"My Lord, you may take a look." Zhan Feiyu handed the letter she brought to Lord Yao. Although it was only three thin pages, it contained detailed investigation intelligence about Qian Shipeng.
Lord Yao read it carefully, his expression growing more solemn. As the Provincial Administration Commissioner of Longyou Circuit, Lord Yao hated barbarians the most, followed closely by traitors who colluded with the enemy.
The investigation by the Imperial Dragon Guards was thorough. Since Qian Shipeng had only defected to the barbarians later, he did not know many secrets. He merely provided cover for barbarian spies, offered financial support, and leaked some of the information he gathered to the barbarians.
Fortunately, Qian Shipeng was just a dandy. The officials' sons he usually interacted with were mostly like Zhao Yi, capable of eating, drinking, and enjoying music, but absolutely unaware of more confidential matters.
A quarter of an hour later, Lord Yao put down the documents. "So Qian Shipeng mistakenly believed that Pang Xian'an would expose him, and thus wanted to take revenge on Pang Xian'an before fleeing. However, the person who delivered the message to Qian Shipeng used the opportunity to have four constables kill Qian Shipeng."
With Qian Shipeng's death, the clues related to him were also severed. Who he had contacted on the barbarian side, whether he had cultivated other spies, all these could no longer be investigated.
Qian Shipeng's death was unjust, but he deserved it. Zhan Feiyu said, "My Lord, the mastermind behind killing Qian Shipeng to silence him is either the barbarians or the palace."
However, Zhu Xiao had met Zhan Feiyu before. His objective was to protect Qian Shipeng and have him lead the charge in Qianzhong Circuit. Therefore, Zhan Feiyu inferred that the possibility of the barbarians silencing him was not high.
The only possibility was the palace. Qian Shipeng might have known some hidden secrets, and this information might have been obtained through the barbarians, which led to him being silenced.
"Pang Xian'an is imprisoned in the jail. Even if he could bribe constables to pass messages outside, to set up this trap, there must be someone operating behind the scenes!" Lord Yao's stern face changed slightly. Perhaps there was someone behind Pang Xian'an, and this person was deeply hidden. Pang Xian'an was merely a scapegoat.
"Respect others, and they will respect you. Kill others, and they will kill you." Zhan Feiyu added coldly, just as Prefect Pang had previously tried to make Prefect Zhang his scapegoat. He did not realize that he himself was caught in the game, already a pawn that could be abandoned at any moment.
Thinking of a hidden mastermind lurking in Longyou Circuit, Lord Yao stood up. "Does Miss Zhan have any interest in accompanying me to the prison?"
"Please, my Lord." Zhan Feiyu's eyes lit up. It would be wonderful to witness Lord Yao interrogating Prefect Pang.
The prefectural prison remained heavily guarded. Besides the personnel from the Three Judicial Offices, the prefectural government also dispatched six constables. A total of twelve people were divided into two groups, guarding the solitary-confined Prefect Pang day and night.
The food for three meals a day also underwent rigorous inspection. After the food was delivered to the jail, the six guards not only had to inspect it but also each had to take two bites to prevent poisoning. Only after a quarter of an hour confirmed no issues could Pang Xian'an eat the now cold meal.
The jailer, the guards, and two constables at the entrance and exit of the prison immediately saluted upon seeing the newcomers. "My Lord."
Lord Yao nodded and strode inside, with Zhan Feiyu following behind. He Sheng, He Nuan, and Xiao Zimo walked at the very back.
The jailer naturally dared not obstruct them. After the group entered, he gestured to a clerk not far away and then continued to guard the entrance diligently.
The prison cell where Prefect Pang was confined was a separate room, located at the innermost part of the jail.
Upon seeing Lord Yao, the six guards on duty were all stunned. After all, Prefect Pang had previously been accompanied by three lords. It was not surprising that Judicial Commissioner Chu was absent this time, but Lord Zheng was also missing, and Zhan Feiyu had followed them in.
"Is my Lord here to interrogate Pang Xian'an?" The speaker was a seventh-rank official from the Surveillance Office, and also a confidant of Lord Zheng, which was why he was assigned to guard Pang Xian'an.
Although Lord Yao never used his official authority to intimidate others, at this moment, with a stern face, he cast a cold glance. The six guards, despite their doubts, dared not be presumptuous any longer.
"You all retreat thirty feet away." He commanded coldly and walked towards the cell door. "Zimo, bring the key to open the cell door."
Inside the cell, Pang Xian'an was still sitting cross-legged on the straw. Having been imprisoned for several days, even though he was provided with three meals a day, he had become much thinner, no longer having the rosy complexion he had before.
