Chapter 1237: You Know Very Well What I Want!

"This subject..." Lord Li was momentarily at a loss, unsure how to answer.

After the others finished reading the confessions one after another, they too exchanged looks. So this was the justification for arresting their families. Of all things, their ordinary incense offerings had now become the source of trouble.

Whether they had actually coordinated with Song in court, whether any improper dealings lay behind those incense offerings—each of them naturally knew the truth in his own heart. Precisely because they knew, they were certain Shao Pingbo was using public authority to avenge a private grudge.

Some even suspected the Emperor himself had instructed Shao Pingbo to do this, seizing the opportunity to punish them for joining hands to force the sovereign's hand.

But once they had been tied to an affair like this, with supporting evidence already produced, what was wrong with taking members of their households away for questioning? Was that itself a crime?

This was an investigation into possible collusion with an enemy state and treason. Their sons had still dared obstruct it? What was wrong with killing decisively rather than allowing time to delay the investigators and coordinate testimony? So long as Blackwater Terrace could account for its actions afterward, it possessed precisely that kind of authority.

The problem now was that, regardless of whether the payments truly were nothing more than incense offerings, once they had become entangled in something like this, no one could simply declare that there was no need to investigate.

The seven men suddenly found themselves with nothing to say.

All that kneeling and pleading outside earlier had apparently been suffered for nothing.

Never in their dreams had they imagined Shao Pingbo would actually use incense money as the point from which to counterattack.

Watching from the side, Taishu Feihua saw the arrogance of the seven ministers collapse in an instant. They plainly looked guilty and short of reason. He did not know exactly what the Emperor had thrown at them, so he swept one sleeve. A surge of magical power rolled out and gathered every confession from their hands into his own. He began reading them himself.

Taishu Xiong chuckled. "Ordinarily, when the state treasury is strained and starving refugees wander the streets of the capital, We ask all of you to think of some way to help or at least perform a charitable act. Every one of you cries poverty and squeezes out only a token sum for appearances."

"Yet in private, any single member of your households can hand over thousands upon thousands in a year to a temple. Just what are you trying to do?"

Lord Gong cupped his hands. "Your Majesty, this subject and the others have always been utterly loyal to the court. Does Your Majesty truly suspect us of secretly colluding with an enemy state?"

Taishu Xiong pointed at him and snapped, "Precisely because We trust you, you are still standing here arguing with Us!"

"Otherwise, on the strength of these clues alone, every one of you could already have been taken away for interrogation!"

"To avoid shaking the court, We have given you more than enough face. Now your families are implicated in this affair. Whether they are innocent or not, are they not even allowed to be questioned?"

"If the Sect Leader had not stepped forward, We would never have bothered seeing you at all. Yet you still have the face to demand that We order their release. What else do you intend?"

Regardless of the actual truth, the seven had no strength to argue against that.

Minister Steward Xue cupped his hands. "Your Majesty, every ministry and yamen has its proper duties, and the court possesses laws and institutions. When commoners commit crimes or officials' families commit crimes, there are corresponding offices responsible for investigation and punishment."

"Even if crimes have been committed, the suspects should be handed to the proper authorities."

"Blackwater Terrace is Jin's intelligence institution. How can it casually interfere with normal law and procedure?"

"If the military may intrude into civilian cases and seize people at will, while local yamen may likewise barge into army camps to arrest soldiers and investigate cases, would all under Heaven not fall into disorder?"

"This subject humbly asks that all suspects connected to the case be transferred to the appropriate offices for a full and proper investigation!"

His objective was simple: first get their families out of Blackwater Terrace's hands. Otherwise, who knew how much suffering those relatives might endure inside Black Prison?

Black Prison belonged to Blackwater Terrace. Its punishments were often designed for enemy agents. In severity, brutality, and sheer terror, they were far beyond anything found in ordinary prisons.

The others understood his purpose at once and cupped their hands together. "We second the proposal! We ask Your Majesty to act according to the laws and institutions of the court!"

Zhao Gongquan also climbed to his feet and returned to stand with the others. He knew there was no longer any point kneeling and crying.

The moment they brought this up, Taishu Xiong became angry again. He jabbed a finger toward them. "How many officials throughout the court are your former students? How many of the relevant yamen are directly controlled by you yourselves?"

