Chapter 64

People brought back from the Dali Temple are usually kept in the dungeon. Shi Yu’s identity is unclear, so she can only serve as a witness.

The Dali Temple dungeon was dimly lit, with various blood-stained torture devices hanging on the walls. Those with slightly weaker willpower often found their psychological defenses torn apart before the trial even began.

“You say Shen Zhong’an sent three urgent reports to Beijing, where is the evidence?”

Shen Yu calmly replied, “There are records of messengers delivering reports to Shengjing at every relay station along the way. If we trace back to the source, we will find out.”

The scribe swiftly recorded this in the case file.

Zuo Zongdao said, “You, a soldier without official rank, how could you know about urgent reports?”

“You underestimate me,” Shen Yu explained plainly, “Before the Battle of Yanliang Pass, no one knew. But when General Shen sent the third report, it was already a desperate situation. Many in the army knew at that critical moment, urgent reports were not a secret but the soldiers’ hope for survival.”

Zuo Zong looked at him warily. The youth before him appeared to be no more than sixteen or seventeen, with a hint of indifference and sharpness in his eyes. But from start to finish, his thoughts were clear, and he remained exceptionally calm. He was not to be underestimated.

Since Xie Yun valued him so much and even came to personally escort him, this person must have extraordinary qualities.

The interrogation lasted from afternoon until late at night.

The Dali Temple had no separate room for witnesses, so Zuo Zong could only arrange for her to stay in the Dali Temple dungeon.

The supervisor of the Dali Temple handled important cases. Those sent here were either notorious criminals or fallen high officials. The conditions of the cells varied, depending on the likelihood of the detainee’s exoneration. Shen Yu, as a witness in the Yanliang Pass case, despite Zuo Zong’s grudge against her for Xie Tingzhou, couldn’t place her in the worst cell.

As the night grew quiet, the sound of the gong striking for the fourth time echoed. After the chief jailer completed his final round of patrols, the rounds would switch to once every hour.

The chief jailer glanced into Shi Yu’s cell and saw him lying on his side with his back to the door, softly snoring, seemingly sound asleep.

As the chief jailer’s footsteps faded away and another stick of incense burned down, Shen Yu suddenly opened her eyes.

The cell to her left was empty, while the one on her right echoed with loud snores.

Shen Yu quietly approached the cell door and observed for a moment before pulling out a thin iron wire from her boot to pick the lock.

She squatted down, deftly manipulated the wire in the lock a few times, and with a soft click, the lock opened.

The door was chained, and any movement of the chains would make noise.

She removed her outer garment and wrapped it around the chain, then slowly opened the door. After scanning both sides of the corridor, she headed deeper into the Dali Temple dungeon.

Liang Jianfang was asleep.

Since returning from Yanliang Pass, he had been imprisoned in the Dali Temple dungeon. However, he wasn’t afraid; he could still eat and drink as usual.

Shen Yu stood by his wooden bed, looking down at the sleeping Liang Jianfang.

It was this person who closed the gates, dooming a hundred thousand soldiers, including her father and brother.

Her enemies were right in front of her, and her heart was constantly clamoring to skin him alive, tear him apart, and dismember him into pieces, but she had to suppress her hatred.

Reason told her that this wasn’t enough.

How could one life compare to the lives of a hundred thousand soldiers? The mastermind behind him had yet to be revealed.

Shen Yu kicked Liang Jianfang’s bed.

Liang Jianfang was used to being awakened by jailers in the middle of the night and being interrogated when he was most exhausted.

Thinking it was another jailer, Liang Jianfang slowly sat up. When he saw the person in front of him was not a jailer, he was about to scream.

Shen Yu stuffed a piece of cloth into his mouth before he could utter a sound and whispered, “If you make a noise, you’re dead. Tell me, who ordered you in the Yanliang Pass case?”

With the light behind her, Liang Jianfang couldn’t see the person clearly.

Shen Yu frowned. “The Prime Minister? Jiang Yuanqing?”

Liang Jianfang nodded heavily. “Please don’t kill me. There’s always someone responsible for wrongs done. I’m just a pawn, following the orders of the higher-ups.”

Shen Yu pondered for a moment. “Did you say the same thing when you confessed?”

“Yes.”

Shen Yu sneered. “Then tell me, what was Jiang Yuanqing’s purpose in instructing you to do this?”

Trembling, Liang Jianfang replied, “Mr. Jiang and General Shen had a feud, but I don’t know the details.”

“You don’t know? Let me tell you,” Shen Yu lifted the dagger and pressed it against Liang Jianfang’s neck, leaning in slowly. “It’s because… there was no feud.”

As she drew closer, Liang Jianfang suddenly saw her face clearly. He had seen this person in Shen Zhong’an’s army, always by Shen Zhao’s side!

Shen Yu didn’t miss the flicker of panic in Liang Jianfang’s eyes when he was exposed. It was the instinctive search for a way out when lies were unraveled.

She lifted the dagger slightly, forcing Liang Jianfang to lift his chin.

“I’ll give you one more chance to answer truthfully. I want to hear the truth.”

Liang Jianfang didn’t dare to move. “I, I haven’t lied.”

“Wrong answer,” Shen Yu smiled.

Liang Jianfang sensed danger from her smile, his pupils shrinking. Before he could react, he was struck at an acupoint, and the cloth was stuffed back into his mouth.

Then, a sudden pain shot through his leg.

Liang Jianfang’s eyes widened instantly, emitting a low growl from his mouth.

“Is it worth it? The people behind you want you dead, yet you’re shielding them and even attempting to bite others for their sake,” Shen Yu said.

Liang Jianfang was about to bite Jiang Yuanqing. If it weren’t for Shen Yu’s previous life marriage to Jiang Lianzhi, her understanding of Jiang Yuanqing, and her belief in him, she might have believed it.

Jiang Yuanqing was one of the few good people in the Jiang family.

In her previous life, when her father and brother were wronged, Jiang Yuanqing was the first to stand up to protect Shen Zhong’an, stating firmly that he was not a reckless man seeking glory.

It could be said that a significant reason why the imperial decree did not punish the Shen family was because of Jiang Yuanqing.

Later, when she married into the Shen family, Jiang Yuanqing had talked to her, reassuring her to settle down in the Shen family. The Jiang family would not let loyal ministers feel cold.

It’s a pity that she eventually felt cold because of Jiang Lianzhi.

Shen Yu said coldly, “Do you know why you were escorted back to Shengjing by such a roundabout route instead of taking a shortcut? Because the person you’re trying to protect is constantly plotting to kill you and silence you!”