The interrogation room.
Hearing that numerous officials were implicated, Scholar's eyes blazed.
Uprooting the Tatars' covert agents and purging the maggots of the court-this merit was nailed firmly to the board!
Jia Huan demanded angrily:
"Who at the Shenjing Prefectural Court was an accomplice?"
That much was obvious. For the filthy residence imprisoning children to escape notice, there had to be a network of connections within the prefectural court.
The troupe master would rather die than endure more torture. He answered readily:
"Xu, the assistant prefect."
Jia Huan leaned down and stared at him:
"Did that scoundrel know you were covert Tatar agents?"
The troupe master denied it:
"He only knew we kidnapped children and kept and controlled boys for sexual use. He took a hundred thousand taels in bribes each year to settle disputes for the theater. That residence was one of his illicit properties."
Jia Huan sneered:
"Those martial instructors guarding the residence looked so obviously Tatar."
The troupe master shook his head:
"I don't know whether Xu had any suspicions. All he cared about was collecting the money."
Twin Whips recorded the confession.
"Who else?" Jia Huan continued questioning him.
The troupe master confessed everything:
"Lord Chen, the deputy minister of the Court of State Ceremonies; Eunuch Wang, a seventh-rank eunuch in the palace's Twelve Directorates; Lord Liu, a Censor; and Marquis He Ning's eldest son. They all had a share of the theater's profits."
"Deputy Minister Chen and Marquis He Ning's eldest son, along with two fifth-rank border generals from Liangzhou and Bingzhou, knew we were covert agents from the steppe. Deputy Minister Chen arranged the trade documents used to traffic the girls."
"Marquis He Ning's eldest son had a beautiful concubine from the steppe. She beguiled him..."
His hoarse voice sounded slowly through the interrogation room.
Jia Huan's expression remained calm.
Having personally executed the Right Vice Minister of Works, he found it difficult to feel much upon hearing about fifth- and sixth-rank officials.
He asked in a grave voice:
"Over these ten years, how many court secrets did you uncover through the boys you groomed? Who exactly was involved?"
The troupe master dared conceal nothing and told him everything he could remember.
Despite operating undercover for ten years, the Water Mirror Theater's influence had come nowhere near penetrating the center of power, much less uncovering important military or political affairs. The nobles with a taste for men merely enjoyed their ancestors' protection. At most, they knew officials' private secrets; they knew nothing of decisions made at the highest level.
"Keep interrogating him!"
Jia Huan took a stack of signed confessions bearing fingerprints and headed alone to the Southern Commandant Office.
He arrived at the familiar office compound.
Not only Officer Guo but many civilian staff of the Southern Office were inside handling paperwork.
"Lord Guo." Jia Huan cupped his fists in greeting.
Officer Guo nodded:
"Need an Approval Seal?"
If it were an Arrest Warrant, sending a subordinate would suffice. There was no need to come in person.
Jia Huan stated his purpose directly:
"During my covert investigation last night, I discovered that the Capital's Water Mirror Theater was a base for covert Tatar agents from the steppe. They had been operating undercover for ten years!"
An uproar erupted!
In an instant, every clerk put down his brush and stared intently at the young Hundred-Household Commander.
Tatar invaders?
The Tatars of the steppe were a deadly threat lodged in the heart of Great Qian's State and Altars!
Officer Guo's expression turned solemn:
"Tell me in detail."
Jia Huan handed over the confessions and gave a truthful report.
A long while later, Officer Guo quietly breathed a sigh of relief. Amid their anger, the other civilian staff finally felt their anxious hearts settle.
Fortunately, the agents had come nowhere near penetrating the court's vital core. If a powerful minister had been beguiled by boys into leaking state policy, what would that make the Embroidered Uniform Guard Office?
Incompetent?
Idiotic!
Failing to keep watch beneath the emperor's very feet would saddle them with immeasurable shame!
"How did you discover this?" Officer Guo was particularly curious.
They had remained hidden for ten years. By comparison, did that make all the other hounds of the Northern Commandant Office mere wine sacks and rice bags?
"Pure luck." Jia Huan was candid and explained the process again in detail.
Other cases could be attributed to ability, but this one had truly been a stroke of luck.
