Chapter 41: Forced Interrogation Later

In Shangmu County, within the Qi Prince's palace gardens.

The Qi Prince's pale face trembled violently as he slammed his hand on the table: "You, Jiang Jiang Mingyu, I will not let this end."

"Your Highness the Qi Prince, if it were not for my quick thinking in shifting all blame onto the foreigners, those soldiers on the verge of starvation would likely have already mutinied by now!"

"Today we have not only lost tens of thousands of taels of silver, but I have also been utterly humiliated. Tell me, what shall we do?"

Commandant Ma, with his head hanging low, wore a ferocious expression: "This Jiang Jiang Mingyu has only been here a few days, yet he has already tormented us into a daze. He killed first, then cut off our source of wealth. Our position in the Yisimo Regional Military Commissioner's office is precarious, Your Highness!"

The Qi Prince stroked his beard and asked hesitantly: "Then, what strategy do you have?"

Commandant Ma made a gesture of slitting a throat, a vicious gleam flashing in his eyes: "Kill Jiang Jiang Mingyu, and the matter is settled once and for all."

The Qi Prince sucked in a sharp breath: "But he is an imperial envoy sent by Your Majesty. If he meets such a death, how can we explain it to the court?"

Commandant Ma said calmly: "Your Highness, rest assured, I already have a solution. The court is fully aware of the situation in the Yisimo Regional Military Commissioner's office and still relies on you to guard this border. If he dies an unnatural death, the Emperor will not easily blame you, Your Highness."

"I do not believe the new county magistrate who arrives will dare to offend you as he did. At that time, will not the Yisimo Regional Military Commissioner's office be entirely under Your Highness the Qi Prince's control?"

The Qi Prince remained wavering: "But..."

Commandant Ma grew somewhat anxious: "Your Highness, please do not hesitate any longer. Embezzling military funds is a grave crime! Once Jiang Jiang Mingyu reveals this matter to the court, you will also be implicated."

"Based on this alone, Jiang Jiang Mingyu must die!" His tone was resolute.

The Qi Prince stroked his beard, paced back and forth, and fell into deep thought. Finally, a cold sneer curled his lips: "Very well, how do you intend to proceed?"

Upon learning of the Qi Prince's approval, a cold light flashed in Commandant Ma's eyes: "Tonight, I will send men to infiltrate the county yamen and send him on his way."

"And that Lord Murong Murong Yunhai and that surnamed Tu bodyguard who follow Jiang Jiang Mingyu around day and night; they must die as well."

The Qi Prince pondered for a moment: "That Lord Murong Murong Yunhai is not easy to deal with; his relationship with Your Majesty is extraordinary. We cannot be careless."

Commandant Ma snorted coldly: " 'Sneak attacks kill without warning.' Even if he possesses heaven-reaching methods, he can only become a confused ghost."

"In a few days, their corpses will appear outside the city walls."

"Foreigners, in their madness to plunder winter provisions, have recklessly killed the imperial envoy who went out alone to patrol the city."

"If you simply report this matter to the court in this manner, the authorities above will only conclude that Jiang Jiang Mingyu sought his own death. In that case, would it not be clean?"

The Qi Prince stroked the beard on his face once more, then finally slapped his hand down: "Good, no poison no man. Go and make the arrangements."

"Be extremely cautious, act swiftly, and under no circumstances leave any evidence."

A cold sneer curled his lips: "Since you will not let this Prince live in peace, then you shall all die."

On the main street of Shangmu County, the sun was tilting west.

Lord Murong Murong Yunhai looked intently at Jiang Jiang Mingyu in the cold wind: "Brother Jiang Xingqiu, what good strategy do you have?"

Tu Tu Kesiluo also chimed in: "If all else fails, tonight I will infiltrate the Green Dragon Bandit Stronghold and wipe out those villains in one sweep."

Jiang Jiang Mingyu looked at Lord Murong Murong Yunhai in confusion: "You have been here for a long time; why have you not yet destroyed this gang of bandits?"

Lord Murong Murong Yunhai spoke with a heavy voice: "I have infiltrated beneath the Green Dragon Bandit Stronghold several times, only to get lost after winding through seven turns and eight twists. Now that the thief is caught, we can force him to confess, probe the secrets of the Green Dragon Bandit Stronghold, and deal with them once and for all. Shangmu County is in its current state, and those beasts are 'not without merit'."

Jiang Jiang Mingyu sized up Lord Murong Murong Yunhai, who was smoothing his sideburns: "Are you not afraid of failing and remaining in the Green Dragon Bandit Stronghold forever?"

Lord Murong Murong Yunhai chuckled: "With the assistance of Lord Tu, those dozen or so broken blades cannot hold me, Lord Murong Murong Yunhai."

"Furthermore, for the sake of the elders and people of the city, even if I were to bury my bones in the Green Dragon Bandit Stronghold, what is there to fear?"

At this moment, Lord Murong Murong Yunhai resembled the great heroes saving the world that Jiang Jiang Mingyu had seen on television in his past life.

Jiang Jiang Mingyu nodded: "Well said. Let us return to the county yamen and convene the court to interrogate."

"Remember, this matter must be kept absolutely secret. If word leaks out, it will be difficult to find another opportunity later."

On the return journey, Lord Murong Murong Yunhai asked with obvious cheerfulness: "Brother Jiang Xingqiu, do you think that thief will confess easily?"

Jiang Jiang Mingyu smiled against the cold wind: "If he does not speak, we will subject him to severe torture. Can he be tougher than our torture instruments?"

