The Myth of Daqin: The Soul of Yi Xiaochuan

That night, under a dim moon and a howling cold wind, Feng Jie walked into the palace with a solemn expression and requested an audience with the First Emperor. He was apprehensive because he had to report the important news of Zhang Liang's arrest and interrogation.

Led by his guards, Feng Jie arrived at Changle Palace. The palace was solemn and magnificent, showcasing the majesty and dignity of the royal family. As he entered, a solemn atmosphere overwhelmed him.

The First Emperor, dressed in a dark red dragon-patterned uniform, stood before a vast map, his gaze fixed intently on the vast expanse of the Qin Empire. His eyes were focused and sharp, as if he could see through the map the entire world.

Feng Jie approached the First Emperor slowly, his steps light. He bowed respectfully, then lowered his voice and said softly, "Your Majesty, I have an important matter to report."

The First Emperor turned his head slightly, his eyes as sharp as a hawk's, and stared closely at Feng Jie. His eyes revealed a kind of majesty and insight, which made Feng Jie feel a little nervous.

Feng Jie took a deep breath, calmed himself down, then bowed and said, "Your Majesty, Zhang Liang was hiding in Xia Pi, but we have now successfully captured him. He is currently being interrogated, but he is extremely tight-lipped and refuses to reveal a single word." He told the First Emperor every detail clearly, not daring to hide anything.

After hearing this, the First Emperor's face darkened. He slammed the table so hard that the writing brush, ink, paper, and inkstone on the table almost jumped up.

"How dare this man be so stubborn!" the First Emperor shouted angrily, "No matter what means are used, he must be made to speak!"

After hearing what the First Emperor said, Feng Jie quickly knelt on the ground and said in a panic, "Your Majesty, please calm down. I will do everything I can to make Zhang Liang confess."

The First Emperor looked at Feng Jie, waved his hand, and said sternly, "Mr. Feng, there's no need for this. Zhang Liang is guilty of heinous crimes and has probably already prepared for death. If you want to get a confession from him, it will probably be difficult."

Feng Jie heard the First Emperor's concern and quickly said, "Your Majesty, rest assured. I will do my best to fulfill my mission!"

The First Emperor nodded, a flicker of admiration in his eyes. He continued, "Mr. Feng, I know you are loyal to the court, but this matter is of grave importance. You may go to the Supreme Court and ask the High Commissioner for assistance."

Feng Jie's heart leaped when he heard this. He knew that the Minister of Justice of the Imperial Court was one of the most skilled interrogators in Qin. If he could get the Minister of Justice's help, he might be able to pry Zhang Liang open his mouth.

So, he said with tears of gratitude: "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your advice. I will go to the Supreme Court to see the Minister of Justice immediately."

The First Emperor nodded slightly, his eyes fixed firmly on the distance as he spoke slowly, "Mr. Feng, you must make this man confess. I want everyone in the world to know that anyone who attempts to undermine the Great Qin Empire will be severely punished!"

After receiving the order, Feng Jie left the palace.

The next morning, Feng Jie rushed to the Supreme Court. Wei Liao, who had already heard about this, sat behind his desk, watching Feng Jie quietly.

"Lord Feng, you are finally here." Wei Liao's voice sounded coldly.

Feng Jie saluted and said, "Sir, this matter is of great importance and requires careful consideration."

Wei Liao's eyes flashed with impatience. "What are we still discussing? Zhang Liang refused to accept my toast, so I can only use torture to force him to submit. I had many ways to deal with spies in the army back then."

Feng Jie frowned and said hesitantly: "But..."

Wei Liao interrupted him: "No buts, Lord Feng, don't worry. Besides, this is His Majesty's order, and we must complete our mission."

Feng Jie had no choice but to nod: "Okay, then let's do as Master Wei wishes."

A few days later, Zhang Liang's shrill screams were heard from the torture chamber. Wei Liao and Feng Jie stood outside the torture chamber, listening to Zhang Liang's screams, their faces very solemn.

"I didn't expect Zhang Liang to be so stubborn. He refused to confess even after being tortured so much." Feng Jie sighed.