"What? Shall We hand your own family members back to you and let you investigate them yourselves?"

"Do you not understand the meaning of recusal?"

One sentence silenced them again.

By then, Taishu Feihua had roughly finished reading the confessions. His face had already darkened, and his cold gaze swept across the seven men.

The seven themselves knew perfectly well that their households had done nothing more than donate incense money. They knew there had been no hidden treasonous dealings behind it. They also knew that when they forced the marriage in court, they had merely been targeting Shao Pingbo and had never coordinated with Jia Wuqun.

But only they themselves knew what lay in their own hearts.

Taishu Feihua did not.

He had no way of knowing what thoughts lay beneath the dignified robes of these men. At the very least, the confessions and clues in his hands were indeed suspicious.

And every one of these men held high office. If any of them truly turned traitor, the consequences would be unimaginable.

Taishu Xiong noticed the change in Taishu Feihua's expression and immediately cupped his hands toward him. "Sect Leader, in your judgment, how should this affair be handled? Whether to investigate or not, We will follow the Sect Leader's instruction."

A single icy word came from Taishu Feihua's mouth.

"Investigate!"

"Yes!" Taishu Xiong accepted the order.

Taishu Feihua then looked at the seven ministers. "His Majesty is not wrong. In both feeling and reason, allowing you to investigate your own household members would indeed be inappropriate. You should recuse yourselves."

"My lords, the clear remain clear, and the turbid remain turbid. If there are no ghosts in your hearts, what harm is there in an investigation? Would you not agree?"

The seven inwardly groaned.

The old man clearly had no idea what happened inside Black Prison.

Was Black Prison a place where matters were handled according to ordinary law?

It was a place beyond the court's reach, where any means necessary could be used.

Yet although the seven had bitterness they could not voice, Taishu Feihua had already spoken. They did not dare argue further and all cupped their hands. "Yes!"

Taishu Feihua said, "It is late. You have also knelt for a long time and must be tired. Let us leave it at this. Return and rest."

"Yes!" The seven accepted the instruction, then cupped their hands toward Taishu Xiong. "This subject takes his leave!"

After they departed, Taishu Feihua extended a hand. Tao Lue immediately stepped forward, accepted the confessions, and withdrew.

Taishu Feihua turned to Taishu Xiong. "Since you already know what you are doing, then handle it with proper measure."

"As for the other Elders, and the other Qiyun Sect disciples, you need not concern yourself. I will give them an explanation."

Taishu Xiong cupped his hands. "Thank you, Eldest Uncle, for your understanding."

Taishu Feihua asked, "What about Song's embassy? Have you sent anyone to seize them?"

Taishu Xiong shook his head and sighed. "Eldest Uncle, the other side acted carefully. The words used to bribe the temple officiant mixed truth and falsehood. They can serve as internal evidence, but not as ironclad proof for action against a foreign state."

"And the things Jia Wuqun said to mother and daughter can also be explained as well-intentioned advice. He can simply deny ever knowing that our court would erupt into such turmoil."

"If we drag the affair into the open, most of what becomes exposed is merely our own court's shame. The whole world would laugh."

"Matters between states cannot be handled so cleanly and directly either. If we casually arrest people from Song's diplomatic mission, Song will immediately arrest members of Jin's mission in return. It will become reciprocal retaliation."

"More importantly, with the war at the front, we should avoid giving Song's cultivators additional reason to intervene if we can. There is no need to create further complications."

"We can settle this account after the war situation stabilizes."

Taishu Feihua slowly nodded. He understood. "Mm. You know what you are doing, and I trust you to handle it. Decide for yourself."

"You still have memorials to review tonight and many affairs of state to deal with. Do not waste more time here. Go back."

"Yes. If Eldest Uncle needs anything, send someone to summon me. Your nephew will take his leave."

Taishu Xiong backed away several steps before turning and departing with Tao Lue.

Once the lakeside had grown quiet again, Taishu Feihua beckoned.

A disciple immediately flashed over to receive orders.

Taishu Feihua slowly said, "The front is still at war. We cannot afford carelessness."

"Keep those seven men under watch. If any suspicious behavior appears, report it immediately."

"And pass orders to the patrols over the capital. Until Blackwater Terrace reaches a conclusion in this case, every Golden Wing message sent from any of the seven residences is to be intercepted!"

