Chapter 125: One Move Short

"Young lord." After they had walked one street away, Han Dang immediately sensed something was wrong. "Are we not going home?"

"We go to the Office of the Colonel Director of Retainers at once." Riding ahead on horseback, Gongsun Xun answered with a darkened face. "That man Cao Jie is by no means unworthy of his reputation. We arrived unannounced, and he first pretended to be absorbed in his card game. When exposed, he showed not the slightest disorder. Dozens of warriors stood right before his eyes, yet when he saw me draw my blade, he remained utterly unshaken, and could still neither cringe nor bristle as he continued to feign civility with me... A man like that — would he truly sit idly at home waiting to die? He must have some hidden scheme ready to spring!"

Han Dang nodded at once and said no more.

On the other side, the moment Cao Jie returned to the rear courtyard, his expression likewise changed in an instant.

"That brat pushes people too far!" Cao Jie kicked over the card table beneath the veranda with one foot, sending the maidservants fleeing in terror. "A mere Physician of a Thousand Bushels, and he dares to draw his blade and threaten me, Cao Hanfeng? Does he truly think I am some bloodless waste who has never seen a blade?"

Luo Mu was about to speak, but seeing his master so furious, wisely shut his mouth.

Yet after kicking over the table, Cao Jie sat back down beneath the veranda, took several deep breaths, and then, unexpectedly, laughed again. "Still, that whelp does have some character. What do you think, Zixian?"

"Meeting him for the first time," Luo Mu answered frankly, stroking his great beard, "he had more bearing and presence than I had imagined."

"Indeed!" Cao Jie could not help but gaze at the setting sun and sigh. "Compared to that first meeting when he had just entered Luoyang, he has clearly grown another three parts stronger... But that is only human nature. A man must go through experiences to achieve anything. How can one temper the mind without killing a few Two-Thousand-Bushel officials? Is anyone born a prodigy under heaven? Even I, before I steeled my heart and entered the palace, was nothing more than a destitute scholar who could not support his family — just like you."

"In my youth and ignorance, I have been much cared for by you, my lord." Luo Mu immediately straightened his expression and bowed upon hearing this.

"Why stand on ceremony?" Cao Jie continued dismissively. "Still, there are times I cannot help but envy your youthful ignorance, Zixian. You must understand, you and that whelp are both like the rising morning sun, while I am like the fading afterglow of the sun before my eyes... Especially you, Luo Zixian — you truly resemble me in my younger days too much. So every time I see you, I sigh inwardly."

"My lord jests." Luo Mu hastily bowed again to remonstrate. "Your health..."

"Between us two, there is no need for such words."

"Yes." Luo Mu sat up straight with an embarrassed smile.

"In the end, I am advanced in years, and a great illness several years ago nearly sent me to meet the King of the Dark Capital. Though I was fortunate to recover, it left a root of illness." Cao Jie lamented. "Others may not know this, but do I myself not know it clearly? And no matter what, Wang Fu and the others are all dead or fled. Even if we truly succeeded in the counterattack we planned, without my old companions and wings, could I still possess my former authority? It would be nothing more than barely clinging to life, temporarily preserving myself."

For a moment, Luo Mu did not know what to say either.

"Of course, I also know," Cao Jie shook his head with a sneer and continued, "that my entire clan relies solely on me to each hold marquisates and prominent positions, and most of them are incompetent, greedy, and base. So if I cannot hold on now, I fear they will all perish without even their bones remaining. Zixian, when a true man lives in this world, even if his clansmen have done some wrong, can he simply watch with open eyes as they are exterminated?"

Luo Mu wanted to speak but stopped.

"I know what Zixian wishes to say. There is no need to persuade me further."

"That is not what I meant." Luo Mu hastily bowed again. "I wished to say: since that is the case, my lord, you should enter the palace at once!"

"At this moment?" Cao Jie was bewildered. "Why?"