"Against such scum, one must absolutely not be soft-hearted or lenient."

Lord Murong Murong Yunhai had originally thought Jiang Jiang Mingyu would be unable to act, but now he felt he had worried unnecessarily.

Jiang Jiang Mingyu was not a cruel official, nor was he someone who easily took lives, but at critical moments, mercy was meaningless.

As a transmigrator, he respected and revered life, but that did not mean anyone could ride on his head to defecate and trample upon him.

To those who gave him respect, he would return equal treatment; but to those who challenged his authority, he would mete out punishment without hesitation.

If killing one person could save ten thousand, that was a manifestation of compassion.

The main hall of the county yamen.

Seeing Jiang Jiang Mingyu return, the frail Wu Xiaoer hurried forward: "My lord, the man has already been locked in the dungeon."

"Dog Dan is watching him. When shall we convene the court for interrogation?"

Jiang Jiang Mingyu nodded: "Bring the man up, subject him to severe torture, and convene the court immediately."

As he changed into his official robes, Li Dog Dan and Wu Xiaoer were leading a thin, emaciated thief slowly into the main hall.

At this moment, the thief's clothes were disheveled, his eyes held panic mixed with terror, and even his walking posture appeared abnormal.

Meanwhile, Li Dog Dan, with his scruffy beard and robust build, looked refreshed and energetic.

Jiang Jiang Mingyu sat upright in the hall, thinking to himself that the boy must have received quite a few beatings from Li Dog Dan's black stick while in the dungeon.

Seeing Jiang Jiang Mingyu, the thief, who had been thrown to the ground, became even more terrified.

He struggled to his feet, straightened his numb legs, and then kowtowed to Jiang Jiang Mingyu, speaking in a hoarse voice: "My lord... Imperial Envoy, this humble one knows his crime. This humble one will confess everything. If you are still not satisfied, then kill this humble one. I beg you, please do not send this humble one back to the dungeon again."

His eyes were bloodshot, tears welling up, looking nothing like his previous arrogant demeanor.

Jiang Jiang Mingyu felt he was truly afraid, so he spoke lightly: "Very well, then tell us about your Green Dragon Bandit Stronghold."

After receiving a satisfactory answer, Jiang Jiang Mingyu sent the thief, Liu Liu Tianyu, who was struggling desperately and refusing to return to the dungeon, back again.

Looking at the unused torture instruments, Jiang Jiang Mingyu felt somewhat confused: "Why did he confess so easily? This is unreasonable. Could there be a trick?"

"Moreover, his demeanor while speaking and the words he used to beg for mercy just now are also contrary to the norm. Dog Dan, what did you do to him in the dungeon?"

Li Dog Dan's rugged face suddenly turned red: "My lord, rest assured. This boy's life is in your hands; he dares not speak falsely."

"This subordinate... well, did I not do exactly as you requested?"

Jiang Jiang Mingyu was even more baffled, like a one-zhang-two monk scratching his head in confusion.

"What do you mean? What did this official ask for?"

Li Goudan's old face turned even redder; he stammered, "Didn't you say back then to review the case at a later date? So your subordinate followed your lordship's instructions..."

Seeing the tone shift wrong, Jiang Jiang Mingyu, covered in goosebumps, shivered instantly: "Wait, so what did you do?"

Li Goudan wore an expression of "Why ask when you already know": "So your subordinate, following your orders, did that thing to him."

"My lord, what is that look? Your subordinate did exactly as you said."

He flashed a smile anyone would understand, as if discovering a new continent: "Hehe, to be honest, your subordinate has never had such an experience before; it actually has a unique flavor..."

Facts proved that once an arrow is loosed, it is hard to send it back.

Liu Liu Tianyu was the first person whipped by Li Goudan's little black stick, but certainly not the last; Li Goudan's shameless private life thus began.

Jiang Jiang Mingyu's stomach immediately churned: "Shut up, it's too disgusting."

He originally thought Liu Liu Tianyu had been attended to by Li Goudan's black stick in the dungeon; now it seemed he truly did suffer the latter's little black stick.

It must have been the very black and very hard kind.

Jiang Jiang Mingyu was utterly speechless: "Heaven, what did I do wrong that you must play with me like this?"

"Being transported to this ghost place is one thing, but why do I always encounter these chrysanthemum-loving people?"

"When others are transported, they get a system and a golden finger; why is it that when it's my turn, Jiang Mou, I get such a blood-stained style?"

"With this, I'll still counterattack his grandfather! Heaven, just strike me with thunder and kill me!"

At that moment, he felt Li Goudan's gaze toward him was somewhat strange.

Perhaps the next one to suffer a poisonous hand would be Xiangmaotangtang himself.

With vigilance in his eyes, Jiang Jiang Mingyu said, "Alright, we have the map of Green Dragon Stronghold now."

"Tonight, Goudan and Xiaoer will guard the county yamen; this official, Brother Lord Murong, and Guard Tu will go to Green Dragon Stronghold to exterminate the bandits, departing at the second watch."

Tu Tu Kesiluo frowned with delicate brows: "My lord, your subordinate and Lord Lord Murong can go; you should remain at the yamen and wait for news."

"Your martial arts are not skilled; if something goes wrong with you, how can I explain it to the Emperor?"

Jiang Jiang Mingyu would not yield: "It is too dangerous for the two of you to go alone; this official will provide cover for you both. It is settled; we depart at the third watch."

Watching Jiang Jiang Mingyu turn and leave, Tu Tu Kesiluo and Lord Murong Murong Yunhai felt a warm current immediately flow through their hearts.