After smashing the gate, Zhu You did not rush in with the crowd, but instead leaped directly into the air.
With a few leaps and bounds between the rooftops and eaves, the figure swiftly crossed numerous courtyards and arrived above the most central area of the Cui residence.
The overwhelming aura emanating from him pressed down, like an invisible cage, firmly confining and sealing off the entire core area.
Then, he landed lightly.
Just then, the carved rosewood door of the main study in the core area was slowly pushed open from the inside, and Cui Yan, the current head of the Cui family, walked out.
He was about forty years old, with a thin face and a tall figure, wearing an elegant dark blue silk robe.
He wore a jade belt around his waist and no other luxurious ornaments, except for a dark jade thumb ring on his finger, which was warm and understated.
He exuded a composed demeanor cultivated by a family with a thousand-year history.
Even in the face of the deafening commotion outside the mansion and the uninvited guests wielding long knives and exuding a menacing aura, there was no surprise or panic on his face.
"Brother, in broad daylight, you have dared to trespass on my doorstep with a weapon. What brings you here?"
"By imperial decree, arrest all core members of the Cui family. Anyone who dares to disobey will be executed without exception!"
Zhu You's voice was cold and devoid of any emotion.
Upon hearing this, a faint smile appeared on Cui Yan's face.
The smile wasn't mocking; it was more like someone who had heard something expected yet somewhat absurd.
Even so, he showed no sign of panic.
"Oh? I wonder what heinous crime my Cui family, with its thousand-year-old reputation for integrity and loyalty to the emperor, has committed that would warrant such a massive mobilization from the imperial court?"
“Treason.” Zhu You uttered the two words.
Cui Yan's smile deepened, yet he remained terrifyingly composed.
Zhu You's heart sank suddenly.
Something's not right. This can't be described as just being cunning and calculating.
The other side's behavior suggested that they had anticipated the imperial court's move at this moment and were... well prepared!
Soon, the leaders of several squads responsible for the clearing operation arrived at the core area and joined forces.
"My lord, the clearing of the various courtyards went smoothly, and no significant resistance was encountered."
"My lord, the east courtyard is under control, and there is no sign of any stubborn resistance."
"The same goes for Xiyuan..."
Zhu You's unease grew stronger.
Given the Cui family's long-standing presence in Linhai Prefecture, the number of guards they secretly maintain and the number of martial arts practitioners they hire must be considerable, and their strength must be extremely high.
Otherwise, the imperial court would not have secretly planned and prepared for so long.
The goal is to proceed gradually, then strike decisively.
Even with thorough preparations, he was still mentally prepared for a bitter battle and heavy casualties.
But now, there's been absolutely no real resistance? The smooth sailing is unsettling.
As each team came to report, the content was almost identical.
Zhu You's chest heaved slightly; he was almost certain that something unexpected had happened.
His face was icy cold as he gave the order:
"Bring up all the captured core members of the Cui family!"
In front of the study is an extremely spacious courtyard, paved with white marble, surrounded by ancient trees.
A large number of Cui family members were driven to the center of the courtyard by the soldiers. At a glance, there were about fifty or sixty people, most of whom looked panicked.
"Cui Muzhou, bring him here!"
A man named Cui Muzhou had his hands tied behind his back and was shoved forward.
He looked to be in his thirties, with a fair complexion and a strong scholarly air. He was also dressed in the traditional scholar's robe.
According to investigations, he was a teacher in the Cui family's school, who usually only taught poetry, songs, and romantic themes.
Powerful families, especially the four great families with a history of thousands of years, have deeply entrenched influences, making it extremely difficult to ascertain their true strength.
Some people have a public image, while others have a hidden, private one.
The most outstanding person in the family throughout history, who holds the real core power, will never enter officialdom, and may not even be the head of the family.
Xuanji Guard spent countless hours and effort to find out that the real "insiders" in charge of the Cui family in the present day were actually two people.
According to multiple sources, the seemingly frail clan school teacher in front of us is one of them.
Zhu You's "power" was like an invisible hand, tightly enveloping him, allowing him to perceive it carefully.
This person's aura was faint, indeed suggesting he was only literate.
But there's always an inexplicable sense of unease deep within those overly calm eyes.
not good!
Zhu You suddenly closed in, moving so fast that it left only a blur.
A hand suddenly covered his face, and a subtle force shook down.
With a soft hissing sound, a thin, exquisitely crafted human skin mask was peeled off the person's face!
The face under the mask did resemble Cui Muzhou by about five or six points, but the details of the eyebrows and eyes clearly indicated that it belonged to another person!
The cold, sharp blade of the longsword instantly pressed against his neck, leaving a bloody gash.
"Speak! What exactly happened? Where is the real Cui Muzhou?!"
After an incense stick had burned, Zhu You's face had become extremely pale, as if water could drip from it.
Thirteen people!
All thirteen core members of the Cui family who were listed as key targets actually used such realistic disguise masks.
When was the body switched? And when did the person leave?
Zhu You was completely unaware!
Because they were worried about alerting the enemy, the Xuanji Guards' previous investigations were always focused on concealment, which inevitably led to some incompleteness.
Right under their noses, thirteen core members managed to slip away unnoticed.
Zhu You's face was extremely ugly.
Just now, the patriarch Cui Yan had been very cooperative in guiding them to open the gate to the underground palace hidden beneath the artificial hill in the Cui family compound.
The scene inside the underground palace was truly horrifying.
Besides the immovable land deeds, the wealth accumulated over generations is piled up like mountains, and the brilliance of the gold and silver jewelry alone is almost dazzling.
However, Zhu You immediately noticed that the number of truly valuable and priceless top-tier collections, such as ancient paintings from previous dynasties, unique calligraphy copies, and rare treasures, was far lower than expected for a family with a thousand-year-old heritage.
There was another item, whose quantity was even more suspiciously small: silver notes.
Compared to the vast amounts of gold and silver, the huge amounts of silver notes that were easy to carry and transfer were almost nowhere to be found.
Whether it's people or the most easily portable wealth, they have already been quietly transferred, clearly indicating that the torch has been prepared in advance!
Just then, a subordinate rushed in, his face pale, and reported, "My lord... Patriarch Cui... he has died suddenly from poisoning!"
"What?!"
Zhu You suddenly turned his head, his eyes bursting with a raging fury.
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