This resort alone has arrested more than 400 people, half of whom were guests, and it is said that there will be more at night.
The idea of gold and silver being as plentiful as mountains was something Qin Mu hadn't quite grasped before, but now he had witnessed it firsthand. It was only at this moment that he realized just how poor he truly was.
There were very few copper coins, only eighteen chests, but silver was piled up densely throughout the courtyard, along with gold, jewelry, and various ornaments. Only one narrow passageway remained within the courtyard.
Arrests, seizures, and interrogations began immediately after the first wave of criminals were apprehended. Qin Mu felt that things at the Heaven and Earth Manor were not as simple as they seemed. Putting aside the escaped expert, the sheer amount of gold and silver was also unusual.
At first, Qin Mu didn't understand why the gold and silver would be left here, until he saw the storeroom and realized the reason. The storeroom, made entirely of bluestone and with a heavy iron door, was extremely secure. Moreover, this storeroom was located below the manor's pond; if the mechanism was triggered, the dragon-slaying stone would fall, causing the pond water to rush in and drown people inside.
The arrests lasted all day. Every hour, many people were brought back to the Six Doors. Qin Mu arrested two people, and then handed the rest over to others, since the biggest one had already been captured.
The operation was carried out during the day, so many people were seen, especially when the people from the gambling den were arrested, which was met with applause and cheers from the public.
"Huai Dao! Don't you feel something's off today?" After another arrest operation ended, Princess Changning found Qin Mu, pulled him aside, and asked in a low voice.
"What's wrong?" Qin Mu looked at her, puzzled.
“Today I have sensed six attacks from experts, which would never have happened under normal circumstances!” Princess Changning said solemnly.
"I know!" Qin Mu said with a wry smile.
"You know?" Princess Changning looked at Qin Mu with blank eyes.
"Think about it, why did my father and General Guo volunteer to come along this time? And why did Uncle Cheng appear out of nowhere? It's one thing if he, a Duke, happens to intervene, but it's a bit against the rules for him to volunteer, after all, this is the Six Doors, a place for handling cases!" Qin Mu shook his head slightly and asked.
"You suspected something was amiss from the very beginning?" Princess Changning asked in surprise.
"How could that be! Why would I suspect them if there's nothing wrong with them? They wouldn't harm us!" Qin Mu opened his eyes wide and shook his head.
"Hehe!" Realizing she had misunderstood, Princess Changning stuck out her tongue and smiled sheepishly.
"Think back, didn't my father only show up once and then disappear from sight? They came to help us, so how could we speak up in this situation?" Qin Mu analyzed.
“Unless something is holding them back!” Princess Changning guessed, pointing with her finger.
"They might also be carrying out another mission!"
"So, we were just catching some small fish, or rather, just bait!" Princess Changning said, slightly dejected.
"Hehe! Even if there are real experts, we can't beat them!" Qin Mu said with a frank smile.
"That's right! The Six Doors were established precisely to stir up trouble!" Princess Changning exclaimed.
"How did we become a stick?!" Qin Mu exclaimed, his eyes wide.
"Pah! I'm not the stick! You're the one stirring things up!" Princess Changning spat lightly and glared at Qin Mu. With his interruption, she no longer felt dissatisfied.
"Hehe!" Since no one was around, Qin Mu chuckled and took Princess Changning's small hand, stroking the back of it. He didn't know if it was because of the attraction between opposite sexes, but being with her made him want to touch her; the feeling of skin against skin was very comfortable.
Princess Changning glanced around nervously, and seeing that no one was around, she let him pull her along, giving him a playful glare with her white eyes.
Taking an inch, he would take a mile. With a gentle pull, Qin Mu drew the beauty into his arms, stretched out his neck, and pressed his lips against hers.
Young people, given the chance to be alone, how could they possibly sit together in a respectful manner? It's a miracle they didn't accidentally cross the line.
After a while, Princess Changning gently pushed Qin Mu away. Qin Mu wasn't being unreasonable; after all, this was an office, and people could come and go at any time.
Princess Changning straightened her clothes slightly, opened the door, and went out.
"No wonder so many people like offices and stuff like that, it's really exciting!" Qin Mu reminisced with a smile.
Qin Qiong and his group had already sensed something amiss when they second detected experts fighting nearby. After all, this was Chang'an City, and it was broad daylight—why would they cause such a commotion? Furthermore, a powerful aura of righteous indignation erupted from afar. That aura was as vast and unfathomable as an abyss, giving them a sense of awe and reverence. It was like an infant facing an adult—the difference was immense; this person was undoubtedly a great scholar.
With so many experts emerging, even a fool would know that something big has happened. And the biggest thing in Chang'an should be the crackdown they themselves launched, arresting more than a thousand people in a single day. Such a thing has never happened before except during war or rebellion.
Today it's even worse; the Six Doors detention center, which was just emptied, is already full! Even the low-ranking officers can only be locked up in the constables' rooms.
Interrogating prisoners and checking stolen goods were all proceeding in a busy but orderly manner. Having experienced the first major operation, everyone was much more composed this time.
With the tiger bench, the clamps, and the branding iron in place, many people confessed! The remaining people had no choice but to bow their heads in the face of their companions' testimonies; then, through cross-referencing and another interrogation, they basically got everything.
With the initial information in hand, we'll continue investigating the case to find the mastermind or fugitives. As for the personal issues the criminals are hiding, we'll pursue those later when we have more time. Now that we've caught them, there's no fear of them escaping. Our main objective now is to dismantle the criminal gang.
The most excited were the minor officials Li Shentong had recruited. Most of them came from humble backgrounds, and it was difficult for them to become officials, let alone enter the government. That's why they came to the Six Doors. Princess Changning had asked for manpower three or four times, and over a hundred people had come in total.
These people, of course, couldn't do fieldwork, so Qin Mu assigned them to work as recorders during trials, and they were usually responsible for the Six Doors' records.
The Six Doors' trial methods were taught to the constables by Qin Mu, combining some memories in his mind. There were many different methods, and the torture instruments were basically just for show! Only the most vicious and disgusting criminals would be deliberately subjected to them.
These internal staff members of the Six Doors have recently been most interested in interrogating cases. They are very interested in extracting secrets from criminals, and perhaps that is where their passion lies.
Gossip is human nature, especially about other people's secrets. People seem to enjoy hearing about them, especially in places where information is scarce. Even losing a chicken can be talked about for days.
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