Han Ji

Chapter 152 Thunderclap in the Locked Room

Qian Zhao didn't move. He walked back and sat down, took out an oil paper package from his pocket, opened it, and found several pieces of dried meat inside. He broke off a piece and handed it to Liu Jun.

"Are you hungry? Have something to eat."

Liu Jun was stunned.

He stared at the dried meat, then looked at Qian Zhao. Qian Zhao's expression was calm, as if she were genuinely entertaining a guest.

After a brief standoff, Liu Jun reached out and took it, stuffing it into his mouth and chewing slowly. The jerky was hard, but with his good teeth, he made a crunching sound as he chewed.

"Whose side are you on?" Qian Zhao asked suddenly after he finished eating. "This trip to Shu isn't to collect medicine, it's to deliver something. To whom?"

Liu Jun stopped chewing.

He swallowed the jerky and licked his lips: "Sir, I really..."

"Give it to Ma Xiang," Qian Zhao interrupted him. "That salt worker foreman from Mianzhu, right?"

Liu Jun's pupils contracted.

It was very subtle, but Qian Zhao noticed it.

"Ma Xiang has several hundred men under his command, all salt workers and refugees, so poor they can't even afford to eat. What are you trying to do by sending him scriptures, money, and weapons?" Qian Zhao leaned forward, the charcoal fire casting a stark contrast of light and shadow on half his face. "Invite him to rebel? To emulate Zhang Jiao?"

Liu Jun broke out in a cold sweat.

He gritted his teeth: "Sir, you can't say things like that..."

"Nonsense?" Qian Zhao pulled a piece of hemp paper from under the file, with crooked handwriting on it. It was a confession from one of Liu Jun's henchmen, signed and sealed. "Your henchman, Wang Wu, confessed last night. He said you met Ma Xiang in Mianzhu, gave him a box of gold ingots, and ten ring-pommel swords..."

Liu Jun suddenly looked up: "He's talking nonsense!"

"Nonsense?" Qian Zhao pushed the paper over. "See for yourself."

Liu Jun grabbed the paper, his hands trembling violently. He quickly scanned a few lines, his face turning from white to green, then from green to gray.

The paper clearly stated: time, place, people, amount of money, number of weapons, and even a sentence or two of what Ma Xiang said at the time: "I will surely repay Lord Liu's great kindness with my life."

The handwriting is Wang Wu's; he wouldn't mistake it.

"This...this..." Liu Jun's throat went dry. "He framed me! He must have taken your money..."

"Wang Wu is locked up next door right now." Qian Zhao stood up. "How about I bring him over for a confrontation?"

Liu Jun slumped down, the iron chains rattling.

He lowered his head, his shoulders slumped, as if his bones had been removed. After a long silence, he said in a hoarse voice, "I want to see Magistrate Liu."

"Which Prefect Liu?" Qian Zhao asked.

Liu Jun did not answer.

Qian Zhao didn't press him, but sat down and continued to wait.

The charcoal crackled, and time passed slowly.

After an unknown amount of time, Liu Jun raised his head, his eyes sunken and bloodshot.

"I confess," he said, "but only to Prefect Liu."

Half an hour later, Liu Bei entered the secret room.

He wasn't wearing official robes, only a dark brown cloth robe with an old fur coat over it, looking like an ordinary wealthy man. Qian Zhao got up and retreated to the doorway to stand guard. Liu Bei sat down opposite Liu Jun, with a charcoal brazier between them.

"Speak," he said gently.

Liu Jun stared at him for a long time.

"You...are you really Lord Liu?"

"It's the real deal." Liu Bei smiled. "Since you specifically asked to see me, you should believe me."

Liu Jun took a deep breath and then slowly exhaled.

"I am Liu Yan's man," he began, speaking slowly. "This trip to Shu was indeed to deliver things to Prime Minister Ma. Scriptures, money, weapons, and... a word."

"What did you say?"

"Be prepared, we will rebel in May." Liu Jun lowered his voice. "The next time we meet with Prime Minister Ma will be the day Prime Minister Ma starts his rebellion."

