Chapter 886: Demon Heart Breaks Chastity Tribulation

Love Shenjing, Dali Temple official offices, Prison Exit.

Zhou Ping was one of the few evaluators in Dali Temple who was experienced and sophisticated, and Yang Hongbin also recognized him quite a bit.

Interrogating prisoners was originally a familiar matter for him, and he didn't know how many stubborn and cunning suspects he had experienced.

But Xiao Yun was different from ordinary suspects; she wasn't even a suspect, but a shortcut Yang Hongbin took to obtain evidence as quickly as possible.

This was just a fourteen or fifteen-year-old village girl, born in poverty, illiterate, with no knowledge, and a somewhat stubborn temperament.

She had the unique simplicity of a village girl, unwilling to speak ill of her master behind her back, but under Zhou Ping's red-hot branding iron, this persistence immediately vanished without a trace.

Although she cried while speaking, she was still answering the wrong questions, dragging in three and hanging in four, which really made Zhou Ping angry.

He was an experienced Dali Temple evaluator and had seen all kinds of fierce suspects.

Only he couldn't take action against this little girl; that red-hot branding iron was just to scare people, and he couldn't really take action against people.

He patiently asked, "I will ask you, when Chen Ruichang arrived at Hui Niang's house, did he mention military grain depots, grain routes, military grain, etc., or did Hui Niang ask such questions?"

Xiao Yun's tear stains were not dry, her expression was confused, and she said timidly, "My lord, your words are so strange; what cloud swallow, what cold salad, the girl doesn't like to eat these."

"Fourth Master Chen is a son of a wealthy family, what good things hasn't he eaten? He only likes to fight with the girl in the room, and never talks to the girl about food..."

Zhou Ping's blue veins burst on his head, and he couldn't help but want to pull the branding iron again, shouting, "Where did this stupid girl come from? What cloud swallow cold salad? I am talking about military grain depots and grain routes!"

Yang Hongbin, who was standing outside the door listening to the interrogation, couldn't help but smile when he saw Xiao Yun trembling and speaking incoherently.

He carefully observed through the window, seeing Xiao Yun with tear-stained face, the whole person in a state of panic and anxiety, her body trembling slightly.

Yang Hongbin was skilled in interrogation, not only in eloquence and strategy, but also in his keen insight; he carefully looked at Xiao Yun through the window.

He saw every action and look of hers without any difference; with his many years of interrogation experience, under such circumstances, Xiao Yun absolutely didn't dare to hide or lie.

Perhaps Chen Ruichang hadn't mentioned the military grain depot to Hui Niang, or perhaps he had mentioned it, but Xiao Yun didn't know.

And Zhou Ping's interrogation was too brutal and simple; for a lecherous and dissolute son, it might be more useful, but for a girl like Xiao Yun, it couldn't grasp the pain.

Yang Hongbin carefully observed Xiao Yun's expression and found that she was scared pale, and her hands and feet didn't know where to put them.

But her left hand was tightly clutching a corner of her lapel, and her fingers were also stirring unconsciously; that place should be the position of her clothing pocket...

Yang Hongbin's eyes condensed slightly, and after pondering for a moment, he pushed the door into the interrogation room; Zhou Ping was about to greet him, but was stopped by Yang Hongbin's hand.

Xiao Yun saw this person enter; although he was younger than the one holding the branding iron, he looked more spirited than him and looked like a big figure, so she felt even more uneasy...

Yang Hongbin's tone was cold, "What are you putting in your pocket? Take it out."

Although his words were plain and didn't have Zhou Ping's fierce pressure, they carried an unquestionable tone and an indescribable chill.

Although Xiao Yun didn't want to, she felt a chill all over her body, and subconsciously couldn't resist, taking out the thing she was clutching, which was a five-tael silver ingot.

Zhou Ping went up and grabbed it, "A little maid, her monthly money is not even a string, yet she carries a five-tael silver ingot; who gave this to you!"

