diskusbooks Chapter 924 Chips
Chapter 924 Chips
Cui Ling left most of his men in the palace and only took a small group of people to the Prince of Qin's residence, which was not far from the palace.
At this moment, the Qin Prince's mansion was in complete chaos, brightly lit.
Zhang Ping'an glanced around and saw that some had been killed and others had been tied up, but most of them were servants and guards.
These people no longer dared to cry; at most, they would sob secretly. The only noises were the shouts, curses, and smashing sounds from the people Li Chong brought as they ransacked the house.
With such a commotion, it was impossible for the nearby residents not to hear it, yet no one dared to show their face. While this was partly due to Zheng Ping sending people to keep watch, it also showed that the court officials were aware of the situation.
They know exactly what they should and shouldn't do, and they understand perfectly how to protect themselves now that things have escalated to this point.
Not long after walking inside, they saw Li Chong sitting imposingly in the head chair, looking smug and triumphant.
I haven't seen him for several years, but he hasn't aged at all. He even looks more energetic than Zhang Ping'an.
He's just stronger than he was a few years ago, and he's grown a short beard, so you can tell he's been working out a lot.
Seeing the group approaching, Li Chong glanced behind them before happily greeting them, "Heh, you guys came fast! I haven't even finished interrogating this guy yet. It was so hard to catch him alive!"
Zhang Ping'an knew what he was looking at and explained, "His Majesty is not feeling well. He was seriously injured by that old bald monk Yuantong and has a headache from the cold wind, so he rested in the palace first. We will take Prince Qin to the palace to see him later."
After saying that, he patted Li Chong on the shoulder and said sincerely, "You've worked hard this time, you came just in time!"
“Brother Zhang, what are you saying? You’re too kind. I’m a servant of the emperor, so I have a duty to serve him. My Li family has been loyal and righteous for generations, so it’s only natural that we have an inescapable responsibility to participate in such a plot to usurp the throne,” Li Chong said with a righteous expression, waving his hand.
After finishing his meal, he looked at Zheng Ping and Cui Ling.
He said familiarly, "I have long heard of General Cui's great name, but I have never had the chance to meet him. Today, I see that he is indeed extraordinary. Let's have a friendly spar sometime."
"Hahaha, great! You're most welcome!" Cui Ling said loudly.
"This must be Eunuch Zheng. Loyalty to the emperor and serving the country knows no social status. I greatly admire your actions today!"
After speaking, Li Chong solemnly cupped his hands in greeting, showing great respect for Zheng Ping.
Regardless of what he was thinking, his words and actions on the surface were very comforting.
Zheng Ping's expression visibly softened, and the complex emotions that had arisen from Cui Ling's sabotage earlier subsided somewhat.
"You flatter me, Lord Li!" Zheng Ping returned the greeting.
After exchanging pleasantries, the group turned their attention back to King Qin Qingshan.
It must be said that Qin Qingshan is quite politically astute. Judging from his neat clothes, soft armor, and injuries, he had already received the news and got up fully armed when Li Chong led his men in.
However, they were unable to mobilize more forces to resist before they were captured.
He understood the principle of "capture the king first" better than anyone.
The victor is king, the loser is villain. He knew that being captured alive would not end well, but he did not want to die so soon.
If possible, he would still try his best to find a way to escape. As long as he escaped, everything would be fine, and there would still be a chance to turn the tide. If he died, he would really have nothing left.
All his years of hard work will turn to ashes in an instant.
This really made him very unwilling!
Zheng Ping had just noticed the problem in the main hall, and now asked, "Lord Li, why haven't we seen any of the Prince of Qin's family members?"
"That old fox probably knows that what he did is outrageous. His family members were arranged to leave long ago, and the few remaining in the mansion are all fakes," Li Chong said with some frustration.
"Hmph, what a cunning scheme! I wonder if he ever imagined he'd end up like this," Cui Ling said with a snort, arms crossed.
The thought that the Second Prince's credit had been stolen from him made him feel uneasy.
Zhang Ping'an asked directly, "What did they find out? Who else is involved as an accomplice?"
Li Chong shook his head, "The interrogation has only been going on for a short time, and they haven't gotten anything out of it yet. The old man is really stubborn!"
"I guess they didn't seize much of their assets, did they?"
Zheng Ping, who controlled the East and West Factories, had seen many cases of house raids. He could tell how things were progressing with just a glance, and it was clear that not much of value had been found.
Li Chong stroked his chin and nodded, "Yes, it doesn't look like the residence of a prince at all. The house looks big and luxurious, and there are many servants, but I didn't see any treasures. Some of the servants are just for show, and I don't know what they're up to. So far, they've only found a thousand or so taels of silver. Who would believe that? I bet there are some secret treasuries and passages that haven't been discovered yet, and the servants are searching for them!"
"When it comes to interrogation, the Eastern and Western Depots are the best at it. If Lord Li finds it difficult, I can send you a few capable assistants from the Eastern and Western Depots."
Zheng Ping spoke sincerely; otherwise, Li Chong would have definitely overthought things.
Before Li Chong could reply, Zheng Ping continued meaningfully, "The Prince of Qin used to be second only to the emperor, with a very prestigious status. He had been to the Eastern and Western Depots many times, so he naturally knew their methods."
That would truly make one wish for death but be unable to live!
What Lord Li has done is just a drop in the ocean, nothing to worry about. Considering our past friendship, let me give you another piece of advice: Prince Qin, you'd better confess honestly and suffer less. The Eastern and Western Depots are not places for someone like you, otherwise, hehe..."
Upon hearing this, the King of Qin felt a chill in his heart and frowned. He knew all too well the power of the Eastern and Western Depots; no one could emerge from there unscathed.
He never imagined he could survive the various forms of torture and forced confessions at the East and West Depots.
In his opinion, as long as he could meet Zhou Pu in person, there would still be room for maneuver.
Even if we throw him into prison, there's still a chance he can survive.
But Zheng Ping's words made him uncertain again.
Zheng Ping is like Wei Xingzhou in the past, with a deep mind and unfathomable thoughts.
After a moment, the King of Qin calmly raised his head and asked, "How is Zhou Shu?"
"Heh, you still have the mood to care about him?" Cui Ling raised an eyebrow and sized him up.
They didn't say whether the person was alive or dead, partly to try and trick Qin Qingshan.
To everyone's surprise, Qin Qingshan understood immediately after hearing this and whispered, "Died so quickly..."
His tone sounded rather disappointed.
Cui Ling was startled by his keen insight and realized she had spoken out of turn, so she said nothing more.
"I have nothing to say to you. Take me to see His Majesty. He is the ruler of the country and also my son-in-law. Only he has the right to interrogate me. Once we get there, I will naturally tell you everything," Qin Qingshan said, looking up again.
His tone remained calm.
It was as if he had some leverage in his hands, and was certain that he could escape danger.