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

Chapter 37 Wine, Fire

Duan Jiong frowned when a 'jailer' came out to ask him a question: "...Who are you?"

"I am but a lowly soldier from the border region of Youzhou, and I have come here only for the peace of the borderlands."

Liu Bei said, "Wang Fu colluded with the Xianbei and has already been executed, but he must still have many henchmen left behind on the border. We must wipe them all out in one fell swoop. Lord Duan has commanded troops for many years and is familiar with Wang Fu. He must know some inside information. Could you tell me who else has joined the rebellion?"

"You just said that Military Commander Zhang Sheng colluded with the Xianbei, killed innocent people to claim credit, and even killed the Prefect of Shanggu? Is this true?"

Duan Jiong's eyes held an inscrutable expression: "The Zhang Sheng you're talking about, is he the one with a scar on his face?"

"It seems that Lord Duan does indeed recognize this person..."

Liu Bei, having heard Zou Jing describe Zhang Sheng's appearance, said, "He does indeed have a scar; it's probably true. Does Lord Duan know if there are any other vicious men like Zhang Sheng?"

"That's it...that's it!"

Duan Jiong did not reply, but slumped down, saying, "I am going to die here..."

What does Master Duan mean by this?

Liu Bei found it strange. He had only asked if Wang Fu had any other lackeys, so why did Duan Jiong react this way?

Seeing this, Yang Qiu suddenly asked, "Lord Ji, could Zhang Sheng... be one of your disciples?"

Liu Bei was startled.

"Ha...yes, yes."

“He was once my retainer and close attendant… Hahaha…”

Duan Jiong gave a low, bitter laugh: "No wonder the Emperor summoned me to prison; it was for this matter. I should have known sooner... How foolish, how foolish..."

He then sat down on the ground and stopped talking.

Liu Bei took a few steps back, feeling a little heavy-hearted.

So Zhang Sheng was actually a retainer of Duan Jiong?
Duan Jiong had commanded troops for many years and indeed had many former subordinates in the army. It was normal for him to recommend his family retainers and close associates to serve as officials in various places after he went to the capital.

Judging from Duan Jiong's expression, he probably really didn't know what Zhang Sheng had done.

Zhang Sheng was a retainer of Duan Jiong, and coincidentally, during the same period when Zhang Sheng intercepted and killed Zou Jing, Duan Jiong was appointed Grand Commandant.

Is this a coincidence?
Furthermore, the emperor issued an edict to imprison Duan Jiong just a few hours after Wang Meng was imprisoned!

Is this also a coincidence?

Zhang Sheng was working for Wang Fu; he was an undercover agent. In other words, Duan Jiong, who had not colluded with the Xianbei, was actually a scapegoat for the eunuchs. Only Wang Fu could clear Duan Jiong's name.

But Wang Fu is now dead!
The body was completely mangled...

Liu Bei turned to look at Yang Qiu, only to see that Yang Qiu also looked astonished.

Yang Qiu didn't know it would turn out like this.

"The scar on Zhang Sheng's face is from an injury he sustained many years ago while saving me. His appointment as a military commander was also personally recommended by Duan... Duan even betrothed a member of his clan to him!"

"Since he has committed such a heinous crime... I suppose I, Duan, am doomed to die as well."

"Yang Fangzheng, I won't trouble you to torture me. Just bring me a good wine!"

Duan Jiong sighed for a while, then seemed to have made up his mind, and got up to tidy his clothes.

He gently straightened his cuffs and collar, stood up straight, and looked straight ahead, but seemed not to see anything.

Liu Bei's heart sank even further.

Duan Jiong was indeed doomed to die.

In those days, if a retainer committed a serious crime of treason, the master would be regarded as the mastermind, or at least as an accomplice—recruiting retainers was a very serious matter, and collective punishment was no joke.

Zhang Sheng was the executor who betrayed military intelligence, the contact person who colluded with the Xianbei, and he also committed so many major treasonous crimes in Shanggu. To be guilty of such a crime, exterminating his entire clan would be too lenient.

In addition, he was Duan Jiong's cousin-in-law...

The problem is that retainers share the same fate as their masters. Duan Jiong's reputation and status are already extremely prominent, and Zhang Sheng is Duan Jiong's nephew-in-law. Why should he obey the eunuch and do so many treasonous things?
Unless... unless Zhang Sheng knew that it wasn't treason.

