Chapter 108: A Sudden Turn of Events

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There was a rule in the city forbidding horses from galloping. Du Shiyi, accompanied by more than ten retainers from the Cui family, barely controlled his horse’s speed as they approached the west gate of Taolin County. However, he did not find the expected Cui “Little Fatty” waiting at the gate. Without the proper permits for entering or leaving the checkpoint, the Cui retainer Liu Mo, who had been blocked at the gate, suddenly rushed over a few steps, his face flushed with urgency as he called out, “Master Du, when I followed from afar, Cui Langjun and his party of four had already left the city with those merchants! But when I questioned the guards at the gate, they refused to admit it, though I clearly saw it with my own eyes!”

Liu, the county magistrate, who had earlier boasted in front of Du Shiyi, immediately darkened upon hearing this. Annoyed, he summoned the guards and sharply interrogated them. At first, the guards stubbornly denied everything, but when Liu spoke harshly and even ordered the man to be taken back to the county office for punishment, they finally panicked.

The merchant caravan was carrying a considerable amount of goods, all matching the inspection list exactly. Among them were a few individuals of obviously noble lineage who had bribed the guards to turn a blind eye.

“Sir, I swear I am not showing favoritism. Earlier among the merchants, I did see an extra slightly plump young master along with four others. But the caravan leader claimed they were locally hired to go to Chang’an. Since many merchants were heading to Chang’an recently, such situations occur often, and I foolishly let them pass. That caravan left half an hour ago, and afterward, only scattered individuals left the city…”

Before Liu could explain further, Du Shiyi frowned and asked, “So there were five extra people in the group, not four? Could you tell the relationship between the other four and that Cui Langjun?”

“Well…” The guard, realizing the gravity of the situation and fearing reprimand, racked his brain to recall earlier scenes. After a moment, he suddenly slapped his forehead and said, “Three seemed to be servants or attendants of that young Cui Langjun, while the other looked suspicious—constantly glancing around. But since the merchants allowed them, I didn’t think much of it…”

“You’re careless!” Liu County Magistrate, thinking of the unresolved theft case repeatedly questioned by the provincial governor Guo, was nearly furious. “This case is still open, and you dare neglect your duty so recklessly! Guards, take him back now. We will interrogate him later. Master Du, there is no time to lose. There are no forks for dozens of miles outside the city. Let’s pursue them directly!”

Du Shiyi did not glance at the pleading guard who was being led away but nodded and quickly followed Liu out of the city, with the Cui retainers hurrying to keep up behind. Although Liu was over forty and looked rather old, his horsemanship was superb, and he frequently dismounted to examine tracks on the road ahead. Du Shiyi, observing this pattern of riding and inspection, could not help but ask, “Magistrate Liu, what have you discovered?”

Liu was about to flick the reins and urge his horse forward when he shyly explained, “I learned this skill in tracking while hunting with my father years ago. The principle is simple: many people enter the city early to sell vegetables, meat, and firewood, but few rush out. Merchants, wary after the recent robbery, travel in concentrated groups and haven’t yet left. Thus, any fresh tracks leading out must be from the first group. By observing whether a large group passed and the freshness of wheel ruts, you can deduce the trail. The tracks we saw are fresh; we should be able to catch up.”

Du Shiyi, impressed by these subtle clues, recalled how cautious and diligent Liu had been during the earlier inspection and how he seemed both friendly and straightforward when asked for help. He concluded that this experienced magistrate was both competent and tactful.

After nearly half an hour of pursuit outside the city, they finally saw a caravan of twenty or thirty merchants ahead. As Liu called for them to halt, Du Shiyi quickly scanned the group.

Cui “Little Fatty” had not expected Du Shiyi’s rapid arrival. Upon seeing him, he snorted coldly and turned his head away in displeasure, while the bodyguard Cui Ting and two attendants sighed with relief. The two leaders of the caravan, dressed somewhat more finely, frowned and looked alert, while the others instinctively rested their hands on the swords at their waists, as if facing a formidable enemy.

At that moment, the man the city gate guards had mentioned earlier caught Du Shiyi’s eye.

As Liu rode forward to question the caravan, Du Shiyi called over Cui retainer Liu Mo and sternly asked, “Do you recognize the man in brown standing beside Young Master Cui No. 25?”

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Liu Mo, who had been up all night and had ridden swiftly out of the city, stifled a yawn as he focused and hurriedly replied, “I think he was the kind man who led Young Master No. 25 to the inn last night.”

“Such a coincidence?” Du Shiyi raised an eyebrow. The brown-clad middle-aged man seemed uneasy under his gaze, constantly avoiding eye contact and glancing around nervously. This only deepened Du’s suspicions.

Meanwhile, Magistrate Liu’s sharp questioning quickly silenced the two caravan leaders. Last night, when Cui “Little Fatty” was unexpectedly brought to an inn to display their treasures, they had felt some suspicion, especially given the recent grand theft case. But seeing that Cui No. 25 was accompanied by a remarkably skilled bodyguard and two attendants clearly from a prominent family, their manner and knowledge revealed they were not from ordinary humble origins. Gradually, the leaders began to trust them. Cui No. 25 had even promised to introduce them to his maternal uncle, Wang Qinglan, an official in the Ministry of Revenue from the prestigious Wang family of Taiyuan, once they arrived in the capital. That was why they allowed them to leave the city together.

