Chapter 44: A Path Never Envisioned

It was not until the shackles were unlocked and fell clattering at his feet that Wan Xiu could truly believe this was real.

Everything had happened so fast — who would dare believe that the Postal Inspector, who had only today set out escorting prisoners, would not only release him but also propose they flee together? The two of them were hardly close.

Looking at Diwu Lun standing off to the side, Wan Xiu instinctively thought: It must have been Boyu who persuaded Inspector Ma!

Deeply moved, he murmured, "My two lords — what virtue or ability does Wan Xiu possess to deserve this…"

Ma Yuan, already briskly leading the horses and preparing to flee, rebuked him: "Enough talk. Hurry and ready the horses."

Wan Xiu obeyed, dropping all pretense. He had willingly taken the blame and faced death to repay a debt of gratitude owed years ago to Yuan She. Yet as Diwu Lun had urged him: "You are not even afraid of death — so why fear life?"

Ma Yuan finished fastening the saddle and turned to Diwu Lun. "Boyu, will you truly not come with us?"

Abandon the clan he had labored so hard to unite, give up every card he held, and on the impulse of hot-blooded loyalty, flee with these two and start over from nothing? This was a path Diwu Lun had never envisioned.

Seeing his silence, Ma Yuan smiled. "Surely you are not loath to part with the post of Palace Gentleman?"

Diwu Lun shook his head. "Wenyuan could toss his Postal Inspector's seal into a wine cup — I could just as well fling this bronze seal and yellow cordon into a cesspit. Why would I begrudge it? It is only that…"

Sensing the shift in mood, Wan Xiu quickly interjected: "Inspector Ma, do not press the young gentleman Diwu. He is not like us — he has an aged grandfather at home."

"'While Grandfather lives, one does not journey far'?"

Ma Yuan nodded, finding this within his expectations, and did not press Diwu Lun further. But to his surprise, Diwu Lun asked in return: "Once Wenyuan flees, what are your plans?"

Since Diwu Lun was not coming along, Ma Yuan kept his guard up. He would not reveal where he was going or whom he would seek refuge with, merely smiling and saying, "What else can one do? Change my name, hide my identity, lie low in the frontier forests and mountains, and wait for the court to issue a general amnesty."

Commit murder and arson, then get amnesty and a fresh start? Diwu Lun and Wan Xiu exchanged glances. Was waiting for an amnesty really a reliable plan?

Ma Yuan said with confidence, "The realm is unsettled. At the earliest, three years; at the latest, five. Once chaos erupts, the court will be overwhelmed and will surely grant amnesty to men of valor. By then we shall be cleared of our crimes — and what comes after, we will decide when the time comes!"

Diwu Lun had assumed Ma Yuan had a long-term plan. He had not expected this brother to be the type who acts first and thinks later.

Diwu Lun smiled. "It seems I misunderstood Wenyuan earlier."

Ma Yuan frowned. "What does Boyu mean?"

Diwu Lun said, "I once heard Master Yang Ziyun recount tales of the former dynasty. At the end of Qin, Liu Bang, the future Han Gaodi, was serving as a Precinct Chief, escorting conscript laborers to Xianyang. Many escaped along the way. Under Qin law, Liu Bang had already committed a grave crime. So he simply released all the laborers and hid with them among the mountains and marshes as outlaws. Only after the First Emperor of Qin died and Chen Sheng and Wu Guang rose together in great revolt against the brutal Qin did Liu Bang lead his men to answer the call."

He continued, "Wenyuan, in your capacity as Postal Inspector, releasing Junyou and fleeing together with him — this bears a strong resemblance to that affair. I had thought you, too, harbored the ambitions of a Han Gaodi!"

"Han Gao… Gaozu? Boyu, do you think I resemble him?"

Ma Yuan burst out laughing. He was indeed discontented with the court and often voiced criticism in daily talk, but he had truly never reached the point of deliberately plotting rebellion. Today's flight was also a spur-of-the-moment decision.

"Nor was I acting purely out of public righteousness. Seeing how the court's governance has decayed over these ten years, with jackals and wolves blocking the way, the realm is bound for chaos. When a great tree topples, the farther away one stands, the safer one is. Just as the Spring and Autumn Annals record: Shensheng stayed within and perished; Chong'er and Yiwu went abroad and were safe. Spending a few years away is not such a bad thing."

