Chapter 1026: Thunderbolt Power

Zu An quickly skimmed the booklet, put it into his pocket, and then left in a hurry.

After he left, Qian Dong returned to report his findings to the young woman: "Miss, that person came to retrieve a box stored here."

If Zu An had been there, he would have been surprised to discover that the person Qian Dong respectfully saluted was none other than Tang Tian'er, the female host he had previously met at the Carefree Pavilion.

Tang Tian'er's delicate brows furrowed. "He stored it here?"

"Probably not. Our storage is unregistered; anyone with a key can retrieve an item," Qian Dong recalled. "I don't think this person has been here before. I'd remember."

"What was in the box?" Tang Tian'er asked curiously.

Qian Dong looked troubled. "Miss, you know our rules here. We never privately inspect items stored by guests. If that were exposed, our century-old reputation would be ruined."

"Then find out who deposited this box here. I want to know why he came looking for it here," Tang Tian'er said, watching the direction where Zu An had disappeared. A hint of worry crossed her brow. "For some reason, I have a bad feeling about this."

"Understood!" Qian Dong quickly withdrew and called his subordinates to begin investigating everything related to the box.

Meanwhile, Zu An hurried back to the official residence and sent for Gao Ying, Pei You, and the others.

The group gravely studied the contents of the booklet.

"Is this real or fake?" Pei You swallowed hard, no longer in the mood to think about Jade Pavilion.

"I'm afraid it's not fake. Every entry is meticulously detailed with times, people, locations, and goods," Gao Ying said heavily.

Zu An sighed. "Who would have thought? We spent all this time investigating, only to find that our supposed ally is the biggest villain."

He couldn't help but feel this way, as the booklet detailed how Prefect Zuo Su colluded with the demon race, smuggling Elemental Stones and other materials strictly prohibited from export by the imperial court.

Initially, they had come to investigate Jian Taiding, considering him the ultimate target. Prefect Zuo Su, who was at odds with Jian Taiding, was instinctively seen by everyone as a loyal court official. They had even considered using his influence against Jian Taiding if necessary.

Now, it turned out Zuo Su was the one with the biggest problem.

"But this isn't right," Zu An frowned. "Shen Zhou went to the capital specifically to report Jian Taiding. How is it that Zuo Su is now the one recorded in this booklet?"

Sang Hong stated solemnly, "Jian Taiding's issue is, at most, a dispute with his brother over the ducal title, which is an internal conflict. But Zuo Su's actions, strictly speaking, constitute colluding with the enemy and treason."

"Compared to Jian Taiding, the priority should be to deal with Zuo Su first."

"Could someone be intentionally misleading us with false information?" Zu An frowned, feeling that something about the whole situation was strange.

"We'll find out if it's true or not by investigating," Sang Hong said, rising. "Gao Ying, Pei You, take your men to apprehend everyone implicated on this list. Control them and interrogate them thoroughly to see if their testimonies match what's in this booklet."

"Ah Zu, you will accompany me to the Prefect's Mansion and apprehend Zuo Su."

Gao Ying, who was nearby, was greatly alarmed. "Lord Sang, you absolutely must not! Zuo Su has operated in Yunzhong Commandery for many years; he has many disciples and former subordinates, and he controls the city gate guards. If we incite a mutiny, the consequences would be unimaginable. In my opinion, it would be better to first investigate the other individuals involved in this booklet. If the facts are confirmed, then it won't be too late to arrest Zuo Su."

The military forces of Yunzhong Commandery are divided into two factions: the Governor-General's Residence commands the field army, responsible for countering invading demon races or quelling rebellions. The Prefect's Mansion, on the other hand, controls the guards at various city gates and the yamen constables, responsible for city defense and daily local law and order.

If a mutiny were accidentally triggered, it would be very difficult for any of them to leave alive.

"No!" Sang Hong shook his head. "If we first investigate other implicated individuals, given Zuo Su's deep roots in Yunzhong Commandery, nothing would escape his notice. If he truly is colluding with the demon race, this would only give him the opportunity to calmly make arrangements and gather forces to oppose us."

"Our current approach is to strike with the force of a thunderbolt. By first apprehending him, the head of the operation, we will paralyze this entire corrupt group, giving them no chance to react. Then we can slowly investigate the evidence. If it turns out he was wrongly accused, we can release him later and explain the situation, and no major harm will be done."

"However, if it's proven that he truly colluded with the demon race, then we would have already controlled him immediately, and even if there's some unrest, it won't escalate into a major crisis."

After hearing his explanation, Gao Ying and the others were convinced. "Lord Sang's considerations are indeed thorough."

Sang Hong and his group then split into several teams, heading toward their respective targets.

