In the dim dungeon, damp water vapor spread along the blue-gray stone bricks. At the end of the dark alley was a patch of light from above. Several people walked over, casting shadows that turned into strips. Clear footsteps echoed in the silent dungeon, going deeper and deeper.

"Haven't you said it yet?"

Ma Cheng was an important breakthrough point and had been moved to the Dali Temple, where he was personally tried by Li Jinlin, the Dali Temple Minister.

"Report to the Lord, no."

Li Jinlin's delicate features were hidden in the dim light, and his eyes were cold and calm: "Find his family as soon as possible."

"Yes."

When the jailer saw him coming, he immediately stepped forward to unlock the iron chain.

Li Jinlin stepped in. There was only one round hole in the dungeon, from which a beam of light gradually expanded. Li Jinlin stopped at the circle of light falling on the ground, and someone beside him quickly handed him a bench.

He sat down leisurely, looking at Ma Cheng, who had been tortured to the point of being unrecognizable, and said in a steady and cold voice: "This matter has caused a sensation throughout the Ning'an Kingdom. The emperor has sent special investigation officials to investigate all over the country. It is only a matter of time before the truth is found."

Ma Cheng's face was covered in blood and mud, and his expression could not be seen clearly. Only his eyes were bright and shocking.

He stared at Li Jinlin for a few moments, then lowered his head and remained silent.

"The person behind you has something more important than your life." Li Jinlin stood up and walked to his side. His tall figure cast an oppressive sense of control: "Let me guess, is it your wife? Mother? Or...daughter?"

Ma Cheng suddenly raised his eyes and looked at Li Jinlin.

Li Jinlin stood up and said to the person behind him indifferently: "Look for a young girl around ten years old."

The chain that locked him was pulled and jingled. Ma Cheng instantly jumped up, his red eyes almost popped out: "Sir!"

Li Jinlin looked at him: "Your organization has so many connections behind it, and you have bribed so many local officials. You say you are just an ordinary salt seller, and there is no one behind you. Do you think you can do it?"

Ma Cheng fell to the ground trembling.

Li Jinlin looked at him: "Your subordinates have confessed. Every time before you set out, a mysterious man would come. At first it was a short strong middle-aged man, and later he was replaced by a tall young man. He is responsible for arranging the specific route and will contact local officials along the way for you in advance."

Li Jinlin paused for a few moments and said, "I promise, if you tell me the mastermind behind the scenes, I will keep you and your family alive."

Ma Cheng didn't believe it. Li Jinlin said in a deep voice: "Whoever I, Li Jinlin, want to protect, the emperor will give some face to whatever he says. I keep my word."

Ma Cheng finally wavered a little. He clenched his hands tightly in the gap between the stone bricks on the ground, his body trembling, staring at the dim void.

...

"Sir, Ma Cheng has been in the dungeon for three days. Many spies have appeared in his hometown, Ning County. Once..."

The person who reported this said so slowly.

It was clear that everyone knew that once the matter was leaked, the entire Chu family would be in disaster.

In the past few days, the entire Chu Mansion seemed to be shrouded in a dark cloud that was brewing thunder. It was facing a disaster of destruction at any time.

Chu Huan picked up the teacup and took a sip, swallowing the boiling tea as if unconsciously, and said lightly: "What did the Sixth Prince say?"

"This incident happened suddenly, and the whole country knew about it. The emperor personally sent people to investigate the case and ordered that it must be solved within three days. The Sixth Prince was unable to react in time..." On

the day Ma Cheng was arrested, he issued an order to let the other brothers who transported salt to hide. The route was different each time, and Ma Cheng's subordinates did not know the specific route taken by the others. Even if they did, they could only tell the general direction.

Ma Cheng had only heard his voice but had never seen his face. And the fifth day had already been hidden by him.

It's not a dead end yet.

Chu Huan put down the teacup and found a burning pain in his mouth and throat. He wiped the corner of his mouth.

The sky, which was gloomy just now, became bright without knowing when. The sunshine is fluffy...it must look very beautiful if it shines on her face.

Chu Huan retracted his gaze. Ever since He Huilan committed suicide, he often dreamed of Jiang Yuanyi.

She was in all kinds of ways, with shy eyes, flushed face, admiring, hateful, desperate...so vivid, the dream seemed real.

He often wanted to immerse himself in dreams and never wake up.

Chu Huan laughed at himself.

A shadow suddenly appeared at the door. Chu Huan raised his head and saw Chu Xiang standing outside the door.

He stood up quickly: "Father."

Chu Xiang looked 70% similar to Chu Huan, both with handsome eyebrows, but there was a deep eyebrow knife between Chu Xiang's eyebrows, with the aura of a superior who was intimidating without anger.

"What happened? You were in charge of this matter, how did it turn out like this?!"

Chu Huan knelt down hurriedly and said, "Father, the other party had set a trap in Qianzhou a long time ago. As soon as the incident happened, it was immediately reported to the capital, and the whole country knew about it. I was really caught off guard." Prime Minister

Chu frowned and said, "The emperor is furious now. Once it is found out that you are related to my Chu family, I am afraid that your life will be in danger! Do those people under you know your identity?"

Chu Huan shook his head: "I don't know." Prime Minister

Chu breathed a sigh of relief, put his palm on his knees, and pointed Jian pinched the hanging cloth unconsciously: "The governor of Qianzhou is Xie Yunzheng. That old guy is like a mad dog who wants to get meat and bones. He wanted to bite me in the court today."

