Chapter 62: Forced Confession

  Yang Mingsheng sat upright at his desk, and after figuring out the thoughts of Wu Hou and Zhou Xing Shilang, he stroked his beard with a smile.

  Once we understand the superior's intention, this case will be easy to handle.

  He soon drew up a list, the Empress Dowager's intention to revolutionize was becoming more and more obvious. The people he chose were either those with unclear attitudes or officials promoted during Gaozong's reign, who tended to be more loyal to the Li Tang clan. In short, they could all be utilized in this case, either killed or demoted, eliminating obstacles to the revolution and winning over the Empress Dowager.

  Then, the intention of Zhou Shilang also had to be taken into account, so Zhang Chujin, the Marquis of Nanyang and the Minister of Works, who had always been ambiguous in his political stance, was also included on the list.

  The Autumn Official is the Ministry of Punishment, and the current Autumn Official Minister is Zhang Chujin. The Autumn Official Vice Minister is Zhou Xing, the leader of this faction. Once Zhang Chujin falls, Zhou Xing can naturally become the Minister of Punishment, a high-ranking official in the court. This must be what Vice Minister Zhou is looking forward to.

  For Yang Mingsheng, making this list was a piece of cake, but for others, it's not that easy. Because the various factions in the imperial court are complex and intertwined, the relationships between the powerful ministers are not as clear-cut as people imagine. On the contrary, they are intricately connected, enemies today and friends tomorrow, changing constantly.

  So, pulling one hair and moving the whole body, which forces cannot be touched, which forces need to be pulled in, which forces are wanted by the empress to eliminate, and who can take action without involving other factions, so as not to cause a big backlash. There is great skill involved here. For those who do not understand the various factions in the officialdom, casually taking out a list is like stirring up a hornet's nest.

  Zhang Chujin is someone who can be eliminated without causing too much interference from other forces, and he is still one step away from the Empress Dowager. Eliminating Zhang Chujin to please Zhou Xing is the top priority!

  As he thought of this pleasant idea, Yang Mingsong stretched out his hand to touch the teacup.

  At this time, Yang Fan brought a steaming teapot up the stairs. Yang Lang, who was feeling somewhat tired, caught a whiff of the strong tea aroma and his spirits were immediately lifted. He decided to work through the night, determining all the names on the list and cataloging their crimes, so that he could report everything to Prefect Zhou at dawn the next day.

  Yang Mingsheng kept his eyes fixed on the officials' resumes and their relationships with various parties, without lifting his head, instructing: "Mù Dīng, first pour a cup of hot tea, then make the candlelight brighter."

  "Wooden nail" did not answer, he just walked over, a pot of steaming hot tea was placed in front of Yang Mingsheng.

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  "Hah!"

  Another curtain was torn into long strips, which was a piece of water-rippled silk from Runzhou, Jiangnan Dao, extremely expensive, but in Yang Fan's hands, it became a rope for binding people.

  Yang Lang, tightly bound, showed a mocking expression in his eyes. He was tied up like a big rice dumpling. The night traveler wearing the demon-expelling mask was still cutting strips of cloth, fearing that he would break free?

  Yang Mingsheng did not have much fear, things had come to this point, and he was afraid of what use. Having gone through many years of hard work, he had endured until today's status, and he didn't know how many big scenes he had seen, how many bloody storms he had experienced, would he be scared to the point of pale lips and face, unable to hold himself together?

  When Yang Fan tied him up, he was even less worried. Since the other party had bound but not killed him, it was clear that they had come with a purpose. With a purpose, he didn't have to worry about his life being in danger, at least for the time being.

  Yang Fan saw the mocking meaning in his eyes, and stopped the action in his hand, explaining seriously: "I'm not afraid that you'll run away, I'm afraid that you can't bear the pain, and struggle free from the rope. You've been in charge of the prison for many years, so you should know that when using torture, the pain suffered by the tortured person is extremely great, and this unbearable great pain can make an ordinary person with no strength to bind a chicken, exert amazing power."

  His voice was still old, the only thing that was different from his body was his hands, and his hands had also been smeared with ginger juice, after the ginger juice dried up, a wrinkled layer, even Yang Mingsheng, an old official who had been immersed in prison for many years, couldn't see any flaws at first.

