Chapter 144: The Sovereign Walked into the Trap, Brutal Torture Raged in Chang'an

Accompanied by the sound of pattering rain, the carriage arrived at Heping Ward.

Located by the city wall at the southwestern corner, this ward was the most remote place in Chang'an, indistinguishable from the suburban countryside. Although a cross-shaped main street had been laid out here, it was the only intersection of its kind. Unlike other wards, which were subdivided into smaller four-way intersections, this area lacked even ward walls and gates.

There were scattered groves of trees, vegetable patches, and crop fields—the very spot Li Chengqian had loved most for stealing cattle back in the day.

Across the vast expanse of Heping Ward, apart from the agricultural paths, the only structures of any substance were Zhuangyan Temple and Zongchi Temple.

The carriage turned along the horizontal street, then steered once more into a small southwestern lane. The rain had rendered the road muddy, causing the carriage to slow its pace, and gradually all signs of human habitation faded away. Stopping in front of a small bamboo grove near a tiny pond and two rows of thatched cottages, the carriage came to a halt.

Guan Fu, He Guangzhen, Niu Jin, and the others escorted the two captives into a thatched cottage, where they addressed a man of about thirty: "Director Zhou, he is all yours."

This man was brought along by Guan Fu at Di Renjie's behest. His primary duty was to track down the suspects, figure out a way to apprehend them, and personally record their confessions. This was a crucial step; the entire gang of culprits was undoubtedly holed up in a single location for ease of management, as dispersion would greatly increase the risk of exposure. Moreover, if they were kept together, Xu Jingzong could easily silence them permanently should anything go wrong.

Mobilizing manpower was certainly possible. While the father and son of the Yang family lacked the authority to deploy regular troops, they could easily muster a few dozen trusted retainers to arrest these assassins. However, a forceful raid was out of the question. This was not just any ordinary agricultural estate; even if it were an imperial estate, anyone ordered to raid Xu Jingzong's property—trusted retainers or not—would surely hesitate. Furthermore, it would violate protocol. Xu Jingzong was a confidant of both sovereigns. If they ultimately brought down Xu Jingzong, yet incurred the wrath of the two monarchs for overstepping, they would ruin themselves in the process.

Therefore, a confession was prerequisite. Armed with a confession, arresting the criminals would become a righteous and justifiable act. Besides, Di Renjie himself held the post of Assistant Minister of the Court of Judicial Review; while arresting Xu Jingzong directly might exceed his authority, apprehending assassins fell well within his official duties. With a confession in hand, it would be much easier for the Yang father and son to mobilize forces. They could even consult with Dai Zhide and Zhang Wenguan. Regardless of everything, while those officials had not laid down their lives for the Crown Prince, they harbored no malice toward him and felt considerable goodwill, being upright and honest ministers of integrity as well.

Yet extracting such a confession was no easy task. These were elite hitmen cultivated by Xu Jingzong; having dared to assassinate the Crown Prince, they were desperate men of violence. Inside the city, Niu Jin and these two might walk arm-in-arm, but that was only because they were within city walls; out in the countryside, Niu Jin might not even dare to approach them. Furthermore, once they confessed, no amount of meritorious service could commute their death sentence—they were dead men either way.

Breaking them and wringing out a confession was immensely difficult, yet it had to be done within a very short span of time. These two men had come into the city for pleasure; it was entirely reasonable for them not to return tonight—they might be spending the night at some courtesan's place. But if they failed to return by tomorrow morning, the people back at the estate would likely grow immediately suspicious and start making preparations. Consequently, the confession had to be secured before the third watch.

Given this level of difficulty, neither Guan, He, nor Niu possessed the slightest confidence in achieving it.

Yet all along the way, this Director Zhou had been brimming with absolute confidence, though the source of his steadfastness remained a mystery.

Zhou Xing said, "Please trouble you all to splash them awake with cold water."

With that, he unpacked several large crates he had brought all the way from Luoyang.

Zhao Quan and his companion stirred back to consciousness. Taking in their surroundings and the men standing before them, they asked in alarm, "Who are you people?"

Zhou Xing opened a crate and replied, "These gentlemen are the judicial officials and bailiffs of the Court of Judicial Review, and I am a Director of the Department of State Affairs."

"What is your intention?"

