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

Chapter 40 Getting interested in sex
A group of soldiers, about a dozen in number, entered through the door.

But what was quite disproportionate to the number of people was that the leader was a guy covered in scale armor, with a captain's plume on his helmet.

This is a captain, probably the Yueqi Captain, with a rank equivalent to two thousand shi, the same as Zou Jing.

"By order of the Emperor, this female thief shall be apprehended."

The captain stood in front of Liu Bei, squinted, and said, "Seeing that you are awaiting conscription, I will not make things difficult for you, but she... must stay."

Looking at the captain's sunken eyes, Liu Bei thought he looked like someone who had indulged in excessive sexual activity.

Moreover, Cao Poshi had a rather sly grin on his face.

Without waiting for Liu Bei's reaction, he went straight forward and grabbed Zuo Yuan...

Front of the chest.

This is certainly not to chase after some big-eared guy, nor to capture Duan Jiong... nor is it specifically targeting Zuo Yuan.

This is pure lust at first sight.

Liu Bei sighed and drew his sword: "Do you know the name Yuan Shao?"

……

Liu Bei stayed here not to draw attention to Liu Bei by using his reputation as a notorious bandit.

Liu Bei knew that Cao Jie's men wouldn't actually come all the way here, since Cao Jie or the emperor's target was Duan Jiong, not himself.

Liu Bei tricked Duan Jiong at the post station last night just to stay there and commit a crime—he wanted to frame him.

Regardless of whether Cao Jie recognized Duan Jiong or not, and regardless of whether anyone was chasing after him, Liu Bei was determined to pin the blame for Duan Jiong's escape on someone else.

This is not for their own safety, but to shift the blame elsewhere.

After all, Liu Bei had enemies...

Yuan Shao, Yuan Shu.

If the emperor knew that Duan Jiong was likely not dead but had escaped from prison, then in the emperor's eyes, who was the most likely person to rescue Duan Jiong?
Eunuch?
No, if the emperor wants someone killed, the eunuchs won't save them.

The people most willing to rescue Duan Jiong were actually the aristocratic families—such as the Yuan family of Runan.

If the aristocratic forces rescued Duan Jiong, it would essentially be equivalent to gaining the Xiliang army and military prestige.

The aristocratic families lacked nothing; they had money, grain, and manpower. What they lacked was a sword like Duan Jiong, a sword with the reputation of a military god, and one that had almost been killed by the emperor and harbored resentment.

If Duan Jiong were in his hands, he could win over military generals, use them to attack eunuchs, and force the emperor to make concessions through military force.

For example, lifting the ban on political parties, or making even greater demands.

Sikong Yuan Feng once tried to win over Duan Jiong, who was recommended by Yuan Feng to become Grand Commandant—so Duan Jiong wanted to help Liu Bei resolve his enmity.

Therefore, the emperor would quickly take Duan Jiong's life and pin the blame for killing Duan Jiong on Yang Qiu, a cruel official promoted by the aristocratic clans, thus eliminating any hope that the aristocratic clans could win over the military generals.

Now that the imperial prison has been destroyed by fire and Duan Jiong has disappeared without a trace, the emperor will not actually acknowledge that Duan Jiong is still alive. Duan Jiong's reputation must be erased and his death must be announced immediately.

At the same time, investigations will also be conducted into various powerful and influential families.

Liu Bei wanted the emperor to believe that Duan Jiong had been rescued by the Yuan family...

He stayed in Goushi to pin the blame for burning down the imperial prison on Yuan Shao or Yuan Shu, not only to clear his own name but also to drag his enemies down with him.

Because the Yuan family is the most likely to do something like burning down the imperial prison to rescue Duan Jiong.

Yuan Shao remained in Luoyang to observe mourning and maintain his post, refusing any official appointments. Instead, he spent his days rescuing partisans and raising a retinue of loyal followers.

Yuan Shu obtained the official position of Consultant, but he stayed in Runan and was completely unusable.

Meanwhile, Yuan Shu's father, Yuan Feng, was the Minister of Works and a leader of the gentry, and he was also trying to win over Duan Jiong. What a perfect target for framing...

The emperor would naturally suspect the Yuan family first, and the Yuan family had a grudge against Liu Bei.

However, this matter had to be handled away from Duan Jiong and Yang Qiu's close associates, which is why Liu Bei had to send them away first.

It's actually quite simple to frame someone for this; all you need to do is 'conspire loudly'.

To frame someone for this, all it takes is to conspire loudly and secretly, right here in the post station, and have someone overhear the story that "it was probably Yuan Shao's assassins who burned down the imperial prison," using the manner of a wandering knight to let people hear gossip.

As long as Duan Jiong's name is associated with the Yuan family, we can wait for someone to report it.

When pursuers finally arrive, he can feign ignorance, claiming he was merely eating, drinking, and gossiping at the inn, using phrases like "very likely" and "probably." Drinking and boasting aren't illegal...

Moreover, Liu Bei had just paid the money to Xiyuan, and many of these officials awaiting appointment would be waiting for appointment in the Goushi area, so they were not afraid of being investigated at all.

Liu Bei had no powerful family or political faction background, and even Lu Zhi's original background was gone. Even if he were placed in front of the emperor, the emperor would not think that Liu Bei could do something like rescuing Duan Jiong.

It would be enough if the pursuers sent by the emperor or the eunuchs heard that the fire in the imperial prison might be related to Yuan Shao.

Regardless of whether it's true or not, as long as it deepens the emperor's suspicion and makes him believe that the Yuan family poses the greatest threat, that's enough. The emperor doesn't need any solid evidence.

This kind of loud conspiracy is risk-free; it's just to remind the emperor who is the most likely candidate, so that the emperor and the eunuchs will shift their mindset from "investigation" to "factional struggle."

So, after Duan Jiong left, Liu Bei practiced his lines with Zuo Yuan in the post station.

But the problem is...

Now, someone's come to collect the debt, but it turns out to be a spoiled brat.
No wonder these people found this place so quickly.

This group of people weren't out hunting down Duan Jiong at all; they were out hunting for women... and by sheer luck, they actually found the right person.

Thinking about it, it makes sense. Given the high risk of hunting down Duan Jiong, this playboy would definitely do the opposite.

Duan Jiong's hometown is Wuwei in Xiliang. He was seen heading north by Cao Jie, so this playboy probably sent his men to chase him to the north and west, but he went to the east to hunt for women... That's why he only brought so few people with him.

There's probably not much to do in the military camp, so once you get the order to leave, you can't wait to have some fun, right?

But with this spoiled brat around, the original plan to loudly plot and frame someone is probably going to fall through... This guy clearly thinks with his lower body.

As expected, man proposes, God disposes.

……

"To forcibly seize a woman in the name of the emperor is a crime of usurpation and treason!"

Liu Bei drew his sword to block the captain and shielded Zuo Yuan behind him, asking, "Who are you? Have you heard of the Yuan family of Runan?"

"Ha! I see you're a bandit too... Take him down!"

The captain sized up Liu Bei, took a step back, and waved his hand, clearly not caring about Yuan Shao's reputation at all.

The soldiers behind him stepped forward, seemingly intending to arrest him directly.

This guy is so direct, so Liu Bei naturally can't just surrender.

Liu Bei suddenly leaned forward and lunged at the captain, his sword aimed directly at the captain's eye.

The captain seemed surprised that Liu Bei had acted so directly. He instinctively took two steps back, but tripped on the door frame and fell backward.

Is it really that weak?

Liu Bei truly hadn't expected that this captain wearing fish-scale armor wouldn't know any martial arts.

However, this is a good opportunity.

(End of this chapter)