Chapter 5 Showdown, the other side of the Zhen family!
"Shocking?"

Ye Zhang laughed and scolded: "You little bastard, why don't you learn other skills and pretend to be so smart?"

"What big thing can you say?"

Zhen also had a smile on her face and didn't take Ye Feng's words to heart at all.

Ye Feng did not explain further, and said seriously: "The world is about to be in chaos."

"Chaos?"

Ye Zhang was shocked, then frowned and scolded, "Nonsense!"

"You know, little brat, if someone with ulterior motives hears what I am saying, even if I am your father and the governor, I still can't protect you."

Ye Feng knew that if he wanted to accumulate strength, recruit private soldiers, and prepare for troubled times, he had to convince his parents.

Only with their support can everything go smoothly.

"Father, do you know about the Taiping Dao founded by Zhang Jue?"

Ye Zhang nodded: "Of course I know this."

"But they are just bullying the people in the name of curing illnesses and saving lives!"

"How can they really mess up the world?"

Ye Feng shook his head: "Father underestimated them."

"Do you know how many followers of the Taiping Dao there are in the thirteen states of the world today?"

“More than a million.”

"These people firmly believe that Zhang Jue is a messenger sent by heaven to rescue them from danger."

"As long as Zhang Jue raises his arm and calls for help, his followers will flock like clouds. With the current corrupt imperial court, can we quickly eliminate these millions of people?"

"Hiss."

Ye Zhang took a breath of cold air.

As a prefect, he naturally knew something about the Taiping Dao, but he never took it to heart from beginning to end.

How could I not be shocked when I heard that the Taiping Dao had more than one million members?

If this many believers were to spread across the world, it would shake the government and cause unrest in the country.

"Feng'er, how did you know this?"

"You have never even left Zhongshan City in the past."

After a brief hesitation, Ye Feng pointed to the backyard where Zuo Ci was placed and said, "Master Zuo traveled around the world and observed the stars at night. He said that within a year at most, the Taiping Dao will sweep across the world."

"He stayed in our house so that he could do something for the people of the world in these troubled times."

"Otherwise, who do you think can convince a godly figure like Taoist Zuo?"

If Ye Zhang originally only believed 30% of Ye Feng's words, with the addition of Zuo Ci, Ye Zhang believed 90% of them.

"Feng'er, what are your plans?"

Ye Feng said: "Recruit private soldiers, gather strength, maintain stability in troubled times, and build achievements."

"Recruiting private soldiers?"

Ye Zhang frowned: "This is a capital crime."

"If the imperial court finds out, my father and I will be in big trouble."

Zhen also nodded: "Don't do anything that will get you killed."

"Since we know that Zhang Jue of the Taiping Dao has rebellious intentions, we can report this to the court and ask the Thirteen States to clean him up. Isn't this the best of both worlds?"

Ye Zhang twirled his beard lightly: "Madam, what you said is very good."

Ye Feng shook his head slowly: "Not to mention that the court is now corrupt, it is difficult for father's words to be taken seriously."

"Even if the court officials heard it and the news spread, how could Zhang Jue just sit there and wait for death?"

"If they start a rebellion ahead of time and set their sights on our Ye family." "Wouldn't that mean our entire family would be in danger of being wiped out?"

"Father, do you think the two thousand soldiers of Zhongshan County can withstand the siege of tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of people?"

"Besides, it is still unknown how many of the county soldiers are true believers in the Taiping Dao."

Ye Zhang's expression changed, and he shook his head decisively: "Feng'er is right."

"I am only a county governor, my words carry little weight, and it is uncertain whether my words can reach the capital. If we let the Taiping Dao rebel in advance, someone in the court might put the blame on us, saying that we forced the Taiping Dao to rebel. If both sides want us dead, then we will be hopeless."

"I'm afraid our family is going to be in big trouble."

Zhen was panicked: "Then what should we do?"

Ye Zhang said: "Prepare in advance and accumulate strength. When the Taiping Dao revolts, the imperial court has relaxed its military preparations in recent years. If a major rebellion breaks out, the powerful people from all directions will definitely recruit volunteers."

"By then, if we prepare in advance, we can take the lead among the rebels. After we pacify the four directions, my Ye family will naturally be rewarded."

“In troubled times there are dangers as well as opportunities.”

"Feng'er's future may be better than mine."

Ye Feng laughed secretly in his heart. He had never thought of staying on the sinking ship of the Han Dynasty.

Being well-versed in history, he knew that the Yellow Turban Rebellion was just the prelude to the troubled times.

The Han ship had already decayed and was riddled with holes, making it impossible for it to continue sailing.

Of course, I won’t tell these words to my parents now, otherwise I don’t know if their little hearts can bear it.

Since he couldn't tell the truth, he could only follow Ye Zhang's words and continue: "Father is right. In troubled times, heroes emerge from all directions. I will certainly not humiliate your father's reputation and the reputation of the Ye family."

Ye Zhang nodded in satisfaction, but Zhen beside him was a little worried: "On the battlefield, swords and guns are blind, Feng'er has never practiced martial arts, if something happens to him, how can we survive?"

Ye Feng smiled confidently and said, "Mother has forgotten the four techniques I created. Now my comprehension has greatly increased. I will train soldiers and practice martial arts at the same time. I will definitely be able to protect myself before the chaotic times come."

"Of course, this also requires the strong support of my father and mother."

"Maintaining soldiers, training soldiers, making armor and weapons, and buying horses all require a lot of money and food."

Ye Zhang nodded: "This is easy. There are many unused armors in the treasury. I can secretly transfer them out and let you use them for the time being."

"Our family is also involved in the food and fodder business. At worst, we won't sell it to you for now. We'll just give it to you first."

"It's just that horses are hard to get. Also, where are the soldiers going to come from? What kind of training grounds are needed? These are all headaches and need to be solved one by one."

Ye Feng nodded slightly, also considering a way to have the best of both worlds.

Zhen, who had not spoken for a long time, smiled and said, "This is also simple."

"The Wuji Zhen family has business dealings with several families in Youzhou and Bingzhou that specialize in dealing with the Xiongnu and Wuhuan. It is not difficult to entrust him to help us purchase a batch of war horses."

"As for soldiers, we can look for reliable people among our tenants, servants, and merchant caravans."

"In addition, we can recruit strong men from among the refugees."

"These days, I think many people would not refuse someone who stutters."

"As for the place to train troops, we can choose a hill outside the city and use the excuse of mining and logging to make it inaccessible to ordinary people and hunters."

"With a warrant from you, the governor, who dares to bring bad luck to our family?"

With just a few words, Zhen solved the problem that was bothering Ye Zhang and Ye Feng.

Ye Feng also said with sincere emotion: "No wonder my Ye family is thriving, my mother's contribution is far beyond others' imagination."

When Ye Zhang heard his beloved son praising his wife, he seemed to feel a little embarrassed. He turned his head and said with a smile: "How can there be no generals when training soldiers and practicing martial arts?"

"I, your father, would like to recommend a man to you who can surely help you out of your predicament."

"Oh?"

"I wonder who my father wants to recommend?"

Ye Zhang stroked his beard and said, "The patrol captain of the government office, Zhang He."

(End of this chapter)