Chapter 101: Journey to Mount Tai

“Ma Jun!” Liu Yao exclaimed in surprise upon hearing the name. He was very familiar with Ma Jun—arguably the most famous inventor of the Three Kingdoms era. Yet he had never expected Ma Jun to be a descendant of Gongshu Zi. But considering Ma Jun’s talents, it made more sense that he would inherit Gongshu Zi’s legacy. Liu Yao had previously sent people to track Ma Jun’s whereabouts but had never received any news. He certainly did not anticipate learning about him through Mo Tian.

“Lord, do you really know Ma Jun?” Mo Tian asked, noticing Liu Yao’s astonished expression.

“Ahem.” Liu Yao realized he had overreacted and quickly cleared his throat twice to mask his embarrassment. “I’ve heard the name Ma Jun before, but Mo Lao, what exactly did you mean in your last remark?”

“Your servant reports, Lord, that the Gongshu lineage differs from our Mo family. They prefer to wander from place to place to spark their creativity. As such, it’s nearly impossible for most to find a descendant of Gongshu Zi. As for why I said he would be in a certain place, that stems from an agreement between the Mo family and the Gongshu family,” Mo Tian explained with a smile.

“An agreement?” Liu Yao was puzzled.

Mo Tian nodded. “Indeed. Our ancestor Mozi once had a friendship with Gongshu Zi. Both were passionate about mechanical arts, so they agreed that every ten years, the heirs of their two families would meet atop Mount Tai for a contest and exchange of skills. The last time was between my old friend, who was Ma Jun’s teacher, and me. Ma Jun, then just a boy of ten or so, was there as well—I met him once. But now my old friend has passed on, so Ma Jun must take his place and fulfill the ten-year pact.”

Listening to Mo Tian, Liu Yao felt as if he were hearing a story come alive. He had never imagined such a connection between the Mo and Gongshu families. As someone with a background in history, tales like these held great allure for him.

“Mo Lao, how long until the next ten-year meeting?” Liu Yao asked, concerned. If it were still four or five years away, that would be troublesome.

Mo Tian smiled. “There’s no need to worry, my lord. The next ten-year meeting is on the second day of the second lunar month next year, the day of the Dragon Raising its Head.”

“Second day of the second lunar month?” Liu Yao’s heart lifted. It was already late December, meaning in just over a month and a half, Ma Jun would travel to Mount Tai to honor the agreement. With Mo Tian’s help, bringing Ma Jun under his command would surely be manageable.

“Lord, according to the intelligence from the covert unit, Mount Tai is currently occupied by a band of robbers led by a man named Zang Ba. Their numbers exceed thirty thousand,” Guo Jia, who had been silent until now, suddenly spoke.

“What! If my nephew Ma Jun goes to Mount Tai, wouldn’t he be in grave danger?” Mo Tian was shocked. Sweat poured from his brow as he became flustered. Having stayed indoors for so long, he was unaware of the recent turmoil. If Ma Jun ventured there now, he might fall victim to the Mount Tai bandits.

Mo Tian then looked at Liu Yao as if finding his anchor and pleaded earnestly, “My lord, please save my nephew Ma Jun’s life.” Ma Jun was the sole heir of his old friend. If Ma Jun were to perish, the Gongshu family’s craft would vanish forever. How could Mo Tian face the spirit of his departed comrade otherwise?

“There’s no need for such distress, Mo Lao. Please rise,” Liu Yao helped him up firmly. “Rest assured, I shall journey to Mount Tai myself.” Even without considering his debt to Mo Tian, Liu Yao was determined to rescue Ma Jun. Ma Jun was the key to whether the wooden kite could ever be realized. For that reason alone, Liu Yao had to save him.

As for the Mount Tai bandits, Liu Yao barely regarded them. Thirty thousand men were nothing against his five thousand-strong Vanguard Battalion. He knew of Zang Ba and reckoned him roughly a second-tier commander with a few mediocre subordinates like Wu Dun, Yin Li, Sun Guan, and Sun Kang—not enough to worry about.

“Thank you, my lord! Thank you!” Mo Tian expressed his heartfelt gratitude.

“Fengxiao, what should we do now? Ma Jun must be saved. Do you have any ideas?” Liu Yao asked Guo Jia.

After some thought, Guo Jia replied, “My lord, this matter should not be delayed. We must hasten to Mount Tai County in Qingzhou. As for how to defeat the enemy, I will need some time to devise a plan.” After all, Guo Jia was no sorcerer. Liu Yao’s sudden decision to confront Zang Ba caught him unprepared, and he lacked intel on the bandit leader.

“Very well! Our army will rest here for a day, then march to Qingzhou on the morrow,” Liu Yao commanded.

“Yes, my lord!”

The next morning, Liu Yao led his five thousand-strong Vanguard Battalion toward Qingzhou. As for Zhang Fei, after Liu Yao’s lengthy admonition the night before and Mo Tian’s inclusion in their ranks, he had forgiven the old Mo man early on. To Zhang Fei, anyone who joined Liu Yao’s banner was family; past grievances faded like mist.

Yet one matter weighed on Liu Yao’s mind. During this trip to Chenliu, he had failed to find Dian Wei. Locals said Dian Wei had indeed killed someone and was now wanted, but his whereabouts were unknown. Liu Yao sighed—some fates could not be forced. It was a pity to lose such a fierce warrior.

Since Yanzhou and Qingzhou bordered each other, Liu Yao’s main force reached Mount Tai County in just five days. The county magistrate had only recently taken office. Upon hearing of Liu Yao’s arrival and his intent to deal with the Mount Tai bandits, he fawned over Liu Yao like a deity. He assigned the best quarters to Liu Yao’s men and promised all necessary military supplies.

The magistrate had long been harried by the bandits. His predecessor had died in the Yellow Turban Rebellion. Given that Qingzhou was one of the rebellion’s worst-hit regions, the magistrate had little strength to combat the bandits—barely enough to hold his ground.

Thus, when Liu Yao and Guo Jia inquired about Zang Ba, the magistrate told them everything he knew without reservation.

Within the Mount Tai County military camp, Liu Yao and his men discussed how to deal with the bandits.

“My lord,” Guo Jia began confidently, “if the magistrate’s information is accurate, I have a plan to defeat the bandits without shedding a single drop of blood—and to bring Zang Ba to your service.”

“Fengxiao, please share it with me!” Liu Yao exclaimed eagerly. He realized the real challenge now: Mount Tai was rugged and forested, unsuitable terrain for cavalry. Bandits could easily vanish into the hills and valleys, leaving Liu Yao’s forces helpless.

“My lord, Zang Ba’s father, Zang Jie, once served as a prison official in Huaxian County. He was killed by the previous Mount Tai magistrate for refusing to carry out a murder driven by personal vendetta. Zang Ba, enraged by his father’s fate, turned to banditry. If you issue a pardon officially absolving his father, I will personally go to Mount Tai. With my silver tongue, I am confident I can persuade Zang Ba to serve you loyally.”