Chapter 117: A Volley of Arrows

Qiao Xuan’s carriage rolled slowly along one side of the official road, while that “Meng De” rode alongside on a jet-black horse — two men, one carriage, one mount, no retinue in tow, chatting and laughing the whole way, thoroughly enjoying themselves.

“Lord Qiao!” Gongsun Xun, who had been lagging behind, couldn’t help but sigh at the sight, then helplessly spurred his horse forward to catch up. “Why is Lord Qiao so harsh toward me?”

“How am I being harsh?” Qiao Xuan countered dismissively, leaning against the carriage rail.

“Was it not Lord Qiao who urged me that day to be indomitable and act with resolve? How is it that now, when only a single step remains, Lord Qiao simply washes his hands of it?” Gongsun Xun pressed urgently. “I’m not boasting, but truly, only your part remains. If you would take the post of Prefect of the Masters of Writing, then…”

“Then what?” A scoff came from inside the carriage. “I merely offered you encouragement that day; I never said I would involve myself in this matter. At my age… why must you drag me into it?”

Gongsun Xun was nearly beside himself with frustration, but after a glance at “Meng De,” who was watching with keen interest, he forcibly reined in his tangled emotions and instead cupped his hands toward the carriage from horseback: “Lord Qiao, have I done something wrong? If I have been remiss in any way, you are an elder — please speak plainly.”

“Wenqi.” A soft sigh drifted from within the carriage. “In all honesty, what you’ve done these days has been fairly decent — at the very least, it suits my temperament… In short, judged purely on the matter itself, I am rather appreciative.”

“Then it is the person who is at fault?” Gongsun Xun gave a self-mocking smile at once. “Lord Qiao, please speak freely.”

“I mean nothing else by it.” Qiao Xuan turned his head and cast a light glance at Gongsun Xun, who was riding alongside, before continuing slowly. “It’s just that this sort of thing is, by its nature, done on a whim. My older sons are all serving as officials in various places; only my youngest son remains by my knee, and he is still too small. So that day, I was simply bored and exchanged a few casual words with you. These past few days, Meng De arrived — having conveniently just lost his post — so now I have someone to chat and jest with all day, and I’ve grown too lazy to bother with you…”

“Lord Qiao, don’t go opening your mouth just to slander others!” That “Meng De” narrowed his eyes even further at these words. “Using an honest man like me as an excuse — you won’t get two steps before retribution strikes. I’m merely a commoner who’s lost his post, come to Luoyang to scrounge for food and drink. How could I possibly serve as your ladder? If you ask me, Gentleman Gongsun has serious business. You’ve put on enough airs — just agree already. Why torment the man like this?”

Gongsun Xun’s spirits lifted at these words, and he immediately looked toward the carriage again.

“I am not using you, Meng De, as a pretext,” Qiao Xuan continued evenly from within the carriage. “It is simply that my talk with this Gentleman Gongsun was indeed casual, with no formal agreement whatsoever. Moreover, what he has done today rather displeases me… In truth, if you hadn’t come, Meng De, it might have been one thing. But your arrival only makes him seem all the more repugnant by comparison!”

Gongsun Xun’s expression changed instantly.

And that narrow-eyed “Meng De,” hearing this, simply shook his head repeatedly: “Lord Qiao, have you gone senile? How could I possibly compare to the White Horse Gentleman? When I served as Commandant of Luoyang’s Northern Division, I lasted barely a few months before being driven out. Relying on my family’s influence, I fled to Dunqiu to serve as a county magistrate, thinking myself clever — never imagining that when the winds shifted at court, I’d be struck right back to my original form. Only then did I see clearly what sort of goods I really am… This Gentleman Gongsun — the night raid at Lulong, the rescue at Liucheng, the burning of Tanhan — if I had accomplished even one of those three deeds, I could boast about it for a lifetime.”

Gongsun Xun remained silent.

“Had it not been for those three deeds, why would I have even looked him in the eye?” Qiao Xuan said dismissively. “And one matter is one matter. What he did before was remarkable — that is remarkable. But what he does today does not suit me — that is that. At my age, am I supposed to bend to his whims? Besides, however remarkable his past deeds, are they more remarkable than what I accomplished in my day?”

