"Uh..."
As everyone stepped through the door, their gazes fell upon Lord Cai, bound to a chair. Even the usually impassive Lord Qiu’s expression faltered for a moment. His peripheral vision caught the innocent expression of Zhan Feiyu, and he realized that seeing was indeed believing.
Lord Cai, having heard everything clearly from inside, knew the situation was beyond his control. His face was ashen and grim as he gritted out, "This subordinate apologizes for his impropriety."
Lord Qiu did not respond. He strode further into the room. Cai Zhiyuan wouldn't have had the capability to block the news for an entire day on his own.
Without further orders from Zhan Feiyu, He Sheng then approached the twelve personal guards who had been bound all night. With a series of clicks, their dislocated arms were reset. Even if they were free now, they would never dare to act violently in front of Lord Qiu.
"Who can tell this official what exactly is going on?" Lord Qiu, seated in the main position, fixed his sharp gaze on Commander She, who sat below him. "Since the Commander's Office has concluded that this girl is colluding with the barbarians, Commander She, where are the witnesses and evidence?"
The three thousand-household officers were not qualified to sit. They stood leaning against the walls. Seeing Lord Qiu questioning Commander She and looking at the pale Lord Cai, they knew it was their turn for fortune to change.
"What Your Lordship said is very true. This subordinate's Commander Tongzhi is likely a fake, as I received no news at all. Tsk tsk, it seems Commander She and Lord Cai do not trust this subordinate." Commander Yin smiled slyly, his thin lips curling, and then changed the subject, "Does Commander Shi also believe this subordinate is colluding with the barbarians, thus keeping such important news from me?"
With every mention of "this subordinate," anyone could discern the sarcasm in Commander Yin's words.
Zhan Feiyu, the person involved, sat obediently in her chair, her hands placed neatly on her knees. She looked as well-behaved as could be. With her appearance, anyone with a brain would not believe she was colluding with the barbarians.
Commander She's expression grew even more grim by a third.
...
With a face bearing the imprint of five fingers, Lord Cai shamelessly dragged the three thousand-household officers into it. After all, he was the court-appointed official, and the thousand-household officers were bound to execute his orders.
"When a person is utterly shameless, they become invincible. That saying is absolutely true." A mocking voice rang out without reservation. Zhan Feiyu looked at Lord Cai, who, despite his rage, maintained his composure. "Ah Sheng, apprehend him!"
"Yes!" As He Sheng received the order, his figure instantly lunged towards Lord Cai.
"How dare you, you wretch!" A shout of shock and anger erupted. Lord Cai quickly retreated, attempting to escape, but He Sheng was faster.
In the blink of an eye, Lord Cai, who had just been shouting orders, was now pinned to the ground by the expressionless He Sheng, his arrogance and dominance completely gone.
"If you do not wish for Lord Cai's blood to be spilled on the spot, please, you three thousand-household officers, retreat outside." Zhan Feiyu’s face was puffed out, giving her a somewhat fierce appearance.
But to the thousand-household officer, this threat was no less than heavenly music, instantly rescuing him from his predicament.
"As long as you ensure Lord Cai's safety, we will retreat immediately!" the thousand-household officer declared loudly, then addressed Deputy Thousand-Household Cao and Deputy Thousand-Household Zhu again, "Pass down the order that no one is to approach the council hall! Lord Cai's safety is paramount!"
"Xu Heng!" Lord Cai gritted out the words, knowing full well that the thousand-household officer was using this opportunity to extricate himself.
Unfortunately, as soon as Lord Cai spoke, He Sheng exerted sudden force. The pain made Lord Cai gasp, and he could only watch as the thousand-household officer and the other two retreated outside the door.
"Wait a moment!" Zhan Feiyu spoke again, pointing a finger at the detained Lord Cai. "Release all my people within a quarter of an hour, or do not blame me for being ruthless."
"Ah!" Accompanied by Zhan Feiyu's threat, He Sheng applied more force. Lord Cai cried out in pain, feeling as though his arm was about to be twisted off by He Sheng.
"Yes!" The thousand-household officer immediately agreed, and the three hurried out.
A while later, under the night sky, the three thousand-household officers exchanged glances and burst into laughter in unison.
"Damn it, we've finally vented our anger!" Deputy Thousand-Household Cao laughed heartily, then looked back at the brightly lit council hall. This way, Lord Cai would at least be unable to hold the Qianzhong Guard accountable openly.
