Chapter 133: Abduction (Part 1)

"Young lord," after re-entering Luoyang City, Han Dang, who had caught up, quickly moved to block his master's horse once more. "That Luo Mu is not necessarily trustworthy. You need not risk yourself on the word of such a man!"

"I understand your meaning, Yigong." Gongsun Xun could not help but sigh. "You are not trying to dissuade me from saving people, but rather suggesting that you take men to rescue the families of those individuals while I return outside the city to provide support?"

"Is that not better?" Han Dang immediately countered. "If Luo Mu is lying, or if he simply cannot hold off Cao Poshi's men, then we will meet them head-on in a narrow encounter... Young lord, you and I are both men of the border commanderies. Do we not understand the principle that with blade and arrow in hand, the intent to kill arises of its own accord? The enemy is strong and we are weak; why must you personally walk into danger?"

"This is not a question of danger or not." Gongsun Xun shook his head solemnly. "Yigong, if I do not go, people like the families of Chen and Liu will simply refuse to leave with you... There are some things that only I can do!"

Han Dang could not help but feel dejected, yet he still moved aside and followed his master toward the nearest residence, that of Chen Qiu.

It must be said, among those who came to report today, one person arrived even earlier than those from the palace and the Imperial Secretariat. And this person's appearance greatly shook both Gongsun Xun and Lu Fan—they truly had not expected that, just as Cao Jie was about to achieve total victory, the first to come with news would actually be Luo Mu, Luo Zixian!

Indeed, it was that very Luo Mu, the most relied-upon and trusted confidant of Cao Jie, Cao Hanfeng, and also the impoverished scholar from Jiangxia who had once survived thanks to Lu Fan's charity... Moreover, it was this same man who had previously feigned gratitude and secretly communicated with Gongsun Xun and Lu Fan, when in reality he had merely been selling out people like Wang Fu while covering for Cao Jie.

And this time, it was again this Luo Mu who, with bloodstains still on his face, burst directly through the gates of Gongsun Xun's home and laid bare the entire matter—how Cao Jie had seized control of Cheng Huang the previous night and was preparing to round up Yang Qiu, Chen Qiu, and the others in one fell swoop!

At this, Gongsun Xun and Lu Fan were naturally filled with doubt... It was not that they doubted the truth of Cao Jie gaining leverage over Cheng Huang, for there was no need for the other party to deceive them on such a matter; nor did they doubt that Cao Jie could hoodwink the Son of Heaven and thoroughly seize control of the situation in Luoyang, for Cao Jie indeed possessed such ability and methods.

The crucial point was that Luo Mu simultaneously put forward a proposal: that he would go and delay Cao Poshi, preventing the latter from swiftly proceeding to search and confiscate after the four imperial convicts were arrested, and that Gongsun Xun could then use this window of time to rescue the families of the four principal offenders!

To be honest, this was somewhat hard to believe, and rather imposing... After all, from Gongsun Xun's perspective, while the outcome in the palace was still undecided, temporarily slipping out of the city was a very prudent course of action, and also the simplest one.

Therefore, after Luo Mu departed in haste, and under the persuasion of his wife and trusted subordinates, Gongsun Xun still chose to leave the city to take refuge. However, having ridden no more than a few li beyond the walls, he halted and could not proceed further. First, he argued inconclusively with Lu Fan, and then, after Wang Lang brought back a definitive piece of news, he gritted his teeth and turned back toward the city!

It was not that Gongsun Xun truly trusted this Luo Mu; rather, it was that as a man of the Great Han dynasty, any person knows the meaning of the word shame! He had held such a dominant position before, only to be deceived by Cao Jie, leading to failure on the verge of success. Now, with Cao Jie's vicious influence surging to the heavens, he truly could not bring himself to flee alone without firing a single arrow.

Chen Qiu's residence was not in great chaos. This was because, although the master had been abruptly seized, there were still two outstanding individuals in the Chen household capable of managing the situation... Shen Pei, as Chen Qiu's trusted private retainer, acted with decisive resolve, and his nephew Chen Gui was also a man of extremely clear mind. Thus, after Chen Qiu was taken, the two immediately stabilized the situation and began discussing countermeasures.

Moreover, after only a brief discussion, they quickly settled on a general plan—Shen Pei would remain to guard the Chen residence, while Chen Gui would immediately seek out his good friend Yuan Shu, both to request Yuan Kui to intervene and to gather information!