"If I may speak bluntly," Luo Mu answered earnestly, "both you, my lord, and that Gongsun Xun possess extraordinary bearing. Since you, at your advanced age, can steady your mind, then he, presumably, will not be deceived by us either... Quite the opposite. Having witnessed your lordship's bearing, that man will likely also understand that you are the true great enemy. And if my guess is not wrong, Gongsun Xun should be going at this very moment to see Yang Qiu, Yang Fangzheng, to seek your swift arrest! So there must be no delay now. I beg you to use this opportunity while he goes to see Yang Qiu to return to the Northern Palace immediately!"

Cao Hanfeng pondered briefly, then made an immediate decision. He rose at once, intending to slip into the palace alone to take refuge.

"Wenqi, you think too much!" Beneath the setting sun, Yang Qiu, who was just about to go home, was encountered by Gongsun Xun in front of the Office of the Colonel Director of Retainers. But he was somewhat dismissive. "Cao Hanfeng is old and decrepit, nothing more than dry bones in a tomb! Why so much worry? Even this probing visit of yours, Wenqi, was somewhat superfluous."

"Lord Yang!" Gongsun Xun was utterly speechless, yet helpless... Arrogance upon success did seem to match the other man's character, so he had no choice but to resort to goading words. "At a time like this, you must not go soft!"

"Who says I am going soft?" Yang Qiu was also exasperated. "Cao Jie will have to be dealt with sooner or later, but have we not already agreed? First kill Wang Fu, then eliminate the other Regular Attendants and Yellow Gate officials. Once Cao Jie is isolated and alone, then we can take him down at our leisure! Remove his wings before seizing him — is that not correct?"

"That time was one thing; this time is another." Gongsun Xun tried his best to persuade further. "What if he takes advantage of not being implicated in any case and suddenly hides inside the Northern Palace? Would that not be troublesome then?"

"Then what do you think we should do?" Yang Qiu was also growing impatient, but hiding in the palace did indeed seem to be a major problem, so he immediately frowned and asked.

"His younger brother Cao Poshi is currently living together with him." Gongsun Xun could not help but be overjoyed and quickly offered his plan. "And this man Cao Poshi has far too many vulnerabilities. Why not seize upon some matter concerning him and directly lead troops to raid the Cao residence? I am not asking that we convict Cao Jie right now, but at the very least we can use the opportunity to control him, preventing him from escaping into the palace..."

"That is indeed an excellent method." Yang Qiu's brow immediately smoothed. "It can be done! Tomorrow I will examine the case files on this Cao Poshi, find some vulnerability, and surround the Cao residence with armored soldiers!"

Gongsun Xun finally set his mind at ease and nodded. However, he quickly recalled another matter. "Then what about the case of Yuan She, Attendant Yuan? He agreed very readily to come see you, Lord Yang, in person tomorrow afternoon. Presumably, he intends to find Yuan Kui to act as an intermediary and seek safety."

"Do not let him come to see me. Have him go to you, and then you may handle it as you see fit!" Yang Qiu had already stepped onto his carriage dismissively. "Cao Jie is the key."

This could not exactly be called wrong. Gongsun Xun immediately nodded. "Then how exactly should it be handled? Lenient or strict? Lord Yang, as Colonel Director of Retainers, you must first give a general strategy."

"I already said, as you see fit." Yang Qiu sat in his carriage dismissively. "Wang Fu has been executed, and the nobles of Luoyang are terrified out of their wits. These wastes like the Yuan clan and such — you, as a Capital Internal Attendant, can handle them as circumstances dictate. Why must I, the dignified Colonel Director of Retainers, personally step in?"

With these words, before Gongsun Xun could react, Yang Qiu urged his servants and immediately drove his carriage home... And the former could only stand there blankly, not knowing whether to be pleased or angered.

But regardless, the sky had grown dark. Gongsun Xun could only first send someone to notify Yuan She to simply come see him tomorrow, and then helplessly lead his men home.

