Chapter 66: The Capture

As the group just reached the courtyard gate, several Embroidered Uniform Guard officers had already searched their way here, and the two parties happened to meet. The Squad Leader leading the guards, sharp-eyed and quick-witted, took one look at this group's dress and bearing and immediately judged that these people were of wealth and rank. Overjoyed, this Squad Leader raised his blade and barked: "Stop! By superior order we are seizing suspects—everyone, assemble at the front!"

Fan Yongdou and the others were seasoned travelers who had seen much of the world, but the armor and clothing of these men were unlike anything they had ever seen, and their speech seemed to carry the accent of the capital. Could these be the Governor-General's personal battalion? It was said that when His Excellency the Governor-General left the capital to take up his post at Xuan-Da, the Emperor had selected a thousand riders from the Capital Camps to serve as his personal battalion, to bolster his prestige. But although their household had not yet established connections with the Governor-General's office, they had never offended him either, had they?

Fan Yongdou clasped his hands and said: "May I ask which lord's subordinates you gentlemen are? We are all honest merchants who abide by the laws of the court, and our households are all people of clean standing—how can there be talk of suspects? I, Fan, shall go at once to call upon your superior and ask him about this matter face to face!"

The Embroidered Uniform Guard Squad Leader sneered coldly: "Less nonsense! You'll know when you get to the front! I'll tell you this—blades and spears have no eyes, so don't try any tricks! Move!"

Several officers surged forward, surrounding Fan Yongdou and the others with drawn blades. Before the gleaming weapons, the group dared not utter a word and could only walk forward. Fan Yongdou, unwilling to accept this, fumbled in his bosom as he walked and produced a gold ingot, fully five taels in weight—this he carried daily for tipping purposes. He hurried a few steps to the Squad Leader's side and said in a low voice: "Kind sir, do me a favor—can you tell me which lord has come today?" The Squad Leader turned around, and Fan Yongdou extended his hand, concealing it with his sleeve as the gold ingot slipped into the Squad Leader's palm.

This Squad Leader made no attempt at concealment. He tossed the gold ingot in his hand a few times and said with a half-smile: "You call yourself Fan—you must be the main target this time, Fan Yongdou, aren't you? Seems my luck is pretty good—catching you is a first-class merit! Going back to the capital for promotion and reward is a sure thing now. Understand now? Let's go, Squire Fan!"

When Fan Yongdou heard the words "going back to the capital for reward," it struck him like a thunderbolt from a clear sky. His mind went blank, and though he wanted to speak, his mouth seemed glued shut. He vaguely sensed that this time things were dire indeed. The identity of these armored men was now nearly clear—that infamous institution from over a decade ago, which had run rampant across the Great Ming and could stop children from crying at the mere mention of its name, was on the tip of his tongue!

Wang Dengku and the others had also overheard their conversation. Shocked, they naturally understood who these men were, yet in their hearts they still harbored a faint hope, thinking that the Embroidered Uniform Guard had only come to arrest people at the Fan residence, and that their own households might not be affected. Perhaps Fan Yongdou had offended some great figure in the capital, and that was why the Guard had been dispatched to seize him. The Fan family, it seemed, was in for a massive bleeding this time. Although the Embroidered Uniform Guard had been virtually unheard of in recent years, a beast that has long lain dormant is still a beast—once it opens its great maw and bares its fangs, it must see blood and eat flesh. Given the Guard's legendary reputation, it was entirely possible the Fan family would be stripped of everything they owned. As for these men's silver and goods dealings with the Jianzhou barbarians, they paid this no mind at all—merchants made money, and doing business with anyone was still doing business. The Jurchen gave silver, furs, ginseng, and eastern pearls, while they in turn shipped grain, ironware, and medicine—this was merely normal trade. As for fencing stolen goods for the Jurchen, turning gold and silver ornaments still stained with blood into silver bullion, they simply pretended not to know.

Fan Yongdou and the others walked forward, and everywhere were Embroidered Uniform Guard officers. Constantly, members of the Fan household were being escorted from various courtyards and halls toward the front. The group passed through the sprawling residence and arrived at the first courtyard of the Fan estate. The many guests who had previously been gathered together had all disappeared—everyone had been escorted to the square before the reward hall within the fort.

