Finally, they successfully fought their way out and took Zhao Xingzhong away from the villa.
After returning to the county government office, Zhao Xingzhong was thrown into jail.
County Magistrate Chen and Wei Che immediately tortured him.
"Zhao Xingzhong, you colluded with the enemy country, raised the price of medicinal materials, and attempted to disrupt our southwest. The evidence is irrefutable. What else do you have to say?" County Magistrate Chen shouted angrily.
Zhao Xingzhong lowered his head and remained silent.
Wei Che stepped forward and said coldly, "Zhao Xingzhong, do you think you can escape the law? Your crimes have been exposed. If you confess obediently, you might even receive a lighter sentence."
Zhao Xingzhong raised his head, his eyes full of resentment: "Humph, do you think you're done just by catching me? There are others out there, you can never catch them all!"
County Magistrate Chen frowned. "Who else? You'd better tell the truth, or you'll be charged with an even greater crime!"
Zhao Xingzhong sneered, turned his head to the side, and stopped talking, looking like a dead pig that was not afraid of boiling water.
Seeing this, Wei Che's anger suddenly flared up.
He turned around suddenly, picked up a whip from the table beside him, and hit the prison bars hard. A loud "snap" sound echoed in the cell.
"Zhao Xingzhong, don't refuse my toast and then drink the forfeit!" Wei Che's voice was fierce, and his eyes flashed with anger, as if he wanted to eat Zhao Xingzhong alive.
Zhao Xingzhong was startled by the sudden noise, but quickly regained his composure. He looked at Wei Che with disdain: "You think you can scare me like this? Beat me to death if you have the guts!"
Wei Che took a deep breath and tried hard to suppress the anger in his heart.
He knew that only tough measures could make people like Zhao Xingzhong speak.
He walked into the cell, twisted the whip in his hand a few times, and then swung it violently. The whip drew an arc in front of Zhao Xingzhong, causing a gust of wind.
"I'll ask you again, who else is colluding with you?" Wei Che's voice was low and cold, and every word seemed to carry a chill.
Zhao Xingzhong gritted his teeth, veins bulging on his forehead. He suppressed his inner fear and still refused to speak.
Seeing this, Wei Che no longer hesitated and whipped Zhao Xingzhong on the back with the whip. With a "snap" sound, a blood mark immediately appeared on Zhao Xingzhong's back.
He groaned, his body trembling slightly, but still said nothing.
"Master Wei," County Magistrate Chen advised, "Don't be impulsive. Don't beat him to death. We still need to get more clues from him."
Wei Che stopped what he was doing, his chest heaving violently and beads of sweat on his forehead.
He knew that County Magistrate Chen was right, but Zhao Xingzhong's stubbornness made it difficult for him to control his anger.
"Zhao Xingzhong, do you think you can handle this?" Wei Che said coldly, "I have plenty of ways to make you speak."
Zhao Xingzhong raised his head, a trace of fear flashed in his eyes, but it was quickly replaced by resentment: "Do you think I'm afraid of you? If you have the guts, just keep going!"
Wei Che's anger was ignited once more, and he swung the whip again, hitting Zhao Xingzhong again and again. Zhao Xingzhong's screams echoed in the cell, his back was already bloody and fleshy, but he still did not give in.
"Master Wei, this isn't a solution." County Magistrate Chen stepped forward and stopped Wei Che. "We need to find another way."
Wei Che gasped and threw the whip to the ground.
Suddenly thinking of something, he walked out of the cell and whispered a few words to County Magistrate Chen.
County Magistrate Chen nodded slightly, and the two began their new plan.
He asked someone to bring a basin of cold water and poured it on Zhao Xingzhong.
Zhao Xingzhong was shocked by the cold water and his body trembled violently. He woke up from his coma.
Wei Che squatted in front of Zhao Xingzhong and said coldly, "I'm telling you, if you don't tell me today or tomorrow, I have plenty of time to waste with you. But don't forget, if you suffer here, your family won't have an easy time either."
When Zhao Xingzhong heard the word "family", his body trembled slightly and a trace of panic flashed in his eyes.
Wei Che noticed his change and continued, "If you tell the truth, I can guarantee your family's safety. Otherwise, you can expect them to pay for your crimes!"
Zhao Xingzhong's eyes were filled with struggle. He lowered his head and remained silent for a long time. Finally, he spoke: "I say... I say..."
Wei Che and County Magistrate Chen looked at each other, and a hint of surprise flashed in their eyes.
"We're just doing things for others. There's a man called 'Cheng Lao' up there," Zhao Xingzhong said in a weak and hoarse voice. "He gives us information and the channels to get the medicinal herbs. Other people in the other chambers of commerce also get the news from him."
County Magistrate Chen hurriedly asked, "Where is this Elder Cheng? Who is he?"
Zhao Xingzhong shook his head. "I don't know. None of us have ever met Mr. Cheng. We only know that we communicate with him through a middleman. Every time, that middleman conveys his instructions, and we do what he says."
Wei Che frowned: "Who is this middleman?"
"I don't know his true identity either," Zhao Xingzhong said. "We all call him 'Shadow.' Every time we meet, he wears a mask. No one has ever seen his true face."
Wei Che and County Magistrate Chen's expressions became very solemn. This clue was too vague. How could it be easy to find this "shadow" and "Mr. Cheng"?
"Then you should know some clues about him, right?" Wei Che asked unwillingly.
Zhao Xingzhong thought for a moment and said, "I only know that Cheng Lao was very close to the southwestern garrison. I once heard Shadow mention in a conversation that Cheng Lao often interacted with some of the generals in the garrison."
Wei Che and County Magistrate Chen exchanged a glance, realizing that this "Old Cheng" was no ordinary person, colluding with the Southwest Garrison. This meant the enemy they faced was even more complex and powerful.
"What else?" County Magistrate Chen pressed. "Think carefully. Are there any other clues?"
Zhao Xingzhong shook his head: "I really don't know. I've already said everything I know."
Wei Che stood up and said to County Magistrate Chen, "County Magistrate Chen, it seems we have to start with the garrison in the southwest."
County Magistrate Chen nodded. "That's right, but the relationship between the troops stationed in the southwest is complicated. We must proceed with caution and not alert the enemy."
Wei Che looked at Zhao Xingzhong and said coldly, "Zhao Xingzhong, you better not lie. If I find out that you are still hiding something, you know the consequences."
Zhao Xingzhong quickly shook his head: "I didn't lie, everything I said is true."
Wei Che and County Magistrate Chen walked out of the cell, and the cell door slammed shut behind them.
They stood in the courtyard of the county government office, looking at the stars in the night sky, their hearts filled with worry.
"Master Wei, this matter may be more complicated than we imagined." County Magistrate Chen sighed.
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