The Imperial College's

Eps. 32: Wingless Phoenix

Huang Yunxi and Yuwen Yue returned from the forest in the afternoon. Exactly an hour after Yuwen Yue had revealed Huang Yunxi's identity, Tianqi and the Yindai Pavilion troops arrived at the place. They then engaged in a small fight until Yuwen Yue's side won. The men were arrested and taken to Yindai Pavilion for questioning.

Although the authority of the investigation of a case like this was not in the Yindai Pavilion, but Yuwen Yue specifically sent a secret request letter to Emperor Huang Yun Yi for the investigation to continue in the Yindai Pavilion. This is not without reason, but because this smuggling case has something to do with the case of the attempted murder of a Princess Xiyue.

“First Young Master plus Princess Xiyue, absolutely the perfect combination!” yuwen Rong. His words were more like insinuations.

“Your praise is ugly,” overwrite Huang Yunxi, making Yuwen Rong frown.

They were gathered in Yuwen Rong's study room to discuss ways to get the interrogation fast and the information accurate. In the Yindai Pavilion there are many types of torture devices that aim to make the perpetrators confess. However, in order to interrogate those workers, these tools of torture seemed to be less suitable.

Yuwen Yue also felt the same way. The cruel tools of torture do not seem good enough. Moreover, here Huang Yunxi also insisted on wanting to witness the interrogation process.

If the girl saw the process, it was likely that she would be frightened even though Yuwen Yue was not entirely sure. They had to figure out a way for the workers to confess without having to physically hurt them first.

“Teacher, I have a way!”

Huang Yunxi asked Yuwen Rong to send some people to investigate the family background of the workers. Physical torture will not work, so only if the Yindai Pavilion ‘ side threatens their’ with family, although a little nasty but guaranteed to succeed.

They are the workers who risk their lives to support the family, so when the family they fight for is threatened they will certainly not be silenced.

Ideas put out by the girl can also be. Several officers of the Yindai Pavilion were ordered to go through the city, looking for information on the dwellings and families of workers who cut down trees in the teak forest.

Some of the townspeople who were asked partially answered did not know, but a bright spot was later discovered when a half-old man told the workers' residence on the edge of town. The old man is a former worker as well, who had retired two years ago because his spine was unable to withstand the weight of the wood and swung the cutting tool again.

Officers found the workers' homes and families. The people there said they had no idea that their family members had contributed to the smuggling of the Emperor's precious teakwood. Their families only knew that some of the men in the residence worked to make money as ordinary loggers.

On the instructions from Huang Yunxi given before leaving, the families of the workers agreed to cooperate. They agreed to pretend and make a show so that their men held in the prison of Yindai Pavilion would speak carefully. In other words, the families agreed to be made prisoners.

They got on the horse-drawn carriage. Arriving at the Yindai Pavilion, several families who climbed into the carriage then descended, following the path until they arrived in front of Yuwen Yue and Yuwen Rong. They frowned when they saw that there was a woman in Yindai Pavilion. One of them asked,

“Who is this woman?”

Yuwen Yue calmly replied,

“She's Princess Xiyue.”

They were then about to kowtow but were prevented by Huang Yunxi. Their hearts trembled in disbelief that they could meet directly with the Emperor's esteemed and extremely famous single daughter.

It is more unexpected that Princess Xiyue jumped directly to win the smuggling case carried out by Liu Yang by hiring their family members.

“Build. I want you to cooperate with me,” Huang Yunxi said confidently.

“What can we do, Your Majesty?”

Huang Yunxi without further ado directly gave instructions. They only had to come to jail when the interrogation began and say they were under threat. That way, the workers inevitably have to say everything, honestly and truly.

In the prison of Yindai Pavilion, the workers were tied up on a board. Their legs were left free while their hands and necks were wrapped around the rope. There were some bloody lashes on their clothes.

Huang Yunxi was furious at the sight. Before this, he and Yuwen Yue or Yuwen Rong had never instructed whipping or anything. His eyes flushed red, making the officers who were there move away in fear.

“Who told you to hurt them?” ask her in a high tone.

The officers looked at each other and accused each other. They were afraid, afraid of the anger of a Princess Xiyue. None of them dared to answer. Stupid officer! How could the Yindai Pavilion hire people like this?

“Don't I tell you you can't hurt them? Don't you have ears?”

“Ampun, Mr. Princess, pardon.”

Yuwen Yue tried to temper the anger of his future wife. The atmosphere was so tense with a terrifying and horrifying sight. Can not be continued and there will be no results if the woman's uterus continues to be angry like without end. The young man pulled the tip of Huang Yunxi's clothes, then hinted at her to calm down.

The workers who saw their family members coming immediately became panicked. Unexpectedly, the Yindai Pavilion dared to go this far. They thought that all this time the Yindai Pavilion was the cleanest institution that would not involve innocent people into the center of chaos.

