Chapter 188: True Feelings Abound in the Human World

"Strange!" Inside a spacious public office of the Handan county temple, lamps had long been lit as the sky darkened, and beneath the lamplight, Wang Xiu, who was handling the county's miscellaneous affairs, was frowning at a document in his hands. "The document is indeed without error, and I have already sent someone to inform my lord... But why is the date on this document four days ago? If you set out from Xiangcheng County four days ago, why did the express-mounted document your County Magistrate Zhen sent three days ago make no mention of you?"

"Assistant County Magistrate Wang, forgive us," the tall clerk leading the group hurriedly bowed and explained. "Such matters are not for us lowly clerks to know. Perhaps our county magistrate made a slip of the brush in his haste... To be honest with the Assistant County Magistrate, I vaguely recall the two documents were dispatched one after the other. Before this man was found, the express-mounted document was sent first. Later, when this man was located, our county magistrate dared not delay the important affairs of Marquis Wulu, so he hastily wrote this document and had us escort this man here overnight."

"Perhaps so." Wang Xiu also accepted this explanation. "Some errors and omissions in haste are normal. Wait a moment; my county magistrate should summon you shortly... This man has been caught in the rain and caught a chill. Would he like a bowl of hot soup first?"

As he spoke, Wang Shuzhi gestured toward a person prostrate on the ground, who should be the one mentioned in the document.

"The superior officer is too concerned." It was still the tall clerk who raised his clasped hands in a gesture of assurance. "He is actually not seriously harmed, only somewhat frightened from encountering bandits that day... A wandering knight-retainer kept by the Zhang clan on their estate, who usually relies on his master's influence to act with reckless bravado. He had quite a reputation for valor in our county and was always utterly arrogant, but when faced with real blades and battle, his true colors inevitably showed."

Wang Xiu raised an eyebrow and was about to ask more, but the clerk who had gone to announce them had already returned, saying that the lord wished to receive the visitors from Xiangguo County privately in the rear courtyard of the official residence, so he had to let the matter drop.

And since it was a meeting in the rear courtyard, it would not do to bring so many people. The announcing clerk even said plainly that only two were needed. Thereupon, the tall clerk himself hauled up the stiff-bodied Zhang clan retainer and followed the guide directly toward the rear courtyard, while the remaining two or three attendants had no choice but to stay behind.

After several twists and turns, the two men finally reached the rear courtyard. As soon as the tall clerk entered and glanced up, he saw a full four or five people waiting there.

However, only two of them drew his gaze.

The foremost one sat cross-legged on the floor beside a low table under the veranda, clad in fine robes with fair skin and an imposing bearing, every inch the manner of a great clan, looking at him with curiosity. What particularly caught the tall clerk's attention, though, was that this man, young as he was, wore at his waist the purple cord and gold seal rarely seen in the realm, and behind him stood three men dressed as county clerks gripping swords... Without a doubt, this must be that Marquis of Wulu Village!

As for the other person, he stood conspicuously forward, a tall, large-framed man standing beyond the eaves in the fine drizzle. The misty rain obscured his features, and his clothing was not particularly splendid. Judging by his position, he also seemed to be some sort of guard... The tall clerk noticed him only because, by a warrior's instinct, he knew this man was the most valiant among those bearing swords.

"Are you the clerk sent by County Magistrate Zhen?" Just as the tall clerk was looking around, the Marquis of Wulu, with his extraordinary bearing, had already spoken softly. "Step forward. Is the man in your hands the one with knowledge of the matter, as stated in the document?"

"In reply to the Marquis," the tall clerk, under the tense gaze of the two or three county clerks opposite, stepped directly onto the veranda and approached to within a few paces of the man. He then simply dropped the person in his hands onto the floor—it turned out the man had been knocked unconscious by some method at some unknown moment. "This man is indeed one with knowledge of the matter, but I am not a clerk of Xiangguo County."

The Marquis of Wulu was taken aback for a moment, then asked with curiosity: "Then who are you?"

"In reply, noble sir," the tall clerk once more raised his clasped hands in salute, then answered calmly. "I am an assassin. This man on the ground offered me a hundred gold to come here and assassinate the Marquis, which is why I am here."

