Time Travel: The Foolish Lady is Forced to Become a Female General

Chapter 143 Xia Xia's Interrogation, Yangzhou's Great Purge

"How many troops are there in Yangzhou now?" Looking at the more than 30 officials of Yangzhou prefecture in the hall, Xia Qin first fixed his gaze on Zou Yuan, the military official in charge of military affairs.

"Replying to Mr. Shi," Zou Yuan looked at the others and replied in a serious voice, "There have been many wars in recent years. Before Mr. Shi arrived in Jinghai County, Yangzhou actually controlled only Lujiang and Danyang counties. Danyang County was also repeatedly harassed by Japanese pirates..."

"What I'm asking you is how many troops there are in the state army!" Xia Qin's tone was flat, but his expression was very cold.

Zou Yuan was stunned after being interrupted by Xia Qin, and said hesitantly: "Replying to Mr. Shi, there are 5,000 provincial troops now, and according to Mr. Yuan Shi's previous order, they are all stationed in Lujiang County."

"With five thousand men, why don't you send troops to wipe out the Japanese bandits?" Xia Qin's expression was still cold. "As far as I know, there have only been three thousand anti-Japanese troops on the front line to resist the Japanese bandits. The Japanese bandits are burning, killing, looting and committing all kinds of evil. Why are you hiding behind with the military pay?"

Zou Yuan lowered his head, his voice trembling a little: "This... I am just an official in the state, following the orders of Mr. Shi. As for why you didn't send troops to clear out the rebellion, I really don't know, and I don't dare to ask."

"You can go back to the countryside now," Xia Qin looked at Zou Yuan and didn't ask any more questions. "You can go now."

Zou Yuan looked up at Xia Qin and seemed to relax. Without saying anything more, he bowed and left the hall.

What he didn't know was that he was the luckiest person.

After Zou Yuan left, Xia Qin looked at the remaining people coldly: "Among the thirty-three of you, eleven of you, like Yuan Tan, have colluded with the Japanese. Do you want to come forward and confess, or do you need me to interrogate you again?"

As soon as Xia Qin finished speaking, a middle-aged man in a brown brocade robe immediately stood up to refute: "Mr. Shi, please forgive me for being rude. Mr. Yuan Shi's body is still warm, and he was killed by Japanese pirates. I hope you will be careful with your words."

"The governor is a historian, Miao Si, right." Xia Qin sneered at the forty-year-old thin man with a hooked nose.

"I am an official of Yangzhou Zhizhong Shi Miaosi, and I am honored to meet Mr. Mu Shi!" The man looked at Xia Qin, with a look of dissatisfaction in his eyes. "Mr. Shi asked us to come to Jinghai County yesterday. I guess he has something important to arrange."

"Of course there is something important, but it's not urgent," Xia Qin said quietly, "Brother Huo, bring the person up."

Huo Jinying, who was beside him, walked straight out of the lobby. After a moment, he picked up two men, one in each hand, and threw them directly next to Miao Si.

"Third brother, butler Zhang?" Miao Si's face suddenly turned pale, and he lost his previous calmness. "Mr. Shi, what do you mean? Why did you bring my brother and the butler here?"

"Okay, go ahead and talk." Mo Ye followed them into the lobby without them noticing.

When the younger men saw Mo Ye approaching, they hurriedly shouted, "Replying to Mr. Shi! My elder brother Miao Si did receive a lot of money from Mr. Yuan Shi, and provided food and intelligence to the Japanese pirates. The Japanese pirates also promised not to harass Lujiang County."

His voice was trembling, even a little tearful.

"Miao Wu! What incoherent nonsense are you talking about?!" Miao Si's face became more and more ugly. Although he was shouting loudly, he was obviously lacking in confidence.

"Brother! Tell the truth, you can't drag down the entire family!"

Another elderly man also cried and said, "Yes, Miao Zhizhong, we are all this age now. We don't care about ourselves, but we have to think about our children."

Miao Si looked at Xia Qin fiercely: "Mr. Shi, aren't your methods a bit despicable? You are threatening my family and servants to frame me?"

Seeing that Miao Si was still stubborn, Xia Qin looked sympathetic. Mo Ye had already walked behind him, pressed his jaw directly, and popped a pill into his mouth.

