Chapter 135

The sun gradually sank in the west.

In the courtyard of the Yang residence, the Grand Coachman Cao Ling, his hands bound, was engaged in a heated yet restrained argument with his own uncle — who was of course also his one-eared biological father, Cao Poshi. Several volunteer retainers from Yanmen stood to the side, hands on their swords, listening intently to the father and son speak, which also served as surveillance and control.

As for Gongsun Xun? At this moment, he was watching the pair before him — a noble mother and daughter clinging to each other and trembling uncontrollably — with a mixture of keen interest and considerable speechlessness!

It must be said, this mother and daughter were not only dressed in magnificent attire, far beyond the ordinary, but both could be called exceptionally beautiful... The mother appeared to be in her early thirties, and the phrase "charm still lingers" was truly no empty words; the young maiden, only fourteen or fifteen, was even more striking in appearance — not only was her skin delicate and her eyes bright as stars, but more importantly, her current state of fright lent her a certain pitiable loveliness all its own.

Of course, it was understandable that this mother and daughter were beautiful... for these two were none other than the daughter and granddaughter of Cao Jie, and also the wife and daughter of Feng Fang, Gongsun Xun's colleague in the Imperial Secretariat. Cao Poshi was a man of lechery and violence, so the looks of the women in his household need no elaboration; it was only natural that his daughter possessed some beauty. As for the younger one, not only was her mother outstanding, but her father Feng Fang was also a publicly acknowledged handsome man in Luoyang — otherwise Cao Jie would not have taken notice and taken him as a son-in-law.

"So, sister-in-law," after carefully scrutinizing the two for a moment, Gongsun Xun could not help but ask with a wry smile, "Brother Feng was suddenly summoned by Lord Cao, and then, worried that your uncle, being a harsh man, would cause trouble if no one came to this appointment, he sent you mother and daughter to handle things in his stead?"

Upon hearing this, Lady Cao immediately pressed her daughter down to kneel and beg for mercy: "Exactly so. For the sake of my husband, who serves alongside you in the Imperial Secretariat, please, Court Gentleman, spare us mother and daughter!"

"Sister-in-law, please rise." Gongsun Xun hastily waved his hand. "I am not the kind of scum your uncle is... How could I make things difficult for two weak women?"

Lady Cao was immediately overjoyed.

"But the sky is already growing dark, and I am about to leave the city; I cannot very well release you immediately," after the other party rose, Gongsun Xun suddenly changed his tone and continued. "After all, I cannot entrust the lives of over a hundred people to the hands of you two. How about this — I will have to put you through some temporary hardship, sister-in-law. Once we reach Goushi tomorrow, or after we pass through the pass the day after, I will naturally have a detailed discussion with Lord Cao. At that time, no matter what, I will release you mother and daughter directly... How does that sound?"

With her own father's ear still lying on the ground, although Lady Cao was inwardly lamenting her misfortune, how could she dare utter half a word of refusal? She immediately nodded in agreement.

"Alright!" Gongsun Xun rose abruptly, about to order everyone to move. "Take..."

"How can there be a father under heaven who brings such ruin upon his own children?!" Just at that moment, as they were about to be taken out of the city, the Grand Coachman Cao Ling, who had been arguing with his own father, could no longer contain himself and burst out in a loud rebuke. "Originally this was your matter alone; Father could still have handled it calmly. But now, you've tricked all the close family into coming here — how can Father dare to act rashly now?"

"I am your own father; a son taking the blame for his father is originally..."

"Gag them!" Gongsun Xun could not be bothered to pay any more attention to these two. "Gag all the soldiers of the Yue Cavalry Camp, bind them tightly, and lock them in the rooms. Gag and bind these four as well, hands behind their backs, and send them into those two carriages outside. Leave men inside to guard them. We will ride out of the city openly and head for Goushi! As for the servants in the residence, keep a few presentable ones to drive the carts and accompany us... Don't bother with the rest; let them scatter on their own as dusk falls."

