Ming Dynasty Detective 1546

Chapter 239 Willing to obey the orders of Hai Hanlin!
"A strategy to defeat the enemy?"

Before the pillars of the side hall, Tao Dianzhen spoke earnestly, Yan Shifan looked on with surprise and suspicion, while Sun Weixian gave a cold laugh and questioned sharply: "If you really have a good plan, why did you keep silent before and let the traitor go unpunished? I think you, Taoist priest, are also a suspect of the Liyuan Society, and are clearly intentionally protecting him!"

This is no small crime. Knowing that thieves were gathering in the capital, yet failing to report it, thus missing the opportunity to arrest them, would not only prevent him from gaining merit but also tarnish the reputation of the entire Taoist community.

Tao Dianzhen immediately retorted: "Commissioner Sun, don't make baseless accusations! You came straight for Master Shao, and your interrogation was full of entrapment and false charges. How dare I speak so lightly? Now that I have seen Scholar Hai here, I have long heard of his integrity and incorruptibility, so I dare to speak the truth! Only someone like Scholar Hai can wipe out the traitors of Liyuan Society in one fell swoop!"

"What a sharp-tongued Taoist priest!"

Sun Weixian's eyes flashed coldly. He said no more and cupped his hands to Hai Yue: "Many thanks to Hai Hanlin for coming and providing crucial information, which has pried open this villain's mouth. Please step aside for now and allow us to continue the interrogation. We will share the information we obtain!"

Tao Dianzhen was extremely anxious: "Hai Hanlin, do not trust him. The Embroidered Uniform Guard is used to using torture to extract confessions, but for many years they have been helpless against the Liyuan Society. There may be a traitor within! If we hand it over to them, we will surely fail. Only with Hai Hanlin in charge can we eliminate the treacherous officials!"

'What a lively show of vying for credit!'

Yan Shifan secretly found it amusing.

The current situation is clear: Taoism has intelligence channels, but it is unwilling to share them with the Embroidered Uniform Guard. The Embroidered Uniform Guard originally wanted to break through the Chaotian Palace, but after the people were beaten up, they were even less willing to let go of the meat that was already in their mouths.

Haiyue calmly watched the conflict unfold, and slowly said, "I had two questions, the second of which is still unanswered."

Everyone was startled.

Then it dawned on me that Haiyue did indeed have two questions.

The first question is, how did Taoism know that the thieves were planning a secret meeting at the Sheng residence?

The second question is, wouldn't killing Madam Sheng and taking over the Sheng family mansion have aroused the suspicion of thieves?

Sun Weixian realized: "There is something fishy about this! Since the White Lotus Sect and the Liyuan Society dared to meet at the Sheng residence, they must have deep trust in Madam Sheng. Now that the master is dead, why would they risk meeting again?"

Haiyue said, "Thinking on a deeper level, Madam Sheng is just an official matchmaker. Even if she has a secret spy identity, how could she gain the trust of both religions?"

"The White Lotus Sect believes in her because of Sun Liu!"

Yan Shifan said, "This Jinyiwei spy is an undercover agent of the White Lotus Sect, and also the father of Madam Sheng's third daughter. Madam Sheng both hates and fears him, but it is because of this that she has gotten involved with the White Lotus Sect!"

Haiyue nodded: "What about the Liyuan Society?"

Yan Shifan shook his head: "I don't know."

Sun Weixian's eyes flickered, and he suddenly thought of the records in the dossier: "The father of Madam Sheng's third daughter, Gu, was Sun Liu, who came from the White Lotus Sect; the father of her second daughter, Feng, was Shen Dai, the former Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Works; and the father of her eldest daughter, Qin, was, according to records, a down-on-his-luck scholar who failed the imperial examinations in his early years and returned to his hometown, and there was no contact with him since. Could it be..."

"Could it be that this person later joined the Liyuan Society!"

Yan Shifan was moved: "The fathers of Madam Sheng's two daughters are from the White Lotus Sect and the Liyuan Society, respectively. This is why she has the qualifications to make contact between the two sides, and the Sheng residence naturally became the perfect place for the rendezvous!"