The Ma clan of Maoling was too deeply entangled with the Xin dynasty of Wang Mang. Having one member drifting outside was, on the contrary, a good thing — this was also why Ma Yuan had refused to become a Palace Gentleman.

Two months ago, Diwu Lun would likely not have understood references to Shensheng or Yiwu. Fortunately, during his recent time in the Gentlemen's Bureau, he had studied the Spring and Autumn Annals for adjudication. And Yang Xiong was a treasure — though untrained in textual exegesis, he was broadly learned and widely informed. How could one use allusions in composing fu poetry without a firm grasp of history?

So Diwu Lun had followed Yang Xiong and learned a bit. He did not revere the Annals as a sacred canonical scripture; he simply treated it as a crash course in historical knowledge.

Diwu Lun did know the allusion Ma Yuan had just invoked, so he said, "Chong'er and Yiwu could not spend their whole lives in exile abroad. The reason they were able to return to their homeland was that there was a Li Ke in the court!"

During the Spring and Autumn period, the Li Ji Rebellion in Jin was put down by the minister Li Ke, who had long endured in concealment. He then invited Chong'er and Yiwu back to the state.

Diwu Lun cupped his hands toward Ma Yuan and Wan Xiu. "Allow me to speak boldly. You two will be outside the court; I shall remain within. In hardship, we preserve ourselves; in success, we aid one another. Compared to drifting in exile forever, waiting for an amnesty — this at least gives us one more path of retreat."

First raising the example of Liu Bang, then comparing himself to Li Ke, that regicide — not a single word of rebellion was spoken, yet the rebellious intent lurking in Diwu Lun's heart was laid bare for all to see.

Wan Xiu listened, utterly dumbstruck. Even the great knight-errant Yuan She, with hundreds of retainers at his command, would never dare entertain such thoughts.

Ma Yuan was equally stunned. Moments ago, he had privately grumbled that Diwu Lun was too full of misgivings, not the sort to accomplish great things. Who would have thought this youngster had thought long and deep, nursing a rebellious heart and waiting to stir up something big? By comparison, Ma Yuan now seemed like an impulsive brute with no plan at all. Every trace of his earlier disdain vanished.

Truly, if Ma Yuan ever really needed a "Li Ke," weren't his two elder brothers, both holding two-thousand-bushel posts, far better positioned than this minor Palace Gentleman Diwu Lun?

But this ambition alone — so audacious it was terrifying — was enough to make Ma Yuan look at Diwu Lun with new eyes. He laughed with delight. "Good! A cunning rabbit has three burrows. From this day on, Boyu shall be our inside ally!"

"Wait for me a moment, you two!"

Diwu Lun hurried back to the post-house. When he returned, he held an object in his hands and gave it to Wan Xiu — it was the bow that had broken at Changling.

"A fine bow. A pity it broke. I had a craftsman carefully glue it with fish glue, but I fear it can never be used again. Still, let it return to its rightful owner. Keep it as a memento, Junyou."

Wan Xiu dropped to one knee and received it with solemn gravity. He bound the bow carefully to his body, treasuring it like a precious gem. "Not so. From now on, the arrows this bow shoots shall be arrows of benevolence and righteousness!"

Once mounted, Ma Yuan said, "Once we flee, Boyu will likely be summoned for questioning by the Master of Fates of the Five Majesties. We have dragged you into trouble."

"I will not breathe a single word." Diwu Lun smiled wryly. "In truth, I do not even know where you two are headed."

These words shamed Ma Yuan. Earlier, suspecting Diwu Lun was unwilling to come along, he had deliberately withheld the information. Now it seemed he had been overly cautious — he had truly done Diwu Lun wrong.

Time was pressing. Someone might wake at any moment and discover everything. Diwu Lun cupped his hands to bid them farewell.

"Until we meet again."

"We shall meet again someday!"

The two spurred their horses and rode off — but Ma Yuan circled back. Even at the risk, he told Diwu Lun their destination.

"Boyu, the place we are going is Yandi Commandery — Beidi Commandery!"

…

Watching the two horses vanish into the night, Diwu Lun finally let out a sigh.

"General Fubo, Ma Yuan — truly worthy of being, besides Wang Mang and Liu Xiu, the third historical figure of this era whose name I remember. He does indeed have the spirit of a hero."

What man does not have a bit of hot blood in him? When Ma Yuan invited him to flee together, a voice in Diwu Lun's heart cried out for him to agree!

But thinking it over carefully afterward — Ma Yuan could of course act on his nature, a true man daring to do and daring to bear the consequences, but that was also because he had the capital to be reckless.