The volunteer retainers did not say much, but followed the orders one after another... This, however, made Gongsun Xun feel rather ashamed. These men had left their homes and followed him far from their native land precisely to seek a future, yet now they were being dragged by him into a life of fugitives roaming the rivers and lakes.

Even if, seven or eight years from now, the world undergoes great upheaval and he could repay them this debt of gratitude, still, as the saying goes, time flows away like this river — how could these seven or eight years ever be repaid?

And so, for a moment, Gongsun Xun's heart was filled with heavy thoughts.

But let us leave aside Gongsun Xun, who was cautiously making his way out of the city while holding the Cao family members hostage. On the other side, Cao Jie, seated under the eaves of his own rear courtyard, had finally stopped his tears and managed to compose himself.

"Zixian and I were as close as father and son. Since he has no other immediate family left at home and had already grown distant from his clan, after the seven-day vigil, he shall be buried in my name, as a son of Cao Hanfeng, in the Cao family clan burial ground I previously selected on Mount Beimang... He shall be laid to rest beside my own tomb. That way, when we reach the Nether Capital, I can once again speak with him of the bond between father and son, flesh and bone!" At this point, beneath the setting sun, his hair graying, his eyes bloodshot, and his voice hoarse, Cao Jie suddenly raised his head and swept his gaze over the group before him like a hawk. "Do you all understand?"

The assembled guests and retainers hastily bowed their heads in acknowledgment. Only one man, tall in stature and of striking appearance, seemed uneasy and agitated even as he bowed.

"The rest of you, wait in the front courtyard for orders," Cao Jie waved his hand at the sight, then subtly gestured toward that middle-aged man. "Xiao Feng, do you have something to say?"

"My lord!" As soon as the others had left, this handsome middle-aged man immediately prostrated himself on the ground. "The situation before us is clear — our entire family has fallen into the hands of that cur Gongsun. I implore you..."

"What are you panicking about?" Cao Jie rebuked him expressionlessly. "Gongsun Xun also comes from a noble lineage, a son of a renowned family — would he truly violate your wife and daughter? Even if it truly comes to a fight to the death, he would still send Zhi'er and her mother back first. And in my view, those two letters may not necessarily have been forced from your uncle by him..."

Feng Zhi — that was precisely the given name of Feng Fang's eldest daughter, the young maiden who had been thrown into the fire pit in utter confusion by the combined efforts of her maternal grandfather, father, and mother. She was deeply cherished by Cao Jie.

"My lord speaks truly," Feng Fang hastily replied. "In truth, I also understand this reasoning, but in such circumstances, I truly find it hard to calm my heart! My lord, not to mention the risk of accidental harm if it comes to a desperate mutual destruction — just consider this: what if someone with ill intent learns of this and decides to exploit the situation, attacking and killing that cur Gongsun Xun along with Uncle, Brother Ling, and Zhi'er and her mother all together? Wouldn't we then... wouldn't we be left utterly alone, bereft of family?"

"No matter," Cao Jie immediately waved his hand in reply... For some reason, perhaps because Luo Zixian's corpse lay right behind him, his mind was exceptionally clear at this moment. "Yuan Feng is paralyzed and about to breathe his last any moment now. Qiao Xuan, moreover, owes Gongsun Xun the immense debt of saving his son and would absolutely not do such a thing. And apart from these two, there is no one else in Luoyang who possesses both the decisiveness and the capability for this!"

"Is that so?" Feng Fang was half-doubtful.

"It is," Cao Jie answered firmly. "Xiao Feng, at this moment I have only one question for you: do you prioritize preserving your wife and daughter, or killing Gongsun Xun to vent your hatred?"

"What is my lord saying?" Feng Fang immediately spread his hands and countered. "Gongsun Xun certainly deserves to die, but if I can first ensure the safety of my family, what harm is there in letting him roam free for a few days?"

