Volume 1, Chapter 48: Mercy!

Wei Zhiren stood before the cell, fixing his gaze upon the prisoner inside.

"Will you speak or not?" he asked coldly.

The prisoner lifted his head, his eyes burning with defiance. "Do with me as you will, execute me or carve me into pieces, I am at your mercy."

Wei Zhiren let out a cold laugh. "Do you truly believe the imperial court has no means to deal with the likes of you?"

He turned to his subordinates behind him. "Go and bring that monk here."

Before long, a young monk was escorted into the cell.

"Do you know him?" Wei Zhiren asked the monk, pointing at the prisoner.

The monk trembled. "I... I know him..."

"Tell me, what does he do?"

"He... he is Lord Wen's trusted confidant..." The monk swallowed hard. "He comes to Qingyun Temple every single month..."

"What does he come for?"

"To... to deliver armaments..."

The prisoner suddenly lunged forward. "You traitorous dog!"

Yet, bound by heavy chains, his struggle was entirely in vain.

Wei Zhiren sneered. "Continue."

Shivering, the monk stammered, "Every time he comes, it is in the dead of night... accompanied by a few men... they conceal the weapons in the cellar..."

"And what else?"

"There... there are also secret letters... all intended for the Later Jin..."

"Silence!" the prisoner roared.

Frightened, the monk dropped to his knees, trembling violently.

Wei Zhiren gave the prisoner a swift kick. "Are you ready to talk now?"

The prisoner spat a mouthful of blood. "Kill me, torture me, do as you please!"

"Very well," Wei Zhiren sneered. "Then I shall let you experience the methods of the Eastern Depot."

He gestured to his guards. "Bring that item here."

A short while later, a wooden tub was carried in.

"Do you know what this is?" Wei Zhiren dipped his finger into the liquid inside the tub.

The prisoner remained silent.

"You don't know?" Wei Zhiren gave a cold laugh. "Then I shall let you taste it!"

He motioned for the agents to hold the prisoner down, then soaked a cloth in the liquid and wiped it across the prisoner's skin.

"Ah!" A piercing, wretched scream tore from the prisoner's throat.

The liquid felt like molten fire, instantly raising blistering welts across his flesh.

"Will you speak now?" Wei Zhiren asked.

Clenching his teeth, the prisoner said nothing.

"Continue!" Wei Zhiren signaled once more.

The agents dipped another cloth and smeared the corrosive liquid over the prisoner's body.

"Ah!" Another shriek echoed through the stone walls.

The monk cowered in the corner, shaking with terror.

"Will you confess?" Wei Zhiren demanded again.

The prisoner's entire body shook, yet he still shook his head.

"Good," Wei Zhiren sneered. "Then let us try something even more potent."

He motioned for the guards to proceed.

Cloth after cloth soaked in the searing liquid was dragged across the captive's skin.

Screams rose one after another in an endless wave.

The prisoner's skin had already begun to fester and rot.

Still, he stubbornly refused to yield.

Wei Zhiren looked down at him. "You truly are a stubborn bone."

He turned back to the monk. "Keep talking."

The monk stammered, "He... every time he comes, he carries secret letters..."

"Who wrote these secret letters?"

"It... it was Lord Wen..."

"To whom were they addressed?"

"To... to the Later Jin..."

"What did they say?"

"They... they spoke of coordinating an inside attack... once the Later Jin army arrives... they will..."

"Will what?"

"Will... will launch a rebellion..."

The prisoner suddenly let out a laugh. "Speak then, let him say it all. We are dead men walking in any case."

Wei Zhiren narrowed his eyes. "Oh?"

"Indeed," the prisoner sneered. "Lord Wen is indeed planning to rebel. He and the Later Jin reached an agreement long ago."

"Go on."

"A great deal of weaponry is hidden within the city," the prisoner confessed. "All intended for the Later Jin."

"Where are they concealed?"

"In various merchant shops and temples."

"What else?"

"Some are outside the city," the prisoner said. "All properties belonging to Lord Wen."

"Be specific."

"Three miles south of the city, there is an estate..." the prisoner said. "A vast amount of firearms and gunpowder is stored there."

***

"Who is responsible for the transport?"

"Li Fu," the prisoner replied. "He is Lord Wen's most trusted confidant."

"Where is he now?"

"Dead," the prisoner gave a cold, mocking smile. "He committed suicide by poison."

Wei Zhiren nodded. "Continue."

"There is also a warehouse in the west of the city..." the prisoner continued. "It is used primarily to store secret correspondence."

"What kind of correspondence?"

"All communications with the Later Jin."

"Tell me about them."

"The Later Jin promised that once their main force arrives, they will enthrone Lord Wen as king."

Wei Zhiren sneered. "Quite the grand ambition."

"Indeed," the prisoner laughed bitterly. "Too bad it will all amount to nothing in the end."

"Why do you say it amounts to nothing?"

"Need I ask?" The prisoner smiled bleakly. "Since you have captured us, what else could happen?"

Wei Zhiren stared at him. "Have you told me everything you know?"

"I have," the prisoner said. "Death awaits us regardless, so telling you or keeping silent makes no difference."

"Good enough," Wei Zhiren nodded.

He turned to leave.

"Wait," the prisoner suddenly called out.

"Is there something else you wish to say?"

"Do you think capturing us is the end of it?" The prisoner sneered. "Lord Wen's people permeate every level of the court."

"Oh?" Wei Zhiren halted his steps.

"You can never catch them all," the prisoner said. "There will always be fish that slip through the net."

"Is that so?" Wei Zhiren chuckled coldly. "Then I thank you for the warning."

He ordered his subordinates, "Take him away!"

The agents stepped forward to drag the prisoner away.

