Volume 1, Chapter 34: Strike!

Deep within the dungeon, oil lamps flickered. The steward was strapped to an interrogation chair, his body covered in blood.

"Will you talk or not?" Wei Zhiren asked coldly.

The steward gritted his teeth, remaining silent.

Wei Zhiren signaled, and two agents stepped forward, dousing the steward with a bucket of cold water.

"Ugh..." The steward shuddered, yet his lips remained tightly sealed.

"Stubborn, are we?" Wei Zhiren sneered. "Men, begin the torture!"

An agent fetched an iron rod and began to heat it slowly. As the steward watched the rod glow crimson, a flicker of fear crossed his eyes, but his stubbornness quickly returned.

"One last question," Wei Zhiren leaned in. "Whose armaments are those?"

The steward lifted his head, his eyes filled with defiance. "Do with me as you please, kill me or carve me up—it makes no difference."

"Fine!" Wei Zhiren slammed the table. "Since you seek death, I shall grant your wish!"

He took the iron rod from the agent and pressed it against the steward's leg.

"Ah!" The steward let out a piercing scream, sweat streaming down his cheeks.

"Will you talk?" Wei Zhiren asked again.

The steward clenched his teeth and shook his head.

"A tough man indeed," Wei Zhiren sneered. "Then let me show you the methods of the Eastern Depot!"

He signaled again, and several agents brought in a wooden bucket. Upon seeing it, the steward’s face shifted instantly.

"Do you know what this is?" Wei Zhiren dipped his finger into the liquid. "This is a secret recipe of the Eastern Depot. A single drop will strip the flesh from your bones."

The steward turned even paler, yet he kept his mouth shut.

"Not talking, eh?" Wei Zhiren sneered. "Men, let him have a taste!"

Two agents stepped forward to pin the steward down. Another took a cloth, soaked it in the liquid, and wiped it across the steward's body.

"Ah!" The steward emitted a harrowing shriek. The liquid felt like liquid fire, instantly raising blisters on his skin.

"Will you talk now?" Wei Zhiren asked again.

The steward panted heavily, gritting out, "Kill me or... do as you wish..."

"Good!" Wei Zhiren laughed in a fit of rage. "You are indeed stubborn. Men, continue!"

Just as the agents were about to proceed, a voice came from outside: "My lord, Shopkeeper Wen has confessed!"

A sharp glint flashed in Wei Zhiren’s eyes. "Speak!"

"Shopkeeper Wen says... those armaments belong to Li Fu!"

The steward’s face changed dramatically. "Impossible! Shopkeeper Wen would never..."

"Still playing the tough guy?" Wei Zhiren sneered. "Men, bring Shopkeeper Wen in!"

Before long, Shopkeeper Wen was dragged inside. Seeing the blood-soaked steward, his face paled. "Old Zhang..."

"Shopkeeper Wen," Wei Zhiren smiled, "do tell this fellow once more—whose armaments are those exactly?"

Shopkeeper Wen hung his head, his voice trembling. "They are... they are Li Fu's..."

"You!" The steward glared at the shopkeeper. "How could you..."

"Old Zhang," Shopkeeper Wen suddenly looked up, tears in his eyes, "why persist in this? Li Fu has already fled; why should we sacrifice our lives for him?"

The steward froze. "What? Master Li has run away?"

Wei Zhiren sneered. "Know it now? He abandoned you long ago, yet you are the only one still holding out."

The steward slumped in the chair, the defiance in his eyes finally extinguished.

"Speak," Wei Zhiren said indifferently.

The steward was silent for a moment before finally opening his mouth. "Those armaments... they are indeed Li Fu's. He... he was acting under the orders of Wen Tiren..."

"Continue," Wei Zhiren’s eyes glinted.

"Wen Tiren and the Jianzhou Jurchens..." The steward had barely begun when his expression suddenly shifted. "Ah!"

Blood spilled from the corners of his mouth, and he bled from his seven orifices, expiring moments later.

"Audacious!" Wei Zhiren was furious. "Men, search his body!"

The agents searched him and discovered a small paper packet tucked inside the steward's boot.

"This is..." Wei Zhiren opened it and sneered, "arsenic. These people, sure enough, carry poison with them at all times."

He turned to Shopkeeper Wen. "You had best tell me everything you know. Otherwise..."

Shopkeeper Wen looked at the steward’s corpse, trembling all over. "I... I will speak..."

"Speak!" Wei Zhiren barked.

"Wen Tiren is indeed in league with the Jianzhou Jurchens. Those armaments were intended to be sold to them. Li Fu was responsible for contacting merchant guilds across the region to raise funds..."

Wei Zhiren’s eyes were cold. "And what else?"

"Also..." Shopkeeper Wen gulped. "There are several secret warehouses in the city, all hiding armaments..."

"Where?"

"They are in..." Just as Shopkeeper Wen began to speak, his eyes bulged, and he bled from his seven orifices.

Wei Zhiren was incensed. "Arsenic again!"

The agents searched Shopkeeper Wen’s body and found a paper packet hidden in his belt.

"These people..." Wei Zhiren sneered, "they certainly are eager for a quick death."