"My intention? You know very well in your hearts. Come, let me show you a few fine instruments first. This small knife was specially crafted for me by master swordsmen in the Eastern Capital using hundred-refined steel, and it is exceptionally sharp. Of course, it is not meant for killing. It is an instrument of torture I conceived after reading historical records of Fu Jian, the ruler of the Former Qin, who loved to use prisoners whose facial skin had been peeled off to sing and dance for him."

Before Zhou Xing even finished describing the first item, Zhao Quan and his companion began to writhe and scream for mercy. Yet in this secluded spot on a rainy night, who could possibly hear them?

Annoyed by the noise, Zhou Xing said, "Trouble you gentlemen to gag their mouths."

He Guangzhen and the others stepped forward, stuffing rags into the two men's mouths while darting apprehensive glances at the crates, feeling a chill run down their spines.

***

Zhou Xing continued unbothered. "The design of this iron net is something I pondered myself, inspired by the dismemberment methods of Gao Yang, ruler of the Northern Qi. However, the two of you are quite precious and must not be accidentally sliced to death; therefore, an iron net is used to bind the flesh tightly, allowing one to slice away the meat in tiny, manageable pieces."

Upon hearing about this second item, half the men waiting outside bolted out into the rain, preferring to be drenched rather than listen any further.

Producing a third item, Zhou Xing pressed on. "This is called the 'wooden hand,' invented by Li Biao, a lieutenant of the Northern Wei. Because it is made of wood rather than iron, it inflicts pain without proving fatal. Thus, Li Biao frequently used it to batter prisoners' ribs, often causing them to lose consciousness and revive multiple times. Afterwards, whenever prisoners heard the wooden hand was coming, they would obediently confess of their own accord."

"As for this brazier combined with plow ears, it is another of Gao Yang's instruments of torture. You heat the plow ears until they glow red, then force the prisoner to walk across them barefoot. How that turns out, you can well imagine."

As soon as these words were spoken, virtually everyone else fled. Even some of the bailiffs, who dealt with criminals and torture implements every single day, could no longer restrain themselves and began vomiting violently.

"This is the fifteenth item: a small lump of clay, yet it serves a great purpose. This is my own invention—some adhesive is mixed into the clay, packed tightly into the ears, and then baked red-hot with fire before tearing the hardened clay away. The outcome remains unknown, but I am extremely eager to see it. After all, it is a brand-new penal method."

Employing this man had been a spur-of-the-moment decision by Di Renjie.

He had learned of the man's ruthless reputation earlier. While waiting for the morning audience on Tianjin Bridge, a group of Court of Judicial Review officials had been discussing how certain crafty criminals stubbornly refused to confess. This man had stepped into the conversation, declaring that if any prisoner were placed in his hands, no matter how cunning, a confession could be forced out of them. He then rattled off several torture techniques that left everyone dumbfounded. Naturally, hearing about them was one thing; these methods were so brutally cruel that if actually put into practice and leaked, they would trigger a massive uproar, and the Emperor might even issue a decree punishing the perpetrator.

Di Renjie had been contemplating finding someone willing to walk in the shadows on behalf of the Crown Prince—someone akin to Li Yifu or Xu Jingzong—so he had kept the man in mind. Making inquiries, he learned the man was named Zhou Xing, a native of Chang'an who had studied the law since youth in pursuit of an official career, only to end up assigned as a Director in the Department of State Affairs. It was a minor rank of the lower seventh grade, tasked with handling incoming and outgoing documents, inspecting discrepancies, and overseeing the official seals—hardly a "suitable match" for his specialized skills. Moreover, the man possessed a gloomy, venomous disposition and was taciturn. In certain respects, he strongly resembled Xu Jingzong and Li Yifu, save for lacking their scholarly brilliance, which made him deeply disliked by his colleagues.

Such a man was utterly useless as a decent human being, but he made an absolute prime candidate for a hound. When it came to biting people, he might prove even more vicious than Xu Jingzong. Yet even after finding his candidate, Di Renjie had remained hesitant in his heart.

Just then, Guan Fu delivered the message. Desperate times called for desperate measures; whether a confession could be wrung out within half a night's time bore directly on whether the entire case could be successfully unraveled. Remembering the remarks Zhou Xing had made on Tianjin Bridge that day, Di Renjie had invited him to a tavern, where the two drank and conversed. He tested the waters by outlining the general situation—omitting any mention of Xu Jingzong and merely describing it as a thorny case in Chang'an involving a top-ranking official.

