Chapter Thirteen: The Swindler’s Trap

Xu Boqing lingered for a long while in front of his second uncle’s house, only managing to suppress the unease and confusion in his heart after taking a deep, steadying breath.

Just as he was about to make inquiries in the neighborhood, a powerful male voice called out from not far behind him: “If I’m not mistaken, your name is Xu Boqing, nephew of Old Xu?”

Xu Boqing turned to see a group of constables from the Inspection Office approaching at a measured pace, slowly surrounding him.

The middle-aged man at their head looked somewhat familiar. After a moment’s thought, Xu Boqing recalled his name—Zhou Yong, who, like his second uncle Xu He, served at the Inspection Office and shared a close friendship with him.

When Xu Boqing visited his relatives, he often saw this man drinking with his uncle, so his face was not unfamiliar.

He asked cautiously, “Are you Uncle Zhou?”

Zhou Yong grinned and nodded. “That’s right.”

Though Zhou Yong and his men had surrounded him, his manner remained amiable, so Xu Boqing asked, hinting at his meaning, “Uncle Zhou, what did my second uncle do? Why has our house been sealed?”

Zhou Yong sighed and, after glancing around to see only familiar colleagues nearby, leaned closer and lowered his voice. “A week ago, a few assassins snuck into the imperial city and attempted to kill His Majesty. Naturally, they failed. The assassins escaped, and His Majesty flew into a rage. Not only were the city’s inner patrols punished, but even our outer city constables were implicated. Every constable on duty that day, along with their families, were all thrown into the Sky Prison. If you’re a direct relative, you’re included in the investigation. Old Xu was one of those on duty that day—I was only spared because I happened to be off shift.”

A sudden realization dawned on Xu Boqing as he looked at the group of constables. He forced a wry smile and asked, “Uncle Zhou, did you come here to… take me in for questioning?”

Zhou Yong didn’t deny it, only sighed and nodded. “Yes…”

When fortune smiles, the world lends its strength; when luck runs out, even heroes have no freedom.

Xu Boqing thought of the poem he’d recited to that old man yesterday. How fitting its second half now seemed to his own plight.

Zhou Yong spoke quietly: “This matter is now under the charge of Lord Li from the Eastern Depot. Our Inspection Office has no say. Anyone whose travel pass or documents show a connection is being taken in for questioning. But this can be big or small, and Lord Li is fond of silver—you understand what I mean?”

So a eunuch from the Eastern Depot had been parachuted in, with the Inspection Office supposedly powerless? Hardly powerless—more likely ready to share in the spoils!

Xu Boqing’s face twitched as he forced a stiff smile. “My home was struck by bandits; my father risked his life to send me to the capital to seek refuge with my second uncle. On the way, we were ambushed—my family was all killed, our money stolen. If I hadn’t feigned death and escaped, I’d never have reached the capital alive.”

He paused, produced his last five taels of broken silver, and, half-laughing, half-crying, asked, “All I have left is these five taels. Tell me, Uncle Zhou—will this buy my freedom?”

Zhou Yong was silent.

The Eastern Depot and the Embroidered Uniform Guard were Liang’s special agencies, with vast intelligence networks. This Lord Li was here for one thing—profit. People bringing travel passes into the city were already being marked by someone. And the price was set according to the victim—wealthy families might not buy their freedom for fifty or five hundred taels, let alone five.

If it were Xu He or his son Xu Da, Zhou Yong might have tried to scrape together the ransom, but for a nephew he’d barely met? He had his own family to feed—he couldn’t risk everything for an acquaintance’s nephew.

Xu Boqing knew this as well. The fact that Zhou Yong had spoken openly to him was the limit of what being Xu He’s nephew afforded him. He’d never expected Zhou Yong to risk anything for him.

He cupped his hands and said, “Uncle Zhou, don’t trouble yourself. Do what you must. I can endure.”

Zhou Yong’s expression shifted, but he only sighed and waved his hand. “Let’s go. I’ll speak on your behalf.”