When the caravan leaders were scolded by an unknown middle-aged man, and Du Shiyi appeared to watch silently from behind, Cui “Little Fatty” was instantly angered. He loudly shouted, “Du Nineteen, what do you want? I told you last night, you go your way, I go mine. My affairs don’t concern you!”

“Do you think I want to meddle in your affairs?” Du Shiyi retorted harshly. “If it weren’t for Lady Zhao insisting on entrusting you to me and ordering me to escort you safely into Chang’an, I wouldn’t care where you run off to! You can choose to return on your own or have me send you back under guard!”

“You…” Cui “Little Fatty” was furious, about to retort sharply, but Du Shiyi’s gaze suddenly swept over him and fixed on the two caravan leaders. He said, “And you, just because Young Master No. 25 is from a noble family, you allowed him to leave, even falsified records during the gate inspection. Do you understand the consequences? The Yonghui Code clearly states that whoever crosses the checkpoint without permission shall be sentenced to one year of penal servitude. Though the city gate isn’t an official checkpoint, both Taolin County and Shanzhou are currently cracking down hard on thieves after the recent major heist; there is no leniency!”

The Yonghui Code was known only to legal officials or those who dealt with such matters at the county office—ordinary scholars rarely studied it. Hearing such words from Du Shiyi, Magistrate Liu looked at him with a new sense of respect.

To accuse with such weighty authority at such a young age, this young master was indeed well-read!

Cui “Little Fatty” was stunned; seeing the caravan leaders’ faces turn ashen, he nervously shouted, “Du Nineteen, don’t spout nonsense to scare people!”

“Scare people? This is Magistrate Liu of Taolin County speaking. Ask him if this is scaring people! The guard who let you through the gate is already being questioned. You all will face the consequences!”

Realizing that Du Shiyi intended to make a big deal out of this, and that Magistrate Liu was clearly on Du’s side, Cui “Little Fatty” was completely dumbfounded. Reading many books is no substitute for experiencing the world. Though he had studied at home, his worldly knowledge was limited. That such a small matter had escalated so far was beyond his expectation. As he desperately tried to think of a way out, Du Shiyi suddenly shouted again.

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“Also, who are you, and why have you infiltrated the caravan?”

The caravan members, already uneasy, all turned to look at Du Shiyi. His outstretched finger pointed at the brown-clad man beside Young Master Cui No. 25. The group exchanged confused glances. Who was this man? Wasn’t he the lowly servant who had followed Cui No. 25 when he met them earlier that morning?

The brown-clad man, who had kept his head lowered, trembled all over. Taking a deep breath, he looked up with a bright smile and said, “Master Du, how could you not recognize me? I am not one of Cui Langjun’s attendants…”

In almost an instant, the man, only a few steps from Cui “Little Fatty,” leapt sideways. In his hand, a gleaming dagger appeared out of nowhere and was suddenly slashed toward Cui “Little Fatty’s” neck. Caught completely off guard, Cui’s mind went blank, forgetting to dodge or move.

Only when a tremendous force shoved him away and he fell heavily to the ground did he awaken. But the fiery pain in his legs and arms robbed him of all reflexes. He stared dumbfounded as his father’s bodyguard, Cui Ting, sprang up from behind him. Turning swiftly, Cui Ting gave chase to the brown-clad man, who was clutching his shoulder and fleeing toward the nearby wheat field. The dagger on the ground glinted sharply in the sunlight.

Few had witnessed this scene clearly. When Du Shiyi revealed the brown-clad man, who answered before suddenly attacking, Du Shiyi’s hand had already flicked a copper dart like an arrow. Gong Ye Jue’s teachings of this skill were something Du had practiced diligently in Songshan, like his swordsmanship. Having many practical opportunities to hone it—whether shooting down pinecones, wild pheasants flapping in the forest, or hopping rabbits—he had gradually grown quite accurate. Cui Jianxuan had even joked that he no longer needed to practice archery. Still, it was thanks to the timely intervention of the tall bodyguard Cui Ting, who rolled Cui “Little Fatty” to safety.

Magistrate Liu was stunned by the sudden turn of events, momentarily dumbfounded. After recovering, he asked, “Master Du, who is this man?”

“I just didn’t recognize him among the Cui attendants, so I was suspicious. I didn’t expect he’d become so desperate!” Du Shiyi smiled wryly. Ignoring the astonished caravan members, he dismounted and approached the dazed Cui “Little Fatty,” grabbing him roughly by the arm. Seeing Cui’s clothes torn and his dazed expression, Du seemed not to notice. He looked up toward the direction Cui Ting had rushed off.

He could only hope it was just his imagination—that perhaps the man was nothing more than an ordinary thief.