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Upon returning to the capital, Xiao Jinghan first went to the palace to meet Emperor Jingcheng, and then rushed to the Three Judicial Offices without stopping.

Inside the solemn and dignified main hall of the Three Judicial Offices, a heavy atmosphere hung in the air. Zhao Hongjun, the Left Vice Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate, threw a crumpled piece of paper on the ground and angrily shouted, "You lot, look at this! What's written on this?!"

Liang Yuheng, a senior official in the Ministry of Justice, and Jin Gongzheng, an assistant official in the Ministry of Justice, remained motionless. Feng Liangcai, the vice minister of the Court of Judicial Review, glanced at Xiao Jinghan beside him and said, "Lord Zhao, why are you still looking at such treasonous remarks?"

"You all know that what's on this is utterly treasonous!" Lord Zhao slammed his hand on the table. "Do you know that this very filthy thing almost ended up on His Majesty's desk?"

Feng Liangcai shrank back and said, "These rebels are like wildfire that can't be extinguished, they spring up again with the spring breeze. We must quickly think of a way to eradicate them completely!"

"You don't even need to tell me!" Liang Yuheng muttered. "Whoever can help His Majesty get rid of these major threats will be promoted and ennobled in no time!"

Feng Liangcai pursed his lips, gave a sheepish laugh, and said nothing more.

Looking across the entire court, who doesn't know that helping His Majesty eliminate traitors can lead to a meteoric rise in rank?

The key issue is that the rebel faction has a wide reach, spreading far and wide and growing powerful in various regions. Take the previous incident for example: Xiao Jinghan had just investigated the Yutong Academy case when, within a few days, another group of people quickly gathered in the capital, spreading rumors that the emperor's ascension to the throne was illegitimate, and even writing a story about the emperor's seizure of the throne, which they then distributed everywhere.

The crumpled paper that Lord Zhao threw on the ground contained the contents of a storybook.

Xiao Jinghan picked up the crumpled paper, glanced at it, and said, "If they want to write stories, let them. Besides, it's not very well written." He added dismissively, "Just a bunch of rabble, what can they amount to?"

"What Lord Xiao says is absolutely right." Jin Gongzheng looked at Xiao Jinghan with a deep gaze and said, "However, does Lord Xiao know that one of the prisoners you exiled to Lingnan has already escaped?"

"Someone ran away?" Xiao Jinghan asked curiously. "Who?"

"Xu Shi".

"Xu Shi escaped? He's a close confidant of the main culprit, Guan Ning!" Xiao Jinghan exclaimed. "When did this happen? How come I didn't know?"

"It'll only take a couple of days," Jin Gongzheng said. "But Lord Xiao, there's no need to worry. I've already brought Xu Shi back for you."

Jin Gongzheng waved his hand, and the guard understood and immediately went to take the man away. Jin Gongzheng continued, "After my investigation, I found that this Xu Shi is Jiang Xue's younger brother, one of the four great assassins of the martial arts world."

As they were talking, the guard stepped forward and handed the three portraits to Lord Zhao and the others.

"Jiang Feng, Jiang Hua, Jiang Xue, Jiang Yue. These four were originally the four disciples of Jiang Jin, the leader of the Changfeng Sect. After the Changfeng Sect was destroyed, these four wandered the martial world and became assassins."

Jin Gongzheng picked up his teacup, took a sip, elegantly wiped his lips, and stared intently at Xiao Jinghan, saying, "Lord Xiao, do you know that when you and I were escorting the traitor Lu Wei to the Censorate, we were intercepted by Jiang Hua, Jiang Xue, and Jiang Yue on the way, and our mission was thwarted at the last minute?"

"Really?" Xiao Jinghan stared at the person in the portrait, surprised. "Does Lord Jin mean that Xu Shi is Jiang Feng, the leader of the Four Great Assassins?"

"No," Jin Gongzheng said. "It is said that Jiang Feng is skilled in using Heavenly Silkworm Silk and his weapon is a pair of Asura Blades, while Xu Shi, like his brother Jiang Xue, is skilled in using Meteor Hammers. He is not Jiang Feng himself."

"Oh, I see."

