Han Ji

In mid-November, a case involved the adopted nephew of the eunuch Zhao Zhong.

It was a case of abducting a woman. Zhao Zhong's sworn nephew, Zhao Chusheng, took a fancy to the daughter of a tofu shop owner and wanted to force her to become his concubine. When the tofu shop owner refused, Zhao Chusheng led a group of people to smash up the shop, injure the elderly couple, and kidnap the daughter.

The old man from the tofu shop went to the Commandant's office to complain, crying his heart out.

Li Gongcao's face turned pale: "Commander, this... this Zhao Zhong is a Palace Attendant, someone who can speak with His Majesty. His nephew..."

"Summon Zhao Chusheng." Liu Bei put down the petition.

"Captain! Think it over!"

"Go and spread the word."

Zhao Chusheng didn't come; instead, a butler arrived with a box of money.

"Commander Liu," the steward said with a smile, "my young master is young and impetuous, and his actions were inappropriate. This money is compensation for that family. Please be lenient and let this matter rest."

Liu Bei looked at the box of money but said nothing.

The steward, thinking he was tempted, leaned closer: "Captain, you're new here and may not know some of the rules. In this Luoyang city, there are some people you can't afford to offend. My master said that if you do him a favor this time, he will reward you handsomely in the future."

"Are you finished?" Liu Bei asked.

The butler was taken aback.

"After you've finished speaking, go back and tell your young master," Liu Bei said, enunciating each word clearly, "that by noon tomorrow, return the woman you abducted, compensate for the losses, and surrender yourself at the Commandant's office. Otherwise, I will arrest him."

The steward's expression changed: "Commander Liu, are you refusing a polite offer and asking for a harsher punishment?"

"see a visitor out."

The butler left in a huff.

That night, Liu Bei received a second anonymous letter.

This time the words were even more direct: "You'd better watch yourself if Attendant Zhao gets angry."

Liu Bei threw the letter into the brazier.

Zhang Wu, Jian Yong, and Qian Zhao gathered together.

"What should we do?" Jian Yong asked. "Are we really going to arrest them?"

"Arrest them," Liu Bei said decisively, "but we need to come up with a thorough plan."

He spread out a map and pointed to Zhao Chusheng's house: "This house is in Yonghe Lane, close to Xiyuan Garden, and heavily guarded. We can't force our way in; we'll have to outsmart them."

"How can we outsmart them?"

Liu Bei looked at Jian Yong: "Xianhe, what did you find out about Zhao Chusheng's hobbies?"

"He's a gambler and a womanizer," Jian Yong said. "He's especially addicted to gambling. He often goes to an underground gambling den in Beili and gambles all night long."

"When are you going?"

"You are allowed to go on the fifteenth of every month."

Liu Bei glanced at the calendar—tomorrow is the fifteenth.

"Okay." He made the decision. "Tomorrow night, when he goes to the gambling den, we'll go rescue him."

"What about arresting them?"

"Saving lives is the priority," Liu Bei said. "We can deal with capturing people later, after we've rescued them."

Once the plan was set, everyone went their separate ways to prepare.

Liu Bei went to the Sili Commandant's office to file a request for a troop of soldiers under the pretext of apprehending a wanted criminal. The Sili Commandant hesitated upon hearing that Liu Bei was Zhao Zhong's nephew, but ultimately approved the request.

Qian Zhao selected several reliable constables and had them lie in ambush around the gambling den.

Jian Yong then sneaked into the gambling den and kept an eye on Zhao Chusheng.

On the night of the fifteenth, at the hour of Hai (9-11 PM).

The gambling den was brightly lit and bustling with noise. Zhao Chusheng was gambling with great enthusiasm, his winnings piled up in front of him.

Jian Yong watched from the corner and gestured towards the window.

Zhao Chusheng hadn't even reacted when Qian Zhao and his men stormed into the gambling den. When he realized they were from the Commandant's Office, he flew into a rage:

"You dare touch me? Do you know who my uncle is?"

"I know." Qian Zhao said expressionlessly. "Zhao Chusheng, the nephew of Attendant Zhao. You are suspected of abducting a woman, assaulting someone, and vandalizing a shop. You are hereby arrested—take him away!"

The constables stepped forward to arrest the man.

Zhao Chusheng's attendants tried to resist, but were quickly subdued by Qian Zhao.