Seeing platoons of Imperial Forest Army soldiers mobilizing, the various intelligence agents observing outside knew something significant was happening and rushed back to report to their respective masters. Sang Hong paid them no mind at the moment; such a large-scale operation obviously couldn't be concealed. The priority was simply to see who could act faster.

Not long after, the group arrived at the Prefect's Mansion. Without waiting for the gatekeeper to announce them, they directly led their men inside. Because they were imperial envoys, the guards outside the Prefect's Mansion dared not obstruct them. They could only retreat, watching in bewildered terror as the fierce-looking Imperial Forest Army soldiers advanced.

At that moment, Prefect Zuo Su also rushed out upon hearing the commotion. Seeing the situation around him, his heart sank. Nevertheless, he composed himself and cupped his hands toward Sang Hong. "Lord Sang, what is the meaning of this?"

"You've committed a crime. Come with us," Sang Hong said expressionlessly, gesturing for his subordinates to remove Zuo Su's official hat and apprehend him.

Zuo Su's expression changed. "Lord Sang, why would you say that?"

At this point, many guards also rushed out from around him to protect him. Clearly, after serving as Prefect for so many years, he still had many trusted confidants by his side.

Sang Hong's eyes narrowed. "What, Prefect Zuo, do you intend to resist arrest?"

"I wouldn't dare," the flabby flesh on Zuo Su's face trembled slightly. "But Lord Sang must at least tell me what's going on, correct?"

Sang Hong gave him a deep look and said in a low voice, "Someone has reported that you have been colluding with the demon race and smuggling Elemental Stones and various military supplies for many years."

As soon as he said this, the entire scene erupted in an uproar. This was a crime punishable by the extermination of one's entire family. The surrounding guards all turned to look at Zuo Su, their eyes filled with fear and suspicion.

"Slander! This is outright slander!" Zuo Su's whole body trembled with rage. "Lord Sang, please don't fall for a scoundrel's treacherous scheme."

Sang Hong said indifferently, "I know what I'm doing. I will thoroughly investigate the truth of this matter. I will not wrongly accuse an innocent person, nor will I let a guilty one go. If Prefect Zuo is innocent, I will personally release you afterward and then offer a humble apology. But for now, please come with us, Prefect Zuo."

After speaking, he gave Zu An a meaningful look. Zu An understood and personally led his men forward. If Zuo Su, a dignified prefect, truly resisted, the other guards would be utterly unable to subdue him.

Zu An approached Zuo Su, vigilantly guarding against any desperate move. Although many guards in the Prefect's Mansion had unconsciously lowered their weapons, some trusted confidants still stepped forward, appearing ready to seize Zuo Su at his command.

Zuo Su waved his hand, signaling them not to act rashly. "Very well. I trust Lord Sang's integrity; he is certainly not the kind of person to frame someone. I am willing to go with you and cooperate with your investigation." As he spoke, he removed his official hat.

"Pardon the offense, Prefect Zuo," Zu An said, quickly tapping several of his major acupoints. This prevented the circulation of Zuo Su's vital energy, rendering him no different from an ordinary person at this moment.

"Lord Zu, despite your young age, your cultivation is truly astonishing," Zuo Su said, staring at him in surprise. Although he had given up resistance, he was still a top master. Those with lower cultivation might not even be able to breach his defenses, let alone instantly subdue him.

"You flatter me, Prefect Zuo. It was all thanks to your cooperation," Zu An smiled.

Zuo Su's expression softened slightly. This young man knew how to speak, leaving him some dignity.

Next, Sang Hong brought Zuo Su back to the official residence. At the same time, he also had all other implicated officials and Zuo Su's trusted confidants in the Prefect's Mansion apprehended.

Such a major incident occurring at the Prefect's Mansion quickly spread throughout Yunzhong City.

At the Governor-General's Residence, the officials were frantic, like ants on a hot pan.

"Governor-General, if Sang Hong dared to directly arrest Zuo Su today, wouldn't he dare to come and arrest you directly as well?"

Jian Taiding remained calm, took a sip of tea, and then said indifferently, "He doesn't have the guts. Gentlemen, there's no need to worry; everything is under control."

At the Yu Clan, a breathtakingly beautiful woman lay partially reclined on a couch. After hearing the intelligence from Xing Nu, she remarked, "This Sang Hong truly is inactive until he moves, and then he strikes with the force of a thunderbolt."

Xing Nu asked worriedly, "Should we prepare some defenses in advance?"

Yu Yanluo shook her head. "We will observe and await developments."

In the hidden courtyard of Prince Qi's heir, Han Fengqiu reported all that had happened. Zhao Zhi chuckled lightly. "This Sang Hong is quite bold, unafraid of inciting a mutiny. Keep a close watch; see if he needs a helping hand when the time comes."

Inside the Zhenyuan Merchant Guild, Qian Dong and several other managers met with Tang Tian'er in a secret room. "Miss, could this incident be aimed at us?"