Taichang Ming Dynasty

Chapter 704 In-depth investigation and perfunctory response

Luo Yangxing's face lit up with just the right amount of admiration: "Your Excellency is so insightful and far-sighted! With your words, I feel much more at ease." He spoke quickly, then changed the subject, "I still have two cases on my hands that require your guidance."

Yuan Keli calmly sipped his tea. "Please speak, Vice Commissioner Luo."

“The first one.” Luo Yangxing stood up, walked to the desk, picked up two files at random, and then returned to Yuan Keli’s side. “It’s about Consort Jin.” He only lightly tapped the cover of the first file without opening it.

"This case from yesterday," a breath escaped from Yuan Keli's slightly twitching lips, "has there been any progress today?"

"It's hardly progress." Luo Yangxing shrugged, his eyes filled with undisguised perfunctoriness as he looked at the dossier. "I simply believe that among Li Erzhan, Li Tingbiao, and Zheng Hang, Li Tingbiao is the most suspicious. So I plan to arrest him and interrogate him thoroughly. If we can find the assassin, it will be a 'justice' for the Grand Consort."

“Since there is suspicion, then we should arrest and question them according to the law.” Yuan Keli nodded knowingly, without asking in detail why Li Tingbiao was the most suspicious.

"I understand." Luo Yangxing casually tossed the first file back onto the desk, then opened another, thicker file: "This second case is Jiang Hongli's treason case."

“This case has irrefutable evidence; shouldn’t it be closed?” Yuan Keli said, looking at Luo Yangxing.

"The deposed king secretly instructed his generals to observe the changing tides, leading to the entire army's surrender. How could such a momentous event have involved only three people?" Luo Yangxing spoke rapidly, his eyes gleaming. "I have recently conducted in-depth investigations, and this eunuch named Jin Yong has indeed surfaced! This scoundrel is truly the deposed king's confidant, acting as a middleman, relaying orders and colluding with others. I intend to arrest him immediately, thoroughly investigate his associates, and then wipe them all out in one fell swoop. What are your thoughts, Supervisor?"

"Jin Yong." Yuan Keli slowly set down his teacup, his gaze calm yet undisguisedly scrutinizing. "What has he done?"

Luo Yangxing pointed to the records in the case file, leaning forward slightly: "Your Excellency, Jiang Hongli confessed that it was this Jin Yong who, after he was transferred to Changde Palace, repeatedly instructed him not to implicate anyone. Isn't this just burying one's head in the sand, a futile attempt to cover up the truth?"

Yuan Keli didn't respond to that question, but instead asked, "Besides Jin Yong, did Jiang Hongli implicate anyone else?"

“This Jiang Hongli was a scapegoat who was promoted by the court after his mourning period ended.” Luo Yangxing shook his head with great regret. “We probably won’t be able to extract anything from him.”

"The deposed king's rebellion is blatant, and the evidence is clear; it should be dealt with according to the law." Yuan Keli paused, his tone becoming more somber. "But Jin Yong, as the Chief Eunuch, naturally acts as a messenger. His repeated inquiries to Jiang Hongli may simply be for self-preservation; if he were to be arrested rashly, it would inevitably implicate many."

"Are you trying to exonerate Jin Yong?" Luo Yangxing interrupted, his brows furrowing.

“No. If he is truly guilty, then he should indeed be arrested and interrogated severely.” Yuan Keli picked up his teacup and drank the remaining, slightly cool tea in one gulp. “But the war in Liaodong is still raging, and Hanyang is a crucial stronghold for Korea. The most important thing is stability. Even if we want to investigate further, there’s no need to rush. Let’s wait until the situation in Liaodong stabilizes and Hanyang’s foundation is more secure before we deal with it. What do you say?”

The burning intensity in Luo Yangxing's eyes slowly cooled, replaced by a hint of melancholy. He lowered his gaze, his fingertips unconsciously tapping on the dossier, producing a very soft tapping sound.

After a moment, he raised his head, a smile returning to his face: "Your Excellency Yuan is wise and insightful in governing the country, I admire you! Everything should be done with the greater good in mind. As for Jin Yong's matter, we will follow Your Excellency's advice and put it aside for now."

Yuan Keli smiled and nodded, his gaze drifting out of the hall. Dusk was falling, and the shadow of the low wall of the Yijin Mansion was stretched longer, pressing heavily on the ground.

Yuan Keli slowly stood up. Luo Yangxing immediately followed: "Sir, are you going back already? I'll see you off."

“No need for that, I know the way.” Yuan Keli waved his hand, his voice carrying an undisguised weariness. “Assigned Officer Luo, just focus on the case.” He no longer looked at Luo Yangxing, turned around, and walked slowly toward the heavy hall door alone. The afterglow of the setting sun lengthened his dark shadow, blending into the twilight that was gradually rising outside the door.