"In that case, I already have a plan in mind," Cao Jie replied calmly. "What he seeks is merely two things: first, the safety of the families of the two Qius and the two Lius; second, his own safe withdrawal... Grant him these!"

"The principle is sound, but surely something must be done?" Feng Fang was momentarily bewildered. "Who will make contact? Who will handle the aftermath? Who will receive them?"

"Tomorrow I will go to the Imperial Secretariat and have a talk with Lu Zhi; that will suffice. There is no need for direct contact with Gongsun Xun," Cao Jie remained expressionless. "And with Lu Zigan acting as intermediary, that scoundrel will absolutely not go back on his word. Nor is there any need for anyone to receive them — a group of living people, once Gongsun Xun receives the letter and releases them, can they not return to Luoyang on their own? As for handling the aftermath... there is precisely one matter that requires you, Xiao Feng, to act!"

"Please give your instructions, my lord!" Feng Fang, hearing the clear logic, was already somewhat convinced, and now hastily bowed his head.

"What I worry about most is nothing other than the matter being exposed... If we run into some reckless fool at the bottom who doesn't know to cover things up, then it will be difficult to handle," Cao Jie pointed toward the distant setting sun. "The sky is already dark; I suspect Gongsun Xun has already begun his escape. Take men immediately to Yang Qiu's residence... It is Yang Qiu's residence, correct?"

"Yes!"

"Take sufficient men there and search for the soldiers of the Yue Cavalry Camp under your uncle's command," Cao Jie instructed thus. "If they are alive, keep them under strict supervision for me. If they are dead, bury them properly for me!"

"Understood." With a pillar of support now in place, Feng Fang immediately became much more decisive. Upon receiving the order, he promptly scrambled to his feet.

However, after walking out several paces, he suddenly realized something and turned back in the courtyard to bow once more: "I pray my father-in-law will restrain his grief!"

Cao Jie's expression darkened. He did not answer the other man, but instead supported himself on the eave pillar to rise and slowly made his way into the room behind him where the corpse lay... He still had a final letter that he had not yet had time to read carefully!

Gongsun Xun's operation to leave the city went almost too smoothly... In fact, all the way until he met up with Lu Fan, Lou Gui, Han Dang, Shen Pei, and the others outside the city, he encountered no serious obstruction whatsoever.

Clearly, his own younger brother, son, daughter, and granddaughter had all been abducted. Clearly, with Cao Jie's caliber, he should have easily seen something amiss from Luo Mu's strange behavior. Clearly, Feng Fang only needed to cross-check the information at his father-in-law's place to become alert, and then the truth would have come to light... Yet Cao Hanfeng acted as if he simply could not be bothered with him! He made no reaction whatsoever throughout the entire process!

"Where are the families of the four lords?" In a grove of trees beneath the twilight, Gongsun Xun forcefully suppressed the astonishment in his heart and first inquired about the situation outside the city. "How were they all arranged?"

"To answer the Young Master," Lou Gui was the first to cup his hands and reply, "When I received the express message, I immediately led men to meet them head-on. First, I gathered the families of the four lords, and then I had Wei Yue take some local men I had recruited and escort them, traveling through the night, heading southwest!"

"Southwest?"

"Precisely," Lou Gui answered frankly. "To the north lies the Yellow River blocking the way. The two passes to the east and southeast, though closer, could not be reached and crossed before today's end. Moreover, if there were pursuers, they would likely catch up from those two directions as well. As for Goushi, it is no longer a secret location — anyone could think of it and send troops to surround and suppress us. Rather than that, it is better to have them travel through the night, taking the long way around through Luhun Pass to the southwest and heading for Nanyang. This way, although they must travel through the night, they can exit the pass by early tomorrow morning without losing time. And once they reach Nanyang, where noble clans stand thick as forests and partisans and scholars are as numerous as hairs on an ox, even if the court sends pursuers, they will not be able to arrest them!"

