The worst kind of evil is y! This kind of person is the most detestable.
"Where did you catch this guy?" Qin Mu asked again as they entered another room.
"This guy is the owner of Cuihonglou. He's the one who sent all the women from Tianshang Renjian Villa there!" a constable replied, putting down the branding iron.
So that's how it is. Qin Mu guessed he must know something, and his eyes lit up. He grinned wickedly and said, "I've heard of a kind of torture called 'laughing torture'! It involves smearing sugar on the soles of a sheep's feet and making it lick them non-stop! Let's try it and see if he likes it!"
"Yes, sir!" The constable exclaimed excitedly as he went to prepare the necessary items.
These executioners were extremely excited about interrogation, something Qin Mu found utterly unappealing and incomprehensible. Who could find joy in torturing others? However, he also knew that such psychological issues were very complex, and that the soldiers' hands were stained with blood, so their fondness for violence wasn't surprising.
After coming up with some ideas, Qin Mu felt better and left the dungeon.
Qin Mu and the others did not get a proper rest that night, and waited for dawn.
Fortunately, before dawn, they received the news they were looking for.
"Don't worry! It's all over!" Qin Qiong smiled as he looked at the expectant eyes. His gaze lingered a little longer on Princess Changning; he was quite satisfied with his son's love interest, or rather, his future daughter-in-law. Although she had a somewhat intimidating reputation in Chang'an, she had never displayed arrogance or extravagance.
"Let me put it this way," Qin Qiong explained. "This operation was entirely decided by the imperial court and specifically formulated by Duke Li Jing of Wei. We didn't tell you because we were worried that you might act too deliberately and reveal a weakness, which would prevent the enemy from making a move."
"Uncle Qin! This time the commotion is quite big! How many experts does the enemy have?" Cheng Huaimo asked curiously. This was a private conversation, so the form of address was used in private.
"Heh heh! Quite a few! Sixteen general-level martial artists and more than sixty general-level martial artists were killed! The rest were captured!" Luo Cheng sneered.
"Have you found out whose faction they are?" Qin Mu asked in surprise. So many experts, it's terrifying. Even if just two or three were to escape, most of us probably wouldn't survive. It seems we'll have to be more discreet in the future. We absolutely must avoid powerful factions.
To be honest, this time it was only because Li Shimin had cracked down on the underground forces in Chang'an that they made such a big fuss. Otherwise, Qin Mu would have just waited patiently to investigate the case.
"Of the thirteen major underground forces in Chang'an, there will only be twelve left!" Qin Qiong said calmly.
"Father, do you mean that one of the thirteen forces is behind this attack?" Qin Mu asked.
“That’s right! The second-ranked of the thirteen major powers, the God of Wealth Pavilion! It’s related to you! You captured their young master! That’s why the God of Wealth Pavilion came out in full force!” Qin Qiong nodded slightly.
"Ah! Which one is it? I didn't even know, and I caught a big fish!" Cheng Huaimo exclaimed.
“Yes! We’ve been interrogating them all day, but we haven’t gotten anything out of them!” Li Chongyi was also very curious.
"I don't know either. Don't release them for now. Just bring them over tomorrow for identification!" Qin Qiong reminded them.
Hearing that a big fish had been caught, everyone's spirits lifted; this was the true reward for their actions.
"We've caught quite a few big fish this time. The investigation into the thirteen major powers should be pretty much complete, right?" Li Chongyi asked again. Not only was he curious, but everyone else was also watching Qin Qiong intently, waiting for his explanation. The question of the thirteen major powers had been weighing on their minds lately.
"The thirteen major underground forces in Chang'an are ranked as follows: the first is called the Ghost Buddha Hall; the second is the God of Wealth Tower, which was destroyed this time and was known as the God of Wealth Tower that could communicate with gods; the third is called the Shadow Pavilion; the fourth to eighth are collectively called the Five Gates of Guanzhong, which is an alliance, supposedly formed to counter the top three; the last five are the Green Forest Alliance, the Beast Alliance, the Merchant Alliance, the Medicine King Pavilion, and the Crimson Pavilion," Qin Qiong explained.
"Sixteen top experts! And he's only ranked third! This...this...these guys are too strong!" Cheng Huaimo exclaimed in astonishment.
"These guys claim to be able to do anything with money, so it's not surprising that they have many experts. Many of them are just after the money!" Luo Cheng said calmly.
“That’s true, money makes the world go round,” Qin Mu agreed.
"Top-tier experts aren't short of money! They're respected wherever they go," Li Chongyi said in disbelief.
"You can't bribe them, you can only say that the money wasn't enough! If you pay enough, there are plenty of people willing to risk their lives for you." Qin Mu understood.
