Chapter 84: Hostage Kidnapping

Today was the day for the Qingyue Poetry Society’s gathering, a group of over a dozen sons from noble families who met regularly to compose poetry. Early that morning, they went on an outing outside the city to write poems, inviting a few young women along—Cui Huan’s daughter Cui Yiyun, Cui Qiao’s daughters Cui Yanyan and Cui Liuli, as well as the Du Gu sisters, Changsun Quanxu’s daughter Changsun Yun, and Li Chu’s sister, Princess Li Siki. But on their way back, they encountered Tang soldiers hunting human traffickers.

The women were divided into two carriages. Du Gu Mingyue and the three Cui sisters sat in the front carriage, while Du Gu Mingzhu, Shangguan Yun, and Li Siki were in the back. In panic, the human trafficker rushed into the second carriage and seized Du Gu Mingzhu, who was sitting by the door, as a hostage.

The sudden turn of events stunned everyone. In a moment, chaos ensued. Du Gu Mingyue, in the other carriage, saw her sister captured and tried to jump out, but was held back by the three Cui sisters.

Li Chu flew into a rage and shouted at the barbarian, “Let her go now!”
“Who are you?” the barbarian merchant asked, his eyes shifting.
Li Qingan immediately snapped, “That’s none of your business! Let her go, and I’ll let you go!”

Unbeknownst to him, the noble sons failed to react immediately. They cursed, “Are your eyes blind? That’s Prince Guangping, the emperor’s grandson!”

Li Qingan sighed inwardly. How could these people not understand? Sure enough, the barbarian smiled triumphantly. “So it’s a member of the royal family. That’s great.”

Suddenly, he pressed the dagger harder, and blood seeped from Du Gu Mingzhu’s chest. Glaring with bloodshot eyes, he shouted at Li Qingan, “You dog officer, get lost! Do you hear me?”

Everyone cried out in shock. Li Chu stamped his foot in frustration and yelled at Li Qingan, “General Li, leave now! If you don’t, lives will be lost!”

Li Qingan glanced back and signaled his men, ordering, “Go back first!”

The soldiers turned their horses and rode back, but Li Qingan remained standing at a distance, not moving.

Li Chu hurriedly said, “They’ve left. Please release her.”
“Do you think I’m that stupid?”

The barbarian smirked darkly. “I can release these women, but you come and be my hostage, and I’ll let them go right away.”
“This…” Li Chu looked troubled. How could that be possible?

His guards also cursed, “Dareful thief! How dare you insult our prince! Are you tired of living?”
“Release my sister, and I’ll be your hostage.”

Dugu Mingyue finally broke free from the Cui sisters’ grasp and rushed over, pleading, “Please release my sister! I’m willing to be your hostage.”
Dugu Mingzhu screamed, “Sis, no! Go back quickly!”
Li Chu moved his lips slightly but ultimately remained silent. The barbarian glanced at Dugu Mingyue, noting her noble bearing and beautiful appearance, and guessed she must be a queen or princess. Just as he was about to agree, he saw Li Qing’an approaching again and shouted, “You dog official! Why haven’t you left yet?”
Li Qing’an dismounted from his horse and walked over slowly, smiling. “If I leave, how can you leave Guanzhong? How about this? I’ll be your hostage. Release the girl in your hands, and I’ll take you out of Fengxiang—what do you say?”
Dugu Mingyue gave Li Qing’an a grateful look. She hadn’t expected him to step forward. The barbarian snorted and said, “Why should you be able to take me out of Fengxiang?”
Li Qing’an smiled calmly. “I am the new Nine Gates Inspector. I have the authority to let you leave Fengxiang.”
“You’re the new Nine Gates Inspector?” the barbarian asked in surprise.
“That’s right, it’s me. Release the girl, and I’ll take you out of Fengxiang.”
The barbarian thought for a moment before nodding. “Fine! You can be my hostage.”
Just as Li Qing’an stepped forward, the barbarian shouted, “Throw away your weapons and take off your clothes!”
“Heh! You barbarian are quite clever.”
While laughing and chatting casually with him, Li Qing’an took off his upper garment and threw away all his weapons. Standing bare-chested, he said with a smile, “There are women here, so I guess I won’t take off my pants!”
He walked over with his hands up. The barbarian watched him warily, moving his dagger to Dugu Mingzhu’s neck. “Stay away from me! Don’t move, or I’ll kill her!”
Li Qing’an sat in the carriage and said with a smile, “Now you can release them, right?”
The barbarian snorted. “One for one. I have three here. Choose one!”
Before Li Qing’an could speak, Li Chu suddenly shouted, “Release the one in the yellow dress! General Li, release the girl in the yellow dress first.”
Dugu Mingyue glared angrily at Li Chu. How could he be so selfish?
Li Qing’an glanced into the carriage and saw two more girls squeezed in a corner behind the barbarian merchant, both trembling with fear. One was Changsun Yun in a red dress, whom he recognized, while the other, in a yellow dress, was unfamiliar to him. He shook his head. “No! Release the girl in your hands first.”