Zuo Jinzhong was sitting in an armchair, leafing through an account book. The Squad Leader who had captured Fan Yongdou and the others stepped forward, knelt on one knee, and after performing a military salute reported: "Reporting to the Chiliarch, Fan Yongdou has been captured by this subordinate! In addition, there are eight others (including one steward of the Fan household) whose identities are unknown! I await your lordship's instruction!" With that, he gestured sideways toward Fan Yongdou at the front.

Zuo Jinzhong put away the account book and rose to his feet. With his hands clasped behind his back, he walked grinning up to Fan Yongdou at the front, looked him up and down, then said: "So this is Squire Fan, is it? Squire Fan does a fine big business! I'm not exactly an unsophisticated man, but just now I only gave your firm's transaction ledgers a rough flip-through, and even a rough tally of the gold and silver figures in them gave me quite a shock! Tsk tsk, what a pity! If you had conducted legitimate business, you would never have met me in this life. But—as a subject of the Great Ming, why did you betray the Great Ming and collude with the slave rebels, earning silver that betrays your conscience!" At the final sentence, Zuo Jinzhong's tone suddenly turned sinister and icy, and his gaze fixed on Fan Yongdou like a physical force. For the Embroidered Uniform Guard, the most loyal servants of the imperial house and the Great Ming, corruption, bribery, bullying men and abusing women, extortion and graft—all of these could be understood. But colluding with the slave rebels alone was an unpardonable crime warranting the extermination of one's entire clan—something that could never be accepted or tolerated. For that was a betrayal of the imperial house and the Great Ming, a betrayal of the Han people, the race of which they were so proud.

Fan Yongdou, at this moment, strangely felt no more fear. He raised his head and replied: "My lord, this humble one is a merchant, and generation after generation my ancestors have been subjects of the Great Ming. How can there be any talk of betrayal? Merchants conduct trade to earn silver—this is only natural and proper. This humble one admits that he has traded with the Jurchen before, but his purpose was merely to earn silver. Never once did he think of betraying the Great Ming or the court! My lord, do not frame this humble one!"

Zuo Jinzhong sneered coldly: "Fan Yongdou, you won't shed tears until you see the coffin! Once you've experienced the Embroidered Uniform Guard's eighteen methods of extracting confessions, I believe you'll confess to everything—even to having peeked at a woman bathing when you were three years old!" With that, he raised his hand, and a lean officer stepped forward, pinched Fan Yongdou's cheeks, and with a slight exertion of force, dislocated his jaw. This was the standard measure to prevent a serious criminal from biting off his own tongue.

Two officers took ropes and bound Fan Yongdou tightly, then escorted him into a room in the front courtyard, where the Embroidered Uniform Guard's torture experts were already waiting. Because they knew Fan Yongdou and the others were literate, once his jaw was dislocated, he would confess everything he knew.

Wang Dengku and the others' faces turned pale and ashen. Their usual demeanor of outward modesty and inward arrogance was swept clean away. Zuo Jinzhong's words had shattered their illusions—it turned out this time the Embroidered Uniform Guard had not come only for the Fan family. They were all grasshoppers tied to the same rope now; no one could escape. The connections they had previously greased with vast sums of gold, silver, and antiques were worth nothing before these imperial soldiers. And some officials would not escape their doom this time either.

Zuo Jinzhong gave his orders: "Tie them all up! One room per person—interrogate them separately! The accountants and stewards of all eight households are also to be questioned separately! Tell them that anyone who reports major leads and renders meritorious service may be pardoned! Those who refuse to confess will be given the full treatment! And have the others watch! Search all eight residences for stolen goods and illicit silver—anyone who resists is to be killed without mercy!"

A Centurion came rushing out from the inner residence and reported in a loud voice: "Reporting to the Chiliarch, in the rear garden of the Fan residence there is a small tower containing several people armed with bows, arrows, knives, and spears! This subordinate has had men surround it and has come specially to request your lordship's instruction!"

Zuo Jinzhong was overjoyed at the news: "Haha, an unexpected discovery after all! Call over the archers and the musketeers! The rest of you continue the search—the official troops outside have them surrounded, so no one can escape! Let's go! Let's have a look!"