The Jinlin Guards, who had been lurking in the southern borderlands, rode day and night at full speed to bring Elder Hua back to the capital as quickly as possible.
As soon as Han Ran, the Commander of the Jinlin Guards, reported to Emperor Jingming, he began interrogating Elder Hua.
This time, the security measures for Elder Hua were extremely strict. Countless Jinlin Guards surrounded her cell in multiple layers, making it impenetrable to prevent her from escaping as she had done before.
“Elder Hua, are you still not going to talk?” Han Ran asked.
Elder Hua, her hands and feet bound by iron chains, stared at Han Ran with bloodshot eyes.
This was the seventh day Elder Hua had been deprived of rest. During this time, whenever she tried to close her eyes, she would be awakened.
This was one of the Jinlin Guards’ interrogation techniques: exhaustion.
Though seemingly simple, exhaustion was remarkably effective. In Han Ran’s experience, ordinary people would become delirious and answer any question by this point.
However, Elder Hua was more strong-willed than the average person. Her gaze towards Han Ran was full of anger and determination as she sneered, “In your dreams!”
Her voice was hoarse as if scorched by fire, painful to hear.
Han Ran frowned and coldly ordered, “Continue questioning her!”
Soon, a Jinlin Guard began interrogating Elder Hua with prepared questions. The questions were very simple, almost meaningless. If Elder Hua didn’t answer, another guard would give her an injection.
When the questioning guard’s throat became dry, he would switch with his companion who administered the injections.
Elder Hua’s mind gradually became foggy.
Han Ran stood outside the interrogation room, his gaze cold.
The Wumiao people were indeed difficult to deal with. Even an old woman was so troublesome. No wonder the Great Zhou Dynasty had always been reluctant to take forceful action against this mysterious tribe situated between Great Zhou and South Lan.
However, this time they had to extract information from her, otherwise, he couldn’t face the Emperor.
After two more days of exhausting Elder Hua, Han Ran asked that question again: “What was your purpose for infiltrating Great Zhou?”
Elder Hua’s eyes were dull as if she had lost the ability to move them. She mumbled, “To coordinate with the piece we planted in the imperial palace many years ago.”
Han Ran’s spirits lifted, his eyes bright.
She spoke! He had finally worn down the old woman to make her talk!
Han Ran’s heart was pounding rapidly, but he struggled to maintain a calm exterior.
At this moment, he didn’t dare change even his tone of voice, fearing that any anomaly might bring Elder Hua back to her senses.
Nine days of exhaustion! If it went on any longer, even he wouldn’t be able to bear it. He couldn’t let all their efforts go to waste now.
“Who is the piece in the imperial palace?” Han Ran asked nonchalantly.
Elder Hua’s eyelashes trembled slightly as if resisting the instinct to succumb to fatigue.
Han Ran asked again, his tone steady: “Who is the piece in the imperial palace?”
Elder Hua finally uttered two words: “The Empress Dowager.”
Han Ran’s face immediately changed, his tone uncontrollably altered: “The Empress Dowager?”
Heavens, he seemed to have uncovered something extraordinary.
After an indeterminate amount of time, Han Ran left the interrogation room with unsteady steps, arousing curiosity among the subordinates who witnessed this scene.
What happened to the Grand Commander? His expression looked as if he had seen a ghost.
At that moment, Han Ran, rushing towards the imperial palace, felt worse than if he had seen a ghost. He had an urge to cry.
People say the position of Jinlin Guard Commander is glamorous, but in his view, it was a job that could cost one’s head.
Back when he learned that the Emperor had been cuckolded by the Crown Prince, he was so scared he couldn’t sleep well for days. Now, he knew something even more terrifying!
What should he do…
Han Ran met Emperor Jingming in the Yangxin Hall with a sense of impending doom.
Seeing Han Ran’s dejected expression, Emperor Jingming’s heart sank.
“Did something go wrong with the interrogation? Did Elder Hua not survive?”
The progress of Elder Hua’s interrogation was Emperor Jingming’s primary concern, and he summoned Han Ran almost daily to get updates.
