Chapter 237: Officials and Thieves

Seeing everyone exchanging glances, Du Wan cleared her throat lightly and said, “Senior brother, this is Miss Tang, a disciple of Doctor Feng.”
Indeed, her surname was Tang. But Tang Sairu should be a widow who had lost her husband—how could she dress like an unmarried girl?
If Zhang Yue had only been six or seven percent suspicious before, now he was ninety percent certain. Surname Tang, medical skills passed down from the money-grabbing Feng Yuanming, and she had even appeared at that Buddha Mother gathering—there could be no coincidence that another person existed. Noticing that the other party was watching every move he made, realizing that trying to warn her or do anything else was futile, he immediately said with a smile, “When we met that day, I felt Miss Tang was no ordinary person. If I had known you were so skilled in medicine, I wouldn’t have gone to Fuching Temple just for my aunt’s illness.”
Recalling that her informants had reported the Anqiu county magistrate had approached Fuching Temple, Tang Sairu regretted not connecting this with her encounter at Wang’s family estate earlier. Although Zhang Yue spoke casually, she instinctively sensed something was wrong and then remembered what had happened back then.
At that time, Meng Min dressed like a noblewoman, while Zhang Yue dressed like a commoner. Why would a county magistrate go to such lengths? With the government cracking down harder on the White Lotus Sect and searching everywhere for her as the Buddha Mother, how could a deputy governor of Qingzhou not know that the White Lotus Sect and the Buddha Mother gathering were one and the same? How could he not want to claim credit for it?
Thinking of this, seeing the others’ expressions of surprise, shock, and contemplation, she stopped hiding things and smiled gently. “I’ve always only treated commoners. I gave advice that day simply because I admired Miss Meng’s filial piety. Officials have money and can easily hire the best doctors in the world—why would they need me to get involved? Didn’t Miss Meng hire my master with six hundred taels of silver?”
“So Miss Tang is that mysterious Buddha Mother who appears rarely but can heal the incurable!”
Tang Sairu, usually calm as still water, was taken aback by Zhang Yue’s straightforward remark. After a brief pause, she felt a chill in her heart. Seeing that Zhang Yue seemed confident, she simply stepped back and sat down gracefully on the chair behind her.
“These days, Lord Zhang’s reputation is well-known among the people. If it weren’t for meeting you today, how could I have imagined that I once had the fortune to meet you?”

“How can my reputation compare to that of Master Tang, who has spent years saving lives through medicine? Over the years, Shandong has been plagued by floods, droughts, famines, and plagues. Without your medical skills and generosity, places like Qingzhou and Jinan would have been filled with corpses long ago. There are many doctors in Shandong, but when it comes to saving lives, I fear no one can surpass Master Tang.”

Feng Yuanming had not left Qingzhou City in all these years and was unaware that his disciple had gained such a high reputation by practicing medicine in the countryside. Hearing Zhang Yue’s words filled him with joy. Yet after the joy subsided, he suddenly remembered Zhang Yue’s way of addressing her—calling her both the Buddha Mother and Master Tang—and grew deeply puzzled. What did that mean?

Tang Sair knew there was a difference between inside and outside, and assumed Zhang Yue must have left her attendants outside. Thinking it would be easy to escape, she dismissed her concerns, sneered, and said, “I practice medicine to save those villagers, not for government praise! Over the past few years, during floods, droughts, and famines, the government turned a blind eye and only focused on collecting taxes to build canals, construct Beijing, and wage wars against the Mongols. Where was their concern for the people’s suffering? When plagues struck, many died in the fields and along roads—did the government send doctors to treat them? I save lives as a doctor, yet my husband was beaten to death by government officials over a trivial matter. What’s the point of feeling grateful?”

“The lady inside is seriously ill, and there’s still a filial daughter like Miss Meng who keeps seeking medical help for her. But ordinary people can only wait to die when they fall ill! Due to lack of money for medicine, they dare not treat minor illnesses, nor can they afford serious ones. The word ‘doctor’ may be something they can never even imagine in their lives! They only wish for three meals a day, clothes to cover their bodies, and a place to shelter from the elements. You probably can’t imagine what such life is like! The government collects taxes and demands labor, but what does it give them in return? In such an unfair world, it’s better to tear it down completely!”

