Zhang Wei Yu’s voice was cold and cutting. “I want to see just how much preparation Jiang Wang has made for this day, and what evidence you can produce!”

Standing before such a multitude, he naturally couldn’t outright refuse Du Gu Xiao’s offer to present evidence. Nor did he truly believe this loyal dog, so fiercely devoted to Jiang Wang, could genuinely produce anything that would help her master escape this predicament.

Yet, ever the cautious one, he still added the phrase “Jiang Wang’s preparation,” leaving himself a loophole to potentially dismantle any evidence presented.

As Du Gu Xiao was about to speak, Zhong Xuan Sheng raised a hand to halt her. This young master from a renowned noble family looked at Zhang Wei Yu with unusual seriousness. “According to your meaning today, Official Zhang, is our Great Qi’s national pride secretly colluding with the Fishing Sea Tower?”

“Allow me to correct two errors,” Zhang Wei Yu replied. “Firstly, while Jiang Wang is indeed a national pride, he is not the only one. Secondly, whether he has colluded with the Fishing Sea Tower is not determined by my opinion, but by the evidence. I neither control Jiang Wang nor interfere with the Fishing Sea Tower; I merely enforce the law impartially.”

Even when holding the upper hand, Zhang Wei Yu remained extraordinarily cautious. Perhaps the only moment he had been less than cautious was when he accepted that protective talisman, thus incurring a significant debt.

“You truly grow bolder as you face setbacks,” Zhong Xuan Sheng said, shaking his head with a faint smile. Then he asked again, “The imperial court’s directive for this investigation in Qing Yang Town was to determine if Jiang Wang had ties to the remnants of the Yang clan. His entanglements with the Equality Country and the Hell No Door were also key points to examine. Now you introduce the Fishing Sea Tower – does this conform to the regulations?”

Zhang Wei Yu looked at Ma Xiong in surprise. “Head Constable Ma, suppose one is investigating a person for theft, but finds no evidence of theft, yet discovers this person has committed murder. May I ask if this is considered non-conforming? Would your Northern Yamen release this person as a result?”

Ma Xiong uttered a sound of uncertainty, apparently finding this question quite thought-provoking.

Zhong Xuan Sheng didn’t leave him in a difficult position for long and quickly took over the conversation. “In other words, Official Zhang, you believe that Jiang Wang has no connection to the remnants of the Yang clan, the Equality Country, or the Hell No Door. His true identity is actually a dark operative of the Fishing Sea Tower. Is that correct?”

“I will state it once more,” Zhang Wei Yu said flatly. “It is not what I think. It is what the evidence reveals.”

“Then what about those rumors from Lin Zi?” Zhong Xuan Sheng inquired.

Zhang Wei Yu replied, “Who knows? Perhaps they were meant to cover people’s ears?”

Zhong Xuan Sheng clapped his hands once. “Official Zhang Wei Yu, a Lang Zhong from the Ministry of Personnel, has investigated and produced evidence indicating that all those rumors from Lin Zi were merely a cover-up. The talk of Yang clan remnants, the Equality Country, and the Hell No Door were all false claims. Jiang Wang, in fact, is colluding with the Fishing Sea Tower!”

Zhang Wei Yu simply stated, “Let us speak with evidence.”

“Very good!” Zhong Xuan Sheng applauded and sighed, turning to Du Gu Xiao. “Registrar Du Gu, just as Official Zhang said, let us speak with evidence!”

Du Gu Xiao looked up at the sky. “Please, esteemed officials, wait a moment. My evidence is currently en route and should arrive here in approximately half an hour.”

“Ha, then I shall wait and see.” Zhang Wei Yu was too lazy to concern himself with these people’s blustering. He grabbed Fan Qing Qing by the hair and dragged her into Zheng Sheng Hall, saying as he did so, “Official Ma, since there is still half an hour, how about we begin by asking some questions?”

