Chapter 447: No Shunzhi, No Kangxi—All of Them Gone

After hearing this, Cui Yingyuan promptly replied, "Rest assured, Young Master, there will not be a single mistake."

Nodding with satisfaction, Zhu Youxiao walked over to Fan Yongdou's side, looked down at him, and a smile spread across his face. In a relaxed tone, he said, "This time, it's your turn. Go on, tell me—how should I deal with you?"

"Right now, you and your entire family are all in my hands. Tell me, which would you prefer—execution of your entire household, or like that man just now, being dragged off and tortured until you die?"

"The men in your family might be able to take it, but think of all those womenfolk. If they fall into my men's hands and get thrown into prison... ah, just thinking about it is cruel."

Fan Yongdou raised his head to look at Zhu Youxiao, his face flushed red, and asked, "What do you want to know?"

"Sensible." Zhu Youxiao looked at Fan Yongdou with approval, straightened up, and said, "I want to know how long you've been in this business? Who have you been doing business with? And who did you bribe? How did you get them to open the doors for you?"

"Besides that, I also want to know who else in Zhangjiakou is in this business? Are these people working with you?"

"You want to take down everyone?" Fan Yongdou raised his head and looked at Zhu Youxiao, his face filled with disbelief.

Fan Yongdou asked, "Are you insane? Do you know how many people are implicated in this?"

The Shanxi merchants—this was an enormous group, and it wasn't just Fan Yongdou alone.

Fan Yongdou was a native of Zhangjiakou; his family had been there for generations. But he wasn't the only one doing business in Zhangjiakou. It was only because Fan Yongdou was a local power broker that he stood out as bigger and more prominent.

But the real people behind it all were all Shanxi merchants. These people were different from Fan Yongdou—many of them were officials, and their families had deep connections to the officialdom.

Take, for example, Wang Zaijin, the former Governor-General of the Three Borders—his family was the biggest Shanxi merchant clan, dealing in salt and all sorts of smuggling operations. And Zhang Siwei, the former Chief Grand Secretary of the Grand Secretariat—his family was in this line of work too.

Ever since they recognized the benefits that power could bring, the merchants of Shanxi began extensively cultivating their own people, sending their sons to study. Even if their own sons weren't up to it, they would spend money to court officials and support their sons' education. At the same time, they packaged themselves as scholars, keeping their business dealings strictly in the shadows.

If it were just one or two, there wouldn't be a problem. But if they all got stirred up, the trouble would be enormous. Even the Duke of Ying couldn't withstand that.

Fan Yongdou looked at Zhu Youxiao, and the fear in his heart grew even greater.

The man before him was a madman!

Zhu Youxiao let out a cold laugh and said, "I know who you're talking about, and I know who's behind those people."

"It doesn't matter. Whoever it is, whoever's implicated, you can say it all. As for how things will ultimately be handled, I'll let you see for yourself. Remember one thing—the times have changed."

Fan Yongdou still couldn't believe it, but given the current situation, he had nothing more to say. Covering for those people wasn't worth it now—saving his own skin was what mattered most.

Fan Yongdou raised his head and looked at Zhu Youxiao, asking, "If I tell you everything, can you spare my life?"

Hearing this, Zhu Youxiao smiled and shook his head. "That's impossible. You know exactly what you've done, and you should understand your family's situation. Your life is definitely not going to be spared."

"Never mind anything else—just look at those two beside you. Do you think your life can be saved? But if you're willing to talk, I can grant you one favor."

"What favor?" Fan Yongdou raised his head and looked at Zhu Youxiao, asking.

That his life couldn't be saved didn't come as a surprise to Fan Yongdou. After all, the secret was already exposed. From the people who had been arrested so far, most of what he'd done had probably already been uncovered.

The only reason this profligate young master was still saying all this and willing to talk with him was simply to get him to confess and implicate more people.

"I can let you leave an heir." Zhu Youxiao looked at Fan Yongdou with a smile and said, "And I can spare the women of your family, keeping them from suffering in prison. How about it? Not a bad deal, is it?"

Fan Yongdou fell silent upon hearing these words.

The terms were indeed good, but people never want to die.

Fan Yongdou looked at Zhu Youxiao and said with a smile, "Fine!"

"I'll talk. You've probably already gone to search my home, haven't you? I'm sure you'll be able to find an account book, but it only contains evidence against myself—it can't implicate anyone else."

"But Zhangjiakou is only so big. I know very well who does what business here. I can tell you."

"As for the officials—do you think it's only the local officials who are involved? That's impossible. How much power do the local officials have? They can't protect us."

"With a business this big, who wouldn't be envious? Those high-ranking officials set their eyes on this place and naturally learned how much income this business generates. Not giving them a cut wouldn't do, and giving too little wouldn't do either. So if you want to investigate, you might end up tracing it all the way to the capital."

