Su Minguan was weak after his injury and could only lean most of his weight on Lin Yuchan’s shoulder as they walked step by step through the gates of Haizhuang Temple.
Lin Yuchan immediately understood why Aunt Hong had said this temple was “rather strange.”
The mountain gate was tall, and the road spacious—during the day, it should be an ordinary temple with clouds of pilgrims, but at night, there were two burly men standing guard at the entrance. Even at midnight, their eyes were bright and alert, faces full of vigilance.
A giant eagle claw orchid rose from the ground, casting menacing shadows in the moonlight.
Su Minguan was breathing rapidly, too tired to speak much. He slightly raised his right hand and made three mysterious hand gestures.
The big men showed respectful salute and said in low voices: “Eight Immortals cross the sea, ancient trees meet spring, the nation prospers and people live in peace.”
Then they cupped their hands and stepped aside.
Lin Yuchan: “…You chose this meeting place—don’t the monks in the temple mind?”
“What monks are there here?” He couldn’t help but find it amusing, covering his wound and saying hoarsely, “Think about it… You’re a Ming dynasty loyalist, you don’t dare openly defy the hair-cutting decree, but you don’t want to keep that pig’s tail… what do you do?”
Lin Yuchan suddenly understood: “Amitabha, blessed be.”
Su Minguan: “You’re not a society member, so you shouldn’t come in normally. Like this… I’ll teach you some code words. Memorize them, and if anyone asks, just say… just say you’re a recruit I just developed. Haven’t had time to burn incense yet.”
Lin Yuchan said happily, “Then, do I have particularly high seniority?”
Wasn’t that how martial arts novels worked? The boss’s final disciple would start with a bunch of disciples and grand-disciples.
Young Master Xiao Bai gave her a white-eyed look: “The Heaven and Earth Society has been around for hundreds of years, and seniority has long been confused. Now we rank by age. If you joined, you’d be dead last.”
Lin Yuchan had nothing to say and could only cram at the last minute, learning several sets of signals from him. They were all quite catchy and not hard to remember.
Pushing open the door of a side hall, the lights inside were dim. The Buddha statues for show were covered in mold spots, looking kindly at the visitors outside the door.
Inside the hall, dozens of society members who had just escaped from the coolie barracks were resting in various positions.
Someone saw Su Minguan, jumped up, and shouted: “Jin Lan… Minguan is back!”
Everyone swarmed forward. The bearded uncle who had spoken with Lin Yuchan earlier had his right arm in a sling and laughed heartily: “I knew it, Minguan is young but clever, he has ways of dealing with soldiers and wouldn’t have problems! How are your injuries?”
Su Minguan glanced at Lin Yuchan from the corner of his eye, feeling embarrassed about being called “young but clever,” coughed once, and said flatly: “Uncle Cheng is joking. You all have injuries too, please sit.”
Everyone gave thumbs up, praising repeatedly: “This child is steady, so young yet truly has the old helmsman’s demeanor.”
After speaking, everyone sighed wistfully.
Su Minguan glanced at Lin Yuchan again, his lips twitching, deciding not to speak.
A monk suddenly called out, “Minguan, who is this young lady?”
Not calling her “female benefactor” when meeting a girl, a fake monk.
Su Minguan followed their previously agreed story, saying: “This is a new recruit joining the society…”
Before Lin Yuchan could figure out how to greet the various uncles and elders, several people started making a big fuss.
“Minguan, you’re being too casual! Haizhuang Temple isn’t a place where female members can come. You should have her go to the Tianhou Temple on the west bank of Shuzhu Creek first, worship the Earth Mother sisters, burn incense, and then come over. Otherwise, wouldn’t that ruin the feng shui?”
Lin Yuchan was suddenly startled to hear them discussing her.
How could there be discrimination even in this peasant uprising organization?
Su Minguan was also stunned, then laughed: “There’s such a rule? I’m young and haven’t heard of it.”
Seeing he wouldn’t take up this topic, everyone seemed to remember he was Jin Lanhe’s successor and laughed awkwardly: “The helmsman decides.”
Lin Yuchan wasn’t angry either. After all, she had truly returned to the Qing dynasty—equal rights for everyone would be ghostly.
Everyone sat on the ground. Lin Yuchan saw a pot of boiled water, impolitely drank a large bowl, then brought a bowl to Su Minguan. He drank it all in one go.
With the helmsman present, everyone chattered and asked: “The helmsman saved our lives—what do we do next?”
Having just escaped death from the coolie barracks, still bearing wounds and bloodstains, these fearless resisters began excitedly fantasizing.
The monk called out first: “Of course, we inherit the old helmsman’s will, go to the Guangzhou prefectural office, and kill more dog officials!”
This proposal didn’t get much support. The Heaven and Earth Society was loosely organized, and the backbone forces had all sacrificed themselves in the last Guangzhou uprising. Even the most optimistic people didn’t dare agree.
Everyone unanimously said: “Go north! Anyway, our family fortunes are already ruined, so why not join the Taiping Army? Minguan, when your injuries heal, let’s travel together, reassemble troops, and when we reach Nanjing, let them make you a general!”
The Taiping Heavenly Kingdom was currently conquering cities and territories in the Yangtze River valley. Not only did all the people know about it, but even foreign newspapers in the Shamian concession occasionally published editorials analyzing the situation in Nanjing.
The Heaven and Earth Society had long maintained communication with the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. The Guangzhou uprising had also received support from the Taiping Army. Unfortunately, it failed.
Therefore, everyone naturally thought that joining the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom might be the best way out.
Before Su Minguan could answer, Lin Yuchan blurted out: “No!”
Dozens of eyes immediately fell on her, many with dissatisfaction.
Lin Yuchan pressed her lips together. Could she say that if her history books weren’t mixed up, the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom only had less than three years left, with 1864 being its deadline?
Now, there were no phones or internet, and news traveled slowly with extremely poor timeliness. These people’s impression of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom might still be stuck in the glory days of a few years ago, when the great army conquered Tianjing.
But… Lin Yuchan’s heart suddenly stirred. If she really could spoil history, if she could slightly nudge the gears of history, would fate’s direction be different?
Su Minguan glanced at her lightly and said softly: “I agree. We shouldn’t go find the Taiping Army.”
Several people asked simultaneously: “Why?”
During the last Guangzhou uprising, the Taiping Army promised three hundred thousand troops to help, but then changed their minds, saying something about Tianjing being in crisis. So I have reason to suspect that the Taiping Army’s current situation isn’t as wonderful as we think.” Su Minguan’s wound was aching sharply. He covered it tightly with his clothes and gently rubbed the skin around the wound’s edge. “Moreover, even if we succeed in our cause in the future and overthrow the court, what will the new court be called? Have they consulted with us?”