After listening to Qin Mu's words, the other youths nodded thoughtfully.
"Mu'er is right. Not everyone can live an upright life. Some people are hunted by enemies and have to hide, while others only know how to work for money. So it's not surprising that as long as you have money, you can slowly gather some experts." Qin Qiong looked at his son with approval and smiled with satisfaction.
"I wonder what the number one ranked one looks like! It's incredible that they can rank first among so many forces," Li Chongyi exclaimed.
"The strangest thing is these guys. No one knows their background, but they are the undisputed number one power," Luo Cheng said, shaking his head slightly.
"What you should be most wary of is the Shadow Pavilion, which is ranked third. It's an assassin organization. Not only do we not know their origins, but we don't even know who they are," Qin Qiong warned.
"Yes!" Everyone nodded in response.
"Uncle Qin, now that we've caught so many people, we should be able to clear out the Ghost City, right?" Cheng Huaimo asked.
"It's not that simple! There are only two entrances to the Ghost City. One is an underground tunnel that can only allow one person to pass at a time. It is not only equipped with traps and hidden weapons, but also guarded by experts. It is truly a place where one man can hold off ten thousand."
The other route is the underground river, which is also the first passage to the Ghost City. However, only the Ghost City has boats on the underground river, and outsiders cannot enter. Even if a boat is found, the underground river has a complex channel and a rapid current, and it is also equipped with traps, making entry even more impossible. "Qin Qiong sighed.
"Then let them dig! Mobilize tens of thousands of laborers to dig down from the ground! We can even dig out the entire Ghost City!" Cheng Huaimo said with a sinister grin.
“That’s right!” Luo Cheng’s eyes lit up.
"This method might actually work!" Qin Qiong said, stroking his chin thoughtfully.
"Alright! You've finally learned to use your brain!" Yuchi Baolin said, glaring at him.
"Hmph! I am extremely intelligent, but I'm just too lazy to think about things usually," Cheng Huaimo said smugly.
"Even a fool can have a stroke of genius," Li Chongyi muttered to himself. Once you're familiar with someone, a few jokes go unnoticed.
"You want to practice?" Cheng Huaimo asked, clenching his fist, which was as big as a sandbag.
Faced with Cheng Huaimo's threat, Li Chongyi was so frightened that he quickly shut his mouth. This was what frustrated him the most. Cheng Huaimo and Yuchi Baolin were always like this; if they couldn't win an argument, they would resort to violence. When it came to close combat, he was no match for them.
Of the four constables in the Six Doors, two were unreasonable and couldn't be beaten, and Qin Mu was even less capable; he used to be inferior to him, and now that he was a scholar, he was even less of a match. Therefore, he could only be ranked last. Besides Princess Changning, there was only Xiangli Yanran; one couldn't very well bully a girl, could one? Moreover, he was no match for her in close combat either. Therefore, Li Chongyi had no choice but to admit defeat.
"You don't need to worry about this! I'll go and ask His Majesty!" Qin Qiong's eyes narrowed, then he waved his hand and said.
“Then I will transfer the person to the Dali Temple,” Qin Mu said.
"Yes, leave it to the Dali Temple. Keep a low profile these days and don't launch any more major operations," Qin Qiong instructed.
"Okay, anyway, the reputation of the Six Doors has been established." Qin Mu nodded in agreement.
"Uncle Qin, who are the people behind the thirteen forces?" Cheng Huaimo asked again.
"The Five Gates of Guanzhong were the original forces in Guanzhong. During the struggle in Guicheng, the remaining people banded together to deal with outsiders."
The Green Forest Alliance is composed of people from the Green Forest. The Merchant Alliance and the Beast Alliance, as their names suggest, are composed of underground merchants and beastmen. The Medicine King Pavilion is a place that sells pills; they only sell pills, so no one bothers them. The Crimson Pavilion is just a brothel, but it's located in the Ghost City," Qin Qiong explained.
"If you can refine pills, you don't need to hide underground! There's a huge demand for them in Chang'an City alone," Cheng Huaimo said in surprise.
"How do you know there isn't one in Chang'an?" Qin Mu asked, looking up.
"Mu'er is right!" Qin Qiong paused for a moment, nodded thoughtfully, and then said, "Didn't I just say that some people have to hide in the shadows to avoid their enemies? Besides, the price of pills sold in Ghost City is even higher."
"Alright! Be careful these days, and bring extra people with you when you go out!" Qin Qiong glanced at the sky, stood up, and said. Then he hurriedly left.
"Uncle, aren't you leaving?"