Silence reigned in the room. Du Wan finally began to suspect that this Tang Sanniang was connected to the White Lotus Sect. Even though she was usually quick-witted, she was now at a loss for words. Meng Min was right next to Tang Sair and could even sense the intense anger and hostility radiating from her. She deeply regretted letting her stay, as now the safety of everyone in the room was uncertain. Amber seemed the calmest, with an expressionless face, but no one noticed her chest heaving violently.

At this point, even if Feng Yuanming was slow to realize things, he gradually sensed that something was wrong. He himself was a cynical person, and such outrageous words had crossed his mind before, but he understood the principle that words can bring disaster, and he certainly didn’t want his only successor to get into trouble. He glanced at everyone and then snapped, “Third Sister, you’re delusional. How can such words be spoken carelessly?”
“At this stage, there’s nothing I’m afraid to say,” Tang Sair said, pushing aside her messy hair. The anger on her face had faded a bit. “It’s already rare for officials to show even a little understanding for the suffering of the common people. So, Lord Zhang, you can be considered a good official. It’s just a pity that others don’t share your concern. Even though the people are already in dire straits, they still keep exploiting them. Since ancient times, officials and thieves have never gotten along. Right now, you’re an official and I’m a thief, but in war, victory belongs to the victor—who knows what will happen in the future?”
With that, she turned to Meng Min. “Miss Meng, it was presumptuous of me to come here today. As for my master… I’m sure you’re sensible. He has nothing to do with me. If you still want to keep him to treat your mother, please don’t put him in trouble!”
“Third Sister, what exactly do you mean?” Feng Yuanming now felt deeply uneasy and asked sternly, “What thief? What victory to the victor? Don’t you practice medicine and save people among the common people? Have you done something else?”
“Recently, there have been rumors in Qingzhou Prefecture, Jinan Prefecture, and other places that the Buddha Mother has descended to earth. This Buddha Mother is none other than Tang, the so-called master of the White Lotus Scripture. Last evening, a group of people raided Le’an and abducted more than a dozen tenant farmers who were in chains in front of the Han King’s mansion, killing many of the Han King’s servants and Le’an’s soldiers. This serious crime is being investigated jointly by the prefectural government and the military authorities.”
Seeing that Tang Sair’s expression remained unchanged, Zhang Yue wasn’t sure whether she was behind this scheme. After a brief pause, he continued, “Although those attackers didn’t leave any clues for investigation, those who were abducted were originally tenant farmers on the Han King’s estates. Even if their families wanted to relocate, they wouldn’t be that thorough. It was originally just a minor offense, and even if the Han King took private revenge, they could still seek justice through the authorities. But now, with these connections, not only are those tenant farmers’ families harmed, but those involved in this matter are also at risk.”

“To take matters to the authorities is like trying to skin a tiger. What Lord Zhang means is to let others watch helplessly as those people are shackled day and night for a month, only to be taken away by the authorities under some pretext for further punishment. If it weren’t for this upheaval, perhaps those dozen or so people wouldn’t have lost their lives. Now that things have started, more lives will be lost—how can you be sure they won’t simply accept it? Since the authorities have pushed them to a dead end, they naturally have no choice but to fight to the death.”

Knowing that Bin Hong was doing this to create momentum, Tang Sair thought he was reckless and impulsive, but she couldn’t help but mock him. After giving that cold reply, seeing Feng Yuanming looking at her with extreme disappointment, she felt guilty. The alchemy and illusions in the White Lotus Scripture could only be used to deceive ordinary people; what truly made her famous was the medical skills she learned from Feng Yuanming, and most of her reputation as the Buddha’s Mother came from that. Her master surely only wanted her to be a pure doctor.

Zhang Yue now understood that those with different ideals couldn’t work together. Tang Sair thought about the unkindness of the authorities and the suffering of the people, as well as the deep grudges she carried. He, on the other hand, thought about the chaos that would lead to countless deaths, the farmland that would be abandoned again, and families mourning their fathers and husbands.

From what she had said, he realized that this leader of the White Lotus Sect was not a fanatical religious leader. No matter how high her status was among her followers, beneath that guise of a leader, she was just an ordinary woman. He could understand many of her words, but he couldn’t agree with them. It was the golden age of the Ming Dynasty, when the country was at its strongest militarily and politically. If chaos really broke out, under the brutal suppression of the court, the people would surely suffer greatly—how could there be true peace and happiness?