Sun Weixian continued, "No wonder they wanted Qin to be the ultimate beneficiary. Qin's father was a member of the Liyuan Society, and he was naturally happy to let his daughter take over Madam Sheng's family property! As for Sun Liu, he had long been hiding in the capital's stronghold, where the White Lotus sect members gathered. He cared about the life and death of his daughter, Gu, and the arrow was already on the bowstring, so he had no choice but to release it. It might even cause a conflict with the Liyuan Society!"

Yan Shifan clicked his tongue in amazement: "What a brilliant scheme to kill with a borrowed knife! Let the Qin family inherit the family property, and Li Yuanshe will be happy to see it happen. Sun Liu may turn against Li Yuanshe to protect his daughter. At that time, you can reap the benefits and wipe out both religions in one fell swoop!"

As the group analyzed the situation, Tao Dianzhen's face grew increasingly pale, fine beads of cold sweat appeared on his forehead, and his bound body trembled slightly uncontrollably.

This is because the pain from the traumatic injury is difficult to suppress.

And because his confidence was rapidly fading.

Seeing that the time was right, Haiyue stepped forward slowly, stared at the down-on-his-luck Taoist, and said in a steady and powerful voice: "Tell me the truth about the conspiracy between the Liyuan Society and the White Lotus Sect that you know. In consideration of the greater good of capturing the thieves, Magistrate Sun is willing to show leniency, and Master Shao's grievances can also be cleared... This is a good opportunity to repay the Emperor's grace!"

Upon hearing this, Sun Weixian frowned and tapped his knuckles lightly on the table.

Sun Weixian was reluctant. His actions had offended Taoism terribly. If he didn't press his advantage and crush these Taoists, he might face future troubles. But if he forced them now, and they stubbornly refused to talk, he would miss a golden opportunity to make a name for himself. So he nodded and said, "Since Hanlin Hai has pleaded for you, I'll spare you this time. Men, untie them!"

Qianhu Tan Jing strode forward, deftly untied the blood-soaked ropes, and helped Tao Dianzhen sit down in a chair.

The old Taoist priest flexed his bruised wrists and, under the intense gazes of the crowd, asked, "May I have a cup of water?"

"Don't push yourself too far!"

Tan Jing angrily rebuked, "Speak quickly if you have something to say!"

Tao Dianzhen raised his eyes, his voice hoarse: "What I am about to say concerns His Majesty's safety and has far-reaching implications. Is it too much to ask for a cup of water to soothe his throat?"

"give him!"

Sun Weixian gave a deep order, and a servant brought over a celadon teacup.

Tao Dianzhen accepted it with both hands, and as he swallowed, the composure of the Daoist sect gradually returned.

Setting down his teacup, the Taoist priest finally spoke, recounting his story: "His Majesty, with his wisdom and insight, was already aware of the Liyuan Society. He secretly dispatched trusted confidants to investigate, and my senior brother, Master Shao, was entrusted with this task by His Majesty!" "However, those outside the secular world find it difficult to get involved in worldly affairs. Although my senior brother learned from His Majesty about this group of rebellious and secretive thieves, he had no way to deal with them and thus sought out this humble Taoist priest."

"I am a lay disciple who often walks in the mortal world and has a wide circle of friends. I met a friend by chance, and through some coincidences, he joined a secret society. After some investigation, I discovered that this society was the Li Yuan rebels, who were treacherous and dared to overthrow the imperial power!"

Upon hearing this, Sun Weixian's eyes flashed with a sharp light, and he leaned forward, pressing for an answer: "You planted a spy in the Liyuan Society? Who is this person? What is their position?"

Tao Dianzhen said calmly, "I will never reveal this person's identity. It is a matter of life and death. If even the slightest word is leaked, I will surely be killed!"

"Having obtained intelligence, why did you conceal it and not report it?"

Sun Weixian said coldly, "Is this the loyalty of your Taoist sect?"

"Our Daoist sect is utterly loyal to His Majesty, as Heaven and Earth bear witness!"

Tao Dianzhen calmly replied, "However, the Liyuan Society is heavily guarded, and its core secrets are not easily obtained. This person has been walking on thin ice all these years, just waiting for the crucial moment!"

"Until a month ago, we finally received important news—"

"The Liyuan Society is divided into three enclosures and twenty-eight constellations. This conspiracy was carried out by the Tianshi Enclosure."

"The White Lotus Sect wanted to establish a stronghold beyond the Great Wall, and Tian Shi Yuan was willing to provide supplies. The two sides agreed to meet secretly at the residence of an official matchmaker in the capital."

