"Is this absolutely true?" Inside the commandery governor's offices, Xiahou Xian looked at Jia Chong, seated in the room, and asked.
Jia Chong said with great certainty, "That merchant from the Gu clan went into a shop and didn't come out for a long time. My men kept watch outside for ages. Only his attendant came out, then drove the cart back to the guesthouse."
"You didn't go straight in and search that shop, did you?" Xiahou Xian asked worriedly.
"No," Jia Chong replied at once. "We can't beat the grass and startle the snake just yet."
"Mm." Xiahou nodded. "You did very well."
Just then, Chief Clerk Ji Shao and Recording Clerk Chen Yuan also arrived at the offices.
"Good timing, Zhaochu. I have something to ask you."
Ji Shao tilted his head. "What is it, Governor?"
Xiahou Xian gave Jia Chong a look. Taking the hint, Jia Chong came straight to the point. "Tell me, do you recognize this merchant from Wu State?"
"A merchant from Wu State?" Ji Shao had been off duty yesterday, so he did not yet know about Elder Gu being detained. Looking at the portrait in Jia Chong's hand, he thought for a moment. "Oh! You mean Old Gu?"
"Of course I know him." As he spoke, Ji Shao walked over to his desk and knelt down to sit. "He's done business with my family for years. I only got to know him through my father."
"What's wrong?" Ji Shao suddenly looked up. "Could Old Gu be a spy from Wu State?"
Ji Shao clearly had not drunk any wine yet today. His mind was sharp, and he immediately caught a whiff of what was going on.
Since Ji Shao had guessed, Xiahou Xian did not intend to keep it under wraps.
"In the coming days, we in Huainan will be strictly investigating merchants and travelers from Wu State. I imagine both of you already know about this." As Xiahou Xian spoke, his gaze shifted slightly toward Chen Yuan.
Chen Yuan nodded in acknowledgment.
Ji Shao, on the other hand, looked unconcerned.
Xiahou Xian began chatting with Ji Shao. "Zhaochu, will this measure affect your family's business?"
Ji Shao chuckled. "If I said it wouldn't, you certainly wouldn't believe me, Governor. But I understand what takes priority. Hasn't it always been this way whenever our Wei State goes to war with Eastern Wu?"
"You're quite enlightened, Zhaochu," Xiahou Xian praised.
At that moment, Chen Yuan, who had been sorting documents to one side, suddenly spoke up. "Governor, I have an idea."
Xiahou Xian raised his brows slightly and glanced over. "Please, Zhongbo."
Chen Yuan carefully set the heavy register in his hands on the floor beside his desk, then brushed the dust from his clothes and cupped his hands.
"Forgive my presumptuous guess, but I imagine you've already sent men to follow that Wu merchant, Governor."
"You guessed correctly, Zhongbo."
Chen Yuan smiled. "Then I think we could do this: send men to search the places the Wu merchant visited. The bigger the commotion, the better."
"Are you sure that won't beat the grass and startle the snake?" Xiahou asked doubtfully.
"That is precisely what we want," Chen Yuan said decisively. "To be more exact, we're luring the snake out of its hole."
"Governor, consider this: if that Wu merchant really is a spy, what will he do when he learns that every place he visited has been searched?"
Understanding dawned on Xiahou Xian. "Then there would be no point in his continuing to operate in Shouchun. He would certainly look for a chance to slip away."
At that, Jia Chong remained silent, seemingly tacitly accepting that the plan was feasible.
Ji Shao, however, suddenly addressed Chen Yuan in a sarcastic tone. "What? From what you're saying, Recording Clerk Chen, you mean to investigate me too?"
Realizing he had been discourteous, Chen Yuan hurriedly bowed to Ji Shao in apology. "I wouldn't dare."
Although Ji Shao usually paid no attention to administrative affairs, he was nominally Chen Yuan's superior.
Ji Shao shot Chen Yuan an irritated look.
Just then, Xiahou Xian suddenly spoke. "Zhaochu, I think we really will have to put you through a little trouble over this."
Ji Shao wondered whether he had misheard and stared wide-eyed at Xiahou Xian. Xiahou Xian looked back at him with a mischievous smile. "Without conclusive evidence, I really can't simply order the arrest of those involved..."
"Master, why are we in such a hurry?" A Da asked in the guesthouse, his face full of bewilderment.
"Stop babbling and pack our things." Elder Gu snapped at him, then opened the window and peered outside a few times before hurriedly shutting it again.
"Do you think I want to leave? I still haven't sold all my goods," Elder Gu said.
A Da glanced at the bundle in Elder Gu's hands. His master never let him open it, nor did he tell him what was inside.
But he had heard his master say that the authorities had searched every place they had visited on this trip.
Even that famous young master of the local Ji family had been detained by the commandery governor.
Wasn't he an official serving under the governor?
No matter how he thought about it, he could not understand what this newly arrived governor of Huainan was trying to do.
Nothing like this had ever happened before.
Being hauled in for questioning as soon as they entered the city was one thing, but why send men to follow them too?
Wasn't this just bullying honest folk?
A Da silently finished packing and headed for the door. "I'll tell Zhao Si and the others to bring the horses."
Throughout the journey, Elder Gu's face remained dark. A Da had never seen his master look like this. Out of concern, he decided to joke with him. "Master, this trip wasn't a waste, was it? Look, that whole cartload of goods is down to one little bundle."
Elder Gu knew the other man was trying to comfort him, so he could not bear to keep shouting at him.
He had just pulled aside the curtain at the front, intending to say something to A Da, who was driving the horses.
Suddenly, his body lurched forward uncontrollably, and he was nearly thrown out of the carriage.
"Idiot! How are you driving these horses?!" Elder Gu shouted at once.
But his voice abruptly stopped a few seconds later. Elder Gu looked up. A troop of horsemen blocked his carriage, and a young man stood in front of them.
"Where are you off to, Elder Gu?"
Faced with Jia Chong's blade-sharp gaze, Elder Gu was momentarily dazed.
But he quickly composed his expression and replied with a broad smile, "I'm heading back to Wu Commandery. You see, I've sold all my goods, so naturally it's time to return."
"I see." Jia Chong sized up the old man, then sighed. "Unfortunately, you may have to postpone your return."
"Sir... young... young sir, what do you mean by that?" Looking at the half-grown youth before him, Elder Gu did not know how to address him, nor did he know who he was.
"You know Ji Shao of the Ji trading firm, don't you?" Jia Chong asked.
"Yes, yes. He's a longtime customer of mine." Elder Gu nodded repeatedly, not daring to conceal anything.
"That settles it." Jia Chong immediately ordered, "Take him away!"
The horsemen swiftly dismounted and dragged Elder Gu down from the carriage.
Elder Gu panicked on the spot. "Young sir, what crime have I committed?"
Watching Elder Gu being dragged away, Jia Chong prepared to let him at least understand why he was doomed.
"Ji Shao has already confessed. Do you have anything else to say?"
"Enough. Come quietly with us, you spy from rebel Wu."
At the word "spy," Elder Gu suddenly straightened in astonishment.
"A spy?!"
"Who's a spy?!"