However, before he had gone more than a few steps, Gongsun Xun suddenly shuddered, inwardly cried out in alarm, and led his band of sworn followers at full gallop straight toward the eastern gate of the Northern Palace... That was the shortest route from Cao Jie's residence directly to the Northern Palace. But before they could reach the eastern gate of the Northern Palace, his mind stirred slightly, and he turned a second time, racing toward the eastern gate of the Southern Palace instead!

This was not aimless running. In fact, between the Northern Palace and the Southern Palace, there was a dedicated Imperial Way that connected them. It was just that ordinarily it was guarded by the Tiger Guard Army, and in theory, only the Son of Heaven could use it... However, given Cao Jie's influence over the Tiger Guard Army, passing through there would presumably pose no problem for him.

In other words, if Cao Jie had the foresight not to go to the eastern gate of the Northern Palace, but instead entered the palace through the Southern Palace and then took the Imperial Way into the Northern Palace, then Gongsun Xun's rush to the eastern gate of the Northern Palace would amount to nothing more than being made a fool of.

"Captain Yu!" Gongsun Xun was overjoyed when he called out to the man guarding the eastern gate of the Southern Palace. "Has anyone entered since sunset... I will speak plainly: has Attendant Cao Jie, Cao Changshi, entered the palace from here?"

The sky had already darkened. Yu She had long since withdrawn inside the palace gate according to regulations and was now standing atop the gate tower, shading his eyes with his hand as he answered: "Gentleman Gongsun jests. Since this gate was sealed, you are the first to come calling. What talk is there of that old villain Cao Jie entering the palace from here?"

Gongsun Xun was greatly reassured upon hearing this. Without further words, he sped toward the eastern gate of the Northern Palace.

Yet the moment he caught sight of the Northern Palace's outer wall, he suddenly came to his senses again, and could not help but rein in his horse by the roadside, shocked and furious... Consider this: Cao Jie had not been implicated or convicted of any crime; even he himself had to address him as Attendant Cao. So how did Yu She, a gentleman officer within the Tiger Guard Army and a former subordinate of Cao Jie, dare to call him an 'old villain' in front of so many subordinates?

It was clearly deliberate deception! It was entirely possible that Cao Jie had not yet gone far at that moment, or was even right behind the city gate, and the other man, fearing that he might force his way in, had spoken those words merely to intimidate him.

Of course, by now, that man Cao Hanfeng was certainly beyond pursuit.

At this thought, Gongsun Xun gazed at the Northern Palace wall before him, and his heart could not help but turn cold!

One must understand: no matter how many words were said, the reason he and Yang Qiu could so freely execute eunuchs was none other than the tacit approval from within this very Northern Palace before his eyes. And now, how could he have allowed the enemy chieftain to slip into the very heart of their own side's stronghold?

—————I am the dividing line of being one move short—————

"After Xun executed Wang Fu, his might shook Luoyang, and he worried only about the Grand Prolonger of Autumn, Cao Jie, alone. Using the pretext of a visit, he called at his door to secretly observe. Upon entering, he saw Cao Jie playing cards with a guest beneath the veranda, perfectly at ease. Xun stood before the table, carefully watched the game, then suddenly begged pardon and withdrew. Once outside, with Han Yigong at his side, he was asked: 'Why such haste, my lord?' Xun, whipping his horse to gallop faster without pause, replied: 'Cao Jie's face was at ease, yet within his card play there was a fierce, murderous air. He must be plotting something!' Then, still on horseback, he was asked again: 'What is to be done?' He said: 'We can report to the Colonel Director of Retainers, Lord Yang, and use the name of his younger brother Cao Poshi to swiftly dispatch armored soldiers, confine him, and kill him. If we delay, he will surely flee to the Northern Palace.' When he met Yang Qiu, Qiu, believing that with Wang Fu executed, the nobles of Luoyang were terrified, refused to send troops and further teased Xun for lacking courage. Xun sighed deeply and withdrew. The next day, Cao Jie indeed fled to the Northern Palace, and all were at their wits' end." — Records of Heroes at the End of Han, by Wang Can

PS: Debt repaid successfully, face full of tears. Also, there is a reader group 684558115, everyone can join.

(End of Chapter)