Xiao Jinghan's gaze swept over the three lifelike portraits one by one. "These martial arts figures have actually gotten mixed up with the rebels. What a nuisance."

"yes."

Jin Gongzheng stared intently at Xiao Jinghan's face for a long time before blinking.

In silence, the guards brought Xu Shi in.

Xu Shi was covered in wounds, indicating that he had already experienced Jin Gongzheng's ruthlessness and power. He was a large man, and as soon as he entered the main hall, he pounced on Jin Gongzheng like a madman. Fortunately, he was held back by the guards holding the iron chains behind him.

"You corrupt official! I'll kill you!"

Blood trickled from Xu Shi's mouth, his eyes red as he knelt on the ground, pleading, "Let me go! If you're really a man, let's fight one-on-one!"

Jin Gongzheng rolled his eyes with a cold laugh, pulled a clean silk handkerchief from his pocket, and gently wiped his face. "I'm an official, you're a thief. Why should I fight you one-on-one? I'll make you kneel down!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the guards beside him immediately came over, raised a wooden stick and struck Xu Shi's knees heavily. Xu Shi gritted his teeth and did not let out a scream, but still knelt down on both knees in front of Jin Gongzheng.

Jin Gongzheng covered his face and smiled, then looked up at Xiao Jinghan.

Xiao Jinghan frowned slightly, a hint of impatience on his face.

"Xu Shi?" he said coolly. "How dare you! Do you know that escaping from prison is a capital offense punishable by the extermination of nine generations of your family?"

Upon hearing Xiao Jinghan's voice, Xu Shi was slightly taken aback, then burst into laughter, "Exterminate nine generations? I don't have nine generations, what am I afraid of?"

"Xu Shi, Lord Xiao was willing to spare your life back then, and I will do the same now, willing to give you a way out." Jin Gongzheng stood up, walked up to Xu Shi, and said, "You are Jiang Xue's younger brother, so you must have seen Jiang Feng. Come, draw his portrait. As long as you hand over the portrait of Jiang Feng, I will let you go."

He placed a piece of paper and a pen in front of Xu Shi, and raised an eyebrow at him slightly.

Xu Shi glanced sideways at Jin Gongzheng, "You want to capture Jiang Feng? Fine, I'll draw it for you!"

He picked up a pen and scribbled on the paper. "I'm done!"

Jin Gongzheng squatted on the ground, glanced at it with a hint of disbelief, and then turned ashen with anger.

Xu Shi then wrote down the words "The dog emperor and the wise king will surely be punished by heaven" on the paper.

"This is Jiang Feng, hahaha!"

"You dare to play me!" Jin Gongzheng gripped Xu Shi's neck tightly. "Do you want to experience a fate worse than death?"

Jin Gongzheng spat at him, "Come on, Grandpa's not afraid of you!"

Jin Gongzheng narrowed his eyes and said with a sinister smile, "This is wonderful! I was just worried that my newly acquired treasure wouldn't have anything to eat!"

He released Xu Shi. "Take him to the Ministry of Justice prison!"

Two guards stepped forward and pulled Xu Shi up.

Jin Gongzheng walked up to Xiao Jinghan with a cold smile and said, "Lord Xiao, look at this man, he really won't shed a tear until he sees the coffin."

Xiao Jinghan nodded and said to the guard, "Wait."

The guards stopped and turned Xu Shi around to face Xiao Jinghan.

Xiao Jinghan stroked the jade thumb ring on his thumb and said, "Xu Shi, you went to great lengths to escape, wasn't it all to save your life? It's just a portrait. Draw it, and I guarantee you'll walk out of the Three Judicial Offices alive."

Having said that, he applied a little force with his fingertips and easily broke the jadeite thumb ring.

Xu Shi stared at Xiao Jinghan's hand movements, his pupils twitching almost imperceptibly. Then, with a serious expression, he said, "If I manage to walk out of here alive, the first thing I'll do is cut off your heads!"

He laughed three times, then suddenly closed his mouth tightly and bit down hard.

A trickle of bright red blood spilled from his mouth. Liang Yuheng stood up in shock. "He bit his tongue and committed suicide!"

A hint of reluctance flashed in Xiao Jinghan's eyes. "Someone come here!"