Chapter 971: Chapter 971

Outside the main gate of the Imperial Prison, two dark red lanterns swayed in the night.

Zhao Douan stood up from his chair, curiously looking at Ma Yan and other colleagues approaching.

Ma Yan’s thin and long face was filled with a complex expression, carrying unresolved worry:

"I heard that Lihua Hall has arrested quite a few people today, so I came to see how things are going?"

He originally did not want to come. But Zhao Douan’s actions were too bold and reckless, causing Ma Yan to feel unsettled and have to face it himself.

It was not just him; the faces of the eight heads behind Ma Yan were also complex.

Usually, they are hailed as Living Yamas, a presence that instilled fear among the officials in the Capital, but now they appeared gentle.

Putting aside the fall of the Li Party, the last large-scale arrest was last year, when Junior Guardian Zhao first took the position of Master.

But at that time, though many were arrested, they were low-ranked, all officials below the fifth rank.

This time it is different.

Zhao Douan’s strikes were aimed straight at the court’s main artery.

"Haha, Lord, rest assured, everything is progressing smoothly," Zhao Douan smiled.

At this moment, Qian Kerou hurriedly walked out from the dungeon, paused upon seeing Ma Yan and others, and then, under Zhao Douan’s encouraging gaze, reported: "Sir, we’ve completed a round; these people firmly insist they were working for Yuann Li."

Ma Yan and others turned green, thinking this is "progressing smoothly"?

The Chief Eunuch couldn’t help but say: "There’s no rush in purging internal traitors."

Zhao Douan looked at him in surprise: "Lord, are you scared?"

Seeing everyone hesitant, Zhao Douan turned to laugh: "Just a joke. It involves treason. Without some means, how would these people confess? I was just about to interrogate, since you’re here, join us."

Interrogate offenders?

Ma Yan hesitated and nodded. Thɪs chapter is updatᴇd by 𝓷𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓵·𝕗𝕚𝕣𝕖·𝙣𝙚𝙩

Zhao Douan led the way, escorting a group into the dungeon specifically for interrogation.

Zheng Laojiu was waiting inside, stunned to see so many people come in.

Zhao Douan remained calm: "Is the interrogation order set?"

Zheng Laojiu acknowledged with a nod, ignored Ma Yan, presented a handwritten list, and whispered: "As you instructed, based on the first round of torture, these people are ranked by their willpower from low to high."

Zhao Douan nodded: "Begin in order."

Then, he politely invited Ma Yan to sit, and then pulled a chair for himself, sitting gracefully behind the interrogation table.

As for Haitang and other Masters with no chairs, they had to stand in a row behind, curious to watch their pale-faced colleague’s operation.

The iron door opened, Hou Renmeng and Shen Juan escorted a frail middle-aged official, seating him down.

Zhao Douan read through the documents with a blank expression: "Sun Honglin, Assistant to the Ministry of Rites. According to the investigation, secretly gathering city intelligence for the rebel king..."

Sun Honglin’s legs were weak as he entered, and upon seeing ten "interrogators" in the room, including Chief Eunuch Ma Yan, he was scared half to death, overwhelmed with a sense of "how could I be worthy."

Upon hearing "Do you plead guilty," Sun Honglin jolted back to his senses, forcing himself to reply: "I... I didn’t collude with the enemy... only followed Mr. Yuan’s instructions..."

This group of officials had long reached a consensus, pushing everything onto Yuann Li, extremely disgustingly.

Zhao Douan "Oh" elongated the sound: "So, you were working for Yuann Li? Is there evidence?"

Sun Honglin hastily said: "Mr. Yuan only said it was classified, no evidence left..."

"And the few people who did this with you..."

"Also were Mr. Yuan’s..."

Zhao Douan suddenly interrupted, sternly: "The affair is exposed, and you still dare to deny it! Your classmate Wang Yong has already confessed, saying it’s you who colluded with traitors, tricked him onto this criminal path, and hinted that you were working for Yuann Li, of which he knew nothing. The mastermind of everything is you!"

Sun Honglin’s mind buzzed, instinctively retorting: "Impossible... he wouldn’t..."

Zhao Douan coldly pressed: "Colluding with traitors is a capital crime to annihilate the entire family. Your Majesty is merciful. To stabilize the court, only the main culprits will be executed; the rest will be lightly punished. He willingly confessed, handing you, the perpetrator, over for his family’s safety. Why not?"

Sun Honglin was speechless.

Zhao Douan then continued to enumerate, naming the officials implicated by Sun Honglin as confessed by Wang Yong.

Seeing the evidence against him layer upon layer, drenched in cold sweat, Sun Honglin finally broke down: "He’s lying! The villain complained first! He came to me first! Said he was working for Mr. Yuan, and I was the one dragged into this! Not just me, there are others..."

The confession completed, Sun Honglin was taken away.

The next one brought for questioning was Wang Yong.

Zhao Douan mirrored the same strategy, first interrogating, then suddenly snapping: "...still dare deny! Sun Honglin and Wang Qinhe have already confessed, accusing you of falsely invoking Yuann Li’s name, pulling people into the abyss..."

Faced with Sun Honglin’s detailed evidence, Wang Yong was enraged to the point of dizziness, knowing he was doomed, he resignedly clenched his teeth: "Sir, what they said is not true..."

Wang Yong was taken away, the next was Wang Qinhe...

One prisoner after another was brought in and taken out, Zhao Douan used the same tactic over and over, each time providing a mix of real and false evidence to involve one person after another.

And seeing the prisoners’ psychological defenses being individually broken, Ma Yan and others collectively fell into silence.

Their gazes towards Zhao Douan had changed.

During the intermission.

Haitang, silent for a long time, finally spoke, calmly analyzing Zhao Douan: "So, in the beginning, Wang Yong didn’t confess at all, you were bluffing Sun Honglin? How did you ensure he would talk?"