Chapter 629: Interrogation 1

The Emperor muttered, pinching his nose tightly.

Fat Aunt, also covering her nose, chimed in, "How many days have you kept people locked up in here? Of course, it stinks! If it weren’t for my old man’s vast sailing experience, he urged me to put a bucket in there for them; otherwise, they’d have to relieve themselves right on the spot!"

What Fat Aunt said was just a casual remark, but to the listeners, it held a deeper meaning. These words naturally reached Ji Youzhi’s ears.

For now, however, he didn’t inquire further. Instead, he asked Fat Aunt to call a couple of sailors to help clean up the place, and he took the men directly to the deck for interrogation.

By this time, it was completely dark, and the wind was especially strong. The officials were still tied up, shivering violently in the strong wind.

"It’s so cold! Where are we?" Head Constable Zhou was the first to ask.

Ji Youzhi smiled coldly. "Where is this? Don’t you recognize it?"

Head Constable Zhou looked around in confusion. He knew they were on a boat, but he had no idea where it was headed.

"I don’t know!"

"You don’t know?" Ji Youzhi kicked Head Constable Zhou and demanded coldly, "Then why did you try to stop us from setting sail? You’d better be honest, no tricks!"

"I... I’m not trying to trick you! I really don’t know!" Head Constable Zhou exclaimed, looking utterly aggrieved.

"Oh! You really don’t know?" Ji Youzhi circled Head Constable Zhou and continued, "Do you know why I waited until now to interrogate you all?"

Head Constable Zhou and the other officials all shook their heads. "We don’t know!"

"You don’t know? Well, let me tell you the truth. Look, it’s pitch black now, and such a strong wind is blowing. If I were to do something nasty right now, tell me, do you think you’d make it back alive?"

As Ji Youzhi finished speaking, the Emperor chimed in from the side, "Why waste words on them? Just ask directly. If they talk, fine. If not, throw them into the sea to feed the fish. Why waste your breath?"

The government officials looked at each other, their faces alternating between red and white.

They hadn’t even been asked anything, and they were already going to be fed to the fish?

"Wait... Young Masters! At least ask us some questions! You’re going to feed us to the fish without asking anything? Isn’t that too unfair to us?" one of the officials couldn’t bear it any longer and hastily blurted out.

The Emperor glanced at Ji Youzhi, who laughed. Indeed, ’softening them up’ for a few days had its advantages for the interrogation.

"Ask? Of course, I have questions. But I need your honest answers, otherwise..."

THUD.

It sounded as if he had casually thrown something into the sea, scaring the officials into trembling.

"Did you hear that? If you’re not honest, that will be the sound of me throwing you overboard."

"Honest! We’ll be honest! Sir, ask whatever you want!" an official crawled fawningly to Ji Youzhi’s feet, nodding profusely.

Ji Youzhi looked at him coldly, chuckled, and said, "Fine! Then tell me, who ordered you to capture us? And where have the residents on both sides of the Yunhang Coast gone?"

As soon as he asked this, the expressions of the government officials changed dramatically. Head Constable Zhou, in particular, murmured to himself, "You! Why would you ask that? Could it be... you’ve discovered something?"

Discovered what?

Ji Youzhi and the Emperor were inwardly puzzled. They exchanged a glance, then inconspicuously turned their gaze back to the officials.

"Are you going to tell us yourselves, or do we throw you into the sea first and then you talk?" the Emperor warned through gritted teeth.

Head Constable Zhou, startled, realized his composure had cracked. He quickly tried to feign calmness and stammered, "Say... say what? We don’t know anything!"

Ji Youzhi stood up. "You don’t know?" he asked, then ordered Fat Aunt, who was standing to one side, "Fat Aunt, call two sailors over. Throw them back into the ship’s hold! Lock them up for three days without food or drink!"

Before Fat Aunt could react, the officials panicked.

"No! Don’t lock me up again! If I’m locked up like that again, I’ll go mad!" one official roared, suddenly breaking down.

"We can choose not to lock you back up. However, you must tell me everything you know, without hiding a single detail."

"What do I know... What do I know? I don’t know anything!" the official’s face instantly crumpled as he asked anxiously.

"You are officials of Yunhang County, so you must be thoroughly familiar with all major and minor events there. Why don’t you tell me what significant things have happened in Yunhang County over these past few years?"

At Ji Youzhi’s words, the officials looked at each other, their faces falling, looking utterly dejected.

"Significant things that happened in Yunhang County!" an official murmured, head bowed, as if deep in thought.

"Don’t say it! You can’t say it! If you do, we’ll lose our lives when we get back!" Head Constable Zhou loudly reminded them.

"Shut up!" Ji Youzhi smacked Head Constable Zhou on the head. Then he looked at the official who had been about to speak. "You, continue!"

That official opened his mouth, wanting to continue, but Head Constable Zhou spoke again.

"You can’t say it! If you do, we’re all done for! We’ll all be finished!"

"Shut your mouth!" Ji Youzhi slapped him again, hitting him so hard on the back of the head that it lolled to one side.

"Open his mouth." The Emperor picked up a piece of hemp rope from nearby, balled it up, and stuffed it directly into Head Constable Zhou’s mouth.

"There, that’s better. Continue your questioning!"

The dim oil lamp cast shadows on the stiff faces of the officials. Their expressions were a mixture of emotions difficult to describe.

Ji Youzhi pointed at the previous official. "You continue. What major events have occurred in Yunhang these past few years?"

"Many major events have occurred in Yunhang. I’m not sure which ones you’re referring to?" the official said in a low voice, his eyes darting towards the gagged Head Constable Zhou.

"Then tell me one by one, slowly. Why are you looking at him?"

"If I were to tell you one by one, slowly... then it would be the weather issues in Yunhang. These past few years, Yunhang has frequently experienced tornadoes, leading to natural disasters and calamities. Does this count?"

"Of course, it counts!" Ji Youzhi grinned. "And in these past few years, not only has Yunhang experienced natural disasters and calamities, but the residents on both sides of the Yunhang Coast have also mysteriously disappeared, right?"

"The residents on both sides of the Yunhang Coast didn’t mysteriously disappear, they were..." This official, being rather outspoken, hurriedly interjected, only to regret it immediately, his face filling with belated fear.

"Regretting it now? It’s too late. This is precisely what I want to ask about. So, tell me, where did the residents on both sides of the Yunhang Coast go?" Ji Youzhi seized on his words and pressed further.