Volume 1, Chapter 39: So That Was It

"Your Majesty," Wei Zhiren said, "everything has been recorded."

Zhu Youjian nodded. "Very good."

He looked at the trembling monks. "Your usefulness has come to an end."

The monks' faces turned pale with terror. "Your Majesty, have mercy..."

"Take them away!" Wei Zhiren commanded.

Several secret agents stepped forward and dragged the monks away.

Zhu Youjian stared at the map, cold light flickering in his eyes. "Wen Tiren, I will ensure you have nowhere left to hide!"

He turned to Wang Cheng'en and said, "Issue the order: the entire city is under martial law."

"Yes."

Zhu Youjian then instructed Wei Zhiren, "Take your men to search the Jubaozhai shop in the south of the city."

"Yes." Wei Zhiren received the order and departed.

Zhu Youjian gazed at the red dots on the map, sneering, "Not a single one of them will escape."

As he was about to speak, a commotion erupted outside.

"Your Majesty!" a secret agent ran in. "We've found something!"

"Speak."

"In the Jubaozhai in the south, we discovered a large cache of ordnance and gunpowder. And..."

"And what?"

"We also found secret letters belonging to Wen Tiren. They are proof of his dealings with the Jiannu."

Cold light flickered in Zhu Youjian's eyes. "Excellent."

He turned to Wang Cheng'en. "Go and summon Sun Chanting."

"Yes."

"Yes!" the agents replied and rushed off.

Zhu Youjian sneered, "Wen Tiren, did you really think you could hide this from me?"

Before he could say more, another commotion broke out outside.

"Your Majesty!" another agent ran in. "We've found more!"

"Speak."

"In a residence in the west of the city, we also found ordnance and secret letters."

Zhu Youjian nodded. "Continue the search. Do not overlook a single corner."

"Yes!"

He looked at the map, sneering, "Wen Tiren, I will uproot your entire nest!"

Just then, Wei Zhiren returned. "Your Majesty, the Jubaozhai has been sealed."

"Did you find anything?"

"We found quite a bit." Wei Zhiren handed over a stack of documents. "It is all here."

Zhu Youjian flipped through the papers, his gaze growing increasingly icy. "Splendid. Wen Tiren, you truly intended to commit treason!"

He looked up at Wei Zhiren. "Continue the search! Do not let a single one escape!"

"Yes!"

Zhu Youjian looked back at the map. "Pass the order: the entire city is under martial law."

"Yes."

He sneered, "Wen Tiren, did you think you could escape my eyes?"

Zhu Youjian sneered again. "Wen Tiren, I know everything about you now."

He stared at the red dots on the map and added, "Issue the order: the entire city is under martial law."

"Yes." Wang Cheng'en turned to leave.

"Wait," Zhu Youjian said suddenly. "Go and summon Sun Chanting."

"Yes."

***

Zhu Youjian continued to study the map, his fingers tracing the various red dots. These were all of Wen Tiren's strongholds, each hiding unspeakable secrets.

He turned to Wei Zhiren. "Take your men to search the Jubaozhai in the south of the city."

"Yes." Wei Zhiren left to carry out the order.

As Zhu Youjian was about to speak, he suddenly noticed an inconspicuous mark on the map.

"This is..." He narrowed his eyes.

It was a tiny black dot, marked in a remote alley in the west of the city.

Zhu Youjian carefully recalled the testimony of Manager Wen. "That looks like..."

He suddenly remembered something, and a flash of cold light crossed his eyes.

"Wang Cheng'en!"

"This servant is here."

"Bring that monk to me."

Wang Cheng'en soon brought in a trembling monk.

"Tell me," Zhu Youjian pointed to the black dot on the map. "What is this place?"

The monk glanced at it, his face changing instantly. "This... this is..."

"Speak!" Zhu Youjian commanded sternly.

The monk knelt on the ground. "It is... it is Lord Wen's secret chamber..."

"A secret chamber?" Zhu Youjian sneered. "What is hidden inside?"

The monk said tremblingly, "There are... some secret letters... all involving dealings with the Jiannu..."

