Inside the camp, the military banners snapped and fluttered in the wind. The group, having had no time to wash or rest, was led directly into the main tent. Aside from Wei Yang, who was taken away to rest due to his young age, everyone involved in the case was present. Several elder officials had also been summoned; they stood on either side, their faces filled with confusion.
The sizable tent suddenly felt somewhat cramped.
Seated at the head, the Wei Emperor saw that everyone had arrived. He looked at the person standing below, who appeared perfectly composed, and spoke. "Ye Zhao, everyone is here. Now, you may tell us who the true culprit behind this case is."
Ye Zhao turned his head to look at Jiang Ziqiu, who stood to the right. "I assume you haven't forgotten what I asked you to do?"
"Of course it’s done. Rest assured, except for those who went out with His Majesty, I have recorded the names of every single person who left the camp. I guarantee not a soul escaped my watch," Jiang Ziqiu replied, his tone tinged with dissatisfaction at the hint of doubt. He unhurriedly pulled a small booklet from his sleeve and handed it to Ye Zhao.
The names recorded in the booklet corresponded exactly to the people standing in the tent at that moment.
In truth, before Ye Zhao had set out for West Mountain, he had instructed Jiang Ziqiu that the moment news of him being in danger reached the camp, he must secretly keep a close eye on everyone who left the grounds.
Hearing Jiang Ziqiu’s words, the others began to guess the truth.
Could it be that Ye Zhao knew this trip was dangerous, so he deliberately played along with the scheme to lure the snake out of its hole?
As if reading their thoughts, Ye Zhao said candidly, "If we say the person the killer originally intended to harm was General Xiao, then the fact that their target immediately switched to me the moment I arrived is highly suspicious."
"Judging by the layout of the scene, it was clearly premeditated for a long time. To switch targets so easily... it would be more accurate to say this was a trap set specifically for me from the very beginning."
Ye Zhao spoke slowly, a mysterious and profound smile gradually appearing on his face. He turned his head, his gaze slowly sweeping over the row of people standing on the left.
"To harm the envoys of two nations, incite conflict, and throw me into the heart of the storm—this was a trap set against both me and the State of Wei."
"And the one who set this trap is right here among us."
As he finished speaking, a rustle of movement rippled through the crowd.
No one in the tent dared to speak; Ye Zhao’s words were simply too shocking. One had to realize that the people currently in the tent were either retired veterans of the court or high-ranking ministers still in active service.
*Clang—!*
Ye Zhao suddenly drew Wei Feng’s saber with a sharp ring. The latter’s arm stiffened; he opened his mouth but swallowed the words he was about to say.
Dressed in black, with a speck of crimson blood staining the space between his brows, Ye Zhao walked slowly toward the last person in the left row with a faint smile. He spoke leisurely, "To try and kill me time and time again... we are old friends. This time, I’ll give you a chance."
"Here, take it."
Ye Zhao suddenly reversed the saber, pointing the tip toward himself.
The man looked up at Ye Zhao with a dazed expression, completely stunned. Under Ye Zhao’s urging, he suddenly snapped out of it and waved his hands frantically. "No, no, no! I wouldn't dare, I wouldn't dare! It wasn't me, it wasn't me! You’ve found the wrong person!"
Ye Zhao smiled and pressed the blade against his own neck, his voice gentle and soothing as if comforting a child. "Don't be afraid. I’ve already handed the blade to you. Just take it and give it a gentle stroke, and your great vendetta will be avenged..."
If one ignored the content of the words, it would have been a very harmonious scene.
However, the other party in this conversation looked like he was about to cry.
What sin had he committed to be treated like this by Lord Tianshu!
"Please... please stop joking and let this lowly one go! I... I... how could I possibly dare, Lord Tianshu! I would sooner strike myself than dare to harm you..."
The aging man looked at the familiar face before him and listened to his borderline-insane speech. His legs couldn't help but tremble, and he was left speechless with grief.
Ye Zhao arched an eyebrow slightly. "You truly don't dare?"
"I truly don't! I truly don't!!"
