CMWKSD -Chapter 208 Investigate

Ji Yiqing and Ji Chaomian began sounding out the officials, probing them from the side.

What were they asking?

Naturally, they were asking about the bandit suppression operations in Pingtai County over the past few years.

Who exactly had suppressed the matter?

The capital’s suburban garrison was so close—how could they have received no news at all?

Wasn’t this blatantly someone deceiving their superiors and concealing the truth?

There had to be people involved inside several government offices.

The Ministry of War, the Ministry of Revenue, the Ministry of Personnel…

Ji Yiqing and Ji Chaomian went off to investigate.

And as for Jiu Yue…

She was off to the side, sharpening a blade.

A heavy blade—the heaviest kind of heavy blade.

The blade was massive and razor-sharp, the kind where even using the spine of the blade would be enough to beat someone to death.

Jiu Yue, a petite and delicate young woman, somehow possessed inexhaustible brute strength.

Everyone had gathered together to rest.

Then, in the night with the cold wind blowing, they could occasionally hear the distant cries of beasts.

Shua—

Shua shua—

Shua shua shua—

With so many officials present, even Shao Qing couldn’t keep track of all the information.

Even if one or two of them truly had colluded with the affairs of Pingtai County, there was no way to determine it now—they would still need to return and carefully unravel things thread by thread.

But Jiu Yue sharpening her blade in the dead of night, her sinister gaze slowly sweeping across everyone…

The psychological pressure was unprecedented.

Anyway, no matter what—

After escorting the embezzled silver, this matter would definitely be put on the agenda.

After all, the killing god Jiu Yue was right here.

Any matter she exposed—

There had never been one that didn’t end up brought before the Emperor.

At this point, no one trusted anyone anymore.

Jiu Yue bluntly told everyone:

Before returning to the capital, No one was allowed to have contact with anyone outside of those present.

Ji Zhouye propped his eyelids open with both hands, afraid that if he blinked, they’d stick shut.

All the officials being watched by the Ji brothers were covered in dark expressions.

Jiu Yue truly believed in one thing when doing things: striking when unexpected.

She grouped everyone into teams of ten, each group supervising one another.

Then she assigned several squad leaders, each responsible for three to five groups.

Even going to relieve oneself required at least three people together.

Jiu Yue didn’t bother with feints or schemes.

She told them directly: I don’t trust you.

To prevent anyone from secretly reporting to the magistrate of Pingtai County,

She went for simple and brutal.

Everyone from the Ji family, except Ji Yiqing and Ji Chaomian—even little Ji Xiaoya—became squad leaders.

They were all terrified of falling asleep and letting someone exploit a loophole.

If someone leaked information, Jiu Yue would skin them alive.

She practically herded these officials—young and old alike—into a tight circle.

Faced with this situation, of course some were dissatisfied.

But once they heard Jiu Yue energetically sharpening her blade nearby,

All dissatisfaction vanished.

Jiu Yue stood up and slowly walked over to a squad of soldiers.

She asked bluntly, “What did His Majesty say?”

The squad leader’s pupils shrank slightly. “Princess, what are you talking about? This subordinate doesn’t understand.”

Jiu Yue kicked him, landing squarely on his backside.

“Oh, spare me. Aren’t you guys from Eagle Eye?”

The four soldiers were all shocked at the same time.

No one had ever been able to pick out Eagle Eye agents from a crowd.

They were hidden in all walks of life—even within the army, guards, and imperial troops.

This was the first time they’d been exposed.

The few of them still wanted to argue.

Jiu Yue raised her hand and slapped the squad leader hard on the back.

“Enough. This time there are over three hundred militia and soldiers. If I can find you four, that means I know exactly what I’m doing.”

Jiu Yue had long observed that Eagle Eye members and Dark Moon members actually had similarities.

It was just that Eagle Eye people still retained more humanity.

Both were specially trained, after all.

Jiu Yue had seen so many Eagle Eye agents—finding a few common traits among them was ridiculously easy.

Trying to fool her?

In your dreams.

Eagle Three immediately knelt. “Princess, please forgive us! His Majesty… His Majesty sent us to protect you, not to monitor you.”

Jiu Yue naturally knew this. These four were always close by her side.

Though they were here on a mission, they constantly positioned themselves around her.

There was no helping it—this mission to Peach Blossom Village was full of danger.

Since Emperor Fengyuan had sent Jiu Yue,

He would naturally provide the greatest possible protection for her safety.

“I know. I don’t mind that. Did His Majesty say how the Pingtai County matter will be handled?”

Eagle Three replied while kneeling, “A sea eagle has already been dispatched. At the latest, there will be results by tomorrow at noon. We ask the Princess to delay things until noon…”

Jiu Yue hummed. “No need to delay. Since there’ll be guests tomorrow, why not treat them to lunch?”

The Eagle Eye agents exchanged looks.

Guests?

Where would guests come from?

Wasn’t the Princess worried about informants, forbidding outsiders from contacting the officials and soldiers present?

Even the Dark Moon Pavilion people brought by Shao Qing were no exception.

Only the Ji family members could barely move freely in the camp.

Jiu Yue didn’t bother explaining.

With such a large group camped here, Less than five kilometers from Pingtai County, The county magistrate might not come tonight.

But tomorrow, he definitely would.

…

Emperor Fengyuan looked at the secret report delivered by Eagle Eye.

His original intention had been to ensure Jiu Yue’s complete safety.

Yet now, Jiu Yue had ended up protecting those towering officials instead.

Emperor Fengyuan felt his old face burn with shame.

He shivered inexplicably.

Given that little brat’s temperament, She was probably mocking his officials’ incompetence in her heart.

And upon seeing Eagle Eye’s report about the bandit scourge of Black Tiger Stockade in Pingtai County, Emperor Fengyuan’s gaze turned sharp.

Right under his very nose, things had been carried out in secret.

It seemed many people truly thought he was about to die.

They were acting more and more as if he didn’t matter anymore.

Li Feng stood to the side, watching Emperor Fengyuan gently lift the lamp cover

And burn the slip of paper in his hand.

The surging flames made Emperor Fengyuan appear even more eerily calm.

This was the sign of a coming storm.

Li Feng involuntarily recalled the tenth year after Emperor Fengyuan ascended the throne.

When the Son of Heaven was enraged, corpses floated for thousands of miles.

This time would likely be no less severe.

“Eagle One.”

Eagle One appeared like a ghost. “Present.”

“Go to the capital’s suburban garrison. I want to see exactly what they’re up to.”

Then Emperor Fengyuan took out a command token. “Give this to Jiu Yue. She may directly command the fifty thousand troops of the suburban garrison.”

Eagle One and Li Feng exchanged glances.

The suburban garrison!!!

That was the capital’s final line of defense.

And Emperor Fengyuan was giving it to Jiu Yue???

“Your Majesty, this…”

Jiu Yue had never led troops into battle—how could she hold command over the suburban garrison?

“It’s fine. Just give it to her.”

Given that little brat’s temperament, She might even find it troublesome and prefer two boxes of pearls instead.

“Arrange for people to receive them and escort the silver back. Use the fastest speed—by tomorrow noon, it must arrive.”

“You stay there to assist Jiu Yue and conduct on-the-spot investigations of everyone traveling with her.”

“Once this matter is resolved, all officials returning to the capital must have no connection whatsoever to the Pingtai County case.”

“In extraordinary times, kill one or two to warn the rest.”

Eagle One immediately kowtowed.

“As for investigations within the capital—Eagle Seven, Eagle Eight, and Eagle Nine should be returning from the Northern Barbarians soon, right?”

“Yes.”