Sheng Lengshuang also understood that the war was more important. If the war was not resolved, it would be useless even if they dealt with the Black Hand: "It's useless for His Majesty to tell me about the war. What I can do is prepare more medicinal powders and pills, or think of some useful methods."
Mentioning powders and pills, Zi Cheng's mind sparked an idea: "Little Aunt, you have quite a few prescriptions for treating various illnesses and injuries, don't you?"
Sheng Lengshuang understood his intention as soon as she heard it: "Indeed, I have quite a few. However, prescriptions are useless without medicinal ingredients."
Zi Cheng smiled: "You can rest assured about this, Little Aunt. When Little Uncle went on his expedition, he had already made arrangements for these with me."
"Even if there was a major crisis, the supplies and military provisions for the front lines would not be cut off. So, I was thinking of preparing more prescriptions. The medical skills of the field doctors are not very good. If there were better prescriptions, perhaps fewer soldiers would die from illness."
It wasn't that he was unwilling to send imperial physicians or skilled doctors, but many doctors couldn't withstand the long journeys and the border environment.
Sheng Lengshuang was somewhat relieved: "His Majesty can arrange for someone, and I will dictate. In my current condition, it's really impossible to write prescriptions."
Zi Cheng arranged for a capable imperial physician.
Sheng Lengshuang dictated various prescriptions for treating illnesses, and the imperial physician carefully wrote them down, then handed them to the nearby palace attendants to be packed and prepared to be sent to the border.
Xiao Feng leaned over to watch, and Zi Cheng occasionally picked up a prescription to look at.
The atmosphere was quite pleasant.
It would have been even better if the Imperial Guard commander hadn't reported.
...
Outside the side hall of the Hall of Mental Cultivation.
Sheng Lengshuang looked at the rumored A Wu and clicked her tongue. This man was clearly a scoundrel at first glance. Perhaps his relationship with Sima Min was not clear, otherwise, why would this man help Sima Min again and again?
A Wu truly did not expect to be captured, nor did he expect Sima Min to be truly killed. He thought that His Majesty and the others would spare Sima Min's life and use her to lure out the enemy, but the outcome was far beyond his expectations.
"Speak, who is your master?" Zi Cheng asked coldly.
A Wu gritted his teeth and remained silent.
Zi Cheng glanced at the Imperial Guard commander.
The Imperial Guard commander bowed, took a dagger from his sleeve, and without a word, began slicing the flesh from A Wu's right arm, knife after knife.
"Ah!" A Wu'sæ ç scream, accompanied by the continuous dripping of blood.
Several pieces of flesh and blood lay on the ground.
Even so, A Wu was unwilling to confess.
Sheng Lengshuang and Zi Cheng were not in a hurry. There were plenty of punishments in the palace, and a full set would surely make A Wu confess honestly.
Just as they expected, by the fourth punishment, the blood-soaked A Wu could no longer bear it, and stammered that he would confess.
"No, don't torture me anymore, I, I'll confess everything, I'll confess everything!"
Zi Cheng waved his hand, and the Imperial Guard commander retreated to the side.
"Speak, who is your master?"
A Wu, however, claimed not to know his master: "I am just a minor steward. Above me, there is a head steward, and above the head steward are the master's attendants. Ordinary tasks are issued by the master's attendant, Young Master Ming Yue."
"If it's a major matter, the master will personally issue orders. For example, the matter of scheming against Prince Ming Rui and Miss Sheng was an order personally issued by the master."
Sheng Lengshuang frowned, quite puzzled: "Does your master have a grudge against me and Prince Ming Rui?"
A Wu shook his head, indicating he didn't know: "Although I am highly valued by my master, I don't know these things. Apart from Young Master Ming Yue, no one knows who the master truly is or why he is doing these things."
"However... judging from the master's various actions, it's as if he's playing. Several times, I heard the head steward mention that the master is looking for interesting amusements again.
The head steward also said that if they couldn't find interesting amusements for the master, the master would take their lives. Not simply kill them, but kill them for amusement."
Sheng Lengshuang found this person quite disgusting. To kill others for amusement was worse than an animal.
However, it couldn't be concluded solely based on this that the Black Hand was doing these things for amusement.
"You used Sima Min to scheme against me and Prince Ming Rui?"
A Wu said "Yes": "The master's order was to use Sima Min to cause as much trouble as possible, preferably to use her to get rid of Miss Sheng and Prince Ming Rui, which is why I repeatedly helped Sima Min."
But Sima Min was a useless waste, accomplishing nothing useful and even causing him to be captured.
If he had known this earlier, he would never have helped Sima Min.
Next, A Wu revealed everything he knew, including who his helpers were in the palace, where Concubine Luo was hiding, and some of his master's strongholds and subordinates.
Sheng Lengshuang and Zi Cheng understood many things from his confession. It turned out that the Black Hand was not truly omnipotent, but skilled at exploiting the weaknesses of others to achieve his goals.
Simply put, the Black Hand would use all sorts of immense benefits to bribe others, thereby achieving his objectives.
Under immense benefits, few people could resist temptation. Once they boarded this pirate ship, they could not get off and would continue to be exploited by the Black Hand.
It had to be said that this move by the Black Hand was indeed brilliant. He didn't have to show himself, and he could achieve many schemes. Even if something happened, he couldn't be traced.
After A Wu finished confessing everything, Zi Cheng ordered the Imperial Guards to drag him away for disposal and then made a series of arrangements. One was to clear the palace, and the other was to deal with those strongholds.
Sheng Lengshuang returned to the temporary palace to recuperate, accompanied by Xiao Feng.
While searching everywhere in Dongdu, the vanguard army led by Mo Lingxi had already arrived at Chengguan Pass.
General's Mansion.
Old General Fu, along with all the officials, stood below and bowed to Mo Lingxi: "Greetings, Commander!"
Mo Lingxi took the strong tea handed by the deputy general and took a big sip. There was a hint of exhaustion in his eyes: "Mm. You have all worked hard during this period."
"It's not hard!" Old General Fu, vigorous for his age, presented the border map with both hands and ordered a small sand table to be brought over: "Commander, since the Southern Jin Dynasty's first ambush failed, there have been no large-scale attacks, only small-scale harassment."
He pointed to several locations on the map, all of which were places where the Southern Jin Dynasty had harassed.
Mo Lingxi raised his hand to signal him to take his time, his gaze swept lightly over the officials present: "I am here on imperial orders this time, and I hope you will not do anything you shouldn't."
The scalps of all the officials tingled, and their hearts tightened: "Yes!"
Mo Lingxi crossed his legs and leaned back in his chair: "Each of you report on your respective matters. I don't want to hear any nonsense. Also, starting today, whether in the army or in your respective residences, daily expenses will be halved to fully support this war."
He didn't care about what happened before, but he would manage it now.