Volume 1: Kyoto Winds and Clouds Chapter 56: Taking Liu Zhang's Place to Gain Beauty

  The bandits on the attic heard Liu's words and couldn't help but laugh: "Don't worry, we're after wealth not lives! Young Master Qiao is still alive!"

  Liu Zhang felt relieved, he was most afraid that Qiao Xiaogongzi would be as foolish as Qiao Taiwei, wanting money but not his life! So Liu Zhang smiled and said: "Let the three of you wait a moment, I'll go persuade Old Man Qiao!"

  After Liu Zhang left, one of the bandits secretly stuck his head out from the attic and found that Liu Zhang was wearing a official uniform and a golden crown, so he knew that he was an important person. He went back to tell the other two, and the three bandits thought they would get the ransom soon, all very excited.

  "What's going on?" Cai Yong saw Liu Zhang come out and immediately ordered the Colonel of the City Gates and the Mayor of Luoyang to surround the tower.

  "After dragging on for a day or half a day, these robbers will be exhausted due to high tension, and then we'll have our chance!" Seeing Cai Yong ask, Liu Zhang hastily spoke out his plan.

  "How can that be?" Old Master Qiao said with some displeasure: "Isn't this giving the criminals an opportunity? If they escape, won't other families suffer again? Although they kidnapped my son, I will not disregard the law for the sake of my own son! Little girl, your kind intentions are appreciated!"

  "Old Qiao, why are you so stubborn?" Cai Yong shook his head and said: "Don't worry! Since my apprentice says he has a way, he will definitely let your son return safely, and those bandits will not be able to escape!"

  "Master, you're being too full of yourself!" Liu Zhang said helplessly; "Aren't you afraid I'll lose face for you?"

  Cai Yong said with great confidence: "Others may have lost my face, but you little boy absolutely won't! If you dare to ambush even Mount Wuhuan, what can't you do?"

  "Is this the newly appointed champion of Chaocheng?" Commander Qiao stared at Liu Zhang for a long time, but no matter how he looked at him, he didn't seem like that kind of fierce warrior, but rather like a noble young master. Of course, Liu Zhang was indeed a noble young master!

  "Let's spare the old man!" Liu Zhang smiled and said: "We won't talk about this, let's discuss how to rescue people instead!"

  Qiao Taiwei was very fond of this young son, although he shouted and scolded him, but after all, he was his own son, and he couldn't bear to see his son die. Qiao Taiwei didn't know what Liu Zhang's abilities were, but he did know that it was this young child who had defeated the foreign tribes that invaded the Great Han year after year, and had defeated them so thoroughly. And so, a glimmer of hope rose up in Qiao Taiwei's heart.

  Upon arriving at the main hall of Imperial General Cao's residence, the Prefect of Luoyang and the Colonel-Director were already waiting there. Liu Zhang took a closer look and saw that the Prefect of Luoyang was still Zhou Yi. He stepped forward to pay his respects, saying: "Prefect Zhou, it has been a long time!"

  "It turned out to be Champion Hou!" Liu Zhang was no longer the little kid he used to be, and his current status made Zhou Yi stand up and salute.

  "Hmm!" The Commandant of the Imperial Guard was somewhat dissatisfied, thinking that Liu Zhang should have paid his respects to him first. However, Liu Zhang didn't mind because this Commandant of the Imperial Guard was a man of He Jin's.

  After everyone sat down, Zhou Yi smiled and said: "Originally, Commander Qiao's intention was to let us directly attack the attic, regardless of the young master's life or death, capture and kill the robbers, and cut off the robbers' lucky psychology. But after all, it is a human life, if we can save it, it would be best. Crown Prince Hou is wise and has many plans, if there is a way, let's listen carefully!"

  "Governor Zhou, there is a way, but it's not very thorough and requires everyone's cooperation!" In fact, Liu Zhang was thinking of waiting for the bandits to get tired, then having someone send over food mixed with anesthetic. Even if the bandits had Qiao Xiaogongzi try some first, he wouldn't be in danger.

  "Hmph! No wonder you're so unreliable, this little brat doesn't even know who he's indebted to, and yet you all treat him like a hero. I'd rather not join your madness if we don't need to launch a strong attack, or else I'll leave!" The Colonel was one of He Jin's men, and he had never liked Liu Zhang. Now that everyone was hailing Liu Zhang as their savior, the Colonel couldn't help but feel some displeasure.

  Qiao Taiwei hesitated for a moment, but Cai Yong waved his hand and said: "Then thank you, Sir! You may leave!"

  Liu Zhang was Cai Yong's favorite disciple, but now this Commandant of the Capital Patrols dared to be presumptuous. Cai Yong naturally wouldn't give him a good face. The Commandant of the Capital Patrols coldly snorted and left the hall, ordering all his soldiers to withdraw. However, just as he was about to exit, Zhang Fei suddenly bumped into him, knocking him unconscious! The soldiers under the Commandant's command were about to say something when Zhang Fei glared at them with a fierce gaze, exuding an aura of murder that made those young soldiers who hadn't experienced war tremble in fear. They hastily carried their commander away and fled, leaving only Zhang Fei standing alone at the gate, laughing loudly.

  Hearing Zhang Fei's whisper, Liu Zhong knew he was up to his old tricks again, but Liu Zhong didn't bother him. Now that the Imperial Inspector has left and they only have the help of the Luoyang Prefect, the difficulty of rescuing people has increased greatly - after all, one set of tactics can easily be seen through by the other side. Liu Zhong thought for a moment before saying: "Alright, let's exchange hostages!"