Luo Yangxing stood there, watching the figure disappear. The smile on his face vanished. He paced back behind his desk, staring at the file about Jiang Hongli and Jin Yong, his knuckles slowly tracing lines across the cover.

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As dusk settled and the city lights of Hanyang began to twinkle, the daytime hustle and bustle gradually subsided, leaving only the occasional cries of vendors and the footsteps of people returning home. However, this ordinary tranquility was soon shattered by a series of hurried and heavy footsteps.

Several squads of men filed out of the Uigeumbu (Imperial Guard), torches blazing, illuminating their cold armor and grim faces. Leading them was Pei Lun, a commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, his deep blue robes gleaming eerily in the firelight. Behind him, besides a few trusted guards, were mostly Korean soldiers in their uniforms—the original Uigeumbu troops. They were personally led by Gu Shibo, the Vice Commissioner of the Uigeumbu.

The firelight danced on Ju Shibo's usually cold and hard face, which was now as taut as a stone sculpture. His gaze deliberately avoided Pei Lun's profile, fixed intently on the flickering firelight ahead. The mobilization of former members of the Yijin Prefecture was not only due to the Jinyiwei's insufficient manpower, but also Luo Yangxing's way of "showing goodwill" to Li Erzhan: "Look, I'm cleaning house for you, and I'm even using your people."

With a clear objective, the team headed straight for Li Tingbiao's mansion in the north of the city.

Pei Lun led the way, his boots clattering rhythmically on the cobblestones like a death knell. People along the way quickly gave way, doors and windows slammed shut, leaving only apprehensive glances peeking through the cracks. Ju Shibo's hand gripped the hilt of his sword, his knuckles turning slightly white from the pressure.

The vermilion gates of the Li residence were tightly shut. Pei Lun's gaze swept over them. "Commander Ju, what do you have to say?"

Ju Shibo's Adam's apple bobbed, and he almost gritted his teeth as he hissed at the two trusted soldiers behind him, "Break through!"

Several North Korean soldiers hesitated for a moment, but under Gu Shibo's watchful gaze, they gritted their teeth and raised Bao Tie's battering ram.

Boom!
The heavy impact echoed through the quiet streets, sounding particularly jarring.

"Who's outside, and what are they doing?"

Boom!
"Who's outside! Do you know who this is?"

Boom!
"What's wrong? What happened?!"

Boom!
"Master! Master! Someone is banging on our door! Please come quickly!"

Click, thud!
With a sharp crack, the latch snapped. The door swung open. "Ah!!"

Flames instantly engulfed the courtyard. The courtyard was in complete disarray, filled with the terrified screams of women and the frantic running of servants.

Li Tingbiao stood quietly in the corridor of the main hall. He was dressed in plain clothes, and his hair was neatly combed.

Li Tingbiao's empty gaze swept over Pei Lun, finally landing on Ju Shibo's face, a faint, bitter smile tugging at the corner of his lips. He didn't struggle, didn't question, but slowly and obediently opened his arms, adopting a posture of offering his neck for execution. "Come on."

Pei Lun's lips curled into a barely perceptible, cold smile, his sharp eyes sweeping across the room like a hawk's. He raised his hand and waved it lightly: "Locked!"

Several North Korean soldiers looked at Gu Shibo. Gu Shibo's jaw tightened, and he nodded almost imperceptibly.

The cold iron chains rattled as they heavily tightened around Li Tingbiao's neck and wrists.

"Search! All their family members, leave no one alive!" Pei Lun's order was resolute. "Arrest them all."

The courtyard erupted in chaos. The Imperial Guards, like wolves and tigers, were followed closely by Korean soldiers. Their actions were rough, as if they were trying to draw a line or prove something.

Doors were kicked open one after another. The wailing of women, the cursing of men, the screams of children, and the ear-piercing sounds of objects being overturned and shattered all mingled together.

In the chaos, a boy of about seven or eight years old was roughly pulled from his mother's arms by a North Korean officer. The boy was terrified, his face turned ashen, and he trembled uncontrollably. Then he burst into a heart-wrenching wail: "Dad! Dad, save me! Mom—!" His cries were so sharp and distorted, filled with pure fear, that they pierced the night sky and hurt the eardrums.

The boy recognized Gu Shibo, his terrified and desperate gaze fixed on Gu Shibo's face. He stretched out his little hand and cried out, "Uncle Gu! Uncle Gu, save me! I'm scared!"

Gu Shibo's body stiffened abruptly, his hand gripping the hilt of the knife clenching so tightly that his knuckles cracked. He abruptly turned his face away, as if he hadn't seen the child's outstretched hand and the snot and tears streaming down his face, and had forgotten that he had once given the child a delicate wooden horse toy. "Uh," he let out a muffled growl, neither clear whether it was a command or a suppressed roar.

