Chapter 41 Lord Xiao came to visit you in prison.

The incident of the Supervising Secretary of the Ministry of Justice kicking the son of the Minister of Justice on the top of Jingshan Mountain on his first day back in the capital became "famous throughout the capital" and became the most talked-about strange news in the officialdom of the capital and even in the streets and alleys recently.

The Minister of Justice has seven daughters and one son. Gao Yu is over fifty years old and has only this one son. Therefore, his family dotes on him. Now that his only son has been uprooted, the Gao family has no successor. He waits in front of the Taiji Hall to ask His Majesty to give him justice.

Wei Shengxian, the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, stepped through the Taiji Gate and was led into the courtyard by the eunuch on duty in the Taiji Hall. He squinted at the figure waiting in front of him and asked, "How long has Gao Yu been here?"

The eunuch on duty replied, "Your Excellency, the Minister has only been here for less than a quarter of an hour. Just now, the Grand Secretary and the Left Censor-in-Chief came to see the Emperor, but His Majesty has not yet had a chance to summon them."

Upon hearing this, Wei Shengxian immediately understood. The case of the missing national treasury remained unresolved. Although the silver had been recovered, the mastermind behind it had not been found. Zheng Guanhe and Xiao Yinshi were both figures at the center of power and were also privy to the case. Therefore, the first important matter the emperor had to do after returning from his Fengshan ceremony at Jingshan was to discuss the matter with them.

As for why Gao Yu was standing here exuding a fierce aura, it was naturally because his son's testicles had been kicked in the groin the night before, making him a laughing stock in the entire capital's officialdom and among the common people.

Wei Shengxian recalled the strange report from the Embroidered Uniform Guard last night: The palace compiler Gao Zhizhen had publicly stripped Lin Wanzhou of her clothes; Feng Tan, the Supervising Secretary of the Ministry of Justice, hadn't uttered a word, but instead kicked Gao Zhizhen squarely in the lower abdomen, causing Gao Zhizhen to scream in pain, clutching his groin, blood flowing everywhere. Less than a moment later, Imperial Physician Li arrived to examine him, bluntly stating that both testicles were ruptured, beyond saving, and suggesting amputation, otherwise, the wound would fester and be difficult to heal.

After such a major incident, Feng Tan was found guilty of provoking trouble and seriously injuring a court official, and was arrested and imprisoned by the Ministry of Justice.

As Wei Shengxian thought of this, a deep smile appeared on his lips. Feng Tan was not a reckless person, but a few months ago he could offend Xiao Yinshi and slap Gao Yu for Lin Wanzhou. It was not impossible that he would kick Gao Zhizhen's balls for Lin Wanzhou last night... But this guy was really unlucky. He returned from a case with his life on the line, but before he could be promoted, he was thrown into prison.

When Gao Yu saw Wei Shengxian approaching, he said, "Lord Wei Sheng, you are a close advisor to His Majesty. Could you please tell me His Majesty's attitude toward what happened last night?"

Wei Shengxian had dealt with these officials for a long time and was adept at deflecting their criticisms. He said, "Lord Gao has joined the cabinet and is the head of the Ministry of Justice. He only has one son. How could His Majesty not understand your difficulties? However, the Emperor upholds the law, and the meaning behind this is..."

Gao Yu felt a chill run down his spine. He had indeed been blinded by anger, and today he had actually come to the Taiji Hall to curry favor by claiming credit. Emperor Chongming was shrewd and experienced, and this would only provoke his displeasure. So he solemnly bowed and thanked him, saying, "I understand your meaning. Thank you for your guidance today, Lord Weisheng."

Wei Shengxian waved his hand, and the eunuch waiting at the entrance of the Taiji Hall opened the vermilion gate. He stepped inside.

The Taiji Hall was solemn. Emperor Chongming sat on his throne with a furrowed brow. Xiao Yinshi tapped his teacup lightly, while Zheng Guanhe, wearing reading glasses, held a stack of yellow Xuan paper covered with writing, carefully examining each word.

Wei Shengxian bowed and stated the task Emperor Chongming had given him the previous night in a straightforward manner: "Your Majesty, the Embroidered Uniform Guard's investigation into the White Tiger attack case has revealed that the white tiger kept by the princess went into seclusion in Jingshan after the princess disappeared. Last night, they searched all night and found that someone in the palace had stolen the princess's childhood clothes. The clothes carried the princess's scent, which is why the tiger appeared. As for the attack on Your Majesty, it was because of the incense stick in Your Majesty's hand."