  "Exchange hostages?" Cai Yong asked: "What does it mean?"

  "I'll go in place of Young Master Qiao as a hostage!" Liu Zhang smiled and said: "This way, I can ensure that Young Master is rescued while not letting those three bandits escape."

  "What?" Cai Yong and Qiao Taiwei were shocked and pale, both exclaimed in unison: "No! Absolutely not!"

  "The champion Hou is a hero of the great Han, how can he be easily put in danger for my useless son!" General Qiao let out a long sigh and said: "Thank you, Champion Hou, for your kindness! Lord of Luoyang, take your men and attack from above!"

  "Father!" Two five or six year old little girls walked out of the house, crying with tears streaming down their faces: "Save brother! It's all daughter's fault, daughter will take good care of brother in the future!"

  "Alas!" Qiao Xuan saw the two crying daughters with tears in their eyes, and couldn't help but hug them into his arms, saying: "My daughters! It's not that your father doesn't want to save your brother. But if I pay the ransom, those bandits will still go on to kidnap other people's children, and then others will follow their example. Since someone has to make a sacrifice, let it be my Qiao family's child! Let it also count as the last contribution my Qiao family makes to the great Han!"

  Qiao Taiwei also cried. As the saying goes, a man has tears but doesn't easily shed them, only when it's time to be heartbroken! To steel oneself and watch one's own son go to his death, even parents with hearts of iron and stone can't bear it.

  "What's the point! Old Zhao, your son isn't dead yet, you can cry at his grave later! I really can't take it, didn't I say that I could replace your son as a hostage? As long as your son is safe, those three bandits are nothing!" Liu Zhang admired Zhao Taiwei's selfless spirit, but he couldn't bear the atmosphere of life and death separation.

  "Zhang Er, you are being impolite!" Cai Yong heard Liu Zhang call Qiao Taoyi "Old Man Qiao", and felt somewhat displeased. However, Qiao Taoyi's two daughters seemed to have seen a glimmer of hope.

  "Are you saying that you can save my brother?" The smaller girl blinked her beautiful big eyes staring at Liu Zhang, afraid he would say something wrong.

  "Yes!" Liu Zhang smiled and said: "I will exchange myself for your younger brother!"

  "Impossible!" The older girl said: "Those robbers are inhumane, my brother is already unlucky, how can we implicate you?"

  "The guilty should be punished, the innocent should be protected. Isn't the spirit of the law to protect the weak and the common people?" Liu Zhang smiled and said, "How, don't you believe I have the ability to subdue those three bandits?"

  "Not to mention Cao Zhen and his two daughters, even Cai Yong had some hesitation. Although Liu Zhang had the merit of attacking the Wuduan king's court, in Cai Yong's eyes, he was still a child."

  "General Cao, this table of yours is quite good, it seems to be made of nanmu wood!" Liu Zhang saw that Cai Yong and the others did not believe in his abilities, so he walked over to General Cao's side and said: "I'll use this table to show off my skills a bit. Would you be willing to lend it to me, General?"

  "Of course, it's better to be safe than sorry... Between the desk and his son, naturally his son is more important, but Qiao Taoyi didn't want Liu Zhang to take risks."

  "Hmph... Bang..." Liu Zhang took a deep breath, suppressing the faint aura within him and slammed his hand onto the nanmu wood table. The several hundred jin heavy table suddenly let out a creaking sound and shattered into pieces on the ground. Liu Zhang shook his numbed hand and rotated his wrist, saying: "How's that? Do you think those three robbers can withstand my blows?"

  "Ah!" Everyone in the hall gasped, and the first to react were surprisingly General Qiao's two daughters. They suddenly burst into tears and knelt down in front of Liu Zhang, saying: "If you can save our brother, we are willing to be your maidservants, personal attendants!"

  Qiao Taowei's two daughters were lovely, and Liu Zhang could see that these two girls would likely become troublesome characters in the future. However, he didn't have any evil intentions. When it came to women, he found it hard to reveal his true feelings. Nevertheless, he wasn't a heartless person either. Moreover, he had originally come to help rescue people.

  "Get up!" Liu Zhang helped the two girls to their feet, smiling and saying: "There's no need for that! I have great respect for General Qiao's selfless spirit. How could we let an old man send a young one to his death? However, even if I can save the young master, we'll still need to carefully plan our actions, striving to capture the three bandits alive without harming the young master and bring them to justice to intimidate the evil-doers!"

  "Hmm!" The two little girls inexplicably trusted Liu Zhang and stood behind him, just like two little maids. Cai Yong, Qiao Taiwei, and Luoyang Prefect Zhou Yi all looked at him with an incredulous gaze. Liu Zhang helplessly rubbed his nose, he really didn't want to get entangled in this matter.

  The four of them deliberated for a long time, and the two little girls also stood behind Liu Zhang for a long time, constantly serving tea and water to the four of them, busily and happily. Until noon passed, a servant rushed into the hall and said: "Master, it's not good! Those three robbers seem to be getting impatient, they say that if Master can't produce the ransom quickly, they will die together with Master."

  "Bang!" The little girl holding the teapot accidentally dropped it on the ground, and Liu Zhang glanced at her with a smile: "Let's go! After discussing for half a day, we should take action!"