The man resisted repeatedly. Ye Zhao had no choice but to withdraw the saber, looking bored and somewhat regretful. "To think you wouldn't cherish a chance to kill me. After today, there might not be another opportunity to plot my death. Alas..."
His subtext seemed to be: *That was your last chance to kill me. Since you didn't act, it's my turn to act against you.*
The old official, unable to clear his name despite having a hundred mouths, explained frantically, "It really wasn't me! It really wasn't me, Lord Tianshu! Even if you gave me a hundred times the courage, I wouldn't dare harbor ill intentions toward you!"
Ye Zhao listened and smiled faintly. He suddenly asked the person standing next to the man, "You heard him, right? He says it wasn't him. If it wasn't him, could it be you?"
"Do... you... want... to... kill... me?"
Under Ye Zhao’s slow, deliberate speech, the next unlucky soul to receive the same treatment immediately showed a look of terror. "No, no, it wasn't me either."
"Take it."
He looked at the person before him and likewise offered the hilt of the saber.
The latter looked left and right, his expression helpless as if he didn't know what to do, sweat pouring down his forehead.
Under Ye Zhao’s repeated urging, his hand trembled as he grasped the hilt. Throughout the process, Ye Zhao—who had the blade against his own neck—had to use his hand to lightly support the weight of the weapon.
The man looked at Ye Zhao’s half-smiling expression, his voice involuntarily shaking. "Lord... Lord Tianshu, is... is this enough? I... I..."
The smile on Ye Zhao’s face suddenly faded. Just like with the first person, he seemed disappointed by the reaction. He snatched the saber back and continued toward the next person.
Ye Zhao’s seemingly erratic, suicidal behavior terrified several old officials in a row.
By the time he had finished his round, he seemed weary or perhaps utterly disappointed. He lowered his head and stood in the center of the tent, silent and motionless, still holding Wei Feng’s saber.
His fair, slender hand gripped the cold, glinting blade. The sight dazzled the onlookers, causing them to instinctively avert their eyes.
"Ye Zhao, who exactly is the culprit?" the Wei Emperor asked from his seat.
Having watched Ye Zhao’s entire performance, he felt some doubt. Could it be... that Ye Zhao actually didn't know who the true culprit was and was merely testing them?
He had guessed correctly. Ye Zhao indeed couldn't be certain which "fish" had slipped through the net to hide behind the scenes all this time, but...
Ye Zhao looked up, his gaze suddenly landing on the person seated to the Emperor’s lower left.
The tip of the saber slowly rose, pointing directly at that person.
"Duke Mingde, Xie Mingyuan."
The moment Ye Zhao finished speaking, the crowd erupted.
Who did Ye Zhao say? Duke Mingde?!
Even the Wei Emperor and the others looked shocked.
Only Xie Mingyuan was momentarily stunned upon hearing this, his expression showing a hint of surprise. Then, he quietly watched Ye Zhao, his face betraying no further change in emotion.
"Wait, Ye Zhao. You say it is Duke Mingde?"
The Wei Emperor intended to intervene, his questioning tone clearly indicating he didn't quite believe Ye Zhao’s words.
Pei Shian turned to look at Xie Mingyuan, then at Ye Zhao. "Why Mingyuan?"
He didn't directly refute Ye Zhao but instead asked for a reason. However, judging by how he addressed him, he clearly found Ye Zhao’s claim hard to believe as well.
Wei Xiyang spoke up directly, "I think you've lost your mind!"
In the entire tent, no one was willing to believe Ye Zhao.
Amidst the clamor, Ye Zhao raised his voice slightly, pointing the finger straight at Xie Mingyuan. "Tell me, why do you want to kill me, Xie Mingyuan?"
"You didn't want to see me return, did you?"
Ye Zhao spoke with a smile, his tone as familiar as if he were speaking to a friend, addressing him directly by name. It was as if... as if they truly had known each other for a very long time.
As if Tianshu had truly remembered...
The others were momentarily dazed.
Ye Zhao took a slight step toward Xie Mingyuan. "From the previous case of the fake mother, to the official salt matter brought to light because of Jiang Ziqiu, and now this arson and ambush at West Mountain—the schemes are interlinked. It isn't hard to see that the person hidden behind the scenes must have a deep understanding of me. In other words, they were one of the people by my side back then."