For a moment, silence fell under the veranda. Only after a full several breaths did the county clerks standing behind the Marquis of Wulu suddenly draw their waist sabers and confront this man. One of them even hurried forward to seize the unconscious man on the ground, search him, and bind him... Sure enough, a sharp blade was found hidden in the man's bosom.

The Marquis of Wulu Village, sitting cross-legged on the veranda, was also momentarily stunned, but ultimately his bearing was extraordinary. Once he recovered, he was unhurried and unflustered: "From the look of things, stalwart man, you do not intend to kill me? Otherwise, you would not have seen the error of your ways and turned back, capturing this man and presenting him to me."

"Not necessarily," the tall assassin replied calmly. "I merely captured and presented this man first. As for whether I have truly 'seen the error of my ways and turned back,' there is actually one question remaining. If I cannot get it clear, I will always be unwilling."

"Given the current situation..." The Marquis, sitting cross-legged there, glanced back at the several saber-wielding county clerks behind him and could not help but laugh for a moment. "Very well, ask. I am also curious why you changed your mind at the last moment!"

"It was not exactly a last-minute change of mind." The tall assassin shook his head repeatedly. Though surrounded by many, he remained utterly fearless, even seeming to be in a mood for conversation. "Does the noble sir know who this man I knocked unconscious is?"

The Marquis of Wulu glanced briefly at the bound, unconscious man beside him and gently shook his head.

"This man is called Shen Hu, a scion of the Shen clan of Zhao State. He is usually reckless and belligerent, a man of the wandering knight style, with some fame throughout Zhao State, Wei Commandery, Julu, and Changshan. Back then, first the three brothers of the Shen main line were executed, and then the noble sir exterminated the clan to establish authority. This man happened to be out wandering as a guest-retainer and hid in a friend's home, thus surviving."

"So that is how it is," the Marquis said, still unhurried. "That explains it. When a man wants to do something, there is always a reason... Whether avenging a friend or avenging a clan, it is all within reason. And you, stalwart man? Why did you mix with this man?"

"Me? I am originally from Changshan. At first, I was also a wandering knight. Later, my family fell into decline, and I had no choice but to enter the Taihang Mountains to get by... Not the Taihang Mountains within Handan's borders, of course, but further north, within the borders of Xiangguo, Bairen, and even Changshan... In any case, my former reputation remained, so I often came down the mountain to do some business."

"It seems your business is good. A commission of a hundred gold is no small sum."

"Yet I was forced by necessity." The assassin now seemed somewhat moved. "I made a name for myself in Changshan as a youth and earned some nicknames. After entering the Taihang Mountains, this name only grew larger, to the point that many people, supporting the old and carrying the young, came specifically into the mountains to join me. In the end, they accumulated more and more and became hard to feed, which is why I had no choice but to take on this kind of business. Moreover, this man not only promised me a hundred gold but was also willing to offer a thousand dan of grain at a time when food is scarce in the mountains. Mindful of the grain shortage in the mountains, I united friends from that section of the Taihang Mountains in Xiangguo County, found a rallying call, and had everyone come down together to help..."

"So that is how it is..." The Marquis of Wulu, with his purple cord and gold seal, was taken aback upon hearing this and seemed to have an inkling of understanding. "Since you are the leader of that band of Taihang Mountain bandits, then surely you must want to ask about our Handan side's campaign to exterminate the mountain bandits? Do you wish to plead for them?"

"No," the assassin immediately shook his head. "I lay low in the city for two days and learned some information... Forgive my bluntness, but since those in the mountains have resolved to resist, their success or failure is up to them. Why ask further? I only wish to ask the noble sir one thing: the refugees you previously recruited and pacified have indeed been settled, but as days stretch into years, how can you guarantee these people will not be forced back up the mountain again? How does the noble sir intend to deal with them? As I said before, the Taihang Mountains stretch for a thousand li. Nowadays, more and more people are going up the mountain, yet those coming down are only here in Handan!"

The Marquis, sitting cross-legged there, was momentarily speechless.

