Chapter 090: Capturing Peng Ying and His Son Alive

"What!"

Hearing the name Peng Deqing, Xue Rui sprang straight to his feet.

Last time, when the officials of the Imperial Observatory jointly impeached Peng Deqing, the court had already branded him a remnant of Wang Zhen's faction and ordered the Ministry of Punishments to issue warrants for his arrest.

But ever since the disastrous defeat at Tumubao, Peng Deqing's whereabouts had been unknown. Some said he had died there; others claimed the Oirat captors had taken him prisoner; still others swore they had seen him on the road while fleeing the war. The rumors were endless, and none agreed with the next.

To Xue Rui, the Peng father and son were sworn enemies. At the news that Peng Deqing had returned to the capital, he hurriedly asked, "Second Uncle, where is Peng Deqing? Has he been reported to the authorities?"

Zheng Debiao said anxiously, "I used my connections to inquire around the capital. Peng Deqing must have slipped back long ago and has been hiding in a private residence inside the city. He likely heard that the court was about to settle old accounts, and not daring to stay in the capital any longer, he packed up his valuables and meant to leave by carriage. By the time I got the news, the Peng father and son had already left the residence."

"They're leaving the city?"

Xue Rui was instantly alarmed. If the Peng father and son escaped the capital and found some place to hide, it would be like a clay ox sinking into the sea, never to be recovered.

Hearing this, Fan Yan and the others crowded to the doorway and urged Xue Rui, "Chief, report it to the authorities at once. We can't let them out of the city!"

"It's too late." Xue Rui shook his head and looked at Zheng Debiao. "Every yamen is short-handed right now. By the time we report it and gather enough men, the Peng father and son will likely have vanished without a trace. Our only course now is to rely on ourselves."

"Rely on ourselves?"

Zheng Debiao stared blankly.

Fan Yan thought it improper and advised, "You and Clerk Zheng are neither constables nor imperial agents. What right do you have to arrest anyone?"

Xue Rui said firmly, "We are officials too. The Peng father and son are wanted by the court, so naturally we have the authority to seize them. So long as we take them down and hand them over to the court, we will not only be blameless, but meritorious as well!"

"Still, who knows whether the Peng father and son have attendants with them? The two of us may not be able to catch them," Zheng Debiao hesitated.

"Indeed. If there are too few of us and they put up desperate resistance, you might get hurt, or let them escape. Then it would be even harder to catch them again," Fan Yan echoed.

After a moment's thought, Xue Rui said to Fan Yan and the others, "Go and notify the various offices. Tell them the Peng father and son are about to flee the capital. Anyone willing to go with me to bring them to justice should come at once to the records office and assemble there."

Before, when the emperor went on campaign, Peng Deqing had currried favor with Wang Zhen by dispatching a huge delegation from the Imperial Observatory. Later, in the defeat at Tumubao, three or four dozen officials and students were killed or went missing altogether, many of them relatives or close friends of the astronomers in the observatory. If those people were roused, dealing with the Peng father and son would be easy beyond measure.

Fan Yan and the others naturally obeyed without question, and quickly spread the word throughout the Imperial Observatory.

Before long, astronomers from the various offices began arriving one after another at the records office.

The first to arrive was Liu Jin from the Summer Office. His father had already been confirmed as one of the dead. He naturally loathed Peng Deqing to the bone, and when he heard that the Peng father and son were about to run, how could he remain seated? He rushed over at once.

More and more astronomers soon arrived, all of them gritting their teeth and declaring that they would follow Xue Rui to pursue the Peng father and son.

A quick count showed that more than twenty people had gathered in the records office.

"Since we have enough men, there's no time to lose. Let's go now!"

The Peng father and son had committed countless crimes and absolutely could not be allowed to roam free. With a sweep of his hand, Xue Rui led the group out of the Imperial Observatory in a great rush.

According to the information Zheng Debiao had gathered, the private residence where the Peng father and son were hiding was in the Second Alley of Sichen Quarter. If they were leaving the city, the nearest gate was Chaoyang Gate. It would make no sense for them to travel farther to leave through another gate.

The Imperial Observatory was rather far from Chaoyang Gate, so catching up with them would not be easy.

Fortunately, the Peng father and son did not yet know their whereabouts had been exposed. If they left by carriage, they would still have to queue up, and with Xue Rui and the others moving swiftly, there was still a great chance of catching them.

The group hurried along at breakneck speed, so exhausted they were panting for breath. Soon some began to fall behind. If not for sheer resolve, Xue Rui would have thrown himself down in the street for a long rest.

In recent days, the situation in the capital had gradually stabilized. The people outside the walls were all moving into the city, and far more were entering than leaving.

By the time Xue Rui and the others reached Chaoyang Gate, the guards were already letting civilians out of the city.

Recently, the city had been conducting strict searches for spies, so inspections on those entering were especially tight. To avoid delaying passage, however, inspections on those leaving were much looser; in most cases, the guards merely glanced them over and waved them through.