He looked at the two corpses, his gaze icy. "Hang the bodies on the city gates. Let everyone see the price of betraying the imperial court!"

"Yes!" the agents replied.

Wei Zhiren turned to leave but suddenly paused. "Wait."

He looked back at the steward’s corpse. "Take off his boots."

The agents complied, and in the sole of the boot, they found a note. Wei Zhiren unfolded it, a sharp light flashing in his eyes.

The note contained only a few words: "Jubao Pavilion, South City."

"Interesting," Wei Zhiren sneered. "Men, go investigate this Jubao Pavilion!"

"Yes!"

In the deep of the night, only two cold corpses remained in the prison. The oil lamp flickered, casting shadows over the gruesome bloodstains.

The night was dark, and Jubao Pavilion was pitch black. Zhu Youjian, dressed in commoner's clothing, led several trusted Eastern Depot agents as they quietly infiltrated the premises.

As soon as they crossed the threshold, a thick, medicinal scent hit them. Zhu Youjian frowned and signaled for everyone to proceed with caution.

The shelves were stocked with various herbs, appearing particularly eerie in the moonlight.

Zhu Youjian carefully inspected every corner. Suddenly, his gaze rested on a hidden compartment behind the counter.

"Search it," he commanded in a low voice.

The agents stepped forward and cautiously opened the compartment. Inside lay a stack of account books.

Zhu Youjian opened them, examining the contents by moonlight. The records were meticulous, with every transaction clearly detailed.

"This is..." His finger stopped on a page. It clearly read: "Gunpowder: 500 catties; Armaments: 300 pieces."

Zhu Youjian sneered and continued flipping through. Every page recorded massive trades of arms and gunpowder, and the buyer was listed as Li Fu, the right-hand man of Wen Tiren.

Just then, a slight noise came from upstairs.

Zhu Youjian looked up and signaled two agents to go check.

The others continued searching the ground floor. Before long, they discovered a cellar in the backyard.

Upon opening it, the smell of gunpowder rushed out. By the light of the torches, one could see the space stacked with wooden crates.

Zhu Youjian signaled for a crate to be opened. Sure enough, firelocks were neatly arranged inside.

"Your Majesty," an agent whispered, "we found some secret letters upstairs."

Zhu Youjian took the letters and examined them. They provided clear evidence of the collusion between Wen Tiren and the Jianzhou Jurchens.

"Excellent," he sneered. "Now we have caught them all."

At that moment, footsteps sounded outside. Several men dressed as merchants walked in.

"Shopkeeper?" the leader called out tentatively.

There was no response.

Just as the man turned to leave, he was pinned from behind.

"Don't move!" Several agents rushed forward.

The men tried to resist but were quickly subdued.

"Who are you?" Zhu Youjian stepped forward, asking coldly.

"We... we came to buy medicine..." the leader stammered.

"Is that so?" Zhu Youjian sneered. "Then what about this?"

He displayed the account book. The man’s face turned deathly pale.

"Speak, where is Li Fu?" Zhu Youjian continued.

The man gritted his teeth, refusing to speak.

"Not talking, are you?" Zhu Youjian sneered. "Take them back and interrogate them slowly."

The agents stepped forward and tied them up.

Zhu Youjian checked the cellar once more to ensure nothing was missed.

"Your Majesty," an agent approached, "we found this."

It was a map marked with several red dots.

Zhu Youjian scrutinized it. "These are their strongholds."

He put the map away. "Pass the order: search them all. Let not a single one escape."

Just then, one of the merchants broke free from his ropes and turned to flee.

"Pursue!" Several agents immediately gave chase.

The man ran swiftly, vanishing into the darkness in the blink of an eye.

Zhu Youjian, however, was unconcerned. "Let him run."

The agents looked at him, puzzled.

"Rest assured," Zhu Youjian sneered, "he won't get far."

Sure enough, not long after, the sounds of a struggle echoed from outside.

Soon, the fleeing merchant was dragged back.

"Your Majesty," an agent reported, "he tried to run, but he was caught by the men we had in ambush."

Zhu Youjian walked up to the man. "Can you talk now?"

The merchant trembled all over and finally spoke: "I will... I will tell you..."

"Where is Li Fu?"

"He... he is in a residence in the west of the city..." the merchant stammered.

Zhu Youjian nodded. "Very well. Lead the way."

The group escorted the merchant and quietly left Jubao Pavilion.

The night deepened, and the moon hid behind the clouds.

The streets were empty, save for the distant sound of the night watchman's clapper.

Zhu Youjian walked in the lead, his plan already set.

None of these men would escape.

Behind him, the footsteps of the prisoners were particularly clear in the silent night.

"Your Majesty," an agent whispered, "we have arrived."

Zhu Youjian looked up to see a large mansion standing under the moonlight.

The walls were high, and there were guards at the gate.

"Prepare," Zhu Youjian whispered.

The agents immediately dispersed, quietly surrounding the residence.

The night wind blew, causing the tree leaves to rustle.

Zhu Youjian checked the sky, waited a while longer, and then gave the order: "Move!"