“Then just say it outright!” Before Gongsun Xun could even grow impatient, that “Meng De” had already lost all patience. “The man is earnestly cupping his hands and asking you what he did wrong, and yet you mumble and mutter like some old crone, doing nothing but vexing him. Lord Qiao, being this insufferable will bring retribution!”

“It’s not necessarily that anything is wrong,” Qiao Xun sighed. “It’s just that Cai Bojie and I have been friends for many years. Seeing how bitterly he wept today, and that he must uproot his entire household and relocate to Shuofang, and that he himself is growing old and frail — and then seeing this young fellow bully Cai Bojie so, using him as a stepping stone — well, it stirred a sense of solidarity with a fellow sufferer…”

Gongsun Xun was instantly beside himself with fury!

“Wasn’t it you who complained his weeping was too loud, and told him to go stop it?” That “Meng De” stopped squinting entirely. “Lord Qiao, carrying on like this is truly flaunting your age…”

“It’s not flaunting my age; it’s that with age, one’s vigor fades, and one feels deeply for others in the same plight!” At this point, Qiao Xuan finally turned back toward Gongsun Xun and spoke. “Wenqi, tell me honestly — when you saw Cai Bojie and his entire household weeping, did you truly feel not the slightest shred of sympathy?”

Hearing this, “Meng De” hurriedly shot glances and made faces toward the man on the white horse beside the carriage, hinting that he should seize the moment to soften his stance and get on with business.

Who could have guessed that Gongsun Xun, upon hearing this, would instead appear somewhat relieved, and immediately counter: “Lord Qiao, you are advanced in years and your experience is astonishing. You sat right there at the time, watching coldly from the sidelines. Whether I felt sympathy or not — could Lord Qiao truly not tell? Why ask again?”

Qiao Xuan and “Meng De” on the other side of the carriage sighed in unison, and the former pressed further: “Why is that? Has Wenqi’s heart hardened to iron and stone to this degree?”

“What is there to pity about them?!” Gongsun Xun finally could hold back no longer, and let out a cold laugh. “Cai Bojie is a renowned scholar of the realm. Even if his entire household is exiled to Shuofang, would the grand administrators and great clans of Bingzhou’s various commanderies truly let him suffer? I fear that once he sets foot in Bingzhou, those Bingzhou clans, starved of literary culture, will likely raise him to the heavens. Even if his enemies wished to send assassins for revenge, they’d find no place to land!”

At these words, Qiao Xuan fell silent, while that “Meng De” once again studied Gongsun Xun with keen interest.

“And as for the bitterness of weeping,” the mockery in Gongsun Xun’s tone grew ever more pronounced, “I once went to Wuyuan to escort the evacuated settlers. The officials had burned their crops, torn down their houses, and seized their movable wealth. When they reached the banks of the Yellow River, the troops of the receiving commanderies and counties took the chance to plunder their livestock and weapons. At that time, thousands of people wept by the Yellow River, their cries shaking the heavens. I, as an officer of the imperial army, stood beside them, so ashamed I could not even lift my face. Having lived through such a thing, does Lord Qiao think I could still be moved by the weeping of a single family?!”

“Meng De” let out a long sigh, but Qiao Xuan still said not a word.

At this, Gongsun Xun could finally endure no more. He directly reined in his horse, blocked the carriage’s path, and spoke earnestly to the man inside: “Lord Qiao, better one family weeps than an entire village weeps — if others don’t understand this truth, do you not? Never mind your three rises and three falls and your astonishing experience; consider only that you too once served as General Who Crosses the Liao. The suffering of the frontier people, tens of thousands of soldiers lost in a single morning, the misery of ten Battalion Commander weeping in unison — how could you possibly not know? Yet now, with the opportunity right before your eyes, why do you keep obstructing and delaying with nothing but frivolous matters? Can you truly not speak honestly with me?!”

The road from the pavilion lodge to Luoyang was thick with carriages and horses. Seeing such a scene, passersby naturally cast glances their way, but Gongsun Xun stood firm as a rock, simply blocking the road and waiting quietly for an answer.