"For one term, perform one duty, carry one responsibility, do one task—one can only say one does one's utmost." Just then, in the gradually thickening fine rain nearby, someone suddenly raised his voice to answer. "So those commoners who were recruited and pacified will naturally be registered as households and settled to live in peace... What more could one wish?"

The assassin was stunned for a moment before turning around blankly, only to discover it was that tall guard standing beyond the eaves who had spoken. He could not help but ask in astonishment: "And who are you?"

"This is my lord, the Marquis." At this moment, the 'Marquis of Wulu' sitting on the veranda floor finally laughed ruefully and rose to his feet. He then actually untied the seal and cord from his waist and calmly stepped forward to hand them to that 'guard.' "I am Ju Zong of Guangping in Wei Commandery. When my lord heard you were coming, he guessed there was something amiss and originally wanted to use this to set a trap and capture you on the spot, but he did not expect to encounter a righteous man."

The assassin was dazed and at a loss... This man had always thought highly of himself and had been in control of the situation ever since entering, but now, suddenly overturned, he could not help but lose his composure.

"This is my answer. What does the righteous man think of it?" Gongsun Xun stepped from the rain onto the veranda, calmly took back the seal and cord, then turned around to look once more at this tall assassin.

"In reply, noble sir." The assassin came back to his senses and sighed helplessly. "Though the noble sir's reply cannot satisfy me, it is enough to leave me with nothing to say. In the end, recruiting and pacifying them to come down the mountain, giving them a path to live, is ultimately a good thing... In truth, had I not learned of the noble sir's deeds during these two days in the city and come to know that the noble sir is a capable official who gets things done, how would I have presented this man at the critical moment?"

"I thought as much." Gongsun Xun stamped the water stains from his feet and spoke without any evasion. "Since ancient times, assassins have taken righteousness as their first principle. I, Gongsun Xun, dare say that all I have done in Handan has been impartial and selfless. If this Shen clan remnant sought private revenge, I would naturally have nothing to say. But in today's matter, you present yourself as a benevolent and righteous man, yet you were going to kill me for a hundred gold. What does that count as? Putting on this appearance—could it be you think I originally deserved to die, and that you are bestowing grace upon me?"

The assassin wanted to speak but stopped.

"What more do you have to say?" Gongsun Xun asked dismissively.

"I have nothing else to say..." The assassin helplessly raised his clasped hands.

"In that case, I will not ask your name, nor inquire into other information. You broke a covenant of a hundred gold, so I will also gift you a hundred gold to repay the favor. The rivers and lakes stretch far; let us part here. The next time we meet, it will be as irreconcilable official and bandit!" Gongsun Xun waved his hand repeatedly, actually intending to drive this man out.

And this man stood stunned for a long time, but ultimately had no choice and could only raise his clasped hands and leave.

Ju Zong immediately also wanted to speak but stopped.

"Drag this Shen Hu away and subject him to severe torture," Gongsun Xun continued to command sternly. "Get to the bottom of this matter..."

The several county clerks immediately dragged the still-unconscious man toward the front of the official residence.

A moment later, just as Gongsun Xun, his whole body damp, was gazing thoughtfully at the lines of rain beyond the veranda, Ju Zong finally mustered the courage once more to speak... But at that moment, another commotion arose outside—it was clearly Wang Xiu, loyal to his duty, hurrying over after hearing the news.

"Your subordinate has been derelict!" Wang Xiu, as soon as he arrived, directly prostrated himself to beg forgiveness. "To have allowed an assassin to get so close to the Marquis."

"Shuzhi, there is no need for this," Gongsun Xun hurriedly helped up this capable subordinate, who weighed ever more heavily in his mind. "We had already seen through this man's guise and intended to seize the opportunity to capture him; it was no hindrance... I just did not expect to meet such an interesting person."

"But why did the Marquis not directly order these people seized in the front courtyard of the official residence?" Wang Xiu still found it hard to accept. "Why was it necessary to lure them into the rear courtyard?"

"Brother Shuzhi, this is you not appreciating the Marquis's painstaking care." Ju Zong helplessly explained from the side. "The Marquis feared alerting the snake and causing Brother Shuzhi, who cannot truss a chicken, to fall into danger. That is why he lured them into the rear courtyard to capture them... As the Marquis put it, by splitting the visitors up and luring them into the rear courtyard, with only one or two people and with preparations made in advance, we could naturally handle them with ease. Not to mention we had also set a decoy-and-switch stratagem."

