Chapter 14: Cao Sanniang Backed into a Corner

"Young lord, though I am the granddaughter of the Great King Linggong and can put in a word before him, the Great King Linggong has seven sons alone, sixteen daughters, and countless grandsons and granddaughters. I could never have enough face to save these one hundred and forty lives!"

Cao Sanniang, caught in check, was so anxious that tears nearly fell. What she said was no lie, for a political strongman like Cao Yijin, who had more grandchildren than he could count, how much could he possibly dote on a third granddaughter?

This was no small household with only a handful of grandchildren. He had at least fifty or sixty. To put it bluntly, losing a few would hardly matter.

"Then what of your elder brother Yuanzhong? Surely he, a dignified Military Governor's Administrative Assistant, has the ability to shelter over one hundred and forty people?"

Zhang Zhao's eyes shifted, and he immediately thought of Cao Sanniang's father, Cao Yuanzhong. That name felt very familiar to him. A name that felt familiar to someone living in the modern era was surely someone of some note in history.

"My father... my father has always made non-contention his guiding principle. He never disobeys the Great King Linggong, treats his elder brother with utmost respect, and never puts private interests before public duty.

For an ordinary person, one word from me would suffice. But the people in this stronghold are all descendants of those exiled back then. Whether my father would be willing to plead for them, I truly cannot say for certain!"

Zhang Zhao looked at Cao Sanniang, who absolutely did not seem to be pretending, and was somewhat speechless. Was your Cao family entirely made up of cold-blooded butchers?

Their own daughters and granddaughters were about to suffer, yet they might not even agree to pardon the descendants of people exiled twenty years ago. It was truly an eye-opener!

Moreover, this Cao Sanniang had been so quick-witted in the cave when she persuaded Sha Gou'er and the others to leave. How had her wits become so blocked now? Couldn't you just pretend to agree first, get through this, and then take things one step at a time?

If this wouldn't work and that wouldn't work, then Zhang Zhao had only one option left: hold Qi Xiahhu captive, then force Qi Xiahhu's brother-in-law to lure Tu Maohu up the mountain from below.

But that was hardly reliable! Who knew how much Qi Xiahhu's brother-in-law cared about his life? Who knew whether Tu Maohu would risk coming up the mountain?

Before that, however, Zhang Zhao decided to scare Cao Sanniang a bit more. Perhaps under pressure, she might come up with some good idea.

So Zhang Zhao swung his arm, gripped the short knife hidden in his sleeve, and said with a touch of bleakness:

"In that case, Sanniang, I fear you and your servants will have to accompany me on the road to the Yellow Springs!"

"Wah!" Shanniang, her face full of despair at the side, finally broke down. For a little girl of twelve or thirteen, the days of captivity and the fear of her life "about to end" had crushed her.

"Sanniang, this servant doesn't want to die! This servant still wants to serve you, and serve Young Lord Yanchang until he takes the post of Prefect of Guazhou!"

"Yanchang, Yanchang!" Cao Sanniang murmured a few times. It seemed that was her son's name.

"Right! I have a way!" Suddenly Cao Sanniang clapped her hands in delight, and that graceful, poised bearing returned to her.

"My late husband, Murong Changdao, the Guazhou Garrison Farm Commissioner, was the eldest son of the Prefect of Guazhou, the late Murong Guiying. After my husband passed from illness, I served his parents above and raised our only son Yanchang below, and I have always been well loved by my father-in-law and mother-in-law. I came to Shazhou this time to celebrate my mother's birthday, which is why I suffered this calamity. If my father-in-law learns of this, he will surely be shocked and furious, and will demand an accounting from my father.

Once I am free, my father will surely be both relieved and afraid of my father-in-law's reproach, and will want to cover this up. At that point, if I tell him that Chief Qi risked his life to help me, he will certainly be able to obtain a written pardon for these one hundred and forty people in the stronghold."

Ah, another pitiable soul. Zhang Zhao sighed inwardly. This Cao Sanniang must have had a mediocre life at home, or at least had felt little affection from her grandfather and father.