Inside the carriage, Qiao Xuan could not help but sigh, and finally beckoned to him: “Wenqi, come up.”

Gongsun Xun immediately dismounted and boarded the carriage. Seeing this, “Meng De” tactfully called the driver over, then spurred his horse a few paces away so the two could speak plainly.

“Wenqi, why must you press me so relentlessly?” Inside the carriage, Qiao Xuan grasped Gongsun Xun’s hand and, sure enough, revealed his true thoughts. “I won’t hide it from you. The reason I’ve been declining is that the events of these days have made me feel the Son of Heaven is simply not someone to be relied upon. Hoping to borrow his authority to execute the eunuchs — perhaps one might succeed for a time, but in the end, I fear one will suffer a backlash. That being the case, for me, it is better not to execute them at all…”

Gongsun Xun understood in his heart, thinking: So you’ve finally spoken your mind, old sir… It’s just that the phrase “the Son of Heaven is not to be relied upon” — to another young man, it might strike like a bolt from the blue, perhaps even making him retreat on the spot. But to me, the White Horse Gentleman, what does it count for?

How could the ruler of a dying dynasty possibly be relied upon? And I never planned to rely on him anyway.

As for what you say — that for you, “better not to execute them” — for me, it is “they must be executed”! Until the day a Regular Palace Attendant’s head is hauled out, I will remain nothing more than a frontier martial man. A top-tier figure like Tian Feng will never regard me highly. And even you, Lord Qiao — that talk just now about me being “repugnant” — was that truly just an excuse?

If I had the kind of background that “Meng De” has, would you have spoken such words?

“Lord Qiao.” Having thought this far, Gongsun Xun hastened to persuade further. “There is no need for the Son of Heaven to do anything. As long as we succeed for a moment, we will immediately strike with the force of a thunderbolt — seize everyone in a single day, and beat them to death right there in prison… Once the men are dead, it won’t matter if the Son of Heaven regrets it afterward!”

Qiao Xuan withdrew his hands, tucked them into his sleeves, and looked at the young man before him. Truth be told, he was now somewhat hesitant.

“Lord Qiao!” Gongsun Xun pressed forward again. “Have you not heard that when the arrow is on the string, it must be loosed? You pillars of the court — back then, you urged us young men to stake our lives on cleansing the court for you. Now that the opportunity has come, do you intend to abandon us in a death trap?! If the Son of Heaven is not to be relied upon, then is Lord Qiao’s conduct here truly enough to be relied upon by men like us?!”

Qiao Xuan gave a soft sigh and finally nodded slowly…

Gongsun Xun was overjoyed!

Yet at that very moment, several riders came galloping up from behind and arrived before them in an instant. Both Gongsun Xun and Qiao Xuan had seen battle — naturally, they didn’t so much as blink. It was that “Meng De” who grew curious and took the initiative to go forward and inquire. But after barely two sentences, his face turned pale, and he tumbled straight from the saddle to speak with Qiao Xuan.

“Lord Qiao, grave tidings.” That “Meng De” was no longer squinting; he clutched the carriage directly and shouted.

“Meng De, no need for alarm.” Qiao Xuan unhurriedly adjusted his sleeves, while Gongsun Xun also composedly dismounted and stood waiting to the side. “Whatever it is, speak freely.”

“Lord Qiao.” This “Meng De” could only smile bitterly. “It’s all my fault for running my mouth about retribution striking you… That little boy of yours was playing outside the gate when a few reckless bandits, knowing he is your youngest son, seized him at knifepoint and are now demanding valuables from your household!”

Qiao Xuan’s expression never changed in the slightest throughout. After hearing it all, he merely nodded slightly: “In that case, let us hurry on. If I am not present, neither the bandits nor the officials will be able to speak.”

Meng De quickly nodded, and without even calling for the driver, turned around and took the reins himself, heading straight for Luoyang… And the moment the carriage started moving, they saw that Gongsun Xun on his white horse, along with his two companions, had already spurred their mounts and ridden ahead at full speed into the city.