To his surprise, Zhou Xing agreed instantly. Di Renjie could well fathom his mindset: Zhou Xing viewed himself as a primary strategist for the Crown Prince, yet found himself unappreciated and disliked within the Department of State Affairs. Barring a miracle, he could likely kiss any promotion goodbye for the rest of his life. By attaching himself to Di Renjie's line, he hoped that if the Crown Prince ascended to power, he might bask in a little of that reflected glory.

After making final preparations, Di Renjie had brought the man along to Chang'an specifically to manage interrogations. It was not just these two; once the other assassins were rounded up, confessions had to be extracted from them swiftly as well. Otherwise, if the two sovereigns chose to minimize a major issue and dismiss a minor one, once an imperial decree was issued, the case could no longer be investigated. But before the decree came down, the Court of Judicial Review held the legal authority to interrogate suspects. Furthermore, because several culprits remained at large, the case of the Crown Prince's assassination attempt at Mount Zhongnan had remained unresolved until now.

Having thoroughly explained these "playthings," Zhou Xing declared, "As for these two, I know that since they dared to assassinate the Crown Prince, they certainly hold their lives cheap and fear no death. Therefore, I do not intend to demand their immediate surrender. We shall take it one step at a time, beginning with flaying their skin. There is an art to this: not only must the blade be sharp, but it must also be heated until red-hot. That way, as the skin is peeled, the scorching blade sears the flesh and cauterizes the wounds, preventing them from dying of excessive blood loss."

With that, he ignited the brazier and placed the small knife in the flames. Moments later, the tip of the blade glowed red. He yanked the rags from the two men's mouths and announced, "I shall begin now. I will not ask any questions; whenever you decide you can no longer bear it, simply say the word."

So saying, he pressed the blade against Zhao Quan's face, slicing away a small piece of skin. Zhao Quan let out a piercing shriek of agony.

He Guangzhen began vomiting once more. He muttered to Guan Fu, "Where on earth did Assistant Minister Di dig up this monster?"

Guan Fu, feeling equally nauseated, merely shook his head. Niu Jin fared slightly better, observing, "Without such measures, we would never get a confession. But this resort is an expedient measure and must not become a permanent fixture."

Seeing these tortures, criminals would confess obediently even if guilty, and innocent men would confess just the same. If such practices became widespread, Heaven only knew how many wrongful miscarriages of justice would plague the realm. By comparison, Di Renjie's own methods of investigation were the true righteous path.

As the blade approached for a second cut, Zhao Quan screamed, "I confess! I'll confess! Just grant me a quick death!"

"Had you known this earlier, you could have spared yourself that first cut. All my trouble explaining for half a day was wasted. Ah, truly foolish. Warden Niu, come inside and drag the other fellow away to prevent them from getting their stories straight."

"Understood!" Niu Jin and the others immediately strode in and hauled the other prisoner away. Though they gave the standard military acknowledgment, the very thought of the interrogation sent a chilling fear straight to their bones.

Zhou Xing ordered, "Someone else step forward to take down the record."

"Understood."

The questioning proceeded item by item. Since the prisoner had already broken and had a companion waiting to cross-reference his statements later, he spilled everything—reciting details down to what his own mother used to do.

Before the third watch had even struck, two written confessions had been delivered to the Yang residence.

Yang Sijian had not retired for the night; he was sitting in the parlor with his son, awaiting news. Catching sight of He Guangzhen entering, he asked anxiously, "How did it go?"

"Everything went smoothly. From here on, it is in your hands." He Guangzhen handed over the two confessions. By the candlelight, Yang Sijian rapidly scanned them through, then beamed with joy. "You have all worked hard. Yet I must trouble you once more to keep a strict watch on these two prisoners."

"Understood. It is only a pity that had we acted a day earlier, Lady Yu would not have died." He Guangzhen heaved a sigh.

Yang Sijian offered no comment. Though merits had been won, that woman's moral character had indeed been severely lacking. Instead of answering, he said, "Since she is already dead, have one of you return to the Eastern Capital to inform Assistant Minister Di and request his assistance in thoroughly unearthing the truth of this case, so as to restore her good name."

"Understood."