Liu Bei's eyes narrowed.

"Does Liu Yan want Ma Xiang to rebel?"

"Yes." Liu Jun nodded. "It's about setting a fire. Burning Xi Jian to death, burning the powerful clans of Yizhou to death, burning a blank slate. Then, Liu Langjun, as the savior, enters Shu, quells the rebellion, pacifies the people, and reclaims power... all in one go."

Liu Bei remained silent.

The embers danced in the basin, casting flickering light and shadow on his face. He tapped his fingers lightly on his knee, slowly, once, twice.

"The plan is very thorough," he suddenly said, "but there's a problem."

Liu Jun looked up.

"Why should Ma Xiang listen to you?" Liu Bei looked at him. "He's taken the money and the weapons. If he really rebels and holds onto Yizhou, what will Liu Yan do?"

Liu Jun grinned, but his smile was somewhat bitter.

"My lord, Minister Ma... is incapable of accomplishing anything. His men are a rabble, lacking food, armor, and training. Even if he were to actually occupy Yizhou, all it would take is a memorial from Lord Liu, and the imperial army would arrive, and he would be utterly annihilated."

Liu Bei nodded.

"That makes sense." He paused, "but there's one more thing."

"Please speak."

"You," Liu Bei stared at Liu Jun, "Now that this is done, what are you going to do with him? How could Liu Yan let someone who knows his entire scheme leave Yizhou alive?"

Liu Jun's face froze.

He opened his mouth, but no sound came out.

"I guess," Liu Bei continued, "that after this is done, you will die a horrible death, a complete and utter annihilation. In short, you won't return to Luoyang alive."

Liu Jun's hands began to tremble, and the iron chains rattled.

He lowered his head, his shoulders hunched, as if his last shred of hope had been shattered.

"No...no, it can't be," his voice trembled. "I...I..."

"Do you want to live?" Liu Bei asked.

Liu Jun suddenly looked up, his eyes gleaming: "I want to!"

"Then tell the truth." Liu Bei leaned forward, his hands resting on his knees. "Tell me everything. How did Liu Yan contact Ma Xiang? What code did they agree on? What was the token? After the uprising, how did Liu Yan control the situation? Tell me everything without missing a single detail."

Liu Jun was panting, his chest heaving.

He looked at Liu Bei, then at Qian Zhao, and then at the secret room. Stone walls, iron chains, charcoal fire—there was nowhere to escape.

After a long while, he closed his eyes.

"I said."

He said three things.

First, Liu Yan's connection with Ma Xiang began six months ago. Ma Xiang, who had been driven to ruin by Xi Jian in his early years, harbored deep resentment. Liu Yan sent Liu Jun to Mianzhu three times to select Ma Xiang. The first time, Liu Jun delivered money; the second time, he delivered weapons; and the third time, which was this time, he delivered a crucial message: "Rebel in May."

Second, the agreed-upon code and token. The code was two lines of poetry: "The road is far and I cannot reach you, so I sigh; why do I harbor such worries and anxieties?" Ma Xiang would say the first line, and the contact person would say the second. The token was a pair of fish-shaped jade pendants, one yin and one yang; Liu Jun held the yin pendant, and Ma Xiang held the yang pendant.

Third, Liu Yan also planted spies in the homes of several powerful families in Yizhou. After the uprising, these spies would take the lead in surrendering and guiding the rebel army to attack and kill officials of Yu Jian's faction, but avoiding their own property.

After Liu Jun finished speaking, he collapsed onto the straw mat, completely exhausted, with a blank look in his eyes.

Qian Zhao noted down all the details and asked a few key questions: Which powerful families in Yizhou were in the know? What was Ma Xiang's specific troop deployment?

Liu Jun answered them one by one.

By the time I finished answering, dawn was breaking. A sliver of grayish-white light shone through the vent and fell upon the embers of the charcoal brazier.

Qian Zhao put away the record, and Liu Bei got up and left.

"My lord..." Liu Jun suddenly struggled to sit up, "You...you promised me..."

Qian Zhao didn't turn around; he pushed the door open and went out.

(I.e.