Chapter 329: Chapter 335: Mysterious Organization_1
Two days later, Wang Shouxin went to Luzhou for his appointment, and Wang Roumin went to the Imperial Capital. Everything seemed normal, but no one realized the two young masters of the Wang Family had disappeared.
「In the Imperial Capital.」
Qin Ying chuckled as he read the news of Wang Roumin’s departure.
"The leader of the Abyss Guard wishes to see you!" At that moment, an on-duty guard came in and respectfully reported.
"What is he here for?" Qin Ying raised an eyebrow. He knew that the Qin Dynasty had two special organizations: one was the Hidden Guard, responsible to the court, and the other was the Abyss Guard, directly responsible to Qin Wudao. He had often heard of the Abyss Guard’s fearsome reputation, even though he resided within the palace walls.
"Let him in!" Qin Ying ordered in a deep voice. He drummed his fingers on the table, musing over the purpose of Li Ru’s visit.
A few minutes later, Li Ru, in a gray robe, entered the hall with large strides, bowed respectfully, and said, "Greetings to the Emperor Emeritus!"
"You may rise!" Qin Ying waved his hand, pointed to the chair beside him, and said with a smile, "A rare guest usually signifies important matters. Tell me, what brings you here?"
If it were anyone else, the sight of Li Ru approaching would likely have them trembling in fear and unease, as every operation by the Abyss Guard signaled the doom of certain individuals. But Qin Ying was different. As the Emperor Emeritus of the Qin Dynasty, even the most arrogant member of the Abyss Guard had to behave respectfully in his presence.
"Emperor Emeritus, here is a piece of intelligence concerning Wang Roumin that our men risked their lives to obtain!" Li Ru retrieved a folded report, handed it to Qin Ying with both hands, and then sat down on the chair beside him. A palace maid immediately poured tea for him.
Qin Ying unfolded the report to read. It detailed Wang Roumin galloping down the main street, making servants act as human stools, the Prefect ordering the city to be sealed, and more. His brow furrowed in response.
"Slander!" Qin Ying threw the report on the floor, angrily exclaiming, "Did Wudao instruct you to do this? The ladies I selected are all learned, understanding, kind-hearted, and virtuous young women from esteemed families! How could they be as disreputable as you describe?"
No wonder he was so angry. To select these ladies, he had mobilized five thousand guards, sent them to various regions to gather information, and spent more than a year on this endeavor.
"Emperor Emeritus, one cannot believe everything one hears!" Li Ru took a sip of tea and spoke in a calm, unhurried tone.
"Are you suggesting my guards deceived me? Impossible! They wouldn’t dare!" Qin Ying shook his head, speaking with conviction. Since abdicating the throne, he had mobilized ten thousand trustworthy guards to protect his residence and handle various trivial matters. They had always been loyal and diligent.
"Bring in the culprits!" Li Ru shook his head and said in a grave voice.
With a ripple in the Void, dozens of figures appeared outside the hall, much to Qin Ying’s astonishment. Most were members of the Abyss Guard, while a smaller number were his own guards, all covered in wounds and kneeling on the ground.
"Save me, Emperor Emeritus! They’re going to kill us!" Seeing Qin Ying, the guards cried out as if they had seen their savior.
Qin Ying’s face darkened. He forcibly suppressed the fury in his heart and asked coldly, "Li Ru, arresting my guards without my permission—isn’t that going too far?"
One considers the owner even when beating their dog, let alone him, the Emperor Emeritus!
"This man is named Liu Han. A year ago, he went to Lu City where he accepted bribes totaling over three million, along with countless resources, and altered Wang Roumin’s evaluation. Furthermore, he owns ten inns and over three hundred mu of fertile land!" Li Ru stood up, walked to the guard at the very edge, read out the charges, and then cupped his hands, asking, "Emperor Emeritus, the Abyss Guard has thoroughly investigated the evidence of his crimes. Would you like to review it?"