"I don't care." Zhu Youxiao shook his head and said, "No matter who it leads to, I don't care."

"Impressive boldness." Fan Yongdou said with admiration. "Where do I give my confession? Right here?"

Zhu Youxiao shook his head.

He couldn't let Fan Yongdou speak here.

Turning to look at Cui Yingyuan, Zhu Youxiao said, "He's yours now. Interrogate him properly—don't use excessive torture, and don't let him die."

"Yes, Young Master." Cui Yingyuan promptly acknowledged.

In truth, Fan Yongdou no longer needed to be tortured. He had no choice but to cooperate obediently.

At this point, he couldn't even save his own life—who else could he protect?

Being able to leave behind an heir was already the greatest mercy.

Fan Yongdou was led away, and Zhu Youxiao came to Wukeshan's side.

This man was the real main event.

Meanwhile, the interrogation over there had already begun, and screams rang out without end.

In no time at all, a corpse was already being carried out from inside.

One look made it clear—it was one of the Irgen Gioro people.

Zhu Youxiao raised his head and glanced at Cui Yingyuan, his gaze filled with confusion.

It's only been this long, and I've just finished talking with one person—and you've already killed one over there?

Sure, these people's lives aren't worth much, and I didn't tell you to be careful with the torture, but you're being way too careless—you're already hauling out bodies this quickly?

Cui Yingyuan's face was full of embarrassment, and inwardly he cursed every one of his subordinates.

These idiots wanted to earn merit, wanted to show off—but this wasn't the way to do it!

His Majesty was right here! The man had just been brought in, and in such a short time they were already carrying out a corpse?

Absolutely outrageous!

Wukeshan's expression was very grim.

These people were too detestable! They simply didn't treat human life as human life!

Wukeshan looked worriedly toward his sister Bumbutai.

How would such evil people treat his sister?

His own life or death was a small matter—but if his sister fell into their hands, that would be the worst thing of all!

Zhu Youxiao looked at Wukeshan and said to the people beside him, "Untie him. I want to talk with him."

This scene caught both Wukeshan and Cui Yingyuan off guard. Still, Cui Yingyuan walked over to Wukeshan and quickly untied him.

Zhu Youxiao stood behind the table and made a gesture of invitation to Wukeshan.

Wukeshan came before Zhu Youxiao, didn't stand on ceremony, sat straight down, and took a sip of the tea on the table.

Now that he had fallen into their hands, whether to kill him or butcher him was just a word from them, so poisoning the tea was out of the question.

He just didn't know what the other party wanted to say.

Zhu Youxiao looked at Wukeshan and asked, "Any interest in cooperating with me? Fan Yongdou is finished now, and there's no one left in Zhangjiakou to supply you with goods. Cooperate with me, and you'll have everything—and more than before."

Wukeshan looked at Zhu Youxiao, his face a picture of utter astonishment.

Just moments ago they were ready to kill and fight, and now it had turned to cooperation?

Wukeshan looked straight at Zhu Youxiao and asked directly, "Cooperation is no problem, but you must first let my sister leave."

"No, no." Zhu Youxiao shook his head and said, "Your sister is the foundation of our cooperation. Only if you marry your sister to me can the two sides cooperate. Otherwise, no deal."

His face dark as he looked at Zhu Youxiao, Wukeshan said in a low voice, "She's far too young to marry you. Besides, she's already betrothed to someone else—we cannot break the engagement. Men of the grasslands keep their word."

Zhu Youxiao curled his lips. That talk was only good for fooling ghosts.

Through all these years of war and chaos, if you people had truly kept your word like that, you'd have been wiped out by the Great Ming several times over.

You've always flip-flopped—one way today, another way tomorrow. We're all the same on that score; no one has the right to point fingers.

"That's fine. She's young, so we'll keep her for a couple of years first. Child brides aren't anything strange on our side either." Zhu Youxiao said with a carefree look. "As for her having a betrothal—well, they haven't consummated the marriage yet, have they? As long as the marriage hasn't been consummated, I don't mind."

Wukeshan wished he could strangle the fellow before him on the spot.

What do you mean, "you don't mind"?

Did anyone ask whether you minded?

Bumbutai, standing nearby, suddenly said to Zhu Youxiao, "You are not the Duke of Ying's son."

Hearing this, Zhu Youxiao was startled at first, then broke into laughter.

He looked Bumbutai up and down, clicking his tongue in admiration. "You're far sharper than your brother. It seems I chose well—keeping you here was the best decision."

In any case, in Zhu Youxiao's heart, Da Yu'er absolutely could not be sent back. Don't even think about it. Without Da Yu'er, history would become far more interesting.

After that, there would be no Shunzhi, no Kangxi, no Qianlong—none of them at all.

Women are the real treasure—truly precious.

Especially a woman this clever?