Part 277: The Missionary's Ambition

“Oh? Tell me more,” Zhang Yingchen said with some curiosity.

Luo Chun then recounted, one by one, how Ma Weisan had colluded with Hu Qi’er, embezzled the sect’s property, collaborated with the government, and secretly kept thugs and hidden weapons.

Zhang Yingchen’s expression became grave. He had originally thought Ma Weisan was just a greedy local ruffian, but he hadn’t expected the man’s ambition to be so great.

“…He has now recruited dozens of desperadoes in the name of ‘protecting the faith.’ They are usually kept in his manor as ‘adopted sons.’ They have swords, spears, and halberds, and he’s even hidden a few firearms.”

“What is he trying to do?” Zhang Yingchen already knew clearly in his heart. Ma Weisan’s thinking was typical of someone planning to “raise a flag and rebel.”

“This lowly one does not know,” Luo Chun said in a low voice. “However, he usually addresses Hu Qi’er as ‘martial sister.’ Although Hu Qi’er is his junior in age, she is of the same generation in terms of seniority, so Ma Weisan is very polite to her.”

Zhang Yingchen nodded. This was not surprising; the issue of seniority in religious sects could sometimes be complex.

“He has mentioned to Hu Qi’er several times that the court is now muddle-headed and the government is corrupt, and it is a time for ‘heroes to show their mettle.’ He asked her to help him and even promised her the title of ‘Holy Maiden Protector of the Faith’.”

“Did Hu Qi’er agree?”

“Hu Qi’er did not agree. She said she was only responsible for preaching and not for other matters. Ma Weisan held a grudge against her for this. This time, he was the mastermind behind the conflict between the Nanwuliang sect and the new Taoism. He incited the followers to besiege the temple, hoping to use the government’s hand to get rid of you and Hu Qi’er as well…”

“So that’s how it is,” Zhang Yingchen nodded. He had long found it strange. Hu Qi’er was, after all, a “sect leader” of her generation, with many devoted disciples and grand-disciples. How could she have been so easily killed, with no one even seeking revenge?

“…He originally wanted to use the pretext of avenging Hu Qi’er to incite the followers to cause trouble and gather a crowd to rebel. He could then become a leader. Unexpectedly, Your Reverence’s magical power is boundless. You revealed your true form at the dharma assembly and quelled the situation. Seeing that the tide had turned, he immediately changed his tune and came to seek refuge with you.”

“Hmm, I see,” Zhang Yingchen nodded. He thought that this Ma Weisan was quite a talent, with a strong ability to adapt to circumstances.

He asked, “What do you think is the best way to deal with him?”

“I will follow the True Man’s instructions,” Luo Chun said, bowing her head.

“What do you think about getting rid of him now?”

“It would not be difficult for the True Man to get rid of him,” Luo Chun said. “But he has many followers, and he usually uses money to win them over, so he has a hundred responses to a single call. If he were to die suddenly, it might cause great chaos within the sect, which would be inappropriate.”

“Hmm, go on.”

“Ma Weisan has no prestige in the sect; he relies entirely on money and force to suppress others. His several deputy group leaders have suffered a lot at his hands and have long held grudges. As long as the True Man finds a way to summon them, promises them money and the position of incense master, and then secretly gets rid of Ma Weisan, the matter can be settled.”

Zhang Yingchen thought that this woman’s calculations were not bad. He asked, “What are the names of his deputy group leaders, and what are they like?”

Luo Chun recounted, one by one, the names of Ma Weisan’s several deputy group leaders, along with the leaders of his thugs, their origins, and their usual words and deeds. Zhang Yingchen memorized them all.

He nodded and said, “I understand this matter. You have done very well. I have already guided Hu Qi’er’s soul; you need not worry anymore.”

“Thank you for your mercy, True Man,” Luo Chun immediately knelt and kowtowed.

“Get up,” Zhang Yingchen said. “Don’t tell anyone else about Ma Weisan’s matter.”

“Yes, this lowly one understands.”

After sending Luo Chun away, Zhang Yingchen paced in his room. His influence was expanding rapidly. He already had several thousand followers in the Yizhou area and had established more than a dozen mission points. But he deeply felt that he was weak and alone. The only people he could directly control and use were the few he had brought from Lingao. The others were all newly developed, and their loyalty and abilities were limited.

