind him with shock, their hands pointing up in disbelief.
Ze Rong quickly wiped the smile from his face and turned around to see what was happening.
In the next moment, an astonishing sight unfolded before him.
In this moonless night with only twinkling stars, one lantern after another floated into the sky behind the Nine-Tiered Pagoda.
Maybe there were dozens, or maybe more than a hundred.
In any case, these glowing lanterns floating upwards formed an unprecedented backdrop, making the pagoda appear less like something created by man.
The flickering lights swayed in the air, drifting higher and higher, as if they were aiming to soar into the clouds.
The people in the square feasting on food and drink were momentarily stunned into silence.
They had never seen such a scene, and no longer had any appetite!
“A miracle! This is a miracle of the Buddha’s descent!”
Some sounds broke the silence, and suddenly, “miracle” echoed across the city.
By the time Ze Rong turned around, crowds were kneeling on the ground in a dark mass.
To them, it seemed this Buddha Bathing Festival must indeed herald the arrival of a true Buddha; otherwise, how could these lanterns free themselves from the weight and fly straight into the starry sky?
Why didn’t they extinguish in the air, shining brighter than the stars above?
Such extraordinary phenomena naturally led them to attribute it to divine intervention, while Ze Rong remained dumbfounded.
As a self-proclaimed representative of Buddhism, he knew very well whether or not there was a true Buddha in Xuzhou.
This scene didn’t just shatter the crowd’s perceptions. It shattered his own!
Because he had no hand in orchestrating this!
This wasn’t his plan!
Could it… could it really be that he had some genuine supernatural powers related to Buddhism?