“Thank you, Uncle Zhou.”

Seeing no one pushing or restraining him, Xu Boqing didn’t consider running away. He followed quietly behind them toward the Inspection Office.

After all, they were letting him keep his dignity; if he made trouble, they’d have other ways to bring him in.

At the Inspection Office, Zhou Yong and his men took their leave with bows. Another group took over, saying nothing as they escorted Xu Boqing straight to the dungeon.

In the dim dungeon of the Inspection Office…

A pale, beardless, and lean middle-aged eunuch sat at the head seat, dressed in the fighting-bull robes, sipping tea with orchid fingers.

Several officials in Inspection Office uniforms sat beside him, chatting and laughing with an air of ease.

From the darkness came the intermittent sounds of whips lashing flesh and the cries of the tortured.

Soon, someone from the Inspection Office came down to report. Sun Sheng, sitting below, waved his hand at the news, signaling for the man to be brought in, then rose with a smile and cupped his hands.

“Chief Li, another one has been brought in. This is Xu Boqing, nephew of Inspection Office Section Chief Xu He, originally from Jianyang. His father’s name is Xu Zhong, and the family runs several rice shops—one of the more prosperous clans in the region.”

“Oh?” Chief Eunuch Li, sitting at the head, raised his brows in surprise and glanced at him. “I heard Jianyang was hit by bandits two days ago. So there are still survivors among the wealthy Xu clan?”

Sun Sheng’s face twitched; a fine sweat broke out on his forehead.

The Eastern Depot and the Embroidered Uniform Guard were both special agencies with the power to oversee all officials. The last several emperors of Liang had ignored the ancestral admonition against empowering eunuchs, so now the Eastern Depot, run by eunuchs, held even greater power than the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

Let alone the Inspection Office, which was merely a subordinate department.

Chief Li paid him no more attention. “Bring him over.”

“Yes.”

Xu Boqing was brought into the dungeon. Seeing the lean eunuch sipping tea in the seat of honor, flanked by the portly Inspection Office officials hovering nervously, he couldn’t help but sneer inwardly.

This Liang dynasty is rotten to the core—the dog emperor is one thing, but from top to bottom it’s nothing but a den of thieves…

But he wasn’t foolish enough to play the martyr in front of these people. Instead, he forced a bit of terror onto his face, bowed deeply, and greeted them.

“Humble commoner Xu Boqing greets the honored officials.”

“Xu… Bo… Qing.” Chief Li sipped his tea, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “Not bad. A fine looking youth, although I wonder how many lashes that frail body could take.”

Sun Sheng rose with a pleasant smile and helped Xu Boqing up. “My name is Sun Sheng, your second uncle’s direct superior. He often mentioned a well-read and sensible nephew—you, I presume?”

One played the bad cop, the other the good, while the screams from deeper in the dungeon wore down any ordinary man’s resolve.

Xu Boqing feigned humility, his face bitter, and nodded. “It is I.”

“You should know what happened to Old Xu—it was an imperial decree. We only carry out orders.”

“I understand.”

“And you know about the ‘ransom’?”

“I do…”

“Good. That makes things easier.” Sun Sheng grinned. “His Majesty’s health has suffered from the shock. Chief Li wishes to find a rare remedy to calm His Majesty’s nerves. Alas, medicinal ingredients are expensive these days. So we have no choice but to ask everyone to contribute. Perhaps when the medicine is ready, His Majesty will be pleased, drop the matter, and your second uncle will be released.”

He paused, then said meaningfully, “It’s said the Xu family of Jianyang is quite prosperous. The ransom for you is set at three thousand taels—what do you say?”

Three thousand taels!?

Even Xu Boqing, whose heart had been steeled by dealings with a snake demon, was shocked by the sum. The Xu family’s rice shops in Jianyang brought in barely a thousand taels profit a year.

To demand three thousand taels for his release—this was no ransom, but treating people as livestock to be slaughtered!