The soldier holding the child was annoyed by the crying and saw that Ju Shibo did not respond, so he raised his hand to slap him to shut up.

"Enough." Pei Lun's voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable air of authority. He glanced coldly at the soldier, his gaze sharp as a knife. The soldier sheepishly withdrew his hand, only to drag the child, who was crying so hard he was almost breathless, even more forcefully.

In the chaos, one of Li Tingbiao's young concubines suddenly broke free from the pull, threw herself at Li Tingbiao's feet, clung tightly to his leg, and cried out with tears streaming down her face, "Master! Master, please say something! What is going on?! What law have we broken?! Please save the child! Save us!" The other women also seemed to have found an outlet, and their tearful questions instantly surged toward Li Tingbiao.

Chained up, Li Tingbiao trembled violently upon hearing his young son's cries and his wives' interrogations. His empty eyes shattered instantly, and immense pain overwhelmed his pale face. He tried in vain to turn and look at his wife and child, his lips trembling violently, but he couldn't utter a single word, as if his throat were blocked by a hot piece of lead. Only murky tears rolled down silently, splashing onto the cold stone steps.

Soon, Li Tingbiao's wives, concubines, children, and several close servants were all driven to the center of the courtyard, trembling and weeping under the cold light of torches and weapons. Li Tingbiao was pushed to stand in front of his family, his eyes staring blankly, like a soulless shell.

Ju Shibo remained frozen in place, turned to the side, the firelight casting flickering shadows on his taut face. He didn't look at Li Tingbiao, nor at the child, and ignored the piercing questions.

Pei Lun glanced around, his gaze finally settling on Ju Shibo's stiff back. His voice was flat and emotionless: "Ju Tongzhi, is everyone here? Is anyone missing?"

Ju Shibo seemed to be burned by the voice, his shoulders trembling almost imperceptibly. He took a deep breath, slowly turned around, and when he faced Pei Lun, he had tried his best to suppress all his emotions, and even smiled. "Reporting to Master Pei. Li Tingbiao has one wife, three concubines, two sons, one daughter, and four personal servants, all of whom are here. There are no omissions."

Pei Lun nodded slightly, no longer looking at him, his gaze sweeping over the group of figures in the courtyard, like lambs to the slaughter. "Take them away!"

Torches moved, casting flickering shadows. Heavy footsteps, the clanging of chains, suppressed sobs, and the intermittent whimpers of children stirred the night, gradually fading into the distance. The wide-open gates of the Li residence remained unclosed, like a silent, gaping maw, holding the mess on the ground and the lingering fear in the courtyard.

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In a secluded little reception room in the back hall of the Yijin Mansion, candlelight flickered, casting swaying shadows on the exquisitely carved window frames. The room lacked the cold, pungent smell of a prison cell; instead, it was filled with the delicate aroma of freshly brewed tea. Three people sat around a round pearwood table.

The head of the table was Pei Lun, a captain of the Embroidered Uniform Guard. He had changed out of his daytime formal attire and was now dressed in dark casual clothes. His expression was calm, even carrying a hint of leisure. He slowly and deliberately fiddled with the lid of his teacup, making a crisp clinking sound.

To the left of the lower seat sat Ju Shibo, the Assistant Magistrate of Yijin Prefecture. He sat ramrod straight, like a clay or wooden statue, his gaze lowered, fixed on the untouched cup of tea before him. The candlelight cast a dim, indistinct glow on his face. The cries of the youngest son of the Li family during the day seemed to still echo in his ears, making the aroma of tea in the room unbearably bitter.

To the lower right is a young officer of the Imperial Guard, with paper and pen spread out in front of him, ready to take notes.

Li Tingbiao sat opposite Pei Lun, staring blankly at the flickering candlelight. The shackles on his body had been removed, and the ashen face of the day was gone, replaced by an almost numb calm.

Pei Lun put down the teacup lid and broke the silence in the room with a low voice, "Vice President Li, is this tea to your liking?" Li Tingbiao was one of the vice presidents of the Five Guards General Headquarters.

Li Tingbiao seemed to be startled awake, shifting his gaze from the candlelight to Pei Lun's face, and nodded blankly: "It's acceptable, thank you, sir."

"That's good." Pei Lun smiled slightly, leaned forward, and spoke as if he were having a casual conversation. "Shall we talk about serious matters? Let's start from when you received that job."

"What kind of job?" Li Tingbiao blinked blankly, not reacting for a moment.

"What mission? Ha." Pei Lun glanced at Gu Shibo, his voice suddenly rising. "What other mission could it be! Of course, it's your mission to send someone to assassinate Queen Dowager Kim!"

(End of this chapter)