  After listening to Yang Fan's explanation, Yang Mingsong suddenly felt a chill in his heart and began to show a fearful expression. He was all too aware of the cruelty of punishment. A person who is not afraid of death may still be afraid of the torture of punishment. The cruel punishment can destroy the will of a famous general who has been through a hundred battles and is invincible.

  Looking at the thick doubt and fear in his eyes, Yang Fan said slowly: "Don't worry, I'll ask you later. If you can answer my questions, you won't have to suffer!"

  When he spoke, Yang Fan was sitting upright on a low table, the scrolls and writing instruments on the low table had all been swept to the ground by him. He sat majestically at the desk, with a steaming ceramic stove placed beside him. Yang Mingsong knelt in front of him, his hands tied behind his back, like a prisoner on trial.

  Yang Fan twisted the cloth strip into a rope-like shape, pulled it tight with his hands, and was very satisfied with its firmness. He then got up and walked behind Yang Ming Sheng, wrapping it around his face, twisting left and right, and in an instant, he made something similar to a horse's muzzle. One end was held in his hand, and the other end was tied around Yang Ming Sheng's mouth. As long as he pulled tight, Yang Ming Sheng wouldn't be able to make a sound.

  Yang Fan's knife had been put back at his waist, he didn't dare to hold it in his hand, as long as the sharp knife was in his hand, seeing Yang Mingsheng's cool and severe face, looking at the two deep frown lines under his nose, Yang Fan had an urge to cut off his head with one knife. But he couldn't, at least not for now.

  He knew that the murderer was not just Yang Mingsheng alone, who was the general who beheaded his sister with a knife? They were just small generals and officials at that time, but who was the real mastermind behind them? All these answers can be found from this person in front of him.

  He wanted to know why someone would want to annihilate their small mountain village, what was the reason? They lived peacefully in that valley, not bothering anyone, whether it was his parents or the other villagers, they were all so kind, he had never seen them harm anyone, why suddenly a group of people came out and brutally killed them.

  That wasn't a group of mountain bandits or robbers, but rather a group of nobles from Dongdu, so when they burned down the village, the Shaozhou government, unaware of their true identities but aware of their prestige, would cover it up and attribute the deaths of hundreds of villagers to an outbreak of plague.

  Yang Fan lifted his foot and the tip of his boot heavily trampled on Yang Langzhong's shoulder. Yang Langzhong let out a muffled groan, then fell forward. Before his forehead could heavily hit the floor, Yang Fan pulled hard on the silk handkerchief in his hand, and his body was suspended there.

  Yang Fan pulled out his gag and said in a low voice, "You can speak now. If you want to be a fool, shout loudly, I'll give you a knife without hesitation!"

  Yang Mingsheng knelt on the ground with his waist bent, a muzzle in his mouth, and a feeling of being driven like livestock made him feel extremely humiliated. He suppressed the anger in his heart and asked breathlessly: "Who are you? What enmity is between us?"

  "An enemy who cannot be tolerated under the same sky!"

  Yang Mingsheng let out a hoarse laugh and said, "What a joke! As an official of the imperial court, I enforce the law and punish those who break it. If all the family members of convicts from all over the country came to seek revenge against me, would you even get a chance?"

  "Oh?"

  Yang Fan slowly said: "In the Lingnan Shaozhou, twenty miles northeast of a nameless mountain valley, there is a small village in the valley, the village registered by the Shaozhou government is called Taoyuan Village, and there are over a hundred households in the village. I want to know what crime they committed that they should be punished with extermination of the whole village, men, women, old and young, not one left!"

  "Shaoguan northeast, nameless mountain valley, Taoyuan Village..."

  Yang Mingsheng's voice was filled with doubt, as if the tragic case of hundreds of lives had been completely forgotten by this big shot. He slowly repeated it again, his body suddenly shook, and he exclaimed: "Ah! Shaoguan, Lingnan Shaoguan! Who are you?"

  Yang Fan's hand tightened on the reins, and he shouted: "I'm asking you, speak!"

  Yang Fan let out a sigh of relief, and Yang Ming Sheng's head thudded against the floor. He didn't feel any pain, but panted and asked: "Who are you... who are you really? Are you... one of He Lan Min's people?" P.S.: Sincerely seeking recommendation votes!