Chu Huan said: "Father, don't worry. Ma Cheng doesn't know my true identity. We still have a chance."

Someone hurriedly reported: "Sir, young master, a group of people were caught on the Sanyuan River and are being taken to the capital. Nine local officials along the way have been arrested and are rushing to the capital."

Chu Huan stood up, and his hands on his legs trembled slightly.

As soon as this group arrived in the capital, they were taken directly to the Dali Temple Prison.

Ma Cheng had been silent all day since he met Li Jinlin that day. Li Jinlin gave him time. He was locked up in the prison and sent his confidants to keep a close watch on him.

"Sir, this group of people are going by water to the Yucheng area."

Li Jinlin nodded and walked towards the cell where the new prisoners were being held.

A day had passed, but there was still no progress.

Li Jinlin interrogated dozens of people overnight and found that the mastermind behind the scenes was extremely covert. The bribery of local officials was all done by his subordinates, and he did not show up. They were divided into different teams and took different routes. People on different routes had no idea about the specific situation of other routes. Except for the leader, each team had never seen the mastermind behind the scenes. According to the person interrogated tonight, even when they discussed with that person, they only heard his voice but never saw his real face.

Li Jinlin walked up to him and lifted his sweaty chin: "None of the information you said is useful at the moment. In this case, you can't make up for your crime and make meritorious contributions."

"If you don't come up with something useful, you will die anyway."

The man shuddered violently and looked at Li Jinlin's cold face with a dull look.

Li Jinlin stood up and looked at the side: "You continue the interrogation."

Suddenly, someone pulled his hem. Li Jinlin looked down and saw the man's lips trembling with excitement: "Sir, I remember! We have met his subordinates!!"

Li Jinlin squatted down and looked at him, his voice was like a quiet rock: "Speak nicely."

The man trembled and said: "Every time... every time, when meeting with us, the young master will wear something to cover his face, but his subordinates will not."

"What are the characteristics?"

The man thought about it carefully, but found that the man had no special features except that he was tall and strong. He was born with a face that was not easy to be remembered. Standing behind the young master, he was so old, but he was like a hidden.

No wonder, let him not wear a mask.

The man paused for a few seconds: "...very tall, somewhat dark, and very strong."

Li Zonglin's eyes darkened: "I can find you thousands or even hundreds of thousands of such people."

"I'll give you an hour to think about it carefully."

Li Jinlin got up and walked out of the dungeon.

It was already daybreak outside. Li Jinlin returned to the study. An hour later, his subordinate came to report: "Sir, we have found Ma Cheng's daughter! Her name is Ma Xiuwei."

Ma Cheng was also very likely unaware of the identity of the young master, but the person the young master sent to guard Ma Xiuwei...

Li Jinlin stood up: "Have you caught the person guarding her?!"

The subordinate hesitated: "No."

Li Jinlin slowly sat down with the help of the edge of the chair. The subordinate rubbed the letter in his hand, hesitated for a moment, and took it out: "Sir, when I came here, a mysterious man handed me a letter, saying that he could help us solve the case as soon as possible."

Li Jinlin frowned and took the letter.

The letter paper was the rice paper that can be seen everywhere on the street, and there were only a few sentences on the paper.

"If you can't find evidence, lure the snake out of its hole."

Li Jinlin folded the letter.

After a long silence, he said, "Spread the news that we have found the key witness and that he is on his way back to the capital. He will arrive this evening."

"Yes!"

Li Jinlin walked into the dungeon and sent someone to open the place where Ma Cheng was imprisoned.

Ma Cheng looked up at him and stared at him intently.

Li Jinlin smiled and said lightly, "We have found your daughter. Her name is Ma Xiuwei, right?"

Ma Cheng was startled.

Li Jinlin continued: "Your master felt that he couldn't get anything useful out of you, so he simply threw your daughter to the Dali Temple where there are a hundred kinds of torture. Do you still want to protect them?"

Li Jinlin slowly approached him and said slowly: "Your daughter will be able to enter Beijing this evening. If you can't say anything useful, she will not be able to walk out of this dungeon alive."

"Ah!" Ma Cheng roared tearfully and rushed towards Li Jinlin, but was stopped by the iron chain less than a fist away from him.

"After a whole night and a morning, you must have come up with useful information." Li Jinlin turned around and sat down, looking at him, "Tell me."

Ma Cheng's eyes were bloodshot, and he stared at Li Jinlin with red eyes, then he lowered his eyes and said in a hoarse voice: "...If I tell you, will I let my daughter go?"

"That depends on whether what you say is useful enough."

Ma Cheng recalled that night.

That day, they discussed the route and left. Ma Cheng left his wristband inside and turned back. He heard the tall guard following the young master whispered: "Young master, you have been depressed since the death of your wife. After you finish dealing with things here, you should have a good rest first..."

Before he finished speaking, he was severely scolded by the young master.

Ma Cheng knew that he had heard something he shouldn't have heard, and left in a hurry.

Li Jinlin's eyes sparkled: "Young man, your wife just passed away, right?"

The author has something to say: Recently, I should update around 11 o'clock. The countdown to the end~ Thank you to the little angels who voted for me or irrigated the nutrient solution~

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32890451 4 bottles;

Thank you very much for your support, I will continue to work hard!