"Brother Xue, there are so many people and carriages leaving the city. If we search one by one, I'm afraid it will be too late," Liu Jin called out, looking at the departing line.

At the present pace, all the pedestrians and vehicles not yet outside the gate would be allowed through very soon.

Seeing this, Xue Rui had no choice but to push forward while shouting, "Peng Deqing, you're surrounded! Surrender at once or die!"

At his cry, everyone nearby turned to look. Seeing a group charging toward them with such ferocity, the civilians hurriedly moved aside.

After Xue Rui shouted several times in succession, two people suddenly leaped down from a carriage near the gate and forced their way desperately toward the city exit.

Xue Rui looked more closely and saw that the man in front was a gaunt old fellow, dressed in a long robe and soft-crowned cap, plainly disguised as a merchant.

The one behind him was obese and struggled greatly to run, glancing back over his shoulder as he went.

Xue Rui was a little too far away to see clearly, but by his build alone he could tell who the fat man was: Peng Ying!

Seeing the pair had already reached the gate, Xue Rui hastily shouted, "The two ahead are wanted criminals! Stop them at once!"

Who would have thought that, with that warning, the people around the Peng father and son would recoil from them as if from a plague god, all of them retreating sharply to either side.

That made it even easier for the father and son to escape.

"Damn it!"

Xue Rui nearly vomited blood. He had hoped to use the help of the enthusiastic crowd to capture the pair, but in the end cleverness had led to folly, and he had only brought trouble upon himself.

"Stop right there! Take one more step and you die!"

Just as the Peng father and son were about to escape through the gate, several soldiers suddenly rushed out from beneath the gate tower and barely managed to block their way.

After being stopped, the merchant-disguised Peng Deqing glanced back. Seeing that Xue Rui and the others were still far away, he hurriedly took a silver ingot from the satchel at his side and quietly pressed it into the hand of the leading sergeant, pleading in a low voice, "Officer, the people behind us are here to collect a debt. My son and I cannot let them catch us, or it will mean certain death. Please be kind and help us hold them off."

The ingot weighed a full fifty taels. The nearby soldiers' eyes lit up at once. Fifty taels of silver would take who knew how many years to earn; now all they had to do was help block a few people and it would be theirs. How could there be such a good thing?

The sergeant's name was Gao Fei. From the gate tower moments earlier, he had seen the two men cutting in line and had meant to teach them a lesson. Who would have thought he would stumble upon such a windfall? He was also moved.

"Officer, can you give me an answer? If not, I'll add more," said Peng Deqing.

Having been in official circles for so many years, Peng Deqing was naturally skilled at reading faces. Seeing Gao Fei keep glancing at his satchel, he quickly produced another twenty-tael ingot and slipped it into Gao Fei's hand.

"Sir, you are truly generous. Go ahead and leave the city at once," Gao Fei said.

Having earned seventy taels in such a short time, Gao Fei felt it was about enough. If he still refused to let them pass, the pursuing group would catch up and seize the father and son. So he stepped aside and let them leave.

Peng Ying, behind him, was drenched in cold sweat. Hearing Gao Fei agree to let them out of the city, the joy of escaping with his life nearly made him cry out.

But with pursuers still behind them, he no longer had time to look back. He followed Peng Deqing and ran headlong outward.

Just as they were about to be caught, the gate guards had actually let the two leave so easily. Xue Rui was so furious he nearly cursed aloud. Running as he went, he shouted:

"The people ahead, listen well! Those two are Oirat spies. They have already learned the truth of our capital's defenses and are now fleeing back to Oirat to report. If you let spies out of the city, it will be treated as aiding the enemy and betraying the realm. Not only will your own heads fall, but your entire clan will be wiped out. Think carefully!"

"Spies?"

Gao Fei's expression changed drastically at once.

The two men looked flustered and had been so generous with their money; they did rather seem like spies. If he truly let them go, that would be a capital offense.

Gao Fei felt it was necessary to confirm things, so he quickly turned and shouted, "Stop! Show me your household register and travel permit before you go!"

At that cry, the Peng father and son ran even faster, and in a flash disappeared through the gate tunnel.

"You bastard, stop!"

At this sight, Gao Fei's face changed. In two or three strides he rushed to the gate, led out a horse, swung himself into the saddle, and galloped after the Peng father and son in urgent pursuit.

Several soldiers following Gao Fei understood the gravity of the matter and also sprinted out of the city after them.

Xue Rui and the others also wanted to leave, but after the disturbance just now, the remaining gate guards no longer dared let anyone through. They blocked everyone at the city gate instead.

"I wonder if they can catch Peng Deqing and his son!" Liu Jin was so anxious he was like an ant on a hot pan, pacing back and forth nonstop.

"It should be fine. That sergeant has a horse. The Peng father and son won't get far," Xue Rui said, not very worried. Gao Fei was afraid of taking responsibility; he would surely do everything possible to bring the pair back, or the outcome would be miserable.