Once He Guangzhen departed, Yang Sijian left his estate to pay visits to several key figures, the first of whom was Dai Zhide. While many people were currying favor with Xu Jingzong by attending his condolence calls, Dai Zhide had no intention of doing so. Fully dressed, he asked with astonishment, "Minister Yang, why do you come to my residence at this hour of the night?"

Without answering, Yang Sijian glanced at the servants behind Dai Zhide. With a wave of Dai Zhide's hand, they all withdrew, whereupon Yang Sijian produced the two confessions.

Upon reading them, Dai Zhide froze in shock, asking in bewildered disbelief, "The assassination attempt on the Crown Prince at Mount Zhongnan was actually instigated by Chancellor Xu?"

"Minister Dai, I never would have imagined it either. Di Renjie sent men to explain the reasoning to me. First, regarding the assassins—more than a dozen of them—we all originally assumed that Helian Minzhi had discovered the leak, grew suspicious, and dispatched elite hitmen. Yet even after His Royal Highness the Crown Prince openly declared his identity, those men still pursued him frantically, proving beyond a doubt that they were death-sworn assassins. From this, Di Renjie deduced several suspicious points: being elite hitmen and Helian Minzhi's personal retainers, why did none of his associates know their origins? Of course, it was possible that only Helian Minzhi knew, but given Helian Minzhi's status, he could not be easily subjected to torture. That was everyone's assumption. Just to be safe, while traveling out on official business for his colleagues, Di Renjie made a detour to Longzhou and secretly questioned Zhang Banyuan. Zhang Banyuan was also full of suspicion; having followed Helian Minzhi for many years, he should have known Helian Minzhi inside and out, yet he had never heard of these men. Other people's words might be untrustworthy, but since Zhang Banyuan had turned over a new leaf, his testimony was reliable. Thus, Di Renjie concluded that the assassins had nothing to do with Helian Minzhi."

This single line of reasoning was already sufficient proof.

"Secondly, regarding Liu Hansand and Zhong Dachui, only a few strategists knew of Helian Minzhi's plot to kidnap my daughter. It is possible servants overheard it, but no such servants existed in Helian Minzhi's household. At the time, we assumed a strategist must have leaked the information, and that some ordinary citizens devoted to the Crown Prince had sought out those strategists to track him down—another oversight on our part. However, Di Renjie reasoned that the Crown Prince's inspection of the fields was known only to a few individuals within the Eastern Palace, perhaps not even to Helian Minzhi. How, then, did those two men know of it? Of course, it could have been mere coincidence. Yet later, another coincidence occurred: just as they were found, my daughter was kidnapped. Then came the disappearance of Liu Lu, followed by her successful rescue right as the assassins appeared. Too many coincidences piled together point to lingering doubts. Therefore, after analyzing these factors and learning of the conversation between the Crown Prince and Chancellor Xu—where, though no open quarrel occurred, their tones subtly harbored mutual hostility—what if this was instigated by Chancellor Xu? With his resources, obtaining information from the Eastern Palace was not difficult; having a dozen death-sworn assassins at his disposal was even less difficult; and making Liu Lu turn against Helian Minzhi to defect to him was equally effortless. Should the assassination succeed, his grandson's official career would remain forever secure. Should it fail, the Crown Prince would fly into a rage while His Majesty shielded him, breeding imperial dissatisfaction with His Highness and leaving ample room for further machinations."

"I understand. We can discuss the rest tomorrow; let us go immediately to Chancellor Zhang's residence."

This case had escalated into a terrifyingly massive scandal. Once exposed, it would be no less earth-shattering than Shangguan Yi's case, and moreover, Xu Jingzong was a trusted confidant of both sovereigns... Dai Zhide alone could not shoulder the responsibility for the countless repercussions that would follow.

By the fifth watch, heavyweights such as Dai Zhide, Zhang Wenguan, Xiao Zhaode, and Li Jingxuan had all been roused.

Though the consequences were unpredictable, dawn was breaking, and the city gates were about to open. Consequently, they resolved to apprehend the entire ring of assassins, along with Liu Lu and the two impostors Liu Santu (Liu Hansand) and Zhong Jinchui (Zhong Dachui), and bring them to justice first.

Two hundred Imperial Guards were immediately mobilized. Since these were elite assassins, ordinary bailiffs would never suffice. Fully armed, the force surged toward Xu Jingzong's estate...