Zhong Xuan Sheng, expressionless, also moved towards the hall, with Fourteen close behind. Ma Xiong, Du Gu Xiao, Zhang Hai, and Zhang Wei Yu’s two subordinates all entered the hall as well.

Zhang Wei Yu casually tossed Fan Qing Qing onto the ground and then sat down at the left-hand position. At this moment, Du Gu Xiao stepped towards the back hall. One of Zhang Wei Yu’s subordinates followed her, guarding and watching her closely.

However, Du Gu Xiao made no secret movements. Before long, she returned, carrying a special large chair, which she placed at the head of the hall. She spoke softly to Zhong Xuan Sheng, “The Old Master said that after this hall was built, he would invite friends here. Among them is one close friend who is extremely wealthy and noble and cannot sit on an ordinary chair… So, we specially prepared this one. We usually do not take it out.”

Zhong Xuan Sheng looked at her and scoffed. “Your own idea? That boy wouldn’t be this considerate!”

But he had already walked forward and settled comfortably into the chair. He turned his head to Fourteen and said, “Jiang Wang has found himself a good housekeeper, wouldn’t you say?”

Fourteen, clad in black armor, nodded in agreement.

Zhang Wei Yu was too lazy to pay them any mind. He merely looked at Fan Qing Qing, who was curled up on the ground, his tone surprisingly gentle. “Let us continue our previous questions, shall we?”

At this point, Fan Qing Qing was disheveled, her hair askew, her face pale and drawn. She said miserably, “I do not know what exactly the official wishes to know.”

She naturally understood, but Zhang Wei Yu, of course, would not state it directly. Smart people were expected to have their own understanding.

Zhang Wei Yu simply said, “Just say what you did. Do not conceal, do not hide, do not pretend, do not adorn.”

Fan Qing Qing was silent for a moment, then said, “I was originally an elder of the Five Immortals Gate on You Xia Island overseas. Later, my sect was destroyed by evil individuals, and I could only hide and flee from place to place. Fortunately, Official Jiang Wang took me in, and then I followed him to Qi Country, hoping for protection.”

Zhang Wei Yu interrupted, “What is your relationship with Jiang Wang? Why did he take you in?”

Fan Qing Qing slowly explained, “We met during a sea beast outbreak. At that time, Jiang Jue Ye, in order to save a boat full of ordinary people, took action to kill a berserk sea beast from the Angry Whale Gang. And I, representing the Five Immortals Gate, happened to be in that sea area to investigate the situation. I felt his upright kindness and took the initiative to befriend him. Later, when the Five Immortals Gate was destroyed, I was panicked and restless, hiding and fleeing, when I happened to meet Official Jiang Wang again. He pitied my experience, saw that my cultivation was decent, and that as an elder, I had some experience, so he took me under his command.”

This was clearly not the answer Zhang Wei Yu sought. Fan Qing Qing’s current response was clear and logical, yet subtly different from her attitude earlier in the Qing Yang Town hall. At that time, she had been keen to distance herself from Jiang Wang, but now she spoke with a hint of gratitude. Was she placing her hope on the evidence Du Gu Xiao mentioned, believing Jiang Wang could turn things around, and fearing Zhong Xuan Sheng’s power, thus not daring to speak ill?

Zhang Wei Yu offered no comment. “Continue.”

Fan Qing Qing had clearly thought things through. “After I came to Qi Country, I had a period of peaceful days and was able to emerge from the sorrow of my sect’s destruction. But Qing Yang Town is too small, with limited potential for development and almost no cultivation resources. Official Jiang Wang also rarely returns to his fief, so we had little opportunity to interact. He always trusted Du Gu Xiao the most. Later, people from the Fishing Sea Tower contacted me. For a moment, I was swayed and agreed to exchange intelligence for corresponding cultivation resources…”

Zhang Wei Yu laughed. This old woman, so quick to adapt, was claiming that she was completely unrelated to Jiang Wang according to her own words!

“How did the Fishing Sea Tower bypass Jiang Wang to contact you? Can it be that Jiang Wang is so foolish that he cannot even see clearly what his subordinates are doing? You are somewhat slandering our Great Qi’s national pride!”

