Nine Chapters of Strange Cases

Chapter 157 Unlucky Zhu Li
Speaking of this, Zhu Li felt as if a dark cloud was hanging over her head, and she was extremely unlucky.

He had been hiding in the Northern Army for years, rising from an unknown soldier to a trusted confidant of a captain, able to lead night patrols and provide convenience for his like-minded brothers and sisters. But on his very first day of promotion, he was imprisoned by Su Changying in a sack.

He wasn't dead, but he was beaten up and thrown into an underground chamber.

This is an absolute disgrace in my life!
That would have been bad enough, but that guy actually went and did something like break him out of prison while wearing his face! Heaven knows what he felt when he was tied up in the cellar, overjoyed thinking that his savior had arrived, only to suddenly be stabbed by a dense array of spears!
I'd rather be dead!

Especially the one standing in front of him, pulling at his eyelids and pinching his philtrum hard, was Min Zangzhi, whom he recognized!
Min Zangzhi's nails were trimmed to an exceptionally sharp point, cutting into his flesh like blades. He could even smell his own blood! Heaven knows how hard he had to feign unconsciousness in that instant; he had practically used all the skills he had ever possessed!
He had just been released from the cellar when he was imprisoned in the Tingwei Temple prison for many days. It wasn't until Su Changying returned to Chang'an and his identity as a spy was exposed that he was cleared of his name and returned to the Northern Army.

Is it because Zhu Li doesn't like to laugh? No! It's because Su Changying makes it impossible for him to laugh.

What's even more infuriating is that after all these years of scheming and plotting, Su Changying suddenly became his superior...

His life wasn't easy; he couldn't escape Su Changying's grasp.

Zhu Li was overwhelmed with emotion. He came back to his senses and looked towards the small courtyard. The entire area was covered in red battle robes, the same ones he had worn in the Northern Army.

Many of his usual buddies stood below, looking up at him with complicated expressions.

Zhu Li suddenly felt embarrassed. He felt his face burning. They heard Zhou Zhao call him Zhu Li, and they knew that he was the most despicable traitor.

Zhu Li's lips moved for a moment before she finally asked Zhou Zhao, "Can you really see through my disguise so easily?"

Zhou Zhao's eyes flickered, and he said loudly, "Of course, the disguise technique that Young Master Yu is so proud of is as fragile as paper in my eyes, and it can be torn with a single poke."

Zhu Li gave Zhou Zhao a deep look, but didn't finish her sentence.

Zhou Zhao looked at him and asked, "Were you the one who instigated both the Linjiang Tower case and the Zhaixing Tower case?"

Zhu Li remained silent, not even glancing at Zhou Zhao, clearly indicating his unwillingness to cooperate.

Zhou Zhao raised an eyebrow. "Oh, then I'll say it was Gongzi Yu who instigated it, so that the whole world knows what kind of villain he is. His father lost the country because of his tyranny, and he inherited his father's cruelty and inhumanity."

Zhu Li suddenly raised her head and looked at Zhou Zhao with eyes that seemed to be about to burst.

"You're talking nonsense! You're despicable and shameless! You're an official of the Court of Judicial Review, a renowned Legalist, yet you're such a petty person!"

Zhou Zhao looked at Zhu Li with amusement. The wind blew her hair ribbon, making the four characters "No Taboos" written on it particularly glaring.

This is Zhou Zhao's way.

Zhu Li suddenly realized what was going on.

She really will do it, and she means it.

“I did it. I paid someone to burn down the Zhaixing Tower. After the murderer was sentenced to death, I ambushed and killed his relatives on the way to settle the matter. But I never expected that someone would buy that land and rebuild the Linjiang Tower.”

So I disguised myself as Sun Yiyang and tricked his son, Sun Hanchang, to destroy the Zhaixing Tower. That day, I received my mission: to destroy you at the Zhaixing Tower. I drugged the pastries, but I didn't expect…”

Zhu Li did not continue speaking.

The Star-Picking Tower did collapse, but Zhou Zhao didn't eat the pastry, nor did he die in the collapse. Hearing this, Zhou Zhao felt a surge of anger.

If she hadn't written "A Letter to My Deceased Wife," she would have died in the Star-Picking Tower, just as her fate had been predetermined. How would Chu You face herself then? How would she ever build her second, third... little towers in the future?
"In your hearts, human life is as worthless as grass. The death of ordinary people is nothing more than a sacrifice for your so-called great cause. Your so-called great cause will never be accomplished, because I will drag out you rats from the gutter one by one..."

As Zhou Zhao spoke, his gaze toward Zhu Li grew increasingly sharp, "What other people do you know who are lurking in Chang'an?"

This time, however, no matter what Zhou Zhao said, Zhu Li was determined not to say a word.

Zhou Zhao was not surprised. If it were so easy to catch the person behind the scenes, she wouldn't have been unable to find Su Changying for four years.

Thinking this, she kicked Zhu Li. Now that his pressure points were sealed, he couldn't move at all and rolled down the roof like a ball. Just as Zhu Li was dizzy and thought he was going to fall and die, Zhou Zhao reached out and grabbed his collar, pulling him down.

Zhou Zhao landed gently and saw Su Changying coming out of the courtyard, followed by a long line of people.

The old woman, whose face was half-ruined, had blood at the corner of her mouth, and both her arms hung limply at her sides, clearly having been twisted and broken.

Behind her were seven or eight people, men, women, and children, all with bruises and swelling on their faces. Most importantly, all of them had their jaws dislocated, leaving them gaping open like a bunch of idiots.

Su Changying looked at Zhou Zhao, "Zhu Li, take him to the Court of Justice. He is the mastermind behind the collapse of the Zhaixing Tower and should be arrested. As for the remaining group, they are remnants of the previous dynasty. I need to take them back to the Northern Army first."

If any questions are asked, we will exchange information with you! And after the interrogation, you will be sent to the Court of Judicial Review!

Zhou Zhao glanced thoughtfully at the group of people, but did not object.

The Northern Army was not a vassal of the Court of Justice, and Su Changying and his group could not possibly spend their days helping the Court of Justice arrest criminals. The capture of traitors and similar crimes was also of vital importance to them.

"Okay, then I'll take my men and head out first."

As Zhou Zhao spoke, he whistled, and the horse obediently galloped over. Zhou Zhao threw Zhu Li onto the horse's back and rode away.

Su Changying watched her retreating figure, and the corners of his mouth involuntarily turned up slightly. He glanced out of the corner of his eye and saw the Northern Army soldiers standing on his left and right sides, their eyes also shining as they looked at Zhou Zhao. He couldn't help but snort coldly.

The burly man to his right was the first to recover, and he exclaimed, "General Su's wife is truly a heroine, a woman of great courage and grace!"

Su Changying's expression grew increasingly displeased. "She is our colleague and has her own official position. From now on, call her Lord Zhou."

What Zhou Zhao has worked so hard for should not be easily erased because of Su Changying.

The burly man was taken aback for a moment, then realized that he had flattered the horse but ended up blaming it!
"Young Lady Zhou is truly a heroine among women, so dashing and heroic!"

Su Changying nodded slightly, "Yes! Back to the Northern Army camp!"

Zhou Zhao, who was ahead, was unaware of what was happening behind her. She sped all the way down to the Tingwei Temple prison.

It was about to rain that day, and the dungeon was exceptionally stuffy. The stench of blood and decay inside grew stronger and stronger, making one want to vomit.

Zhou Zhao led Zhu Li all the way to the last cell at the end of the prison before stopping. She stood in front of the cell door and looked inside. In the dark cell, she could vaguely make out a beautiful woman in a red ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress) sitting inside.