Chapter 129: I, Li Yuanjing, Hereby Swear an Oath to the Heavens!

"Haha! The 'River-Crossing Dragon' Zhao Baitiao is dead! This head is mine, it’s mine, hahahaha!!"

"This head belongs to me! Whoever the hell dares to snatch it from me, I’ll kill him!!!"

"Second brother, come help me with this one..."

Before long, with the fall of the Boshan Gang’s seventh-in-command, the "River-Crossing Dragon" Zhao Baitiao, the entire battlefield entered garbage time—though it was also the most brutal and bloody time for slaughter.

The imperial soldiers kept hacking away at the bandits while frantically cutting off their heads. Some even came to blows with their own comrades over a single head.

Li Yuanjing was left utterly speechless at this sight.

With an army like this, how could one ever expect them to stand against the rampaging Tatars from beyond the pass?

However, Li Yuanjing had already ordered his cavalry to relay the message, sealing off every intersection in the vicinity so that not a single whisper of what had happened here could leak out. With the overall situation settled, no matter how ugly the scene, order was finally maintained.

Soon, hundreds of corpses lay outside the middle gate of the Liu residence, and the thick, pungent scent of blood seemed to pierce the heavens.

Seeing that the situation was finally under control, Li Yuanjing shouted, "Charge in! Quickly, go see how Master Liu Yun is doing!"

"Yes!"

Zhuzi, Kuizi, and the others took the lead, rushing frantically into the middle gate. A moment later, the surrounding imperial soldiers finally snapped to their senses and followed in a chaotic surge.

Outside, Li Yuanjing closed his eyes in pain, though no one knew what he was contemplating.

Inside, Zhuzi and Kuizi led the charge, heading with clear purpose straight for Liu Yun’s study.

Inside the study, Liu Yun was bound on the floor like a silkworm cocoon, his fingers already a bloody mess. He had clearly had three of his fingers severed. Seeing Zhuzi and Kuizi charge in, Liu Yun, whose mouth was gagged with a rag, felt a sudden, desperate surge of the will to live, and he quickly signaled to them for help.

Zhuzi and Kuizi exchanged a glance, then shouted to those behind them, "You lot, guard the entrance."

"Yes!"

As the study door was secured, Zhuzi and Kuizi exchanged another look. With nearly simultaneous movements, they plunged their blades into Liu Yun’s chest and abdomen. In the blink of an eye, the rag in Liu Yun’s mouth was soaked through with blood. He tried to say something, but couldn't utter a sound.

Then... he died with his eyes wide open, never finding peace.

"We found Master Liu! We found him! Those god-forsaken bastards, Master Liu has already fallen victim to the remnants of the Wenxiang Sect..."

A moment later, Zhuzi cried out in a shrill, mournful voice, and Kuizi wiped away tears repeatedly.

...

Fifteen minutes later, with the situation fully under control, Li Yuanjing accompanied Zhang Zhiji into Liu Yun’s study.

Seeing that Liu Yun had died so miserably, Zhang Zhiji gritted his teeth. "Sir, these god-forsaken remnants of the Wenxiang Sect, they all deserve to die! They all deserve to die!!!"

Li Yuanjing’s eyelid twitched slightly, and he sighed, "Little Duke, at the end of the day, this is our fault. It is because we failed to protect Master Liu. I suggest that we treat Master Liu’s family with the utmost kindness hereafter..."

"Sir’s words are most wise!" Zhang Zhiji nodded heavily. His mood improved, and he looked at Li Yuanjing with a smile. "Sir, with these heads in hand today, I finally have something to report to the Imperial Court! Let us go and organize the firefighting now! However, I shall have to trouble you with the matter of compensating the local commoners afterward..."

"Yes!" Li Yuanjing bowed deeply.

...

Although the remnants of the Wenxiang Sect had set many fires, and thick smoke rose everywhere in the city, making the blazes look fierce, it was the season of melting snow. As a result, the fires only looked intimidating but were not truly dangerous. In less than an hour, they had been largely extinguished by the surrounding soldiers and civilians, and the damage was not significant. Only a few dilapidated old houses had collapsed, leading to a few deaths, but the silver required for reconstruction would not be much.

Seeing the fires under control, Li Yuanjing heaved a sigh of relief. Leaving the firefighting to the soldiers, he hurried over to the Liu residence, where the fire had been extinguished first.

In the courtyard of the Liu residence, Zhang Yuzhu had been stripped of his clothes and gagged with a rag. He lay naked in the mud, his body covered in countless terrifying, blood-red welts. It was clear he had just been subjected to Zhang Zhiji’s brutal interrogation.

