Daqin arrests alchemists, what does it matter to me as a qi refiner?

"Zhao Gao, what should we do now?" Hu Hai asked anxiously. "Ying Zheng has found those sorcerers and will soon discover that we are the masterminds behind this!"

Zhao Gao smiled slightly, a sly glint in his eyes: "Your Highness need not worry, this old minister already has a plan."

"Oh? What brilliant plan is it?" Hu Hai asked hastily.

“We can do it this way…” Zhao Gao whispered the plan. Hu Hai’s eyes lit up with joy, and he nodded heavily.

"Alright! Let's proceed according to this plan!"

……

At this moment, in the Xianyang Palace, Ying Zheng was personally interrogating the sorcerer in the imperial prison.

"Speak! Who is instructing you?" Ying Zheng asked coldly.

The sorcerers trembled with fear, but gritted their teeth and remained silent.

Seeing this, Ying Zheng's eyes flashed with a cold light, and he turned to the jailer: "Torture them!"

The jailer obeyed the order and stepped forward to subject the soldier to torture.

A series of mournful cries suddenly echoed in the prison, but the sorcerers gritted their teeth and refused to utter a single word.

Just then, the gray monkey suddenly jumped off Ying Zheng's shoulder, walked to the alchemist, and its small eyes flashed with a playful light.

It stretched out its little paws and patted the sorcerer a few times, then let out a strange cry.

The sorcerers were terrified by the gray monkey's behavior and stared at it in horror.

What happened next terrified them even more!
With a flick of its tiny paw, the gray monkey sent the instruments of torture soaring into the air as if controlled by an invisible force, crashing heavily against the wall!

"what!!"

The sorcerers screamed in terror, their eyes filled with horror and disbelief as they stared at the gray monkey.

This monkey... it actually knows sorcery!?

Ying Zheng was also shocked by the gray monkey's actions, and his gaze toward it was filled with astonishment and joy.

The divine ape is indeed extraordinary!

The gray monkey let out another strange cry, and the sorcerers trembled violently, immediately kneeling and kowtowing repeatedly. "We'll talk! We'll confess everything!"

"It was Prince Huhai who instigated this!"

"He gave us a large sum of money to spread rumors and ruin His Majesty's reputation!"

The sorcerers rushed to confess, fearing that if they spoke too slowly, the gray monkey would cast a spell on them again.

Upon hearing this, a cold glint flashed in Ying Zheng's eyes.

It really was Hu Hai!
He had long suspected that this matter was related to Hu Hai, and now it has indeed been confirmed!
"Somebody come!"

Ying Zheng coldly ordered, "Bring Hu Hai up here!"

"According to the order!"

The soldiers accepted the order and left.

Not long after, Hu Hai was taken to the imperial prison.

When he saw the Taoist priests kneeling all over the ground and the gray monkey standing on Ying Zheng's shoulder, his expression changed drastically.

"Father..."

Hu Hai, feeling guilty, asked, "You still recognize me as your father?"

Ying Zheng interrupted coldly, "Why did you instruct these sorcerers to spread rumors and ruin my reputation?"

Hu Hai's heart tightened, but he feigned innocence: "Father, you are wise! I have never instructed them to spread rumors! This is a frame-up!"

"False accusation?"

Ying Zheng sneered, "Do you think I would believe your story?"

He pointed at the sorcerers: "These people have all confessed that you ordered them to do this! Do you still want to deny it?"

Hu Hai turned pale upon seeing this.

He hadn't expected these sorcerers to confess so quickly!

It's all over now!
Hu Hai's heart sank into despair. He looked around frantically, trying to find a last chance for survival. But when he met Ying Zheng's cold gaze and saw the gray monkey perched on his shoulder, looking at him with a mocking expression, he knew that all was lost.

"Father, I..." Hu Hai opened his mouth to explain, but found himself speechless. Since the sorcerer had already confessed, any attempt at sophistry was futile.

"You unfilial son!" Ying Zheng roared, "I placed high hopes on you, and you have disappointed me so much!"

Hu Hai trembled at the angry shout, looked up at Ying Zheng, his eyes filled with resentment and hatred.