"Who are you? What did you give me to eat?!" Mo Ye's sudden action made Miao Si panic. He reached into his throat hard, trying to get the pill out.

Mo Ye looked down at Miao Si and said softly, "The name of this medicine is Hate Comes Late. After taking it for a while, you will feel like hundreds of ants biting your body, and it will be extremely itchy and painful, but it will not cause any harm to your body. It will only make you tell the truth. After one stick of incense, the effect of the medicine will disappear."

Xia Qin also gave a final warning: "Miao Si, let me give you one last piece of advice. I have already arranged for someone to search your home. There is solid evidence that you were colluding with Yuan Tan in cahoots with the Japanese. If you take the initiative to confess, I will only spare your life. If you are still so stubborn, I will execute your entire clan tomorrow."

However, Miao Si was no longer able to speak properly at this moment. His face turned red, and the next second he was twisting and rolling on the ground, scratching his whole body with his fingers, and instantly his body was covered with blood.

Everyone in the hall watched his twisted body rolling around in the hall, wailing continuously, and some people were so frightened by his painful screams that they broke out in cold sweats.

"I'll confess! I'll confess!" Miao Si cried out in a hoarse voice.

Mo Ye shrugged and said calmly, "Sorry, I forgot to bring the antidote."

"Brother Huo," Xia Qin looked at Huo Jinying, "he has suffered too much."

Huo Jinying understood what he meant, and without saying anything, he turned around and walked out of the hall. When he came back in, he was holding a long knife in his hand.

A knife through the heart.

Then they dragged Miao Si's body out of the lobby. Xia Qin had no other reaction. This purge was inevitable.

The hall fell silent. No one spoke or moved. Xia Qin and Mo Ye could clearly hear the heavy breathing of the former Yangzhou officials in the hall.

"Miao Si, a subordinate of the former governor of Yangzhou, was found guilty of colluding with the Japanese and betraying his country. He has been executed, his property has been confiscated, and his family has been exiled to Lingnan," Xia Qin said with a gloomy face, looking at the trembling officials in the hall, "I advise you to tell the truth, so as not to suffer physical pain. You also have family members waiting outside. Not only you, but also the officials and wealthy businessmen in the state who have violated the law, all of you should tell the truth. The more you tell, the better your fate will be."

"Mr. Shi, I have instructions. I..." A short and fat official with white hair and beard obviously had a mental breakdown.

However, Xia Qin interrupted him and said, "Gongsun Xin, prepare paper and pens for them, separate them, and write slowly. Don't be impatient. I will come back to see you in an hour."

After saying that, Xia Qin walked out of the lobby, and Mo Ye followed immediately.

The two strolled to the river.

"Xia Xia, you are really charming when you are indifferent, just like when you are on the battlefield."

Xia Qin exhaled and looked at Mo Ye in silence: "Who would like their loved one to be like this? You are not feeling well."

"I like you no matter what you look like, but I think you'll be safer like this in this chaotic world, and I'll feel more at ease. When everything settles down, Xia Xia will just need to be delicate."

"Greasy! You can't spit out ivory from a dog's mouth."

"By the way, the Night Spirit Squad has already set off," Mo Ye's eyes immediately became more serious, "After tonight, all the unstable factors in the four northern counties of Yangzhou will be eliminated."

"How many people need to be purged?" Although she didn't want to ask so many details, she couldn't help but ask.

"Four hundred and seventeen people," Mo Ye had long been accustomed to this rhythm, "There are members of the Qin Party and people who have connections with the Japanese. Now is a special period, and we cannot leave any hidden dangers."

"Hmm! Or fake it as an attack by Japanese pirates?"

"You are now the governor of Yangzhou. Times have changed. You cannot allow this kind of thing to happen again in your jurisdiction. This time, the purge will be carried out in a different way. Ye Ling's people will throw them into the sea and pretend that they are fugitives."

"You're good at this kind of thing." Xia Qin curled her lips. As a special forces soldier and Interpol in her previous life, she seemed much kinder in front of her brother Mu Jinyu and Mo Ye.

"By the way, your old acquaintance, the prince of Yuelan Country, has already started to take action."