Feng Yunshan looked at Luo YaoGuo and his expression softened again: "Brother Eight, you in heaven wouldn't know how cunning those who read the classics are! How adept they are at camouflage! If our Heavenly Kingdom movement truly conforms to the famous teachings, then... my Taiping Heavenly Kingdom will eventually become another Great Ming! Brother Eight, you should know that the Red Flag Army in the late Yuan Dynasty initially believed in the White Lotus Teachings, right?"
"I know, I know, brother knows," Luo YaoGuo nodded repeatedly. "Brother Three, how could I not know? However, we must avoid... the fall of Tianjing! Our Taiping Heavenly Kingdom is still far from the market of the Great Ming Dynasty right now! Moreover, do you think our Heavenly King can compare to Zhu Hongwu?"
Feng Yunshan lowered his voice: "He is at best a Little Ming King..."
He indeed is a good brother to Hong Xiuquan!
Luo YaoGuo nodded and said: "Brother Three, since we know the abilities of our Heavenly King, we should find ways to avoid all the scholars and students of famous teachings turning against us and siding with the Qing forces."
Brother Three, please think again, at the time you and the Heavenly King were preaching in Guangdong, how many followers did you have? We have already left Guangxi and entered Hunan. In the future, we will also establish our capital in Nanjing."
"Old Eight, enough... don't argue these big principles with me, I can't win an argument with you!"
Feng Yunshan probably also knew that Luo YaoGuo was right, so he stopped arguing with him and instead lowered his tone, addressing Luo YaoGuo in a stern voice: "Brother Eight, you have made two major mistakes this time! If you don't quickly come up with a plan to deal with it, the Heavenly King and the Eastern King will all be on your case!"
"Are they not sworn enemies?" Luo YaoGuo was stunned and looked at Feng Yunshan in disbelief.
"Enemies?" Feng Yunshan huffed, "They can't even be enemies and still scold you together?"
"Together scold me? Why?"
Feng Yunshan smiled bitterly a few times: "Do you still not understand? First of all, you altered the name of our Heavenly Father, the Almighty God... have you talked to the Heavenly King about this matter?"
"I did say so... he probably wouldn't agree to the change anyway." Luo YaoGuo spoke in a low voice. "Brother Three, little brother has always known Brother Two's character."
Changing "Yahweh" to "Emperor of the Celestial Empire" involves the fundamental tenets of the God-worshipping faith, and it also has the connotation of aligning with Confucianism. With Hong Xiuquan's ability to perform divine rituals, it's impossible for him not to see that.
So it would be difficult for him to agree!
Feng Yunshan said: "So you plan to do something first and report it later, creating a fait accompli?"
Luo YaoGuo nodded, furrowed his brow, and quickly added a soft word: "Brother Three, this time, little brother really didn't think things through properly..."
Feng Yunshan looked at Luo YaoGuo and said, "You're not just lacking in consideration. You're acting with impunity! You and Brother Four... you both don't treat the Heavenly King as your master!"
Luo YaoGuo fell silent.
Feng Yunshan added, "And the Heavenly King's greatest hatred is that the several kings below do not regard him as the true sovereign! Your little plan... will not deceive him!" He paused for a moment and then said again, "This problem you need to solve yourself. I cannot help you!"
Think of a way to resolve it yourself? Luo YaoGuo calculated in his mind: Are you trying to make me pull out the magic artifact 'Tongtian Mirror' to awe the crazy Hong Xiuquan and make him repent?
But this artifact is effective against Feng Yunshan, Hong Xianjiao, and Su San niang, but it may not be able to contain the semi-insane Hong Xiuquan! He is determined to believe that he is the precious son of the Almighty God.
"Little brother understands!" Luo YaoGuo thought for a moment and then nodded, "Brother Three, isn't there another big mistake... recruiting Yu Wanqing?"
Yu Wanqing is a Qing demon!
And the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom has no mercy for such a level of Qing demon. They usually kill them on the spot, with few exceptions.
At least for this matter, they are not lenient!
However, for Luo YaoGuo's current status, recruiting Yu Wanqing wouldn't be a big deal.
"Yu Wanqing is fine, but you shouldn't have recruited Jiao Hong!" Feng Yunshan sighed, "This matter can't be all your fault... you may not know who he really is?"
"He is the brother of Hong Daquan!" Luo YaoGuo remembered now, "Hong Daquan was swindled by Brother Four?"
"That's not all..." Feng Yunshan said, "Hong Daquan was deceived by Brother Four in Yanyuan City, causing the Heavenly King to believe that he could build his kingdom with the help of the people of Hunan and Yongjiang. How will the people of Guangxi feel about that?"
Now you have brought his brother into your ranks, are you trying to turn all the members of the Recruitment Hall into your confidants?"
Luo YaoGuo laughed, "No wonder Jiao Hong and his wife Xu Xianggui, as well as his sister-in-law Xu Yuegui, couldn't join the Taiping Army. They had to start their own rebellion in Hunan. In the end, they were caught by Luo Bingzhang and subjected to a cruel punishment... The upper echelons were also sorry for them!"
