The Ming Dynasty: The Iron-Blooded Martial Emperor, Who Slaughtered the World

Chapter 58 Whether in the martial world or the imperial court, the investigation must continue!

Inside the Eastern Depot prison, the Eastern Depot's chief clerk, Tou Pi Xiaotian, gasped as he looked at Yu Huatian, who had been captured, and cold sweat broke out on his back.

"What's going on? Why have they brought back the eunuch from the Western Depot?!"

Pi Xiaotian strode forward and questioned him in a low voice.

The Eastern Depot agent also wore a bitter expression: "This is His Majesty's order, instructing us to imprison Governor Yu and give him a hundred lashes!"

"This..." Pi Xiaotian's eyes widened, truly unable to make up his mind. He quickly asked again, "What about Eunuch Cao? This matter is of utmost importance; it must be decided by His Excellency the Eunuch!"

The Eastern Depot agent looked like he was about to cry: "The Grand Eunuch... he's been imprisoned in the Western Depot now!"

"ah?!"

"What?!"

"What's going on?!"

Pi Xiaotian was shocked and immediately panicked.

The fact that the heads of both the Eastern and Western Depots were simultaneously ordered to be arrested by Zhu Houzhao is not a good omen.

Does this mean that His Majesty no longer trusts the Eastern and Western Depots and is about to take action against them?

Pi Xiaotian was in a state of utter confusion. After learning the cause and effect of the matter, in addition to shock and fear, he asked the most crucial question.

"Besides imprisoning them, does Your Majesty have any other punishments?"

"For example, dismissal and investigation?"

The Eastern Depot agent shook his head: "He didn't say, he just told us to drag Governor Yu away."

Hearing this, Pi Xiaotian felt a little calmer.

The fact that they were not dismissed means that His Majesty still trusts the two directors of the Eastern and Western Depots.

He was punished simply for his poor performance.

Temporary punishment is not important; what matters is His Majesty's trust.

As long as His Majesty still trusts you, then punishment is also a form of grace.

The so-called thunder and rain are all the emperor's grace, and this is what it means.

While Pi Xiaotian and the Eastern Depot agents were whispering amongst themselves, Yu Huatian stood still and said expressionlessly, "What are you still muttering about? Hurry up and make your move."

After saying this, Yu Huatian voluntarily lay down on the execution platform, ready to receive the punishment of one hundred strokes of the cane.

Pi Xiaotian bowed slightly, a smile on his face, still maintaining the proper respect for Yu Huatian.

"Lord Yu, this is His Majesty's order. We have been offended."

After saying that, Pi Xiaotian took the water-fire stick and started doing it himself.

Pi Xiaotian struck Yu Huatian on the buttocks with his stick. Yu Huatian dared not use his martial arts to protect himself and could only take the blow head-on.

Yu Huatian's expression twitched, but he still gritted his teeth and remained silent.

The physical pain did not shake Yu Huatian in the slightest.

In his heart, there was only shame for his negligence in supervision and fear of almost causing a major disaster.

……

The Western Depot Prison.

When Cao Zhengchun was arrested by the Eastern Depot agents, Ma Jinliang, the head of the Western Depot, reacted exactly the same way as Pi Xiaotian.

Ma Jinliang was especially terrified when he learned that his own factory supervisor was being tortured in the Eastern Depot prison.

They were only relieved after confirming that Yu Huatian had neither been dismissed nor investigated.

"Eunuch Cao, please forgive me."

Ma Jinliang also picked up the water and fire stick, preparing to personally carry out the execution.

Although the order to administer one hundred strokes of the cane was given by Zhu Houzhao, Cao Zhengchun dared not hold a grudge against Zhu Houzhao, but only against the person who carried out the execution.

For ordinary low-ranking officials in the Western Depot, being targeted by Cao Zhengchun would not be an easy life.

As the head of the Western Depot, Ma Jinliang was not afraid of Cao Zhengchun's attempts to make things difficult for him.

"Hmph, hurry up."