Indeed, the incident had occurred so suddenly that Shen Pei, Chen Gui, and even the arrested Chen Qiu himself only roughly knew that this was the doing of Cao Jie, but had no idea what specific charge had been laid against them!

And just shortly after Chen Gui had left, Gongsun Xun arrived at the Chen residence with several dozen personal guards, barging straight in and encountering Shen Pei head-on in the front courtyard.

"Since Gongsun Physician is unharmed, why not go and take shelter somewhere?" Shen Pei was greatly alarmed upon seeing the visitor. "If that wretch Cao Jie uses this case to bite indiscriminately, what if you become implicated?"

"This is no time to worry about me," Gongsun Xun, seeing that the troops of the Luoyang Magistrate and the Yueqi Encampment had not yet arrived here, and that Shen Pei was still managing things properly, could not help but be overjoyed. He immediately stepped forward and grasped the other man's hands. "Brother Zhengnan, quickly take your master's family and flee the city to safety!"

Shen Pei remained bewildered: "Why does Gongsun Physician say this? My master has already been taken away by the Imperial Guards; we should be thinking of ways to rescue him..."

Hearing this, Gongsun Xun wasted no time and directly told him all the information he knew, speaking bluntly: "With the great crime of treason laid out before us, in the current situation, even if we wish to rescue the four lords, we can only rely on Yuan, Yang, and my teacher Lord Liu, and other such important ministers. Zhengnan remaining here is truly of no benefit. And not only that, from what I know, Cao Jie's younger brother Cao Poshi specifically requested from his elder brother the authority to search and confiscate. He will likely be here to commit outrages at any moment... This man's record is utterly vile. If Lord Chen's family remains here, I fear they will suffer cruelly at his hands!"

Even for Shen Pei, who had been known since youth for his fervent and impassioned nature, upon first hearing that his master had been charged with the great crime of treason, and then that Cao Poshi was coming to search and confiscate the Chen residence, his expression could not help but change drastically... With his intelligence, how could he not realize that his master was, nine times out of ten, doomed to die without a burial place? And the mention of Cao Poshi's vile record made his eyes nearly split with fury!

If the mistress, along with the rest of Chen Qiu's family, were to fall into Cao Poshi's hands, how could he, the private retainer entrusted with managing the household's affairs, ever face the world again?

However, Shen Zhengnan was, after all, Shen Zhengnan. After steadying his mind for a moment, he made his decision: "If we are to leave the city now, where should we go?"

"First, head to Goushi!" Gongsun Xun replied crisply. "Go there and find the public hostel to settle in; I have left some men there... And if the city gates are locked, Brother Zhengnan can take your master's family to my teacher Lord Liu's residence to take temporary refuge!"

Shen Pei did not reply with words. He immediately bowed deeply in a grand salute right there in the courtyard, then turned to give orders. Gongsun Xun, having no time to attend further, went straight out the gate, mounted his horse, and headed for the next household—the residence of Yang Qiu.

But this time, before they even reached the street where Yang Qiu's residence was located, the group could already see the soldiers under the Luoyang Magistrate and the armored troops directly subordinate to the Yueqi Captain. And to say nothing else, on this single street alone, there were probably two to three hundred soldiers...

Gongsun Xun's face darkened. He knew in his heart that either Luo Mu was playing him for a fool, or that wretch had failed to hold off Cao Poshi... But regardless, the situation lay before his eyes. What exactly should he do now?

"Young lord?" Han Dang could not help but sigh and step forward. In truth, at this moment, only he could speak. "Why not first go and save the other two families? We have already done all we can."

"Of these four families," Gongsun Xun could not help but shake his head, "speaking purely in terms of personal ties, I do not actually know Liu He, and Liu Ne was merely a nodding acquaintance in the Imperial Secretariat. It is instead Yang Qiu with whom I have a considerable connection... Although this man courted his own death, if I cannot even save his family, and then claim to the other three families that I have done all I could, would that not be self-deception?"

"Young lord," Han Dang spoke again, "I have nothing to say against your wish to save people. But the situation before us is precisely the one I spoke of earlier, where the enemy is strong and we are weak. That being the case, we must have a plan."

Gongsun Xun nodded slightly, but then suddenly drew a sharp breath and directly spurred his horse forward.

Han Dang, Wei Yue, and the others were once more left speechless, yet could only hurriedly follow once again.