Otherwise, she would not have been so hesitant and uncertain when mentioning her father and grandfather, yet her eyes shone with fond reverence when speaking of her father-in-law Murong Guiying and her mother-in-law.

However well in-laws treat a daughter-in-law, it can never surpass their love for their own son and grandson. Yet this kind of love was clearly enough to satisfy Cao Sanniang, which showed what her life in the Cao family — or rather, the family atmosphere of the Cao household — was like.

Still, Zhang Zhao steeled himself. One last question had to be asked. Since Cao Sanniang truly believed she could obtain a pardon for the one hundred and forty people in the stronghold, then every issue had to be considered.

"But, Sanniang, what if your father, even when reproached by his in-laws, is still unwilling to issue the pardon?"

"Then...!" Cao Sanniang bared her pearly teeth and bit her crimson lower lip.

"Then I will go to my father-in-law. He is the Prefect of Guazhou and holds full authority over the entire prefecture. Sheltering one hundred and forty people is entirely within his power.

And my father cares most about face. Besides, there has long been friction between Guazhou and Shazhou. How could he bear to let the yabing guards of the Son of Heaven from back then and their descendants go to Guazhou! I won't even need to actually inform my father-in-law. The moment my father knows I intend to go to him, he will surely agree first."

Indeed, a person's potential is drawn out under pressure. Under the pressure of life and death, Cao Sanniang quickly came up with the excellent idea of using her father-in-law Murong Guiying to force her father Cao Yuanzhong to act.

"Sanniang, I, Qi Xiahhu, on behalf of everyone in the stronghold, kowtow in thanks for your great kindness!" Overjoyed, Qi Xiahhu dropped straight to the ground, his head striking the earth with a crisp thud.

It was fortunate that Zhang Zhao had not arranged with Cao Sanniang to deceive him with a false agreement. Qi Xiahhu was an old hand of the jianghu; if she had been faking, he might well have seen through it. But Cao Sanniang's just now utterly sincere display instantly shattered Qi Xiahhu's doubts.

"Sanniang, I, Zhang Zhao, also thank you here for your kindness and righteousness. The people here are all descendants of the loyal and righteous from those years. That they can be accepted back into the Guiyi Army would let my father's spirit in heaven rest content.

If you should see the Great King Linggong and my elder brother Yuanzhong, tell them this: whether the Military Governor of the Guiyi Army bears the surname Cao or Zhang, this is, after all, the home of us sons of Tang. For the Great King Linggong's years of tireless governance, Zhang Zhao feels only admiration, and absolutely no resentment!"

Zhang Zhao bowed deeply to Cao Sanniang. Since she had not thought of deceiving him but genuinely hoped to rescue Qi Xiahhu and the others while ensuring her own safety, Zhang Zhao expressed his respect from the heart.

For a mere woman to think of using her father-in-law to half-coerce her own father — even in later ages, that would not be an honorable thing, let alone in this era. Cao Sanniang could well be called unfilial and disobedient.

And as for Cao Yijin, Zhang Zhao had not spoken falsely. Back then, Zhang Zhao's father Zhang Chengfeng had struck out in all directions and nearly brought the Guiyi Army to the brink of destruction. Had it not been for Cao Yijin's years of deft diplomacy and tireless effort, whether the Guiyi Army regime could even still exist would be unknown.

"Rest assured, young lord. If I do return alive, even if my father dislikes it, I will certainly deliver these words." Cao Sanniang also formally returned the bow and spoke.

"Brother Qi, then please first have your brother-in-law bring your wife and children up here. Sanniang is a rare noble lady. If your wife can receive a few words of guidance from her, she will benefit endlessly."

This meant Qi Xiahhu was to hand over his wife and children as hostages. Qi Xiahhu of course understood Zhang Zhao's meaning. He nodded heavily and, without the slightest hesitation, gestured for his brother-in-law to hurry down the mountain.

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