1:45 AM.

In over an hour, dawn would break, and the Ministry of Justice would beat the drum to convene court, opening the gates for Xu Quan and the citizens of the Imperial Capital to witness the trial.

First to try the prisoner robbery case, second to try the prison siege case.

At this moment, the Ministry of Justice Prison was brightly lit, torches inserted into copper brackets on the walls, illuminating the accumulated moss and grime over the years, stirring waves of heat.

In the innermost Prison Hall, Chen Ji and West Wind were bound side by side on the torture rack, their clothes stripped open from the chest, coarse hemp ropes tied even around their necks.

Qi Zhong stood by the stove, focusing intently on the branding iron slowly turning red, the firelight casting his face into a bright hue.

West Wind turned his head with difficulty, his neck rubbed raw by the ropes, looking at Qi Zhong, "You hold no official position, nor are you a Ministry of Justice officer, yet you dare to lead the interrogation of lords?"

Qi Zhong continued looking down at the branding iron, saying nothing.

A Standard Third Rank Vice Minister of Justice sat behind a desk with eyes closed, pretending not to hear what West Wind was saying, while the Sixth Rank Prison Chief stood respectfully behind him.

In this extensive Ministry of Justice, all tacitly permitted Qi Zhong to lead the interrogation.

West Wind gazed at Qi Zhong, "For interrogating grandpa, what are you waiting for?"

Qi Zhong looked at the stove, "Wait some more, I must first ascertain who you are."

West Wind mocked, "If I said I once led the Jing Dynasty Military Intelligence Department, would you believe me?"

Qi Zhong glanced at him.

At this moment, a young man in gray clothing hurriedly entered the Prison Hall holding a stack of shadow maps, whispered a few words to Qi Zhong, and then quickly left.

Qi Zhong stirred the stove’s coals with the branding iron, "So, it turns out to be Lord West Wind."

West Wind sneered, "Who’s West Wind? Grandpa is damn well the Red Middle."

Qi Zhong shook his head, "Lord West Wind, denial is futile. Three days ago, you followed me into the capital, trying to snatch She Dengke, but were too late. Not only do I know that, but I also know you originally loitered with Jin Zhu in the Imperial Capital, frequently visited Chessboard Street’s Yufu Noodle House, and could devour three bowls of lamb noodle soup at once. Later, you went to Luocheng City, reportedly became the Spy Department’s Chief in Luocheng, befriended an official in Baiyi Lane, and were planning to redeem her."

West Wind gradually withdrew his smile, "The Qi family has been busy, it seems."

Qi Zhong brandished the red-hot branding iron in front of West Wind, "I was orphaned, taken in as an adopted son by the Official, naturally I must repay with dedication."

West Wind looked at the branding iron without changing expression, "You’ve been handling the Qi family’s murky affairs these years, but you’re merely an adoptee, not even considered a bastard; can’t enter the ancestral hall, only hiding in shadows to clean up after Qi Xianzun and Qi Zhenwu. Given the Qi surname and even named ’Zhong’ to remind you daily of being a loyal dog."

"Provocation is useless," Qi Zhong casually raised the branding iron near West Wind’s cheek, "Was it Jin Zhu who sent you to rob the prisoner?"

West Wind felt the heat of the branding iron, it made his skin swell, "I wanted to do it myself, unrelated to others."

Qi Zhong did not rush to use torture, instead he said unhurriedly, "Jin Zhu and Chen Ji are very close, sending people to rob prisoners isn’t unexpected. He’s truly sentimental to Chen Ji, yet sends you all to die."

West Wind remained expressionless, "I said it was my own wish, unrelated to others."

Qi Zhong pressed the branding iron towards West Wind’s chest, but Chen Ji said coldly, "Tomorrow, the Three Judicial Departments will hold a trial with countless citizens watching, intended to convince the masses. If he appears injured during trial, it will be suspected of forced confession by torture; how can the Three Judicial Departments convince the masses?"

Qi Zhong’s hand hovered in mid-air, turning to squint at Chen Ji, "Mr. Chen, tomorrow you will face trial by the Three Judicial Departments, but Lord West Wind may not require it. However, the suffering you endure will not be spared; after the Three Judicial Departments judge execution, there must be a revision, Your Majesty’s approval, three petitions by the Penal Section, then await the execution order three days later. All in all, ten days will pass."

Qi Zhong calmly approached Chen Ji, "What you owe Miss Zhao Ning, tomorrow after the Three Judicial Departments’ trial, I will surely help her seek recompense one by one."

West Wind clicked his tongue in wonder, "Loyal son, heard you’re over thirty without marriage, still lingering over Qi family’s legitimate daughter?"

Qi Zhong pressed the branding iron against West Wind’s abdomen, the sizzling sound rang out, the scent of burnt flesh permeating the Prison Hall.

Once the branding iron was withdrawn, West Wind gasped, "Rest assured, use all the Ministry of Justice’s methods, if you can extract a word, I’ll be yours to raise."

Qi Zhong shook his head, "Lord West Wind and Jin Zhu share a deep bond; Spy Department’s Hai Dongqing is only for those who came from Wunian Mountain; Jin Zhu placing you in Luocheng’s Chief position indeed shows sentiment for you. So I know, in an hour no results can be gained..."

At this moment, Qi Zhong pondered for a long time, then waved to his subordinates, signaling them to take Chen Ji away.