It must be said, Qiao Xuan was a renowned minister of the realm. He had long ago served as General Who Crosses the Liao, overseeing the entire northern frontier, and had also ascended to the Three Ducal Ministers early on. The phrase “his rank as minister left no higher to attain” might have been tailor-made for him. Not to mention, within the court at this time, he was the eldest of the pillar ministers. No matter what, he was entitled to a certain degree of political deference… And now that such an incident had occurred in his household, even if its severity and political weight could not compare to the time Zhao Bao’s entire family was taken hostage by the Xianbei, it was still enough for the entire court to treat it as a top-priority emergency.

And so, from the newly appointed Colonel-Director of Retainers, Yang Qiu — barely one day into his post — to the patrol officers under the Luoyang Magistrate, from the retainers of every nearby powerful household to the runners of the Intendant of Henan, in a flash, nearly everyone was mobilized, blocking the entire area around the Qiao residence until it was utterly impassable. Even the Son of Heaven in the Northern Palace, upon hearing the news, was greatly alarmed and hastily dispatched a company of the Rapid as Tigers Guard.

But all of this was meaningless, because as Qiao Xuan had said, without him present, neither the bandits nor the soldiers could speak. In truth, for all the people who came, everyone remained utterly inactive, allowing those mere three bandits to move freely within the Qiao residence and even calmly occupy the most defensible tower.

This was not because those three bandits were so formidable, but because they were too lowly!

To be honest, three mere bandits — anywhere else, a single jailer and seven or eight county runners could have tormented them to within an inch of their lives. But then again, who let those three lowly bandits hold in their hands a young master of the most precious value?

This was the youngest son Lord Qiao had fathered at sixty. Killing the bandits was easy, but what if the young master was harmed? If he truly died, and Lord Qiao’s nose stung and he went weeping to the Northern Palace — believe me, the Colonel-Director of Retainers and the General of the Rapid as Tigers could both be stripped from their posts together!

And precisely because of this, the man with the highest status on the scene, who theoretically held authority over everyone else — the Colonel-Director of Retainers, Yang Qiu, Yang Fangzheng, barely one full day into his new post — was at this moment nearly frantic with anxiety! Was he destined to become the shortest-serving Colonel-Director of Retainers in the four hundred years of the Han?

“What’s the situation?” With the sound of hoofbeats, Gongsun Xun, Attendant Officer of the Capital Ministries, also appeared on the scene with his several dozen private white-horse retainers.

However, aside from signaling that the Masters of Writing also attached great importance to this matter, his arrival seemed to carry no other significance.

“What situation could there be?” Yang Qiu was beside himself with fury. “Wenqi, after all the painstaking effort you and I put in to finally get me into this position, who would have thought that on my very first day in office, something like this would happen? How am I supposed to display my talents now?”

Gongsun Xun was already speechless at Yang Qiu’s utter lack of restraint — or rather, his recklessness. Fortunately, the phrase “display my talents” was unlikely to arouse suspicion among so many bystanders… But he couldn’t let him keep talking either.

“How many bandits are there? How much in valuables are they demanding?” Gongsun Xun, who had just returned from outside the city, rushed home to summon men, and then raced here, ignored his own exhaustion and pressed for details.

"Three. At first they demanded a million cash, then kept raising it, and now it's become three million cash." Yang Qiu answered with a cold laugh. "But when the nearby powerful families brought out gold to pool the money, they saw it and changed it again to three hundred jin of gold! Truly insatiable!"

By Han regulation, one jin of gold equaled ten thousand cash, but in reality, due to the constant minting of wuzhu coins, the private exchange rate between gold and cash had already become one jin of gold for seventeen or eighteen thousand cash. So changing three million cash to three hundred jin of gold was simply doubling it outright — no wonder Yang Qiu called them insatiable.

Of course, for these powerful and noble families of Luoyang who wanted to curry favor with Qiao Xuan, three hundred jin of gold was nothing but a drizzle, and once pooled they would certainly not ask for repayment... Once these three released the hostage, the three hundred jin of gold would come back immediately.