"Indeed," Gongsun Xun also smiled bitterly. "There are few capable warriors at my side, and I myself am instead one of the rare good fighters within the official residence... Truly, one only feels the lack of men when the time comes to use them!"

This time it was Wang Xiu's turn to want to speak but stop.

"I was just about to ask the Marquis." Ju Zong raised an eyebrow upon hearing this and finally could not help but voice his question. "That assassin, upon hearing of the Marquis's virtuous administration, switched sides at the critical moment, making him a rare righteous man; moreover, he is agile and robust, having knocked this Shen Hu unconscious without anyone noticing, making him a rare martial talent; and his courage is not bad either... Why did the Marquis not take the opportunity to keep him here, instead rejecting him a thousand li away?"

"Because he will come back." Gongsun Xun immediately turned his head and laughed scornfully.

"How do you mean?" Ju Zong was also astonished. "How does the Marquis know this?"

"Merely guessed from two things." Seeing the floorboards were soaked, Gongsun Xun remained standing there to explain. "Gongtiao, you only saw his surpassing sense of righteousness, but did you not consider that he is a restless sort? Famous as a gallant knight in his youth, he later went up into the Taihang Mountains to become a bandit—likely he often acted lawlessly in ordinary times. And after becoming a bandit in the mountains, he even recruited refugees and curried favor with people. By his own account, the Taihang Mountains stretch a thousand li, and he actually has widespread renown from Changshan to Zhao State... What was he planning?!"

Ju Zong was left mumbling and speechless.

"If he is foolish, he wants to rebel and cause chaos, to replace the Han dynasty; if he is clever, he must be like most wandering knights, seeking an official career... He just took a wrong turn and inadvertently fell into being a bandit." Wang Xiu at the side coldly exposed the man's thoughts. "And he is still unwilling to accept his lot."

"It must be the latter." Ju Zong also caught on. "Otherwise, he would never have paid attention to the Marquis's recruitment and pacification of the Taihang Mountains, nor would he have specifically asked about the later disposition of those people... He just wanted to seek a career here with the Marquis!"

"Not only that," Gongsun Xun sneered even more coldly. "After he entered, he clearly also saw that I was extraordinary, but once his eyes fell on the seal and cord on you, Gongtiao, he could not tear his gaze away and never doubted anything else, only staring at you, the 'Marquis,' while speaking. Clearly, he was intent on showing off... Or rather, the reason he did not directly capture Shen Hu and then enter, or directly kill Shen Hu and come to see me, was probably because he originally wanted to use the opportunity to show off in front of me. This man's mind is too calculating; I find him quite disagreeable!"

Ju Zong was utterly speechless... Thinking back now, the other party's every word and action had indeed seemed like a deliberate exposition of his own abilities, just like... just like when a wealthy household recruits retainers and certain people come forward to boast and brag about themselves.

"My lord said that from two matters he deduced the man would certainly return. One was that his intentions were impure — but what of the other?" Wang Xiu frowned and pressed the question.

"The other…" Gongsun Xun's expression was no longer mocking, but grimly cold. "Let me ask you two: how many bandits does it take to burn down an entire estate?"

"Based on the scale of that estate as described by the Zhang clan head, at least two to three hundred men — it's hard to say beyond that." Wang Xiu calculated briefly and arrived at the answer with ease.

"Then where are those men now?" Gongsun Xun countered sternly. "So many bandits — where are they now?!"

Neither Wang Xiu nor Ju Zong were men of military talent, so neither had caught on… Of course, Wang Xiu had accompanied Gongsun Xun throughout the campaign against Goguryeo and might have understood what his lord meant, but at this moment Gongsun Xun was clearly somewhat angered, so it was not wise to speak further.

"The day the Shen clan was exterminated, this Shen Hu happened to be away, and was then hidden by a friend… Who was this friend?"

