Chapter 5 Golden Toad competes for eye
One night in June 875, Caozhou's injustice was Huangzhuang.
In a big room in the corner of Zhuangyuan, 20 or 30 heroes gathered, all with a solemn expression, listening to the speech of a big man in the middle. The big man's arms are round and angular. His name is Huang Chao, a salt seller. In his early years, he took the imperial examination, went to Chang'an, and witnessed the chaos and darkness of the government. He is good at dancing with guns and sticks, and his martial arts skills are superb. He helps the poor and the chivalrous voice is far away.
Tonight, Huang Chao specially invited Zhuang's capable relatives and friends to hold an important meeting. The moonlight shines through the window lattice and sprinkles on everyone's faces. Huang Chao's voice was sonorous and powerful, full of magnetism: "Wang Xianzhi revolted in Changyuan and conquered Puzhou, which has attracted the attention of the court. I estimate that soon, the court will send a large army to encircle and suppress it. We have already had this idea and prepared for a long time to rise up and let the people of the world live a good life. But I have always thought that this is not the best time for an uprising, but Wang Xianzhi has taken action, and we must also respond here to become a horn with Wang Xianzhi's department, cross the Lu, advance into Jianghuai, and then go straight to Luoyang and conquer Chang'an!"
After Huang Chao finished speaking, his brother Huang Kui was the first to agree: "Big brother is right. The current situation forces us to revolt in grievances and quickly strengthen our team." Huang Chao's brother Meng Kai, nephew Huang Siye, nephew Lin Yan and others also agreed to the uprising. Cao Min, Huang Chao's wife, said, "Everyone agrees to this uprising. We must pay attention to confidentiality. After returning home, carefully check the weapons and horses and prepare food." Huang Chao continued: "Listen, everyone. Tomorrow morning, you will inform the people involved in the uprising to gather at Zuoshan Longxing Temple. There is no mistake!" Everyone answered in unison, "Yes!"
The next day, the people of Zuoshan Longxing Temple shouted happily and were very lively. Huang Chao picked up the steps, and Meng Kai, Cao Min, Huang Kui, Huang Siye, Lin Yan and others followed closely. After a while, they came to the Hundred Temples and saw an old monk and some monks standing in front of the temple. As soon as Huang Chao saw the old monk, he bowed his head and said, "Master is on top, disciple Huang Chao knocks on you!" Meng Kai and others also fell to the ground one after another. The old monk is not someone else, but a Zen master of Shaolin monk Huiqing, with profound cultivation and excellent martial arts. He taught Huang Chao to practice martial arts, so Huang Chao became a disciple of Shaolin's secular family, and Shaolin's kung fu was very good. Huiqing came forward and picked up Huang Chao: "The apprentice is exempt from etiquette. If you have a word, follow me to the Zen room for an interview."
Huang Chao got up, entered the hall with Huiqing, turned left and right. Huiqing opened a secret room and greeted Huang Chao to sit down. Huiqing looked at Huang Chao affectionately and said slowly, "The apprentice proposed a righteous soldier this time, against Li Tang, and understood as a teacher. As a teacher, he knows that apprentices are decent and ambitious, and want to benefit the world. But the sky is unpredictable, and the disciples rise up, which is dangerous and unpredictable. I will send four words to you as a teacher. Remember! Remember! The nature is clear and unscheduled, and the hidden Tao looks at the sunset. Once the snow was swept away, he took the remnants of chrysanthemums to enjoy the fallen plums. Amitabha, good! Good!"
Huang Chao nodded repeatedly: "Master, remember the idioms and sweep away all the snow in the world and eliminate harm for the people." Huiqing nodded with satisfaction: "The disciple is going to take the troops away, and he will be sent away as a teacher. There are two vulgar disciples as a teacher, one named Qiaoqi and the other Niu Feng, who will fight with you in all directions. I have agreed with them to wait in front of the Hundred Temples. Apprentice, go ahead. The mountains and rivers are long outside, which is the place where you can show your ambitions. As an old teacher, he recites scriptures every day to save all sentient beings. Huang Chao knelt down and knocked on his head three times, with tears in his eyes: "Master, the apprentice is gone. Take care of yourself!" Huiqing put his hands together, his eyes drooped, and stopped talking. Huang Chao was reluctant to leave the secret room.