"Since when does a mere scholar have the qualification to impersonate a fifth-rank imperial official?" A mocking voice rang out. Pang Xian'an leaned against the wall, straightening his crossed legs, adopting a crude and rogue posture.
With a creak, the cell door was pushed open. Lord Yao strode in, looking down at the calm and unperturbed Pang Xian'an.
Since Zhan Feiyu had come, she naturally did not hold back. She stepped into the cell. This prison cell was about the same as the one she had staked out before. At that time, A Nuan had arranged the cell to be like a superior room in an inn.
...
"My Lord, you may take a look." Zhan Feiyu handed the letter she brought to Lord Yao. Although it was only three thin pages, it contained detailed investigation intelligence about Qian Shipeng.
Lord Yao read it carefully, his expression growing more solemn. As the Provincial Administration Commissioner of Longyou Circuit, Lord Yao hated barbarians the most, followed closely by traitors who colluded with the enemy.
The investigation by the Imperial Dragon Guards was thorough. Since Qian Shipeng had only defected to the barbarians later, he did not know many secrets. He merely provided cover for barbarian spies, offered financial support, and leaked some of the information he gathered to the barbarians.
Fortunately, Qian Shipeng was just a dandy. The officials' sons he usually interacted with were mostly like Zhao Yi, capable of eating, drinking, and enjoying music, but absolutely unaware of more confidential matters.
A quarter of an hour later, Lord Yao put down the documents. "So Qian Shipeng mistakenly believed that Pang Xian'an would expose him, and thus wanted to take revenge on Pang Xian'an before fleeing. However, the person who delivered the message to Qian Shipeng used the opportunity to have four constables kill Qian Shipeng."
With Qian Shipeng's death, the clues related to him were also severed. Who he had contacted on the barbarian side, whether he had cultivated other spies, all these could no longer be investigated.
Qian Shipeng's death was unjust, but he deserved it. Zhan Feiyu said, "My Lord, the mastermind behind killing Qian Shipeng to silence him is either the barbarians or the palace."
However, Zhu Xiao had met Zhan Feiyu before. His objective was to protect Qian Shipeng and have him lead the charge in Qianzhong Circuit. Therefore, Zhan Feiyu inferred that the possibility of the barbarians silencing him was not high.
The only possibility was the palace. Qian Shipeng might have known some hidden secrets, and this information might have been obtained through the barbarians, which led to him being silenced.
"Pang Xian'an is imprisoned in the jail. Even if he could bribe constables to pass messages outside, to set up this trap, there must be someone operating behind the scenes!" Lord Yao's stern face changed slightly. Perhaps there was someone behind Pang Xian'an, and this person was deeply hidden. Pang Xian'an was merely a scapegoat.
"Respect others, and they will respect you. Kill others, and they will kill you." Zhan Feiyu added coldly, just as Prefect Pang had previously tried to make Prefect Zhang his scapegoat. He did not realize that he himself was caught in the game, already a pawn that could be abandoned at any moment.
Thinking of a hidden mastermind lurking in Longyou Circuit, Lord Yao stood up. "Does Miss Zhan have any interest in accompanying me to the prison?"
"Please, my Lord." Zhan Feiyu's eyes lit up. It would be wonderful to witness Lord Yao interrogating Prefect Pang.
The prefectural prison remained heavily guarded. Besides the personnel from the Three Judicial Offices, the prefectural government also dispatched six constables. A total of twelve people were divided into two groups, guarding the solitary-confined Prefect Pang day and night.
The food for three meals a day also underwent rigorous inspection. After the food was delivered to the jail, the six guards not only had to inspect it but also each had to take two bites to prevent poisoning. Only after a quarter of an hour confirmed no issues could Pang Xian'an eat the now cold meal.
The jailer, the guards, and two constables at the entrance and exit of the prison immediately saluted upon seeing the newcomers. "My Lord."
Lord Yao nodded and strode inside, with Zhan Feiyu following behind. He Sheng, He Nuan, and Xiao Zimo walked at the very back.
The jailer naturally dared not obstruct them. After the group entered, he gestured to a clerk not far away and then continued to guard the entrance diligently.
The prison cell where Prefect Pang was confined was a separate room, located at the innermost part of the jail.
Upon seeing Lord Yao, the six guards on duty were all stunned. After all, Prefect Pang had previously been accompanied by three lords. It was not surprising that Judicial Commissioner Chu was absent this time, but Lord Zheng was also missing, and Zhan Feiyu had followed them in.