[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-top-scholar-of-da-ling":3,"chapter-the-top-scholar-of-da-ling-the-top-scholar-of-da-ling-chapter-41":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","The Top Scholar of Da Ling",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2288876,4475,"Chapter 41: After the Interrogation","the-top-scholar-of-da-ling-chapter-41",41,"\u003Cp>Shangmu County, within the Qi Prince’s palace garden.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Qi Prince’s pale face trembled violently as he slammed his fist on the table: “You good-for-nothing Jiang Mingyu, I won’t let this go.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your Highness, if not for my quick thinking and shifting all blame onto the foreign tribes, those starving soldiers would have already mutinied!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Today we lost tens of thousands in silver and lost face—what do you propose we do?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ma Commandant, head drooping, sneered: “Jiang Mingyu has been here only a few days, yet he’s already driven us to the brink. He killed first, then cut off our revenue streams—our standing under the Yasmo Regional Military Commissioner is crumbling, Your Highness!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Qi Prince stroked his beard, hesitating: “Then, what plan do you have?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ma Commandant made a slashing motion across his throat, eyes gleaming with malice: “Kill Jiang Mingyu. End it all.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Qi Prince drew in a sharp breath: “But he’s an imperial envoy sent by His Majesty. If he dies like this, how do we explain it to the court?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ma Commandant spoke calmly: “Your Highness, rest assured—I already have a solution. The court knows the situation in Yasmo Regional Military Commissioner’s domain well, and they rely on you to guard this border. If he dies under suspicious circumstances, His Majesty won’t blame you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I don’t believe the next county magistrate will dare defy you as he did. Then, won’t Yasmo Regional Military Commissioner be entirely yours, Your Highness?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Qi Prince remained uncertain: “But…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ma Commandant grew impatient: “Your Highness, stop hesitating. Embezzling military pay is a capital crime. If Jiang Mingyu exposes this to the court, you’ll be implicated.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“For this alone, Jiang Mingyu must die!” His tone was firm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Qi Prince stroked his beard, pacing slowly in thought. Finally, a cold smile curled his lips: “Very well. How do you plan to do it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon hearing the Qi Prince’s consent, Ma Commandant’s eyes flashed with ice: “Tonight, I’ll send men to infiltrate the county office and see him off.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And that Murong Yunhai and that Tu man—they’ve been shadowing Jiang Mingyu day and night. They must die too.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Qi Prince pondered: “Murong Yunhai isn’t easy to handle. His ties to His Majesty are extraordinary—we can’t afford carelessness.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ma Commandant sneered: “‘Strike unseen, die unknowing.’ Even if he has heavenly arts, he’ll die a fool.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“In a few days, their corpses will appear outside the city.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Foreign tribes, desperate for winter grain, went mad and murdered the lone imperial envoy on patrol outside the city.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you report it this way to the court, they’ll only conclude Jiang Mingyu brought his death upon himself. Isn’t that clean?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Qi Prince stroked his beard again, then slammed his palm down: “Fine. A true man doesn’t hesitate. Go arrange it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Be cautious. Move swiftly. Leave no trace.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His lips curled into a cold smile: “If you won’t let me live in peace, then die.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the streets of Shangmu County, the sun leaned westward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Murong Yunhai stared intently at Jiang Mingyu in the cold wind: “Xingqiu, what’s your plan?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tu Xesuo added: “If all else fails, tonight I’ll sneak into Qinglong Zhai  and wipe out those bandits.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu frowned at Murong Yunhai: “You’ve been here long—why haven’t you destroyed these bandits yet?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Murong Yunhai spoke heavily: “I’ve infiltrated Qinglong Zhai  multiple times, but the paths twist and turn—I kept getting lost. Now that one of them’s captured, we can force him to confess and uncover the Zhai ’s secrets—once and for all. Shangmu County’s current state? These beasts bear equal blame.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu studied Murong Yunhai as he adjusted his hair: “Aren’t you afraid of failing—and staying in Qinglong Zhai  forever?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Murong Yunhai chuckled: “With Brother Tu’s help, those dozen rusty blades won’t hold me, Murong Yunhai.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Besides, for the sake of the townsfolk, even if I die buried in Qinglong Zhai , what’s there to fear?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, Murong Yunhai resembled the great heroes Jiang Mingyu had seen on television in his past life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu nodded: “Well said. Let’s return to the county office and summon him for interrogation.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Remember—absolute secrecy. If word leaks, we won’t get another chance.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the way back, Murong Yunhai asked cheerfully: “Xingqiu, do you think the bandit will confess easily?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu smiled against the cold wind: “If he won’t talk, we’ll use the racks. How hard can he be compared to our instruments?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Never show mercy to scum like him.