"Upper echelons?" Feng Yunshan looked astonished at Luo YaoGuo.
Luo YaoGuo took out the "Tongtian Mirror" and twirled it, then pointed it towards the sky!
Having a "Tongtian Mirror" that can connect to Heavenly Lord Jidu is great. Anything can be attributed to His Supreme Commandments!
Feng Yunshan's brow was tightening more and more, and he spoke in a grave voice: "Then you should report this to the Heavenly King first... now it's the Emperor of the Celestial Empire, the 'Book of Unrighteousness', and you've also recruited Jiao Hong, who is feared by Brother Four, Brother East, and Brother West... Do you really think they can't do anything to you?"
"Brother Three," Luo YaoGuo still seemed rather unconcerned, smiling as he asked, "You might not be able to help with the Emperor of the Celestial Empire and 'The Book of Unrighteousness'... But for Jiao Hong and Yu Wanqing, you must know how to handle these matters, right?"
Feng Yunshan smiled bitterly and said, "Brother Eight, I do know this. You must make them show their achievements and capabilities!"
"To let them show their achievements and capabilities?" Luo YaoGuo thought for a moment, "Do you mean during the capture of Daozhou City?"
Feng Yunshan nodded. "Old Eight, do you know what to do?"
"I know!" Luo YaoGuo nodded. "Brother Three, I know what to do, thank you for your guidance!"
"All are our own brothers..." Feng Yunshan smiled, "You need to act quickly, ideally capturing Daozhou City before Brother East takes down Lingling. Moreover, both Yu Wanqing and Jiao Hong must contribute significantly. They need to perform well and leave no room for criticism from the people of Guangxi."
"Understood!" While speaking, Luo YaoGuo pulled out a book and handed it to Feng Yunshan with both hands. "Brother Three, you've done me a big favor... Gratitude is beyond words, here's this for you!"
Feng Yunshan took the book and looked at it: "Is this a ledger?"
"Yes," Luo YaoGuo smiled, "It's a ledger of the Yellow family in Eotang village and the land and floating assets distributed there. The yield has been quite good!"
"Distributing floating wealth?" Feng Yunshan heard another word that gave him a headache, "How was it distributed?"
"Triple-triple opening," Luo YaoGuo said, "Three-thirds belong to the poor farmers in Eotang village, and three-thirds go into the Holy Treasury."
"What about the remaining four parts?" Feng Yunshan asked.
Luo YaoGuo laughed, "One part goes to my angel's palace, and three parts to your southern palace, how about that?"
"You..."
"This is not greed!" Luo YaoGuo saw Feng Yunshan about to scold him again and quickly explained, "Brother Three, you will need to establish a base in Daozhou. To manage Daozhou, there are many places where money is needed. Little brother will also need to march towards Changsha next, lead the army in battle, and establish connections with good men of the Tiantiandihui, buy bribes from Qing demons and corrupt officials, all of which require money! The method of having all goods go to the Lord of Heaven cannot be implemented here in Daozhou; otherwise your base cannot be established."
Feng Yunshan's brow knit even tighter. Luo YaoGuo's words were reasonable, but the problem was, his methods were quite different from those of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom now!
...
"Big Brother Jiao, Uncle Yu...... The battle of Daozhou is crucial for the two of you. The official position you can hold, as well as the positions held by good men from the Tiantiandihui and those who have abandoned the Qing for Heaven, in the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom in the future, all depend on this battle! Do you understand?"
In Eotang town, the grand mansion of the Huang family, Luo YaoGuo was discussing with Su San Niang, Zeng Tianyang, Chen Chengyong, He Daming, Jiao Hong, Yu Mieqing, Wang Yan, and others on how to capture Daozhou.
He treats Jiao Hong and Yu Mieqing with respect, calling them "big brother" and "baba," making the two of them feel a bit stunned.
"Angel of the heavens, taking Daozhou is easy!" Master Yu Mieqing is full of confidence and determination to capture Daozhou.
He also has two concubines and a son in the city of Daozhou! We must find them quickly; otherwise, if the concubines run away and the son is lost, that would be a great loss.
"Angel of the heavens, with the five thousand brothers of my Tiantiandihui Recruitment Hall, capturing Daozhou is as easy as flipping a palm.” Jiao Hong's eyes were red and his voice was hoarse. Su San Niang had already told him about Hong Daquan's capture.
Hong Daquan is his younger brother Jiao Liang under the name of Hong Daquan. If Jiao Liang is caught under that name, there's no doubt he will be subjected to slow torture and death. He can't help but be heartbroken. However, even if he's heartbroken, it can't delay the anti-Qing cause... The thousands of brothers in the Recruitment Hall and the tens of thousands of members of the Hunan Tiantiandihui all hope to achieve fame and fortune by following the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom.
We've waited for two hundred years! It's hard to get this opportunity. How can we miss it?
Luo YaoGuo nodded, thinking to himself: Since you all are so confident, I might as well throw you a tough challenge!
