The hunting assassination that day resulted in countless deaths and injuries, with the Great Li envoy even bleeding on the spot. Thinking back to that day, Ji Hong still felt a palpitation in his heart during midnight dreams. However, the assassins of that day, whether dead or alive, left no trace behind, vanishing like clouds in the sky.
During this period, investigations, both overt and covert, had not ceased, but Ji Hong never expected this matter to surface from another case.
The Commander of the Capital, Zhao Wuyan!
"Good, excellent!" Ji Hong laughed instead of getting angry. The rolling killing intent seemed to condense into black mist, causing Zou Chengyi to tremble and lower his head even further.
Ji Hong turned his head and spoke to the empty space behind a pillar, "Go and bring the person to me. I want to hear it myself."
Zou Chengyi thought he was being addressed and was about to kowtow to receive the order when he heard a response from not far away: "Your command is obeyed!"
He suddenly looked up and saw a dark figure appear and disappear silently. If not for the clear response just now, he would have thought he was hallucinating from his own fear.
Ji Hong sat back down on his chair, his hands resting on the armrests of the dragon throne, his thumb and forefinger caressing the carved dragon patterns. His phoenix eyes narrowed slightly, and a cold, sharp light spread from the corners of his eyes, seeming to merge with the surrounding candlelight.
For a moment, Zou Chengyi felt a sense of disorientation.
The sharp phoenix eyes, from the same lineage as the Lin Yuan imperial family, made Ji Hong, who seemed enveloped in a layer of black mist, resemble the cruel and bloodthirsty Ji Jinmo at times.
This was something Zou Chengyi had never noticed before.
Perhaps it wasn't just him; perhaps it wasn't just recently; perhaps no official in the court had truly seen through the Emperor.
Zou Chengyi dared not look further, becoming even more respectful.
The person left as quickly as they came. The second-in-command of the Zhuyu Gang, who had been tortured into an inhuman state by Feng Luan, had been silently brought into the palace and then quietly sent into the imperial study. The guards outside had not noticed the slightest thing.
Ji Hong lifted his eyelids and looked at the second leader of the Zhuyu Gang, who was lying on the ground with no good skin left: "You say that the people who assassinated me during the hunt were members of the Zhuyu Gang?"
The second-in-command struggled to raise his head. Upon seeing the imperial countenance, he again fearfully lowered his head. With things having reached this point, he dared not conceal anything further, his voice trembling as he replied, "Reporting to Your Majesty, yes!"
"The one who conspired with the Zhuyu Gang was the副将 of the Capital Commander, Zhao Yu?"
"Yes!"
"Is there any physical evidence?"
The second-in-command pondered for a moment and then replied with trepidation, "This humble subject does not know, but this humble subject knows that the gang leader has the habit of keeping accounts. Perhaps, perhaps some things will also be recorded, to avoid being falsely accused."
Ji Hong nodded, then shifted his gaze to the person standing by the second-in-command of the Zhuyu Gang. "Go, arrest the leader of the Zhuyu Gang for me!"
"Your subordinate obeys!"
Hearing this, Zou Chengyi's face, which was lowered, showed a look of shock. Could it be that the power this Majesty possessed could easily enter the black market and arrest people without a sound? If that were the case, then His Majesty... Zou Chengyi recalled the rumors from the day of the palace coup.
It seemed His Majesty also controlled an army, an army personally forged by the founding emperor of Lin Yuan.
This meant that even if the power His Majesty had accumulated was not yet enough to contend with Ji Jinmo, he still had the strength to resist.
Thinking of this, Zou Chengyi couldn't help but feel excited.
Seeing Zou Chengyi's slightly trembling body, Ji Hong concealed the emotions in his eyes and merely glanced at the person lying on the ground with some disgust. The incense burner in the imperial study couldn't cover the stench emanating from him. He frowned slightly, raising his hand to waft away the smell entering his nostrils.
...
The Black Market.
Inside the Zhuyu Gang's stronghold.
Wang Jushu, the leader of the Zhuyu Gang, was sleeping soundly. A slight sound brushed past his ear, and he suddenly opened his eyes and leaped up. However, his movement was only halfway complete when a cold, gleaming blade was placed at his neck. Immediately after, a sharp pain struck his neck, and his vision went black before he lost consciousness.
...
When Wang Jushu woke up again, he was already in the imperial prison.
Ji Hong sat on a chair, looking at the person who had been subjected to torture. He was flipping through the so-called account book that the second-in-command of the Zhuyu Gang had mentioned. The ledger meticulously recorded every transaction of the Zhuyu Gang, and after each entry, there were unspeakable crimes.
Zou Chengyi stood behind Ji Hong, not daring to speculate on His Majesty's thoughts at this moment, only listening to the screams around him and glancing at His Majesty's calm, almost indifferent profile.
The executioner, with a pale face, walked up to Ji Hong and knelt to beg for forgiveness: "Your Majesty, please forgive this servant. This person's mouth is too hard. Please grant this servant more time."
Ji Hong closed the ledger, a faint smile on his lips. "Time? How much more time do you want me to give you?"
The words, neither heavy nor light, fell on the man's ears but felt like a thunderclap, striking him with immense force, making him tremble with fear. "Your Majesty, forgive me, Your Majesty, forgive me!"
"Get out and receive your punishment!"
"Yes, this subject thanks Your Majesty for your grace!"
After the man retreated in fear, Ji Hong turned and fixed his gaze on Zou Chengyi: "My esteemed minister, that Feng Luan is very skilled in torture?"
Upon hearing Ji Hong's question, Zou Chengyi quickly replied, "Yes, he..." Recalling the scene of Feng Luan's torture, a chill ran down Zou Chengyi's spine. Seeing Zou Chengyi's appearance, Ji Hong nodded with satisfaction. "Bring the person here."
"Yes, this subject obeys!"
Nan Shiying followed Zou Chengyi to the imperial prison. She never would have dreamed that she would be invited into the palace by Ji Hong. Looking at the palace prison, Nan Shiying actually wanted to ask Ji Hong and Ji Jinmo, are the people who built the Lin Yuan imperial family's prisons all the same batch? This place was exactly the same as the dungeon in the King's manor.
"This humble subject, Feng Luan, pays his respects to Your Majesty!"
Nan Shiying looked at Ji Hong before her and felt that this person was somewhat different from his usual appearance today. However, she had known for a long time that Ji Hong was not as useless as he appeared on the surface.
Ji Hong looked at Feng Luan, who had the demeanor of a refined and elegant noble son. It was hard to imagine that such a person was a ruthless character. He pointed at Wang Jushu, who was tied to a cross pillar not far away, and said to Nan Shiying, "Young Master Feng, my esteemed minister Zou mentioned that you have excellent skills in interrogation. I happen to have someone here with a stubborn mouth."
"This humble subject understands!" Without letting Ji Hong say more, Nan Shiying cupped her hands towards him, turned, and walked into the prison.
To save some effort, Nan Shiying directly took out a silver needle. Screams rang out, and the screams ended. In less than the time it takes an incense stick to burn, Wang Jushu confessed everything.
However, the confession... Nan Shiying couldn't help but chuckle.