Volume 1, Chapter 38: Treason

The Qingyun Temple was in shambles. Two corpses were carried out. The monks were shackled and forced onto prison carts. The lead agent conducted a final sweep to ensure nothing had been overlooked. He walked out of the temple gate and surveyed the Qingyun Temple in the morning light.

"Back to report!" he commanded with a wave of his hand.

The prison carts slowly lurched forward, heading toward the city. The monks’ faces were ashen; they knew they would never return.

Wei Zhiren sneered as he looked down at the monks kneeling on the cold floor. The flicker of the oil lamps in the prison cast long, sinister shadows over his grim face.

"Speak," he said coldly. "Who exactly delivered those armaments?"

The monks trembled, too terrified to speak. Wei Zhiren gestured, and two agents stepped forward, hauling a young monk to his feet.

"Still silent?" He sneered, picking up an iron rod. "Then let me show you the methods of the Eastern Depot."

"M... Master..." the young monk stammered, "I truly do not know..."

Before he could finish, the iron rod struck him. His screams echoed through the prison.

"Will you talk?" Wei Zhiren asked again.

Though covered in blood, the young monk shook his head.

"Fine," Wei Zhiren mocked. "Men, strip his fingernails off, one by one."

The agents moved immediately. The young monk’s screams turned even more piercing. The other monks watched in terror; some began to chant prayers.

"Amitabha..." an old monk folded his hands, "Benefactor, why must you..."

"Shut up!" Wei Zhiren kicked the old monk to the ground.

At that moment, Zhu Youjian entered, accompanied by a few trusted aides.

"Your Majesty." Wei Zhiren bowed hurriedly.

Zhu Youjian looked at the blood-soaked young monk, then at the old monk on the floor, and asked coldly, "What have you uncovered?"

"Reporting to Your Majesty, these bald donkeys are remarkably stubborn," Wei Zhiren replied. "They refuse to say a single word."

Zhu Youjian walked up to the old monk. "Do you really think I don't know where those armaments came from?"

The old monk struggled to stand. "Amitabha, I..."

"Still playing dumb!" Wei Zhiren kicked the old monk in the back. "How dare you conceal the truth before His Majesty!"

Zhu Youjian waved his hand. Wang Cheng'en handed him a map. Zhu Youjian unfolded it before the monks. "These red dots—these are your strongholds, are they not?"

The monks' faces drained of color.

Zhu Youjian continued, "Qingyun Temple was only the beginning. I have already dispatched men to investigate the other locations."

The old monk trembled. "Your Majesty, please see the truth... we were only..."

"Only what?" Zhu Youjian sneered.

"Only... forced into this..." the old monk knelt. "Lord Wen said... he said we must..."

Before he could finish, the young monk suddenly shouted, "Master! You cannot say it!"

Zhu Youjian narrowed his eyes. "Oh? So, you are determined to protect Wen Tiren?"

"No... no, it's not that..." the old monk shook his head frantically.

"If that is the case," Zhu Youjian sneered, "then I shall let you experience what it means for death to be preferable to life." He turned to Wei Zhiren. "Apply the torture."

Wei Zhiren gave a cruel grin. "Yes. Men!"

Several agents stepped forward, pinning the monks down. Zhu Youjian looked at the map, pointing to one of the red dots. "Start here."

"Your Majesty," Wang Cheng'en whispered, "this is a temple in the south of the city."

"Very good," Zhu Youjian nodded. "Pass the order to surround it immediately."

...

Just then, an agent hurried over. "Your Majesty, we found it!"

"Speak."

"In the temple in the south of the city, we discovered a large cache of armaments. And..."

"And what?"

"We also found secret letters. All written by Wen Tiren to the Jiannu."

A flash of cold light crossed Zhu Youjian's eyes. "Did you bring them?"

"Here they are." The agent presented a stack of letters.

Zhu Youjian unfolded them, sneering, "Very well, Wen Tiren. You truly intended to commit treason!"

He turned to the monks. "Can you speak now?"

The monks’ faces were deathly pale. Suddenly, the young monk lunged forward, slamming his head against the wall.

"Stop him!" Wei Zhiren shouted.

But it was too late. The young monk’s head struck the wall with a heavy thud, blood splattering everywhere.

