Fan Xian looked at him and said, "This official is here to investigate a case. How can one find evidence without investigating? But rest assured, this official is not foolish enough to carry the crime of privately killing a general."

Dang Xiaobo suddenly felt a chill in his heart. From the abnormal death of the Chief Admiral, he thought of a possibility he hadn't considered before.

"The navy can't enter the city tonight at least," Fan Xian said. "I have one night to get your confession."

Thinking of the rumored methods of the Overwatch Council, the three Jiaozhou navy generals felt a chill run down their spines. Dang Xiaobo stared at Fan Xian with eyes about to burst, and said fiercely, "Is Your Excellency planning to extract a confession by torture? Aren't you afraid of..."

"Inciting a mutiny?" Fan Xian rubbed his fingers. "Go ahead and show me a mutiny if you have the guts."

Although he spoke casually, he still had some worries in his heart. He wondered if the four hundred Black Knights could buy him enough time. He needed to purge the Jiaozhou navy without causing a major disturbance in this important town of Qing Kingdom. He had to get the confessions of the navy generals before dawn, and at the same time find those trustworthy generals in the navy and have them appease the tens of thousands of soldiers outside the city.

This... was indeed a difficult problem.

Dang Xiaobo's face turned pale, changing rapidly, as if he was weighing the gains and losses in this matter. But he knew that the gates of Jiaozhou City were already closed, and the Chief Admiral's residence had become an isolated fortress. It was impossible for his people to come to his rescue immediately. And to be tortured by the Overwatch Council for a night, even a god couldn't endure it.

However, there were still more than a dozen navy generals outside, and although those navy soldiers had been disarmed, they still had combat power.

A fierce glint flashed in Dang Xiaobo's eyes. He finally saw through the true intentions of this young and powerful official. His voice was slightly hoarse as he said, word by word, "Your Excellency didn't come to Jiaozhou to investigate a case... but to kill people."

Fan Xian lowered his head slightly, not refuting his words, and said with a smile, "That's not entirely wrong. You know very well the crimes listed earlier. Even if no one knows what you've done, someone still knows. It's time to pay back the debts of many years ago."

Dang Xiaobo was in despair. As Chang Kun's most trusted aide, he knew very well about the navy's secret involvement in Jiangnan affairs and its various acts of defiance against the imperial court. Knowing that it would be difficult for him to escape, he decided to gamble!

Fan Xian seemed to see through his inner thoughts and said slowly, "If you move against me... that would truly be rebellion."

Dang Xiaobo's expression changed again. He suddenly stood up and said angrily, "Even if you are a prince, even if you are a ninth-rank expert, you can't extract a confession by torture!"

As soon as he finished speaking, he struck Fan Xian's face with a palm!

……

……

The one who truly attacked was the general kneeling on the ground with a terrified expression. This general grabbed a straight knife from somewhere, shouted wildly, and slashed at Fan Xian's throat. The attack whistled through the air, carrying the iron-blooded aura cultivated in the military, which was truly frightening.

But Dang Xiaobo unexpectedly flipped over, guarding his front with one palm, smashed through the door of the study, and fled into the garden, shouting loudly!

Fan Xian coldly watched the incoming knife. With a flick of his finger, he touched the general's wrist. He flipped his left hand, lifted the desk beside him, and smashed the heavy wooden desk over with ease!

With a muffled bang, the wooden desk shattered, and wood chips flew everywhere. Fan Xian reached out his hand between the flying debris and returned with a knife.

The general's head was bleeding, and his shoulders were covered with splinters. His head seemed to have been smashed into his shoulders!

The dying general stared at Fan Xian in shock, his mind buzzing, interfering with his last thoughts - he couldn't understand why his slash was only imposing, and where had his original inner strength gone? He probably didn't even know that the wine he drank tonight had a big problem.

Fan Xian didn't even look at him. He just let the other two kneeling people get up and asked Wu Ge Fei with a light smile, "You've seen it. This official wants to hear the case, but Dang Xiaobo, the adjutant of the Jiaozhou navy, knew that his crimes were exposed. Under the Emperor's might, he revealed his evil nature and incited his subordinates to commit a violent assault, attempting to assassinate this official."

After a long string of rambling words, it was actually just to find a less than decent excuse. Wu Ge Fei's teeth chattered, and he was so scared that he couldn't speak at all, nodding with extreme difficulty.