"These bandits did not come early, did not come late — they only struck after every capable warrior at my side had been dispatched to suppress the outlaws, forcing even the last able man beside me to be drawn away before they risked their single strike… What breadth of vision and what keen perception is this? Is this something a mere haughty scion of a powerful family, known for chivalry, could have conceived?"

"A thousand dan of grain, plus a hundred gold as the contract, hiring that assassin — a man of immense repute in both Zhao and Changshan — to lead so many Taihang bandits in this attack… Is this something a scion of a powerful family whose house has been destroyed and family perished could have pulled off?!"

"The reason that band of outlaws vanished without a trace is most likely because this 'friend' deliberately concealed them." After a barrage of questions, Gongsun Xun declared his conclusion. "And for this 'friend' to wield such power in Xiangguo… tell me, what sort of figure must he be?"

"It can only be one of the very few great families of Zhao," Ju Zong said, losing his composure. "On the surface they cower in submission to my lord, yet behind his back they commit such deeds — truly despicable!"

"What I despise is far more than just this." Gongsun Xun extended a hand, rubbing his fingers together as he spoke against the backdrop of the increasingly dense lines of rain beyond the corridor. "Think again: since all those Taihang bandits are held in the grasp of that 'friend,' why did the assassin dare to so readily hand Shen Hu over?!"

Wang Xiu and Ju Zong exchanged a glance, and each felt a chill run through his entire body… A man like that assassin clearly lived by his reputation, so he could not possibly disregard the lives of those bandits! Yet the man had still directly handed Shen Hu over — who had given him the nerve?!

Even thinking further, whether it was the hundred gold or the thousand dan of grain, it must have come from that 'friend.' So before the assassin came, he had plainly discussed the 'business' directly with the 'friend,' not with Shen Hu.

In other words, this assassin had received definite information, which was why he dared to so readily hand Shen Hu over.

In yet other words, that 'friend' had harbored the intention of killing Shen Hu from the very start, should the matter go awry.

"Yet for all his cunning, there is one slip…" Wang Xiu suddenly said. "That so-called 'friend' must have demanded the assassin present Shen Hu's head rather than deliver him alive before you, my lord. But what he could never have imagined was that this assassin — a mere mountain bandit — also had his own agenda. In order to face my lord directly, he acted on his own. And once the assassin comes to his senses, he will surely return to seek my lord's aid!"

"I only wonder when this Shen Hu will confess?" Ju Zong had repeatedly lost his composure today. "I, Ju Zong, would also like to make the acquaintance of this warm-hearted, righteous 'friend' from Zhao!"

"Only…" Wang Xiu spoke again, still puzzled. "There is one thing I still do not understand… If this 'friend' harbored ill intentions toward Shen Hu from the very beginning, why take him in at all? Why go to such elaborate lengths? At the time, why not simply report him, or refuse him at the door?"

"I have already roughly guessed the reason." Gongsun Xun, who had been staring at the lines of rain beneath the eaves for a long while, withdrew his hand and sighed darkly. "But there is no rush… Either Shen Hu confesses, or that 'righteous man' comes and spills everything to me like beans poured from a bamboo tube — in any case, the truth will be clear today!"

………………

The sky gradually darkened, yet the rain slowly began to ease.

Gongsun Xun changed his clothes, but did not let Wang Xiu leave. Instead, he set up the low table again, and together with Ju Zong, the three of them played Four-Season Animal Cards on the freshly wiped corridor, quietly awaiting news.

"Reporting to my lord!" A moment later, the prison clerk who had come several times that afternoon returned once more, his face covered in droplets — whether from rain or otherwise was unclear. "That Shen Hu still refuses to confess. We told him directly, as Master Ju instructed, that it was his 'friend' who sold him out, and that if he would only speak that 'friend's' name, we would grant him a way out. Yet he bluntly asked for death, even declaring that the overturned cart ahead serves as a warning — though he was betrayed by another, he himself would not become a betrayer of friends and be cursed by the world!"

Gongsun Xun let out a dry laugh: "It matters not. Since he values loyalty so highly… three monkeys… since he values loyalty and honor so highly, kill him in prison and fulfill his wish."

The prison clerk immediately took his leave… Pitiful remnant of the Shen clan, who had endured countless hardships to see his enemy, yet before he could utter half a word, was hastily beaten and then sent to his death.