The gambling den was in complete chaos.

At the same time, Liu Bei, along with Zhang Wu and the troops of the Sili Commandant's Office, headed straight for Zhao Chusheng's residence.

The guards at the gate tried to stop them, but when they saw the soldiers, they chickened out.

They rushed into the inner courtyard and found the tofu shop's daughter locked up in a side room. The girl was disheveled and crying so hard she was almost fainting.

Liu Bei had someone escort her home, and then searched the house, finding the stolen valuables and the medical bills of the injured elderly couple.

The evidence is complete.

When they returned to the Commandant's Office, Zhao Chusheng had already been brought back and imprisoned.

Li Gongcao was terrified: "Commander...you really arrested him?"

"Arrested."

"As for Attendant Zhao..."

"I'll handle this." Liu Bei sat down and began writing a report.

That night, the lights in the Northern Commandery stayed on until dawn.

The report was sent out at dawn.

Liu Bei didn't sleep; he sat in the hall waiting. Zhang Wu, Jian Yong, and Qian Zhao accompanied him, and the four of them remained silent, listening to the drumbeats outside.

At the beginning of Chen Shi (7-9 AM), Li Gongcao rushed in, his face ashen:

"Commander, someone from Attendant Zhao's residence has arrived and is outside the gate."

"How many people?"

"There's only one, the old steward, who said... he requests the Commandant to come to the mansion for a chat."

Liu Bei stood up: "Please come in."

When the old steward entered, he had a smile on his face, but his eyes were cold. He bowed to Liu Bei and said, "Commander Liu, my master invites you to his residence to discuss some matters."

"I have official business to attend to and cannot leave the office." Liu Bei remained seated. "What is it? Let's talk here."

The old steward's smile froze: "Commander Liu, my young master is young and ignorant, and has offended you. Master said that as long as you are willing to release him, any conditions are negotiable."

"We'll act according to the law; there's no room for negotiation," Liu Bei said calmly. "Zhao Chusheng forcibly abducted a woman, injured people, and destroyed a shop; the evidence is conclusive. According to the law, he should be punished with eighty strokes of the cane and three years of imprisonment."

The old steward's face darkened: "Commander Liu, are you disrespecting Attendant Zhao?"

"Everyone is equal before the law."

"Very well, very well." The old steward sneered. "Since Commandant Liu has said so, this old servant will take his leave. But... I hope you won't regret it."

He turned and left.

Jian Yong leaned closer: "Xuande, this time we've really torn off all pretense of civility."

"It's already torn apart." Liu Bei stood up. "Zhang Wu, strengthen the guards of the government office. Zijing, lead men to patrol the neighborhoods to prevent any trouble. Xianhe, go to the tofu shop and bring the old couple and their daughter here temporarily. I'm afraid the Zhao family will do something desperate."

The three men accepted the order and left.

At noon, the second group of people arrived.

They were officials from the Henan Prefectural Government, carrying official documents, saying they wanted to interrogate Zhao Chusheng and transfer him to the Henan Prefectural Government for further processing.

Liu Bei took the official document, read it, and shook his head: "This case occurred in the north and is under my jurisdiction. Moreover, it has already been filed and concluded, so it is inconvenient to transfer it."

The subordinate official grew anxious: "Commander Liu, this is Lord Li's intention!"

"If Lord Li believes that my judgment is unfair, he may petition the court for a review," Liu Bei said neither humbly nor arrogantly. "However, according to the rules, a case cannot be transferred until it is concluded."

The subordinate official left in a huff.

In the afternoon, a junior eunuch came to the palace.

This time it was even more direct, with an oral decree stating that His Majesty had heard of a case in the north and ordered the criminals to be handed over to the Court of Justice for trial.

Liu Bei knelt to receive the imperial edict, then rose and said, "Please inform His Majesty that this case has been concluded, and the case file and evidence are complete. If His Majesty wishes to review it, I will immediately submit the case file."

The young eunuch's eyes widened: "Commander Liu, this is His Majesty's oral decree!"

"Your Majesty understands," Liu Bei bowed. "However, according to the Han law, once a local case has been concluded, the accused cannot be interrogated arbitrarily unless there are major doubts. If Your Majesty believes there are doubts about this case, I am willing to personally bring the case file to the palace for an audience with Your Majesty."

Having said that, the eunuch had no choice but to walk away.