"Yes!"
Having received Gao Ze's orders, the armored soldiers surged into the residence to search it. For a time, voices clamored everywhere, and the faint sounds of women weeping and cursing drifted over.
Gao Ze turned a deaf ear. This was not yet the confiscation of the household, merely a search.
Prince Shu's Residence had guards as well, even more numerous than the Imperial Riders, but with the Imperial Riders barging in so aggressively, most of them did not dare resist.
The scattered few who put up even slight resistance were immediately cut down.
The stench of blood spread through the air. The rest trembled like sieves with fright and did not dare move again.
Fan Zhu, the Prince's Residence steward, had a somewhat special status. Though he had also resisted, his life was spared.
"Put him to torture immediately. Keep going until he talks!" Discovering that Prince Shu was not in the residence, the Hundred-Household Officer in charge of the search darkened his face and directly ordered the steward tortured.
Then he turned and smiled obsequiously. "Eunuch, beneath the three wooden instruments, what confession cannot be obtained?"
"Storybooks may have people who can endure torture, but more than a hundred have passed through this subordinate's hands, and not one hero or stalwart man has endured three rounds!"
"Eunuch, do not be fooled by how tough he looks now. It will be impressive if he lasts even one round!"
Someone carried a chair into the corridor. Gao Ze sat down to wait, not even looking over as he asked, "Oh? You have some special skill? Tell me about it."
The Hundred-Household Officer seemed flattered beyond measure. "Yes. This subordinate's family has handed down methods of punishment. Over a hundred years and six generations of study, we discovered that no matter