RPAGF Chapter 117 The Taiping Religion's Deep Dive into the Grassroots
Chapter 117 The Taiping Religion's Deep Dive into the Grassroots
Li Sheng led his army back to Xiapi five days after the alliance meeting.
The main army camped outside the city, and he only brought a small number of personal guards into the city.
A large crowd of people gathered at the city gate. When they saw Li Sheng's troops approaching from afar, they all made way to the side of the road and shouted "General" and "Heavenly King" in loud voices.
Whenever they saw Li Sheng, they all wore a relieved expression.
Over the past few months, the people of Xiapi have become accustomed to the rule of the Taiping Army.
For them, what changed on the city walls was not just the flags, but also their way of life. With the Taiping Religion, no one dared to bully them anymore.
Li Sheng dismounted in front of the county government office, where Li Feng greeted him with a joyful expression.
"The general is back."
After the alliance meeting concluded, he returned to Xiapi ahead of time to handle affairs, while Li Sheng took the opportunity of the meeting to sweep through the countryside south of Xiapi.
Wherever the army passed, no bandit dared not be afraid. Li Sheng tilled the surrounding area like a plow, and even wiped out several bandit strongholds.
"Okay, let's go inside and talk."
The two strode into the county government office.
After entering the inner hall, Li Sheng and Li Feng took their seats.
Tell me about what has happened these past few days.
"Yes, General. Things haven't changed much these past few days; the water conservancy facilities are still under construction..."
Li Feng looked at the records in his hand and reported them one by one.
"Furthermore, the number of refugees coming from the south has been increasing these days. They all say that the Yellow Turbans in the south are too ruthless in their raids, and they can't stay there any longer..."
Li Sheng nodded; this news was not unexpected.
After all, not everyone has foresight; most of them were more like bandits, plundering wherever they could find a place. In the original historical trajectory, most of these Yellow Turbans were like this, with few able to establish themselves in one place.
Li Feng paused.
"By the way, General, some civilians have reported that they have discovered some people who don't seem to be ordinary refugees."
Li Sheng was reviewing recent records when he heard this and paused in his work.
"Go on."
"These people mingled with the refugees, and after arriving in Xiapi, they chatted with people in the markets, docks, and city gates. They were talking about nothing but you, General."
Li Feng took out a piece of paper from his sleeve and read it aloud.
"They say... the general is not a believer of the Yellow Heaven at all, and doesn't understand the Way of Peace at all. He just borrowed the Yellow Turbans' name to intimidate the government, which is why he occupied the three counties of Xiapi. They also say that the general's so-called 'Heavenly King' is an overstepping of his bounds, saying that how could a commoner dare to call himself the Heavenly King? They say that the general is using the name of the Yellow Turbans to carry out separatist regimes and will be punished by Heaven sooner or later."
After hearing this, Li Sheng was not angry; instead, he smiled.
"This must be Que Xuan's doing. His men have arrived in just a few days."
"General, you are wise."
Li Feng nodded.
"That's what I think too. Que Xuan lost face at the alliance meeting, and after returning, he sent people north to spread rumors, trying to shake our morale from the root."
Li Sheng looked at Li Feng.
"Oh? Will the people believe it?"
Li Feng shook his head, a smile appearing on his face.
"To be honest, General, the people of Xiapi... are few and far between."
"Oh?"
"My subordinates sent people to inquire in the city and countryside. They asked many people, and their answers were all similar, but they all made me feel that... General's efforts over the past few months have not been in vain."
As Li Feng spoke, his tone gradually became more enthusiastic.
"They said, 'Whether Li Tianwang understands the Yellow Heaven, we don't know. I only know that since the Heavenly King came, no one has been collecting any miscellaneous taxes anymore.'"
Some people even said, "They're still working on the canal, getting two meals a day, all dry. Do you think we don't know what kind of corrupt official they are?"
The villagers were extremely grateful to us, saying, "Since the Taiping Religion came to our village, the atmosphere has been completely transformed."
Li Feng finished speaking in one breath, took a deep breath, and looked at Li Sheng.
"General, the people's words may be rough, but they are all true. Rather than saying they believe in the Way of Peace, it would be more accurate to say they believe in the real things we are doing."
Li Sheng listened quietly without speaking immediately.
He recalled that a few months earlier, when he had just captured Xiapi, the streets were deserted and the people would avoid the Taiping soldiers, their eyes filled with wariness and fear.
At that time, he was a "thief," a "rioter," and a bandit who could steal their last bite of food at any moment.
It's different now.
"Li Feng, is what you just said about our Taiping Sect entering the countryside what I think it is?"
Li Feng smiled.
"That's right, it's the rule you set before, General. Select loyal, reliable, and eloquent soldiers from the army, train them as followers, and let them return to their hometowns to help the people while spreading your Taiping philosophy."
According to your instructions, General, each village in Xiapi now has at least one local Taoist priest, each village has a local priest, and the county has a chief priest.
They don't take a single needle or thread from the people, and when they meet them, the first thing they ask is, "What difficulties are you facing at home?" Now, when people have problems, the first person they turn to is no longer the village head, but our Taiping Sect.
After listening, Li Sheng nodded emphatically.
The results achieved so far have far exceeded his expectations.
He recalled that the system was a localized version that he had modified by incorporating practices from certain religions that he would later adopt.
Information transmission in this era was extremely backward, relying on letters and oral tradition.
In the past, when government orders were issued to the countryside, they were often distorted and altered by layers of bureaucrats and local magnates. To truly implement policies, someone must go deep into the grassroots, live, eat, and work with the people.
So Li Sheng came up with the idea of having a group of people who could serve as a conduit for messages and also gradually replace the original grassroots staff. He called this "rooting out" (or "establishing roots").
"Are these Taoists doing a good job?"
"it is good."
Li Feng nodded vigorously.
"They did a better job than their subordinates expected. They helped people repair houses, dig wells, mediate neighborhood disputes, teach people to read and write, and spread the Taiping ideology. The people were saying, 'Now that the Taiping Dao has arrived, they know what kind of life people live.'"
Li Feng's voice tightened as he spoke.
"General, we used to be commoners too, we know what it was like. People in the government never gave us a second glance, even the dogs of powerful families were more precious than us. We were like roadside weeds while we were alive, no one would even remember us when we died. But things are different now. I believe that under your command, General, everyone can enter a peaceful and prosperous world and enjoy happiness..."
After listening to Li Feng's report, Li Sheng sighed.
"This is exactly what I want to see! We are all subjects of the Emperor, and everyone should be equal and enjoy happiness and well-being. How can we allow anyone to ride on our heads?"