Chapter 140: Prelude To The Storm Of Slaughter 【 Seeking Monthly Tickets 】
Jiang Huan almost stumbled out of the suffocating confines of the Imperial Prison. It wasn’t until the cold night wind hit his face that he felt he could breathe again.
Zhang Biao’s seemingly calm, even mocking, reaction terrified him more than any hysterical outburst.
He dared not delay, immediately returning to Huagai Hall to report.
Inside Huagai Hall, the candlelight still burned, and Old Zhu sat like a statue, as if he hadn’t moved at all.
“Your Majesty.”
Jiang Huan prostrated himself, his voice carrying a barely perceptible dryness and fatigue.
He recounted the entire meeting with Zhang Biao, including every detail, every word exchanged, especially Zhang Biao’s unusual calmness and his final comment about the ‘poor food at the Ministry of Justice Prison,’ reporting it all verbatim, without embellishment or omission.
Silence fell again in the hall.
Old Zhu’s fingers tapped rhythmically on the armrest, slow and heavy, as if weighing the significance of every word Jiang Huan had spoken.
【Calmness… mockery… commenting on prison food…】
【Didn’t ask about the iron box, only the detention location…】
【And that last comment about Jiang Huan investigating the Crown Prince…】
A complex light flickered in Old Zhu’s eyes.
Zhang Biao’s reaction was also beyond his expectation.
Such an uncharacteristic calmness could only have two explanations:
【Either Zhang Biao was utterly cold-blooded, and his five subordinates were insignificant tools to him, dispensable at any moment.】
【Or, this was all within his foresight and calculations. He might have even learned of the outside situation through some unknown means and already had a plan to deal with it, hence his unruffled demeanor.】
Old Zhu leaned towards the latter.
Because a truly cold-blooded person would not crazily advocate for a cause with their life over something as trivial as ‘demanding salary,’ nor would they protect their subordinates while seeking death.
Zhang Biao’s madness hid a strange, twisted ‘loyalty,’ or perhaps ‘principle.’
【He’s putting on a show for us.】
【He wants us to think he doesn’t care, to lower our guard.】
【But his final question, while seemingly indifferent, actually revealed his concern. He cares about the detention location of those two individuals.】
【Otherwise, he wouldn’t have threatened Jiang Huan.】
A cold, knowing smile curved Old Zhu’s lips.
【Zhang Biao, Zhang Biao, you’re still too young.】
“Jiang Huan,” Old Zhu said slowly.
“Your servant is here.”
“Those two criminals are in the Ministry of Justice Prison…”
Old Zhu’s tone was even:
“Don’t let them die, but don’t let them have it too easy either. And especially, don’t let Fu Youwen’s people get a chance to approach them for any silencing.”
“Your Majesty is wise!”
Jiang Huan immediately understood. This was to tightly control these two hostages, preventing Fu Youwen from silencing them, but also not allowing them to die easily, so they could serve as important bargaining chips to pressure Zhang Biao.
“As for Zhao Fengman and that iron box…”
Old Zhu pondered for a moment, a sharp glint in his eyes: “Continue to let Fu Youwen and his men search for it. Your people, keep a very close watch on them, see what they can uncover and what they are trying to conceal. If necessary… you can ‘facilitate’ things for them, making them think they are close to success.”
Jiang Huan’s heart trembled. The Emperor intended to lure the snake out of its hole, even using Fu Youwen’s forces to find the iron box?!
“Your servant understands!”
Jiang Huan received the order again.
“And one more thing!”
Old Zhu’s gaze deepened:
“Regarding Zhang Biao… no need to force him for a confession for now. Let him stew.”
“Let him stew?” Jiang Huan was somewhat perplexed.
“Yes, let him stew.”
Old Zhu said calmly, “Isn’t he good at acting? Pretending not to care? Let’s see how long he can keep it up.”
“When he can no longer hold back, he will naturally reveal a flaw. Or… when his subordinate Zhao Fengman, or that iron box, falls into our hands…”
Old Zhu didn’t finish, but his meaning was clear.
He would wait, wait until the bargaining chips accumulated sufficiently, wait for Zhang Biao to lose his composure, or wait for the truth to gradually surface. Only then would it be time for a true showdown.
This was an extreme display of patience and confidence, stemming from his perceived control over the overall situation and his insight into human weakness.
“Your servant obeys your decree!”
Jiang Huan bowed deeply.
“Go.”
Old Zhu waved his hand and picked up another memorial, seemingly intending to set Zhang Biao aside for the moment.
Jiang Huan silently withdrew from the main hall and began to strictly carry out Old Zhu’s orders.
On one hand, he strengthened surveillance of the Ministry of Justice Prison; on the other, he intensified observation of Fu Youwen’s and others’ actions.
At the same time, attention to the Imperial Prison was not relaxed, but shifted from overt interrogation to more covert observation.
As for Zhang Biao, he was well aware of this.
He had completely anticipated Old Zhu’s intentions.
But he was not in a hurry.
Because he knew there was someone who would be more anxious than all of them.
—Fu Youwen.