Huang Chao came to the Hundred Temples, and Qiao and Niu Feng both came to him: "I will follow the teacher's order and fight on the battlefield with my eldest brother for the benefit of the people!" Huang Chao held their hands tightly: "Thank you, we must do a vigorous career!" Huang Chao ordered: "Scent!" The generals followed the yellow nest to the hall, where the smoke was clear and fragrant. Facing the Buddha statue, Huang Chao worshipped three times and said, "The Buddha is above, and Huang Chao advocates volunteers to save the people of Li from water and fire, hoping to protect us to build a peaceful and prosperous world." Then the generals visited one after another.
Huang Chao and the generals returned to the Hundred Temples and looked at His Highness's 5,000 to 6,000 righteous soldiers. Huang Chao generously said: "A long time ago, there was no rain for a long time. In order to save the people, Zuo Shan and three other monks sent the Dingguang Buddha reli to the Central Plains, hoping to use Buddhism to save all sentient beings. After a long journey to Caozhou, I saw the people suffering. At this time, a group of robbers were killing and set fire. The monks rescued them, but they were outnumbered, and the reli was taken away by the bad guys! Through the guidance of the abbot, Zuo Shan practiced peerless martial arts and finally defeated the bad guys and took back the reli. In order to welcome the arrival of the reli and the death of the dead, the monks held a Dharma meeting and placed the reli in the big tower. From then on, the people lived and lived a good life. This big tower is in Longxing Temple. We need to learn from Zuo Shan's fearless fighting spirit for Li people! Recently, everyone heard a nursery rhyme, "Golden toads compete for their eyes, but turn over Caozhou's world rebellion", which is what the people who survived said. In recent years, there has been a severe drought in Kanto and the harvest of crops, but the Li Tang Dynasty has become more and more ruthless, with more and more taxes and heavier, so that the people are not allowed to live?! The emperor played polo and ignored the government. Officialdom bribery is rampant, dogs bite dogs, mouths of hair, make them smoky and lose trust in the world. Everyone has seen that now there are people fleeing from the wilderness. Li Tang has offended God. Today, Huang Chao revolted in grievances, resisting the tyrannical Li Tang, and poked a big hole in the sky! I revolted with Huang Chao. I have food to eat, so I guarantee that everyone has food to eat!"
The Rebels shouted: "We follow General Huang and fight against the corrupt Li Tang Dynasty to the end!" The vow of the rebel army resounded through the sky, around Mount Tai, across Qilu, and flew to the vast land of China...
The famous Huang Chao Uprising in Chinese history broke out!
Huang Chao issued a combat order: "The soldiers are so fast, I order all departments to move south quickly and occupy Caozhou!" Meng Kai and other generals led their respective soldiers and horses like a sharp sword and went straight into Caozhou. In order to better cooperate with Wang Xianzhi's Rebel Army, Huang Chao, who is familiar with military tactics, knows that only strange soldiers and attack the weak position of the enemy can achieve the best combat effect. At the same time, Huang Chao sent an envoy to inform Wang Xianzhi of the unjust uprising and asked Wang Xianzhi to lead his troops to resolutely block the Tang army reinforcements to Caozhou. After capturing Caozhou, the second army chose a division to discuss the military situation.
As Huang Chao expected, Caozhou's troops were quite empty at this time. After Mao Hong received Xue Chong's order, although 10,000 were unhappy, he still ordered 3,000 troops to set out in the direction of Changyuan, and Caozhou was guarded by only one or two thousand people. He never dreamed that Huang Chao had already raised an army and went straight to his nest Caozhou.
The Rebels led by Huang Chao have been organized and prepared for a long time, and their military quality is quite excellent. The morale of the Rebels are vigorous, and the first battle of the division is very important, so everyone is brave and strives to take the lead. In the evening, the Rebel soldiers came to the city, and Huang Chao came to the front line to command and launched a fierce attack on the Tang army in Caozhou.