"I only wonder when that Chu Feiyan will come?" Wang Xiu was clearly distracted from the card game. "He hasn't been silenced, has he?"

"That is unlikely," Gongsun Xun shook his head repeatedly. "Earlier, when I heard Shen Hu say this man was called Chu Yan, nicknamed Feiyan, I felt this man had a certain luck about him… Of course, if he still doesn't come, I will grow angry as well… Though he is a man of Zhending in Hebei and somewhat renowned, he does not bear the surname Zhao — why should I grant him too much face?!"

The words had barely faded when, from the vines behind the pond, a man covered in blood suddenly rose to his feet: "Chu Yan pays his respects to the noble lord. I beg my lord to forgive my earlier discourtesy, and I beseech my lord to save my subordinates. I know they are bandits and dare not ask for pardon — I ask only that their lives be spared…"

As he spoke, this Chu Yan actually knelt directly by the pond's edge to plead.

"Truly a flying swallow," Ju Zong could not help muttering. "When did he flip over the wall? I didn't even see him."

"How is it that every one of you values loyalty and honor so highly?" Gongsun Xun gave a cold laugh, then abruptly rose to his feet. "You make it seem as though I alone am devoid of human feeling… Chu Yan!"

"Here!"

"I ask you only one thing!"

"My lord, please speak."

"That 'friend' who first took in Shen Hu and now holds your subordinates — is it not Zhen Du, the County Magistrate of Xiangguo?"

Wang Xiu and Ju Zong were both stunned, and then both turned in unison to look at that 'Flying Swallow' by the pond.

At some unknown point, the sky had gradually cleared. Now the evening glow spread fully, reflecting upon the pond's edge — water droplets on dark grass, a scene of breathtaking beauty!

Chu Yan, hearing this, was also taken aback, but in the end he let out a long sigh and pressed his forehead to the grass in supplication: "My lord's mastery of both civil and military arts is profound — ridiculous that I, Chu Yan, thought so highly of myself. It was truly displaying one's slight skill before an expert. This matter was indeed orchestrated by Zhen Du behind the scenes… I dare ask for nothing more now, only that my lord save my subordinates. If their lives can be spared, I am willing to repay my lord's great kindness by binding grass and holding a ring in my mouth."

"Tell me the location, and I will write a letter ordering the three hundred horse-riders patrolling Xiangguo County to search for them," Gongsun Xun said, his expression still rather grim. "But let me be clear in advance: this may not succeed, and even if they are found, they will be dealt with according to the law!"

"Whether it succeeds or not is one matter, and dealing with them according to the law is another — that my lord is willing to go and try to save them already fills me with boundless gratitude!" Chu Yan said hurriedly. "My men were taken by that Magistrate Zhen and hidden in an estate under the jurisdiction of Suren Village."

By now, Wang Xiu and Ju Zong had already pushed aside the wooden cards and presented paper and brush. Gongsun Xun raised his hand to write the note. Yet just as he had written a single line, a county clerk suddenly arrived from outside to report.

"What is it now?" Gongsun Xun's heart stirred, and his expression grew even darker. "Don't tell me there is news from Xiangguo!"

The other three in the rear courtyard all turned to look at the newcomer, who was momentarily bewildered but still forced a smile: "My lord is truly divinely prescient… An express dispatch has arrived from Xiangguo County. It says that last night, Magistrate Zhen of Xiangguo uncovered intelligence on the outlaws, then stormed an estate under the jurisdiction of Suren Village in Xiangguo County and captured all the bandits in one sweep! However, the dispatch also says, rather curiously, that this estate turned out to be the private property of the Handan clan, a hereditary family of our Zhao — which truly arouses suspicion!"

Gongsun Xun shot to his feet, kicked over the low table before him, then drew the broken blade from his bosom and cleaved the table in two with a single stroke.

—————— I am the dividing line of true feelings in this mortal world —————

"Deep in seclusion, overlooking the walled city, spring departs, yet summer remains clear.

Heaven's will pities the secluded grass, the mortal world treasures the clearing evening." — "Clearing Evening" by Li Shangyin

(End of Chapter)