The entire courtyard was filled with kneeling people, their forcibly suppressed sobs emerging from the crowd, along with the wails of men being tortured. Apart from this, everything was as quiet as if frozen. Silent terror gripped people’s hearts.
Everyone’s gaze fell on Madam Gantang kneeling on the ground and Xie Queshan.
Xie Queshan paid no attention to her pleas, only slowly helping her up from the ground and seating her in his chair.
He pressed down on her shoulders to keep her from moving, saying gently: “Second Sister, don’t hide.”
Madam Gantang was pinned in the chair, her frail body trembling, her mind instantly becoming somewhat dazed.
“Chao’en, don’t hide.”
When they were children, Xie Queshan had been mischievous, climbing wild mountain slopes with Xie Xiaoliu. He accidentally fell down the slope, half his arm torn by thorns. Not daring to tell the adults for fear of being scolded, he was finally brought listlessly by Xie Xiaoliu to Second Sister.
Second Sister applied medicine to him, but as soon as the ointment touched his wounds, he would dodge from the pain. A seven or eight-year-old boy already had considerable strength, scampering around the room like a monkey, with no one able to hold him down.
Finally, she could only say helplessly: “Chao’en, don’t hide. The more you hide, the more it hurts.”
In such chaotic times, Madam Gantang didn’t know why she suddenly remembered this past incident. Perhaps it was because she felt that Xie Queshan’s hand pressing on her was also trembling slightly. She vaguely seemed to sense something, yet couldn’t think anything through clearly—everything before her remained a confused haze.
Don’t hide? Should she just watch like this? Do nothing?
She didn’t understand. But this thread of thought still left an opening in her mind worth praying for. In her current helplessness, her heart seemed to have a small person frantically waving both arms and grabbing at air, hoping that at least once she could grasp some faint hope.
Was there still someone who could turn the tide?
Two bamboo canes had been broken already, and night had grown deep. Cold water washed out a bloody shallow pool on the ground, in which was reflected Tang Rong’s resolute face that refused to yield.
Wanyan Jun was becoming somewhat impatient: “It seems Madam Gantang’s heart is as hard as her mouth.”
He stood up and walked over, looking at Xie Queshan: “What do you think should be done about this situation?”
How could Xie Queshan not understand Wanyan Jun’s hint?
He had already given him sufficient face, but if no results were extracted from the interrogation, he was now going to move against his Second Sister.
Xie Queshan fell silent, seemingly caught in internal conflict.
“Though I made promises to you, young master, my sincerity also has limits. The Yucheng Army is hiding right in Li Du Mansion. Who knows—the moment you and I step out the door, we might be ambushed by them. There’s no time to wait slowly… We can’t lose the big picture for the sake of sincerity, can we?” Wanyan Jun’s words carried a threatening undertone. “Does the young master still insist on shielding criminals at all costs?”
Madam Gantang looked up at the silent Xie Queshan. The other party had already spoken to this extent—the hope in her heart was crumbling bit by bit. She trembled violently, wanting to grab Xie Queshan’s hand, but he stepped back, leaving her grasping empty air.
Xie Queshan bowed and said: “It’s late. This humble official should go rest. Lord Wanyan, please do as you wish.”
With that, he turned and left, leaving the entire scene to Wanyan Jun.
Before he had even left the courtyard, he heard a woman’s scream. Xie Queshan walked out the courtyard gate without looking back.
Wanyan Jun grabbed Madam Gantang by the throat and pressed her before Tang Rong.
“If she won’t speak, then you will—your comrades have all gone into hiding, only you left the group to be an obedient dog by your lady’s side. Are you willing to watch her die before your eyes?”
“—Let her go!” Tang Rong’s eyes were filled with bloodshot veins. This struck his weak spot, and he somehow found the strength to roar hysterically at Wanyan Jun, struggling so hard the iron chains rang loudly.
Wanyan Jun smiled. This tactic was rather base, but it was undeniably effective. Tang Rong was one of the finest warriors in the Yucheng Army, yet he had voluntarily left the military camp to become a minor guard in a wealthy household—what great kindness was worth his doing this?
Perhaps Madam Gantang was clear-headed, but hot-blooded young men might not be.
“Never mind that she’s just a sheltered woman—for the victory of our Great Qi, even if I slaughtered the entire city, it wouldn’t matter to me.”
Wanyan Jun’s grip tightened bit by bit. Madam Gantang’s face changed from red to white, and her throat could no longer make any sound.
“Speak! Where is the Yucheng Army hiding?”
Tang Rong panicked: “They fled in haste and didn’t have time to inform me! I don’t know!”
“Then what is the Yucheng Army’s plan?”
Tang Rong fell silent for a moment—this silence revealed both his knowledge and his hesitation.
Madam Gantang painfully shook her head at him.
This reaction made Wanyan Jun immediately laugh, his grip tightening further, veins bulging on the back of his hand: “You don’t have time to think anymore.”
Watching Madam Gantang’s breathing grow weaker, Tang Rong finally shouted in panic: “We want to seize the dragon boat!”
Wanyan Jun suddenly released his grip, and Madam Gantang collapsed to the ground. It was over—everything was too late. Her vision went black, and the dual torment of spirit and flesh made her unable to endure any longer. She fainted.
His face showed some contemplation. This objective was something he hadn’t actually considered.
All along, they had been fighting centered around Prince Ling’an, traveling all the way to Li Du Mansion. Instead, they had fallen into conventional thinking, blinded by assumptions, always wondering what kind of deceptive methods they would use to ultimately spirit away Prince Ling’an, while overlooking the optimal plan right before their eyes.
The dragon boat was originally built for warfare—attacking, it was a mobile military camp; defending, it could become a fortress. If the Yucheng Army seized it, they could carve out a bloody path for Prince Ling’an and escort him directly to Jinling.
No wonder Wanyan Puo had told him to prevent the launching ceremony—the Yucheng Army must have planned the ship seizure for that day.
Fortunately, he had extracted this information! Otherwise, the dragon boat they had expended so much effort to build would have become someone else’s wedding dress.
Wanyan Jun felt both fear and relief. He quickly realized that the Yucheng Army would definitely still be watching the dragon boat. As long as he guarded the shipyard, he could certainly catch them and capture all the rebels in one net.
“Take these two back to the prison—” His gaze swept over Tang Rong and Madam Gantang, then he paused and said, “No, let them stay at Wangxue Dock instead, lest the Yucheng Army become suspicious. Guard this place well—not even a fly can enter or leave.”
“Yes!” All the soldiers acknowledged the order.
Hearing these words, Xie Queshan, who was standing outside the courtyard wall listening to the situation, finally breathed a sigh of relief.
This seemingly very reasonable objective had apparently deceived Wanyan Jun.
Song Muchuan had come to find him in desperation, wanting him to help stage this act. The Yucheng Army matter couldn’t be hidden anymore, so they might as well use the situation to their advantage and make Wanyan Jun keep his forces at the dragon boat.