"Halt!" A military officer guarding the street corner immediately drew his blade to block them. "The court is handling a case! Uninvolved persons, fall back!"

Gongsun Xun flew into a great rage and, reining in his horse right in the middle of the street, bellowed: "I am Gongsun Xun, Attendant of the Metropolitan Commandant Section of the Imperial Secretariat, specifically in charge of public order in Luoyang! Would I not know if a case were being handled here? As for you, a wretched thing from who knows where, who gave you the gall to lead troops and block an Attendant of the Imperial Secretariat?"

This man was also an Army Marquis of the Imperial Guards, but compared to an Attendant of the Imperial Secretariat, he was truly insignificant. Thus, upon hearing this, he was momentarily at a loss and hurriedly sheathed his blade: "So it is the White Horse Zhonglang, renowned throughout Luoyang. Please present your seal of office for verification..."

Gongsun Xun immediately produced the official seal he carried on his person and flashed it... This was, without a doubt, the genuine article.

However, the Army Marquis remained troubled: "I will not deceive you, Attendant Gongsun. Our Captain Cao previously gave orders not to permit anyone else to enter... And besides, this is an imperial case. Even if the Attendant is specifically responsible for Luoyang's security, without a written order from the Imperial Secretariat, we dare not..."

Before the words had even finished, Gongsun Xun directly snatched up his horsewhip and lashed it across the man's face: "You only fear Cao Poshi, but do you not fear me, Gongsun Xun? I do not know how Cao Poshi might deal with you in the future, but I do know that if you do not step aside this instant, I will make you learn the lesson of Wang Fu and hang you from the city gate today to grow maggots!"

The man, stunned and clutching his face for a moment, then felt the world spin around him and collapsed directly to the ground... It turned out that Han Dang, seeing his master take action and driven by a protective instinct, had directly stepped forward, lifted the man like a chicken, and then tossed him to the roadside.

Then, Gongsun Xun, together with Han Dang, led several dozen riders straight inside under the watchful eyes of hundreds of soldiers and troops to the left and right. And though these armored soldiers and rank-and-file troops were indignant, none truly prepared to block them again, instead merely sending a few men to help the Army Marquis to his feet... This was not to say they truly feared these few dozen men of Gongsun Xun, but rather that these low-level figures had no idea what he had come for. Perhaps they even thought he was here to compete with Cao Poshi for a chance to loot!

The Metropolitan Commandant Attendant was in charge of Luoyang's security; they were all law enforcement personnel. This could be considered an internal conflict... right?

However, while the soldiers up ahead were easy enough to fool, a true court-appointed official was another matter. In fact, the moment Gongsun Xun arrived before the gates of Yang Qiu's residence, he could not help but feel a surge of caution... For standing prominently before the gate was a middle-aged court-appointed official wearing a black silk cord and bronze seal.

Moreover, this man had a mature and experienced bearing, refined in manner, and remained utterly composed even as several dozen riders charged down the street. He was clearly no simple character.

"Who are you?" Upon seeing this man, Gongsun Xun halted his horse before the Yang residence gate, his expression stern, his hand pressing on his blade. He had already made up his mind—if this fellow proved to be a hard-headed character, he would truly begin using force right here and now.

"Luoyang Magistrate Sima Fang greets Gongsun Physician." The man's expression remained unchanged as he immediately cupped his hands in salute. "I am here by imperial decree to assist the Yueqi Captain, Cao Poshi, in searching the residences of several criminals. I wonder why Gongsun Physician has come here? Is it by decree from the palace, or an order from the Imperial Secretariat?"

Gongsun Xun gave a cold laugh and released his grip on his sword hilt.

Then, completely ignoring the matters of imperial decrees and orders, he instead asked about something else entirely: "I have heard that this Cao Poshi is a man of extreme lechery, and that you, Sima Gong, are on such good terms with him... That being the case, might you know a rumor or two about Captain Cao?"

Sima Fang's face could not help but tighten, and then he hurriedly lowered his head: "I do not know where Gongsun Physician has heard such rumors. My association with Captain Cao is merely a matter of official duties, just as Yang... just as Yang Qiu's former association with Gongsun Physician during his tenure as Sili Captain was no different."

