Chapter 89

Even though he had mentally prepared himself and made the worst-case scenario, when Yang Yi stepped into his home and entered the main hall, seeing the thin old man sitting in a chair with a teacup in hand and the four burly men standing behind him with their hands behind their backs, he couldn't help but feel his legs go weak, almost collapsing to the ground. This was the standard setup for the internal guards to arrest officials, dressed in plain clothes, ready to take the person away.

"Commander Yang is back?" The old man put down his teacup and smiled, "Commander, you are indeed a very busy man. I've already had my tea three times, it's almost like plain water now."

"I didn't know you would come today, Sir. I should have greeted you earlier, I am truly at fault!" Yang Yi's face turned red, his hands and feet trembling as he stammered.

A look of disdain flashed in the old man's eyes, and he said coolly, "Commander Yang, you are mistaken. I am not your superior. I am just a minor clerk in the Second Prince's mansion. Even these internal guards are of a lower rank than you. You have called me 'Sir' incorrectly."

"His Highness the Prince is like a star from the heavens, high above the clouds. As someone close to the Second Prince, you are naturally a divine figure. In front of you, I am just a vulgar person, and calling myself 'Sir' is quite appropriate." Yang Yi flattered him repeatedly, completely ignoring the contempt in the eyes of the internal guards behind the old man. At this point, life was more important than face.

The old man burst out laughing at Yang Yi's words. He had seen shameless people before, but never one as shameless as this. Shaking his head, he said, "I am surnamed Xin, named Jianli. I am a minor clerk in the Second Prince's mansion, sent by the Second Prince to handle matters in Anyang City. Commander Yang, I have been in Anyang City for three days now."

"Three days?" Yang Yi shuddered again, "Sir Xin, I have always been law-abiding and diligent, never daring to break the law."

The smile on Xin Jianli's face gradually faded, and he drawled, "Really?"

Under the intense gaze of the other man, Yang Yi couldn't help but lower his eyes. In this era, how many officials were truly clean? Without investigation, they were all clean; with investigation, they were all full of filth. But he was not in the same position as before, his back was not as strong.

"Commander Yang, I won't go into detail about your embezzlement, misappropriation of military funds, and false reporting of military achievements. In the Second Prince's eyes, these are all trivial matters, not worth mentioning. However, you are a relative of the former Left Chancellor, Yang Yihuo. You have always claimed to have a close relationship with him, haven't you?"

Yang Yi's face turned pale instantly. What he feared most had come true. Now, any connection to Yang Yihuo was a sin. Even if one was as clean as tofu and green onions, they could still be implicated. How much more so when he himself was already mired in corruption.

"Sir, Sir!" With a thud, Yang Yi knelt down, "I am at fault, I am at fault. I was just talking nonsense. Although I am surnamed Yang, I have no real connection to the Left Chancellor, no, no, to Yang Yihuo. I was just using his name as a cover. I was blinded by greed, and now I know I was wrong."

Xin Jianli narrowed his eyes. Yang Yi, a commander of tens of thousands of troops and a seventh-level martial arts master, was so spineless, which was truly unexpected. However, it was good, as such spineless people were easier to control and would be willing to do anything to save their lives, including carrying out the Second Prince's orders.

"Commander Yang, please stand up. The Second Prince is well aware of these matters. If he wasn't, I wouldn't be here as a clerk; the internal guards would have come to arrest you." Xin Jianli extended his hand in a gesture of support.

"Really, really? The Second Prince truly does not blame me?" Yang Yi almost couldn't believe his ears, feeling as if he had been given a reprieve.

"Of course," Xin Jianli said, "However, over the years, you have used Yang Yihuo's name to do many things, and you have had contact with his followers and helped them. What you need to do next, I believe you understand, right?"

"Understood, understood, of course I understand." Yang Yi nodded rapidly, "I will stand up and expose all the illegal activities of Yang Yihuo and his followers, making them known to the world, so that the people can see the true nature of this old villain."