Rather... loyalty to the emperor!
Yes, in the Emperor's eyes, Duan Jiong was destined to die no matter what.

Duan Jiong enjoys extremely high prestige in the army and is currently the number one general of his time. He has former subordinates all over the world, the Qiang people respect him, and even the eunuchs have a good relationship with him.

Moreover, he was not very willing to obey the emperor's arrangements—he refused to be appointed Grand Commandant and wanted to lead troops in the border region instead…

What is its nature?

This is a risk!
Emperor Liu Hong wasn't concerned with the crime itself, but rather with the risk involved, just like Liu Kui, the Prince of Bohai, had faced before...

Yes, Duan Jiong might be a loyal minister, and the chances of him plotting a rebellion are slim.

But Liu Hong would not gamble his throne with the character of his subjects!

Therefore, Duan Jiong's former subordinates, such as Xia Yutian and Yan, were sent to conquer the Xianbei.

If Liu Hong wins this battle, he will have the prestige of an emperor like Emperor Wu, and Xia Yu and others will be rewarded for their military achievements and become the emperor's right-hand men. With several generals standing on equal footing, Liu Hong will not be so worried.

Even if we lose this battle, at least we will have clipped Duan Jiong's wings and removed a major threat.

However, due to Wang Fu's unauthorized collusion with Tan Shihuai, the battle was a major defeat, which depleted the strength of the Han Dynasty—Liu Hong had not expected to lose so badly.

Just as Yang Qiu was about to deal with Wang Fu, Liu Hong sent the disobedient Duan Jiong along as well!
The wealth that Wang Fu and his clansmen had amassed over the years was just what Liu Hong used to buy back the troops and officers left behind by Duan Jiong after his death!
In other words, no matter what Yang Qiu does, Liu Hong will kill Duan Jiong and then use Duan Jiong to confirm Wang Fu's guilt—Liu Hong also intends to kill Wang Fu.

However, he wanted Yang Qiu to take all the blame.

Thinking of this, Liu Bei looked at Yang Qiu.

Yang Qiu was also pondering this; he probably had the same idea.

That fierce, wolf-like face now appeared somewhat dejected.

"Fang Zheng Gong, bring me the poisoned wine."

Duan Jiong said softly in prison, "I misjudged people, which led to the deaths of tens of thousands of soldiers... They were all my former comrades-in-arms. I truly deserve to die."

"...Lord Duan..."

Yang Qiu's hand started to tremble, and his voice also started to tremble.

Liu Bei also sighed deeply. One was thinking of committing suicide because of his family, while the other was forced to take the blame because of his family...

"It's better for me to drink poison alone than for my entire clan to be wiped out."

Duan Jiong was already very calm, speaking as if he were talking about someone else: "Bring the wine."

Yang Qiu bowed deeply to the ground, but didn't know what to say.

He was probably also worried about his own future.

"Lord Duan! If you die, your entire clan will be wiped out... If Yang Sili poisons you, he will be unacceptable to the world and will also die."

Liu Bei suddenly spoke up, walking to the prison door: "Since Lord Duan wanted to save his family from disaster, he should have disappeared..."

"What do you mean by that?"

Duan Jiong turned his head, looked at Liu Bei dressed as a jailer, and then looked at Yang Qiu: "Does Yang Fangzheng dare to release me from the imperial prison?"

"Of course he wouldn't dare... but I would! Yang Sili, if Lord Duan were to set fire to the imperial prison, would you stop him?"

Liu Bei turned to Yang Qiu: "If Lord Duan commits suicide, you, Yang Sili, will surely die as well. Only by setting fire to this imperial prison and turning everything inside to ashes can you, Yang Sili, save your life! Only by preserving your life can you continue to serve the country and eliminate traitors!"

Yang Qiu didn't speak, but slowly closed his eyes.

Liu Bei went straight to the jailer's seat, took the key, and threw it into the cell: "Lord Duan, light the fire yourself... Lord Duan has led troops for many years and must understand that the unknown is the most terrifying. If no one knows whether you live or die, then no one will dare to abuse your family."

"Come on fire!"

(End of this chapter)