Chapter 123: Taken to the Authorities

After riding for a good distance, Old Shi pulled on the reins and brought his horse to a halt.

Behind them, those men, already suffering from severe intestinal distress and dazed by panic, had been dragged along behind the horses for so long that they no longer possessed the slightest strength or desire to resist.

Old Shi and Gou Er dismounted and counted the remaining captives; there were a few fewer than before. They had likely collapsed along the way, most probably to be fed to the wolves.

Binding the remaining men’s hands tightly behind their backs once more, there was now no chance of them escaping. Having finished this, Old Shi let out a long breath and suddenly laughed, "Damn it, I haven't felt this exhilarated in years!"

Gou Er laughed along with him.

After a pause, Old Shi looked at Wei Renshi, a look of apology on his face, and asked, "I hope we didn't frighten you, young master?"

Wei Renshi shook his head and said, "If I were a man of noble rank, you bastards would be my sworn household retainers!"

Old Shi and Gou Er were both stunned for a moment, then widened their eyes, staring at Wei Renshi in disbelief. "Young master, are you being serious?"

"Don't talk nonsense!" Wei Renshi replied.

The two men were overjoyed. They immediately knelt on one knee: "We are willing to be your household retainers, young master! Thank you for taking us in!"

The status of a household retainer was no small thing. While on the surface it might seem like nothing more than armed servants hired by a wealthy family, in reality, it was far from that. They were the security of the household and the personal escorts of the master—guarding the home when inside, and protecting the master when abroad. Only those who were deeply trusted were granted this honor. The master would bestow trust and generous conditions upon them, and in return, the retainers would give their lives for that trust without hesitation. They were much like the retainers of the Spring and Autumn period, though those retainers enjoyed more freedom, whereas household retainers were far more loyal. Their fates were intertwined with their master's—they prospered together and suffered together. In many cases, they lived and died alongside their master.

"As long as you don't mind that my Wei family is humble for now," Wei Renshi smiled, "but I will surely bring prestige to our house in the future."

"We are willing to serve you, young master, and shall never betray the Wei family!" Old Shi said solemnly, his voice deep and firm.

Gou Er echoed the sentiment.

Wei Renshi nodded and said, "Now, the issue is how to hand these people over to the authorities. I’m not even sure where we are."

"These people are tied to a rebellion and involve the military, so the matter is of grave importance," Old Shi pondered. "Since you have connections with the Office of the Eastern Capital Protector, perhaps we should take them to Luoyang and hand them over to General Wang. That way, no one else can steal the credit."

Wei Renshi considered this and said, "Handing them directly to General Wang would indeed prevent others from claiming the merit. However, it wouldn't be entirely prudent. How about this: we head back to Fuchang and turn them over to the county magistrate first. You will then go directly from Fuchang to Luoyang to report this to General Wang's residence, mentioning that I have already placed them in the custody of the county office. You have been to the Protector’s office with me, so they should recognize you."

"Agreed! That is a sound plan," Old Shi nodded.

After resting briefly, the three of them mounted their horses again, leading the captives along the road. Since they were burdened with the prisoners, they decided to avoid the main highways and major roads to prevent any trouble in other counties. The magistrate of Fuchang was someone Wei Renshi had met once before, and since he also knew Village Head Zheng, it would make things much easier.

As they led the captives back to Fuchang, whenever the leader of the cult regained consciousness, Gou Er would knock him out again. When the man tried to bite his own tongue, Gou Er stuffed his mouth with rags to prevent it. When he asked for water, Gou Er would use a wooden stick to pry his teeth apart, remove the cloth, and pour water into his mouth. Three days later, they finally reached Fuchang.

They were finally able to get onto a main road. As expected, once they were on the thoroughfare, they immediately drew attention. After all, few people were seen dragging several captives along the road like that.

"Uncle Shi, go home and change, then head straight to Luoyang to report this to General Wang's residence," Wei Renshi instructed.

The rebels had been on the road for days, starving and suffering from diarrhea, so they had no strength left to escape. Old Shi handed the captives over to Gou Er and rode off ahead.

After traveling a short distance along the main road, they were intercepted by a group of officers. Someone had seen them on the road and reported it to the authorities.

"Master Wei?" The leader of the officers was Tian Dali, and he was astonished to see that it was Wei Renshi.

"It’s a long story. This group are rebels, and the matter involves serious state affairs. We’ll talk when we reach the county office," Wei Renshi said, feeling relieved to see Tian Dali, as it spared him much trouble. Had it been other officers, they might have detained him as well.

Tian Dali called his men to surround them, took charge of the prisoners, and escorted Wei Renshi and Gou Er to the county office. Upon arrival, the county lieutenant saw that Gou Er was covered in blood and was shocked to see Wei Renshi. He went to report to the magistrate.

Before long, the magistrate strode out, sat in the main hall, and asked, "Master Wei, what is the meaning of this?"

Wei Renshi explained the sequence of events. Naturally, he adjusted the details, claiming he had overheard them mention that He Chaozong of the Fufang Army was preparing a rebellion, and that he had only pretended to be one of He Chaozong’s family members to infiltrate them.

The magistrate was shocked, then asked with a grave expression, "A rebellion?! This is no small matter! If this is true, we must send an eight-hundred-mile urgent report to the Imperial Court and notify Fufang!"

"Exactly. It concerns a rebellion and involves the Fufang military, so the matter is of great significance. Since I am acquainted with General Wang Hui, the Protector of the Eastern Capital, I have already sent my man to report this to him, stating that you and I have together suppressed this group of rebels who were on their way to join the uprising," Wei Renshi replied.

"What?! Master Wei is acquainted with the old General Wang?!" The magistrate was stunned and quickly asked.

Wei Renshi nodded without elaboration, adding, "I am, after all, still young. It might be hard for people to believe that I alone could suppress these rebels. Therefore, I took the liberty of using your name, and I hope you will forgive me!"

It was a deliberate gesture to share the credit with the magistrate, and the magistrate understood perfectly. As long as General Wang knew the truth, Wei Renshi would still get his due. By sharing the credit, he would find it easier to speak and work with the magistrate in the future.

The magistrate’s eyes lit up with joy, and he laughed, "Not at all! Master Wei is remarkably sharp, and your men are clearly capable. I am merely basking in your glory, Master Wei. Hahaha! You have done well! We shall inform General Wang immediately so that this news can be spread quickly. Hmph, these cultist rebels are truly audacious! Men, throw them all into the death row cells and guard them strictly! High-ranking officials will surely come to claim them later."

The officers stepped forward and took the captives away to the dungeons. Looking at Wei Renshi, the magistrate added, "Master Wei has achieved such a feat; it is only right that I memorialize this to the throne to commend you!"

"I would not dare!" Wei Renshi replied, "I merely stumbled upon these rebels by chance; it was your brilliant guidance, sir, that allowed us to wipe them out in one stroke!"

The implication was clear: the magistrate could write his report exactly that way. The magistrate understood, patted Wei Renshi on the shoulder, and laughed, "Hahaha! Master Wei is truly a clever man!"