The Myth of Daqin: The Soul of Yi Xiaochuan

After Zhao Gao left, Feng Jie sat alone in his study, his brow furrowed and his gaze deep. He quietly pondered what had just happened, a strange unease welling up in his heart. He knew Zhao Gao's appearance was no accident, and his purpose was far from simple.

Finally, Feng Jie stood up and walked towards the door with firm steps. He decided to tell his father Feng Quji about this matter and listen to his opinions and suggestions.

Feng Jie arrived at his father, Feng Quji's study, and knocked gently on the door. The door opened, and he walked into the room to see his father sitting at his desk, holding a scroll, his expression serious and focused. He bowed to his father, then slowly walked over to the desk and sat down.

"Father," Feng Jie said softly, a hint of worry in his voice. "Zhao Gao came today and told me he had captured Zhang Liang, but instead of reporting this to Your Majesty, he gave us the credit and asked us to interrogate him before reporting back to Your Majesty. Father, what do you think he meant by this?"

Feng Quji frowned slightly, and after a moment's contemplation, he replied, "Jie'er, our Feng family and Zhao Gao have reached a consensus to jointly support Prince Hu Hai's ascension to the throne. Now is a critical moment, and Zhao Gao will definitely not destroy his own Great Wall and frame our Feng family. I'm afraid he has other plans, but the specific situation requires further observation. During the interrogation, you must be cautious and do not fall into his calculations."

Feng Jie nodded, understanding. He knew his father's words made sense. Zhao Gao was definitely not a simple man; he must have deeper plans. However, they couldn't predict Zhao Gao's next move, so they could only remain vigilant.

"Don't worry, father," Feng Jie comforted him. "I will handle this matter carefully. No matter what, my Feng family must not be harmed."

Feng Quji nodded with satisfaction, a flicker of admiration in his eyes. He trusted his son to protect the family's interests. But he also knew that the complexity of this power struggle far exceeded their imagination, and they needed to remain vigilant at all times.

After Feng Jie left his father's study, his heart grew heavier. He realized that he and his family were in a dangerous vortex, and if they were not careful, they might be doomed.

A day later, Feng Jie received a report that Zhao Gao had sent someone to escort the suspect Zhang Liang to the Censorate. Feng Jie immediately got up and went to the prison to interrogate Zhang Liang.

In the gloomy cell, he met the world-famous assassin - Zhang Liang.

At this moment, Zhang Liang's eyes were firm and he showed no fear at all.

Feng Jie turned his head and looked at the imprisoned Zhang Liang, a sly look in his eyes. He knew that it would not be easy to get information from Zhang Liang, but he was confident that he could do it with his own abilities.

Zhang Liang was imprisoned in a dark cell. He was wearing tattered clothes and his face was pale. His eyes revealed a hint of unyielding and determination, and he seemed not to be afraid of Feng Jie's threats.

Feng Jie walked up to Zhang Liang and looked at him coldly, "Zhang Liang, do you know what crime you have committed?"

Zhang Liang raised his head and looked at Feng Jie. "The tyrannical Qin emperor deserves death by all means."

Feng Jie sneered, "Humph, you rebels always use excuses like this to cover up your crimes. Tell me, who ordered you to assassinate His Majesty? As long as you tell the truth, I can consider a lighter sentence."

Zhang Liang's lips curled up slightly, revealing a mocking smile. "No one ordered me to do this. I wanted to kill Ying Zheng on my own. He is cruel and ruthless, oppressing the people and destroying our country. As a descendant of the Korean nobility, how can I sit idly by and watch?"

Feng Jie frowned. "Your Majesty unified the six kingdoms, ended the war, and brought peace to the world. Yet you want to destroy this peace. What are your intentions?"

Zhang Liang said disdainfully, "Although Ying Zheng unified the six kingdoms, his tyranny left the people living in dire straits. He embarked on massive construction projects, such as the Great Wall and the Mausoleum of the Emperor at Mount Li, consuming enormous amounts of manpower and resources. He also implemented a harsh legal system, often silencing witnesses. Shouldn't such an emperor deserve death?"

Feng Jie was silent for a moment, then slowly spoke, "That's nice to say. You remnants probably just want to restore your aristocratic privileges! Your Majesty surpassed the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors in unifying the world and ending war. Not only that, he also standardized weights and measures, and the written language, promoting cultural exchange and development. He also built important projects like the Straight Road and the Lingqu Canal, strengthening connections between regions. These are all indelible contributions."

Zhang Liang lowered his head and said nothing, snorting coldly.

Feng Jie sighed, "Your actions to assassinate His Majesty will only lead to more war and chaos, and the people will suffer. Now, you have only two choices: either cooperate with our interrogation and reveal the mastermind behind this, or continue to insist on your own opinion and await punishment."

Zhang Liang resolutely replied, "You bastard, I will never betray anyone! Since I dared to assassinate Ying Zheng, I am ready to die."

Feng Jie sneered, "Humph! You are a Korean noble. When His Majesty unified the country, he showed leniency to those of you who had lost your country and did not exterminate you all. Yet, you actually attempted to assassinate His Majesty. Your crimes are truly heinous and you deserve death!"

Hearing this, Zhang Liang's eyes flashed with anger and unwillingness. He gritted his teeth and said, "I just want to avenge my country, Han! I want to seek justice for my compatriots who were killed by the Qin State!"

However, Feng Jie shook his head disapprovingly and said coldly, "You are wrong. Han no longer exists. Now that you are a citizen of Daqin, you should serve Daqin wholeheartedly."

Zhang Liang's eyes flashed with disdain when he heard this. He gritted his teeth and responded, "I will never serve the Qin Dynasty, and I will never forget the suffering and hatred that the Han Dynasty has endured!"

At this moment, Feng Jie's expression instantly turned extremely gloomy. He stared at Zhang Liang fiercely and threatened, "Don't be ungrateful! If you don't cooperate, don't blame me for being rude to you! Tell me quickly, how did you escape after the assassination attempt failed? Who were your accomplices? Tell me everything!"

A hint of determination flashed in Zhang Liang's eyes. He straightened his body and faced Feng Jie in front of him without fear: "Hmph, you dog official, you want to get information from me? That's impossible." His voice was low and powerful, revealing an unshakable determination.

Feng Jie shook his head helplessly and left the cell. He knew it would be difficult to get information from Zhang Liang. He decided to use more severe means to force the truth out of him.

He then slowly nodded, signaling the jailers beside him to begin the torture. The jailers silently stepped forward, holding various instruments of torture, their gazes cold and ruthless. However, Zhang Liang was undeterred by the instruments. He stood firm, his eyes gleaming with an unyielding spirit.

The jailers tied Zhang Liang to a massive wooden frame, immobilizing him. Then, they took a sharp bamboo stick and slowly inserted it into Zhang Liang's fingertips. Zhang Liang gritted his teeth, enduring the excruciating pain without a single groan. His eyes were filled with determination and resoluteness.

Then, the jailers picked up a red-hot iron and prepared to brand Zhang Liang. At this moment, Zhang Liang suddenly said, "Bah, you...don't even think about it..." His voice was weak, but it revealed a firm determination.

The jailers hesitated, stopped what they were doing, and looked at Feng Jie. But Feng Jie said coldly, "Continue to torture him until he confesses!"

The jailers continued to whip Zhang Liang with whips, and each whip brought a sharp pain.

Zhang Liang bit his lips tightly, blood oozing from the corner of his mouth. His body was shaking, but he was waiting for the opportunity to come.