High Martial Arts Three Kingdoms: The Incompetent Strategist

"Your Majesty, this matter is easy to handle. Isn't there still one survivor? Let the Commandant of the Capital Region interrogate him thoroughly, and the truth will naturally come to light."

Before Empress He could finish speaking, Feng Xu raised an objection, saying, "Sili Commandant Yuan Shao and Tang Ke are both from the He family. I'm afraid there might be bias, which is very inappropriate."

Empress He's expression changed drastically, and she said angrily, "Are you doubting our He family?"

"This servant dares not. General He is naturally unrelated to this matter, but it is not appropriate for the person involved in this case to intervene in the investigation."

Feng Xu's words were not inappropriate, and Emperor Ling of Han nodded, asking, "Then, in your opinion, who is suitable to conduct the trial?"

“Jian Shuo is upright and honest, and is capable of shouldering this important responsibility.”

He Jin snorted and sneered, "You've got a good plan. Everyone knows Jian Shuo is in cahoots with you."

His words immediately broke Feng Xu's defenses, who considered himself fair and just, and the two began arguing in the court.

Both sides were powerful and influential, and everyone else wisely stepped aside, fearing they might get caught in the crossfire.

"Silence!" Emperor Ling of Han shouted, stopping the crowd. He walked up to an elderly minister with white hair and beard and asked, "Yang Ci, as Grand Commandant, why are you silent on such an important matter? Tell me, who is the most suitable person to handle this case?"

Yang Ci replied tremblingly, "Your Majesty, in my humble opinion, Yuan Benchu, the Commandant of the Capital Region, comes from a family that has held high office for four generations and is renowned for his position. He has an unshirkable responsibility to handle this case. Although Jian Shuo is of humble status, he is upright and meticulous, and can assist Yuan Benchu ​​in completing his mission more effectively."

Tang Ke thought to himself, "When someone asks you whether it's A or B, you answer A and B. What a sly old fox."

Emperor Ling of Han was clearly very dissatisfied with his conciliatory attitude and directly rebuked him, "What kind of nonsense is this? If both sides are to try the case together, whose opinion will prevail if there is a disagreement? Just tell me directly, who do you think is suitable to preside over the trial?"

Yang Ci, still appearing submissive, continued to report: "Your Majesty, I think it would be better to arrange for two people to jointly conduct the trial, and then arrange for one person to supervise the trial separately. I recommend Zhang Rang, the Palace Attendant, to take on this role."

Emperor Ling of Han was overjoyed: "That's some human thought! I also think that Attendant Zhang is indeed the most suitable candidate. What do you all think?"

He Jin and Feng Xu looked at each other in dismay. Zhang Rang didn't get along well with either of them. If he were to supervise the trial, he would probably be severely injured even if he didn't die.

However, neither of them objected. After all, Zhang Rang had no special relationship with either side and had arranged for his own people to preside over the trial. It was better than the other side presiding over the trial alone. Being careful would at least prevent them from suffering too much losses. Besides, Emperor Ling of Han had given his approval.

"Since none of you object, then it's settled. The Ministry of Personnel shall immediately draft an edict, setting a deadline of half a month, to ensure that the truth is ascertained and reported."

On the way out of the palace, Yuan Shao and Cao Cao were both actively advising He Jin, while Tang Ke remained silent, looking worried.

Although he wore a mask, he did not change his name. When he confronted Ma Yuanyi in court, his past as a strategist in Taiping Dao would inevitably be exposed.

He wasn't worried about the assassination attempt. Although he had many doubts, He Jin and the others were in the same boat as him, so they would naturally try to clear his name as well.

However, once the Yellow Turban Rebellion broke out, his fate as the former strategist who had made great contributions to the Way of Peace was truly uncertain.

He Jin and others seemed to be quite wary of Jian Shuo. From their heated discussion, it was clear that Jian Shuo could use some extreme methods to force prisoners to reveal what he wanted to know.

This wasn't anything unusual for Tang Ke; the Great Memory Restoration Technique was common throughout history and across cultures. Normally, he would have volunteered to subject Ma Yuanyi to all ten of the Qing Dynasty's most brutal tortures, giving this "good brother" who had betrayed him a proper "re-education."

For now, fearing the consequences, I can only remain silent and quietly become an invisible figure.

While Yuan Shao and He Jin were acting separately, Tang Ke, who had close contact or combat experience with the assassins, was summoned to Yuan Shao's office and asked to describe Zhang Chu and Dong Ruyun's appearances in detail. Only after their portraits were drawn and their images were issued for arrest throughout the city was Tang Ke allowed to leave.

According to regulations, both he and Feng Xu were involved in the case and should recuse themselves. So he slept until late the next day without getting up until Cao Hong came and dragged him to the Court of Justice. Only then did he reluctantly crawl out of bed.

Cao Hong kept urging them along the way, and only after asking did they learn that Feng Xu insisted on listening in. The others couldn't persuade him otherwise, so He Jin compromised by arranging for Tang Ke to come in as well.

When Tang Ke arrived at the Court of Justice, the others had already been discussing for a long time and had finalized the general trial strategy.

Yuan Shao and Jian Shuo sat in the hall, Zhang Rang set up a seat for onlookers on one side, He Jin and Feng Xu sat facing each other on either side, and behind them each stood a group of their confidants.

Tang Ke thought to himself, "With this confrontational stance, there's no way this case will be easy to hear." He quietly moved to the back of He Jin's side.

When Ma Yuanyi was brought up, the horrific sight made Tang Ke gasp in horror.

He had quite a few wounds when he was arrested yesterday, but most of them were just external injuries, which are easily healable for a martial artist.

But at this moment, not only were his hands and feet chained, but his entire body was also tightly bound vertically to the cold iron frame. His face was pale and distorted, and although most of his wounds had scabbed over, some wounds were still bleeding.

All of this indicates that he has been tortured and is filled with an aura of despair and death.

Tang Ke took a deep breath, and all the past events between him and Ma Yuanyi, from their first meeting to their friendship and then their falling out, flashed through his mind like a revolving lantern.

When they first met, Ma Yuanyi was also in shackles, being whipped by the soldiers escorting him. Meanwhile, Ma Yuanyi, having just gained Zhang Jiao's trust, was full of vigor and leading a group of men to Qingzhou to spread the gospel.

If it weren't for my momentary reluctance, this person who rose up against the tyranny of the court would have been taken to Luoyang and beheaded as a warning to others back then.

To save him, all the followers of the Taiping Dao died in battle, and he himself was wounded in more than ten places. He was just a scholar, carrying him for more than 20 kilometers, and fainted on the road several times.

When we arrived at the foot of Lingxiao Mountain that day, it was dusk.

He stood in front of the mountain and said that this place would become the base of the Taiping Dao, and that he would become the gravedigger of this corrupt man.

He simply listened with a smile. The two sat down on the spot, marveling at the greatness of life and their own good fortune in surviving, while waiting for others to come to their aid. Laughter echoed throughout the valley.

Since then, the two have been working tirelessly to expand the Taiping Dao, risking their lives for it.

He often waited alone at the foot of Lingxiao Mountain for his own safe return. He saw the gleam in his eyes as he rode back on horseback from afar, which once made him say those words.

"We are brothers, and we will never betray each other!"

Back then, I was full of youthful vigor and thought that since I had found a true friend in life, I would have no regrets even if I died.

Now that the two have met again, he is wearing chains once more.

But things have changed, and their relationship is now like yesterday's flowers.