Gongsun Xun pretended not to hear the other man's words and instead continued with his own cold sneer: "I, on the other hand, have heard that Captain Cao delights in violating the wives and daughters of others. Each time he commits such outrages, he first pins a charge on the husband, and then has you, Sima Gong, lead the troops directly under the Luoyang Magistrate to stand guard at the gate, forbidding anyone else from entering the household... Is there any truth to this?"

Sima Fang was known for being a rigid and principled gentleman. Hearing these words now, he was momentarily at a loss for how to respond... Moreover, as the sounds of weeping and wailing suddenly grew much louder from behind him, he became even more troubled.

No matter what was said, the eunuchs held sole power in the court; claiming not to deal with them was nonsense. But back in the localities, a family relied on a pure reputation to be held in esteem by others... Once a reputation was ruined, what did it matter even if one were ranked among the Three Excellencies, like Xu Xun and his son? Even one's own clansmen would ignore you.

Not to mention, Sima Fang himself had always aspired to be a gentleman of moral integrity.

"Guard the gate well!" Gongsun Xun glared fiercely at the other man, then directly dismounted, grasped his sword, and entered the Yang residence. "Otherwise, the rumor just now will spread throughout the land, and the name of the Sima of Henei will be 'admired' by all under Heaven!"

Sima Fang lowered his head and remained silent, neither agreeing nor obstructing.

And when Gongsun Xun stepped into Yang Qiu's residence, he saw chaos reigning as soon as he reached the front courtyard...

It must be said, although it was called searching for evidence, it was, in common parlance, nothing less than confiscating the household!

Moreover, during an ordinary search and confiscation, there would usually be relatives and old friends present to oversee matters, forcing the searchers not to go too far... For example, when Cai Yong's home was previously confiscated, it was the elder Qiao Xuan who took the lead, with three to five officials of the two-thousand-dan rank sitting together inside the gate of the Cai residence. That was more effective than anything else.

But speaking of Yang Qiu, this time the incident had occurred so suddenly that there had been absolutely no precautions taken, nor any support... Furthermore, those who could enter to search and confiscate at this moment were mostly Cao Poshi's trusted confidants, and they had all more or less heard that Yang Qiu was charged with treason, so they acted with even greater recklessness and without any restraint.

Take the ransacking of chests and cabinets, for example: if they could smash them open directly, these soldiers would absolutely not bother to open them properly. As for the valuables and goods in the residence, they were openly and brazenly stuffed into their own pockets in broad daylight. And as for the more attractive maidservants and retainers, needless to say, if they could take advantage, would they not? There were even some bold enough to commit acts of rape openly in the daytime as if it were commonplace!

"Beat them!" Gongsun Xun kicked an armored soldier to the ground the moment he entered. "Once you're done, tie them all up! Anyone who dares resist, break their limbs first, then we'll talk!"

Han Dang, Wei Yue, and the others received the order and immediately stepped forward to carry it out... You see, Cao Poshi's trusted men in the Yueqi Camp were Imperial Guards long estranged from battle, and they were busy looting money and women — how could they withstand the pressure of several dozen Retainers? And besides, it all happened so suddenly, and the intruders were wearing official seals, so they truly had no idea what was going on. Many of them were still shouting "Misunderstanding!" even as they were being tied up!

So, in just a short while, Han Dang and Wei Yue had led the men from front to back, rounding them all up.

Moreover, that kid Wei Yue even dragged Cao Poshi — whom Gongsun Xun had met once before — out from the rear courtyard, with a weeping, disheveled woman following behind the two of them!

"Lady Cheng!" Gongsun Xun gave the latter a slight cupped-hand salute... To be honest, knowing the full details from Luo Mu, he felt not a shred of goodwill toward this woman. "You've been frightened! I'll have someone escort you out of the city shortly!"

Then, before Lady Cheng could stop her tears, Gongsun Xun turned with a faint smile and gave a slight cupped-hand salute to the old man in front — his helmet removed, his hair bun torn loose, and his hair still being dragged by Wei Yue:

"Captain Cao, Second Master Cao, don't you panic either... As long as you obey, I absolutely will not kill you on the spot!"

Cao Poshi was old, after all. Hearing these words, he was overcome with shock and joy — and then momentarily lost control of his bladder.

————————I am the dividing line of incompetence————————

"Following the precedent of Qiao Xuan, in all cases of hostage-taking, there shall be no amnesty; officials must attack swiftly, without regard for the hostage's life." — *Commentary on Han Law* by Lu Zhi

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(End of Chapter)