Fan Xian nodded in satisfaction, flipped his left hand, and stabbed the knife in his hand into the general's chest and abdomen. Blood splattered, and the general grunted and died.

……

……

When Fan Xian led Wu Ge Fei and the naval adjutant with an extremely ugly expression out of the garden, the situation in the garden was no longer what it had been. Amidst Dang Xiaobo's shrill cries and "slanders," the naval adjutants waiting to be investigated had gathered together, their eyes full of vigilance and hostility.

At this time, Dang Xiaobo had completed the propaganda work, telling his colleagues how the Overwatch Council intended to do this and that, how the civil officials in the capital were, and how the Chief Admiral died strangely. The Overwatch Council was taking advantage of the situation to arrest people, and they were afraid that they would wipe out all the naval adjutants in one fell swoop.

Some adjutants were puzzled. The Overwatch Council and the military had always had a good relationship. Although everyone in the officialdom knew that the Overwatch Council was the most disgusting and shameless yamen in the world, why was the Overwatch Council targeting the Jiaozhou navy? What benefit would this bring to Little Fan? If Little Fan came today to seize military power, why did he only bring eight subordinates?

Therefore, some adjutants only half believed Dang Xiaobo's words. The guess that the imperial court had secretly harmed the Chief Admiral was too shocking, but the naval adjutants still felt the unusual atmosphere of tonight's strange night. The people of the Overwatch Council, that Little Fan, must have something they wanted. What’s more, the body of Chief Admiral Chang Kun, who had led the navy for more than ten years, was still lying stiffly on the bed, and the cries of those concubines in the back were still echoing.

Chang Kun had too many confidants in the Jiaozhou navy. Although the situation was unclear at this time, several adjutants had already grasped their weapons and stood behind Dang Xiaobo. They all felt the danger. The Chief Admiral's residence had been surrounded, the gates of Jiaozhou City had been closed, and the navy soldiers at the seaside port did not know that their superiors had been placed under house arrest in the city... If the Overwatch Council really wanted to take the opportunity to kill people, this would be the best situation.

Under the leadership of the naval adjutants, the navy soldiers who had been disarmed also clamored and confronted the Jiaozhou state army, pressing forward step by step, making the situation look extremely tense.

But Fan Xian was not nervous.

He coldly looked at the crowd in the garden, frowned, and said coldly, "What? Do you want to rebel?"

Fan Xian was the supervisor of the Overwatch Council with full powers, and he had not yet been removed from his position as the imperial envoy with full powers in Jiangnan Road. As long as there were no new imperial decrees from the capital, no matter where he was, his words represented the authority of the Qing Kingdom's emperor. Even the fierce Jiaozhou navy dared not ignore this.

Moreover, the whole world knew that this young and handsome powerful figure... was originally of royal descent.

The naval adjutants couldn't help but secretly glance at Dang Xiaobo, wanting to see how to deal with it next. Dang Xiaobo was already riding a tiger. He knew that if he didn't resist, he would be a mangled corpse after one night, but if he wanted to resist... what reason could he find?

"It's him! He killed Chief Admiral Chang!" Dang Xiaobo said miserably, laughing neurotically, "How could there be such a coincidence? As soon as you, Supervisor Fan, arrived, our old general died innocently... Little Supervisor Fan! You are really ruthless... You have no evidence and wantonly kill the pillars of the country. I'll see how you explain it to the imperial court in the future!"

He naturally didn't know that Chang Kun died at Fan Xian's hands, but at this time, he had to frame him like this. Unexpectedly, it coincided with the facts.

Fan Xian looked at him calmly and said, "The cause of Chief Admiral's death... you know best. That's right, even if that assassin didn't kill him, this official... would have killed him."

There was an uproar in the garden, and the naval adjutants looked at Fan Xian with anger.

Fan Xian continued softly, "Chang Kun betrayed the country and committed treason. If he didn't commit suicide for fear of punishment, then someone must have wanted to kill him to silence him. Adjutant Dang..." he said mockingly, "Did you also participate in this? Otherwise, why would you be so afraid? Why would you be so reckless?"