"Go on."

"And... there are also some rosters..."

"What rosters?"

"They are... the names of those who have dealings with Lord Wen..."

A sharp glint appeared in Zhu Youjian's eyes. "Where is it?"

"In... in the deepest part of the cellar..." the monk swallowed hard. "Locked in an iron chest..."

"Where is the key?"

"It is... on Lord Wen's person..."

Zhu Youjian sneered. "Very well."

He turned to Wang Cheng'en. "Take him away. Keep a close watch on him."

"Yes."

After the monk was taken away, Zhu Youjian looked back at the map. "A secret chamber in the west... interesting."

Just as he was about to speak, he heard a commotion outside.

"Report!" an agent ran in. "We have found suspicious persons in the south!"

"Speak."

"It is Wen Tiren's confidant, currently moving documents!"

Zhu Youjian sneered, "Let them move them. I want to see exactly where they think they can take them."

He turned to Wang Cheng'en. "Tell Sun Chanting to have his men ready."

"Yes."

Zhu Youjian looked back at the map. "Pass the order: conduct a strict search of all merchant guilds. Do not let a single one escape."

"Yes!"

He continued to examine the marks on the map. Every red dot was a stronghold; every black dot hid a secret.

"The western secret chamber..." Zhu Youjian murmured to himself, "there must be something important hidden there."

He turned to Wang Cheng'en. "Prepare the carriage. I am going to see it for myself."

"But..." Wang Cheng'en was worried.

"What are you afraid of?" Zhu Youjian sneered. "I want to see what Wen Tiren has hidden there."

***

He glanced at the water clock. "The Hour of the Rat has arrived; it is the perfect time."

Wang Cheng'en dared not persuade him further and bowed as he retreated.

Zhu Youjian walked back to his desk and looked over the documents again.

Every paper, every name, was evidence.

He let out a cold laugh. "Wen Tiren, did you think you had hidden it so well?"

The sound of hooves echoed outside, and Wang Cheng'en walked in quickly. "Your Majesty, the carriage is ready."

Zhu Youjian nodded. "Let us go."

Taking a few trusted subordinates, he quietly slipped out of the Eastern Depot.

The night was deep, and the streets were empty.

The carriage moved silently toward the west of the city.

Zhu Youjian lifted the curtain, watching the night outside.

Soon, the carriage stopped at the entrance of a remote alley.

"This is the place," Wang Cheng'en whispered.

Zhu Youjian stepped out of the carriage and looked at the small courtyard before him.

The gate was tightly shut, and vines climbed over the walls.

"Go in," Zhu Youjian whispered.

A few men climbed over the wall and opened the gate.

The courtyard was pitch black, with only the moonlight casting a silver glow.

Zhu Youjian carefully inspected the surroundings.

Soon, behind a rockery, they discovered a hidden door.

"Open it."

Two men pushed the hidden door open, revealing a flight of stairs leading downward.

Holding a torch, Zhu Youjian walked in the lead.

The stairs were long, extending deep into the ground.

Finally, they arrived at a cellar.

The cellar was small but neatly kept.

In the corner stood an iron chest.

"Pry it open," Zhu Youjian ordered.

Soon, the iron chest was pried open. Inside, stacks of documents were neatly arranged.

Zhu Youjian took one out and read it by the light of the torch.

It was a roster. It was densely packed with names.

Behind each name were specific details of positions and transactions.

"These people..." Zhu Youjian sneered, "are all Wen Tiren's partisans."

He continued to flip through the pages, suddenly seeing a familiar name on one of them.

"Li Fu..." He narrowed his eyes. "So that is how it is."

This page recorded all of Li Fu's transactions in detail.

Ordnance, gunpowder, secret letters—each entry was clear and distinct.

Zhu Youjian flipped through a few more pages, his face growing colder.

"These people..." he sneered, "are all traitors."

He closed the roster and took out a stack of secret letters.

These were all proofs of Wen Tiren's dealings with the Jiannu.

"Collect them," he told Wang Cheng'en. "Not a single word must be missing."