“No, that is not the case,” Fan Qing Qing shook her head. “In earlier years, the Five Immortals Gate had a practical elder from the Fishing Sea Tower standing behind it. This is verifiable. Thus, I always had channels of communication with the Fishing Sea Tower, and they also contacted me through this channel. As for Official Jiang, he spends less than a day a year in Qing Yang Town; it is indeed difficult for him to detect what I am doing.”

The more she spoke, the more innocent Jiang Wang appeared. Zhang Wei Yu vaguely felt he might have taken the wrong path, but at this point, he could not turn back.

“You had better think clearly before speaking,” he said in a low voice. “Fan Qing Qing, you have not yet been punished because I want to give you an opportunity. Do you understand?”

Though Zhang Wei Yu spoke of letting Ma Xiong question, threatening to have Ma Xiong display the Blue Card’s methods, in reality, he was doing all the questioning himself, evidently not trusting Ma Xiong either.

“What?” Zhong Xuan Sheng, seated on the special large chair, spoke up, seemingly smiling but not. “Official Zhang still wants to use severe torture to extract a confession? Why so troublesome! How about this: exactly what do you want Fan Qing Qing to say? Just write a note and let her read it out. Wouldn’t that make everyone happy?”

“Young Master Zhong Xuan misunderstands,” Zhang Wei Yu said flatly. “Some criminals may have侥幸 thoughts. I am merely asking her to recognize reality.”

He continued to look at Fan Qing Qing, speaking slowly. “Do you see him relying on his ancestors’ remaining prestige and putting on a show of power here? Does he not seem very capable? But can you see if he can stop this search? Do you know what it means for a fief to be searched? He cannot even protect Jiang Wang. Do you think he can protect you? Shouldering everything alone – what do you think your outcome will be?”

It wasn’t that he wanted to question her openly in front of Zhong Xuan Sheng, but it was fundamentally impossible for him to have a private, isolated space for questioning. Although Jiang Wang had only been in Lin Zi for two years, he was no longer rootless. Not to mention the pressure exerted by Zhong Xuan Sheng, and the subtle protection from the upper echelons of the Northern Yamen. Even East Hua Academician Li Zheng Shu had mentioned a word to Court Discuss Doctor Chen Fu about handling the case fairly. With so many people supporting and so many pairs of eyes watching, manufacturing false evidence or torturing a confession was impossible.

The intelligence within Zheng Sheng Hall was real, and Fan Qing Qing delivering intelligence to the Fishing Sea Tower was also real. There was no reason why Jiang Wang colluding with the Fishing Sea Tower wasn’t real! He had to thoroughly investigate this clue from Fan Qing Qing and not let this person go. He was certain that Fan Qing Qing was merely a scapegoat, and the mastermind behind it was undoubtedly Jiang Wang. What he wanted to do was break Fan Qing Qing’s侥幸 mindset and let her know who could truly save her.

“Oh, dear. Trying to induce a confession in front of me?” Zhong Xuan Sheng turned his head and asked Ma Xiong, “Head Constable Ma, does this count as inducing a confession?”

“Uh…” This senior Blue Card Head Constable from the Northern Yamen was once again lost in difficult thought. This question seemed more perplexing than deciding what to eat for lunch.

Zhang Wei Yu waved his hand impatiently. “I am just helping her recognize reality, lest she think that in Qi Country, certain families can completely control everything. Stripping away off-field factors that influence testimony – I believe this should not be blamed.”

“If you feel that this method of questioning is also normal…” Zhong Xuan Sheng, surprisingly amiable this time, merely raised a hand. “You may continue.”

This cast a shadow over Zhang Wei Yu’s heart. But he could not shrink back. Instead, he took the opportunity to say to Fan Qing Qing, “Did you hear? Now, properly describe the facts, and redeeming yourself is not without opportunity.”

