Chapter 92

With the case showing some progress, Prince Zhao Xiaojun, the master of Kaifeng Prefecture, could not afford to be absent. Arriving at the government office, he mustered his spirits. Before he could see Lady Zhu, Xie Dahuizi ran over with a gleam in his eyes.

"Huff... Your Highness," Xie Dahuizi glanced around and lowered his voice, "Wu Qi and Kuai Zhengliang have been caught, but... but..."

"Spit it out, why are you hesitating?" Zhao Yougong, guessing that it wasn't good news, was right. Xie Dahuizi glanced at the upright Yang Zaixing and whispered slyly, "Lady Zhu just interrogated them, and those two clods said that An Hongtai ordered them to do it!"

With just one sentence, Prince Zhao Xiaojun understood. Whether An Hongtai had ordered them or not was no longer important; what mattered was that there was now a reason to extort money.

Yang Zaixing didn't quite understand. He just felt that the prince's smile was a bit sinister. As he hesitated, he saw the prince, with a strange smile, beckon to Xie Dahuizi and whisper, "Take some men and go to An's place. Remember, don't let Lady Zhu know!"

"Sure, Your Highness, I'll handle it perfectly!"

Seeing Zhao Yougong and Xie Dahuizi acting so slyly, Yang Zaixing was even more confused. He blinked, looking bewildered. Curious, he watched as Xie Dahuizi left, then looked at Ajiu and asked, "Your Highness, if you're going to arrest An Hongtai, why not let Lady Zhu know?"

"Hmm? Who said Xie Dahuizi is going to arrest An Hongtai?" Prince Zhao Xiaojun rolled his eyes, looking puzzled.

"..." Yang Zaixing was speechless. If not to arrest An Hongtai, why send Xie Dahuizi with more men?

Seeing Yang Zaixing's expression, Zhao Yougong knew the young man was confused. He beckoned, came to the eaves, and whispered, "Shao Lie, don't blame me for not teaching you. You need to be flexible. An Hongtai is more timid than a mouse. Would he dare to order someone to kill a well-known figure in the capital? I think Wu Qi and Kuai Zhengliang are lying. If it were An Hongtai, that coward would have run away long ago!"

Prince Zhao Xiaojun's analysis made sense, and Yang Zaixing agreed, but he was even more confused. "Your Highness, if that's the case, why send Xie Dahuizi to An's place?"

Hearing this, Prince Zhao Xiaojun's eyes widened, and he looked at Yang Zaixing as if he were an idiot. After a long pause, he sighed, "Shao Lie, you're still young and have a lot to learn. Xie Dahuizi isn't going to arrest anyone; he's going to extort money. Got it?"

With that, Zhao Yougong walked leisurely to the western prison, with Ajiu following closely behind. Yang Zaixing stood under the eaves, rubbing his head, looking stunned.

He understood, really understood. No wonder there were so many uprisings in the Song Dynasty. It seemed they were all forced. If even Kaifeng Prefecture operated like this, what about the higher-ups? Especially the emperor, who still insisted on the Huashigang, causing the people in the Jiangnan region to suffer.

Sighing and shaking his head, Yang Zaixing wondered if serving Prince Zhao Xiaojun was a good or bad thing. It felt like aiding a tyrant.

In the prison, as soon as the three entered, they heard a series of pig-like screams.

Wu Qi and Kuai Zhengliang were tied to two racks. In the room was a charcoal brazier with several red-hot irons. Ma Rulong was an expert at interrogation and could easily tell if Wu Qi and Kuai Zhengliang were lying.

Blowing on the iron, which glowed like lava, Ma Rulong glanced at the two and sneered, "Are you two still unwilling to tell the truth? Who ordered you to switch the coffins?"

Wu Qi, the older of the two, remained relatively calm. He shook his head vigorously, his gray hair trembling like withered grass.

"Inspector Ma, I've already told you, it was really Mr. An who ordered us to..."

"Such stubbornness! I see you won't cry until you see the coffin!" Before Wu Qi could finish, Ma Rulong pressed the iron onto his chest. With a sizzling sound, a hole appeared in Wu Qi's torn clothes.

"Ahhh!" A long, piercing scream, and Wu Qi fainted.