"Another stubborn one," Wei Zhiren scoffed.

Zhu Youjian looked at the corpse of the young monk and said indifferently, "Continue the interrogation. Do not let a single one go."

The agents resumed their work. Screams rose and fell. Watching all of this, the old monk finally spoke up: "Your Majesty, I will tell you..."

Zhu Youjian turned around. "Speak."

The old monk’s voice trembled. "Lord Wen was indeed in contact with the Jiannu. He... he ordered us to hide these armaments, saying..."

"Saying what?"

"Saying... we were to coordinate from within..."

Zhu Youjian sneered. "Go on."

The old monk swallowed hard. "He said... once the Jiannu army arrived, we would..."

"Rebel?" Zhu Youjian finished for him.

The old monk nodded, shivering violently.

"Very good," Zhu Youjian nodded with satisfaction. "You are sensible." He turned to Wei Zhiren. "Write this down."

"Yes." Wei Zhiren took out paper and brush.

The old monk continued, "Lord Wen also said... there are several other places in the city where armaments are hidden..."

"Where?"

"At..." Before the old monk could finish, he suddenly clutched his throat, blood streaming from his seven orifices.

"It's arsenic again!" Wei Zhiren roared in anger. "Search his body!"

Soon, a small paper packet was found in the old monk's sleeve. Zhu Youjian looked at the corpse, sneering, "These people, they all carry poison with them."

He turned to the other monks. "Who else wants a taste?"

The monks trembled and kowtowed repeatedly. "We will tell you everything..."

"Very good." Zhu Youjian looked at the map. "Then let us start with the Jubao Pavilion in the south of the city."

"Yes... yes..." a monk stammered. "Armaments are indeed hidden there..."

"The exact location."

"In... in the cellar..."

Zhu Youjian nodded. "Continue."

The monk said, "Every month, someone delivers the goods. It is always at night..."

"What do they deliver?"

"Firearms... gunpowder... and..."

"And what?"

"And... secret letters from the Jiannu..."

Zhu Youjian’s eyes glinted coldly. "Who delivers the secret letters?"

"It... it is Li Fu..."

"Li Fu?" Zhu Youjian sneered. "Wen Tiren's right-hand man?"

The monk nodded. "He comes every month..."

"Be specific," Wei Zhiren barked.

The monk trembled. "He always comes in the dead of night... with a few men..."

"How many times has this happened?"

"It has... it has been half a year..."

Zhu Youjian sneered. "Half a year? So, Wen Tiren has been preparing for a long time?"

The monk dared not speak.

"Continue!" Wei Zhiren lashed the monk with a whip.

The monk screamed. "Yes... yes... they said... once the Jiannu army arrives..."

"What happens when the Jiannu army arrives?"

"They will..." The monk suddenly clamped his mouth shut.

"Speak!" Wei Zhiren struck him again.

"They will... they will rebel..."

Zhu Youjian sneered. "As I thought."

He turned to Wei Zhiren. "Record all of this."

"Yes." Wei Zhiren continued to record.

Zhu Youjian asked the monk again, "Anything else?"

The monk hesitated for a moment, then said, "Lord Wen said... he has already contacted the merchant guilds in various regions..."

"Go on."

"They... they are all prepared... just waiting for..."

"Waiting for what?"

"Waiting for... the Jiannu army to move south..."

Zhu Youjian sneered. "Splendid. A coordinated strike from within and without."

He turned to Wang Cheng'en. "Pass the order to conduct a strict investigation of all merchant guilds."

"Yes."

Zhu Youjian turned back to Wei Zhiren. "Continue the interrogation. Do not miss a single word."

"Yes." Wei Zhiren walked toward the other monks with a cruel smile.

The screams rang out once again. Zhu Youjian looked at the map in his hand, where the red dots marked the locations of every stronghold.

"Pass the order," he said coldly. "Do not spare a single location."

"Yes!" The agents received their orders and departed.

Zhu Youjian looked at the remaining monks. "Who else has something to say?"

The monks, trembling, began to speak one after another. Zhu Youjian listened with a sneer. Every stronghold, every shipment of arms, and every secret letter was documented. Gradually, the full scope of Wen Tiren’s conspiracy was laid bare.