Chapter 387 - 248: Beating the Mountain to Frighten the Tiger
Chapter 387: Chapter 248: Beating the Mountain to Frighten the Tiger
At this point, Chen Yi had no choice but to trust her this one time.
After a few words of instruction, he had Zhang Dabao drive him to the Imprisonment Department on South Street.
He sat upright in the carriage and took off the black iron mask, a smile touching his lips as he watched the light rain outside.
’This move—knocking on the mountain to scare the tiger—I hope Lord Liu is satisfied...’
...
「An hour later.」
Fang Hongxiu received a letter and hurriedly led her people to a residence in Pingyao Lane in the East Market.
She looked at the unconscious Martial Artists inside and the dead barbarian slave in the secluded room, a thoughtful expression on her face.
She then summoned an Imprisonment Officer and asked, "Did you get a clear look at the person who delivered the letter?"
The Imprisonment Officer shook his head. "Forgive me, Lord Hundred Households. I only saw the letter, not who delivered it."
Fang Hongxiu was a little disappointed.
Although she knew it was the work of "Liu Wu," and that the two of them were currently cooperating, she still wanted to find out his true identity.
Unfortunately, Liu Wu was far too cautious.
With this in mind, Fang Hongxiu commanded, "Take them all back to the Imprisonment Department’s Inner Prison."
"Also, find some Physicians. Have them woken up as soon as possible. I will interrogate them myself."
"Yes!"
「Meanwhile, at the Governor’s Office.」
Dressed in a red Official Robe, Liu Hong sat at his desk, writing a memorial to the throne.
As his brush moved, the characters in Wei Qing’s Style were upright and orderly, each stroke penetrating the paper with force.
The summer grain tax for Shu State totals 3.3 million shi and will soon be dispatched to the Capital Prefecture; with the Annual Examination approaching, the scholars throughout the state...
As he was writing, a man hurried in from outside. "My Lord!"
Liu Hong furrowed his brow slightly and looked at the newcomer. "Shichang, what has you so flustered?"
The man was Zhao Shichang. Without hesitation, he leaned closer and whispered, "My Lord, something has happened!"
"The residence in Pingyao Lane... the Imprisonment Department found it somehow."
"If they found it, they found it. They were meant to be sent to the Government Office anyway..."
Before he could finish, Liu Hong froze. He turned to face him, his tone serious. "What about our ’distinguished guest’?"
Zhao Shichang replied in a low voice, "He... is gone."
"And... and not only did the men from the Imprisonment Department find the bodies of the barbarian slaves, they also... also..."
"Also what?"
"They also captured our men."
After a pause, he hastily added, "Fortunately, for some reason, they’re all unconscious, so the Imprisonment Department can’t interrogate them for now."
Upon hearing this, Liu Hong’s expression changed dramatically, his eyes flickering with uncertainty.
Scared into silence, Zhao Shichang took a few steps back, not daring to even breathe.
A long silence fell.
Liu Hong put down his brush, leaned back in his chair, and rubbed the bridge of his nose. He asked:
"The Imprisonment Department captured them, so they should have been taken straight to the Inner Prison."
"Find a way to silence them permanently."
Zhao Shichang bowed and replied, "My Lord, before I came, I had already instructed our people to find an opportunity to act, but... but..."
"What else is there?!"
Liu Hong’s voice was seething with rage.
A bitter smile appeared on Zhao Shichang’s face as he continued, "Besides Asutai, Zeng Zhifeng is... is also missing."
Liu Hong could no longer contain his anger. He slammed his hand on the table and demanded in a low, dangerous voice, "Are you saying he betrayed me?!"
"It’s... it’s not impossible."
"According to the Imprisonment Department, aside from the corpses of the barbarian slaves, all the other Guards were just poisoned and unconscious."
"Good. Very good!"
"You, go and inform the boss at once! Have him tell those two—I want them found, dead or alive!"
Zhao Shichang naturally understood he was talking about Lv Jiunan and Ge Muxiao.
After a moment’s hesitation, he bowed and departed quickly.
Long after he had gone, Liu Hong sat in silence before finally letting out a long breath.
He stared at the memorial on his desk, his eyes as cold as ice.
’Someone definitely betrayed me, but it wasn’t necessarily Zeng Zhifeng. It could be someone else...’
’No matter who it is, anyone who dares to ruin my plans will meet the same end!’
’Death!’