PNB Chapter 303 The person Old Five was following has a lead.
Chapter 303 The person Old Five was following has a lead.
Chapter 303 The person Lao Wu was following has a lead
Zhou Yuan continued interrogating the Vice Minister of Rites, his gaze like a sharp hook, firmly fixed on the Vice Minister.
He tried to find the flaw hidden in the darkness from every subtle expression and every ambiguous word of the Vice Minister of Rites.
"Besides gathering evidence and buying people's hearts, what else have you done? What is your ultimate goal in all this scheming?"
Zhou Yuan's voice was deep and powerful, as if carrying immense force, echoing in the confined prison space. Every word was like a heavy hammer, striking the heart of the Vice Minister of Rites, bringing an invisible yet heavy sense of oppression.
The Vice Minister of Rites trembled, his whole body like a small boat shaking in a storm, and answered with a sob in his voice: "Your Majesty, I... I just seized the evidence against them and threatened them to take sides. If they didn't comply, I would frame them."
Zhou Yuan snorted coldly, a snort filled with disdain and anger. "And how did you collect this evidence? Stop giving me vague answers and explain everything clearly!"
The Vice Minister of Rites' face instantly showed extreme terror, his lips trembled violently, and he stammered, "I...I followed their arrangements and sent...sent women to the ministers."
Some of these women became matriarchs, while others were given away as concubines.
Through them, we can gather dirt and evidence against the ministers…
Upon hearing this answer, Zhou Yuan's face instantly turned ashen, and he roared, "Give me a clear account of all those involved!"
As soon as he finished speaking, Shadow stepped forward and quickly took out pen and ink, preparing to record the details.
Zhou Yuan understood that, given the mastermind's level of caution, it was indeed unlikely that a minor figure like the Vice Minister of Rites would easily learn the core secrets.
But even the slightest clue, he had no intention of letting go of.
As the Vice Minister of Rites revealed one name after another, Zhou Yuan's expression grew increasingly grim. The complex web of forces behind these names made him realize that the conspiracy was far more intricate than he had imagined.
Zhou Yuan stared coldly at the Vice Minister of Rites and continued to press, "Think carefully again, is there anything else you've overlooked?"
Important information, important people—no one can be missed!
The Vice Minister of Rites, his face contorted with despair and fear, cried out, "Your Highness, I truly don't know! I'm just a lowly servant working for them; how could they possibly let me know such important matters?"
However... however, I have heard them say that the master has an extremely noble status and holds a pivotal position in the Great Zhou Kingdom.
Moreover, he had been planning this for a very, very long time, longer than I could even imagine...
"I don't know anything more. I beg the Regent to protect my family; I'm afraid they might harm them."
After a moment's thought, Zhou Yuan realized that it would be difficult to obtain any more valuable clues from the Vice Minister of Rites in the short term.
With a solemn expression, he instructed his guards to keep a close watch on the Vice Minister of Rites and his family, and to ensure that nothing went wrong.
He then got up and left the prison, thinking that he should inform Su Yinyin and the emperor of this information as soon as possible so that they could discuss a solution together.
Meanwhile, after finishing her conversation with Lao Yi in the study, Su Yinyin fell into deep thought.
She knew all too well that this conspiracy was like a vast, boundless spider web, where every seemingly insignificant thread could lead to unexpected dangers hidden in the darkness.
Following Su Yinyin's instructions, Lao Yi went out to find Lao Wu and find out the latest situation regarding the tracking of the suspicious expert.
At this moment, Biyu hurriedly entered the study, her steps light yet carrying a hint of urgency. "Miss, all the guards have been arranged. The area around the Su residence has been reinforced with patrols and defenses, with layers of security to prevent anyone from getting close easily."
Biyu said respectfully, her tone carrying a firm promise.
Su Yinyin nodded slightly, a hint of approval flashing in her eyes. "Thank you for your hard work, Biyu. The situation is complex and volatile right now, like the calm before a storm, with undercurrents lurking beneath. We cannot afford to be complacent in the slightest."
The safety of everyone in the Su family is entirely in your hands.
Biyu nodded firmly, her eyes filled with loyalty and determination. "Don't worry, Miss. I will not let you down. Even if it costs me my life, I will ensure the safety of the entire Su family."
Su Yinyin gently rubbed her temples, trying to relieve the fatigue and stress of the past few days, and continued, "Biyu, go and find out carefully if there have been any unusual developments in the capital recently, especially any clues related to the court officials."
Since the mastermind behind this is so determined to plunge the Great Zhou court into chaos, there might be other follow-up actions. We must be aware of them in advance and prepare accordingly.
"Yes, Miss." After accepting the order, Biyu quickly turned around and left the study with light steps to carry out the task assigned by Su Yinyin.