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Murong Yunhai had assumed Jiang Mingyu lacked the stomach for cruelty—now he realized he’d misjudged him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu wasn’t a cruel official, nor did he take lives lightly—but at critical moments, mercy meant nothing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As one who had crossed over, he respected and feared life—but that didn’t mean anyone could ride over him, defile him, or shit on his authority.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those who showed him respect, he repaid in kind; those who challenged his authority, he crushed without hesitation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If killing one man saved ten thousand, that was true compassion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the county office hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Jiang Mingyu return, the thin Wu Xiao rushed forward: “My lord, the prisoner’s locked in the cell.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Dog Egg’s watching him. When do we start the interrogation?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu nodded: “Bring him up. Prepare the racks. We’ll begin immediately.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he changed into his official robes, Li Dog Egg and Wu Xiao led in a gaunt bandit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The bandit’s clothes were torn, his eyes wide with terror, his gait unnatural.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Dog Egg, bearded and burly, looked refreshed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu sat upon the dais, thinking: This boy must’ve taken more than a few of Dog Egg’s black sticks in the cell.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Jiang Mingyu, the bandit on the floor grew even more terrified.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He scrambled up, straightened his numb legs, and bowed his head to Jiang Mingyu, voice hoarse: “My lord… Imperial Envoy, I admit my guilt! I’ll confess everything! If you’re still angry, kill me—but please, don’t send me back to the cell!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His eyes were bloodshot, glistening with tears—nothing like his earlier arrogance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu sensed genuine fear and said casually: “Fine. Tell me about Qinglong Zhai .”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After receiving a satisfactory answer, Jiang Mingyu sent the bandit Liu Tianyu back to his cell—still desperately begging not to return.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu stared at the unused torture tools, puzzled: “Why did he confess so easily? That doesn’t make sense… is this a trick?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And his demeanor, his begging—it’s all off. Dog Egg, what did you do to him in the cell?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Dog Egg’s rugged face flushed crimson: “My lord, rest assured—he knows his life’s in your hands. He wouldn’t dare lie.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I… I just followed your orders, my lord.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu was utterly baffled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What orders? What did I say?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Dog Egg’s face reddened further as he stammered: “You said you’d interrogate him later… so I followed your instructions…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing the tone shift, Jiang Mingyu shuddered with revulsion: “Wait—what exactly did you do?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Dog Egg gave him a look of “Why pretend ignorance?”: “So I did as you ordered… you know… that thing.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My lord, why that look? I only did what you told me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He grinned like a man who’d discovered a new continent: “Heh—heh… never thought I’d have such an experience… oddly satisfying…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As it turned out, once the bow is drawn, there’s no turning back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Tianyu was the first to feel Li Dog Egg’s black stick—but far from the last. Li Dog Egg’s shameless private life had officially begun.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu’s stomach churned: “Shut up. That’s disgusting.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d assumed Liu Tianyu had been beaten with Dog Egg’s black stick—but now he realized it was the other kind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The black, hard kind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu was speechless: “Heaven, what did I do to deserve this?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Getting stranded in this hellhole is bad enough—but why do I keep running into these… flower lovers?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Others get systems, golden fingers—why does Jiang Mou get this bloody, twisted fate?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How am I supposed to reverse my fortune? Heaven, strike me down with lightning right now!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, he felt Li Dog Egg’s gaze on him—strange.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps the next victim would be his own handsome self.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu’s eyes narrowed with caution: “Enough. We have Qinglong Zhai ’s map.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Tonight, Dog Egg and Xiao Er guard the office. I, Murong, and Brother Tu will raid Qinglong Zhai . We leave at the second watch.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tu Xesuo frowned delicately: “My lord, let me and Lord Murong go—you stay here and wait for word.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your martial skill is weak. If you’re harmed, how can I answer to His Majesty?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu refused: “You two going alone is too dangerous. I’ll keep watch for you. It’s settled—we leave at the third watch.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching Jiang Mingyu walk away, Tu Xesuo and Murong Yunhai felt a warm current flow through their hearts.\u003C\u002Fp>",1472,"2026-06-20T03:28:17.113Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","54a5b1bb87e1bb1f2a432f2a5ac38185c08f86edbe877d3bf49d4f97f6758569","the-top-scholar-of-da-ling-chapter-42","the-top-scholar-of-da-ling-chapter-40",392,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-top-scholar-of-da-ling-cover.jpg"]