Ma Yuan came from a great clan of Maoling. Two of his paternal aunts had been Favorite Beauties of Emperor Cheng of Han, and one of them was still alive, keeping vigil at the Yanling tomb.

His two elder brothers held two-thousand-bushel posts: Ma Yu had risen to Colonel of the Central Encampment; Ma Yuan was Regional Chief of Zengshan — Shang Commandery — and had put down rebellions for Wang Mang, holding the noble rank of "Viscount." Both were men of great power with real authority in their hands. Ma Yuan's wife and daughter at home were protected by these two and would come to no harm at all. In other words, no matter how recklessly Ma Wenyuan behaved, there would always be someone to clean up after him.

"But the Diwu clan has only me to rely on — and I, too, have only the Diwu clan."

A working-class kid imitating a rich second-generation heir in the name of loyalty comes at a price. A moment of personal gratification could bring long-term suffering to many. It might even anger Diwu Ba to death. Others aside, toward his grandfather, Diwu Lun felt deep affection.

What was more…

"If I went with him now, who exactly would be following whom?"

Unaccomplished in both letters and martial arts, Diwu Lun would surely be tagging along behind Big Brother Ma, playing the role of a second-rate strategist. Would he be content with that?

Diwu Lun knew well that in his previous life he had been just an ordinary person. When it came to heroic abandon and free-spiritedness, he could never match someone like Ma Yuan, a man destined to leave his name in the annals of history.

His advantage was having a clear plan for the future — using a transmigrator's foresight, calculating step by step, accumulating bit by bit, advancing steadily and surely. Given time, he would certainly grow great and strong.

"Let him walk his single-plank bridge; I'll keep to my own broad, sunny road!"

A smile spread across Diwu Lun's face. "When we meet again in a few years, who's following whom — that's far from certain!"

When he returned to the precinct quarters, the Precinct Chief and the clerks were still snoring on the communal sleeping platform. After all, Inspector Ma had promised to stand watch tonight — they could rest easy!

The matter would not be settled so easily. Diwu Lun knew full well that the best way to shake off suspicion right now was to find somewhere to slam himself hard enough to get injured, then wake everyone in a panic.

But if he did that, in the whole affair, Wan Xiu would be the true knight-errant who went resolutely to his death, Ma Yuan the true hero who freed a prisoner out of righteousness — and he himself would become the true scoundrel who tried to stop them from escaping.

He had to shed the mindset of a law-abiding citizen from later ages. He needed to make his own actions align with the morality this era admired. That mattered far more than following those damned statutes and ordinances.

Diwu Lun picked up Ma Yuan's silk letter, unfolded it, and glanced at it. He couldn't help laughing. "Ma Wenyuan has taken all the blame onto himself."

Slightly reassured, he stuffed the letter back under the cups and dishes, picked up the half-finished jar of yellow wine, tilted his head back, and gulped it down — glug, glug, glug — to the last drop!

"Living in this world, how can one be cautious and timid at every turn, never taking any risk? The Master of Fates of the Five Majesties office — if I must go, then I'll go!"

At last Diwu Lun staggered over to the communal sleeping platform, found a warm and comfortable spot, collapsed, and fell straight asleep!

"Diwu Lun, do you know your crime?"

It was now the morning of the third day. Diwu Lun raised his head and saw the white tiger pattern on the hall wall...

This was of course not the White Tiger War Council Hall, but the emblem of the Right Master of Fates Hall, in the office of the Master of Fates of the Five Majesties.

The Master of Fates of the Five Majesties, a new institution Wang Mang had added after founding the Xin Dynasty, had seized more than half the authority of the Governor of the Capital and had reached the point where it could meddle in anything.

After seeing Ma Yuan and Wan Xiu off the night before last, Diwu Lun had used the remaining wine to get himself drunk as well. The next morning he rose and pretended to be just as shocked as the Precinct Chief and the others. He smoothly handled Ma Yuan's subordinates and the officials of the Capital Commandery, but he knew the matter would not end so lightly. Sure enough, barely half a shichen after returning to Chang'an, he was summoned by the Right Master of Fates, Kong Ren.

Diwu Lun lowered his eyes. "Boyu is innocent."

"Still daring to quibble."