However, Gongsun Xun took some extra interest in this change in the ransom: "This is rather interesting..."

"What's interesting about it?" Yang Qiu grew even angrier.

"Lord Yang's household does not engage in trade..."

Gongsun Xun was just about to explain how the change in the ransom revealed the ignorance of the bandits and the reality that they were not united, when unexpectedly, a sudden commotion arose behind him. He turned his head to look, and sure enough, it was that short-statured 'Meng De' personally driving a carriage to bring Qiao Xuan back.

At this, the crowd surged forward as if seeing their pillar of support, and the one who ran fastest was the newly appointed Director of Retainers, Yang Qiu!

"Lord Qiao!"

"Lord Qiao has finally returned."

"Lord Qiao, we have all contributed our modest efforts — three hundred jin of gold is already prepared... we only await your word."

"Lord Qiao, rest assured, we will do everything to ensure the young master's safety!"

"Lord Qiao..."

"All of you, get lost!" Qiao Xuan slowly descended from the carriage, then swept his sleeve at the crowd pressing around him, instantly silencing everyone. "Where is the Director of Retainers?"

"Lord Qiao!" Yang Qiu steeled himself and bowed with clasped hands... This was not only a matter of official rank, but also a gap in age and seniority.

"Yang Fangzheng." Qiao Xuan stood by the carriage with his sleeves gathered and questioned him. "Back when you were suppressing rebellions, you were renowned for your swift and decisive action. How is it that you cannot deal with a mere three bandits, and instead let them hole up in that loft?"

"The fault is entirely mine." At this moment, Yang Qiu could only say this.

"Hmph!" Qiao Xuan could not help but laugh bitterly at himself. "How is it your fault? With me not here, and under the constraint of not harming the hostage, who could act?"

"Lord Qiao is perceptive!" Yang Qiu's heart also relaxed.

"But now that I have come, you no longer need to be constrained by the hostage." Qiao Xuan suddenly spoke with a stern expression. "You may launch a direct assault."

Qiao Xuan's tone was indifferent, but the moment these words were spoken, the hundreds of officials and soldiers around all felt a sudden stillness in their ears.

Among them, the low-ranking soldiers who understood little were one thing, but those of some standing around all had the same reaction — Lord Qiao was indeed still that same Lord Qiao. Even at seventy years old, in his bones he still possessed that indomitable and unyielding nature!

Still, was he not a bit too ruthless?

But regardless, no one doubted the resolute intent behind Qiao Xuan's calm words. So Yang Qiu earnestly performed a grand salute once more, and made one final effort: "Lord Qiao, truly, a mere three hundred jin of gold — why not give it to them? You only had this son at sixty; if he dies, he is truly dead..."

"In broad daylight, under the clear heavens, for bandits to commit such an act as kidnapping a child on the street is in itself a provocation against the laws of the state and public morals. Can such people be indulged?" At this point, although Qiao Xuan's expression remained unchanged, the rims of his eyes had reddened slightly. "As for the life of one son... as for the life of one son, how could I be unwilling to part with it?"

The 'Meng De' beside him raised his head and sighed to the heavens.

"Quickly dispatch troops for a direct assault!" Qiao Xuan urged again. "Do not delay any longer and let so many people waste time for the sake of one child!"

"Aye!" Yang Qiu was a ruthless man after all. Having obtained Qiao Xuan's assurance, he gritted his teeth and turned to leave, preparing to muster the troops.

"Since we are going to assault anyway, why not let me lead the attack!" At that moment, Gongsun Xun, who had remained silent all along, rose up boldly and suddenly blocked Yang Qiu's path.

Yang Qiu was momentarily stunned, but then fell silent — doing this was undoubtedly beneficial to him, Yang Fangzheng, because if the young master truly died, then even if Qiao Xuan harbored a trace of resentment in his heart, it would be Gongsun Xun standing in front.

So Yang Qiu now felt both a trace of gratitude and a trace of anticipation... and then he could not help but, like everyone else, look toward Qiao Xuan, who stood motionless beside the carriage.