At this time, Dang Xiaobo knew that the general had died at Fan Xian's hands, and he felt even colder in his heart. He gritted his teeth and said, "It's still the same sentence, if you want to condemn someone, you can always find a pretext."

At this time, everyone in the garden was stunned, but Wu Ge Fei and the naval general who had heard the Emperor's secret decree were standing awkwardly not far behind Fan Xian.

Betrayal of the country? Chief Admiral betrayed the country?

"You want evidence?" Fan Xian squinted his eyes and said, "Let me ask you, between March and April, did a fleet and soldiers of the navy leave the port for a month?"

Someone immediately remembered that at that time, the Chief Admiral used the order to carry out coastal bandit suppression, as a kind of drill.

And those confidants of Chang Kun who participated in this matter looked like dirt. Thinking of the countless people killed on that small island, they subconsciously looked at Adjutant Dang Xiaobo again.

Dang Xiaobo sneered, "Going out to sea to suppress bandits is the duty of the navy."

"Suppressing bandits? Why was it never reported to the Privy Council?" Fan Xian squinted his eyes and said, "Those pirates were originally the Ming family's private army. This official was ordered to go to Jiangnan to investigate this matter. If you hadn't killed people to silence them, the Ming family would have been destroyed long ago... You are really bold, daring to oppose the imperial court. What else is this but treason!"

"Evidence..." Dang Xiaobo shouted.

"Is there really no evidence?" Fan Xian suddenly smiled extremely gently. "There are always some soldiers among the thousands of soldiers taken to the island who have loose tongues, and there are always those who sincerely repent. What did that navy unit do? Is there really no one who remembers? The gold and silver treasures you looted on the island must be the dividends that some people promised you... Do you think you can really wash it all clean so easily? Do you think that even if you sell it, this official won't be able to find the source?"

Before Dang Xiaobo could defend himself in front of the generals, Fan Xian said coldly again, "I also have witnesses, but... do you want them at this time?"

Dang Xiaobo and several of Chang Kun's trusted generals behind him exchanged a look. They knew that regardless of whether the imperial court had evidence or not, this supervisor of the Overwatch Council had come to kill people. He made up his mind, and the miserable smile on his face grew stronger: "It's just an old trick of framing. Then... let's perish together."

Immediately afterwards, he shouted, "Brothers, the Overwatch Council killed Chief Admiral Chang, and they are determined to kill us to silence us. Fight him!"

……

……

Fan Xian looked at this scene with a hint of a smile. The outside of the city was quiet, indicating that everything was under control. Might as well take some time to appreciate the show.

"Prefect Wu," he said with a gentle smile, "the imperial court is watching you."

Wu Ge Fei's heart tightened. Chang Kun was dead, and he was not affiliated with any faction. At this time, he certainly knew which side he should stand on, but in the depths of his heart, he was still very worried about the tens of thousands of soldiers outside the city. Under the pressure of the Jiaozhou navy for many years, he was really not very daring to clash with the navy head-on. But looking at Fan Xian's gentle but oppressive smile, he finally hardened his heart and shouted sternly, "Where is the state army? Keep an eye on those navy people for me!"

The Jiaozhou local state army, which was somewhat fearful of the navy, suddenly heard the prefect's shout, mustered up their spirits, and suppressed the restless navy soldiers. After a fight, with swords against fists, the state army injured more than a dozen people. Fortunately, there were more people, and there was no chaos.

On the other side, Dang Xiaobo had already led those generals who participated in the Donghai Island incident and rushed towards Fan Xian with their swords drawn.

It's just a matter of you die or I live!

Even if you are a prince, you have to pay some price!

These naval generals were all fierce characters who had been immersed in blood and fire. Their attacks were indeed swift, and even if Fan Xian was a ninth-rank superior expert, he did not dare to underestimate them too much.

But Fan Xian did not make a move at all. He just coldly watched those generals slowly fall in front of him.

As for Dang Xiaobo, he had already swept past Wu Ge Fei, preparing to take him hostage. He knew very well that it was impossible to get any advantage in front of Fan Xian. His quick adaptation and deep scheming were indeed remarkable.

Unfortunately, he was also like several of his accomplices. As soon as he gathered his true energy, he felt a burst of discomfort in his chest, and his whole body went limp.

Poison?

Thinking of the rumored methods of the Overwatch Council, Dang Xiaobo was shocked!

