Second-hand time travel: Liu Bei, the big-eared bandit

Chapter 31 The Cruel Official Yang Fangzheng

At this time, Liu Bei was just a minor official. Could he afford to fight a high-ranking official like the Northern Commandant of Luoyang, who had a salary of 600 shi (a unit of grain measure)?

We can afford to fight.

After all, he had military merits.

However, if you hit someone, you have to give up your military merits.

He was genuinely angry, but Liu Bei's beating wasn't actually an impulsive act.

He didn't really care about this fake military achievement anyway...

Liu Bei's main task was to meet Yang Qiu, the Commandant of the Capital Region.

If we can see the Yangqiu, and if the Yangqiu is indeed as square as Zou Jing said, then as long as we solve Zou Jing's problem, beating up the Northern Commandant is nothing, and the military merits we forgot will soon be returned.

Moreover, fake military achievements might even be transformed into genuine ones!
What is the fastest way to meet a high-ranking official like the Commandant of the Capital Region?
Of course it's officials fighting and causing trouble...

The bigger the commotion, the faster the results.

Especially when the disturbance stems from a dispute over official business, and it involves things like 'collusion with the Xianbei'...

The Commandant of the Capital Region was responsible for supervising all officials. If officials at the city gate were to fight each other, he would definitely come to arrest them immediately. After all, this was Luoyang City, and the face of the imperial court had to be maintained.

Liu Bei was not worried about his own safety. The Northern Commandant was still being beaten at Liu Bei's feet. Because they were afraid of harming him, the soldiers at the city gate did not dare to make a move. They just surrounded Liu Bei with big sticks.

But in reality, they couldn't really stop them from entering, because there were just too many onlookers, three or four layers deep, watching the spectacle. The group of city gate guards, on the other hand, seemed to be watching the spectacle from the inner circle as well...

Liu Bei beat someone at the city gate in front of a large crowd, and it was just one person fighting over a dispute. He didn't kill anyone, nor did he lead a crowd to storm the city gate, so he naturally wouldn't get into any trouble that could lead to his death.

Moreover, the onlookers were already discussing it animatedly.

"What happened?"

"It's probably because a soldier from the border region received military merit, but was stopped and extorted for a bribe by the Northern Commandant. Judging from how angry he looked, that's probably it..."

"That should be it. Didn't he say he'd beat someone up even if it meant sacrificing his reputation?"

"What a waste of military merit."

"Sigh...it wasn't like this when Commandant Cao was in charge..."

It seemed to be working well. Liu Bei was also tired of fighting, so he simply kicked the Northern Commandant over and went to meet the group of city gate soldiers.

"Come on! Kill your father! Let him see if you have the guts to slaughter a meritorious official!"

As he walked, he pulled open his collar and pointed to his neck: "Come here!"

"Stop it all!"

Finally, someone has come to take charge.

Dozens of men in black, wielding knives, parted the crowd and escorted a middle-aged official to the center.

The official, with his hooked nose and fierce eyes, stared at Liu Bei with a furrowed brow: "Take down this scoundrel!"

"Yang Sili..." "Lord Fangzheng..."

Among the onlookers were many officials who bowed to this person and then quickly stepped aside without saying another word.

The city gate guards also moved aside.

In an instant, the noisy area outside the city gate became completely quiet.

It seems that those officials and soldiers are quite afraid of him.

Is this the Yang Ball?
Liu Bei glanced at the face that hinted at a fierce expression, and the word "cruel official" came to mind instinctively.

Two guards in black walked towards Liu Bei with expressionless faces.

Liu Bei did not resist and let the two black-clad guards hold him back.

"Take them all down!"

Yang Qiu pointed to the Northern Commandant on the ground, then to the soldiers huddled beside him: "This is the Emperor's North Gate, such a vital location! You guard this gate, yet you are controlled by one man... Incompetent parasites! You are only fit to be slaves!"

After the black-clad guards detained the Northern Commandant and his troop of soldiers, Yang Qiu turned to Liu Bei and asked, "Who are you? Why are you causing trouble here?!"

The voice wasn't loud, but it was sharp and deadly, carrying a palpable sense of murderous intent. This Yang Fangzheng... probably has over a thousand lives under his command!