Fan Qing Qing said sorrowfully, “Official, every word I have spoken is true. That map of Ri Zhao County’s extraordinary power defenses – a part of it I painstakingly probed and drew myself, and another part was intelligence I privately found people to buy. I can hand over the list of purchases… Every time I had any intelligence, I would place it in this spot. People from the Fishing Sea Tower would come and take the intelligence on the fifteenth of every month.”

Placing intelligence inside a chair in Zheng Sheng Hall might seem risky, but in reality, it was extremely safe. Due to the hall’s special nature, when Jiang Wang was not present, generally no one would come here. And Jiang Wang essentially lived in Lin Zi, only returning to his fief for brief visits. Hiding it here was indeed safer than any other place in Qing Yang Town.

Fan Qing Qing continued, “That this matter was detected by the official is my deserving sin. But truly, no one else in all of Qing Yang Town knew about it.”

“Alright, you don’t need to say any more.” Zhang Wei Yu raised a hand, clearly annoyed. The person before him had steel in her heart and was determined to bear all the responsibility. Questioning her further was meaningless. Biased by the pressure from Zhong Xuan Sheng and others, he couldn’t resort to other means.

“There is still time.” Zhong Xuan Sheng, on the side, seemed to smile but not smile. “Why doesn’t Official Zhang just keep asking?”

“Do you think you have already won?” Zhang Wei Yu retorted. “These words she says, meant to completely clear Jiang Wang’s involvement, can convince whom? I absolutely do not believe Jiang Wang is completely unaware of this!”

Zhong Xuan Sheng said indifferently, “If you feel she is lying, you can report to the court and request Official Chen Fu to personally perform a soul search.”

Fan Qing Qing’s entire body trembled, and fear flickered across her face.

Zhang Wei Yu looked at her disdainfully and said flatly, “Automatically wiping away relevant memories from the soul before being touched by soul-searching methods… This kind of technique is not unfamiliar to you and me, nor is it difficult for the Fishing Sea Tower. Trying to borrow my hand to help Jiang Wang erase evidence of his sin? You underestimate me!”

Zhong Xuan Sheng sighed. “Truly, judging a gentleman’s heart with a villain’s thoughts.”

Zhang Wei Yu glanced at his belly. “Your gentleman’s belly is quite large. It seems you can hold all sorts of messy things.”

“Yes, indeed,” Zhong Xuan Sheng chuckled. “For example, certain people’s envy, jealousy, and powerless anger.”

“Ha!” Zhang Wei Yu seized the opportunity to say to Fan Qing Qing, “Did you see? What do you even count as? You think you are loyally guarding your master, but who actually cares about you? Even soul-searching you is nothing. Do you still feel you will be protected?”

Fan Qing Qing lowered her eyes, her expression complex.

Zhang Wei Yu said, “If you have thought clearly, you can speak. If not, then there’s no need.” He was almost openly telling Fan Qing Qing to provide evidence of Jiang Wang colluding with the Fishing Sea Tower in exchange for her own escape.

But where would Fan Qing Qing find such evidence? Jiang Wang was indeed unaware of this matter! Unless… she framed him on the spot! And she was certain that even if Zhang Wei Yu saw through her framing, he would help her perfect the details.

But then she couldn’t help but wonder… What did Zhong Xuan Sheng want to do? This seemingly amiable, but in reality extremely terrifying, stout man, why would he speak of soul-searching so lightly, displaying complete indifference and no effort? It seemed… he was just waiting for her to frame him!

Fan Qing Qing pondered repeatedly, but in the end, she remained silent. Thus, Zheng Sheng Hall fell into a strange quiet.

Zhong Xuan Sheng looked towards the outside of the hall with some disinterest. Behind him, Fourteen walked to the window and pushed it open. From distant mountains to nearby fields, from the edge of the sky to the edge of the ear. The secular world was like a noisy drum, while nature was completely free. Thus, the wind blew through the bamboo, rustling into sound.

Those within the hall silently listened to Zheng Sheng.