[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-overthrowing-han":3,"chapter-overthrowing-han-overthrowing-han-chapter-204":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Overthrowing Han",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1222963,1620,"Chapter 204: Emotions Revealed on the Face (Part 2)","overthrowing-han-chapter-204",204,"\u003Cp>Gongsun Xun’s ability to gain Guan Yu this time might seem to owe something to luck, but to call it purely luck would probably be an oversimplification… After all, if not for his earlier actions in Zhao, or rather the series of actions he had taken over the past few years, which had more or less earned him some reputation and made the young Guan Yu feel a measure of admiration and acknowledgment, he likely would not have been able to achieve anything with mere words alone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, setting aside all metaphysical speculation, the most crucial point is that Guan Yu’s status at this time was far too lowly… a mere fugitive, and one who was still using the rustic, embarrassingly crude childhood name ‘Changsheng’! In such straits, even Liu Bei could recruit him, let alone Liu Bei’s elder brother figure, Gongsun Xun.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But thinking of it this way, it seems the credit must still go to Lady Gongsun. Had it not been for her, how could Gongsun Xun possibly have imagined that a fugitive murderer from Hedong would contain within his body such ability and potential?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But regardless, Gongsun Xun had ultimately recruited Guan Yu into his service for the time being, and after he returned to the river embankment that very night, he was so excited he nearly forgot some matters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Shuzhi, take Changsheng to rest first.” Gongsun Xun looked at the crowd of people standing outside his ‘custom-built work shed’ and immediately came to his senses. “Changsheng, we shall speak again tomorrow!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Guan Yu was not reckless; in fact, he was an extremely intelligent man. A single glance was enough for him to realize that the afternoon’s assassination attempt must still be unresolved… This was a matter that he, a newcomer who knew nothing and understood nothing, truly should not meddle in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My lord.” After Guan Yu and Wang Xiu had departed, Lou Gui withdrew his gaze from the former’s exceptionally prominent physique and turned to frown. “The Fangbo has pressed for answers several times, and then you suddenly left. We were truly at a loss. The explanation of lake bandits was not believed at all by the various gentlemen of the province…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That is only natural. Why would lake bandits want to kill the Fangbo for no reason? I wouldn’t believe it either.” Gongsun Xun stopped outside the work shed. His mood at this moment was rather complicated; on one hand, having gained Guan Yu filled him with surprise and delight, but on the other, recalling this headache of a matter made him feel quite helpless and tense. “What, after half a day, do you still only have the same information as before?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“More or less.” Lou Gui shook his head. “Shuzhi worked hard earlier, and the two men’s identities have been confirmed without doubt—they were indeed lake bandits from Dalu Marsh. We have also roughly pieced together how they hid and how they arrived here. But as you said, my lord, how can the mere term ‘lake bandits’ satisfy the minds of the provincial officials?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then let them wait a while before their minds are satisfied.” After a moment’s thought, Gongsun Xun stepped forward directly. “I am going to sleep.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then…” Ju Zong could not help but step forward half a pace to ask, “How should we reply to the province and the Fangbo?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No reply is needed.” Gongsun Xun answered loudly without looking back. “Just tell everyone that I went out to investigate the case for the Fangbo’s safety, have toiled for half the night, and am now utterly exhausted. Tell them to come find me tomorrow. Of course, if anyone truly insists on speaking, that is also fine—let them come here to find me personally. I shall await them at any time right here on my couch.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ju Zong wanted to say something but hesitated. But Gongsun Xun had already ducked into the ‘work shed’ where he usually rested while speaking, and the two attendants on duty had directly planted themselves before the door with swords at their sides… Under such circumstances, Ju Zong could hardly pursue him inside and could only turn away with a sigh, preparing to deal with those provincial officials.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The night was deep, after all, and seeing that they had Gongsun Xun to back them up, the rest of the Zhao contingent also dispersed in a flurry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lou Zibo, however, after pacing a couple of steps, suddenly turned back, greeted the two attendants, and requested entry through the thick door curtain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So it is Zibo?” Gongsun Xun, sitting cross-legged on the couch, immediately yawned upon hearing the voice outside. “You’ve given me a false joy… Come in, then.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My lord is so weary yet still unwilling to rest; I presume you are awaiting a guest?” Lou Gui lifted the door curtain and entered. Seeing the scene, he stroked his beard and chuckled lightly. “Might I be permitted to listen in?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You dared to speak those words at noon; what could you possibly not be allowed to hear?” Gongsun Xun shook his head. “Sit by the brazier beside the bed; the ground is cold.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lou Gui nodded slightly and simply sat down by the bed, waiting with Gongsun Xun in silence for the visitor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And sure enough, a moment later, a voice of greeting suddenly came from outside the work shed: “This commoner, Zhang Cheng, has a matter to request an audience with the Lord!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lou Gui immediately understood everything.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>……………………\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As soon as Zhang Cheng entered the work shed, he dropped directly to his knees… Clearly, this was an act of pleading guilt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Speak.” Gongsun Xun’s face was weary as he sighed. “Who was the mastermind behind this matter, and did you know of it beforehand?