Liu Bei thought to himself, but his face still showed indignation: "I am Liu Xuande of Zhuojun, this is not my doing, it is this traitor's doing! I came here on the orders of Colonel Zou, the Protector of Wuhuan, but this traitor has blocked me outside the city for a whole day! This is a matter of great importance to the Xianbei army, how can I allow this traitor to delay me!"

Liu Bei always referred to himself as "I," but at this moment he referred to himself as "someone," which was a humble way of referring to himself and lowering his own position.

Anger is necessary, but so is politeness. Yang Qiu seems to be a strict official, and Liu Bei feels it's best to be respectful when facing him.

"...Luoyang is under curfew. All irrelevant personnel must leave this area!"

Yang Qiu squinted at Liu Bei and waved to the crowd behind him.

The black-clad guards, wielding their waist knives, dispersed the crowd, and soon the area outside the city gate was cleared.

Only Zuo Yuan remained standing in place.

She watched Liu Bei's movements without saying a word, quietly leading the two horses and waiting to the side.

“She…” “Silence!”

Seeing that the black-clad guards were about to drive Zuo Yuan away, Liu Bei was about to say that he was his attendant, but the black-clad guards next to him suddenly put their waist knives to Liu Bei's neck.

“I was a tribute musician escorted to the capital by Commander Liu, and I am also a testament to Commander Liu’s military achievements. I am not an unrelated person.”

Zuo Yuan bowed her head, completely ignoring the black-clad guards who were demanding that she leave.

Yang Qiu glanced at Zuo Yuan, walked into the Northern Commandant's Office, and half-turned back to glance at Liu Bei: "You have military merits?"

"Yes, as reported by Commander Zou, Protector of the Wuhuan."

As Liu Bei spoke, he glanced around and said, "Commander Zou was ambushed in Shanggu. Someone was secretly colluding with the Xianbei!"

Yang Qiu frowned even more deeply and waved to the two black-clad guards: "You two go out...guard this place closely!"

……

"Zou Qidu was intercepted and killed... Shanggu... Zhang Sheng... Hmm, this matter must be dealt with promptly."

After listening to Liu Bei's description, Yang Qiu stuffed the letter written by Zou Jing on silk into his bosom and said to Liu Bei in a serious tone: "Your rescue of Zou Qidu is indeed a great achievement. But no matter how great your achievement is, you cannot escape the crime of fighting and insulting the city officials at the city gate. Your merits cannot offset your crimes. According to the law, you should be imprisoned in Luoyang Prison."

Yang Qiu spoke with a resolute tone from beginning to end, brooking no dissent.

"Yes."

Liu Bei bowed, seemingly unconcerned about being imprisoned: "Thank you for your protection, Sili of Xieyang... Is there anything else I can do for you now that you're in jail?"

Liu Bei knew that Yang Qiu had imprisoned him to protect himself.

After all, all the messengers sent by Zou Jing were gone, so Luoyang must be very dangerous for Liu Bei, and the prison was actually a safe place.

Of course, if judged according to the law, assaulting an official should indeed result in imprisonment.

Moreover, Yang Qiu was dealt with severely; the Luoyang Prison he mentioned had another name.

Imprisonment.

But in doing so, Liu Bei's military achievements were preserved—since the merits could not outweigh the crimes, the crimes had already been punished, and the merits would still be rewarded.

Yang Qiu narrowed his eyes: "You're clever, kid. I do have something for you to do. I already have someone I suspect is the mastermind behind this, but that person is the emperor's confidant, and I can't get any evidence against him. You'll have to do it from prison."

"The Emperor's confidant? Yang Sili thinks too highly of me. I am timid and fear I am not up to the task..."

Liu Bei felt that his weak arms and legs might not be able to withstand the torment of Yang Qiu.

Does Yang Qiu mean that he plans to send me to prison as an undercover agent?

"Ha, coward? You dare to attack the Northern Commandant alone and lure me out. I think no one but you can do this job."

Yang Qiu sneered: "If that person doesn't die, you won't be able to get out of the imperial prison."

"...Who is that person?"

Liu Bei felt that Yang Qiu's way of doing things was like that of a gangster. Could this guy really be considered an upright person?
“Wang Fu, the Marquis of Champion, who is also a Palace Attendant.”

Yang Qiu remained expressionless, his tone sinister, making him appear even more ferocious: "Two years ago, it was he who persuaded His Majesty to wage war against the Xianbei. After the crushing defeat, everyone involved was implicated, except for Wang Fu, whose power has only grown stronger..."

(End of this chapter)