Chapter 107: You Have No Right to Inquire

If Yu Wenshi had mentioned the name Ji Bei two days earlier, Jiang Chen would certainly not have had any particular reaction.

But now he knew that a man named Ji Bei was being held beneath the Shui Pavilion dungeon, and that the Xuan Yan Prefecture’s threat to Yu Wenshi to release him clearly stemmed from incomplete intelligence gathered beforehand.

They must have assumed Ji Bei was simply under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Justice, but in fact, it was the Night Punishment Division that held control.

Shen Xueying had once told Jiang Chen that the prisoners on the dungeon floor where Wang Qiaoling was detained were all managed by the Night Punishment Division, so Ji Bei was certainly among them.

Even if Yu Wenshi complied obediently, his authority was insufficient to free Ji Bei.

Jiang Chen asked Yu Wenshi, “What crime was Ji Bei arrested for?”

“I don’t know either. Perhaps officials with higher authority than me can review the case files, but I simply don’t have that right.”

Yu Wenshi had just survived an assassination attempt by a hair’s breadth; he had no reason to conceal these facts. Jiang Chen only needed to ask Shen Xueying to find out the truth.

The two stayed at the Yu residence for a while before Shen Xueying approached calmly.

“Where are those people from Xuan Yan Prefecture?”

“Half dead, half wounded. They knew you had safely taken Yu Wenshi away, so there was no point in fighting us to the death.”

Shen Xueying’s gaze shifted to Yu Wenshi. Jiang Chen recounted everything he had learned. A subtle change flickered across Shen Xueying’s pale face.

“So why exactly is this Ji Bei imprisoned?”

“I can’t tell you that yet. It’s a top secret of the Night Punishment Division. Not even the Minister of Justice, the highest official in the Ministry, knows more than surface details.”

Jiang Chen and Yu Wenshi exchanged a startled glance. It seemed the secret Ji Bei carried was far more astonishing than they had anticipated.

“However, if you are an insider in the Night Punishment Division, naturally you would have the right to know these internal matters.”

Shen Xueying shifted her tone. Jiang Chen realized this was a subtle hint to join the Night Punishment Division. Whether he accepted the invitation was a decision he could not make yet.

“Enough of that for now. We must interrogate the man I captured immediately. I have to extract the answers I need from him! Such a person won’t cooperate quietly, and might even take his own life.”

“Don’t worry. Lü Santong and the others have already arrived. I guarantee he won’t have the chance to commit suicide.”

Jiang Chen was about to leave when Shen Xueying stepped ahead and asked, “Where are you going?”

“To the dungeon, of course.”

“You seem to have forgotten one thing—you’re not part of the Night Punishment Division, so you have no right to enter the dungeon.”

Jiang Chen’s temper flared. Seeing the expression on Shen Xueying’s face, he immediately understood she intended to cut off his access once he had done the work.

How could this be so cheap? I put in the effort, this is the crucial moment to uncover the truth, and now they deliberately keep me out? Ridiculous!

Noticing Jiang Chen’s displeasure, Shen Xueying quickly added, “If you join the Night Punishment Division, of course I’ll let you pass freely. But not now.”

With that, she strode outside, her graceful silhouette vanishing in an instant.

Jiang Chen suddenly realized this Ji Bei must have touched on the interests of many parties, making him a prisoner who required strict supervision.

The people from Xuan Yan Prefecture had exhausted all means to rescue him, while the Night Punishment Division remained tight-lipped about him. Ji Bei himself had told Jiang Chen he was from Qishan!

No matter what, the secrets he carried piqued Jiang Chen’s interest. If possible, he hoped to meet Ji Bei face to face again.

But after tonight, it seemed unlikely that Shen Xueying would let him in. This matter would have to be considered carefully.

Regardless, Jiang Chen had no intention of rescuing Ji Bei. His arrogant tone still grated on people’s nerves.

“Wait, then... what am I supposed to do?”

Jiang Chen was about to leave when Yu Wenshi suddenly spoke from behind, “Those vicious people will strike at me again at any time. You can’t just ignore me!”

“She’s gone. You’re not seriously talking to me, are you?”

Jiang Chen pointed toward the direction Shen Xueying had left and looked at Yu Wenshi in astonishment.

“Didn’t you just save me once? The people from Xuan Yan Prefecture won’t stop until they achieve their goal. You can’t simply leave me to fend for myself, can you?”

Jiang Chen told Yu Wenshi, “From now on, you should seek help from the Night Punishment Division. If they want to keep control over you, they will naturally ensure your safety. You know I’m not part of the Night Punishment Division—I don’t have the power to help you.”

“Ah...”

Before Yu Wenshi could react, Jiang Chen disappeared mysteriously.

The next day, Jiang Chen met with Han Yuyang to discuss their next move. After analyzing the current situation, they agreed that delaying further would only harm Qishan.

Several waves of ministers in the court had jointly petitioned to disband the Qishan camp, unanimously viewing it as a hidden threat to the entire Great Qian Dynasty.

They reasoned that if a commanding general could be assassinated by his own deputy, it meant he had long since lost control over military power, and the deputy might be secretly colluding with Northern Yan.

To prevent the Qishan cavalry from being exploited by others, the court must decisively eliminate this threat before it ignites into a raging fire.

Though the emperor had previously overridden the majority’s opinion and temporarily shelved the issue, it was clear the entire court wished to eradicate Qishan. The emperor might soon buckle under the pressure and act according to their wishes.

Therefore, Jiang Chen and his allies needed to accelerate their actions. Only by clearing suspicion sooner could they ensure Qishan’s safety.

“Do you trust this Shen Xueying?” Han Yuyang suddenly asked Jiang Chen.

“Not really. We share mutual interests, so we cooperate briefly. At most, we’re just using each other.”

Jiang Chen then asked Han Yuyang, “Do you know this Ji Bei?”

“Never heard of him. As far as I know, there’s no such person, unless he was an unknown nobody in Qishan.”

Duanmu Qing nodded in agreement.

But Jiang Chen felt someone capable of orchestrating such a grand affair wasn’t merely an unknown nobody—perhaps he was using an alias.

Due to Shen Xueying’s trickery, the crucial clues they should have pursued next were now blocked. Jiang Chen decided to take the initiative and strike back, making Shen Xueying regret her actions.