"Yes!" The disciple accepted the order and left.

After walking out of the heavily guarded cultivator quarter, Taishu Xiong released a long breath. Looking up at the bright moon, he said, "Our Lord Shao truly struck like thunder before one could cover one's ears. Decisive indeed."

"By morning court tomorrow, the result should be clear."

Tao Lue smiled. "Yes. At least those lords have finally learned a lesson."

Taishu Xiong snorted. "They relied on the marriage connections behind them and thought We could do nothing to them. It was indeed time they learned one."

As Emperor, nothing disgusted him more than being forced by his ministers, especially when they joined hands to do it.

To him personally, it was hateful beyond words.

Ahead lay the palace gates.

The seven ministers walked beneath the night sky, every face ugly. Zhao Gongquan in particular seemed almost dazed, still hollowed out by the death of his son.

"My lords, are you preparing to leave the palace and return home?"

"Does Lord Gong have some insight?"

"There are things we did and things we did not do. Others may not know, but we ourselves know perfectly well. We also know exactly what His Majesty is thinking. There is no point saying more."

"As for Lord Shao, he is plainly taking revenge under cover of public authority."

"We all know what he wants. I fear he is waiting for us to negotiate with him right now."

"My lords, are you going or not?"

"We were careless and capsized in a gutter. Black Prison is no ordinary place. If we do not give him an answer tonight, who knows what may happen to our families inside? We should go."

Several of them looked toward Zhao Gongquan, who had just lost his son.

Their hearts tightened.

Almost unconsciously, they quickened their steps out of the palace.

...

Too many people had been arrested at once, and Black Prison did not have enough interrogation rooms. Several cells had temporarily been converted for use.

Shao Pingbo stood outside one iron-barred cell, watching a woman under questioning shout back arrogantly at the interrogators.

Apparently unable to keep watching, Shao Pingbo lifted one hand and rapped twice against the iron bars.

The interrogator looked back, saw him, and hurried outside. "Your Excellency!"

Shao Pingbo tipped his chin toward the woman inside. "Is interrogation nothing more than slapping the table and glaring? Is that the full extent of Black Prison's methods?"

The man smiled bitterly. "Black Prison naturally has more methods than this. We have not even used the surface layer."

"But the backgrounds of these people are extraordinary. We do not dare truly use torture."

"Mm. That is the advantage of being powerful and noble." Shao Pingbo nodded.

Then he asked, "How did you interrogate the temple officiant?"

The man chuckled. "Your Excellency saw it yourself. Strip him naked, search him first, then apply torture."

Shao Pingbo tipped his chin toward the woman. "Then follow the rules."

"Ah..." The interrogator looked back at the woman and hurriedly said, "Your Excellency, that may not be appropriate. She is a woman."

Shao Pingbo said, "Someone made an issue of the Seventh Princess's chastity."

"The men behind these people control every corner of the capital. Only when these people lose their own purity will everyone above and below in the capital learn to keep their mouths shut. Do you understand?"

"This..." The interrogator's eyes shifted. He understood Shao Pingbo's meaning and seemed tempted, but in the end still waved his hands.

"Your Excellency, to tell the truth, the Old Ancestor has already given orders. These people may be frightened, but we are not to act recklessly against them."

"When Your Excellency killed Young Master Zhao earlier, we failed to watch things properly. The Old Ancestor is already very displeased."

"As for what Your Excellency means... how about I first report it to the Old Ancestor and let him decide?"

"Since that is the case, forget it." Shao Pingbo left the words behind and turned away.

He knew perfectly well that once this was reported to Tao Lue, Tao Lue would never permit the women of senior court officials' households to be treated that way.

If the interrogators did not dare act, then it could only end there.

He was still pacing through the prison corridor when someone came to report that the seven court ministers had arrived.

Shao Pingbo immediately went out to meet them.

The two sides encountered each other outside the prison, faces cold on both sides. No one offered a greeting.

In the end, Lord Gong was the first to speak.

"Lord Shao, what exactly do you want?"

Shao Pingbo lifted his face and looked at the moonlight.

"The one who tied the bell must untie it."

"What do I want? You know very well."

"A pack of women cannot control their mouths forever. After morning court tomorrow, if I do not see the result I want, then whether something unexpected comes out under interrogation... I truly cannot guarantee it."

[End of Chapter 1237]