Tiger Guards

Chapter 694 Thieves in the Northern Countryside
Just when Zhao Ji thought Pei Xiu had mobilized a hundred cavalrymen to sneak out and kill some important, key figure, the hundred cavalrymen had already returned to the Pingyang camp.

The team leader, the left and right squad leaders, the deputy squad leader, the clerk, and several senior squad leaders were questioned by the chief secretary Zhang Hong and the strategist Jia Xu.

This hundred-cavalry unit didn't go on any special mission; they were simply following Pei Xiu's orders to ambush and kill a band of horse bandits in Sparrow Rat Valley.

They ambushed and wiped out a small band of only a dozen men.

Before the operation, Pei Xiu strictly ordered that no one be left alive.

Therefore, Zhang Hong and Jia Xu also found it difficult to determine what this band of bandits was going to do in Sparrow and Rat Valley... Even if they guessed it, they had no direct evidence.

Pingyang Camp, Guard Camp.

Pei Xiu has been under a lot of pressure these past few days, and her eyes have turned a reddish-yellow color.

He sat at the desk, his left elbow resting on the table, his hand supporting his chin as he pondered something.

Before I knew it, my mind wandered and I drifted into a light sleep. In that brief moment of distraction, half an hour had passed.

He was completely unaware of it until he was about to collapse onto the table when he suddenly woke up.

First, he raised his hand to wipe what appeared to be saliva-like liquid from the corner of his mouth, then rubbed his hands and face to try and wake himself up.

Finally, he couldn't help but pat his forehead, and only after putting on his leather hat did he leave the barracks.

Actually, the weather sometimes warms up in the last few days of the twelfth lunar month.

Outside, the sky was clear and the sun was shining brightly. Everything in the military camp was in normal order, exuding a relaxed atmosphere.

Pei Xiu raised her hand to shield her eyes and looked up slightly at the sun, only to feel dizzy.

"Commander, urgent report from Hedong."

Just as he was facing the blazing sun, closing his eyes to enjoy the sunlight caressing his face, a subordinate official hurried over and handed him a wooden tablet: "This was sent by the Prime Minister of Zhao overnight, saying that only the Protector of the Army can see it."

Pei Xiu slowly turned around. Behind him was a clear blue sky, and the sun almost overlapped with his head.

When the subordinate went to see Pei Xiu, the sunlight shone through Pei Xiu's cheeks and onto the subordinate's face, so he could only squint and lower his head.

Pei Xiu casually picked up the wooden tablet and saw that the two tablets were tightly wrapped with silk thread, and the silk thread was partially pressed down with clay. On this part were three newly made seals of the Hedong Kingdom.

Pei Xiu took out a short dagger, cut through the silk thread, and opened the wooden tablet. There it was a handwritten note from Zhao Xu, the Chancellor of the Hedong Kingdom: "Respectfully addressed by Protector-General Pei, last night bandits rampaged through Jishan, burning and killing in the northern part of Wenxi. Many of the Pei family's estates have been damaged..."

"Jishan bandits?"

Pei Xiu couldn't help but laugh, perhaps laughing out of anger: "How dare you disturb my home!"

"The Imperial Guard?"

"Immediately take my token and dispatch one hundred elite cavalrymen from the military camp to Wenxi North Township!"

Pei Xiu waved the document in his hand, his eyes wide with anger: "I want to see the Chief Secretary and the Military Advisor!"

The subordinate official dared not ask any further questions. He caught the silver token for troop deployment that Pei Xiu tossed to him, and immediately turned around and hurried off to find the camp commander of the Imperial Guard.

Pei Xiu stormed off in a huff. After walking a hundred paces, his personal guards finally caught up with him at a trot. Pei Xiu mounted his horse and, without waiting for the other guards to follow, headed towards the central army camp.

Central Army Camp, Chief Clerk's Camp Area.

Zhang Hong reviewed the confession he had just recorded. His expression was cold and emotionless. He said to Chen Rong and Chen Jiao, who were gathered around him, "I received a secret report that Lord Tongxiang had been kidnapped by bandits in Beixiang. I thought the Imperial Guard had dispatched a hundred cavalry to rescue Lord Tongxiang, but for some reason they went to Queshu Valley in the north instead." A thick scar, more than an inch long, was slanted across Chen Rong's face. Even his nose and upper and lower lips had become crooked after being stitched up and healed. His whole demeanor was even more savage and fierce.

