The White Lotus leader's injury last night was not fatal, he just lost his ability to move. He was brought in now, wearing the same outfit as last night, with a White Lotus scarf on his head, but the injury on his shoulder was simply treated, he was tied up with ropes, and a piece of sackcloth was stuffed in his mouth, so he couldn't speak...
"Master Yan, who is this person?" Eunuch Jiang stared at the person who was brought in, and he already had an ominous premonition in his heart.
"This man was one of the leaders of the White Lotus rebels last night. I captured him alive after he was injured. The team was busy on the road last night so I didn't have time to interrogate him. Now that I'm resting, I can ask him in front of everyone where he got the news about us!" Yan Liqiang said calmly.
Liu Xitong brought the man into the tent, kicked the White Lotus leader in the knee, and pressed his shoulders to make him kneel down.
"These White Lotus rebels are lawless. How can we trust their words?" Eunuch Jiang said excitedly, "If this person is wise, he must die. If he makes random accusations, does Lord Yan have to listen to him?"
"Don't get excited, sir. It doesn't hurt to listen to what he has to say first!"
The man's eyes were bloodshot and his beard was messy. He raised his head and looked at the people in the tent. There was not much fear on his face, but rather a look of firmness and unwillingness to accept it.
At a glance from Yan Liqiang, Liu Xitong removed the sackcloth from the mouth of the White Lotus leader.
As soon as the sackcloth ball was removed from the mouth of the White Lotus leader, before Yan Liqiang and the others could speak, he glanced around the tent and asked in a rough voice, "Where is the man who used magic last night? Can you let him come out and meet me? How can he be called a hero if he can defeat others with magic?"
"Asshole, what kind of magic is this!" Liu Xitong shouted angrily, "Master Yan's archery skills have reached the heavenly realm. When he shoots an arrow, the elephant follows him. Master's martial arts skills have become magic in your mouth. You White Lotus rebels are really a mob that has never seen the world. You actually dared to attack Master's convoy. You are simply courting death!"
"In the realm of archery, the arrow is shot and the elephant follows? So that's how it is..." The White Lotus leader was stunned for a moment, then he exhaled a breath of relief and disappointment, "Who among you here shot me down?"
"It's me!" Yan Liqiang looked at the White Lotus bandit leader calmly.
"Who are you?"
"Yan Liqiang!"
Hearing Yan Liqiang's name, the White Lotus leader was stunned for a moment and looked at Yan Liqiang with an incredulous look, "You are the Qiyun Governor of the Han Empire, the Grand Master of the Imperial Household, the one who invented woolen cloth and the four-wheeled carriage?"
"Haha, I didn't expect you've heard of my reputation..." Yan Liqiang nodded, "Yes, I'm Yan Liqiang. I'll ask you a few questions, and I hope you can answer them truthfully!"
The White Lotus leader licked his lips and said, "If I tell the truth, will you let me go?"
"The crime you committed is unforgivable. If you answer honestly, I will give you an intact body today, and give you a dirt pit so that you can rest in peace by the river. If you still want to get away with it and talk nonsense, I will make you wish you were neither alive nor dead today, and you will regret coming to this world!" Yan Liqiang said coldly, his eyes fixed on the White Lotus bandit leader, causing the White Lotus bandit leader to shudder all over and his face turned pale, knowing that there was no chance of him surviving today.
The White Lotus leader lowered his head and remained silent for more than ten seconds. Then he raised his head, looked at Yan Liqiang, and said in a hoarse voice, "It's not unfair that I lost to you today. I hope you can keep your promise!"
Yan Liqiang nodded, "What's your name?"
"My name is Cheng Daqiu!"
"Are you from Wuting County?"
"good!"
"What do you do for a living in Wuting County, and what position do you hold in the White Lotus Sect?"
"I am the postmaster of Wuting County Posthouse, and also the head of the Holy Church in Wuting County!"
Just by saying this, Eunuch Jiang's expression changed completely. The expressions of the other people in the tent also changed. They suddenly thought of the reason...
"Nonsense, nonsense..." Eunuch Jiang jumped out and pointed at the White Lotus leader kneeling on the ground and screamed, spitting everywhere, "Although the postmaster of Wuting County Posthouse is not a high-ranking official, he is also an official of the court and receives a salary from the court. How could he possibly join the White Lotus bandits? Tell me the truth, who instructed you to talk nonsense here?"
"Puh..." The White Lotus bandit leader who was kneeling on the ground spat a mouthful of blood and phlegm at Eunuch Jiang, almost hitting him in the face. Eunuch Jiang looked extremely embarrassed and quickly pushed the phlegm away. Then the White Lotus bandit started to curse with red eyes.
"Get away from me, you damned eunuch. I am Cheng Daqiu, and my name is still the same. The position of the postmaster of the post station was passed down to me by my father. How can this be considered an official? It's nothing. I can only be regarded as a dog of the court, or even worse than a dog. In the past, a senior official of the court passed through Wuting County with his family and stayed in the post station. It was because the dog brought by their son bit someone in the post station and was beaten to death by my father. The guards of the son of that senior official beat my father so badly that he became ill and died of coughing up blood a few years later. I will inherit my father's position. "The purpose of this position is to kill all of you dog officials and eunuchs one day, and seek justice for the poor people who are bullied by you. Why can you dog officials and eunuchs be so arrogant and domineering, with huge wealth and countless fertile lands, and oppress the people at every turn? Why should we suffer and be poor, and support you with your blood and sweat, but still be oppressed by you? The White Lotus Sect is to bring justice to the people. My job as a incense head is much more interesting than that of a post station chief. Now your court is over. Let's see how long you, a dog eunuch, can be happy..."