The guard’s pupils constricted. He hadn’t said anything! How did the Abyss Guard know everything?
Qin Ying stared coldly at the guards without speaking, but his hands, resting on the armrests, clenched so tightly that his veins bulged.
The Abyss Guard is one of the two major intelligence agencies of the Qin Dynasty; he wouldn’t doubt them. That could only mean these guards were indeed problematic.
"Emperor Emeritus, among these individuals, Liu Han’s crimes are relatively minor!" Li Ru took two more steps forward, stopping before another guard. Killing intent flickered in his eyes as he reported coldly, "His name is Huang YePing. Ostensibly your trusted aide, he is, in fact, a peripheral member of a mysterious organization, responsible for gathering intelligence!"
Without waiting for Qin Ying to speak, Li Ru moved to the very center and continued, "This is Wan Yu, nominally the leader of your guards, but in reality, an inner member of that mysterious organization, responsible for infiltration..."
"His name is Tang Zhanfeng. Though merely a Chiliarch, he is actually the leader of the mysterious organization’s branch in the Imperial Capital..."
"All these men have betrayed the Qin Dynasty! They exploited your prestige, Emperor Emeritus, to continuously funnel intelligence personnel into the Imperial Capital and manipulate regional affairs!"
Li Ru’s ice-cold voice echoed above the courtyard, sending shivers down the spines of all who heard it.
As he delivered his report, he was also secretly relieved. After hearing the report from his subordinate who had returned from Lu City, he had sensed something amiss and immediately launched an investigation.
And indeed, he had caught a big fish!
If he had been negligent and failed to investigate thoroughly, the consequences could have been irreversible... The aftermath would have been unthinkable!
"Bastards!" Qin Ying strode forward and kicked Wan Yu fiercely. His eyes, wide and bloodshot, made him resemble a maddened lion. "I trusted you so much! You have not only betrayed me but also the state! Your entire clans deserve extermination!"
"HEH HEH HEH..." Wan Yu, who had been sent flying by the kick, spat out several mouthfuls of blood. He let out a scalp-tingling laugh and roared madly, "You still have the gall to speak of treating us well? Since becoming your guards, we’ve had no chance of promotion, doomed to guard you for a lifetime! I refuse to accept it!"
This time, before Qin Ying could react, Li Ru stepped forward. He scoffed, "You’re the one who’s greedy, yet you dare to make excuses? If you wanted a promotion, you could have resigned and sought a position in another department. But you didn’t dare. You were afraid of losing your current status, so you threw in your lot with that mysterious organization!"
Wan Yu’s face flushed crimson; Li Ru’s words had struck a raw nerve.
Li Ru narrowed his eyes and said coldly, "Reveal the mysterious organization, and I can spare your families’ lives!"
Upon hearing this, Wan Yu and the others fell into deep thought, visibly swayed. They had long been prepared for death, but they couldn’t bear the thought of their families suffering.
SWISH! SWISH! SWISH!
Just then, the ground suddenly split open, and ten figures in black robes flew out. Enveloped in a violent aura, they swooped towards the courtyard.
"Emperor Emeritus, be careful!" Li Ru cried out in alarm. Without a second thought, he shot towards Qin Ying.
BOOOOOM!
The next instant, the black-robed men collectively self-destructed. An incredibly violent energy engulfed the courtyard. Flames shot into the sky, reducing everything to dust. Fortunately, the courtyard was protected by a Formation; otherwise, the shockwaves would have spread and annihilated all living beings within a thousand zhang.
"This is bad!"
Deep within the Imperial Palace, Li Yuanba, responsible for the security of the Imperial Capital, sensed the explosion. He transformed into a golden beam of light and vanished. Huo Qubing, Guo Jia, Xiao He, Zhao Yun, and Lv Bu also tore through the sky, rushing towards the Emperor Emeritus’s residence. Grave expressions were etched on all their faces.