Kuai Zhengliang, who had never seen such a scene, thought Wu Qi was dead and was terrified, his face ashen and tears streaming down his cheeks.

"Kuai Zhengliang, will you speak or not? If not, don't blame me for being ruthless..."

Ma Rulong switched to another iron, smiling sinisterly. He seemed to hope Kuai Zhengliang wouldn't speak, as that would give him an excuse to use the iron again.

"No... no... Inspector Ma, I'll speak, I'll speak... It was the Left厢 Dragon Guard Army's Captain Xie Kuang who ordered us to do this..."

After speaking, Kuai Zhengliang seemed to deflate, his head hanging low, his messy hair covering his face.

Ma Rulong knew he had his answer, but he wasn't happy. The case involved the military, which was complicated. The Left厢 Dragon Guard Army was the elite of the imperial guards, and its commander, Cheng Kai, was a close confidant of Grand Secretary Tong Guan. As for Tong Guan, he was closely associated with Cai Jing and Liang Shijie. Sighing, Ma Rulong knew this case would be difficult to investigate, and it could cost the lives of those in Kaifeng Prefecture.

Exiting the prison, he saw Zhao Yougong already seated at a table. Ma Rulong didn't dare delay, bowed, and reported, "Your Highness, the mastermind is Captain Xie Kuang of the Dragon Guard Army. Should we continue the investigation?"

Hearing it was the Dragon Guard Army, Zhao Yougong immediately looked bitter. Even if he were truly foolish, he couldn't ignore the name of the Dragon Guard Army. The Song Dynasty's imperial guards were said to number 200,000, with 100,000 in the capital. The Dragon Guard Army was the emperor's personal guard, directly led by Tong Guan. Investigating the Dragon Guard Army was the same as investigating Tong Guan. With Tong Guan protected by Cai Jing and Gao Qiu, and revered by the military, taking action against him would be suicidal.

"No investigation, do you want to die? Don't talk about today's events, and quickly deal with Wu Qi and Kuai Zhengliang!"

Zhao Yougong's face was pale, and he waved his sleeves, clearly terrified.

Yang Zaixing frowned, his face filled with anger. If he had known Prince Yongning was so incompetent, he would have died rather than participate in the competition. He was angry but said nothing. Yang Zaixing now understood that the Song Dynasty's bureaucracy was just as corrupt.

Standing up and rushing out, Ma Rulong returned to the prison. Wu Qi and Kuai Zhengliang could not be allowed to live.

Zhao Yougong couldn't protect Wu Qi and Kuai Zhengliang. Even if they survived, they would still be assassinated. Kuai Zhengliang's mouth had opened a huge hole, and no one could bear the consequences.

The case involving the Dragon Guard Army was likely related to corruption in the military. Did Zhao Yougong really not want to investigate? Of course not. The case needed to be exposed, but he couldn't get himself involved.

In the back office, Lady Zhu was still worried about the case, unaware that the people of Kaifeng Prefecture had already concealed many things from her.

That night, the music in Xiefang Tower was gentle. Although it was late autumn and the wind outside was cold, the room was warm. Li Shishi, dressed in a thick pink cloak and a thin, patterned veil, did not look bulky. Her slender fingers plucked the strings, and her calm expression added a touch of mystery.

It was now the hour of Hai, and the emperor was unlikely to come. Stopping, Li Shishi slowly stood up.

"Xuan'er, it's late, you should rest too!"

"Sure, Li Shishi, you should rest well too. If anything happens, just call out!"

Xuan'er, who had followed Li Shishi for many years, knew her master's nature and bowed out. Closing the door, Li Shishi turned and walked into the inner room.

Two candles flickered, casting a warm, yellow glow, creating a hazy, melancholic atmosphere.

Her hair stuck to her forehead, Li Shishi frowned slightly. How could there be a draft? She remembered closing the window.

Closing the window was a small matter, and Li Shishi wouldn't trouble Xuan'er with it. She walked to the window, saw no one on the street, and gently closed it. Perhaps she had remembered wrong, or maybe the window was already open.

Turning to go to the bed, she noticed a letter on the table. Frowning, she picked it up. The letter had no name, but its contents made her frown deepen, and a hint of anger appeared on her face.