Whether the dynasty thrived or perished, the people suffered. That ancient saying was truly true.

“Although there are still people in Shandong who can’t even afford food, although there are still powerful officials who abuse their power with the authorities turning a blind eye, it’s undeniable that the series of good policies implemented since the beginning of the year are all aimed at ensuring peace among the people. If Leader Tang asks herself honestly, she should know that most people simply hope to live in peace—after all, only with peace can there be hope.”

“If everyone thought that way, the world would forever remain in darkness, with no change ever coming!”

Tang Sair smiled coldly. It was only then that Zhang Yue realized the scent of osmanthus in the room seemed overly strong. Indeed, the moment she spoke those words, he felt his head grow heavy and became dazed, unable to move. Soon after, he saw a shadow flash by him as someone darted past at incredible speed. As the osmanthus scent hit him, a low voice reached his ears:
“I’ve seen Lord Zhang’s iron teeth and copper jaws in action. Considering your good reputation as an official and your fairness toward my master, I won’t make things difficult for you. If we meet again by chance in the future, let’s settle it with swords.”
The lilac-colored figure disappeared from sight. It took a long time before the osmanthus scent faded, allowing everyone to move freely again. Zhang Yue let out a long sigh but said nothing, turning to rush out through the door. After stepping outside, he learned from Lu Ba that Tang Sair had calmly walked toward the main gate. Without wasting time, he ordered them to chase after her.
With no other clues left, he took a risky approach by provoking her, only for her to respond with sharp wit and no fear. Though she could have escaped quickly by scaling walls, she chose to walk along the street behind the government office—showing both skill and boldness, as well as a deep understanding of others’ thoughts.
In broad daylight, jumping over walls would surely arouse suspicion; what careful planning.
After leaving the Meng family’s house, Tang Sair quickly crossed several streets and alleys. By the time she emerged from the back door of a residential house, her appearance had changed drastically. Her lilac dress had turned into a green-and-blue corseted robe, her skirt had been replaced, and she wore a pair of small gray boots favored by wealthy youths. Her black hair was tied up with a ribbon, revealing a handsome young man. Even if Zhang Yue stood in front of her, he might not recognize her. Still, she left the city at top speed. However, in the small woods where horses were kept, she saw an unexpected person standing beside Tang Qingshuang.
“Why have you come, Brother Yue?”
Yue Changtian stepped forward, bowed, and said, “After what just happened, it’s really childish of you to sneak into Qingzhou at such a time! Thankfully, Qingshuang warned me; otherwise, if something went wrong, there would be no one to back us up.”

Seeing Tang Sair frown as if displeased, Yue Changtian glanced at Tang Qingshuang beside her and spoke slowly, word by word: “Bin Hong brought people back from Le’an, gaining great momentum in no time. Now, other sect leaders are also itching to take action. Although the sect leader has promised them autonomy, if we indulge them endlessly, they might grow even more powerful in the future. Right now, we can command a thousand or two thousand people, and those who respond to our call will gather in large numbers. As long as the sect leader takes the lead in rising up, the hierarchy will be truly established.”

“Sect leader, don’t forget—had it not been for… the downfall of the Little Ming King, the Great Ming realm should have belonged to the White Lotus Sect. At that time, many rebel forces across the land recognized the Little Ming King as their legitimate ruler. So why did he end up dying alone? Wasn’t it because he only had the title of leader but no real power? With the situation as it is now, we should rise up and rally all the heroes!”

“Third sister, Brother Yue is right. We can’t wait any longer—we can’t let Bin Hong and Zhao Wan claim the title of righteous leaders! Haven’t we investigated that area many times? Xieshipeng Fort is strategically defensible and can also be used to station troops. There’s no better place than that!”

“It’s true that it’s defensible and suitable for stationing troops. Bin Hong’s actions may have created a stir, but they’ve also alerted the authorities! Think about it—harvest time is approaching soon. How many farmers will abandon their wheat, which is almost ready to be harvested, to follow us? At this time, whoever rises up first will only be throwing themselves into trouble!”

Tang Sair rejected both of their suggestions outright, then took a deep breath—she had long since killed the officials who killed her husband. What she hated now was this world and this imperial court. As for taking control of the throne… could she think that far ahead?