Chapter 7: The Rising Tide (Part 2)

As night deepened, Zhang Xing and Li He lay restless in the house in Chen Village. The wind howled outside, interspersed with occasional barking dogs, as if warning of the approaching danger. Zhang Xing stood by the window, deep in thought about Chen Zhiyuan's reaction and the next steps of their plan.

"Zhang Xing, maybe we should leave now. Something about Chen Village feels off," Li He whispered anxiously, glancing around with a worried look.

Zhang Xing nodded slowly, sharing the unease. They had come to unite Chen Village and Zhao Village against the government's oppressive taxes, but Chen Zhiyuan's vague responses had left him suspicious. The overly calm atmosphere in the village only heightened his sense of foreboding.

Just as they were debating what to do, faint footsteps echoed outside the door. Zhang Xing's instincts flared, and he motioned for Li He to stay quiet. Both men grabbed their weapons, moving silently toward the door.

"Zhang Xing, it's me," a low voice came from outside.

Zhang Xing recognized the voice as one of the local farmers who had been keeping an eye on things in the village. Surprised, he opened the door and let the man inside.

The farmer, looking tense, quickly spoke in a hushed tone. "Zhang Xing, you need to leave immediately! Chen Zhiyuan sent someone to town tonight. I'm sure he's informing the authorities about you!"

Li He's face darkened. "I knew it! Chen Zhiyuan's been planning to sell us out this whole time!"

Zhang Xing's brow furrowed, his suspicions confirmed. Coldly, he asked, "Are you certain?"

The farmer nodded. "I saw Li San sneaking out of the village myself. He's Chen Zhiyuan's right-hand man. There's no doubt he went to report you to the officials. You need to leave now, or it'll be too late."

Zhang Xing made a quick decision and turned to Li He. "Gather our things—we're leaving immediately."

Li He didn't waste time with questions and began packing. They quickly gathered their belongings and weapons, preparing to slip out of the village under cover of night. The farmer added, "Take the back trail through the hills. It's quieter, and fewer people will spot you."

Zhang Xing nodded, placing a firm hand on the farmer's shoulder. "Thank you. If we succeed, we'll return for you and your people."

The farmer's expression turned complex, mixed with hope and fear. "I just hope you can succeed and help us farmers find a way to survive this oppression."

Without another word, Zhang Xing and Li He slipped out of the house, heading for the trail that led out of the village. Under the cover of darkness, they vanished into the hills. Meanwhile, in another part of the village, Chen Zhiyuan anxiously waited for Li San's return, pacing the room.

Around midnight, Li San finally returned, slipping quietly into Chen Zhiyuan's house. "Village head, it's done. The county magistrate has already sent word to the soldiers. They'll be mobilizing soon to crush Zhang Xing."

Chen Zhiyuan let out a long sigh, but his face remained troubled. "Did Zhang Xing suspect anything?"

Li San shook his head. "I was careful. They shouldn't have noticed. But we need to keep an eye on them, just in case they try to escape. We should send someone to watch."

Chen Zhiyuan nodded. "Go arrange it. We can't let them slip away."

As Li San left to make preparations, Chen Zhiyuan sat alone by the flickering lamp, still uneasy. Though he had informed the authorities, he couldn't shake the feeling that things wouldn't end so simply.

Meanwhile, Zhang Xing and Li He were making their way swiftly out of the village, descending the hillside with hurried steps. Li He whispered, "We're lucky we found out in time, or we would've been caught tonight."

Zhang Xing nodded, his eyes still focused on the path ahead. "The government will move quickly. We need to reach Zhao Village and warn them. If Chen Village won't join us, then Zhao Village will be our only hope."

They quickened their pace, pressing on through the rough terrain. The stones beneath their feet crunched softly, and the night air was thick with tension. By the time dawn began to break, casting the sky in pale light, they had reached the outskirts of Zhao Village.

Zhao Village was much larger than Chen Village, and its terrain was more defensible. The village was built against a mountain, and most of its people were hunters, used to the rougher way of life. Though Zhao Village had stayed quiet, the twin burdens of natural disasters and heavy taxes had forced them to occasionally clash with the authorities.

Zhang Xing found a hidden spot near the village to rest for a moment, mentally preparing for the difficult task ahead. He knew convincing Zhao Meng, the leader of Zhao Village, would not be easy. Zhao Meng was a tough, fiery man but extremely cautious. Although his village had fought the government a few times, he had never sought to unite with others for fear of drawing too much attention.

"We need to tread carefully. Zhao Meng won't be easily swayed, but if we can get him on our side, it will be a huge advantage," Zhang Xing said to Li He.

Li He nodded. "They have more people than us, and their hunters are skilled with bows. They'd be strong allies."

With a plan in mind, the two men approached Zhao Village. As they neared the entrance, a group of villagers, armed with hunting bows, stepped out to block their path. The guards, clearly wary of strangers, eyed them suspiciously.

"Who are you?" one of the burly villagers demanded, his bow ready, eyes sharp with caution.

Zhang Xing stepped forward and bowed slightly. "We're from Zhang Village. We've come to see your village leader, Zhao Meng. We have urgent matters to discuss."

The villager scrutinized Zhang Xing for a moment, clearly distrustful of outsiders. He frowned. "The village leader doesn't meet with strangers easily. Wait here. I'll go inform him."

Zhang Xing nodded, his heart hoping that Zhao Meng would at least hear them out. The villagers led them to wait by the entrance while the guard hurried off to the village. After a tense wait, a large, bearded man strode out with a confident, imposing air—it was Zhao Meng.

Zhao Meng, a man in his forties, stood tall with a strong build and sharp eyes. He surveyed Zhang Xing and Li He, his expression stern. "You're from Zhang Village? What business do you have with me?"

Zhang Xing took a deep breath, knowing this was the moment. "Village leader Zhao, our village has started to resist the government's oppression. We've come here today hoping you will join us in uniting against the court's tyranny."

Zhao Meng's brow furrowed slightly, surprised by the directness of Zhang Xing's words. "Rebellion? So Zhang Village has risen up?"

Zhang Xing nodded firmly. "Yes. The government has already sent soldiers to crush us, but we've fought them off. We're here because we need to unite with other villages. If we don't, the government will destroy us all, one by one."

Zhao Meng was silent for a moment, his eyes full of caution. "This is rebellion. The imperial soldiers are not easily defeated. We've suffered under their taxes, too, but we haven't dared to take that step."

Zhang Xing met Zhao Meng's gaze with unwavering determination. "Village leader Zhao, the government's oppression will only get worse. We farmers have no way out. The only chance we have is to band together. If we stay divided, the government will wipe us out, one village at a time."

Zhao Meng's eyes flickered with uncertainty. Zhang Xing's words clearly struck a chord with him. Though Zhao Meng was cautious, he knew that the situation was growing more desperate by the day. If they didn't act soon, Zhao Village might not survive much longer either.

"Let me think about it," Zhao Meng finally said, his tone softening slightly. "This is no small matter. I'll need to consult with the elders of the village. You two rest here, and I'll come find you later."

Zhang Xing nodded, relieved that Zhao Meng hadn't rejected them outright. It was a sign that he was at least considering the alliance. Now it was up to Zhao Village to decide if they would join the growing rebellion.

Zhang Xing and Li He were led to an empty house in the village to rest. As they settled in, they couldn't shake the knowledge that back in Chen Village, a storm was already brewing, and it would soon be upon them.