Chapter 1026: First Volume, Chapter 1026: Bombshell News

First Volume, Chapter 1026: Bombshell News

At these words, not only Qin Feng, but even the Northern Di officials present were stunned.

This kind of insider secret was not something outsiders could know; Wu Fangxu would never have revealed such a royal scandal unless he had been driven to desperation.

But this was exactly the bombshell news Qin Feng wanted!

"Go on!"

Since he had already opened his mouth, Wu Fangxu had nothing left to hide; he took a deep breath and revealed the Northern Di royal family's most secret disgrace.

"When the Northern Di King saw he had no hope of inheriting the Imperial Throne, he secretly colluded with powerful court ministers, ordering the eunuchs who served the late Emperor to secretly add cinnabar to his meals."

"At first, to avoid suspicion, they added only a small amount of cinnabar; once the late Emperor gradually grew accustomed to it and no longer noticed the changes, they slowly increased the dosage."

"In small doses, cinnabar causes no harm to the body, but long-term consumption leads to poisoning."

"When the late Emperor fell ill, the Northern Di King ordered the palace maids to jointly strangle the Crown Prince while he slept, and also killed the Prince who had rushed back from outside the palace to mourn."

"Finally, with the support of the powerful ministers, the Northern Di King successfully ascended the Imperial Throne."

"Afterward, once the Northern Di King consolidated power, he carried out a bloody purge against all those involved in the poisoning of the late Emperor; it was precisely then that the Ye Xiao, originally founded by the late Emperor, gradually grew and expanded."

"Yet the Northern Di King, despite all his calculations, overlooked two people: one was the late Emperor's Princess Jing Yushu, and the other was a lowly eunuch in the Hou Gong who knew the truth."

"The old eunuch who had poisoned the late Emperor, knowing he would surely die, revealed all the secrets to his trusted junior eunuch. Years later, the junior eunuch was caught stealing from the palace; to save his life, he revealed the secret."

"We, the Ministry of Rites ministers, understood the gravity of this matter, so we executed the junior eunuch and buried the secret."

Hearing Wu Fangxu's account, Qin Feng fell into thought; after a moment, he asked softly: "According to you, all the eyewitnesses from that time are dead. Even if this secret is true, who would believe it?"

Wu Fangxu seemed to have anticipated Qin Feng's question, and quickly explained: "Although there are no eyewitnesses left, there is physical evidence!"

"The minister who conspired with the Northern Di King, fearing he would be murdered later, kept a copy of all his correspondence with the Northern Di King."

"He originally planned to use it to blackmail the Northern Di King, but before he could speak, he was killed by Ye Xiao."

"These letters are all sealed and stored in the Ye Xiao Zong Bu."

Wu Fangxu's revelation was far too tempting: if all of it were true, they could easily topple the Northern Di King, and since Jing Qianying was the only surviving child of the late Emperor, her succession to the Imperial Throne would be perfectly logical.

Yet Qin Feng felt uneasy, fearing Wu Fangxu might be a Dead Soldier loyal to the Northern Di King—if true, he was planting false evidence to spread lies, and would ultimately bring ruin upon himself.

To be safe, Qin Feng did not rejoice immediately; instead, he pressed urgently: "If this evidence is all stored in the Ye Xiao Zong Bu, how do you know about it?"

Wu Fangxu replied confidently: "Lord Qin, you may not know that Li Yu, the Ye Xiao Zhusi, once served in the Ministry of Rites before being transferred to Ye Xiao."

"That is why Li Yu has deep ties with the Ministry of Rites."

"I dare not deceive Lord Qin—these secrets were revealed to me by Li Yu himself, because Li Yu also wishes to secure a way out for himself…"

Saying this, Wu Fangxu immediately knelt and pleaded: "I am Li Yu's spy planted within the Ministry of Rites."

Wu Fangxu well knew how much trouble Ye Xiao had caused Qin Feng, and how deeply Qin Feng hated Li Yu; he feared Qin Feng might blame him simply because of his connection to Li Yu.

Qin Feng still could not fully believe him; after all, Wu Fangxu's claims were… too coincidental.

Could it be that whatever he wanted, Old Heaven would simply hand it to him? Old Heaven must think far too highly of him.

Yet Wu Fangxu's words were impossible to verify as true or false.

Just as Qin Feng was caught between doubt and decision, Liu Ming suddenly stepped beside him and whispered in his ear: "Lord Qin, whether the secret Wu Fangxu revealed is true or false remains uncertain, but his connection to Li Yu is genuine."

"As Ye Xiao Zhusi, Li Yu is naturally a key surveillance target of the Tianji Camp; before this, the Tianji Camp Guards have exhausted every effort to investigate Li Yu's network."

"Therefore, I believe Wu Fangxu's account is seven or eight tenths credible."

Liu Ming was an intelligence officer; if even he said this, Qin Feng's unease eased slightly—but since this matter was of such grave importance, Qin Feng dared not make a hasty judgment, and immediately ordered Liu Ming to lead the Tianji Camp Guards straight to the Ye Xiao Zong Bu to review every secret archive within.

Since Ye Xiao betrayed the Northern Di King, its headquarters had remained sealed; all Ye Xiao members loyal to the Northern Di King were imprisoned inside, forced to eat, drink, and relieve themselves within its walls.

When Liu Ming led the Tianji Camp Guards and Tianji Camp Guards to smash open the outer lock and step inside, the vast courtyard reeked of a pungent stench.

Liu Ming frowned and ordered: "Search thoroughly—leave nothing of value unexamined!"

At his command, the Tianji Camp Guards scattered, while the Tianji Camp Guards moved together, leaving only four men to guard Liu Ming's side.

The Tianji Camp Guards' duty was to protect the Tianji Camp Guards' safety, for they faced bloodthirsty Ye Xiao, and the Tianji Camp Guards were not skilled in close combat; thus, having the Tianji Camp Guards assist was essential.

Soon, the Tianji Camp Guards returned one by one to Liu Ming.

"Sir, we found numerous Ye Xiao corpses in the back courtyard's lao fang."

"These corpses have been dead for at least half a month."

Liu Ming showed little reaction; he had seen too many corpses to be moved by them anymore.

"Is the stench in the courtyard coming from these decaying corpses?"

The tall, thin Tianji Camp Guard shook his head: "Clearly not. Though these men have been dead for half a month, the freezing cold has slowed decomposition significantly."

"This odor comes from excrement."

Liu Ming understood: many Ye Xiao had been imprisoned here; clearly, they had suffered terribly during this time.

It was hard to imagine that the once-mighty Ye Xiao had ended up in a fate worse than pigs or dogs.

Out of respect for his fellow operatives, Liu Ming asked softly: "Were these Ye Xiao starved to death?"

The tall Tianji Camp Guard shook his head again: "They were all killed."