Zhang San, please behave yourself!
Chapter 377 - 356: A Xiezhi’s Horn

Chapter 377: Chapter 356: A Xiezhi’s Horn

Zhang San, leading his team, went inside and asked Han Mingshi to wait outside while he first entered the prison to check on the situation.

Before Zhang San even arrived at the location, he heard the interrogation taking place. Yun Shengxu was hollering furiously, "You cannot torture a physician! You... How dare you privately torture an important official of the Imperial Court! This is a heinous crime! A heinous crime!"

Following the sounds, Zhang San arrived at the interrogation cell and saw Yun Shengxu trapped on a wooden cross, while opposite him, the Vermilion Bird Principal Officer had set up a desk and was drinking milk tea, not even glancing at Yun Shengxu, who had several whip marks tearing open his skin.

Zhang San approached and gave a respectful bow to the Vermilion Bird Principal Officer.

"Acting Military Chief Zhang San greets Vermilion Bird Principal Officer."

Now, upon hearing Zhang San’s name, the Vermilion Bird Principal Officer’s whole body began to manifest the Spirit Platform Illusion of flames, as if he wanted to attack Zhang San and kill him on the spot.

"What are you here for?"

Although the Vermilion Bird Principal Officer had a fiery temper and his body was filled with the power of the Fire Movement, his tone when addressing Zhang San was especially cold.

Zhang San replied with a cheery smile, "I’m naturally here to help!"

"Humph!"

The Vermilion Bird Principal Officer did not even glance at Zhang San, instead using flames to warm his milk tea that had gone cold, taking a gentle sip to suppress his anger and avoid losing control and killing Zhang San right there in the cell.

"If you, Zhang San, are thinking of coming here to share in my merits, I’m afraid you are mistaken!"

Zhang San stepped forward to the Vermilion Bird Principal Officer’s side, crouched down, and whispered in his ear, "The list of Heavenly Punishment Sect members in the Capital was brought back by me."

The Vermilion Bird Principal Officer’s brows furrowed slightly as he glanced at Zhang San.

Although he was ordered to capture these martial artists from the Heavenly Punishment Sect, he knew that their successful capture was made possible because the Town Martial Office had obtained their list.

The real credit lay in obtaining the list of the Heavenly Punishment Sect’s martial artists in the Capital. As for the actual capture on the field, not only could he do it, but so could others.

It was only because Chief Li Moxian felt that his unauthorized return to the Capital could potentially cause controversy if he didn’t get assigned a task that he was sent to handle this instead.

"Is what you’re saying true?"

Zhang San smiled broadly, saying, "Would I lie to you? If you don’t believe me, you can go ask the Chief. Also, I’ve just gone out of my way to seek out the Legalists and, after begging for a long while, managed to borrow their divine beast, the Xiezhi, to help with the interrogation."

As he spoke, Zhang San snapped his fingers.

The divine beast Xiezhi, which had been waiting outside, stepped forward a few paces upon hearing the sound.

The Vermilion Bird Principal Officer was taken aback and stood up to look outside the cell.

It had a body resembling a qilin, with a straight horn on its head.

It was indeed the Legalists’ divine beast, the Xiezhi.

"Then you conduct the interrogation!"

The Vermilion Bird Principal Officer stood up from behind the desk, yielding his spot for interrogation to Zhang San, and then stood aside to watch Zhang San.

This murderer, who had killed his own son, had actually managed to infiltrate the Town Martial Office; there must be some flaw on him! I will definitely be able to see it!

After sitting down, Zhang San communicated with the Xiezhi using the Language of All Things, bringing it in front of Yun Shengxu.

Then the martial artist who had previously been responsible for recording brought the notes over for Zhang San to glance at.

Zhang San frowned upon reading the recorded content.

"What’s your name?"

Yun Shengxu glanced at Zhang San but did not speak.