"I'm so tired. Do you have a place to rest here? I need to take a nap," Luo Cheng said with a yawn.
Knowing that this was to protect them, Qin Mu called for someone to take Luo Cheng to rest.
"Is that all for us?" The group looked at each other, and Cheng Huaimo asked with a shrug.
"What else do you want? If you really encounter a master, can you beat them?" Li Chongyi rolled his eyes at him and said.
"That's settled then! Everyone, please take this easy and transfer the person to the Dali Temple. After that, it's none of our business," Qin Mu said.
"That's good too. Our strength is still too low. If we cultivate diligently, we can manage whatever we want in the future." Princess Changning naturally supported her beloved's decision wholeheartedly.
"I've also recently learned alchemy. Once I collect a batch of medicinal herbs, I'll increase everyone's strength. So, it's best not to cause any trouble," Qin Mu added.
"Yes, yes, you should learn quickly. We'll keep an eye on things at the Six Doors!" Cheng Huaimo nodded repeatedly.
"Alright, then you'll have to keep a close eye on things at the Six Doors lately." Qin Mu didn't stand on ceremony; he certainly had a lot on his plate. His younger siblings hadn't taken their exams for several days, and he also needed to oversee the restaurant and the commercial street.
"What should we do with all that gold and silver?" Li Chongyi asked.
When Li Chongyi asked, everyone remembered that they had also seized a lot of money during the operation, which was now piled up in two rooms.
"Take 10% as a reward for the brothers, including those from the Bad Guys, another 10% as compensation, and another 30% to add weapons and equipment to the Six Doors; the rest will be given to the imperial court. What do you all think?" Qin Mu asked.
"Can."
"You decide." No one objected, and no one was greedy, especially since the restaurant's income made them financially well-off, so they were even less likely to embezzle.
"Alright, I'll let my superiors know," Qin Mu said.
Everyone rolled their eyes at Qin Mu's words. "Telling it to the higher-ups is just telling your father. Judging from Qin Qiong's expression, he definitely won't object."
However, this was just a thought to themselves. They knew that Qin Mu wouldn't care about the money. After all, he had four restaurants and a winery. With just these two businesses, he wasn't short of money.
Qin Mu, of course, had no idea what they were thinking. If he had, he would have said, "I'm short of money! Extremely short of money!"
After another busy day, the main criminals, their interrogation confessions, and the evidence found during the search were finally handed over to the Dali Temple. The remaining criminals in the Six Doors were just ordinary criminals, so there was no need to worry too much; ordinary constables were sufficient to guard them.
Feeling relieved and carefree, Qin Mu returned home and took a bath, ate, and then checked on his younger siblings' studies. Qin Yuxin, having become a Confucian scholar, was even more enthusiastic about learning, practically always with a book in her hand.
Qin Mu was busy with the Six Doors, and Qin Huaiyu's old habits resurfaced. She frequently went to the Martial Academy, and when Qin Mu returned, he didn't even see her.
"Big Brother!" Upon seeing Qin Mu, Qin Yuling rushed over and threw herself into his arms.
Qin Mu casually tossed Qin Yuling onto his back and carried her forward.
"Have you been slacking off on your studies?" Qin Mu asked.
"No! I practice martial arts every day!" Qin Yuling replied, her eyes darting around.
"That means you haven't been reading!" Qin Mu said with a smile, knowing full well what was going on.
"Yes!" Qin Yuling said with certainty.
"Hehe!" Qin Mu chuckled and didn't continue talking about her, nor did he intend to blame his younger sister. Based on his understanding of Qin Yuling, he knew she might have some issues. However, the timing was uncertain. She had already seen her once, and the little girl was mischievous and restless at that age. With him not home, how could he expect her to sit still and read?
"Big brother! Why didn't you bring Niu Niu back?" Qin Yuling asked, clinging to Qin Mu's back.
Her favorite thing was riding the rhinoceros around the yard. Sometimes she would even sneak off with the rhinoceros to the pond, so she was a little disappointed that she hadn't brought the rhinoceros back.
Qin Mu left the rhinoceros in the Six Doors because the Six Doors area was spacious, making it convenient for the rhinoceros to roam around.
"Okay! I'll have someone send it back tomorrow," Qin Mu agreed. He readily agreed to his sister's small request.
"Big brother!" Hearing the voice downstairs, Qin Yuxin came out and greeted him happily.
Qin Mu, along with Qin Yuling, explained the knowledge from the book and the laws of music to Qin Yuxin. After listening to Qin Yuxin play a tune, the two siblings began to discuss it. Qin Mu wasn't very familiar with music; although he had learned quite a bit and had more songs and music in his memory, he couldn't really be considered an expert.
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