The astronomers waited anxiously for a long while before Gao Fei finally rode back.

"Why has he come back alone?" Liu Jin was stunned, thinking Peng Deqing and his son had escaped successfully.

Just as he was about to ask, he saw several soldiers in the distance dragging the Peng father and son back toward the city as though they were dead dogs.

Seeing that they had already been captured, Xue Rui and the others were both astonished and delighted.

Gao Fei leaped down from his horse, swept his gaze around the crowd, and finally rested it on Xue Rui at the front. Frowning, he asked, "You said just now that this father and son were Oirat spies. Do you have any real proof?"

"Of course I do!"

Xue Rui walked to the gate, tore down one of the arrest warrants, and handed it to Gao Fei.

Gao Fei glanced at it and said unhappily, "This man is a criminal official from the court. He doesn't even resemble them. Surely you're not trying to toy with me on purpose?"

"How do they not resemble him?"

Xue Rui was somewhat taken aback. He had thought the wrong men had been seized and quickly looked toward the two being dragged back.

At first glance, the two indeed looked different from the portrait on the warrant.

The warrant bore Peng Deqing's likeness, though whether due to the artist's limited skill or sheer laziness, the portrait was crude in the extreme, an ugly and distorted thing.

Yet the gentleman whom Xue Rui had taken for Peng Deqing looked rather proper, almost like a scholar of some standing.

Xue Rui hurriedly turned to Liu Jin and asked, "Is this old man really Peng Deqing? He doesn't look quite right. Make sure we haven't mistaken him."

Liu Jin stepped forward and looked several times. The man in front did indeed look somewhat different from Peng Deqing.

Seeing this, the old gentleman hastily tried to curry favor. "Young sir, this old fellow does not know any man surnamed Peng. You must have mistaken us for someone else. Please let us off just this once. If there is any misunderstanding, there are two hundred taels of silver in my satchel, and I am willing to present them to everyone as apology."

"Who wants your filthy money!"

After examining him carefully for a moment, Liu Jin suddenly reached out and tugged at the gentleman's beard. With a slight pull, the long whiskers on his face came away.

Then he lifted off the soft cap. Looking again, Liu Jin said with delight, "It is Peng Deqing, without a doubt. He has merely disguised himself with great care, so he looks very different from his usual self. Now everyone will surely recognize him!"

The other astronomers who had seen Peng Deqing all stepped forward and confirmed that this was indeed the former Chief Astronomer, Peng Deqing.

Exposed by Liu Jin, Peng Deqing could no longer keep up the act. He raged hysterically, "This old man is a fifth-rank court official! I was framed by villains for a moment, and that is why the court has questioned me. You lot should hurry and release me. I am going to submit a memorial to defend myself!"

Peng Ying beside him also blustered, "You are not officers of the Three Judicial Offices. By what right do you detain my father and me? Release us at once! If the court holds you to account, you will not be able to bear it!"

Slap!

Seeing him so arrogant, Xue Rui raised his hand and gave him a hard slap, striking Peng Ying so hard that stars burst before his eyes and his head droned with pain.

Ignoring their shouting, Xue Rui cupped his hands to Gao Fei and said, "Officer, this man was once the Chief Astronomer of my Imperial Observatory. He was investigated for currying favor with Wang Zhen. We are to escort them back and await judgment. Please be so kind as to make way."

When Peng Deqing had been shouting earlier, Gao Fei had already confirmed that his identity matched the wanted official on the warrant. Since they had been the ones to seize him, handing him over to the Ministry of Punishments would be a great merit indeed. Even if he could not be promoted, the reward in silver would certainly be generous. Such a piece of merit had been delivered right to his hands; why should he not take it?

Xue Rui wanted to snatch the credit, but how could Gao Fei agree?

"Young sir, this man is a wanted criminal of the court. Since we have captured him, naturally it should be us who send him to the Ministry of Punishments. There is no need to trouble you gentlemen." Gao Fei waved his hand, intending to take the men away.

Xue Rui did not insist on having the prisoners at all costs. However, Gao Fei had just taken bribes from Peng Deqing, and if the man were taken away by them and then let go again, all their efforts would be wasted. So he said:

"Officer, it is not that we do not trust you. It is simply that you have just accepted a bribe from a condemned official and nearly let them escape from the city. It was only because of our warning that you were able to catch them back by luck. If you still refuse to hand them over to us, then I shall have no choice but to report to the court and have it punish you for accepting bribes from a criminal faction!"

Gao Fei had been in the military for many years and seen no small number of storms. How could he be frightened by Xue Rui? From the earlier exchange, he had already vaguely guessed the identities of this group. He sneered, "A wet-behind-the-ears little brat dares speak so brazenly? Then tell me your name and let me hear just what great figure you are."

At that, the others could no longer hold back. One of them stepped forward and pointed at Xue Rui. "Listen well: this is Xue Rui, the man who broke into the imperial prison, slew a hundred or more imperial guards, and rescued his father!"