Zhang San grinned, turned his head to look at the Vermilion Bird Principal Officer, and said, "Vermilion Bird Principal Officer, I notice there are many wounds on his body, which I presume allows for flogging. But since I am here to help and not authorized, how about this: I write an application to flog him during the interrogation and you sign it. Would that be convenient for my interrogation?"

As Zhang San asked, he had already picked up paper and pen and began to write quickly.

The Vermilion Bird Principal Officer considered that this was not a big deal, and as soon as Zhang San finished writing, he promptly signed.

Zhang San, upon seeing the document signed by the Vermilion Bird Principal Officer, smiled contentedly.

Even though this Horse Washer from the Eastern Palace, a man of the Crown Prince, it was the Vermilion Bird Principal Officer who allowed the beating, what could I do?

Slap!

Slap!

Slap!

Zhang San gestured for the martial artists nearby to come over and started laying into Yun Shengxu with a whip.

He had met this guy before - clearly one of the Crown Prince’s trusted aides.

He must have had a hand in advising the Crown Prince when they were plotting against me.

So why not take the opportunity to whip him first?

After the martial artist had administered forty or fifty lashes, Zhang San spoke slowly, "This suspect has quite a tough mouth, not confessing at all! Come, wipe the sweat off the suspect and smear it on the whip. Since sweat contains salt, whipping with it will be like using a saltwater-soaked whip."

The whip-wielding martial artist was startled and asked, "Then why not just use saltwater directly?"

"Is salt free?"

At this point, Yun Shengxu, who had been whipped for quite some time, gritted his teeth and roared in anger, "You scoundrel Zhang San! Just wait until I get out; I’ll make sure you pay for this!"

Zhang San looked at Yun Shengxu with an innocent face and softly said, "Quick, spit it out! Don’t say things like that; most people who talk that way tend to get beaten to death by us and never make it out!"

Yun Shengxu’s eyes widened angrily as he stared at Zhang San and said, "Do you dare to kill an official appointed by the Imperial Court? I am a Horse Washer of the Eastern Palace in the Great Sui, ranked below the Fifth Rank! If you kill me, you would be..."

Yun Shengxu couldn’t finish his words as he observed Zhang San’s fearless expression, which left him feeling somewhat panicked.

Zhang San sneered and said, "You know who Han Yanxia and Zheng Zaisuang are. Zheng Poyue returned from the northern frontier and is not a commoner either. Have you seen me afraid? I dare to curse the Crown Prince, what makes you think I wouldn’t dare to kill you? Either you answer whatever I ask, or... you falsely accuse the Crown Prince of colluding with the Heavenly Punishment Sect, and I interrogate you to clear the Crown Prince’s name. But you die under torture. Do you think the Crown Prince would thank me or accuse me of being a murderer?"

Yun Shengxu knew that as long as he was alive, he would still have opportunities. But if he died, he would have none.

After his death, whatever confession Zhang San wanted to write, he could, and then forge his signature with his hand.

"Then... then... then ask away!"

Zhang San smiled slightly and turned to Vermilion Bird, who was standing aside with a cold and angry expression.

"Vermilion Bird Principal Officer, you see, he’s ready to confess proactively now, isn’t he?"

As he spoke, Zhang San glanced at the nearby Xiezhi and whispered in the Language of All Things, "Interrogate."

The Xiezhi, which had been lying down as if to rest, immediately stood up and approached Yun Shengxu once again.

"You answer what I ask. If you speak the truth, the Xiezhi won’t make a move. But if you lie, that long, thick, and straight hard object on Xiezhi’s head will stab right into your body."

Yun Shengxu was, of course, familiar with the name Xiezhi, so he felt some panic on seeing it.

"Are you called Yun Shengxu, a confidant of the Crown Prince, a Horse Washer in the Eastern Palace?"

"Yes."

After answering, Yun Shengxu glanced at the Xiezhi and noticed that it made no move, its one black and one white eye staring at him, which was somewhat frightening.

