Chapter 1182: Chapter 938 Truth 17
"Didn’t they say the person hasn’t been found yet?
Why are we taking action now?"
The Emperor asked in confusion.
Ji Youze looked towards Ji Youzhi, "You explain!"
Ji Youzhi touched his nose, "In other families, the younger brother listens to the older brother. What kind of fate is mine? It makes me seem like the younger brother!"
Ji Youze glared at him.
"If you don’t want to speak, you can leave!"
Ji Youzhi: "..."
A brother like him is truly rare in this world!
"Can’t I say it?"
Ji Youzhi muttered.
"Your Majesty knows, in our line of work, we all know about ’eagle endurance,’ continuously interrogating the prisoner for days without letting them sleep, so that eventually they can’t bear it. As long as we ask something critical, observe their reactions carefully, and verify through multiple inquiries, we can find a breakthrough."
The Emperor nodded, "That’s right, this is the method we’re using now to interrogate Lu Zezhong, Minister Lin, and others!"
Ji Youzhi continued to explain, "But relying solely on ’eagle endurance’ is not enough. We also need to know some of the details of their crimes, or deduce the crime process of the other party. Thus, at the point they can’t withstand anymore, we slowly tell them stories bit by bit!"
The Emperor’s eyes lit up, "This method is brilliant! Without saying more, as for Lu Zezhong, that ambitious wolf, we know he and Princess Qing had a bastard child, Lu Yunsheng, and we know his plans. Therefore, we must take full advantage of this tactic!"
Ji Youzhi nodded and continued.
"We’re not only enduring the ones inside, but we’re also enduring those outside.
We endure the criminals’ accomplices. When they become anxious and desperate, with no news, we approach them, casually mention a piece of what we know, and concoct some ambiguous answers. By then, even if the mastermind being detained confesses nothing,
we can still tightly grip his accomplices and make them expose the mastermind."
The Emperor was overjoyed, expressing his happiness by turning in circles inside the Side Palace.
"Indeed, good, very good. So that’s it, the brilliant use of the plot you’ve devised was right here. I thought it was merely to interrogate Lu Zezhong, but it turns out you intend to eliminate all his associates in the capital!"
"But, Your Majesty, if we do this, it’d be great if we manage to eliminate them completely. But what if we fail..."
Ji Youze reminded.
"Youze, I believe in Youzhi. When it comes to capturing criminals and investigating the truth of a case, he has never disappointed me!"
The Emperor granted Ji Youzhi the greatest power because he trusted him.
"Good! Since the Emperor trusts him so much, then we must act separately now. You have already sent the Duke out to contact Prince Yan, borrowing half of the Imperial Guard to discretely enter the city. Now it’s time for them to play their significant role."
As Ji Youze said this, Ji Youzhi nodded and said, "We can order the Duke to arrest everyone in the Li Family, especially the males over fifty years old, and imprison them in the Celestial Prison!"
"Why those over fifty?"
The Emperor asked.
"To have prestige in the Li Clan, one must first be of a higher generation. His capability to plot indicates his education is decent, yet such educated people did not participate in our Imperial Examination!
It suggests they are older, or perhaps they hold titles from the previous dynasty. So, if I judge based on the first scenario, the person is at least fifty years old. After all, even if he participated in the Imperial Examination, and excelled, he’d only have been in the officialdom for a few years by the age of fifty!"
"As for the second scenario, it’s even easier to explain. He is well-educated but cannot participate in our Imperial Examination!"
"Cannot participate in our Imperial Examination?"
The Emperor and Ji Youze repeated his words, suddenly Ji Youze exclaimed, "Unless he’s a scholar from the predecessor regime!"
Ji Youzhi nodded, "That’s the thought I have!"
The Emperor, "Which do you favor more?"
"Though there are former regime scholars who continue their service in our dynasty, they aren’t significantly utilized. They’re marginalized, or assigned as County Magistrates, Prefects, etc.
However, our dynasty still employs officials from the predecessor regime, gradually phasing them out of state affairs.
Many have returned to their hometowns with honor or are living in retirement within the capital.
If the opponent truly is a scholar from the predecessor regime, why not serve?"
Disregarding everything else, Ji Youze sat in the armchair, muttering to himself, lost in thought.