"What happened next..."

Tao Dianzhen looked at Hai Yue, his face showing amazement and praise: "Hai Hanlin is insightful and discerning, having already grasped eight or nine out of ten things. I admire him greatly!"

Ignoring the flattery, Haiyue was quite surprised.

According to Lu Bing, the Embroidered Uniform Guard had known about the existence of this secret society targeting the imperial power for a long time, but had always been unable to find any trace of it. Commander Wang Zuo reported the situation to them early on.

It is likely that from that time onwards, Jiajing organized a group of secret agents to deal with the Liyuan Society, but the results were probably not significant. Otherwise, he would not have been so overjoyed when he later achieved merit.

As it turned out, Tao Dianzhen successfully planted an inside agent and obtained crucial intelligence. No wonder he was able to be strongly recommended by Shao Yuanjie in history, rise rapidly in rank, and become the next Celestial Master of Taoism.

However, during this reign, Emperor Jiajing's attitude towards Taoism took a sharp turn for the worse, and he suddenly distanced himself from it.

While Shao Yuanjie remained calm, Tao Dianzhen was unwilling to accept defeat. This led him to take a desperate gamble, intending to use the Sheng residence as bait to wipe out the rebels from Tianshiyuan and the White Lotus sect that had migrated north, thus proving the loyalty of the Daoist sect.

After speaking, Tao Dianzhen raised one palm to his chest and performed a standard Taoist salute. His blood-stained Taoist sleeves swayed gently in the wind, revealing his otherworldly demeanor: "This humble Taoist is willing to tell you everything he knows about the inside story, and I will follow the lead of the Imperial Academy!"

Upon hearing this, many of the Imperial Guards, including Commander Tan Jing, flashed cold light in their eyes, and the atmosphere in the hall instantly froze.

All three parties knew perfectly well that if the Taoist priest cooperated with the Embroidered Uniform Guard, he would be betrayed and all the credit would be taken.

However, the Yixin Society, which pledges allegiance to Haiyue, is different. Even if most of the credit goes to them, the Daoist sect can still get a share.

Yan Shifan's eyebrows danced with excitement, and he winked, trying to get Haiyue to agree.

Others may fear the Embroidered Uniform Guard, but the Yixin Society is not afraid. When it comes to Jian's favor with the Emperor, who can compare to whom?
Moreover, the Embroidered Uniform Guard is indeed quite incompetent. Their repeated defeats have already left a bad impression on His Majesty. Now that Lu Bing is gone, there is no need to give them face.

Sun Weixian's eyes fell on them, and he gestured repeatedly.

Their relationship is extraordinary. You can ignore the other Imperial Guards, but I am your beloved friend, your brother!

Haiyue ignored the hints from both sides and changed the subject: "Is Madam Sheng's daughter, Qin, still imprisoned in the Shuntian Prefecture prison? When will she be executed?"

Everyone was taken aback, not expecting the focus to suddenly shift to that person. Sun Weixian replied, "He's in prison. Isn't it close to execution?"

Haiyue said, "Because she admitted that Madam Sheng was her biological mother, the original act of killing her teacher became killing her mother, which is a heinous crime. Why is that?"

Sun Weixian said, "In her anger, she couldn't control herself, and besides, she had already killed two people, so she was doomed anyway..."

Haiyue said, "Ordinary murders are not punishable by beheading, but the crime of patricide is punishable by slow slicing, and there is no need to wait until autumn to execute him!"

"Could it be..."

Sun Weixian's eyes flickered, and the expressions of the others also changed: "She did this intentionally? Is she using her known identity to pressure her father? Will the Li Yuan Society find someone to die in her place, or are they planning to break her out of prison?"

"I have come here to verify this concern. If it is the latter, the Liyuan Society will have to mobilize quite a few people!"

Hai Yue nodded slightly and looked around at the group: "This time, to apprehend the rebels, we need to combine the strategies of the Yixin Society, the strength of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, and the intelligence of the Taoist sect. With the three parties working together, what do you all think?"

Sun Weixian and Tao Dianzhen were both unwilling, and their eyes clashed in mid-air for a moment before they finally suppressed their inner thoughts and nodded in unison: "We are willing to obey the orders of Hai Hanlin!"

(End of this chapter)