Then, a knife was stabbed into his right chest. The unbearable pain made his whole body arch up like a shrimp and slump in front of Wu Ge Fei.

Wu Ge Fei was frightened by Dang Xiaobo's desperate momentum, and his legs were a little weak.

The one who stabbed Dang Xiaobo was one of the eight Overwatch Council spies that Fan Xian brought into the Chief Admiral's residence. He had always been ranked last.

This spy retracted the bloody short knife and saluted Fan Xian. Although he was silent, the hands holding the knife handle were shaking, not knowing whether it was out of fear or excitement.

Fan Xian turned around slightly, looked at Dang Xiaobo at his feet, whose eyes were full of resentment, and said calmly, "This one is called Qingwa... He is the only survivor on that Donghai Island. He has seen your true face. He is the witness. You won't survive."

Dang Xiaobo was in despair, thinking that he had combed the island several times, how could there still be survivors?

Qingwa, the Overwatch Council spy who had been transferred from Suzhou, Jiangnan, to Jiaozhou for the ambush, saluted Fan Xian again, his eyes slightly red, and retreated behind Prefect Wu.

……

……

Fan Xian turned around and coldly watched the state army tie up those navy soldiers. He nodded slightly. The matters in the city were basically settled, but what about the matters outside the city?

The Emperor had sent him to Jiaozhou not to kill the ten thousand soldiers. He didn't have that ability anyway... After all, he was not Blind Uncle. Cleaning up the navy's leadership and ensuring the stability of the navy's morale was the most important thing.

Just like in Jiangnan, as an emperor, stability was always more important than everything else.

Fan Xian took a deep breath. First kill Chang Kun, then ambush the generals. Only from top to bottom could he ensure that the other side would not gather the strength of the army to launch a counterattack. However, to regain control of the Jiaozhou navy's strength in the hands of the imperial court, it was still necessary for these naval generals to come forward for the time being.

He looked at those generals who had not participated in the assassination attempt, keeping silent, and couldn't help but frown. Who among these people could be trusted? Were there still any confidants left by Chang Kun? Although the Overwatch Council's intelligence work was extremely detailed, when it came to people's hearts, when it came to the tens of thousands of Qing Kingdom soldiers, Fan Xian was still somewhat troubled.

"Everyone Generals, thank you for your hard work tonight," Fan Xian said sincerely. "Although the mastermind has been captured, there are still some procedures for the imperial court to handle the case. Which one of you would like to come and talk to me about your feelings first?"

These generals kept their mouths shut, and their gazes towards Fan Xian were extremely complicated: fear, anger, and helplessness.

The Chief Admiral was dead, Adjutant Dang was seriously injured and his fate was unknown, and the military comrades who had been with each other for many years had been drugged by the Overwatch Council. This sudden storm made the naval generals feel both thrilling and extremely resentful.

They all understood what Supervisor Fan wanted to do. There were still ten thousand soldiers outside the city. If they didn't have these old bones to step forward and suppress them, if these navy soldiers knew what had happened in the city, it would definitely cause great chaos.

The imperial court certainly did not want Jiaozhou to be in great chaos.

So the imperial court still needed these people.

This was the only thing that the remaining naval generals could rely on, the only thing they could use to bargain with Fan Xian. However, in front of everyone, the Chief Admiral had just died, and no naval general dared to come out to negotiate with Fan Xian at the risk of being cursed by ten thousand people.

Fan Xian immediately understood the reason and couldn't help but smile slightly, "Then, please go back to your rooms to rest first. I... will come to talk to you personally later."

After saying this, he looked at the old general who had heard the Emperor's secret decree in the study, the third most important figure in the navy.

……

……

(A Chou said that her thesis defense is on March 15th, which is tantamount to a resounding slap in the face... I have never admitted that Yingxiu is eunuch, because I believe that if I won five million, I would definitely finish writing Yingxiu, but... at least it is impossible before she graduates. In the foreseeable future, I will not write Yingxiu, because I have no money, and writing Yingxiu... can't make money. This is such a sad fact. I am very grateful to the friend who voted twenty-eight votes every day, so if you see this digression and go to read Yingxiu, please vote a few more recommendation tickets, not for anything else, but for the hard work of that friend, and also for my beloved one to one... Back then, one to one was earlier than the underpants door.)