......

Although she spoke sweet words and genuinely felt grateful to Ning Xiaofan for saving her life, the emotional foundation between them was ultimately not deep enough.

Lu Ding had arrived too early.

Under Xing Xing's methods, Shi Tangxue finally confessed.

However, even having reached this point, she still hadn't forgotten her identity as the Yellow Heaven Sect Holy Maiden. She had a bit of professional integrity; even in death, she wanted to drag a member of the Great Jing royal family down with her.

"Although it was Ning Xiaofan... who... who told me... it was An Xuancheng behind him giving the orders......"

"I've already told you everything, why are you still torturing me? Kill me, kill me!!!!!!!!!!"

Lu Ding raised his hand.

Xing Xing removed his headphones: "Apologies, I was too focused."

The pain ceased. Gasping for breath, Shi Tangxue hung her head, struggling to lift her eyelids to look at Xing Xing, her defenses shattered as she cursed: "You... you... beast... son of a... bitch... bastard... motherfucker..."

Fu Xinghe paused the recording.

Holding the documents, he walked up to Shi Tangxue and read out the formal procedure.

"Suspect Shi Tangxue, female, Holy Maiden of the Yellow Heaven Sect's Great Jing branch, cultivation at the late stage of the Fourth Restriction, age twenty-five. Is the above information correct?"

Seeing Shi Tangxue didn't respond immediately, Xing Xing made a move as if to put his headphones back on.

Seeing this, Shi Tangxue gathered her breath and screamed: "Correct, correct!!!!!!!!!!"

"Get him away from me!!!!!!!!!!"

Fu Xinghe pushed his glasses up with his middle finger and flipped a page on the documents in his hand.

"Suspect Shi Tangxue, can you guarantee the authenticity of your confession and bear the legal responsibility of the Great Han for it?"

Shi Tangxue felt helpless. Just kill me already, why so much nonsense? What good is my guarantee? What does bearing responsibility matter? Could they kill me, then resurrect me just to kill me again?

But she didn't dare say that.

She could only nod: "I guarantee it. I bear the responsibility."

Fu Xinghe presented the documents: "Please affix your fingerprint."

Shi Tangxue: .......

She looked at her hands, bound to the torture stake.

Fu Xinghe took a step forward.

With great difficulty, Shi Tangxue moved her fingers and pressed her thumbprint onto the paper.

Fu Xinghe retrieved the documents, checked them, then placed them before Lu Ding: "Brother Lu."

Lu Ding glanced over them: "The court officials want to cause trouble, the princes and nobles also want to join the fun........"

He raised his eyes to look at Shi Tangxue: "Walk a little slower. Wait for them. They'll be here soon."

The Way of the Jinche flew forth.

Shi Tangxue's head separated from her body.

She had already prepared herself for death. After all, the emotions were in place, the torture had been endured enough, and death felt like a release.

But now, as her consciousness truly began to blur, her vision gradually darkened, she felt her body growing cold, sinking into the nothingness of death...

That's when she began to regret her recklessness.

So, she wasn't as unafraid of death as she had imagined.

She actually didn't want to die.

Why was this man's hand so decisive...

Couldn't he see my excellence?...

Why couldn't he treat me like Ning Xiaofan did?

He was so much more outstanding than Ning Xiaofan. If he had treated me like Ning Xiaofan did, I would have fallen for him too....... 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

A tear slid from the corner of her eye—this was Shi Tangxue's regret.

She wanted to live.......

If she had known this would be the consequence, she would have even been willing to offer her body to Lu Ding.

A pity.

It was too late.

Lu Ding wouldn't have wanted her anyway.

Those cut by the Way of the Jinche could not be saved, not even by the Jade Emperor himself.

Unless the injury wasn't fatal, then there might be a sliver of a chance.

Fu Xinghe recited the words to be recorded into the bodycam footage for the act of executing first and reporting later: "Criminal Shi Tangxue, having seriously violated the crime of endangering public security, after judgment, is hereby sentenced to death, to be carried out immediately."

After reading, the corpse along with the documents were sealed away.

This was the Holy Maiden of the Yellow Heaven Sect's Great Jing branch—a merit!!!

Having witnessed the entire process firsthand, An Ning only spoke up with confusion after it was over: "Grand Duke Lu, why not spare her life temporarily to interrogate her further about the location of the Yellow Heaven Sect's Great Jing branch and the identities of other sect members?"

"Wouldn't it be better to wipe them all out in one go then?"