"I had just arrived in the Capital and encountered trouble from the people of the Ministry of Punishment. Was this instructed by the Crown Prince?"

Yun Shengxu’s eyes widened, and he said angrily through gritted teeth, "What does what you’re saying have to do with this case?"

"I’m only asking general questions. You just need to answer ’yes’ or ’no’. However, if you want to know, I’ll reluctantly explain. I, Zhang San, am the Acting Military Chief of the Town Martial Office. We had just arrived in the Capital from Chuan-Yu Road when we faced difficulties from people of the Ministry of Punishment. It’s hard not to suspect that there might be spies from the Heavenly Punishment Sect infiltrating and confusing the Crown Prince."

Yun Shengxu knew that if he didn’t answer, Zhang San would have another reason to pin the blame on the Crown Prince’s head.

Moreover, the Kaihuang himself knew about the Crown Prince’s move against Zhang San, so speaking out wouldn’t matter.

"Yes, that matter was indeed instructed by the Crown Prince, telling me to go find Zheng Zaisuang and pull Han Yanxia into it!"

Zhang San nodded in satisfaction, instructing the martial artists responsible for record-keeping to note everything down.

"So about the premeditated rain we encountered on the night before we entered Daxing City, resulting in an ambush of three Purple Mansion Realm and dozens of Spiritual Platform Realm experts, was that also the Crown Prince’s directive?"

"Yes. Speaking of which, you guys from Zhang San are really impressive. With so many experts, none of you died!"

Zhang San continued to ask, "Did the Crown Prince wish to harm a specific person within the Town Martial Office?"

Yun Shengxu was about to say ’yes’, but suddenly, he realized that the specific person mentioned was none other than Zhang San! But why did Zhang San say ’a specific person’?

Although Yun Shengxu was not the brightest, he sensed something amiss at this moment!

"Who exactly are you referring to by ’a specific person’?"

Zhang San sneered and said, "Right now, it’s my turn to interrogate you. You answer my questions. If you don’t say ’yes’ or ’no’, then it’s a ’no’! I’ll ask you again, did the Crown Prince intend to harm someone within the Town Martial Office?"

Yun Shengxu roared angrily, "Not just someone, it’s..."

With a thrust—

Before Yun Shengxu could even pronounce Zhang San’s name, the Xiezhi lunged forward, its horn piercing into Yun Shengxu’s left side and retracting, leaving a bloody, gaping wound.

"Ah..."

Yun Shengxu had been flogged dozens of times, but none of those moments were as excruciating as this one.

Zhang San continued to ask, "Is there a secret connection between the Crown Prince and members of the Heavenly Punishment Sect?"

Although now sweating from pain, Yun Shengxu also recognized the trap within the question and shouted through clenched teeth, "It’s not a secret connection, it’s to persuade... Ah—"

With a thrust—

The Xiezhi targeted Yun Shengxu’s right side with a quick jab.

"To persuade... to persuade..."

Before Yun Shengxu could finish speaking, he fainted.

Zhang San instructed the martial artists to document everything and also retracted Feng Chengying, whom he had released before the interrogation began.

"Vermilion Bird Principal Officer, I’ve heard there’s another person from the Han Family that I would also like to interrogate."

Vermilion Bird nodded and instructed the other martial artists to lead the way for Zhang San.

Zhang San arrived at where Han Yanqiu was being detained. However, being a Legalist, Han Yanqiu seemed somewhat fearless facing the interrogation.

Yet when he saw Zhang San, his complexion began to shift slightly.

And when Zhang San approached and released Feng Chengying, which he had used to interrogate Yun Shengxu, Han Yanqiu’s expression completely changed.

Because he noticed that following behind Zhang San was indeed the Divine Beast Xiezhi.

"The Divine Beast Xiezhi is under the Pharaoh of Legalism’s command. How could it possibly listen to you?"

Zhang San chuckled softly and said, "What I say is pleasant to hear. Now, let’s get started!"