The iron box was missing, rumors were rampant, and although the Emperor had not made a grand public display, the covert surveillance must have reached its peak.
Fu Youwen was now like an ant on a hot pan. He had to find Zhao Fengman at all costs, retrieve the iron box, or at least confirm that its contents had not been seized by the Emperor, before the Emperor intervened directly.
And the more anxious Fu Youwen became, the more likely he was to make mistakes.
The more mistakes he made, the more flaws would appear.
What Zhang Biao had to do now was patiently wait for Fu Youwen and his men to ‘pull out the radish and bring out the mud.’
After all, his target had never been Fu Youwen and his four men, but the ‘big figure’ behind them.
【Shen Lang, Sun Gui, hold on a little longer.】
【Fengman, hide yourself well, hide the iron box well.】
【Li Mo, Wu Nai Da, it’s up to you next.】
…
Meanwhile.
After spreading the rumors, Li Mo and Wu Nai Da immediately severed ties with all previous contact points, disappearing like drops of water into the ocean.
They knew that Fu Youwen would definitely not let them go.
Yingtian Prefecture was now a place of traps for them.
In an extremely hidden, long-abandoned cellar of a private residence, the two, illuminated by the faint light of an oil lamp, sat in silence, their faces grim.
“The rumors have been spread,”
Wu Nai Da lowered his voice, his eyes bloodshot, “The whole city is now discussing the Ministry of Revenue’s iron box and Fu Youwen’s scandals. But how long can this delay things?”
Li Mo looked equally weary, but his gaze was unusually calm:
“Rumors can only create chaos and buy time. What can truly save Shen Lang and Sun Gui, and protect Fengman and the iron box, is not rumors, but…”
He paused, then continued, “We need to muddy the waters further, so much so that Fu Youwen cannot control it, so much so that someone from a higher level must intervene!”
“Higher level? The Emperor?”
Wu Nai Da gave a wry smile, “The Emperor’s mind is not on these corruption cases at all. He…”
He suddenly stopped, a thought so bold it was like lightning struck him.
He looked sharply at Li Mo, his eyes filled with shock and a hint of mad excitement.
Li Mo seemed to sense his thoughts and slowly nodded, his voice low and resolute:
“Exactly… What the Emperor cares about most, we will give him!”
“You mean…”
Wu Nai Da’s breathing quickened, “To steer the matter of the iron box towards that incident?!”
Although they dared not speak it plainly, both knew what ‘that incident’ referred to.
—The death of Crown Prince Zhu Biao!
“But… we don’t know what’s inside the iron box at all!”
Wu Nai Da felt a wave of fear, “What if it’s just ordinary evidence of corruption? If we do this, it’s a crime of deceiving the Emperor! A crime punishable by extermination of nine generations of the family!”
“We don’t need to know exactly what’s inside!”
Li Mo’s gaze was sharp as a knife, “We only need to make the Emperor ‘suspect’ what it might be!”
“Why is Fu Youwen so afraid of that iron box? Why did Zhao Qian hide it so secretly before he died? Why was it discovered precisely at this time? These questions themselves are enough to make the Emperor ponder!”
“We need to spread new rumors!”
Li Mo’s speaking pace quickened, his thoughts becoming clearer, “Say… that iron box is a life-saving charm left by former Vice Minister Zhao Qian, and it contains clues to a shocking old case from several months ago, not ordinary corruption evidence!”
“As for what specific old case… let them guess themselves, and match it!”
Wu Nai Da listened, his heart pounding, but he also knew this was the only way to break the deadlock.
Only by escalating the matter to the highest level, touching upon the Emperor’s most sensitive and forbidden reverse scale, could they force the Emperor to personally intervene and investigate thoroughly.
At that point, Fu Youwen and his ilk would no longer be able to cover the sky with one hand.
“Fortune favors the bold! Let’s do it!”
Wu Nai Da gritted his teeth, a look of desperation flashing in his eyes, “I’ll go find people! This time, I’ll find the most desperate and the fastest-mouthed!”
“Be careful!” Li Mo cautioned, “Fu Youwen is surely like a rabid dog now, watching everyone who might spread information!”
“Don’t worry! I know who to find!”
Wu Nai Da nodded heavily and slipped out of the cellar like a ghost.
Li Mo remained alone in the darkness, his heart pounding like a drum.
He knew they were playing with fire, even dancing on the edge of a blade.
If they failed, there would be no chance of redemption.
But to save their companions, to complete their Brother Biao’s unfinished ’cause,’ they had no other choice.
Wu Nai Da’s efficiency was high. Despite his low official rank, holding a position in the Ministry of Personnel of Yingtian Prefecture was proof of his ability.
Soon, through various channels, he disseminated new rumors.
And the underground world of Yingtian Prefecture was stirred into a storm by the new rumors.
“Did you hear? The iron box from the Ministry of Revenue isn’t about corruption, it’s about an old case from several months ago!”
“What old case? One that made Vice Minister Fu and them so scared?”
“Shhh, keep your voice down! What else could it be? Think about it, several months ago, which big figure passed away?”