Cao Zhengchun lay prone on the execution platform, also not daring to use martial arts to protect himself.

Ma Jinliang struck with his stick, causing Cao Zhengchun to groan in pain, "Ouch!"

At this moment, Cao Zhengchun was filled with hatred for the people who had burned down the Qianqing Palace and attempted to assassinate Zhu Houzhao that night.

He desperately wanted to find out who was behind tonight's events and grind them to dust!

……

The Qianqing Palace and Kunning Palace are still burning. The Hall of Mental Cultivation, which is well-known to later generations, was first built in the sixteenth year of the Jiajing reign. Now, that location is just an empty space.

Therefore, tonight, Zhu Houzhao had no choice but to stay temporarily in the Cining Palace, where Empress Dowager Zhang had previously resided.

Inside the Cining Palace, Zhu Houzhao directed the Six Doors, the Embroidered Uniform Guard, and the Tengxiang Four Guards to extinguish the fire and evacuate the ministers and officials from the palace.

The people inside the palace were evacuated quickly, but the fire was not completely extinguished until dawn.

The roofs of the Qianqing Palace and Kunning Palace were charred black, and wisps of smoke were still rising from them.

Zhu Houzhao looked at the dark Qianqing Palace, his face so gloomy it seemed as if water could drip from it.

"Zhuge Zhengwo, Shen Lian, investigate thoroughly and find the mastermind behind this!"

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

Zhuge Zhengwo and Shen Lian obeyed the order and immediately returned to the Six Doors and the Northern Garrison to begin mobilizing manpower.

"Azure Dragon, White Tiger! Vermilion Bird, Black Tortoise!"

"Your subordinate is here!"

Inside the Northern Garrison Command, following Shen Lian's order, the four chief guards of the Embroidered Uniform Guard immediately obeyed and went out.

"Investigate!"

"Investigate the events that occurred in the palace tonight at all costs!"

"Tonight, everyone who enters or leaves the palace must be thoroughly investigated; not a single one should be spared!"

"Yes, sir!"

The Azure Dragon Guard, White Tiger Guard, Vermilion Bird Guard, and Black Tortoise Guard each led their forces and mobilized in full force.

That very night, martial law was immediately declared in the capital, and no one was allowed to enter or leave the city without permission!

The Imperial Guards launched a thorough search, firstly to identify unfamiliar faces in the capital, and secondly to investigate all personnel who entered or left the palace that day.

From high-ranking officials and ministers to eunuchs and maids, no one was spared.

Meanwhile, inside the Six Doors, the four famous constables who had gone to hunt down the four assassins had all returned to the Six Doors.

They looked defeated, each one of them filled with resentment and confusion.

Seeing that the four of them had returned empty-handed, Zhuge Zhengwo frowned deeply: "What happened to you? You didn't leave a single one behind?!"

Iron Hand said dejectedly, "Uncle, those four people are too strange. When I hit them with my martial arts, it was like hitting water; they vanished instantly."

Zhuiming added, "Moreover, their movement techniques are very strange. No matter how hard we chase them, we can't catch up with anyone except for Senior Sister Wuqing."

"They appear suddenly and disappear just as suddenly, and they're like phantoms, almost like...like ghosts!"

"good."

Wuqing also said with a solemn expression, "Although I can keep up with their speed, their movements are too strange. No matter which one I attack, they are all like phantoms."

"They were determined to escape, and I couldn't stop them."

Zhuge Zhengwo's expression was not good. He had just received Zhu Houzhao's order to thoroughly investigate when the Four Great Constables told him that the four assassins had escaped while they were pursuing them.

How could he, and the Six Doors, explain this to Zhu Houzhao?!

"Even if you can't win them over, you should still pursue them!"

"Investigate! Find out their identities by any means necessary!"

"Those who dare to assassinate His Majesty will find no refuge in the vast world of martial arts!"

"You can investigate throughout the martial arts world to find out who mastered this evil martial art!"

The four famous constables bowed and accepted the order.

"Yes, Uncle!"