Su Yinyin sat alone in the study, the surroundings so quiet that she could hear her own heartbeat.
Her mind was like a projector, constantly sorting through the clues she had gathered.
Empress Da Yan and Marquis Yongyi Su Gaojie conspired to murder their own relatives, which also uncovered a huge and complex conspiracy to unify the Three Kingdoms.
The mastermind's identity remains a mystery, but it is certain that he held a high position of power and was deeply hidden.
The Vice Minister of Rites was merely a henchman stirring up trouble in the court... All these clues intertwined, like a fog, making it difficult for her to see the whole picture, yet only fueling her determination to find the truth.
Suddenly, there was a soft knock on the study door. Though the sound was faint, it was exceptionally clear in the quiet room. "Come in," Su Yinyin said, her voice steady and calm.
The old man pushed open the door and entered, holding a letter in his hand, his expression solemn.
He strode up to Su Yinyin and said, "Miss, Fifth Brother sent word that he followed those two suspicious experts and discovered that they entered a mysterious mansion."
However, the mansion was heavily guarded, and the fifth son was unable to get close enough to investigate. This is the information the fifth son left behind regarding the location of the mansion and its surroundings.
Su Yinyin hurriedly took the letter and eagerly began to read it carefully.
After reading it, a sharp glint flashed in her eyes, as if she had caught a glimmer of hope in the darkness.
"It seems that this mansion is likely an important stronghold of the forces behind the scenes."
"Jin, we'll go investigate tonight. We must be extremely careful and avoid alerting them."
"Yes, Miss." The old man accepted the order and left quickly to arrange the relevant matters, making meticulous preparations for tonight's operation.
Night fell slowly, like a huge black ribbon, shrouding the capital in deep darkness.
All was quiet except for the occasional sound of the night watchman striking the gong, echoing in the still night.
Su Yinyin, accompanied by the first brother, dressed in specially made black clothes, moved like two ghosts, stealthily traversing the streets and alleys, heading towards the mansion indicated by the fifth brother.
Soon, they arrived at the outside of the house.
The gate to the mansion was tightly shut, and the two stone lions at the entrance looked particularly eerie in the moonlight.
The surroundings were silent, but Su Yinyin, with her keen intuition, sensed a dangerous aura lurking in the shadows, as if a pair of eyes were watching them from the darkness.
She and the old man carefully climbed over the wall and entered the courtyard.
Upon landing, they were as light and silent as two feathers. Inside the courtyard, a few rooms had dim lights flickering in the darkness, as if they might go out at any moment.
Su Yinyin and the others cautiously approached one of the rooms and could faintly hear conversations coming from inside.
Meanwhile, Lao Wu saw Su Yinyin and Lao Yi from the rooftop opposite.
Knowing they were about to take action, and knowing his mission was to meet them, he kept a close eye on his surroundings.
"Now that the prison break has failed, Su Yinyin and Zhou Yuan will definitely be more vigilant. What should we do next?" a voice said anxiously.
"Hmph, what's there to be afraid of! Master has been planning this for many years, how could they possibly break it so easily?"
"That Vice Minister of Rites probably won't reveal any crucial information. He knows that if he leaks it, he and his family will be in danger. He certainly doesn't have the guts." Another voice replied with a hint of disdain.
"But the evidence is almost here. If Su Yinyin and the others get their hands on it, our entire plan will be ruined." The anxious voice from before rang out again, tinged with despair.
"Don't worry, the master has already arranged for people to intercept the evidence. As long as the evidence is destroyed, they won't be able to do anything to us."
Furthermore, Su Yinyin claims to have evidence, but those were all her own words. Their credibility remains to be verified. It might be a trap, a deliberate attempt to lure us in.
Upon hearing this, Su Yinyin was startled. She hadn't expected that there would be such a meticulous person among this group.
"What should we do next? No, we should report this to the master."
Suddenly, the people inside seemed to sense something and fell silent instantly...
"Alright, we'll see the master right away...!"
Su Yinyin and Lao Yi were outside when they heard the door open. They looked at each other and saw the same judgment in each other's eyes—there must be a secret passage inside.
Su Yinyin and Lao Yi reacted quickly, sneaking into the house like ghosts and using their sense of direction to locate the entrance to the secret passage.
Judging from the direction where the sounds disappeared inside the room, the direction in which those people left was very clear, so Su Yinyin and Lao Yi quickly found the place that was slightly different from the rest of the room.
Based on his years of experience, Lao Yi gently pressed a brick on the wall that was slightly different in color and texture.
Sure enough, the wall slowly moved, making a slight friction sound, revealing a dark secret passage.
A damp, musty smell wafted over, making one frown.
Su Yinyin and Lao Yi entered the secret passage without hesitation.