Chapter 298: Unfilial son

Capital.

Embroidered Uniform Guard Yamen, North Town Fusi duty room.

Two Embroidered Uniform Guards on duty in the courtyard were standing under the eaves, smiling and talking in low voices.

Suddenly, one of them moved his ears, the smile on his face disappeared, his left hand raised to point at the roof, his right hand gripped the hilt of his blade and slowly drew it, walking quietly along the eaves to the other side.

The other one also understood, didn't stop talking, continued the topic in the original tone, and also raised his hand to pull out his blade, but stood still, staring fixedly at the roof.

When the Embroidered Uniform Guard who was walking stopped and turned to give a wink, the two began to count silently in their hearts.

"Three."

"Two."

"One!"

*Clang! —

The long blade was drawn, the two jumped up at the same time, raised their hands, and were about to grab the eaves and flip onto the roof.

But they heard a "whoosh," a black shadow flashed, and both felt a hand press on their shoulders at the same time, pressing them back to their original places. The long blades were also snatched away and pressed back into the scabbards.

"Not bad, not bad."

A young, oily voice sounded behind them.

"Ear skills are not bad, reaction is not bad, but the brain is a bit poor. How can you jump directly when you meet a thief? If someone knows you are coming up, a blade to the head, and you won't be able to dodge even if you want to."

"Still need to practice!"

He patted them enthusiastically on their shoulders with both hands.

The two recognized the voice, but their reaction was strange—the hostility on their faces disappeared, but their vigilance rose again. While turning around to bow to the person, they moved away from him without a trace.

"Battalion Commander You, you are back."

"Battalion Commander You."

You Zi'ang smiled enthusiastically.

"Hmm, back. How is home lately?"

One of them smiled bitterly.

"Sigh, don't mention it."

"Ever since the Regional Commander held the Moon Appreciation Banquet, the roof of this house has been a mess. Every three days, some big thief or demon sneaks in, saying they want to find the divine art practiced by the Regional Commander."

"Battalion Commander Wang and Battalion Commander Li are both out on official business. Battalion Commander An has also been leaving early and returning late these days. It's just Battalion Commander Mei guarding at home, otherwise... sigh."

The other one also had a bitter face.

"Not just this, for the past six months, hasn't the Commander-in-Chief been clashing with those civil officials? Ever since the New Year, our imperial prison hasn't been empty."

"The previous one hasn't been interrogated yet, and the next one is sent in. Tiger benches, nail chairs, finger clamps, finger presses, we can't even line up. If you want to interrogate a prisoner, you have to go and make the torture tools yourself. As long as you turn your head, the torture tools will be touched away by colleagues—where is the reason for this?"

"We two interrogated a prisoner last time, and in the time it took to go to the latrine, the tiger bench was gone, leaving only the prisoner thrown on the ground naked, even the needles inserted between the fingers were pulled out—where is the reason for this?"

"I'm not bragging to you, with our current skills, if you want to interrogate a prisoner, we can make a set of eighteen torture tools in an afternoon."

Speaking of this, he lowered his voice.

"If you need it, tell us. An old set is fifteen taels of silver, a new set is twenty taels, and it will be delivered to your torture room the next day."

You Zi'ang smiled and said.

"So expensive?"

The Embroidered Uniform Guard grinned.

"Where is it expensive? These months have been this price, we two are very difficult. You don't know, we—"

Halfway through, the other one kicked him and smiled dryly.

"Battalion Commander You, just joking, just joking, we don't have this skill, very poor, very poor."

You Zi'ang didn't get angry, chatted with the two for a few words, and then turned and left.

When his figure disappeared, the two Embroidered Uniform Guards reached out to touch their waist bags at the same time, confirmed they were still there, and then let out a long breath.

You Zi'ang, who had walked far away, was tossing two ingots of silver, humming a song, and walked into the North Town Fusi duty room.

Just as he walked in, a cold female voice stopped his movements.

"Give it back."

You Zi'ang froze in place, turned his head stiffly.

Mei Qinghe was leaning against the corner of the wall with a sword in her arms, looking at him coldly.

"Uh, Battalion Commander Mei... I thought you were in your own duty room..."

You Zi'ang smiled dryly.

Mei Qinghe shook her head and said coldly.

"There are thieves turning over the Regional Commander's things, I am waiting here to kill."

"What is your business?"

You Zi'ang smiled dryly.

"Official business, official business."

He reached into his arms and took out a letter, moved his feet, but didn't take a step, just used a hidden weapon technique from far away to throw the envelope to Mei Qinghe.

Mei Qinghe reached out to catch it, her face solemn.

"News from the Regional Commander?"

You Zi'ang nodded.

"Yes."

"For whom?"

"Commander-in-Chief."

"What matter?"

You Zi'ang spread his hands.

"The Regional Commander instructed that only Battalion Commanders Wang, Li, and An can open it. But if they are not there, Battalion Commander Mei, you should hand it to the Commander-in-Chief."

"As for the content inside, except for the four of you, only the Commander-in-Chief can see it."

Mei Qinghe nodded, walked out of the duty room without stopping, and when passing by You Zi'ang, said coldly again "Give it back," seeing You Zi'ang nodding repeatedly with a dry smile, only then turned and walked toward Zhu Zai's duty room.

*Deng, deng, deng.

Mei Qinghe knocked on the door.

"Come in."

Zhu Zai's somewhat irritable voice came from inside.

Mei Qinghe pushed the door and walked in, and saw the room full of waste paper, several rolls of bright yellow cloth piled in the corner, on which the words "By the order of the Emperor, the mandate of heaven" could be vaguely seen.

Zhu Zai sat behind the desk, frowning and thinking at a blank imperial edict on the table with a tired face, one hand holding a paper full of names, one hand holding a pen, and hadn't written for a long time.

Mei Qinghe stood aside and waited.

After waiting for half an hour, Zhu Zai sighed, picked up the pen and wrote a few names on the imperial edict, rolled it up and put it aside, only then rubbed his eyebrows and looked at Mei Qinghe.

"What matter?"

"News from the Regional Commander, Battalion Commander You brought it back personally, to be given directly to you."

Mei Qinghe stepped forward and put the letter on the table.

"Tsk!"

Zhu Zai looked disgusted.

"Dead thing, what kind of mess did he throw to this old man again!"

But his hands were busy opening the letter and unfolding it to look closely.

At this look, the old man's brows furrowed.

After looking at it for two more glances, his face turned red.

After reading it, Zhu Zai's chest was already rising and falling, and his beard was blown away, his teeth gnashing.

"Bastard! He even dares to sell the Ming Cult's things!"

"Traitorous bastard!!!"

"Family misfortune! Family misfortune!!!"

*Whoosh! —

Mei Qinghe dodged the stationery flying out of the door with ease, used her sword to block the table flying over and put it on the ground, and finally flew to catch the teacup and teapot in the air, putting them back on the table as they were.

"Hoo—hoo—"

Zhu Zai was so angry that his face was flushed, and he said gnashing his teeth.

"Go, go and capture that beast for me!"

Mei Qinghe's face didn't change.

"Who are you talking about?"

Zhu Zai roared.

"Who else could it be!?"

"My unfilial son! Zhu Yijing, Battalion Commander Zhu, Lord Zhu! Tie him up for this old man!"

Mei Qinghe nodded and left.

Leaving only Zhu Zai slowly sitting on the chair, panting heavily.