"That makes sense," Gongsun Xun, for once, praised the other man. "It was I who gave hasty instructions and lost sight of the bigger picture."

"Furthermore, Ziheng has already sent someone back to inform the Young Madam and Fan Shaojun," Han Dang added from the side. "He told them both to hide in Lord Liu's residence and not to take a single step outside until the matter is resolved!"

"That is also correct," Gongsun Xun nodded increasingly. "Indeed, with more people, things become far more thorough — not like me, fumbling alone and growing more and more flustered..."

At this point, he turned his gaze back to Shen Pei, who stood to the side: "Brother Zhengnan, I will not hide it from you — or perhaps you already know — at Lord Yang's residence I hastily ran into Cao Poshi and was forced to take him hostage. And later, this man even drew in his own son and daughter... In other words, given this situation, it is already extremely difficult for Cao Jie and me to let the matter rest. Tomorrow, there may well be the calamity of blades and bloodshed. You are a scholar; staying here would only be in vain. You would do better to go after your mistress, look after her along the way, and thus fulfill a measure of loyalty."

Shen Pei listened quietly to these words, then stepped back half a pace and performed a grand ceremonial bow right there by the roadside: "For this aid you have rendered, Court Gentleman, Pei engraves it deep within his five viscera! But as for the matter of going or staying, I beg the Court Gentleman to say no more — I have long since made my decision in my heart!"

Gongsun Xun immediately nodded.

By this time, the last sliver of light in the west had vanished. The stars were dense and the moon a crescent. By all reasoning, Gongsun Xun should have been traveling through the night, taking the four hostages in his hands and heading toward Goushi to the southeast... On one hand, to find a place to settle there; on the other, to serve as a diversion for those family members fleeing to the southwest... But for some unknown reason, he delayed and did not move, nor did he issue any order.

Shen Pei was an outsider and naturally could not speak up easily. Han Dang, though he had gradually improved from learning to read and practicing martial arts while following Gongsun Xun, was ultimately still of a warrior's disposition and also did not understand. Only Lou Gui and Lu Fan exchanged repeated glances, clearly each harboring some insights and conjectures.

"Young Master," Lou Gui was the first to lose patience. "I have roughly guessed a measure of your thoughts, but at this moment, why insist on a perfect resolution?"

Gongsun Xun could not help but laugh wryly and shake his head.

"If I may speak bluntly," Lou Gui paid no heed and continued to persuade, "During this past half-year and more in Goushi, I have had considerable contact with desperate fugitives from all directions, which has increasingly confirmed the thoughts I held in my youth — this Great Han... No matter what, Young Master, in this venture you have participated in the execution of Wang Fu and the expulsion of Yuan She. The Regular Palace Attendants you have helped bring down number a full four men. Add to that this rescue of the four lords' families, and you have already broken free of the shackles of the frontier commanderies to become a model for the scholars! This trip to Luoyang has not been in vain! In such circumstances, even if you must live as a fugitive roaming the rivers and lakes, in but a few years we can make a comeback from beyond the frontier, and your renown will be even greater!"

Gongsun Xun still shook his head.

"Wenqi," at that moment, Lu Fan also stepped forward and asked with a serious expression, "Speak frankly with me — do you feel that if we go off to wander the rivers and seas, you would find it unbearable for me, for Zibo, for Yigong, and for these volunteer retainers who have followed you all the way from Yanmen? And so you wish to do your utmost to have one more frank meeting with Cao Jie, to seek a stable resolution, and thereby leave everyone a clean and honorable future?"

At these words, a stir rippled through the surroundings, and Shen Pei also turned his head slightly to look over.

Gongsun Xun gave Lu Fan a deep look, then admitted frankly, "I do have that concern!"

