Here, the King of Ji Prefecture was caught off guard by Lu Qingwan, left half-crippled and writhing in pain.
"I'd heard the Crown Prince had an extraordinary consort, and today I've truly been enlightened."
A contorted smile spread across his face, a face uncannily like that of Emperor Gengshi. "But do you think that if you kill me and secure Zhongzhou for Si Hongru, he will be grateful to you? Don't be naive; he will only fear your power overshadowing his and find ways to suppress you..."
Lu Qingwan chuckled, unprompted by his words.
Her laughter interrupted the King of Ji Prefecture, and he scowled, "What are you laughing at?" It was the rage of someone looked down upon by someone they considered beneath them.
Lu Qingwan, unlike his expectation, did not harbor suspicion towards Emperor Gengshi. He, enraged, lost all reason. Lu Qingwan shook her head sarcastically, "I'm laughing because you took twenty-three years to see this problem clearly, and you're still foolish enough to believe we're all as easily deceived by Emperor Gengshi as you are, selling our lives for him."
She shifted her tone, "Listen closely. I captured you not for Emperor Gengshi, but to prevent you from ruining my plans. I don't care how you and Lan Ting Shuang managed to seize control of the Imperial Guards, but I will tell you this: the Imperial Guards in the palace are decimated, and the ones by your side are also perishing one by one. If you want Lan Ting Shuang and Si Feng Chi to live, confess honestly what you've been plotting all this effort to enter Zhongzhou from Donghuang Pass."
The King of Ji Prefecture, who had been feigning madness and acting like an imbecile, changed entirely as soon as the names Si Feng Chi and Lan Ting Shuang were mentioned. His face, which had appeared forcibly dulled, finally showed a flicker of normal human expression, his eyes looking at Lu Qingwan with apprehension, "How do you know? What have you done to them?" The concern for Lan Ting Shuang and Si Feng Chi, mother and son, was evident in his eyes.
Lu Qingwan smiled. "That depends on you, King of Ji Prefecture. If you want them to live, they will live. If you want them to die, they will die." Lu Qingwan said, shaking the syringe in her hand. "I'll count to ten. You speak, and I'll spare their lives. If you remain stubborn, then you'll have to wait for them to join you below."
"You can't scare me. You weren't even born when I crawled out of a pile of dead bodies..." He continued to make threats to himself, but Lu Qingwan, undisturbed, began to count. Her delicate fingers spread open, and Lu Qingwan unhesitatingly plunged the syringe into the King of Ji Prefecture's neck. She hadn't intended for him to live when she came, and Lu Qingwan administered the maximum dose. Soon, the King of Ji Prefecture's expression became vacant.
It was the same question, the same Lu Qingwan, but this time the interrogation went much smoother. Without much thought, Lu Qingwan repeated her previous question, and this time the King of Ji Prefecture was far more cooperative. As soon as Lu Qingwan finished asking, he opened his mouth weakly, "The King of Ji Prefecture is forbidden from entering Donghuang Pass, but when the Emperor was trapped, his personal guards brought a royal edict ordering me to enter the capital to rescue him, which made it different."
This statement stunned everyone. Ying Shi quickly shook her head, "Emperor Gengshi has been in the Zichen Palace, not interacting with anyone!" At least, after being trapped in the palace, it was impossible for him to issue an imperial edict for the King of Ji Prefecture to enter the capital for rescue.
Lu Qingwan quickly calmed herself and asked the King of Ji Prefecture, "Emperor Gengshi is still in a coma and heavily guarded. He can't even see a fly, so how could he have someone deliver an edict to you for rescue?" To her surprise, the King of Ji Prefecture spoke astonishing words.
"No meeting was necessary." The mechanical tone spat out words that left Lu Qingwan and the others utterly surprised. "His throne was illegitimate. From the day he ascended, he was constantly worried someone would harm him. Shortly after his enthronement, he issued three secret edicts. First, unless he officially declared an heir in court, anyone presenting a succession decree would be considered a regicide and usurper. Second, those who helped him seize the throne, such as myself, the former Langzhongling, and the Grand Tutor of the Crown Prince, could rise to prominence, be enfeoffed as marquises and ministers, but could not have their own offspring. Third, was a single imperial edict and a tiger tally. If there were any changes in the court and various factions acted without summons, the commander of the Imperial Guards, Black Eagle, could take this edict and select a trusted general or a regional king to enter the capital to rescue him, by any means necessary."
The fact that Emperor Gengshi had made such preparations twenty-three years ago was difficult for everyone to comprehend. After killing his brother and father to seize the throne, he must have been extremely guilty to have made such arrangements in advance. Shocked, Lu Qingwan continued her interrogation, "Since Emperor Gengshi entrusted this secret rescue edict to Black Eagle, it is likely that Black Eagle was highly trusted by Emperor Gengshi. Why did he and the Imperial Guards betray Emperor Gengshi and defect to you and Lan Ting Shuang?"
Under the influence of the truth serum, the King of Ji Prefecture answered fluently. "My father was benevolent. Court officials, military officers, and palace servants all respected and admired him. The former Crown Prince also inherited his father's kindness and compassion, and many court officials believed him to be the future wise ruler. But then Si Hongru appeared, and by all means, became Emperor. However, he knew that the officials did not believe him, and the soldiers did not obey him." Even though his words were devoid of emotion under the drug's influence, Lu Qingwan and the others detected a hint of sarcasm from the King of Ji Prefecture. "The palace servants still respected him, as did the Imperial Guards. As long as someone was in that position, regardless of how they ascended to the throne, the Imperial Guards would obey the Emperor's orders. But his own paranoia led him to suspect the Imperial Guards' loyalty. He listened to the slander of Wei Kun, that eunuch, and forcibly controlled the Imperial Guards with drugs. Moreover, he didn't explain from the beginning, having the drug mixed into the Imperial Guards' meals. Only after they took the medicine did he sanctimoniously tell Black Eagle that it was out of necessity. Black Eagle, being such a proud man, would he submit so easily?"
After hearing this, Lu Qingwan understood. Another case of successful self-destruction. However, "Even so, with Black Eagle's strength and status, killing Emperor Gengshi would be easy. Why would he ally with you?" The Imperial Guards were mostly people without family or connections. Their lives were already precarious; killing Emperor Gengshi for revenge would suffice. Cooperating with Empress Lan and the King of Ji Prefecture would be meaningless, only adding to their burdens. Of course, if something exists, it has a reason for being. Empress Lan and the King of Ji Prefecture must have had some tricks to make Black Eagle willingly surrender.
The King of Ji Prefecture said, "Black Eagle was adopted and raised by the former commander of the Imperial Guards from the Foundling Orphanage and trained to be an Imperial Guard. He always thought he was an orphan. But the Empress, through great effort, found his younger brother and promised Black Eagle that as long as he worked for us, his younger brother would live a life free from worry. He agreed."
Lu Qingwan followed up, "Black Eagle's brother? What is his current position, and where is he?"
"General Xiaoqi, Fang Xingjian." Another person who caused a stir in their hearts. Lu Qingwan quickly asked him, "Does Fang Xingjian know his identity?" The King of Ji Prefecture shook his head, "Fang Xingjian has always been proud of his background as a member of the Hedong Fang clan. Black Eagle felt his hands were dirty and did not want to ruin him."