“Could it be… Yiwen…”
“Shut up! Don’t you want to live?! Anyway, it’s said to contain something deadly! Zhao Qian was silenced because of it!”
“No wonder the Emperor was alarmed…”
Even more subtle, yet more deadly rumors, like an invisible poison fog, rapidly permeated teahouses, wine shops, entertainment venues, and even circulated quietly among some lower-ranking officials.
Although no one dared to say it openly, the words ‘several months ago,’ ‘old case,’ and ‘big figure’ acted like passwords in the darkness, precisely pointing to that taboo that everyone dared not touch.
This undercurrent inevitably reached Jiang Huan’s ears.
When he heard his subordinate Imperial Guard Officer cautiously report the new rumors, the Imperial Guard Commander’s face instantly turned paler than that of a dead man.
He practically scrambled back into Huagai Hall.
“Your Majesty! Your Majesty!”
Jiang Huan’s voice was filled with unprecedented terror, he even forgot his manners, “New rumors! They’re about the iron box! They say it involves the Crown Prince…”
“Enough!”
Old Zhu cut him off sharply, his voice like cracking ice, containing extreme fury and a terrifying killing intent of being touched on his reverse scale.
He didn’t need Jiang Huan to finish; those words themselves stabbed his heart like poisoned needles.
The air in the hall seemed to be instantly sucked dry.
Jiang Huan prostrated himself, trembling all over, not daring to look up.
Old Zhu’s chest heaved violently, his temples throbbing, his eyes bloodshot and terrifying.
He clenched his fists tightly, his fingernails digging deeply into his palms, trying to use the pain to suppress the raging fury and suspicion that threatened to overwhelm his reason.
【Old case… the Crown Prince】
【Indeed! It’s related to Biao’er, isn’t it?!】
【Zhang Biao! Fu Youwen! What exactly do you know?!】
Rumors cannot be groundless.
Especially when they so precisely point to the Crown Prince.
Behind this, there must be an insider pushing it.
Is it Zhang Biao directing from prison? Or are those dogs Li Mo and Wu Nai Da struggling in their death throes?
Or has there been a split within the Fu Youwen faction, with someone wanting to go down in flames?
Countless possibilities collided wildly in Old Zhu’s mind, each one igniting his killing intent!
But he ultimately suppressed the impulse to order a bloodbath immediately.
At such a time, one must not lose composure.
“Jiang Huan.”
Old Zhu’s voice was terrifyingly hoarse, like sandpaper grinding.
“Your… Your servant is here…”
“Can you trace the source of the rumors?”
“Yes, but there’s no need to trace it. It’s most likely rumors spread by Li Mo and Wu Nai Da!”
Jiang Huan broke out in a cold sweat.
A cold glint flashed in Old Zhu’s eyes, further confirming his suspicion. It was indeed related to Zhang Biao.
However, Li Mo and Wu Nai Da probably didn’t know the secret inside the iron box.
Otherwise, they would never have dared to spread such rumors.
The reason they spread these rumors was twofold: first, to give everyone something to speculate about and force Fu Youwen and his men to reveal themselves; second, to draw our attention.
After all, everyone knows that I care about Biao’er’s cause of death.
“What about Fu Youwen’s side? Any movement?”
Old Zhu changed the subject.
“Replying to Your Majesty, Vice Minister Fu and his men are like ants on a hot pan. It is said they have secretly offered a huge reward, willing to spare no expense to search for Zhao Fengman and the iron box!”
Jiang Huan quickly reported, “Their men are searching the entire city like mad dogs, even secretly contacting some desperate fugitives from the jianghu!”
【Heh, this is a cornered beast lashing out.】
Old Zhu sneered inwardly.
【It seems the contents of this iron box are even more deadly than I imagined!】
【Those two dogs, Li Mo and Wu Nai Da, have accidentally hit the mark!】
“Good, very good.”
Old Zhu’s voice suddenly calmed, but this calmness was more terrifying than a roar:
“Let them search. Your people, keep a deathly close watch on them. Every place they search, everyone they contact, record it all!”
“Also!”
Old Zhu paused, a cruelly cold light flashing in his eyes:
“Add some ‘flavor’ to those two in the Ministry of Justice Prison. No need for heavy torture, just starve them, freeze them, interrogate them frequently, and deny them sleep… drive them to the brink of collapse.”
Jiang Huan’s heart tensed, and he immediately understood, “Your Majesty intends… to wait until their will is weakest…”
“We’ll see if their stubbornness is harder, or if our methods are harder,”
Old Zhu said indifferently, “And we’ll see if their ‘Brother Biao’ can continue to pretend!”
He was employing a two-pronged approach: one, applying pressure on Shen Lang and Sun Gui; the other, continuing to observe Zhang Biao’s reaction.
At the same time, he would indulge Li Mo and Wu Nai Da’s actions, watch Fu Youwen and his men perform, and wait for them to make mistakes or fall out amongst themselves.
“Your servant obeys your decree!”
Jiang Huan received the order and withdrew again.
He knew that the Emperor’s patience was nearing its end.
And a storm of slaughter was quietly brewing.