Seeing Zhang Yuzhu in this state, Li Yuanjing couldn't help but sigh softly before hurrying over to ask Zhang Zhiji, "Little Duke, how is the situation?"

"This donkey-fucking bastard still won't confess!" Zhang Zhiji roared. "What's even more hateful is that his personal guards don't know a thing! How could my Zhang family produce such a black-hearted traitor!"

Zhang Zhiji had been calming down, but at Li Yuanjing’s question, his rage flared anew. He grabbed his whip and rushed over to Zhang Yuzhu, lashing him repeatedly. The just-revived Zhang Yuzhu looked at Zhang Zhiji with intense, pleading eyes, as if begging for something.

This only enraged Zhang Zhiji further. He kicked Zhang Yuzhu in the face, nearly killing him, and cursed, "You still won't confess?! Fine! Then your wife and daughter can wait to be sent to the Ministry of Rites’ brothel, to be ridden by thousands! And your two sons? They can go repair the Great Wall at Xifeng Pass!"

Zhang Yuzhu’s pupils dilated. It was as if his very soul had been drained away; he went completely numb, his spirit seemingly having left his body.

Li Yuanjing sighed inwardly and quickly signaled to Zhang Zhiji, "Little Duke, please calm your anger. Might you allow me to ask him a few questions?"

Zhang Zhiji, now in silent accord with Li Yuanjing, spat on the ground and said, "Sir, do not plead for this donkey-fucking scoundrel! Today, even if the Heavenly King himself came, I, Zhang Zhiji, would see him punished! My Zhang family does not harbor traitors!"

Li Yuanjing bowed respectfully and knelt down, whispering to Zhang Yuzhu, "General Zhang, you see how things are now. Your life is likely forfeit. But if you are willing to confess truthfully, I, Li Yuanjing, swear to heaven that I will guarantee the safety of your family!"

However, Zhang Yuzhu acted as if he were already dead, closing his eyes and refusing to listen. Li Yuanjing frowned.

The news from the courtyard had not yet been released, and the four gates of Fengcheng County remained firmly under the control of Zhang Zhiji’s men. If Zhang Yuzhu were to confess, there was a high probability of capturing a "big fish" from the Wenxiang Sect. After all, to turn a man of Zhang Yuzhu’s stature, it had to be someone of great importance.

Unfortunately, Li Yuanjing had been busy with the fires and hadn't participated in the initial interrogation. Zhang Zhiji’s rage had already broken Zhang Yuzhu’s spirit.

"You don't believe me?" Li Yuanjing asked, frowning at the man who kept his eyes tightly shut.

Zhang Yuzhu didn't even bother to look at him, treating him as if he were nothing.

"Damn it all..." Li Yuanjing was at a loss. But the sooner he got information, the more likely they were to achieve a result—perhaps even one that could shift the entire balance of power!

Li Yuanjing took a deep breath. "General Zhang, I hear you have two daughters, one thirteen and one eleven. They are just as charming and lovely as their mother, aren't they?"

"Mmph! Mmph! Mmph!!!"

Zhang Yuzhu’s eyes snapped open, glaring at Li Yuanjing like a vengeful spirit, as if he wanted to tear him to pieces!

Seeing his reaction, Li Yuanjing couldn't help but chuckle. As long as the man reacted, he had a way to make him yield.

Li Yuanjing stood up tall. "General Zhang, as long as you confess your crimes truthfully right now..." He pointed a finger at the sky. "I, Li Yuanjing, swear to heaven! I will have the Little Duke take your eldest daughter as a concubine, and I, Li Yuanjing, will take your youngest daughter as a concubine! If I break this oath, may I be cast into the Avici Hell and never be reborn for all eternity!"

"Sir, you..." Zhang Zhiji had heard him clearly and jumped in shock. He never expected Li Yuanjing to make such a decision on his behalf...

But Li Yuanjing shouted, "Little Duke, leave this matter to me! I, Li Yuanjing, am willing to swear this upon the ancestors of the Li family!"

"This..." Zhang Zhiji, who understood Li Yuanjing well, knew that he would never speak without cause. Given the weight of the oath, he kept his mouth shut.

"Mmph, mmmph..."

Seeing that even Zhang Zhiji was stunned, Zhang Yuzhu’s reaction was even more intense. He struggled frantically, as if burning through his final reserves of life.

Li Yuanjing said, "General Zhang, if you’ve decided, nod your head, and I will remove the rag from your mouth! But if you dare to play any tricks! The consequences will be exactly as the Little Duke described!"

Zhang Yuzhu paused. The next moment, tears of blood streamed from his eyes, and he nodded his head violently!