Emperor Chongming's voice was deep and authoritative, "You have only investigated the ins and outs of the matter, but you haven't found out who started it?"

Wei Shengxian said, "Your Majesty, please rest assured, the Embroidered Uniform Guard will definitely find out the real culprit."

Emperor Chongming nodded, looking somewhat tired. He waved his hand to signal Wei Shengxian to leave, then turned to Xiao Yinshi and asked, "In your opinion, are these two cases related?"

Xiao Yinshi said coldly, "The tiger attack occurred after the theft of the national treasury. In terms of time, the perpetrators certainly had ample time to plan. In terms of motives, both had the same goal: to seize the throne."

Emperor Chongming pondered for a moment, then looked at Zheng Guanhe, who was wearing reading glasses and seriously reading the case files, and said, "In your opinion, how can we change the situation where the enemy is in the dark and we are in the light?"

Zheng Guanhe, with a solemn expression, placed the official document in his hand back on Emperor Chongming's desk and said carefully, "Looking at the events of the past few months, the perpetrators have been plotting to seize power and the country without leaving the slightest trace. They have quietly moved tens of millions of taels of silver from the national treasury. There must be an inside agent among the officials of the Ministry of Revenue."

Emperor Chongming stared intently at Zheng Guanhe, saying sharply, "That's right! Someone in the Ministry of Revenue is in contact with him and intends to rebel! Yin Shi had already instructed the Embroidered Uniform Guard to investigate thoroughly before he went to the Linzhang sea area, but the Embroidered Uniform Guard has not received any news."

Zheng Guanhe stroked his beard and suggested, “Your Majesty, why not have someone else investigate? Feng Tan, the Supervising Secretary of the Ministry of Justice, solved the case of the fallen dragon. In Jianyan County, Fuzhou Prefecture, the imperial examinations ended in dismal failure for two consecutive years. Several high-ranking officials in the Ministry of Personnel could not find the cause, but he found the culprit in less than a month after arriving in the area: collusion between officials and the people, illicit activities by unscrupulous individuals to enrich themselves, and the secret digging of tunnels to hollow out the mountains and destroy the ancestral dragon veins of the mountains. He also played a significant role in the recent theft of the national treasury. Feng Tan is new to the capital, has no bias or faction behind him, and although he is strong-willed, he is not very capable. In my opinion, it is most appropriate to entrust this matter to Feng Tan.”

Emperor Chongming slowly turned his gaze to Xiao Yinshi and said, "The Grand Secretary's proposal coincides with Yinshi's proposal. In that case, promote Feng Tan to the position of Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Justice, a fifth-rank official. Let's publish it in the official gazette next month along with the news of Yinshi's entry into the cabinet."

Emperor Chongming had his own thoughts. He already knew about Feng Tan's actions last night. Even if this person was intelligent and he needed to recruit him, he couldn't hurt Gao Yu's feelings. Gao Yu was a useful arrow, hardworking and always thinking of him. After such an incident, he had to appease Gao Yu. Therefore, Feng Tan could only appease Gao Yu's anger by being tortured by him in the Ministry of Justice prison.

Feng Tan's crime falls under the category of fighting and injuring people, which is subject to both national law and human sentiment. Gao Yu understands the importance of each aspect and is satisfied that he doesn't take Feng Tan's life.

Zheng Guanhe sighed inwardly. He had done his best to protect Feng Tan, both for public and private reasons. But the imperial family was ruthless, and the young man would likely suffer greatly in the next few days.

***

The Ministry of Justice's Floating Pagoda Prison, third level.

Feng Tan was arrested close to dawn. The procedures of the Ministry of Justice were lengthy. She waited until she received her prison uniform and then fell asleep immediately. However, it was a bit cold in early spring. The cold iron chains locked her ankles and wrists, so she huddled up in the haystack to keep warm.

The jailer behind Xiao Yinshi brought out the key, opened the cell door, and bowed respectfully, "Sir, please."

Feng Tan wasn't sleeping soundly. When he saw Xiao Yinshi come in, he raised an eyebrow and said calmly, "What did Lord Xiao do wrong? Why was he locked up here too?"