Xiao Yun's mouth pouted, "My lord, this silver was given by the girl, let me use it for my mother's illness; you must not take it away."

Yang Hongbin said, "It seems your girl has a good heart, and she will take silver to treat your mother's illness."

Xiao Yun hurriedly said, "Although the girl fools around with men, this is somewhat inappropriate, but the girl has a good heart; she is not a bad person."

"The words the lord asked me just now, I really don't understand much; you must not wrong the girl."

Yang Hongbin felt slightly determined, "Your girl is involved in a lawsuit; you must answer our questions honestly."

"I know you sold a four-year living contract to earn money to treat your mother's illness, and you are thinking of marrying decently in the future."

"If you don't tell the truth, or hide and fake it, you don't want to go out again, and you will have to eat a lawsuit and go to jail."

"After a female prisoner is convicted, she won't let you eat prison food in vain; she will be sold to the Jiaofang Division to serve, and you won't want to marry cleanly in this life!"

"If your mother doesn't have you to take care of her, her old illnesses and deep-seated ailments will probably not last long; if your girl gets involved in a lawsuit, I will make her die even more miserably!"

Yang Hongbin's words were cold and ruthless, without a trace of warmth, although not as loud and fierce as Zhou Ping, but every word was cold and cruel, making people shudder.

And every word of his hit Xiao Yun's soft spot, making her three souls and seven spirits scatter by half, and she didn't even dare to cry.

All of Xiao Yun's thoughts and taboos were firmly controlled by Yang Hongbin, which was more terrifying than a red-hot branding iron, making Xiao Yun's heart and gallbladder crack.

She said trembling, "I will definitely speak honestly; I beg the lord to show mercy, let go of my mother and the girl; I will say whatever I know."

Yang Hongbin said, "The military grain depot we asked about just now is not cloud swallow; the military grain depot is the place where soldiers store grain."

"The grain route we asked about is not cold salad; the grain route is the path for transporting grain; you must think clearly before answering; has Chen Ruichang mentioned it to Hui Niang?"

Xiao Yun trembled, lowered her head and frowned, thinking hard, and under Yang Hongbin's pressure, she was indeed much more reliable than before.

The strange atmosphere in the interrogation room gradually became somewhat solemn; Yang Hongbin didn't look at Xiao Yun, his fingers tapping silently on the desk.

After a long while, Xiao Yun said with a bitter face, "My lord, I really can't remember Fourth Master Chen and the girl mentioning military grain depots and grain routes; I really didn't lie."

At this time, Zhou Ping could also see that under Yang Hongbin's coercion and control, a girl like Xiao Yun who had not been involved in the world would never dare to hide or lie.

It is very likely that Chen Ruichang did not leak the secret; even if he had mentioned relevant words, Xiao Yun was also unaware, and a look of disappointment appeared on his face...

Yang Hongbin was not discouraged and continued, "You haven't heard them mention military grain depots and grain routes, but have you heard them mention a few place names?"

"Baotunli, Yaoshan Station, Hongshu Collection, Donggang Town..."

Yang Hongbin's voice was steady, appearing calm and unhurried, revealing a delicate and meticulous, inexplicably gloomy and seductive temptation.

Zhou Ping's eyes lit up slightly; he knew that the place names Yang Hongbin mentioned were all stations along the military grain route.

These places along the grain route were originally military secrets, and outsiders were not allowed to know; as long as Xiao Yun had heard Chen Ruichang mention them, the matter of leaking the secret would be a conclusion!

He secretly admired in his heart; Yang Sizheng is meticulous and indeed has a sharpness that others cannot match.

He only asked about military grain depots and grain routes; Xiao Yun is just a village girl and doesn't even understand the words; even if she had heard them, she might not remember them.

But he didn't think of asking from the places along the grain route, decomposing the grain route into several place names, not only making the topic more detailed but also easier to ask about the bottom line.

Xiao Yun heard a pile of place names and couldn't remember them clearly, and a look of difficulty appeared on her face.