The key was that Gao Youjin had provided an important clue, while Jia Huan happened to have seen the Water Mirror Theater's emblem before. Connecting the two gave him a rough suspicion.
Officer Guo studied him and said approvingly:
"Luck is part of ability, too."
Since ancient times, what renowned overlord had risen without fortune's favor? Seizing an opportunity was itself an ability.
The youngest Hundred-Household Commander in the Embroidered Uniform Guard Office had earned merit yet again!
He deliberately glanced at Jia Huan's shoulder and sleeve:
"Wait a moment. I'll go get the Approval Seal."
Then he left the office with the clerks.
A faint anticipation shone in Jia Huan's eyes.
Starting at noon, every Strongman of the Celestial Pivot Office mobilized. Armed with an Arrest Warrant and Approval Seal, Jia Huan followed the list to arrest people at their respective offices, from the Shenjing Prefectural Court to the Twelve Directorates in the Imperial City. An uproar swept through them all.
"Interrogate them again!"
That afternoon in the Imperial Prison, Twin Whips, Scholar, and the others brought out the instruments of torture. Starting with Xu, they inflicted brutal interrogations and worked until deep into the night. Wails never ceased in the cells.
Another day and night passed without sleep, yet Jia Huan felt no fatigue whatsoever. Though no big fish remained behind the scenes, harsh interrogation revealed that these officials were riddled with misdeeds!
With the entire troupe and the gaunt Tatar added in, just how much sin value would there be?
With all the evidence and testimony in place, Jia Huan acted personally, avenging the children who had been persecuted and defiled and securing justice for the commoners whose families had been shattered by a single official document!
Kill!
Saber in hand, Jia Huan entered the corridor. Soon, blood drenched the cells on both sides, and heads rolled.
He suddenly found himself fond of the nickname Little Butcher.
Slaughtering every fiend and lurking monster in the world-that was true satisfaction!
He entered the interrogation room covered in blood, and portraits appeared one after another on the panel in his mind, beginning with the troupe master.
Ten long years of kidnapping and trafficking children!
Lower fifth-rank sin value!
Next came the martial troupe leader, that old dog Xu from the prefectural court...
[Sin value--lower fifth rank, Sixth Rank, Upper Grade, Sixth Rank, Upper Grade, Sixth Rank, Upper Grade, Sixth Rank, Upper Grade, middle seventh rank, middle seventh rank...] [Participation--85%] [Reward--seven additional forms of the Eighteen Dragon-Subduing Palms, proficiency--initial understanding] [Reward--first level of the Indestructible Vajra Inner Art, complete mastery] [Experience Points--3356/10000]
Boom!
In an instant, an ineffably mysterious power poured into him. His Dantian expanded, and his Inner Qi surged.
Third level of the innate realm!
His participation in this case had been extremely high, and most of those involved were officials who committed evil. It had added over a thousand Experience Points.
"That feels good!" Jia Huan smiled.
Most important was the Indestructible Vajra Inner Art. He looked no different than usual, but his physique had transformed. His sinews, bones, meridians, and acupoints were extraordinarily robust. Without even circulating his Inner Qi, tremendous strength filled his waist and abdomen.
Being my woman must be blissful.
The thought suddenly sprang into Jia Huan's mind.
Of course, that was secondary. The crucial point was his ability to withstand blows.
As the saying went, how could anyone drift through the Jianghu without taking a blade? In last night's courtyard battle, his supreme movement technique had let him move like a roaming dragon. But once his Inner Qi ran dry and could no longer sustain that technique, a careless slash would still leave his flesh torn open.
Now, however, his physique alone could withstand a saber strike from someone at the peak of the postnatal realm!
And this was merely the first level of the Indestructible Vajra Inner Art.
As for the Dragon-Subduing Palms, he had now fully mastered all eighteen forms. This martial art was immensely practical: the deeper his internal power, the greater its might.
"My greatest haul so far."
Jia Huan settled his emotions, refusing to lose himself too deeply in joy.
This case had depended entirely on luck. No one could remain lucky forever. He still had to work harder and more diligently, letting no case slip by, great or small.
His climb upward would never cease!
Before you continue