Qiao Xuan also remained silent for a moment, but after studying Gongsun Xun for a long while, he slowly nodded: "Wenqi's fame shakes the northern frontier, and his attacks are like fierce flames. Entrusting it to you may indeed be faster."

Gongsun Xun immediately bowed low in salute, acknowledging the other's consent.

"I will go too." Not long after Gongsun Xun turned and left, that 'Meng De' also suddenly stepped forward and turned to entreat Qiao Xuan.

"Go." Qiao Xuan sighed. "If misfortune occurs, Meng De may dispose of the corpse on my behalf beforehand."

Hearing this, the short young man with narrow, squinting eyes hurriedly bowed in salute, then pressed his hand to his saber and chased after him.

"Each man take one bow and three arrows — no shields or spears." Gongsun Xun naturally saw the one who had caught up, but paid him no heed whatsoever, continuing boldly to instruct his personal guard. "And carry that gold inside."

Seeing this, 'Meng De' said nothing more. Unable to find a bow and arrows on short notice, he took the initiative to help carry that chest of gold.

Immediately, several dozen personal guards openly surged into the Qiao residence, making no effort to avoid anyone, and directly assumed formation on the open ground below the loft.

Gongsun Xun arrived below the loft and immediately called out to make contact: "You three upstairs — the master of this residence, Lord Qiao, has just arrived. I am Gongsun Xun, Attendant Officer of the Capital Departments in the Imperial Secretariat, sent by him to inquire... Is the young master still safe at this moment?"

As soon as he finished speaking, the window upstairs flew open, and a trace of crying came through... but before one could look closely, the window was hastily shut again.

"Good!" Gongsun Xun nodded. "I won't deceive you — Lord Qiao's neighbors have already pooled three hundred jin of gold..."

"We now want five hundred jin!" someone upstairs suddenly shouted again.

"Can you even carry five hundred jin?" Gongsun Xun retorted coldly. "And how would you divide it? Three hundred jin — one hundred jin per person, isn't that just perfect?"

A commotion stirred upstairs, and immediately, that same voice pressed: "Is the gold in that chest?"

Gongsun Xun turned his head to look, and at once someone understood and opened the chest.

After a moment of silence upstairs, it was still that person asking: "Is this three hundred jin? How do we know it's not counterfeit?"

"You can send one person down to inspect it." Gongsun Xun said dismissively. "What harm is there in that?"

"And what if the person we send down is killed by you?" the man upstairs could not help but question. "Why try to fool us?"

"What nonsense are you spouting?" Gongsun Xun questioned coldly. "This matter is about seeking wealth for you, and protecting a hostage for us. As long as you keep someone upstairs watching the young master, why would we kill anyone recklessly and needlessly provoke you?"

Another commotion stirred upstairs, but finally they shouted back, demanding that the gold be brought closer... and sure enough, a trembling man holding a blade came down.

This man, shivering, came to the chest before the building, rummaged through it casually, then grabbed a piece and ran straight back upstairs.

Gongsun Xun, expressionless, simply let him do as he pleased.

After the piece of gold was brought upstairs, the commotion above was clearly much louder than before. And soon, that voice questioned again: "In that case, you will send a cart in for us, then remove the threshold of this Qiao residence, and place the gold on the cart... As long as you do not pursue us, we will naturally release the young master after we are twenty li outside the city. You..."

"Are you joking?" Gongsun Xun suddenly questioned sternly. "In this matter, you seek wealth, we seek the hostage. You let us hear the young master's voice, and I naturally let you see the gold; we let you inspect the gold, and you naturally must let us see with our own eyes whether the young master has suffered any harm. How can we let you dictate every step? Let us also send one person upstairs to check whether the young master is injured..."

"And what if you send a man of exceptional bravery upstairs, who seizes the young master in the confusion?"

"If we wanted to seize him, we would have done so long ago!" Gongsun Xun said with a cold laugh, hands clasped behind his back. "Why wait until now? Since we have decided to avert disaster with money, as long as the young master is in your hands, how could we launch a direct assault? However, if you are uneasy, why not have all three of you come out holding the young master and let us see from a distance? As long as we see that the young master is unharmed, that will suffice. Besides, since you intend to flee, you will have to come downstairs sooner or later and let us see."