"Then forgive this household retainer for speaking bluntly." Lu Ziheng immediately responded. "It is good that you have such intentions, but is Cao Jie really someone easy to deal with? Wang Fu was his comrade in governance for many years, yet Cao Jie turned around and cast him out, leaving him to die without a burial place. Lord Chen and Lord Yang plotted against him, but before they could even begin to reckon, he discovered them and immediately framed them for treason, throwing them into prison to await death... Such a vicious and depraved man is rarely seen in this age. Even if we hold some hostages, how can you expect this kind of person to deal with you honestly?"

Gongsun Xun lowered his head and pondered for a moment, but still slowly shook his head. "Ziheng, say no more. When I left the city, I had already thought long and hard along the way... If we truly become fugitives roaming the jianghu, the futures of all of you and the sworn followers would be ruined — that is one thing. The families of the four lords becoming fugitives is another. And Cao Jie's vicious and depraved nature becoming utterly unchecked is yet another! In that case, would I not be failing you, failing the four lords, and failing all under Heaven?!"

"Then what does Gentleman Gongsun intend to do?" Shen Pei suddenly spoke up loudly.

"My mind is made up. I will seize this fine opportunity while we hold the hostages, enter the city to meet Cao Hanfeng face to face, and catch him off guard." Gongsun Xun's expression remained unchanged as he spoke slowly. "Then I will suppress his authority to his face and seek a situation where I have done my utmost and my conscience is clear!"

Han Dang and the sworn followers all changed color. Lou Gui could not help but sigh deeply. Lu Fan's expression was uncertain.

As it happened, others aside, Lu Ziheng had been involved in this matter from start to finish and felt deeply ashamed over the Luo Mu affair. He had pondered with all his might this time and had long since reached a conclusion... In his view, if one truly had to say a single sentence to assess the situation before them, it would be the very words he had once spoken to Gongsun Xun — Cao Hanfeng had already exhausted his strength!

And if one further considered the rich bargaining chips that Cao Poshi had delivered to their side by courting death, truth be told, Lu Fan genuinely believed that Gongsun Xun going to confront Cao Jie face to face this time was feasible and carried no great risk. And given Lu Ziheng's character of saying exactly what he meant, he had indeed been prepared to speak thus... His earlier roundabout words were actually because he knew his lord valued Shen Pei, and with that group of sworn followers at hand, he intended to seize the chance to help his lord win over their hearts.

However, just as Lu Fan was watching for the right moment, ready to deliver the final word, Shen Pei directly faced Gongsun Xun and bowed deeply once more:

"Pei has been known since youth, and the world calls me impassioned and fierce, with a bearing that brooks no offense. Yet only today does Pei understand what it means for a gentleman to be impassioned without showing it on his face! If the Gentleman is determined to go through with this, Pei — a man who has lost his lord, without virtue or talent — has only his own body and a single sword, and wishes to follow the Gentleman into the city as a guard!"

"I will not hide it from you, Brother Zhengnan," Gongsun Xun's expression stirred slightly. "I was just in need of a blade to bolster my courage!"

Lu Ziheng immediately shut his mouth and said no more.

——————————I am the dividing line of even if trapped to death, I will roam the ends of the earth———————————

"Shen Pei, styled Zhengnan, was a man of Fanyang in Wei Commandery. In former times, as a former subordinate of County Magistrate Chen Qiu of Fanyang, he abandoned his post to follow and attend him, and the people of the time praised him. In the Guanghe years... When they left the city, the Grand Ancestor wished to return and confront Jie as an equal. At that time, Lou Zibo, Han Yigong, and Lu Ziheng were all at his side, and all said it must not be done, yet the Grand Ancestor insisted on going. Zhengnan, because the Grand Ancestor was impassioned and also to repay the grace of saving his entire family, bowed and followed him. Years later, some reproached him for leading his lord into danger. Pei raised his head and replied: 'If I had not followed him into danger, how could I be called a retainer?'" — New Book of Yan, Volume 68, Biography 18

PS: This volume is done for. Are there any farming-sect comrades who can teach Dog Xun how to keep on drifting until death?

Also, the book friend group is 684558115. Everyone can join.

(End of Chapter)