Imperial Cultivation

Chapter 91: Chapter 89 Disposal

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This time, according to his thinking, he should just capture them directly without any courtesy, bring them in for severe punishment, and see if they dare to try again next time.

If they haven’t been through the dungeons of the Military Suppression Department or suffered its severe penalties, they don’t know that death is considered a luxury, a blessing in itself.

If they have family ties, they are easy to manipulate; if they are loners, then they must be severely punished.

Fear of death is only a momentary thing; once the heat of the moment fades, they will only feel frightened afterward. We must make them even more frightened so they dare not act recklessly again.

Chu Zhiyuan stood up, descended the stairs, and walked slowly with his hands behind his back.

”Sir, we should arrest them quickly,” Gao Lingfeng said, ”to avoid unnecessary trouble.”

Chu Zhiyuan glanced at him, ”No hurry.”

Gao Lingfeng hurriedly said, ”If we’re late, they might escape.”

If Bai Jingrong feels remorse after leaving, it would not be unusual for him to give advance warning, allowing these people to slip away.

”If they can slip away on their own, that would save us some trouble.”

Gao Lingfeng was stunned.

He then said helplessly, ”Sir, this is a major matter that shakes the heavens and the earth. Are we going to let them off so easily?”

Chu Zhiyuan smiled lightly.

For the Military Suppression Department, capturing these people was not difficult. Even though they are new arrivals in Yujing, they cannot escape the department’s notice.

Furthermore, the Military Suppression Department is now teeming with experts, capturing them would be as easy as reaching into a bag.

After all, everyone on this list has a name and reputation; those without sufficient cultivation are not qualified to participate. The department can capture them with certainty.

”Sir——!”

Gao Lingfeng was anxious to see him still dithering.

Every minute of delay could mean one more person escaping.

Chu Zhiyuan sat back at his desk, leaned back against the Taishi chair, and said slowly, ”Forget it.”

”Sir?” Gao Lingfeng was stunned.

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”Expel these people from Yujing.”

Gao Lingfeng looked shocked, ”Expel?!”

Chu Zhiyuan nodded.

Gao Lingfeng hurriedly said, ”Sir, please reconsider!”

”Lord Gao, is it necessary to capture them?”

”If they’re not put in the dungeons of the Military Suppression Department, how else to disrupt their actions? Moreover, they have been so brazen, ignoring the Court. They should learn a lesson!”

”It’s easy to capture them, but how would you release them?” Chu Zhiyuan shook his head and said, ”Convict them of trumped-up charges?”

Gao Lingfeng hurriedly said, ”But they secretly conspired to assassinate the Da Zhen mission.”

”It was only a conspiracy without action. Besides, Bai Jingrong is unlikely to testify. The others are not afraid of death; will they stand up to testify against others?”

”Under severe punishment, they won’t dare not to confess!”

”Statements under torture are not trustworthy,” Chu Zhiyuan said, ”What would outsiders think? It’s like killing the chicken to scare the monkeys, imposing guilt without proof.”

”This...” Gao Lingfeng frowned.

People in the martial arts world both fear and resent the Military Suppression Department. They would naturally interpret it in the worst possible light, and it’s not impossible they would think this way.

Many might even applaud, thinking this move is brilliant.

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”Expelling them from Yujing not only disrupts the assassination but also serves as a deterrent, letting them know that the Military Suppression Department has a wide range of intelligence.”

”But they will act more cautiously and secretly in the future.”

”Paranoid, hesitant, they will find it even harder to succeed.”

After all, they are all experts, each with their pride and individuality. The alliance they formed is like a loose coalition of motley forces.

With hesitation and suspicion, it becomes even harder to succeed.

”...”

”Lord Gao, let’s leave it at that for now,... Later, report to the Chief of Staff.”

Involving a Great Grandmaster requires presenting the case to the Chief of Staff, as per the regulations.

Of course, if it doesn’t involve a Great Grandmaster, regular cases don’t need to bother the Chief of Staff.

Chu Zhiyuan judged this as a minor matter, so there was no need to present it to the Chief of Staff and let them decide.

The Chief of Staff wouldn’t be angry; they would actually be pleased.

Fewer issues mean fewer troubles.

This is what people in officialdom most prefer.

”...Yes.” Gao Lingfeng grudgingly cupped his fists in salute.

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”Invite Master Huang to come over for a chat.”

”Yes.” Gao Lingfeng cupped his fists and left.

Chu Zhiyuan picked up the list, scrutinizing the list of 164 people, all unafraid of death.

If these people went to the frontier to join the army, it would greatly aid the military.

But they didn’t go. They were not afraid to die but wouldn’t endure the hardships of military life or abide by military regulations.

On the list, who are the leaders?

Catching the ringleader first is the best way; once the leaders are controlled, the others are of no consequence.

The first few names on the list might be the leaders.