Wei Liao sneered, "Humph, even the strongest bones can eventually give out. I don't believe he can hold on forever."

In the end, Zhang Liang could not bear the torture and succumbed to it.

However, when Feng Jie and Wei Liao read Zhang Liang's confession, they were shocked. They had originally thought that they could get important clues from Zhang Liang, but they did not expect that the contents of the confession would plunge them into deeper doubts.

Zhang Liang's confession stated: "After the assassination attempt failed, a lieutenant named Han in the Qin army secretly released Zhang Liang. The lieutenant said he was acting on orders and could not reveal who had sent him. He also gave Zhang Liang a pass and some Qin half-ounce coins. This lieutenant, named Han, claimed he was also from the Han Dynasty."

Feng Jie looked at the token he had retrieved, which bore the words "Lieutenant Army" (zhongliejun), and a sudden jolt of inspiration struck him. He turned to look at the lieutenant and said, "Lieutenant, when His Majesty was on his eastern tour, the Lieutenant Army was commanded by Lieutenant Meng. As for..."

The lieutenant thought for a moment, frowned, and said, "Sir Feng, I had some dealings with Lieutenant Meng years ago regarding the case of the Taoist priest and scholar. He is a man of integrity, courage, and fortitude, and also a man of exceptional literary talent. How could this happen?"

The two looked at each other and felt that things were becoming more complicated. They realized that this case might involve deeper conspiracies and power struggles, and Lieutenant Meng seemed to be the key figure.

Feng Jie thought to himself, "It seems that Zhang Liang is targeting Meng Yi. Could it be that Zhao Gao and he have reached a consensus? Never mind. I'll just go with the flow."

After a moment's silence, the lieutenant slowly said, "This matter must be thoroughly investigated. We can't just rely on a confession to conclude the case. We need more evidence and clues to solve this mystery."

Feng Jie nodded and said solemnly, "However, Lord Wei, this matter involves Lieutenant Meng, so it's difficult for us to make the decision. After we find out whether there is a Han Baiwei among the Lieutenant's troops, we will leave it to Your Majesty to decide!"

Wei Liao sighed helplessly and nodded. After all, he was only assisting in this case, while Feng Jie was the main investigator.

Feng Jie immediately dispatched an investigation, and his men quickly set about searching for the lieutenant's army, searching through the military roster and questioning other officers and soldiers, leaving no stone unturned.

Sure enough, they discovered that there was indeed a lieutenant named Han in the Lieutenant's army, and that this lieutenant had recently accompanied His Majesty on his eastern tour. This discovery made Wei Liao's heart sink, and he realized that things might be more complicated than he had imagined.

That night, the moonlight shone like silver, casting a shadow over the streets and alleys of Xianyang City. Feng Jie and Wei Liao, clad in black robes and with solemn expressions, rode swift horses, streaking through the night-shrouded streets like two bolts of black lightning. The sound of their hooves echoed through the night sky, as if hammering at everyone's heart.

When they arrived at the royal city, the gates were closed, but the guards recognized their identities and immediately opened the gates to let them in. The two of them rushed all the way to the emperor's palace.

The palace was brightly lit, as if it were daytime. Rows of lanterns hung from the eaves, illuminating the entire palace. Guards, armed with spears and serious expressions, carefully guarded the entrance. Feng Jie and Wei Liao presented their identification to the guards and were allowed into the palace.

Inside the palace, they walked quickly along the wide corridor, their footsteps echoing in the empty palace. Finally, they arrived at the First Emperor's study. The door was closed, but they could sense a tense atmosphere inside.

Feng Jie knocked gently on the door, and the sound was particularly clear in the silent night sky. After a while, the Qin Shi Huang's deep voice came from the room: "Come in!"

Feng Jie opened the door and walked in with Wei Liao. The First Emperor was sitting at his desk, his face gloomy, his brows furrowed, and a hint of worry in his eyes.

Feng Jie and Wei Liao bowed respectfully to the emperor and said, "Your Majesty, this is Zhang Liang's confession and the physical evidence."

Then the eunuch beside him took the confession and physical evidence and placed them on the desk in front of the First Emperor.