The Hu man glanced at his companion’s dead body on the ground and felt immense fear toward Li Qing’an. How could he dare release Du Gu Mingzhu? He shouted, “The girl in the yellow dress, you may go now!”
The girl in the yellow dress was Li Chu’s sister, Princess Li Siqi of Hezheng County. Trembling all over, she slowly climbed out of the carriage, took a dozen weak steps, and then fainted. Several guards rushed over and carried her back.
At that moment, Du Gu Mingyue bit her lip tightly and said, “Release my sister, and I’ll be your hostage.”
“No!” The Hu man glanced casually at Qing’an and shook his head firmly. “I can’t release your sister. You have to exchange her for another girl.”
“Very well! Release her, and I’ll be your hostage.”
Soon, Chief Yun also climbed out of the carriage, trembling. Du Gu Mingyue said nothing as she got back into the carriage. She held her sister’s hand tightly and gave Li Qing’an a grateful look.
Li Qing’an smiled slightly and said, “Brother Hu, what are you planning to do next?”
“Drive the carriage! To Fengxiang.”
Li Chu gave the coachman a signal. With no choice, the coachman drove westward. At that moment, Li Chu’s chief guard hurriedly said, “Young prince, we could take a shortcut to inform the troops in Xianyang to intercept them.”
“No! Why intercept them?”
Li Chu stood with his hands behind his back, watching the carriage grow smaller until it became a tiny black dot. A gentle smile appeared on his lips.
“He’s quite capable, isn’t he? Let him handle it himself.”
……
“Brother Hu, please release the girl first. Let her sister bandage her wounds. So much blood loss could be fatal.”
Li Qing’an kept his hand on top of his head. With a cheerful smile and gentle voice, he said, “Actually, we have no past grudges. Human trafficking isn’t a capital crime. As for me, I’m just doing my duty. Even if I release you, I won’t be at fault. Brother Hu, let’s make a deal. Release those sisters, and I promise to ensure you leave Guanzhong safely.”
The Hu man shook his head. “You Han people are all hypocrites. I won’t trust you.”
Still, he slowly released Du Gu Mingzhu, allowing her sister to take her away, though he kept the dagger pointed at her.
The blood on Du Gu Mingzhu’s chest had already coagulated, but blood droplets were seeping from her neck. Mingyue quickly took out a handkerchief and carefully bandaged her sister’s wounds.
Du Gu Mingzhu was pale and weak, staring blankly at Li Qing’an.
Li Qing’an’s gaze flickered to the dagger in the Hu man’s hand before he smiled again and said, “I am Li Qilang, a lieutenant general of the Qianniu Guard. May I ask your surname, Brother Hu, so I can address you properly?”