In fact, everything is the same.

“Do not touch my family! This has absolutely nothing to do with them!” shouted one of the injured workers in the shoulder. The rancid smell of blood mixed with the musty smell of moisture caused by the friction of air in this prison.

“My husband, say it honestly! This official says we'll be free if you tell us the truth!”

“Do not believe them! They can only oppress us who are weak! Without power, can we live well?”

“Think about. Honest people always get justice. Husband, tell me what really happened!”

Huang Yunxi walked in front of the captive workers. He took one look at the faces one by one, pecking them in the memory of his boundless brain. He only realized that the faces in front of him were different from the natives of the capital. Huang Yunxi matched the facial features of these workers with those of Mongolians who were considered to be foreign.

“You are not a native of Dong Hua!” then, surprised everyone who was there.

The face of one of the captive workers flushed. How did the girl know they were a foreign nation?

“What Liu Yang hid you?”

Yuwen Yue and Yuwen Rong were still in a shocked atmosphere. As far as they are concerned, foreigners such as the Mongols and the Hu are the eternal enemies of Dong Hua. These people come to the enemy's place and even help criminals smuggle goods, the guts are really big!

“If my father finds out, you won't survive. Ministers will also not release you,” Huang Yunxi said. There was a tone of pity and disrespect contained within those words.

“Mr Princess, what should we do?” ask a woman, the worker's wife.

“I just want your husbands to be honest. Maybe, I can release you guys.”

“My husband, quickly say honestly!”

The bonded workers thought for a moment. They are clearly worried. If they were to tell the truth, they could be killed because their great master would not spare their lives. If they remain silent, they will probably be punished according to the punishment of Dong Hua state and their entire family will be involved. Going forward or retreating feels equally dangerous.

“Will Mr Princess keep her promise?”

“Of course. I'm not a loser woman who likes to break promises. You just say it, then you and your family will live fine.”

After a long period of consideration, the workers finally confessed. They were refugees from the northern regions who happened to live in the capital. They came four years ago.

As they searched for work, they had accidentally offended Liu Yang's subordinates and were caught. They were then employed as loggers on high salaries, but on the condition that they should not tell anyone about the work.

Four years of living in darkness, their hearts certainly never felt safe. They remained wary, afraid that someday Liu Yang would break his promise, harm them and bring their families into disaster. That's why they keep quiet. That makes everything look normal.

In addition to being threatened, these workers must also risk their lives so that their loved ones remain protected. These people knew very well that if one day everything was revealed, their lives would not be saved. These workers simply did not expect that the time would come so soon.

From the story, Huang Yunxi and Yuwen Yue learned of the location of the logging notebook and the sale of smuggled teak wood. The book was stored in the basement of the worker's headquarters in the teak forest there. Only their foremen know the key and know the access to the basement.

“Third Young Master, please prepare a horse carriage. Let them out of the capital safely.”

“Mr Princess, you're really going to let them go?”

“Yes. Didn't I tell you that I won't break my promise?”

“But, what if His Majesty the Emperor knows?”

“That's my business. Now, let them go. Make sure they get out of town safely.”

The rope ties of the workers were removed. Instantly they and their families instantly kowtowed before Huang Yunxi. Really, there was no suggestion that the girl who had caught them would actually keep her promise. His firm yet graceful figure turned out to have high integrity.

“Thank you, Mr. Princess.”

The workers and their families were led out through the back door of Yindai Pavilion. There, several horse carriages were prepared complete with the coachman and his guards. The workers and families were told to board, then the train began to walk down a secret passageway. The workers are unceasingly grateful.

Their hands touched a piece of cloth under the chair. The workers took it, opened it, and were surprised not to play. The contents of the cloth was an enormous amount of silver. In addition to the cloth package, at the bottom of the chair there are also several layers of clothing stored in the crate.

After releasing the workers and their families, Yuwen Yue, Yuwen Rong and Huang Yunxi returned to the main hall of Yindai Pavilion. The girl's face was tangled like an unspun thread. It's already night time. The candles are lit here and there. The guards of Pavilun Yindai had just changed shifts.

“Why does your face look dissatisfied?’ asked Yuwen Yue.

The girl was not ready to answer. He took a sip of the aroma of the tea, then placed it back onto the table.

“It's okay.”

Yuwen Yue could not believe the girl's words. I don't know why, he had a bad feeling.

...***...

...Well, does anyone know why Yunxi's face is tangled? What's gonna happen? Be patient, the plot will be revealed. Oh yes, the Author wants to tell you that this Yunxi & Yue story will not be too long like Anlan & Jiman. The author also works on another story. So, the author of the business after this one is finished, there will be a new story that you can read. So, stay tuned, see you in the next episode! ...