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Cheng’s face was pale. He knelt upright without rising, then forced himself to kowtow and said, “Cheng only came to a realization after seeing the corpses of those two men afterward. As for the one who directed it, I can only say that it was not the doing of the Taiping Dao of Zhao…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then it was your Great Virtuous Teacher who personally directed it from Julu.” Lou Gui’s face fell as he spoke from the side. “Is that correct?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Great Virtuous Teacher may not necessarily have known.” Zhang Cheng knelt on the ground and explained earnestly. “I suspect someone acted on their own authority…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And who is this ‘someone’? Your Taiping Dao truly produces talents in every generation!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You see,” Lou Gui pressed relentlessly with a stern face, “Dalu Marsh lies at the center of Julu Commandery. Since the lake bandits there are connected to your Taiping Dao, they can only be under the direct command of your Great Virtuous Teacher! And assassinating a provincial inspector—what kind of grave matter is that? Without the Great Virtuous Teacher’s approval, who else could make such a decision?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Daoist Zhang!” Lou Gui’s expression was now one of indignation. “Search your conscience—has my lord not been tolerant enough toward your Taiping Dao? And to you, Zhang Cheng, did he not show you the kindness of letting you off the hook? In building this Xia Embankment, has the grace he has shown the people of Zhao in any way contradicted your Taiping Dao’s ideal of ‘bringing about Great Peace’? Yet what is the meaning of you people acting here? Was it not deliberately intended to implicate my lord? Others aside, do you truly not understand the meaning of the words ‘grace’ and ‘righteousness’?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If not out of gratitude for Magistrate Gongsun’s grace, why would I have come to plead guilty?” After a long silence under Lou Gui’s relentless interrogation, Zhang Cheng could only say this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Daoist Zhang, do not speak so grandly.” Lou Gui gave a cold laugh. “When it comes down to it, since it is already known that these two men failed to escape and left behind corpses that were recognized as coming from Dalu Marsh, then given my lord’s attention to your Taiping Dao, the truth would have come to light sooner or later… Others may not be clear on this, but you should understand this principle, shouldn’t you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Daoist Zhang was momentarily speechless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Did you come here out of genuine gratitude, or because you knew denial was useless and so came in advance to put on a show of being torn between loyalty and righteousness?” Lou Gui’s mockery grew increasingly blunt. “I fear only Heaven knows!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Cheng felt even more desolate in his heart… This was precisely the problem; at this moment, he was utterly despised by both sides.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Enough!” However, at this moment, Gongsun Xun, seated on the couch, suddenly spoke up and actually rebuked Lou Gui. “He has his own difficulties… As the local leader of the Taiping Dao, to be so easily kept in the dark about this matter by the Julu side shows that either the Julu side regards him as nothing, or they have long since ceased to trust him. And,” Gongsun Xun paused here and shook his head gently, “even if this matter was not done by Zhang Jiao himself, it was done by his two younger brothers. Yet, the Great Virtuous Teacher is to him like a teacher, and also like a sovereign. Even if everyone understands in their hearts what happened, how could he possibly open his mouth and name one of those three brothers?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Cheng’s face turned ashen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That is true.” Lou Gui also sighed. “But in the end, the three brothers are one entity; it hardly matters…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It should be Zhang Bao!” Zhang Cheng suddenly prostrated himself on the ground and gave a name. “And it is connected to the matter of the Lord releasing me that day!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gongsun Xun and Lou Zibo looked at each other in bewilderment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Zhang Bao has always been irascible and overbearing by nature.” Having begun to speak, Zhang Cheng became quite forthright. “He became a Great Healer only because he is the Great Virtuous Teacher’s younger brother… That day, after Lord Ma and I were captured and then released by you, my lord, he assumed that you had not shown me that letter, and even sent someone to make a pretense of asking about it. And I, for the sake of unity within the sect, did not mention the letter either, merely saying, as you had instructed, my lord, that it was Inspector Liu who forced you to purge the Taiping Dao.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gongsun Xun and Lou Gui exchanged glances again, but neither spoke… So Liu Yan had actually suffered calamity because of the letter the two of them had forged. Whose fault could this even be considered?!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Afterward, he spread word within the sect that he would deal with Inspector Liu and you, my lord… The Great Virtuous Teacher rebuked him for it at the time.” Zhang Cheng grew more indignant as he spoke. “I also thought the matter would end there. Who could have imagined that he would privately mobilize the Yellow Turban Strongmen hidden in Dalu Marsh!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So these were the Yellow Turban Strongmen?” Gongsun Xun immediately became interested.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Indeed.” Zhang Cheng said helplessly. “The Yellow Turban Strongmen are an assembly of courageous and strong believers selected by the Great Virtuous Teacher, specifically tasked with guarding the safety of the Julu headquarters. Because the authorities inevitably kept a closer watch after the last uprising, they were relocated to the chaotic and lawless Great Wild Marsh, and Zhang Bao was put in charge. Who could have guessed that he would privately use the Yellow Turban Strongmen to cause such an incident! A single ignorant act has plunged our Taiping Dao of Zhao into such an unbearable predicament!