Deputy Thousand-Household Zhu was also in good spirits, but thinking of Lord Cai's vindictive and ruthless nature, he couldn't help but ask, "Let's release those people first. How should we deal with Old Master's men?"
"Keep them detained for now," the thousand-household officer replied. The case had not yet been investigated, and who knew who was colluding with the barbarians. Keeping everyone detained wouldn't be wrong.
In the council hall, after the sharp pain in his shoulder subsided somewhat, Lord Cai’s sinister gaze fell upon Zhan Feiyu again. "Miss Zhan has great courage, openly attacking a court-appointed official. Is it the courage given to you by Scholar Gu, who is far away in the capital?"
Ignoring Lord Cai directly, Zhan Feiyu looked at the twelve personal guards lying sprawled on the ground. "Take off their belts, then tie them up in pairs."
The expressions of the three prostrate guards changed instantly, and they looked at Zhan Feiyu, who had given the order, with anger. They had planned to find an opportunity to sneak attack and rescue their lord, but who knew this young girl was so vicious!
This task naturally did not require He Nuan to act. Several Jinlong Guards in black night-clothes immediately stepped forward.
"Just in case, let's dislocate their arms first!" Zhan Feiyu added. Her delicate, fair, and tender little face was calm, but the words she spoke carried a ruthless and unfeeling tone.
The sound of dislocated shoulder joints echoed one after another. The twelve personal guards turned pale with pain. One by one, they were bound helplessly, tied in pairs, with one person's belt used to tie their hands and the other's to tie their feet.
A moment later, the twelve men were bound together back-to-back. With the special knotting technique of the Jinlong Guards, let alone their dislocated shoulders, even with their arms intact, they would be unable to untie themselves.
As for Lord Cai, his shoulder joints were also dislocated, and he was finally tied to the chair.
...
The next day, the weather remained sweltering. The sunlight was piercingly bright early in the morning. With the hostages in hand, Lord Qiu had the luggage from the carriage sent over. Zhan Feiyu had slept very well that night.
"Miss, Lord Qiu is about to arrive." He Nuan opened the window, allowing the cross breeze to blow into the room.
"It is quite a feat to have kept the news hidden for a night before Lord Qiu was informed." Zhan Feiyu, sitting at the table, closed her book and stood up to stretch. She looked through the window at the Jinlong Guards guarding the courtyard. "Will those people confined in the prison confess?"
"It might be difficult." He Nuan knew the interrogation methods of the Jinlong Guards, but those people were elite assassins meticulously trained by Old Master. It would not be easy to make them confess, especially under such time pressure.
After a moment of thought, a coldness gathered in Zhan Feiyu's dark eyes. "Since that is the case, send someone to cripple their hands and feet."
The reason for not killing them directly was out of consideration for Lord Qiu. After all, this was Qianzhong Guard. If the people confined in the prison died, Lord Qiu and the others would be held responsible. However, by merely crippling their limbs, they would still be alive, and subsequent interrogations and investigations would not be affected.
...
"Your subordinate pays his respects to Your Lordship..." Seeing the group of people arriving on horseback, Lord Qiu immediately led the Qianzhong Guard to greet them.
"In Qianzhong Guard, you allowed villains to abduct the Commander's Deputy, Xu Heng. Are all the men in your Qianzhong Guard useless gluttons?" The official in the lead did not speak. The middle-aged general who dismounted wore a deep blue robe and a jade hairpin, making him look like a civil official at first glance.
"This subordinate is incompetent." Lord Qiu, kneeling on one knee, could only admit guilt, as it was the truth.
Tossing his riding whip to a personal guard behind him, Lord Qiu said coldly, "Commander She, now is not the time for blame and accountability. Xu Heng, lead the way! Explain the entire sequence of events in detail."
The group strode into Qianzhong Guard. After Lord Xu concisely explained the situation, everyone arrived at the courtyard outside the council hall, immediately spotting the Jinlong Guards in black attire guarding the area.
"Heh, if one didn't know better, they'd think this was a bandit's den!" Commander She sneered. If one only looked at their faces, these men in black would be indistinguishable on the street. Who would have thought they were the bloodthirsty Jinlong Guards?
Lord Xu was already numb from being scolded. In any case, his retreat was to ensure Lord Cai's safety.
Unlike Commander She's taunts,