Xin Jianli stroked his beard, nodding and smiling. Spineless people were afraid of death but were also smart. They didn't need much persuasion. Dealing with Yang Yihuo was inevitable, and now it was time to gather evidence against him. With Yang Yi, a relative of Yang Yihuo, taking the lead, the effect would be doubled.

"Commander Yang, please stand up. Since you are willing to do this, the Second Prince will naturally look at you differently, won't he?" Xin Jianli said, "We cannot let a villain like Yang Yihuo, who appears loyal but is actually treacherous, deceive the people forever."

"Sir, you are right. I will do my best," Yang Yi said, climbing to his feet with a look of joy on his face. It seemed his life was saved, and he could even use this opportunity to get closer to the Second Prince. It was truly a case of 'when the road seems to end, a new path appears.' His official career was not over yet.

"Take your time with this matter. After all, Yang Yihuo has been in power for decades, and his followers are spread throughout the country. It will take time to root them out without damaging the foundation of our Great Chu. Do you understand?" Xin Jianli asked.

"Yes, yes, Sir. You are wise, and I, a rough man, could never think so deeply. I just got excited when I heard about exposing that old villain, Yang Yihuo," Yang Yi said shamelessly. "But I will follow your orders, Sir. Whatever you tell me to do, I will do."

"Not me, but the Second Prince's orders," Xin Jianli corrected him seriously.

"Yes, yes, the Second Prince," Yang Yi repeated.

Xin Jianli waved his hand, and the four internal guards behind him walked out of the room, closing the door with a bang. They stood outside, hands on their swords. Seeing this, Yang Yi felt both surprised and delighted. It seemed the Second Prince had a major task for him.

"Do you know about the case of the western border army's destruction?" Xin Jianli narrowed his eyes.

"I know a little," Yang Yi nodded.

"I mean the real case," Xin Jianli sneered. "You and many others probably guessed that it had something to do with the Crown Prince, right? That's why the emperor imprisoned the Crown Prince in the Eastern Palace for his rebellious and disrespectful behavior, isn't it?"

"Such matters, people only dare to guess quietly, no one dares to speak openly," Yang Yi said honestly.

"Now, I will tell you that the Crown Prince is indeed responsible. From the beginning, he spied on the Second Prince's military plans and leaked them to the Western Qin. His goal was to make Left Chancellor Li Xing fail and ensure the Second Prince's military campaign ended in defeat. His more sinister intention was to directly anger the old emperor to death so he could take the throne."

Yang Yi sucked in a breath, not daring to comment on such matters.

"However, the emperor is wise and could not be deceived by such a petty trick. It didn't take long for the emperor to uncover the truth. But a tiger does not eat its own cubs, let alone our wise emperor! The emperor has only a few days left, and he doesn't want to die with this stain on his name. Therefore, this crime cannot be pinned on the Crown Prince to maintain the dignity of the royal family," Xin Jianli said coolly. "So, a scapegoat is needed, one with sufficient weight and a plausible reason."

Yang Yi looked at Xin Jianli in confusion, not understanding how this related to him.

Seeing Yang Yi's expression, Xin Jianli reminded him, "Think carefully. Why did I come to Anyang City? Who in Anyang City could be connected to this battle and most likely have sold information to the Western Qin?"

Hearing Xin Jianli's words, a flash of insight struck Yang Yi, "The Death Battalion!"

"Exactly, you are indeed smart. My mission is to arrest and execute the entire Death Battalion. This task naturally falls on you. This is the Second Prince's directive. If you handle this well, not only will your past sins be forgiven, but you will also enjoy wealth and honor. You will be doing a service for the royal family. If you do well, you will rise to great heights; if you fail, you will be destroyed."

Yang Yi's face turned pale.

"This is the Second Prince's opportunity for you. I hope you do not disappoint him," Xin Jianli said coolly, standing up. "You have one day to consider. If you do not come up with a satisfactory plan in one day, I will go to Suxian and see if he can handle it."

"No, no, no, I will definitely come up with a plan," Yang Yi shouted. If Suxian handled this matter, it would mean his complete ruin.