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I understand.” Gongsun Xun understood in his heart and waved his hand to indicate that the other need not say more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My lord!” Zhang Cheng made one last effort, saying, “The Great Virtuous Teacher truly may not have known of this matter. I am willing to serve as a messenger and go to Julu to communicate. In the final analysis, the Great Virtuous Teacher bears you no ill will. This assassination attempt was aimed solely at the Inspector, and you, my lord, have always been tolerant toward our Taiping Dao. Our two sides need not come to blows!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gongsun Xun remained silent for a moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My lord!” Zhang Cheng kowtowed repeatedly. “Please, trust me once more!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lou Gui stroked his beard and could not help but look toward Gongsun Xun.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“In that case, I will temporarily conceal this from the Fangbo for your sake. You may go to Julu, and ask your Great Virtuous Teacher on my behalf whether this matter was indeed done with his approval.” After pondering for a long while, Gongsun Xun actually agreed to the other’s proposal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Cheng was overjoyed… He hastily kowtowed and then prepared to leave that very night.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My lord.” Lou Zibo, half keeping watch and half seeing the man off into the distance, then ducked back into the ‘work shed’. “Was this man truly unaware? A one-sided account—how can one discern truth from falsehood? Could he not simply be seizing the chance to escape our control? And regarding the matter of us forging that letter back then, if Zhang Bao had not come asking, it might have been concealed. But since Zhang Bao did come asking, it is hard to say, isn’t it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It doesn’t matter.” Gongsun Xun, seated on the couch, could not help but yawn. “Perhaps this man was an accomplice, perhaps not. Perhaps he knows about the forged letter we used to sow discord among them that day, perhaps he does not, and is instead merely someone who considers the bigger picture and stoops to compromise… But what does any of this have to do with you and me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lou Zibo was momentarily bewildered: “Does it not concern us? If the Fangbo were to learn that he was assassinated because of some words in a letter we forged…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So what?” Gongsun Xun slowly shook his head. “These are all trivial details. Everyone has a mouth and their own version of events. The Fangbo himself even submitted a memorial to the court about the Taiping Dao matter—would you call that unjust?! As things stand now, the only established fact is that the Taiping Dao attempted to assassinate the Fangbo and failed.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That is also true.” Lou Gui’s face showed sudden understanding, and he extrapolated further. “Take Zhang Cheng’s trip, for example. His personal attitude is irrelevant; the key is to see whether Zhang Jiao currently intends to break with the court… If the other party does not wish to stir up trouble, they can naturally use this channel to communicate. And of course, it also depends on what attitude the Fangbo himself takes?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Zhang Jiao’s attitude cannot be guessed for the moment. As for the Fangbo, I shall go see him!” Gongsun Xun suppressed his weariness and abruptly rose to his feet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If you go see him now, do you think the Regional Governor can make a decision on the spot?\" Lou Zibo was utterly speechless. \"The Way of Great Peace has deep roots — thirty-six divisions across the realm — and that Regional Governor of ours is the type who looks forward and fears what's behind...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Zibo, you're overthinking it.\" Gongsun Xun shook his head with a wry smile as he put on his shoes. \"I simply couldn't sleep all night, weary beyond endurance, yet unable to drift off. So I might as well make sure the Regional Governor shares my sleeplessness!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lou Gui raised an eyebrow, growing even more speechless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The result was immediate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Yan was hardly just sleeping poorly — the moment he heard it was the work of the Way of Great Peace, his fury erupted almost instantly. He even kicked the chamber pot on the floor flying right in front of Gongsun Xun!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fortunately, there hadn't been time to put anything in it!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet after his rage flared, especially upon learning it was likely just Zhang Bao acting on his own, Liu Junlang found himself utterly at a loss: \"Wenqi, things have come to this — what can be done?! I am a dignified Provincial Governor, yet I was assassinated within my own jurisdiction and nearly lost my life. I can hardly pretend nothing happened, can I? But the Way of Great Peace, of all things...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gongsun Xun stood where he was, his thoughts churning... To be honest, he rather wanted to see just what kind of power the Way of Great Peace truly wielded at this moment!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And so, after a brief pause, Gongsun Xun gave a reply that brooked no refusal: \"I am entirely at the Regional Governor's command!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>————I am the splashing dividing line————\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Where the wind passed, a Yellow Turban Divine Warrior appeared. Behold: a face like red jade, whiskers like dark velvet. He seemed a full zhang in stature, with the strength of a thousand catties in every limb. Beside his yellow turban, golden rings blazed with shimmering light in the sun; across his embroidered tunic, iron armor spread like frost swallowing the moon's reflection. Ever guarding the dharma before the altar, ever descending into the world to subdue demons.\" — Water Margin\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>PS: How embarrassing... I actually forgot to post... After finishing the chapter last night, I was groggy and just hit save, thinking I'd already published it... Mortifying. My apologies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",2906,"2026-06-04T19:42:26.060Z",1,"Novelzhen Translator","f847a96e8f1974628e11d030345afe281f3238d55244e65d486cad16b635bb4a","overthrowing-han-chapter-205","overthrowing-han-chapter-203",548,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Foverthrowing-han-cover.jpg"]