Kong Ren, Right Master of Fates of the Xin Dynasty, wore an astronomical crown — said to have been bestowed personally by the Emperor, Wang Mang. Kong Ren wore it on his head from morning to night. He sat sideways behind his desk. "Guo Hong, tell this ignorant whelp what kinds of criminals this office handles."

Standing at Kong Ren's side, the law clerk Guo Hong, wearing a xiezhi cap, said in a harsh voice:

"First: those who offer private thanks at personal gates."

"Second: those who leak matters from the palace or the Imperial Secretariat."

"Third: those who counterfeit gold and copper coin."

"Fourth: those whose arrogance and extravagance exceed the regulations."

"Fifth: those who disobey their superiors' orders — such as that Capital Commandery Inspector who let a prisoner escape, Ma Yuan!"

Kong Ren glared at Diwu Lun. "And there is a sixth — people like you, arch-schemers! Diwu Lun, will you now truthfully confess to conspiring with Ma Yuan to let the murderous villain Wan Xiu escape?"

Diwu Lun's face was the picture of innocence. "Though this humble clerk was at the precinct where the incident occurred, I was merely a passerby."

"I studied adjudication by the Spring and Autumn Annals in the Gentlemen's Office. The Annals' principles oppose collective punishment — wrongdoing stops with the person himself. Even the laws of that villainous Qin and wicked Han only extend collective punishment to fathers, sons, brothers, relatives, and neighbors. Since when has merely passing through been a crime?"

"A passerby?" Kong Ren sneered. "You are acquainted with both Ma Yuan and Wan Xiu. Moreover, I have heard that at Fine Willow Precinct, you even brought wine and meat to that knight-errant and spoke with him at length. And you still dare claim this matter has nothing to do with you?"

This truly was an unprovoked calamity. Diwu Lun sighed. "Right Master of Fates, I have met Ma Yuan and Wan Xiu only a few times; our acquaintance is very shallow. Still less did I expect Ma Wenyuan to be so bold... The course of events — Ma Yuan wrote it all in that silk letter. The morning after the incident, the Precinct Chief, the assistant clerk, and I opened it together. Everyone can bear witness: it was indeed Ma Yuan who, out of pity, let Wan Xiu go. It has nothing whatsoever to do with me."

The law clerk in the xiezhi cap at his side barked: "Who says it has nothing to do with you! On the night of the incident, you suddenly proposed treating everyone in the precinct to a feast, emptied the station's wine stores, and got everyone drunk — so that Ma Yuan could release Wan Xiu at his leisure. Even if you did not directly assist those two villains in escaping, you are still an accessory, and gravely guilty!"

"That was truly an unintentional act."

Diwu Lun said: "In hearing cases, the Spring and Autumn Annals insist on basing judgment on the facts and tracing the intent. For those with a wicked heart, even if their crime was not completed, they must be punished severely; for those with good intentions who inadvertently commit a crime, the punishment is light."

"I treated everyone to wine because Ma Yuan pressured me. At the time I did not know his purpose and could hardly refuse. But in my heart I had no intent to break the law — that should not count as a crime, should it?"

"When sage kings and worthy men decide cases, they must first trace the heart to determine the crime, probe the intent to establish the facts — so that the dead do not go to their graves nursing grievances, and the living do not bear resentment while suffering punishment. Diwu Lun is innocent. I beg the Right Master of Fates to examine this clearly!"

Even Kong Ren could not help praising him. "What a glib-tongued Palace Gentleman. It is a real pity this xiezhi cap is not for you to wear."

Diwu Lun raised his head. "Every word is true, and absolutely no quibbling. What's more, if I were an accomplice, why would I not have fled with the two of them, instead of staying behind to await the Master of Fates of the Five Majesties' summons?"

Yes — why indeed?

The clerks in the hall looked at one another. There was indeed some sense in that.

Kong Ren, however, was not so easily dealt with. This fellow was eloquent and had even used the hard-to-refute Spring and Autumn adjudication to exonerate himself. He gave the order: "First, throw Diwu Lun into the wild beast pen. Give him no food or drink until he comes to his senses, confesses his crime, and reveals where Ma and Wan have fled!"

The assembled men acknowledged the order. The xiezhi-capped law clerk asked Kong Ren when to hold the next hearing, but Kong Ren said impatiently: "No need for further hearings. No need for any evidence of guilt. No need even to report to Chief Master of Fates Chen. Just alter Diwu Lun's confession a little, have the Precinct Chief testify against him, and convict him directly as the principal in the crime of letting a prisoner go!"

PS: Votes and recommendations, please.