Yang Hongbin said coldly, "If you don't know anything, you will be of no use; you can get into this place but can't get out."

"Your mother and Hui Niang will have no good end; you must weigh it clearly in your heart and think carefully before speaking."

Xiao Yun turned pale when she heard this, sweat on her forehead, frowning, looking like she was racking her brains.

Zhou Ping, who was on the side, also felt inexplicable tension when he saw this scene.

If Xiao Yun hadn't heard of these place names, he and Master Yang would have been busy for nothing by bringing her into the interrogation room, and they might have alerted Duan Chunjiang...

Yang Hongbin appeared unhurried, "I will say the place names again: Baotunli, Yaoshan Station, Hongshu Collection, Donggang Town..."

"Think carefully about whether Chen Ruichang or Duan Chunjiang mentioned these places to Hui Niang."

"As long as you tell us everything you know truthfully, I will let you go, and not only will that five-tael silver ingot be returned to you."

"The government also has a reward, and I will help you recommend a famous doctor to cure your mother's illness."

"Once you have silver in your hand, you don't have to sell yourself as a maid; you can prepare a dowry for yourself and find a reliable person to marry decently."

Yang Hongbin's words became soft, full of bewitchment and inducement, making people numb their vigilance, completely yielding to him, and saying all the secrets hidden in their hearts...

Xiao Yun heard Yang Hongbin's words, every word falling into her heart, feeling that this official was really powerful; she had nothing more desired in her life than these.

Her eyes lit up, and excitement surged in her chest, as if even her brain had become easier to use.

After another round of racking her brains, the interrogation room became quiet, as if a needle could be heard.

She suddenly said, "I remember now; the girl mentioned Hongshu Collection!"

Zhou Ping's expression was instantly invigorated, his face unable to suppress his surprise, and even Yang Hongbin, who was always calm, showed excitement.

He asked, "How did Hui Niang mention Hongshu Collection? Was it told to her by Chen Ruichang? Tell me in detail, don't miss a single word."

Xiao Yun said, "I remember that before the New Year, I was helping the girl comb her hair; because I was inserting a hairpin for the girl, I casually said that the girl's phoenix hairpin was old and should be replaced with a new one."

"At that time, the girl also casually said that it was not urgent to replace it, and when Fourth Master Chen returned to the capital after the New Year, he would bring a new phoenix hairpin to give her."

"At that time, Fourth Master Chen had just gone on an imperial errand, and I was somewhat curious, so I asked what kind of hairpin wasn't in the Love Shenjing, and why Fourth Master Chen still brought it from outside."

"The girl said that last time Fourth Master Chen went on an imperial errand, he passed by Hongshu Collection and saw an old gold shop, and the red gold phoenix hairpin in the shop was very exquisite."

"It is said that the shopkeeper learned the craftsmanship from the Oros people, so the style of the phoenix hairpin wasn't even in the Love Shenjing, and he promised to buy it to give to the girl."

"However, Fourth Master Chen came to stay a few days ago, but he didn't bring the Oros red gold phoenix hairpin."

"I heard that Fourth Master Chen suffered a disaster in the north and accidentally encountered Mongols; not only was he seriously injured, but all his luggage was lost, and that gold hairpin was also gone..."

As soon as Xiao Yun finished speaking, Yang Hongbin's eyes flashed with heat, and Zhou Ping was relieved, followed by wild joy in his heart.

Based on Xiao Yun's words alone, whether Chen Ruichang was intentional or unintentional, his crime of leaking military secrets was already beyond doubt and difficult to argue.

The matter was so closely linked to Yang Sizheng's deduction; Duan Chunjiang used his own woman as bait to find out the clues of the military grain depot from Chen Ruichang's mouth. ===== CHAPTER 887 =====

The matter turned out to be exactly as Commandant Yang had deduced, fitting together perfectly; Duan Chunjiang used his own woman as bait to uncover clues about the military stockpile from Chen Ruichang's own mouth.