Another commotion stirred upstairs... and then, the door of the loft indeed opened. The three bandits, each with blades and weapons bared, appeared in view surrounding Qiao Xuan's young son.

That 'Meng De' could not help but signal Gongsun Xun with his eyes, but the latter continued to pretend not to notice, merely continuing his dialogue with the three bandits — at one moment asking them to display the young master's limbs, at another personally asking the young master whether he had been struck...

However, just when these three kidnappers were finally growing impatient, Gongsun Xun at last smiled and nodded: "Good. In that case, I will now have someone remove the threshold, bring the cart, and then lead everyone to withdraw."

The three bandits were immediately overjoyed.

Gongsun Xun added, "Even the two who haven't personally checked the gold just now may as well come down and verify it... anyway, the young master is in your hands."

Two of the three exchanged a glance. For one thing, the young man below had been reasonable all along and had not broken faith; for another, they were only after wealth in the end, and the gold right there beneath the stairs was truly dazzling.

So, growing bolder, the two left the third man — the one who had already checked the gold — to hold Qiao Xuan's young son with one hand and a blade in the other and return inside the building, while they themselves went straight down to examine the gold without any further scruples.

And when the two rummaged before the chest for a while and saw that Gongsun Xun and the several dozen men behind him made no extra moves, they grew even bolder, and one of them even opened his mouth in admiration:

"Never thought I'd see so much real gold in my lifetime!"

Gongsun Xun heard clearly and knew this was the man who had been speaking with him all along. Smiling faintly, he raised his hand and pointed toward the chest: "That man is the bandit leader. Shoot!"

As soon as the words fell, before the two bandits could react, and before that 'Meng De' could react, several dozen arrows came swarming thick as a gale, pinning the two men dead atop the chest full of gold.

'Meng De' was speechless for a long while, hearing only a buzzing in his ears, and dimly saw Gongsun Xun sternly rebuking something toward the upper floor with his head held high — presumably laying down terms with the last man.

And after a long time, when 'Meng De' had finally managed to collect himself, a crack had actually opened in the upper-floor door.

"I'll speak plainly with you. Lord Qiao has ordered that even at the cost of the young master's life, the bandits are not to be let off!" Gongsun Xun continued shouting loudly. "However, the bandit leader is already dead. If you can abandon darkness for the light and hand over the young master safely, I will guarantee on Lord Qiao's behalf that you will at most receive a light sentence and be imprisoned... when the day of general amnesty comes, you might even walk free."

The man upstairs was utterly distraught: "What if you are deceiving me?"

"Even if I am deceiving you, you still won't end up like these two, shot through by volleys of arrows with no burial place for your corpse, will you?!" At this, Gongsun Xun took a bow from Han Dang beside him, raised it, and shot an arrow into the upper-floor window. "I give you three breaths' time. Come out at once, or I will surely make you die with arrows through your heart like these two!"

There was no need for three breaths. As soon as the words ended, the upper-floor door was pushed open.

Gongsun Xun gave a cold laugh and directly relaxed the fully drawn bow, lowering it. Seeing this, that Meng De paid no heed to anything else and actually ran straight upstairs to receive the child.

Yet, watching this man's back as he charged upstairs, Gongsun Xun could not help but feel a stir in his heart.

—————— I am the dividing line of having no burial place for one's corpse ——————

"Xuan's youngest son, at the age of ten, was playing alone outside the gate when suddenly three men armed with staves seized and held him, entering the house and climbing to the upper floor, demanding valuables from Xuan. After a short while, Colonel-Director of Retainers Yang Qiu led the Intendant of Henan and the Prefect of Luoyang to surround Xuan's house. Qiu and the others feared they would kill the son along with the rest and were reluctant to press the attack. Xuan, with tears in his eyes, cried out: 'The villains are lawless — how could Xuan, for the life of one son, let state criminals go free!' He then urged the troops to advance." — Book of the Later Han, Biography of Qiao Xuan

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(End of chapter)