After Chen Ji was taken away, Qi Zhong still felt it improper, and further waved, causing the Vice Minister of Justice and the Prison Chief to also retreat.

When the only ones left in the Prison Hall were West Wind and Qi Zhong, Qi Zhong suddenly shifted the conversation: "To make you confess the identity of Jin Zhu before dawn is nearly impossible, but I have a good proposal. I wonder if you’re willing to listen?"

West Wind’s eyes moved.

Qi Zhong returned to the stove, stirring the coals with a poker. The sparks from the stove shot up into the sky, illuminating his face suddenly: "I know you’re devoted to Jin Zhu, and Jin Zhu is devoted to the Poison Minister Xu Wenhe. I can spare Jin Zhu, but you need to exchange someone else’s life for his."

West Wind gasped, "Whose life?"

Qi Zhong tossed the poker into the stove and turned to look West Wind straight in the eyes: "Wu Xiu’s life. The Poison Minister and Wu Xiu have always been at odds. Now, with Wu Xiu using the Han Tong incident to force out the Poison Minister, I imagine none of you are pleased. I’ve heard that ever since Wu Xiu became the Chief Director of the Rites, only three of the Twelve Signs are willing to go to the Eagle House Office to clock in on time, am I right?"

West Wind was puzzled: "What do you want?"

Qi Zhong stood firmly in front of West Wind: "You just need to admit that today’s jailbreak was orchestrated by Wu Xiu, sign and seal the confession, and then testify in the Ministry of Justice’s court tomorrow. That’s it."

West Wind was momentarily stunned by this, realizing Qi Zhong knew he couldn’t pry open his mouth in one watch, so he turned his focus to Wu Xiu.

The Qi family toppling a single Jin Zhu is meaningless, but if the Qi family can topple the Chief Eunuch of the Ritual Supervision at such a critical time, the world will still follow Wenxin.

West Wind frowned: "If Ruomengji takes over the interrogation, the whole truth will come to light."

Qi Zhong shook his head: "Ruomengji was already exhausted after interrogating Han Tong, and two civil servants risked their lives interrupting him. As far as I know, he won’t be able to use the ’Sweet Dream God’ method for half a year."

West Wind remained silent.

"Confessing Wu Xiu will complete your loyalty to Jin Zhu," Qi Zhong took a step closer, locked eyes with West Wind, and whispered, "Moreover, the Ministry of Justice can say that the ambush yesterday was due to your advance tip. After it’s done, the Qi family promises you a post as an Assistant Governor in a border town in Yunzhou, where the heavens are high, and the emperor is far. With several thousand troops in hand, you’ll be like a local lord."

After a long silence, West Wind skeptically asked: "Is Ruomengji really unable to use the Official Gateway method?"

Qi Zhong, with calm composure, replied: "Even if he is unharmed, as long as the trial is in my Ministry of Justice’s court, I have a way to break his Sweet Dream God."

West Wind pondered: "I need to think about it."

Qi Zhong walked behind the public case and sat down, closing his eyes: "Then you better think fast. I’m only waiting until the third quarter of the watch."

Time passed slowly, leaving only the sound of West Wind’s breathing in the Prison Hall.

It wasn’t until someone came to remind them it was now the third watch that West Wind finally spoke: "To frame Wu Xiu, there must at least be a pretext. Otherwise, why would he direct me to break in? Everyone in the Ritual Supervision knows about his old grudge with Chen Ji. Saying he’s trying to save Chen Ji, who would believe it?"

Qi Zhong opened his eyes: "Lord West Wind, you were not breaking in. You were ordered to silence Chen Ji."

West Wind, calm and composed, said: "Silence him? Why silence Chen Ji?"

Qi Zhong coolly replied: "The Jing Dynasty spy Lin Chaoqing was promoted by Wu Xiu himself. You can say Wu Xiu was colluding with the Jing Dynasty spies Lin Chaoqing and Lin Chaojing brothers. Lin Chaojing was once captured alive by Chen Ji, Wu Xiu suspected Chen Ji might have evidence of his collusion with Jing Dynasty, and worried the evidence might fall into my Qi family’s hands, so he incited you to take the risk."

West Wind remained silent for a moment: "Wu Xiu is currently favored."

Qi Zhong stood up from behind the public case: "You just need to sign and seal. As for how to drag Wu Xiu into the Ministry of Justice’s court, that’s for my Qi family to handle. Once he stands in the court, there’s no way he can leave unscathed."

West Wind considered again and again: "Can you really give me the post as Assistant Governor?"

Qi Zhong, expressionless, replied: "That’s easy. Toppling Wu Xiu benefits both the Poison minister and my Qi family. No one will come after you for this later."

West Wind gritted his teeth, "Fine."

Qi Zhong’s brows relaxed, he walked out of the Prison Hall and instructed the Prison Chief: "Prepare the confession for him to sign and seal, and tomorrow, bring him to the Ministry of Justice’s court for trial."

With that, he called in a Qi family servant: "Take the confession to the old Imperial Censor and tell him the time has come."

Suddenly, West Wind called out, "Wait."

Qi Zhong turned back at the Prison Hall’s entrance: "Yes?"

West Wind asked, "What about Chen Ji?"

Qi Zhong sneered: "Lord West Wind, in this world, if one doesn’t work for his own interest, the heavens will punish and the earth will extinguish him. You just make sure you survive, don’t worry about others."

West Wind bowed his head, hesitating for a long time: "Understood."