"Then how did you know that Concubine Rong and Prince Min were in our motorcade yesterday?" Yan Liqiang asked.
"Yesterday, I was in the post house, and someone came to deliver a letter, saying that there was an urgent letter to be sent to Xu Taizhong, the governor of Hualan County, by flying mail. I intercepted the letter later, and I saw that it was written by Concubine Rong, Prince Min, and Princess Anping who had fled the capital and arrived in Wuting County, and settled on a mound east of the county. They wanted Xu Taizhong to send troops to pick them up after receiving the letter. When I knew the news, I discussed it with a few brothers. Originally, there were many refugees in Wuting County, and we wanted to start an uprising in Wuting County. Now we might as well go all out and use the momentum of the uprising to keep Concubine Rong and Prince Min here, which would be a great achievement. Hahaha, I also want to sleep with that woman the emperor slept with..."
Eunuch Jiang's face turned pale and blue. Hearing the end, he finally shouted, a hint of cruelty flashed in his eyes, "How dare you..." As soon as he finished speaking, he raised his hand, and with a slight sound of a mechanism, two needles as thin as cow hair flew out from his sleeves and directly penetrated into the chest of the White Lotus leader who was kneeling on the ground. The White Lotus leader screamed and fell to the ground...
With a choking sound, Liu Xitong and two soldiers who entered the tent immediately drew out their swords. Prince Min and several imperial concubines were frightened and screamed...
"Your Majesty, you have to help me. I have served you loyally for more than ten years, but I didn't expect to be framed here today..." Eunuch Jiang, who had killed someone, knelt down in front of Concubine Rong and cried. Just now, he suddenly shot out a flying needle, and Elder Liu flashed and stood in front of Concubine Rong. His eyes were shining as he looked at Eunuch Jiang kneeling on the ground.
“Sir, this man is... dead..." Liu Xitong turned over the body of the White Lotus bandit leader who was lying on the ground. In the blink of an eye, the man's face turned black, blood was oozing from his seven orifices, and he was no longer alive. Seeing this, people couldn't help but feel cold in their hearts. The poison needle in Eunuch Jiang's sleeve was obviously filled with a strong poison.
Yan Liqiang's face was calm. He knew exactly what this dead eunuch had hidden in his sleeves to save his life. He could have stopped him just now, but there was no need. It was better to end it like this. He waved his hand and said, "Carry this man out and bury him in a pit!"
"Yes!" Liu Xitong and his men dragged the body of the White Lotus bandit leader out of the tent.
Yan Liqiang looked at Eunuch Jiang kneeling on the ground, bowed to Concubine Rong, and said solemnly, "Your Highness, when we left Luyuan that day, I made three rules with you. Military law is enforced in this team, and violations must be handled by me. Now the truth is clear. It was because Jiang Yun violated the ban, disregarded military discipline and was self-righteous that he leaked the whereabouts of the ladies and the two princes. Yesterday, a disaster almost occurred, and the ladies and the two princes were trapped. Just now, in front of me, the ladies and the two princes, he openly killed people to silence them, and tried to quibble. Such a traitor must be punished according to the law to enforce military discipline..."
While Yan Liqiang was saying this, Meng Hui had already returned to the tent with a team of Luyuan soldiers. He stood next to Yan Liqiang, staring at Eunuch Jiang who was kneeling on the ground.
“Your Majesty, I have been loyal to you all these years. That White Lotus bandit is slandering me. This is all a trap set by Yan Liqiang. I am innocent…” Eunuch Jiang was still kowtowing and shouting that he was innocent.
Concubine Rong looked at Yan Liqiang, then at Eunuch Jiang who was kneeling on the ground. Her expression began to become complicated, but finally became resolute. She sighed and stood up. "I am a little tired and want to take a rest. I will leave the things here to Lord Yan. Sisters, let's go together!"
"Your Highness, Your Highness..." Eunuch Jiang knelt on the ground, trying to hold Concubine Rong's feet, but as soon as he moved, Meng Hui and two soldiers rushed up, held him down, and dragged him out of the tent...
That dead eunuch had no cultivation, and his only means of saving his life was the hidden weapon in his sleeve that shot poisoned flying needles. Now that the flying needles had been shot, he was like a toothless snake, no longer able to resist. He could only scream as he was dragged out by Meng Hui and others.
“Your Majesty, Your Majesty, I am innocent, I am innocent…” Eunuch Jiang was still struggling and shouting until he was dragged out of the tent.
Two minutes later, the faint cries of injustice outside the tent suddenly stopped. A few dozen seconds later, Meng Hui, holding a big knife and carrying a murderous aura, strode into the tent with a bloody head in his hand. "Sir, the traitor Jiang Yun has been executed!"
After just one look at the head, Yan Liqiang waved his hand and said, "Since he has served the Empress in the palace for many years, dig a grave for him and don't let his body be exposed in the wilderness!"
"yes!"
…
After resting for three hours by the river, Yan Liqiang led the team on the road again. The matter of Eunuch Jiang had spread among the team, and everyone knew the whole story. Although only three hours had passed, the spirit and temperament of the entire team on the road again changed suddenly. The soldiers in Luyuan were all inspired and excited, and the palace guards who were proud of their status before were even more energetic, not daring to be lax at all, and obeyed the orders...
(End of this chapter)