Xiao Yinshi: "..."

The jailer who opened the door was quick-witted, saying, "Lord Feng, look at what you're saying! Lord Xiao came to the prison specifically to... comfort you!"

Xiao Yinshi waved for him to leave, then walked up to Feng Tan, bent down, and shrouded Feng Tan in shadow, saying, "Lord Feng, what are you up to?"

Feng Tan was used to Xiao Yinshi's stern and unsmiling demeanor, so she was a little unaccustomed to him speaking like this. "As you can see, he is offering himself to the enemy."

After saying that, Feng Tan moved his wrist and removed a piece of straw from the chain. With a rustling sound, Xiao Yinshi noticed that the boy's wrists and ankles were wrapped with heavy chains.

The image of the boy, locked to the bed and crying for mercy, that he had seen in his dream of purgatory, returned to his mind, giving Xiao Yinshi's dark eyes a strange look.

He was backlit, his somber features sharply defined, and he curled his lips into a smile, saying, "Using yourself to feed the enemy doesn't seem like Lord Feng's style. It seems more like using yourself to lure the enemy. Feng Tan, that kick you delivered that lifeline to the Gao family, aren't you really afraid that Gao Yu will kill you in prison in a fit of rage?"

Feng Tan raised an eyebrow and asked in return, "What, is the master here to ransom me?"

Xiao Yinshi lifted his eyelids and said, "You want me to redeem you again?"

The word "again" reminded Feng Tan that she had cut off Gao Yu's finger last time, and she didn't know how Xiao Yinshi had managed to resolve the situation. However, since her goal had not yet been achieved, she was not planning to leave.

The prison was dimly lit and smelled foul. Feng Tan's face was covered in dust, and he looked somewhat comical as he raised his eyelashes to look at people. "No need to trouble you, sir. By the way, what brings you to the prison, sir?"

Xiao Yinshi took out a round bullet from his sleeve, his deep eyes fixed on Feng Tan, not daring to miss any change in expression. "Feng Tan, take a look at this."

Feng Tan's eyes widened slightly when he saw the bullet. He picked it up from Xiao Yinshi's hand and examined it between his fingers. After studying it for a while, he asked, "Sir, where did this bullet come from?"

“Evil Spirit Island,” Xiao Yinshi said coldly, “I’ve tried it. The bullets and guns in the island’s warehouse are less effective at killing than even a fraction of the one in your hand, and they’re not even as good as ordinary swords.”

Feng Tan frowned. There was a large ammunition and gun arsenal on Evil Spirit Island... The weapon that the Master gave her was the only one of its kind in the world. She was using it for the first time in the Linzhang Sea. But the Silver-Masked Venerable knew about it and had been trying to replicate it for years. Was it because the Silver-Masked Venerable had seen the Master use it before that he was so determined to make a copy?

Seeing that Feng Tan's puzzled and thoughtful expression seemed genuine, Xiao Yinshi's suspicions subsided, and he said, "Feng Tan, it was unnecessary for me not to ask about the origin of this weapon on the island, but now this matter concerns the fate of the Great Huang Kingdom, so you must tell me."

Xiao Yinshi stood against the light, his back straight, the light outlining his elegant yet aloof figure. However, his words were aggressive, revealing the arrogance and coldness of a person in power.

Feng Tan looked up and met Xiao Yinshi's deep, dark eyes. She smiled wryly and spread her hands, saying, "It was a gift from Buddha in my dream."

Xiao Yinshi smirked, a cold smile spreading across his lips. "Did Buddha bestow upon you an unparalleled weapon, so that you could kill your way to the highest heavens?"

Feng Tan said, "Those I want to kill deserve to go to hell."

Xiao Yinshi chuckled softly, his long, slender fingers touching the cold chains. He said, "If you refuse to confess, then there's no need to. In any case, this case has become your job."

After Xiao Yinshi finished speaking, he walked out of the cell. Feng Tan lowered his eyes and quietly pondered this complex and mysterious case. Suddenly, a shadow loomed over his eyes once again.

Feng Tan raised her head and saw Gao Yu staring at her with a deathly expression, his eyes filled with venomous hatred. Behind him were Zhen Yongming and Warden Meng Sheng.

A cold, mocking smile curved Feng Tan's lips as he spoke in a calm voice, "Lord Gao, is your son still of any use?"