“Just call me Bamuur.”
“Oh! Brother Bamuur, you’re actually smart and capable, quick-witted—really a fine talent. Why become a human trafficker? What a shame!”
“What human trafficker? I was originally an officer in the Kingdom of Kang. When our army was defeated by the Arabs, I became a merchant, dealing in silverware and silk. I just couldn’t stand it that all the girls from Kang went to the Great Tang, so I captured some women from Chang’an to sell in Kang as prostitutes.”
Du Gu Mingyue beside him snapped, “You barbarian, how unreasonable! Those women came here voluntarily, yet you kidnap women from Chang’an and take them to a foreign land, separating them from their families and forcing them to live a miserable life. Don’t you have a daughter?”
“My daughter was also taken to the Great Tang, and her whereabouts are still unknown,” Bamuur said gloomily.
Du Gu Mingyue was stunned. After a long pause, she sighed softly and said, “I’m sorry!”
“Brother Bamuur, tell me your daughter’s name. I’ll have my brothers help you find her.”
“Forget it! It’s been fifteen years. Where could you even look? She’s probably already married by now.”
“How old are you this year, Brother Bamuur?”
……
The carriage moved slowly along the road. The tense and hostile atmosphere inside had dissipated. Bamuur’s dagger was now a foot away from Mingzhu’s neck. It seemed he had forgotten that the three of them were his hostages.
Just then, the carriage hit a large rock, jolting violently. All four people inside were thrown around. Du Gu Mingzhu felt a sharp pain in her chest and began to groan in agony.
“Mingzhu, are you okay?”
Li Qing’an rushed over to check on her. In that split second, he sidestepped and pushed Bamuur to the ground. With his left hand, he firmly grasped Bamuur’s wrist holding the dagger, while his right hand choked at Bamuur’s neck, pressing him down tightly. His strong hands tightened like iron clamps around Bamuur’s neck.
The sudden turn of events shocked the Du sisters. It took them a while to react. Du Gu Mingyue screamed in terror and hugged her sister tightly, hiding near the door.
Bamuur struggled desperately. His desire to survive gave him extraordinary strength. Like a wild beast, he growled softly, using all his strength to break free from Li Qing’an’s grip, while his dagger slowly rose upward.
Sweat beaded on Li Qing’an’s face. The seat in between prevented him from using his full strength. He roared, “Jump out of the carriage quickly!”

Dugu Mingyue bit her lip tightly. She suddenly pushed open the carriage door, grabbed her sister, and rolled out of the carriage. The hostages’ escape enraged Bamuur greatly. With a guttural roar, he tried his best to stab Li Qing’an in the face, but the strength in his wrist vanished suddenly. His wrist was pulled by Li Qing’an’s hand and stabbed toward his own chest. With a scream, the cold dagger pierced deep into Bamuur’s chest.

Bamuur stiffened instantly, his strength fading rapidly. His eyes stared blankly at the top of the carriage, and his hand holding the dagger loosened. Li Qing’an slowly released his hand.

Just then, the loud sound of cavalry hooves came from afar.

……

At dusk, Li Qing’an escorted the Dugu sisters back to their residence. Due to blood loss, Mingzhu was pale and weak, barely able to speak.

Dugu Mingyue remained silent throughout the journey. It was only when Li Qing’an wanted to leave that she lightly bit her lip and said in a low voice, “General Li… thank you!”

Li Qing’an bowed with a smile. “I am a patrol officer of the Nine Gates. I would save anyone—it’s my duty. Please don’t worry about it, Miss Mingyue.”

He mounted his horse, waved at Mingzhu, and said with a smile, “Mingzhu, rest well and recover. I’ll come to check on your blood-pattern makeup in a few days.”

“Big Brother Li, you must come to see me.”

“I will!”

Li Qing’an nodded at Mingyue with a smile again, spurred his horse, and soon disappeared into the distance.

“Sis, isn’t he nice?” Mingzhu asked quietly after Li Qing’an had gone far.

Dugu Mingyue glanced at Li Qing’an’s retreating figure and sighed softly.