After nine days of exhaustion, Emperor Jingming was somewhat worried that Elder Hua might not survive the interrogation like Nanny Duo had before.
Han Ran lowered his gaze: “Elder Hua confessed.”
“Confessed?” Emperor Jingming’s eyes lit up, not hiding his eagerness. “What did she confess?”
Han Ran clenched his fists tightly, veins bulging on the back of his hands.
He knew he was about to face a potential storm, but he had no choice but to confront it.
“Elder Hua confessed that the Empress Dowager is one of their people—”
“What?” Before Han Ran could finish, Emperor Jingming interrupted him, his tone grim. “Say that again!”
“Elder Hua confessed that the Empress Dowager is one of their people, who entered the palace years ago by replacing the Crown Princess…”
Emperor Jingming struggled to control his emotions as he listened silently. After Han Ran finished, he took a deep breath: “Are you saying Elder Hua claims the Empress Dowager is a pawn of the Wumiao?”
“Elder Hua admitted they are Xuemiao people.”
Emperor Jingming’s eyelids trembled. He stood up and paced back and forth in the hall, his agitation making Han Ran afraid to even breathe.
After a long while, Emperor Jingming slowly said: “Bring Elder Hua to see me!”
Soon, a haggard Elder Hua appeared before Emperor Jingming.
Emperor Jingming stared at her steadily: “You are Xuemiao?”
Once a person confesses, their entire demeanor changes. Elder Hua was like this, showing a kind of dejected resignation.
She nodded with a numb expression.
“If that’s the case, why did you and your granddaughter open a shop in West Market Street under the guise of Wumiao people?” Emperor Jingming asked.
“To reduce trouble for our tribe,” Elder Hua replied, still expressionless.
Emperor Jingming gritted his teeth and asked the next question: “What was your purpose?”
Elder Hua’s eyelids trembled, her tone flat: “To ensure the Emperor of Great Zhou has no legitimate heir.”
To ensure the Emperor of Great Zhou has no legitimate heir—
Hearing this, Emperor Jingming instantly recalled many things, and asked with a pale face: “The former Crown Prince—”
Elder Hua continued: “Consort Yang seducing the former Crown Prince was instigated by Nanny Duo, aiming to disgrace and discard the former Crown Prince…”
Emperor Jingming’s mind was buzzing as he understood many things.
Although Lang’er had a weakness for women, there were countless beauties in the world. How could he have dared to desire the Emperor’s consort if he hadn’t been set up?
“We didn’t expect you to be so soft-hearted and reinstate the Crown Prince. The Empress Dowager had no choice but to have the palace maid serving the former Crown Prince hint at using voodoo dolls to commit treason… This time, the former Crown Prince was finally eliminated—”
“Silence!” Emperor Jingming shouted, his eyes bulging with rage.
Anger, regret, self-reproach… Various emotions nearly drove him mad.
“Was the attack on Fuqing also because of this?” he asked.
“Yes.”
In his furious state, Emperor Jingming still maintained a bit of clarity: “Is Empress Dowager’s inability to bear children also related to this?”
“She came to replace the real Crown Princess, so naturally, she couldn’t give birth.”
Emperor Jingming closed his eyes briefly, his face ashen: “Why did you do this? How does this benefit you?”
“The Xuemiao and Wumiao share the same origin, but our tribal fortunes are inversely related. The former Grand Elder of the Wumiao left a prophecy stating that the prosperity of the Wumiao is closely tied to the legitimate bloodline of the Great Zhou Emperor. Once our tribe learned of this prophecy, we couldn’t sit idly by and watch the Wumiao continue to grow stronger, leaving our tribe with no chance of ever rising again…”
Emperor Jingming’s lips trembled as he took a deep breath: “How do I know you’re not falsely accusing the Empress Dowager, trying to throw the Great Zhou imperial family into chaos?”
Elder Hua replied tonelessly: “I can prove it, but I have a request.”
“Speak,” the Emperor said.