Ping Zhao Lu

Imperial Prison

Shang Jiu leaned against the armchair with an expressionless face, his arm casually resting on the armrest, and holding an exquisite knife in his hand, which he played with nimbly with his fingers. The knife seemed to have life in his hand, spinning rapidly and flashing with cold light.

Meanwhile, Zhuang Yan's face was filled with rage, his eyes fixed fiercely on the man bound to the massive cross. He demanded, through gritted teeth, "Tell me! Why on earth did you steal all these medicinal herbs from the city's pharmacies?"

At this time, the man tied to the cross had a pale complexion, and beads of sweat the size of beans kept rolling down his forehead, soaking his messy hair.

Facing Zhuang Yan's question, he just snorted coldly, suppressing his hunger and said, "Hmph, rather than letting those precious medicinal herbs fall into the hands of those treacherous people and be used by them for personal gain, it would be better for me to take them away and study them carefully. This way, I can truly help more people in need!"

Hearing this, Zhuang Yan couldn't help but frown, his heart filled with confusion and anger, and shouted: "What the hell are you talking about?"

Seeing this, the man showed a mocking sneer on his face and continued, "Officials and businessmen collude to oppress the people. You turn a blind eye to such evil deeds. Instead, you come to investigate a nobody like me. It's ridiculous!" He got so excited that he actually spat at Zhuang Yan.

"You!" Zhuang Yan subconsciously jumped back, his face full of astonishment, "You, you, you... are so disrespectful!" After he finished speaking, he imitated the other person and spat at the man fiercely.

Seeing this, Shang Jiu shook his head with disgust, indicating that he really couldn't bear to watch it anymore.

He slowly put away the sharp knife in his hand, then stood up and walked straight towards Zhuang Yan.

When he reached Zhuang Yan, he stopped and looked down at the man in front of him with a cold gaze. "You should be thankful that it was us who arrested you, not the government. If it were the government, they wouldn't have the leisure to wait here with you. I'm afraid that by then, you wouldn't even have the chance to argue, you'd already been convicted."

Hearing this, the man couldn't help but look up at Shang Jiu, a hint of disdain and mockery flashing in his eyes. He sneered and said, "Haha... Even if I get a chance to argue here, what's the use? In the end, won't I still be forced to confess?"

Shang Jiu raised his eyebrows slightly and asked with a half-smile, "Then may I ask, sir, have we ever used any punishment on you?"

The man was speechless for a moment, but soon he gritted his teeth and said bitterly, "Although you didn't torture me, you didn't let me eat. Isn't this a disguised form of torture?"

"..."

Fenced Courtyard

Wang Cheng listened quietly to Xu Zhouye's plan, and when he heard that he would personally go into battle to humiliate Wei Fu, his face turned very ugly.

His eyes were filled with vigilance as he stared at the mysterious man in the veil, whose face was unclear. His lips trembled slightly, and after a long hesitation, he slowly spoke, "This matter is of great importance. I'm afraid I'm not up to the task!"

Upon hearing this, Xu Zhouye responded casually, "Don't you harbor resentment for what she did to you in the past? Now, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity presents itself to you. If you can successfully and completely destroy her reputation, it would be tantamount to taking her life. Furthermore, after the deed is accomplished, I will ensure your safety, so you don't have to worry. On the other hand, if you attempt to vent your anger through murder, you will undoubtedly be apprehended by the authorities. Is this the outcome you desire?"

Upon hearing this, Wang Cheng could no longer suppress his anger. He stood up suddenly and shouted, "You don't understand! Forget about asking me to humiliate her. Even if I just look at her from afar, I would feel extremely disgusted! I would never do such a thing!"

Seeing this, Xu Zhouye simply nodded in understanding. He then continued calmly, "Well, if you don't want to, I won't force you. At worst, I can just find some ruthless criminal to do it. For them, this kind of thing is just commonplace. But you have to think carefully. Killing someone means paying with your life. If you lose your life, what will happen to your children?"

Hearing this, Wang Cheng's originally firm attitude began to waver. His eyes became somewhat confused and helpless, "I..."

Seeing his attitude soften, Xu Zhouye seized the opportunity and said, "Do you know the key to breaking her last line of defense?" He took a sip of tea calmly. "She abused you in the past, and you were imprisoned in your impulsive behavior. After your release, your family wanted to kill you to eliminate future trouble... If you appeared before your former enemy and discredited her, do you think it would be a heavy blow to her?"

Wang Cheng was still filled with hesitation and entanglement. After all, this matter was of great importance. If he made even the slightest mistake, not only would he be doomed, but his family would also be in danger.

Seeing Wang Cheng's hesitation, Xu Zhouye continued to persuade him, "As long as this is accomplished, I will certainly treat you well. I will then buy you a house with additional land and shops, the location of which you can choose. As for your child, Wang Ruo, he is now old enough to attend school. You don't have to worry about that. I will arrange for the most outstanding teachers in the capital to teach him how to read and write. If he can devote himself to his studies, perhaps he can even enter the officialdom and achieve great things."

After hearing this, Wang Cheng's fingers subconsciously pinched the corner of his clothes, and his eyes involuntarily drifted to the sleeping Wang Ruo in the room. The thought that his child's future might be changed by this made his heart waver.

However, despite this, Wang Cheng still had a trace of doubt in his heart. He couldn't help but ask, "Can you... really guarantee that you can fulfill these promises?"

He couldn't understand who this person was, and how he could easily offer such an alluring condition. With such formidable power, wouldn't it be easy for him to eliminate a bitch like Wei Fu? Why would he even ask for his help?

As if seeing through Wang Cheng's thoughts, Xu Zhouye smiled slightly and slowly explained, "Sometimes, so-called status can become a constraint and an obstacle. Even an emperor who holds the power of life and death must find an appropriate excuse or pretext when dealing with those who have committed crimes. You know, killing a person may not require any reason, but in today's world, even if it is just to kill an insignificant person, a convincing reason must be fabricated to silence everyone."

Of course, how could one not do something like this that could allow one to kill someone with a borrowed knife?

Wang Cheng was still feeling somewhat conflicted. He sat there with a furrowed brow and flickering eyes, as if he was experiencing a fierce battle in his heart.

Xu Zhouye, on the other hand, seemed much calmer and composed. He pursed his lips and smiled slightly, then slowly stood up and prepared to turn around and leave.

He said softly, "What I've just said is very clear. If you're not interested, I can find someone else. After all, this is mutually beneficial and can achieve a win-win situation. But since you don't agree, I won't force it."

After saying this, Xu Zhouye took a step forward, pretending to really leave.

At this moment, Wang Cheng suddenly lowered his voice and shouted, "Wait!"

Hearing this voice, Xu Zhouye stopped and looked back at Wang Cheng.

Wang Cheng was no longer as hesitant as before. He gritted his teeth, as if he had made up his mind. He glared at Xu Zhouye and said, "If you don't deliver on the benefits you promised me, I will take you down with me, even if it means a fight to the death!"

Facing Wang Cheng's resolute words and fierce gaze, Xu Zhouye simply smiled faintly and replied calmly, "Okay, it's a deal."