The three individuals were completely drained of energy.

Could it be... true...

Old Master Song and Old Master Rong almost simultaneously looked at Old Master Lian, as if seeking advice.

But even Old Master Lian didn’t know what to do at this moment.

The subconscious in his mind told him: it is very likely to be true!

After all, under the heavens, few would dare impersonate the Emperor!

Moreover, this person could truly cloak the skies with one hand, not letting even a hint of news escape.

All the imperial envoys he had seen over the years did not have this ability.

So it was highly possible that he was indeed the Emperor, the Emperor disguised among the commoners on an incognito visit!

But.

His subjective consciousness was still unwilling to believe.

If believed, this family would be finished!

All the efforts they had previously made would be ruined.

But now... refusing to believe, it seemed the family couldn’t be saved either!

"Confess! I confess! I beg your lordship for mercy!"

Old Master Rong, seeing Old Master Lian silent for a long time, couldn’t bear it and confessed first.

House raiding, execution of nine clans!

He didn’t mind dying himself, but how innocent were his family?

His son, his young grandson must also die? His wife forced to serve as a courtesan?

No! Absolutely not!

Either way meant death, so it’s better to confess first, might as well strive for a glimmer of hope for them!

Old Master Song, seeing Old Master Rong had confessed, couldn’t hold out and confessed too.

He was more direct, immediately shouting long live!

"Long live the Emperor!!"

"I am confessing, begging the Emperor to grant mercy outside the law and spare my family’s lives!"

Facing the two kneeling and kowtowing.

Zhao Junyao’s expression finally softened a bit.

"If you confess, I shall spare your lives, how about exile to the frontier?" Zhao Junyao raised his eyebrows.

Old Master Rong and Old Master Song hurriedly nodded.

"Yes, yes, yes!"

"Thank you, Emperor, for your mercy!"

"Thank you, Emperor, for your mercy!"

The three of them sang in harmony, leaving Old Master Lian aside.

Seeing the two of them looking like scared foolish slaves.

Old Master Lian closed his eyes in sorrow, sighing in his heart.

’The times have changed! The times have changed!’

’Master, I have tried my best, and die without regret!’

Xia Ruqing saw his expression and didn’t forget to step forward and mock.

"Old Master Lian, there’s a saying... A wise man adapts to the times!"

"And another saying... A true man bends but doesn’t break!"

"Why must you persist in this?"

"It’s just some silver, you don’t bring it in at birth and can’t take it with you at death, why bother?!"

With a jerk, Old Master Lian opened his eyes, spitting viciously at the air.

"Hmph!"

"You castrated man, what right do you have to lecture me!"

"Emperor brat! Even if you truly are the Emperor, I am not afraid of you!"

"Others confess, but I will never confess even if I die!"

"You usurping dog Emperor, what right do you have to claim longevity? Has your heart been covered in lard, or did you eat wolf and dog liver?"

"You and your son are all ungrateful bastards, bastards!"

After cursing to his heart’s content, Old Master Lian suddenly raised his upper body and slammed into the corner of the tiger bench.

With a ’thud’, a wound opened on his temple, blood gushing out.

Zhao Junyao wanted to stop him, but it was too late.

Old Master Lian laughed three times towards the sky.

"Prince, I did right by you!"

After saying this, his body convulsed, spitting blood, fell to the ground and died.

"Brother Lian!"

"Brother Lian!"

Rong and Song both turned their faces simultaneously.

Sadly, they could only watch him gradually die before them, unable to do anything.

Guilt, heartache, sorrow, they wept bitterly.

...

Zhao Junyao was somewhat bewildered. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

"Prince?"

"Who is the prince he referred to?"

Xia Ruqing was also bewildered.

"Sure enough, someone wants to rebel!"

"Yes, so much silver, what else could it be for besides rebellion?"

Fortunately!

Fortunately, it was discovered, otherwise another war would break out, and countless citizens would suffer.

Xia Ruqing looked at Zhao Junyao.

"What should we do now?"

Zhao Junyao raised an eyebrow.

"Continue to interrogate!"

After saying this, he looked at the two on the tiger bench, coldly speaking.

"As long as you confess all account books, the flow of silver, and the master behind you!"

"I promise to keep your entire family safe!"

This condition was too tempting.

The two almost agreed without hesitation.

At this point, what else could they do?

Their own deaths were not regrettable, but what did their families do wrong?

Old Master Rong and Old Master Song exchanged a look.

They confessed all they knew, large or small, comprehensively.

Only... For the master behind, they shook their heads expressing ignorance!

Zhao Junyao’s gaze was cold.

"Ignorant? You dare raise funds without knowing for whom?"

"Playing games with me??"

Old Master Song hurriedly waved his hands.

"No, no, no, Emperor! Even if you give me a hundred and twenty guts, I wouldn’t dare to toy with you!"

"Truth is, I don’t know!"

"My family merely trades in silk and tea leaves, splitting the profits fifty-fifty with the Lian residence!"

"I truly don’t know anything about the Prince!"

"I beg you, Emperor, it was a momentary greed, blinded by lard in my heart!"

"Please, Emperor, punish me!"

Old Master Rong also knew nothing!

Colluding with the Lian Family was merely a scheme to make silver together.

This is why they confessed so easily, while that Old Master Lian refused to confess even at the death’s door.

As it turns out...

The deceased Old Master Lian was the key!

Zhao Junyao knew they weren’t lying.

Immediately, he felt somewhat depressed, feeling like he had hit a dead end.

Old Master Rong, seeing this situation, quickly and proactively provided clues to the Emperor.

"Old Master Lian operated the money shop!"

"Though he is dead, as long as his family lives, traces can be found!"

"Then, wouldn’t where the money went be crystal clear?!"

Xia Ruqing’s eyes brightened.

"Yes!"

"We can check the accounts at the money shop!"

Zhao Junyao nodded, immediately waving his hand.

"Men, seal the money shop, arrest the people and audit the accounts!"

The subordinates promptly and skillfully departed.

Zhao Junyao’s True Dragon King aura pointing the way, and his subordinates with their trained, remarkable demeanor.

Made Old Master Song and Old Master Rong once more internally certain, the person before them was undoubtedly the Emperor.

As businessmen, their judgment was razor-sharp.

Quality, demeanor could still be discerned.

Royal Family and noble aura no one could imitate.

The person before them was undoubtedly one hundred percent the Emperor.

They exchanged glances, grateful individually.

’Fortunately, we confessed!’

’Yes, luckily we confessed, otherwise our family’s lives would be at risk!’

’However...’

They two worried again.

As it turned out, Old Master Lian wasn’t doing this for silver? But for some Prince?

How could they never know?!

If everything Old Master Lian said before his death was true.

Then by cursing the Emperor, wasn’t it rebellion?

Rebellion meant execution of nine clans!

No wonder the Emperor wanted to kill and exile from the start, surely the Emperor had seen something wrong early on.

That rascal, he actually dared to rebel!!