Zhang Lu, his son, styled himself Master Superior, and his disciples were called Commonly Devil Soldiers. A headman was called Libationer, and those who made many converts were called Chief Libationers. Perfect sincerity was the ruling tenet of the cult, and no deceit was permitted. When any one fell ill, an altar was set up and the invalid was taken into the Room of Silence where he could reflect upon his sins and confess openly. Then he was prayed for. The director of prayers was called Superintending Libationer.
When praying for a person, they wrote his name on a slip and his confession and made three copies thereof, called “The writing of the Three Gods.” One copy was burned on the mountain top as a means of informing Heaven; another was burned to inform Earth; and the third was sunk in water to tell the Controller of the Waters. If the sick person recovered, he paid as fee five carts of rice.
They had Public Houses of Charity wherein the poor found rice and flesh and means of cooking. Any wayfarer was allowed to take of these according to the measure of his appetite. Those who took in excess would invite punishment from on high. Offenses were pardoned thrice; afterwards offenders were punished. They had no officials but all were subject to the control of the Libationers.
This sort of cult had been spreading in Hanzhong for some thirty years and had escaped repression so far because of the remoteness of the region. All the Government did was to give Zhang Lu the title of General Who Guards the South and the post of Governor of Hanning and take means to secure from him a full quota of local tribute.
When the reports of Cao Cao's success against the west, and his prestige and influence, reached the Hanzhong people, Zhang Lu met with his counselors, saying, “Ma Teng has died, and Ma Chao defeated, thus the northwest has fallen. Cao Cao's next ambition will be the southwest, and Hanzhong will be his first attack. I should act first by assuming the title of Prince of Hanzhong and superintending the defense.1”
In reply one Yan Pu said, “The army of this region counts one hundred thousand, and there are ample supplies of everything. The Eastern Land of Rivers is a natural stronghold with its mountains and rivers. Now Ma Chao's soldiers are newly defeated, and the fugitives from the Ziwu Valley are very numerous. We can add them to our army by several ten-thousands more. My advice is that as Liu Zhang of Yiazhou is weak, we should take possession of the forty-one counties of the Western Land of Rivers, and then you may set up your sovereign as soon as you like.”
This speech greatly pleased Zhang Lu, who then began to concert measures with his brother, Zhang Wei, to raise an army.
Stories of the movement reached Yiazhou, whose Imperial Protector was Liu Zhang. A son of Liu Yan, a descendant from Prince Gong of the Imperial House. Prince Gong had been moved out to Jingling several generations ago, and the family had settled there. Later, Liu Yan became an official, and when he died in due course, his son was recommended for the vacant Protectorship of Yiazhou.
There was enmity between Liu Zhang and Zhang Lu, for Liu Zhang had put to death Zhang Lu's mother and brother. When he knew of the danger, Liu Zhang dispatched Pang Xi as Governor of Baxi to ward off Zhang Lu.
But Liu Zhang had always been feeble, and when he received news from his commander of Zhang Lu's movements, his heart sank within him for fear, and he hastily called in his advisers.
At the council one haughtily said, “My Master, be not alarmed; I am no genius, but I have a bit of a healthy tongue, and with that I will make Zhang Lu afraid even to look this way.”
The speaker's name and lineage will be told in the next chapter.
The man who proposed the plan spoken of in the last chapter was Zhang Song, who belonged to Yiazhou and held the small office of Supernumerary Charioteer. His appearance was grotesque. He had a broad forehead, protuberant at the temples like a countryman's hoe, and a pointed head. His nose was flat and his teeth protruded. He was a dwarf in stature but had a deep voice like a great bell.
“What proposal have you to offer that may avert this danger?” asked the Imperial Protector.
