Chapter 120: Treason 1 (2/2)

Secretary Yu bowed after reading out the report and retreated to his table and seat below the dragon throne at the side of the wide hall.

Chief Inspector Mu Yitze walked in with two bloodied men in heavy chains. The two father and son looked rather miserable, they looked nothing like noblemen. There have was u kept and their temperature dull, there were heavy chains around their wrists and ankle. Holding their neck was a square-shaped wooden neck lock, the younger man was sporting a few bruises on his jaw and a cut on the lip.

They when dragged forward by muscular prison wardens and forced on their knees as soon as they arrive in front of the Emperor. A straw mat was spread out on the red carpet in the middle of the audience room, to prevent it from getting stained.

Emperor Zhong looked from his dragon throne calm, his eye fell on the bloodied Deputy Sun and old man Sun kneeling on a straw mat opposite the door and shook his head. They looked rather unkept, he gazed at Mu Yitze and smiled.

This chief inspector of his was very good at his job, his men had reported that Mu Yitze was known as the iron touch. My Yitze performed a complete courtesy and unrolled the written report of the interrogation.

Prime Minister Shi stood straighter as Mu Yitze read out their charges and the results of his interrogation. The two prisoners were transported to the capital from Ningzhuo two days earlier by Lu Yaozhu. Mu Yitze began his interrogation the next day on the Emperor's orders.

”On thorough investigation of the evidence provided by General Lu, it was discovered that the records were doctored. However, during the interrogation Deputy Sun maintained his innocence of the charges of corruption. After hours of questioning, there is no confession, even with the pressing evidence. This lowly official requests for a few more days of interrogation”.

Evidence or no evidence, this investigation was fruitless, it was a fact that Emperor Zhong knew but pretended to be a benevolent leader. ”Embezzlement is a very serious offence, proper investigation is necessary to avoid any mistakes down the road. We will give you two more days to investigate, we expect results during the court session”

(The Emperor made use of the royal we, to refer to himself instead of I)

Mu Yitze bowed at the emperor with both of his arms stretches forward and his hands clasped together in front of him. He replied ”Yes” and retreated silently.

Deputy Sun and his father was dragged away and transported back to the detainment cells at the Ministry of Justice. The court session progressed as usual until it was called to an end and the Emperor dismissed them.

************

The Detainment Cells at the Ministry of Justice

In a dim windowless room deep inside the Imperial Prison Deputy Sun was claimed to a seat at the centre of the room. Mu Yitze held a heated iron stock to his lap, the sound of his scream could be heard even at the entrance of the building. He had been forced to undergo various painful tortures for the past few days.

Shouting this often should have made him feel perch but he could barely concentrate on anything during each torture. Mu Yitze saw the foolish man in front of him crack his neck and look away like nothing happened.

”Looks like you don't want to end this early” Mu Yitze muttered and picked up the cane lined with sharp thorns by the side and gave Deputy Sun a few strokes.

Deputy Sun could handle the cane if it was a normal leather whip but it wasn't a normal cane. The sharp thorns on the edges of the whip shocked into the skin of his back, after a few whips it drew blood. Deputy Sun exclaimed loudly, he had planned to hold on for a few more hours so that his answer would seem true but the pain had become too much to handle.

He screamed ”STOP! I am ready to answer your questions. Please no more!!”

”Good” Mu Yitze kept the whip aside. The two male guards standing by the wall behind Deputy Sun came forward with a pen and paper and dropped it on the table by the side. Mu Yitze spread out the paper, holding both ends down with a wooden heavy paper holder and picked up the pen.

”Are you ready to confess?”

”Yes, Yes. I should have done so earlier but I was warned not to say the truth. I didn't embezzle the funds but was forced to cover up for my Father and General Lu Yaozhu”

Mu Yitze looked up, ”General Lu Yaozhu? How is he involved in this, the general hasn't even been to Ningzhuo?”

Breathing heavily because of his injuries, Deputy Sun continued ”it is all a lie, he has been visiting Ningzhuo for years and meeting with my father. He is the main one behind the Embezzlement!”