Now he had fifty carefully selected novices. With time, they could become the backbone of the new Taoism. But this required time, and time was what he lacked most now.

Although Ma Weisan was a hidden danger, the forces under his command were very useful. He had not only well-trained thugs but also a large amount of grain and silver. If he could make use of them, it would be a great help to his activities in southern Shandong.

Originally, he had planned to use the “boiling the frog in warm water” method to gradually infiltrate and weaken Ma Weisan’s power, eventually making him a figurehead or forcing him away. Now it seemed that Ma Weisan’s ambition was not small, and this slow method might not work.

After much consideration, he decided to follow Luo Chun’s line of thought, first dividing and disintegrating Ma Weisan’s group, and then getting rid of him.

He summoned his chief disciple, Min Zhanlian—the assassin, Min.

Since being subdued by him, Min Zhanlian had been acting as his head of security and enforcer. Knowing that this man’s nature was hard to change, he only assigned him security work and forbade him from leaving the temple at will.

“You set out now. Go outside Yizhou city and finish off this person for me,” he ordered in a low voice. “Remember, make it look like an accident. Leave no trace.”

Min Zhanlian nodded. He always carried a long cloth bag on his back, containing his unique weapon. After receiving the order, he withdrew without a word.

The person Zhang Yingchen wanted to kill was one of Ma Weisan’s deputy group leaders. This person was Ma Weisan’s die-hard follower, and he was also very cruel and unpopular in the sect. Getting rid of him first would both weaken Ma Weisan’s power and intimidate the others.

He then sent people to “invite” the other deputy group leaders under Ma Weisan to the temple in batches for “discussions.”

Now that he had Luo Chun as an “insider,” he had a good grasp of everyone’s background. Dealing with this motley crew was naturally a piece of cake.

Zhang Yingchen could not only perform rituals to guide Hu Qi’er’s soul, but he could also bring the dead back to life and make flesh grow on white bones, and he could even conjure grain out of thin air—this was already known to everyone in the local area, and his title of “True Man” had also spread from the temple. Under such prestige, how could Ma Weisan’s several deputy group leaders dare to disobey? They all came to pay their respects on time.

Zhang Yingchen used both carrot and stick and quickly subdued these people one by one, promising that as long as they “assisted in the dharma affairs,” they would be protectors or incense masters when the new Taoist southern Shandong main altar was established in the future.

These people were originally just minor local ruffians who had become local leaders of the Nanwuliang sect by chance. They were all overwhelmed by the favor and prostrated themselves on the ground.

A few days later, Min Zhanlian returned, bringing back a piece of news: the person he was supposed to kill was already dead.

“So fast?” Zhang Yingchen was surprised. He knew Min Zhanlian’s abilities, but this was too smooth.

“It wasn’t me who killed him,” Min Zhanlian said. “When I went, he was already dead. It is said that he suddenly contracted an acute illness and died before the doctor could even write a prescription.”

“Is there such a thing?” Zhang Yingchen was skeptical.

“It’s absolutely true. When I went, his family was already holding a funeral. I mixed in and took a look. The person had already been encoffined.”

Zhang Yingchen couldn’t figure out what was strange about this. However, the person he wanted to kill was already dead, so his goal was achieved.

“You go again immediately and deliver this to Ma Weisan,” Zhang Yingchen took out a small paper packet from his sleeve.

“Yes.”

The next day, the new Taoist southern Shandong branch issued an obituary, stating that Ma Weisan had “achieved merit and ascended to immortality.” Zhang Yingchen personally presided over a grand “salvation” dharma assembly for him. At the assembly, he publicly announced the new personnel appointments for the southern Shandong branch. The several deputy group leaders who were originally under Ma Weisan all received titles such as “incense master” or “protector” and were rewarded with silver from him. They were all moved to tears of gratitude.

Zhang Yingchen had effortlessly taken control of most of the Nanwuliang sect’s power in Yizhou, obtaining a large amount of money, grain, and several hundred well-trained thugs. Now, he felt that he had finally established a firm foothold in southern Shandong and could carry out his own ambitions.

He immediately sent people to post notices everywhere, announcing that the “Australian Immortal” would be “opening halls to preach the dharma and save all sentient beings” in various places.