Chapter 455 - 456: Interrogation

Chapter 455: Chapter 456: Interrogation

"Nonsense," Zhou Shixiong scolded. "If we’re short on labor, I’ll just go capture more. You just need to hold down the fort here, and I guarantee I’ll have a thousand mu of fertile fields ready for you by spring."

Gu Wenheng knew that Zhou Shixiong was truly angry this time. "It won’t happen again," he said.

’Those bandits probably aren’t stupid enough to walk right into the line of fire every single time,’ he thought.

"Later, I’ll send two more men to be your personal bodyguards," Zhou Shixiong said, glaring at him. "And you are not to refuse."

"Qi and Ah Ba, the guards the Empress assigned to me, are already excellent," Gu Wenheng replied. "I couldn’t possibly accept your men as well, Brother Zhou."

"Besides, you’re the one constantly on the move out there. You need them more than I do."

In the end, Gu Wenheng found himself with two more guards anyway. For as long as he remained in Lu City, the two men were ordered not to leave his side.

***

When his most capable subordinate failed to return, Mountain Leader immediately sensed that something was wrong.

Tian Er had followed him for many years. He was as cunning as he was ruthless and had always managed to escape even the most desperate situations.

What Mountain Leader didn’t know was that this very history of successful escapes had made Tian Er arrogant enough to walk right into a trap.

"Ling San, take some men and scout ahead. Find out what happened to them."

"If you run into trouble, don’t do anything rash. Just come back, and we can plan our next move together."

"Lord Shan," Ling San said, "do you think they might have lost their way in the snow?"

"No," said Mountain Leader. "He’s come with me in past years, and he could always find his way back to camp, even in the worst blizzards. I suspect something has happened to him."

"If the others who went before got lost, that would be one thing. But it’s impossible for Tian Er."

"Your main objective this time is to gather intelligence. Whatever you do, don’t expose your position."

"Yes, sir."

***

Gu Wenheng had never believed in the existence of truly unbreakable men. Now that Tian Er had delivered himself to his doorstep, he had every justification to interrogate him and his followers.

Instead of interrogating the leader, Tian Er, directly, Gu Wenheng started with one of his underlings. He had the man dragged out and given twenty strokes with a heavy plank before he even made an appearance. Only then did he begin the questioning, "The murder of a court official. Do you have any idea what kind of crime that is?"

If the man wouldn’t talk after one punishment, another would be applied. Even the hardest of men eventually broke, and this one was no exception. He confessed the size of their party and the purpose of their mission.

Of course, Gu Wenheng didn’t rely on a single confession. He interrogated several more bandits, one after the other, and quickly pieced together the truth of their mission.

When Tian Er was brought into the torture chamber, he remained completely defiant. "Let me go at once! We are personal attendants of Prince Zuo! We were merely traveling through this area. By detaining us like this, are you trying to start a war between our two nations?"

Gu Wenheng sneered. "A mere island dares to call itself a nation? Even a rat has its hide, but a man without decorum? A man without decorum—why not just drop dead?"

Seeing the man kneeling there in a dumbfounded stupor, Gu Wenheng mocked, "Just as I thought—an uncultured savage. You can’t even understand simple words, yet you have the audacity to dream of calling yourselves kings of a nation."

Tian Er had operated in this border city for years and fancied himself an expert on the culture of the Rong Dynasty, yet he couldn’t understand the quote at all.

From Gu Wenheng’s tone and the mention of a "rat," he knew it was an insult, but he was so stunned he couldn’t think of a comeback.

Gu Wenheng had a nearby clerk hand Tian Er a copy of the confessions that his men had already signed. "You sign it as well."

Tian Er was no fool. He knew if he signed that document, not even Prince Zuo could save him.

"’If you are determined to condemn a man, you will never be short of a charge,’" Tian Er retorted, unable to resist showing off his knowledge of the Central Plains culture. "You claim we murdered a court official? Where is your proof? Where are your witnesses? Your material evidence? Who saw anything?"

"This is nothing but a forced confession! When our envoy arrives, your official position will be the first thing to go!"

"Is that so?" Gu Wenheng said. "Since you’ve already made up your mind, it would be a shame not to let you properly experience our ’Ten Great Punishments.’ I’d feel like I was letting you down otherwise."

"Take him away. Let’s hope his bones are as tough as his talk."

’If only those grunts could have drawn a map to their main camp,’ Gu Wenheng thought, ’I wouldn’t have to be wasting my time on this one.’

The man talked a big game, but when the torture actually began, he broke even faster than his underlings.

Once he had the confession and the route map, Gu Wenheng wasted no time. He had Qi immediately deliver the documents to Zhou Shixiong.

Zhou Shixiong set out with his men that very night. Four days later, a new batch of able-bodied laborers arrived to work the wasteland Gu Wenheng had designated for reclamation.

This operation was a major one, and Gu Wenheng had no intention of keeping it secret. At this moment, what Lu City needed most was a sense of security.

The citizens of Lu City were overjoyed. Although the bandits hadn’t been made to pay with their lives, they were now captives, and there would be plenty of time to deal with them in the future.

Zhou Shixiong was also pleased. This meant they could rest and recover for the entire winter without the constant fear of an attack.

But, of course, some people had to step up and object. Gu Wenheng listened to Cai Hua, who had been speaking for what felt like ages, and thought that he’d never realized Judge Cai was such an orator.

He cited precedents from antiquity and modern times, showing off his learning for what seemed like an eternity, but it all boiled down to a single point: they must treat the prisoners leniently.

Gu Wenheng waited until Cai Hua had talked himself weary before speaking, his eyes fixed on the scar on the other man’s face. "That scar of yours, Judge Cai... it seems it will be with you for life."

"I wonder, what were you thinking at the very moment your face was injured, Judge Cai?"

"Allow me to guess. Were you perhaps feeling deeply grateful? After all, in addition to the face your parents gave you, the enemy bestowed upon you another distinguishing mark."

"Should you not be grateful for this ’favor of rebirth,’ Judge Cai?"

Cai Hua’s face flushed crimson. "...That is a completely different matter."

"Is it?" Gu Wenheng pressed. "Then you truly know how to distinguish between a kindness and a grudge, Judge Cai."

"I just have to wonder... as a civil servant with such a scar, how far do you expect your career to advance?"

He shook his head, a look of mock pity on his face. "How about this? I could have a word with General Zhou and suggest you abandon your civil post for a military one. After all, military officers aren’t concerned with appearances. In fact, they might even consider that scar an honor."

"In that sense, it would be a blessing in disguise. And then I could understand why you’re pleading their case. It’s all about gratitude, isn’t it?"

Cai Hua was rendered speechless. ’This Prefect Gu has such a venomous tongue,’ he thought. ’I’m only doing this for Mr. Gu’s own good. Why can’t he see that?’

"I am merely concerned that you will be reprimanded for this, Mr. Gu," Cai Hua said. "In the past, even when General Zhou took captives, he would only detain them for a period before letting them go."

"I thank you for your concern, Judge Cai," Gu Wenheng said. "And I am indeed following past precedent. I have simply changed the location of their imprisonment."

"If you have a moment to spare, Judge Cai, I suggest you focus on your own work. If you’re finding it too difficult, you can always pass it on to Mr. Wu."

Cai Hua understood the veiled threat. This was a clear warning.

He began to wonder if he had made a mistake by coming. He had hoped to curry favor, but instead, he had only managed to cause offense.

Gu Wenheng had no patience for Cai Hua’s petty calculations. If the man hadn’t been performing his duties so conscientiously of late, Gu Wenheng wouldn’t have even deigned to listen to his croaking today.