"Wait," the prisoner said again. "There is one more thing."

"Speak."

"Lord Wen's faction..." the prisoner said, "extends far beyond the capital."

"Where?"

"In every province," the prisoner sneered. "Especially in the Jiangnan region."

"Go on."

"Those merchants..." the prisoner said, "appear to be doing honest business, but in reality, they are all Lord Wen's men."

"What is their purpose?"

"To raise funds, transport armaments, and maintain contact with the Later Jin."

Wei Zhiren nodded. "Thank you for the information."

He instructed the agents, "Take him away now."

The guards hauled the prisoner toward the exit.

"Wait," the prisoner spoke once more.

"What else could you possibly have to say?"

"Do you..." the prisoner laughed bitterly, "truly believe you can capture Lord Wen?"

"What do you mean?"

"He has been prepared for this long ago," the prisoner said. "You will never catch him."

Wei Zhiren narrowed his eyes. "Really?"

"Of course," the prisoner sneered. "He is far more intelligent than you can possibly imagine."

"Oh?" Wei Zhiren's interest was piqued. "Tell me about it."

"He..." The prisoner was about to speak when his expression suddenly twisted.

"What is wrong?" Wei Zhiren asked.

The prisoner clutched at his throat as dark blood poured from his eyes, ears, nostrils, and mouth.

"Another dose of crane-red poison!" Wei Zhiren raged. "Search his body!"

The agents stepped forward and searched the dead man, discovering a small paper packet hidden within his sleeve.

"These people..." Wei Zhiren sneered, "always carry poison on their persons."

He glanced down at the corpse. "Take him away!"

The guards carried the body out.

Wei Zhiren turned to the monk. "You may go."

The monk kowtowed frantically. "Thank you, My Lord! Thank you, My Lord!"

"Wait," Wei Zhiren said abruptly.

"M-My Lord, do you have any further instructions?"

"Everything you just said..." Wei Zhiren asked, "was it all true?"

"It is the absolute truth!" The monk bowed repeatedly, striking his head against the ground. "This humble monk would never dare lie!"

"Very well," Wei Zhiren nodded. "You may leave."

Granting a pardon as if receiving a divine amnesty, the monk scrambled away on hands and knees.

Wei Zhiren stood before the cell, staring at the pool of blood on the floor.

"Write all of this down," he ordered the man behind him.

"Yes, sir!"

He turned and walked out of the cell block.

Outside, other agents of the Eastern Depot were still interrogating the remaining prisoners.

***

Some wept, some cursed, and others begged for mercy.

Wei Zhiren walked past the cells, listening to the chorus of anguish.

Every single one of them was breaking.

Wen Tiren's treasonous plot was gradually coming to light.

Some confessed willingly, while others denied the charges to their dying breath.

Yet the outcome remained invariably the same.

One by one, those implicated were falling into the net.

Wei Zhiren stopped before the very last cell.

Inside sat a merchant.

"Speak," he said indifferently. "What do you know?"

The merchant raised his head. "My Lord, I know nothing at all..."

"Is that so?" Wei Zhiren gave a cold smile. "Then what about this?"

He pulled a letter from his robe.

The merchant's face drained of color. "This..."

"Do you recognize it?"

"N-No... I do not..."

"You don't?" Wei Zhiren unfolded the letter. "Then allow me to read it to you."

The merchant trembled uncontrollably.

"To Lord Wen..."

"Stop reading!" the merchant cried out suddenly. "I'll talk! I'll talk!"

"Speak."

"This is a letter I wrote to Lord Wen..."

"What does it say?"

"It says... the armaments have been prepared..."

"Prepared for whom?"

"For... for the Later Jin..."

"Continue."

"Lord Wen said..." The merchant swallowed hard. "Once the Later Jin army arrives... they will..."

"Will what?"

"Will launch a rebellion..."

Wei Zhiren nodded. "What else?"

"It... it also mentions the trade routes..."

"What trade routes?"

"The routes used..." The merchant wiped the sweat from his brow. "To transport the weapons..."

"Be specific."

"Transported by sea..." the merchant said. "With people under Zheng Zhilong providing cover and reception."

"Zheng Zhilong?" Wei Zhiren narrowed his eyes.

"Yes..." the merchant nodded. "He is also one of Lord Wen's men."

"Go on."

"There are ships every month..." the merchant said. "Exclusively carrying armaments."

"Delivered to where?"

"To various ports..." the merchant replied. "And then distributed to merchant shops across the country."

"What kind of shops?"

"All properties owned by Lord Wen..." the merchant said. "They look like regular businesses on the surface, but in truth..."

"In truth, what?"

"In truth, they are all secret contact points."

"Contact points for what?"

"To contact the Later Jin..." the merchant said. "To relay messages and transport weapons..."

Wei Zhiren nodded. "Well spoken."

He turned to leave.

"My Lord!" the merchant shouted suddenly.

"Is there anything else you wish to say?"

"I... I have told you everything..." the merchant pleaded. "Could you... could you..."

"Could I what?"

"Could you spare my life?"

Wei Zhiren halted his steps. "What do you think?"

"I... I told you everything!" the merchant wept. "I beg My Lord to show mercy!"

"Mercy?" Wei Zhiren sneered. "You colluded with the Later Jin with the intent to commit treason."

"This..." The merchant turned ghostly pale.

"Tell me," Wei Zhiren asked, "do you deserve to live?"

The merchant dropped to his knees, kowtowing incessantly. "I beg My Lord for mercy! I beg My Lord for mercy!"

"It is too late," Wei Zhiren said coldly.

He signaled to the guard. "Take him away!"

"My Lord!" the merchant cried out in despair. "I beg you to show mercy!"