High Martial Arts Three Kingdoms: The Incompetent Strategist

"How dare you! You've severed the Zhang family's lineage, my father will never let you get away with this!" Zhang Feng's voice became shrill and piercing.

Tang Ke scoffed at his threat and said calmly, "You said he chose you just to pass the title down through generations. If he knew you had become a eunuch, would he still have passed the title to you?"

Zhang Feng was stunned, a chill running down his spine.

He knew Zhang Rang better than anyone. If he lost his value in continuing the Zhang family line, he would definitely be discarded like trash.

"Brother Tang, there's no need for that. If you like Lingyi, I'll just give her to you. Why make things difficult for both of us?"

Zhang Feng finally understood his situation. Threatening the person in front of him would only backfire, so he softened his tone.

Tang Ke smiled and shook his head, saying, "It will never be a lose-lose situation. You are the son of the traitor Hou Fu. If you are exposed, he will be the first to raise the butcher's knife to prove his innocence."

"Hou Fu? How could that be? He's just a servant in my Zhang household." Zhang Feng was startled again, vaguely guessing what was going on.

“If it weren’t for the fact that you, his eldest son, could inherit the title and enjoy wealth and honor, why would he sacrifice his life to take the blame for such a heinous crime as treason on behalf of your adoptive father?”

Zhang Feng felt as if he had been doused with a bucket of ice water on a cold winter's day, chilling him to the bone.

Zhang Rang was always harsh and cold-hearted towards his servants. He had long suspected that his father's letter could make Hou Fu calmly face death, and there must be some huge interest involved.

Although he knew the matter was most likely true, he remained stubborn: "Hou Fu is dead. Do you think people will believe you if you say something like that, since there's no way to verify it?"

"Dead men tell no tales? You think I spent the whole night in the prison interrogating Ma Yuanyi? Your father's confession has already been sealed away and can be made public at any time."

Tang Ke's hands were not idle at all; he took out a delicate little knife and deliberately sharpened it on a whetstone.

This knife was originally made of silver and didn't need any polishing. He got the inspiration from interrogating Ma Yuanyi and deliberately amplified Zhang Feng's psychological pressure.

"Brother Tang, please show mercy. It wasn't my fault. Feng Xu and Xu Feng forced me to do this. We're on the same side. Have you forgotten? We still have to deal with Feng Xu and his gang together!"

As Tang Ke's hands rubbed faster and faster, Zhang Feng's mental state finally teetered on the brink of collapse.

"So those bastards were behind this. I'll settle the score with them. But you dared to stab me in the back. If I don't teach you a lesson, you won't know who's the boss."

Tang Ke had everything prepared, and even washed his hands before standing up the door panel with Zhang Feng tied to it.

Zhang Feng finally couldn't bear it any longer, and in his fear, he involuntarily urinated down his trouser leg. He pleaded, "Brother Tang, don't do this. My father is narrow-minded. If he really exposes this, he will definitely not let you off the hook."

"Is that so? When that day comes, you'd better consider whether I'll let your father go!"

Tang Ke's eyes suddenly became incredibly sharp and deep. "I will show no mercy or leniency to those who provoke me."

The silver knife flew from his hand, piercing through Zhang Feng's body with a "thud" and embedding itself in the door panel.

With a scream, blood instantly stained Zhang Feng's crotch and the door panel.

Tang Ke picked up the prepared wound medicine and waved it in front of him, thoughtfully placing it in a place where he could easily reach it, and then cut the ropes binding him with a single sword stroke.

"You'd better apply the medicine quickly and take good care of yourself. You might survive. It's best not to let your marquis father find out you've become a eunuch, or else..."

Tang Ke strode away from the scene, leaving behind Zhang Feng's piercing screams that echoed through the sky.

Inside the imperial study, Emperor Ling of Han was leaning back in his chair reading a book. He had a natural interest in buying and selling, and he had read this volume of Tao Zhu Gong's "Business Instructions" countless times.

"Your Majesty, Tang Ke, the Commander of the Imperial Guards, requests an audience!"

Emperor Ling of Han raised an eyebrow: "What is he doing here? Has there been any progress in the case? Summon him immediately!"

Tang Ke entered the imperial study, bowed, but refused to stand up, shouting, "This sinful subject deserves ten thousand deaths!"

Emperor Ling of Han asked in confusion, "What is it? Stand up and speak."

"Your Highness, I deserve to die ten thousand deaths. Your Highness previously said that there was no evidence to support the claim that Feng Xu was plotting a rebellion, which delayed Your Majesty's best opportunity to deal with the matter."

Tang Ke presented Ma Yuanyi's latest confession. He had originally planned to wait until Zhang Rang and Feng Xu were both exhausted before making his move, but now that Xu Feng had suddenly turned the tables on him, he decided to strike first.

After reading the confession, Emperor Ling of Han was initially furious: "These traitors, living in the palace, dare to secretly collude with rebels."

He then pondered for a while, and said to himself, "Even if they joined the Way of Peace, how could such a large sect not have a few good people? Judging from the fact that they risked their lives to protect their master that day, they are still loyal to me."

Tang Ke remained silent. Emperor Ling of Han seemed to have a special fondness for eunuchs. His tolerance for both Zhang Rang and Feng Xu was unimaginably high.

Emperor Ling of Han glanced at him and tentatively asked, "What do you think should be done about this?"

"We are not in a hurry to deal with Eunuch Feng and Eunuch Xu, but the Taiping Dao has already shown signs of rebellion. We should immediately send capable people to launch a nationwide manhunt to uproot them and prevent a major disaster."

Emperor Ling of Han nodded, secretly relieved: "That makes sense. I will immediately issue an edict ordering He Jin to search for Taiping Dao followers throughout the country. Since Zhang Rang has been cleared of suspicion, I will order him to investigate within the palace to see if there are any other believers."

After saying this, he immediately drafted an imperial edict and ordered people to spread the message.

He didn't tell Tang Ke to push it down; Tang Ke just stood silently by and watched him finish arranging everything, waiting for his further instructions.

After Emperor Ling of Han issued the decree, he asked with great interest, "Do you think I have been too lenient with the eunuchs?"

Tang Ke hurriedly shook his head: "Your humble servant dares not."

"There's nothing to be afraid of or not afraid of. I know many people think that way." Emperor Ling of Han smiled slightly: "These people only know what it is, but not why it is."

“Since our ancestors established the great enterprise, power has always been held by eunuchs and relatives of the empress in turn. Once one side gained power, they would eliminate the other side, seize power, and act arbitrarily.”

"If they are eunuchs, that's fine, since they have no children and will not covet the imperial power. But if they are relatives of the empress, it's hard to say."

Tang Ke nodded secretly. He had seen too many of these theories as a time traveler, but there weren't many historical examples to draw upon for the Eastern Han Dynasty. The fact that Emperor Ling of Han could see this point meant that he couldn't be simply defined as a foolish ruler.

“He Jin is quite loyal, and I intend to give him an important position. The eunuchs and he can check each other, but Zhang Rang’s power is too great right now. I need the Qingliu faction led by Feng Xu to restrain him. Otherwise, if Zhang Rang becomes too powerful, the situation will be difficult to manage after I pass away.”