Zhang Hong knew very well that Chen Rong's personality was very different from her appearance; she was actually a sensitive, strong-willed, relatively cheerful, and reasonable person.

Chen Rong then asked, "Is Tongxiang Junzhen really in Beixiang?"

"This is absolutely true; I have connections in Beixiang."

Zhang Hong stroked his beard. Based on the information he knew and his position, he wished that the kidnapped Lady Pei of Tongxiang would be killed immediately.

He didn't like Zhao Ji's family members, but he hadn't disliked them before.

However, Lord Tongxiang has caused a lot of trouble recently. First, he made many remarks in Tongxiang that were unfavorable to the Grand Tutor.

As the year draws to a close, a female noblewoman should have gone to Jinyang to pay homage to the Empress Dowager, and should also have served the Prefect of Dai, Zhao Lian, and the Grand Tutor, Marquis Zhao of Jinyang.

However, after leaving Tongxiang, this man from Tongxiang stopped at the Pei family manor in Beixiang, Wenxi, under the pretext of being sick.

Meanwhile, more negative rumors were circulating from the Pei family manor, so Zhang Hong had reason to believe that the traitors plotting rebellion within the Pei family manor had already kidnapped Lord Tongxiang and, through Lord Tongxiang's words, coerced him into fabricating baseless accusations to maliciously slander the Grand Tutor, attempting to ruin the Grand Tutor's reputation through spreading rumors.

If any more unpleasant rumors spread from the Pei family manor, Zhang Hong is prepared to use Chen Rong's troops to storm the manor and rescue the kidnapped Prince Tongxiang.

The only good news is that Mr. Tongxiang is illiterate and cannot write anything.

Zhang Hong stroked his beard and pondered for a moment before looking at Chen Rong: "Grand Tutor is about to return to Hedong. If we inform you that Lord Tongxiang has been held hostage by bandits, it will only lead to confusion and will not be conducive to rescuing Lord Tongxiang or eliminating the bandits."

Chen Rong also felt immense pressure, her shoulders heavy. Several times she wanted to speak up, but the words always vanished before she could finish.

He can follow orders, but he must never volunteer or make any suggestions.

Chen Jiao, who was standing nearby, spoke up: "What is there to doubt about? Just follow the laws and regulations of the country."

Chen Rong glanced at him, and Zhang Hong nodded, taking the initiative to assume responsibility: "That's what I thought too. The Grand Tutor bears the weight of the nation's burdens; how can he be controlled by a petty thief because of the Lord of Tongxiang? This matter should be handled according to the law, without any doubt."

Upon hearing this, Chen Jiao let out a long, soft sigh, still feeling lingering fear.

If a forced rescue is carried out, and Tongxiang Jun is injured or killed, or even if he is frightened and seeks to be held responsible, then the person who made the suggestion will be in trouble.

Fortunately, Zhang Hong was not afraid of trouble; he figured he could just do things according to national laws and regulations.

The laws of the Han Dynasty did not include any provision for yielding to bandits who held hostages.

Even if the son of a high-ranking official is taken hostage, he will be shot dead with arrows.

We cannot change the law just because it involves the birth mother of the Grand Tutor, Lady Tongxiang; such matters must be dealt with forcefully.

Otherwise, if we yield to the bandits today for the safety of Lord Tongxiang, what will happen when the bandits kidnap the Grand Tutor's sons? Will we still have to yield to them?
In governing the country, who truly holds the reins of power is Grand Tutor Zhao, or the thief who kidnapped Grand Tutor Zhao's close relatives?
This is a matter of principle, and there is no room for compromise.

Seeing Chen Rong's calm demeanor, Zhang Hong said, "Colonel Chen, go and select elite soldiers, limited to five hundred cavalry. I will go to see the strategist shortly, and together with Protector Pei, the three of us can mobilize a battalion of elite soldiers. We need to keep two hundred elite cavalry for contingencies, and the remaining five hundred soldiers will be handed over to Colonel Chen."

Chen Rong didn't speak, but simply bowed deeply with his hands clasped in front of him.

Zhang Hong knew this matter was extremely difficult, so he stood up and patted Chen Rong on the shoulder: "The law of the land is paramount. I will bear all the blame."

"Here."

(End of this chapter)