Facing this question, Fu Xinghe pushed his glasses up, a slight smile curling at the corner of his mouth as he answered: "First, no interrogation means no hassle. If we interrogate and get answers, it would automatically trigger the 749 Bureau regulation that investigators encountering cult members abroad must eradicate them completely. That would waste time meant for heading directly to the Royal Capital, using it instead to clean up the Great Jing branch of the Yellow Heaven Sect."

"Second, this is Great Jing, not Great Han. Even though we plan to support the Filial Prince's ascension later, the complex national environment isn't something that can be fixed simply by killing off all the disloyal people."

"The turmoil caused would require an even greater price to repair."

"Great Jing cannot yet achieve the level of citizen cooperation and official execution efficiency that Great Han has, where orders from above are strictly followed below."

"To put it simply, in the future, Great Jing will be the Filial Prince's Great Jing, but it won't be the Filial Prince's Great Jing alone."

"Eradicating the Yellow Heaven Sect would benefit the Filial Prince, but others would benefit even more. If they find themselves with free time after internal threats are eliminated first, they will inevitably turn their ambitions outward, coinciding with the timing of Great Han's diplomatic mission."

"Once Great Jing's internal troubles are settled, their spearheads will point directly at Great Han, which is currently in the spotlight. That would only create trouble for Great Han."

"Therefore, a comprehensive evaluation suggests that not eliminating the Yellow Heaven Sect within Great Jing is more advantageous than eliminating it. Although Great Han prohibits all cults, the overall situation in Great Jing currently also makes it an enemy of Great Han. The enemy of your enemy isn't necessarily your enemy."

The art of controlling and managing subordinates lies within this.

Even if the Yellow Heaven Sect must be eliminated later, that will be An Wuyang's task. It will be one of the political achievements he can accomplish after taking the throne.

Lu Ding was very satisfied with Fu Xinghe's explanation.

He was practically the worm in Lu Ding's belly.

Lu Ding immediately said: "You're the one who understands me."

Fu Xinghe smiled: "I can only glimpse one or two out of ten of Brother Lu's thoughts."

"Brother Lu only needs to act, while I can only rely on guesswork."

An Ning glanced at Fu Xinghe. This was him asserting his sovereignty as Grand Duke Lu's assistant investigator and secretary towards her.

Very well.

I accept your challenge.

Of course, An Ning wasn't the type who couldn't yield.

She was clever. She knew that perhaps Lu Ding wouldn't mind his subordinates being of one mind and having no conflicts.

But from the perspective of a normal leader, having subordinates with overlapping abilities and scopes of work maintain a healthy competitive relationship is the best outcome.

And she, An Ning, never lacked a competitive spirit.

Previously, she hadn't paid much attention to Fu Xinghe, but now, she began to regard this person seriously.

She clapped, *clap clap clap clap clap*......

"Secretary Fu truly lives up to his reputation. An Ning has learned much."

After the praise, she turned to face Lu Ding, bowed, and then tossed out a topic: "I wonder what Grand Duke Lu thinks about the final leg of the journey to Four Dukes Mountain tomorrow?"

Lu Ding thought for a moment. Since Four Dukes Mountain posed the greatest difficulty, he would naturally go all out.

With an absolute posture, crush his way through!!!

Anyway, the display of a great nation's posture had been sufficient. The battle at Shuntian Manor showed they wouldn't yield to force; the battle at Listening Rain Pavilion showed they wouldn't yield to softness. Meanwhile, the outcomes of these two places—one completely annihilated, the other preserved—represented both substance and face.

As the Great Han special envoy, Lu Ding had already done enough.

What came next would be Corpse-Shattering Taishui, Lu Ding!!

"Thoughts? I have no thoughts."

Hearing this, An Ning was just about to offer a strategy to showcase herself and contrast with Fu Xinghe: "An Ning actually has a plan......"

Fu Xinghe smiled. Your mind isn't bad, but you don't understand Brother Lu.

Then they heard Lu Ding speak: "No plans needed. I will transform into a giant, make Great Jing feel fear. Under the press of black clouds, I will stride into the city, uproot Four Dukes Mountain, flatten Hidden Dragon Ridge, overlook the Royal Capital, display my posture, not pausing for a single step, crushing my way through the pass, directly entering the Royal Capital, my voice booming like a great bell. Under the gaze of all, I will set foot in the Filial Prince's Manor, scare that kid An Wuyang awake from his bed, and personally tell him, 'I'm fucking here to see him!!!'"

"At that time, whatever he doesn't want, I'll return for him. Whoever owes him, I'll take it back for him!!!"

.

No extra chapter today. Practiced driving today.