"And among those present, it just so happens to be you who possesses the intelligence to lay such a trap. You know my style of operation intimately; you could predict every step I took in advance."
This time, Ye Zhao did not hand the saber over. Instead, he held it himself, slowly raising the tip until it pointed across the air at Xie Mingyuan’s throat.
After his initial shock, Xie Yusong had also regained his composure, his voice still carrying a trace of astonishment. "Ye Zhao, do not make wild guesses."
The accused party remained standing motionless, his gaze neither dodging nor flinching, looking at Ye Zhao with continued calm.
"The various arrangements for the hunting grounds were entrusted entirely to your responsibility, were they not? Why was Huhante assassinated in his own tent? How did the killer enter the camp? Or perhaps, was he part of the entourage from the start?"
"And you? Duke Mingde was completely unaware of all this? I find that very hard to believe. When news arrived that I was in danger at West Mountain, you were among those who left the camp. Why?"
Ye Zhao analyzed slowly, his gaze growing colder. "You didn't go out because you were worried about my safety. It was because you heard from Jiang Ziqiu that I had sent Pei Yunting out with men. This made you realize immediately that the plan had changed, and you wanted to notify your people to retreat. But it was too late; they were still cornered by us on the mountain."
"But what you also didn't expect was that I deliberately let Jiang Ziqiu leak that information just to lure you out. Though, in truth, even if I hadn't done that, as long as I went to West Mountain and entered your death trap, you would have found a suitable reason to go to the scene and see it with your own eyes."
"Because, if I do not die, the one who dies must be you."
This was Ye Zhao’s plan. He was certain that the person hidden behind the scenes would want to personally witness the place where he met his end.
Ye Zhao had utilized this psychological trait to narrow down the identity of the culprit, making the investigation much easier.
After the final sentence, the surroundings fell into an involuntary silence.
"Just like this very moment."
"I am your greatest rival. Am I right, Duke Mingde?" Ye Zhao stared intently at the man before him, his voice dropping heavily at the end, striking deep into the hearts of those listening.
In his hand, the small booklet from Jiang Ziqiu slowly unrolled, the long strip of paper trailing down to the floor, covered in dense, small characters.
With a quick glance, one could see it was a record of every movement in and out of the camp by all personnel since the start of the autumn hunt.
Ye Zhao smiled and continued, "Coincidentally, shortly after I left the camp, you also went out once. What did you go to do?"
Following Ye Zhao’s question, amidst the silence, only Xie Mingyuan’s unhurried voice could be heard.
"I went for a walk by the stream. The reason should be clearly recorded there."
His voice was very calm, showing no signs of panic despite Ye Zhao’s accusation. He glanced at the booklet in Ye Zhao’s other hand, then calmly looked back.
Ye Zhao naturally knew what he had done and said knowingly, "Yes, you only stayed for half a quarter-hour before returning to camp. But do you know that the stream connects to West Mountain? If one wanted to use the water to pass a message to those in the forest, it would be effortless."
The atmosphere in the tent grew even quieter. The few people brought in for questioning didn't even dare to breathe loudly, fearing the fire would spread to them.
"So that's how it is."
After hearing Ye Zhao’s explanation about the stream, a look of realization appeared in Xie Mingyuan’s eyes, as if he were learning this for the first time.
He said thoughtfully, "You are right. I indeed could have used the stream to pass messages. But if I say I did nothing, I suspect you wouldn't believe me anyway."
Ye Zhao tilted his head slightly. He didn't deny it; instead, he gave an interested smile.
"If someone plots to kill me, they would surely want to admire my burial ground and see my corpse with their own eyes. That would bring them an incomparable joy from the bottom of their heart."
This time, Xie Mingyuan did not reply; he only looked at him.
Ye Zhao didn't speak either.
Perhaps that statement didn't require a response. Ye Zhao merely gave Xie Mingyuan a deep look before turning toward the outside of the tent.
"Bring in the dying man."
***
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