"Father, you only know how to be disappointed in me, have you ever considered my feelings?" Hu Hai suddenly shouted. "Since I was a child, you have ignored me and only have eyes for Fusu. Have you ever had me as your son?"

"Huhai, shut up!" Ying Zheng grew even angrier. "I have never shown favoritism towards you or Fusu. It's your own fault for being so incompetent that you have no one to blame but yourself!"

"Never shown favoritism? Hahaha!" Hu Hai suddenly burst into wild laughter, his laughter filled with sarcasm and self-mockery. "Father, you speak so sweetly, but what is the truth? Look at how you treat Fusu and me now. Do you still dare to say you have shown no favoritism?"

Ying Zheng was so angry that his face turned ashen. He slammed his fist on the table and said, "Outrageous! Everything I have done is for the sake of Qin and the people of the world! As a prince, you do not think of serving your country, but instead complain about heaven and others. What kind of behavior is this!"

Hu Hai's ears rang from the shock. After a moment of silence, he suddenly looked up, a look of madness flashing in his eyes.

"Since Father Emperor says so, I have nothing more to say." Hu Hai sneered. "However, I would like to see if Fusu can do a better job than I can when the Qin Dynasty falls into his hands!"

Having said that, Hu Hai suddenly turned to flee. Just then, the gray monkey leaped from behind him and slapped him on the shoulder with a paw.

Hu Hai felt a tremendous force coming from the monkey's claw, and his whole body instantly froze on the spot, unable to move.

"Ah!!" Hu Hai screamed in terror, struggling desperately but to no avail. The gray monkey's strength was like a mountain, firmly suppressing him.

"Stop, divine ape!" Ying Zheng hurriedly stopped him upon seeing this. Although he was furious at Hu Hai's actions, he was still his own flesh and blood and could not bear to see him die on the spot.

Upon hearing this, a hint of human-like mockery flashed in the gray monkey's small eyes. It glanced at Ying Zheng and released its claws.

Hu Hai suddenly felt a sense of lightness throughout his body, and collapsed to the ground, panting heavily. Just a moment ago, he had truly felt the threat of death.

"Take Huhai away and keep him under strict guard!" Ying Zheng ordered coldly.

Soldiers rushed forward, lifted the limp Hu Hai, and quickly carried him away from the prison. Hu Hai's figure disappeared at the end of the dark corridor, leaving only his terrified screams echoing in the empty cell.

Ying Zheng stood alone, gazing in the direction Hu Hai had gone, his eyes filled with complex emotions. That was his own flesh and blood, on whom he had once placed so much hope, yet now he had fallen so low. His heart was filled with disappointment and sorrow.

The gray monkey leaped onto Ying Zheng's shoulder, its small eyes darting around as if offering comfort. Ying Zheng turned to look at it and sighed softly, "Divine ape, oh divine ape, do you think I've done something wrong?"

Although the gray monkey could not speak, it gently patted Ying Zheng's shoulder with its paw, as if to say, "You are not at fault; the fault lies with this world."

Ying Zheng shook his head with a bitter smile. He understood that right and wrong were often blurred in this world. Perhaps he should have spent more time understanding Hu Hai and teaching him how to become a proper prince. But now it was too late; Hu Hai had gone astray and could not turn back.

"Guards!" Ying Zheng snapped out of his thoughts and coldly ordered, "Execute all these sorcerers! I want the world to know the consequences of spreading rumors and slandering my reputation!"

The soldiers obeyed in unison and escorted the sorcerer away. Ying Zheng stood still, his gaze cold and fixed on the distance. He knew this turmoil was far from over. Although Hu Hai had been captured, the mastermind behind it all had not yet surfaced. He had to uncover the truth and bring the culprits to justice!
The gray monkey seemed to sense Ying Zheng's resolve and anger. It stood upright on his shoulder, as if saying, "Wherever you go, I will follow." Ying Zheng met its gaze, a warm light flashing in his eyes. He understood that in this world filled with intrigue and betrayal, at least this loyal companion remained by his side. (End of Chapter)