In the martial arts world, alliances are often based on strength; once Huang Shiron figures out who is strong and who is weak, it will become apparent.

——

Huang Shiron soon appeared in his room in the Ministry of Rites.

Beside him were Wen Qianqian and Xu Mengyu.

Clad in a yellow robe, with a longsword at the waist that seemed to threaten her slender waist at any moment, her expression was calm and solemn.

Wen Qianqian’s enchanting face and Xu Mengyu’s delicate face were both tense.

”Your highness,” Huang Shiron saluted Chu Zhiyuan, who had stood up to greet him at the door, and said solemnly, ”What’s the matter?”

If it weren’t a major issue, he wouldn’t have invited her to the Ministry of Rites office.

Chu Zhiyuan passed the list over.

Huang Shiron glanced at it and quickly frowned. The more she looked, the more serious she became, until she finished reading the entire list and looked up, ”This list is...?”

”Master Huang, do you recognize these people?”

”... They are all masters.” Huang Shiron nodded, ”Among them are nine Grandmasters; the rest are all masters in the Innate Realm.”

This list already surpasses that of an average Great Sect.

Sects like the True One Sect and the Thick Earth Sect can be called Great Sects, boasting considerable strength with only four or five Grandmasters. The Flying Flower Sword Sect, for instance, is also a local Great Sect with only three or four Grandmasters.

A Grandmaster can maintain stability in a region, but they are more common in Yujing and not so rare.

Moreover, ordinary Great Sects don’t have as many Innate Masters.

Innate Masters form the backbone of a sect, and no ordinary Great Sect has nearly as many as this.

Chu Zhiyuan then explained what they were planning to do.

Huang Shiron, along with Wen Qianqian and Xu Mengyu, all turned pale.

If such an incident were to happen, it would be a serious dereliction of duty by the Military Suppression Department.

Even if the department eventually stopped them, preventing casualties to the Da Zhen mission, it would still be considered a failure.

Who would have thought that right under their noses, such a large alliance could have been formed?

”There must be someone powerful enough to connect them!” Huang Shiron immediately recognized the crux of the matter.

Chu Zhiyuan nodded.

He also suspected this.

The judgment pointed to Yao Yue Palace, but without evidence, he could not speak rashly.

Huang Shiron frowned thoughtfully, ”These guys truly are fearless; with the Lingshuang Iron Cavalry in Da Zhen, how could they imagine they could pull off the assassination?”

”Having never faced the Lingshuang Iron Cavalry firsthand, one tends to think the accounts are exaggerated,” Chu Zhiyuan said.

If he didn’t have Super Sense and hadn’t seen the unusual nature of the Lingshuang Iron Cavalry, he might have thought like these martial artists, believing the cavalry was overestimated by the populace.

How could there be an invincible cavalry? It’s merely a coincidence or because Da Jing’s cavalry is incompetent.

Now, Prince Ying has even elevated the Chasing Wind Cavalry. Aren’t they supposed to be comparable to the Lingshuang Iron Cavalry now?

”Your highness, this matter must be reported to the Central Office Director and even the Director,” Huang Shiron said solemnly, ”Involving so many Grandmasters and Innate Masters would require mobilizing a significant number of experts. As hall master, I don’t have the authority.”

Chu Zhiyuan smiled, ”Precisely, but my proposal is to expel them from Yujing, not to capture them.”

Huang Shiron paused, her bright eyes flashing.

She quickly tried to deduce the reasoning behind Chu Zhiyuan’s decision: why not capture them outright, but instead just expel them, which seemed like a half-hearted measure.

Chu Zhiyuan smiled at her.

Given Huang Shiron’s sharp intellect, understanding should not be difficult.

”Your highness, just drive them away?” Wen Qianqian couldn’t help but say, ”Catching and putting them in jail would be safest, wouldn’t it? If you don’t want severe punishment, you could lightly punish them and release them afterward.”

Xu Mengyu said softly, ”If expelled, might they ally outside the city, then ambush the Da Zhen mission on their way?”

”Once they’re outside the city, the Imperial Guard will handle it,” Chu Zhiyuan said.

The two women paused, not expecting such a response from him.

Chu Zhiyuan smiled at the two women, then looked at Huang Shiron.

Huang Shiron nodded lightly, ”I will report to the Central Office Director.”

Chu Zhiyuan smiled, ”Thank you,... Oh, and continue the investigation on He Jiujie’s employer; keep pursuing it until the employer is found.”

”I will report to the Central Office Director,” Huang Shiron said.

If it weren’t for Chu Zhiyuan’s keen insight leading to this list, the Military Suppression Department would be in big trouble this time.

Chu Zhiyuan has once again been of great help, and made a significant contribution.

Continuing to trace the employer behind He Jiujie is also very troublesome.

It requires mobilizing even stronger, high-level forces, possibly even enlisting a Great Grandmaster’s intervention.

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