Too many female prisoners, a special forces soldier transmigrates and marries wildly.

Feng Zhen ignored him and turned to Lin Feng: "Lin San, did you examine the prisoners we captured last night closely? Do you recognize them?"

"My lord, the assassin was masked with a black veil, and I did not see his face clearly. However, his fighting style was quite similar to that of the Di Rong assassin who attacked the 'Three Courtyards' earlier, especially his close-quarters combat techniques, which were ruthless and concise, and should be military style, quite consistent with the Di Rong's 'Shadow Hawk' training method," Lin Feng replied.

He did carefully observe the physique and fighting skills of the surviving assassin last night. Although he couldn't be 100% certain, he was about 70-80% sure.

"Military tactics... Di Rong's 'Shadow Hawk'..." Feng Zhen's eyes gleamed as he slowly sat down, tapping his fingers on the table, lost in thought.

The hall fell silent for a moment, with only Zhou Wenyuan's heavy breathing and Lin Feng's steady breathing.

After a long silence, Feng Zhen raised his head, his eyes filled with determination: "Lin San, what you said before—that the Di Rong's 'Shadow Hawks' are lurking in Qingzhou, plotting something far-fetched—combined with Qin Wu's death, the burning of the Qi Prince's 'Mountain Goods' shop, last night's assassination attempt, and Zhou An's suspicious movements, I believe that there are indeed Di Rong spies in Qingzhou colluding with internal traitors within the Great Zhou, plotting something sinister! Their target might truly be the Qi Prince, or perhaps… it's me, this imperial envoy!"

He paused, then his voice suddenly turned stern: "Whoever their target is, daring to act so brazenly in Qingzhou, disregarding the law, I will uproot them and bring them to justice!"

"Zhou Wenyuan!" Feng Zhen shouted.

"Your...your humble servant is here..." Zhou Wenyuan replied weakly.

"I hereby order you to immediately remain in the side courtyard of the prefectural government office to 'reflect on your mistakes.' Without my written order, you are not to leave or contact anyone! All official duties will be temporarily handled by Clerk Wang!"

This is a disguised form of house arrest! Zhou Wenyuan trembled, wanting to argue, but when he met Feng Zhen's cold gaze, he ultimately didn't dare to speak, and said dejectedly, "This subordinate... obeys."

"As for you, Lin San," Feng Zhen said, looking at Lin Feng with a slightly gentler tone.

"While your words have some basis, Liu Neng is dead, Qin Wu was silenced, and the 'mountain goods' of the Qi Prince's mansion were burned, cutting off many leads. I will personally interrogate the person who assassinated you. Until the truth comes to light, you remain a criminal. However, considering your assassination attempt last night and your crucial role as a witness in this case, I grant you temporary release from prison to reside in a side room within the prefectural government office. You will be guarded by officers assigned by Commandant Yang and are not allowed to move around freely, but must be available for summons at any time. Do you have any objections?"

Moving from the main prison to a side room, though still under house arrest, was a world of difference in treatment. This was both protection and a gesture—Feng Zhen was beginning to trust Lin Feng, or rather, beginning to see Lin Feng as a key piece in solving the case.

"This humble subject thanks Your Excellency for your kindness and has no objections," Lin Feng said, bowing.

He knew this was the best outcome for now. At least he was safe for the time being, and under Feng Zhen's "protection," he could wait for news from Hou Qi, wait for the outcome of Yang Xiaowei's capture of Zhou An, and wait for Feng Zhen to pry open the mouth of the surviving assassin.

"Alright." Feng Zhen nodded and said to the guard beside him, "Take Master Lin to the west wing and settle him in properly. Do not neglect him. Increase the number of guards and strengthen the defenses. If any mishap occurs, you will be beheaded!"

"yes!"

Lin Feng was taken away by his personal guards.

Zhou Wenyuan was also "invited" to a side courtyard by two soldiers.

In the second hall, only Feng Zhen remained. He sat alone in the grand chair, gazing at the empty floor below, his eyes sharp as knives, yet also filled with deep weariness and a hint of barely perceptible worry.

"Di Rong's 'Shadow Hawk'... Zhou Wenyuan... the Qi Prince's Mansion... and that batch of 'goods' whose whereabouts are unknown..." Feng Zhen muttered to himself, his fingers unconsciously tapping the table. "The waters of Qingzhou are much deeper and more murky than I imagined."

He picked up a secret report from the desk. It was a report that Wang, the clerk, had secretly presented to him the night before. It contained some background information about Lin San, the owner of "Sanhe Goods Trading Company," as well as clues that Hou Qi had passed on to Wang through the clerk, such as Zhou An's visit to "Qingxin Teahouse" and Qin Wu's meeting with an unknown doctor before his death. At the end of the report, there was also a rubbing of Lin Feng's blood letter.

"This Lin San is no ordinary man. He may seem like a mere merchant, but he is exceptionally skilled and courageous. He seems to know a great deal about the collusion between Di Rong's 'Shadow Hawk' and the mole. Is there another powerful figure behind him? And what is Ye Qingli's background?" Feng Zhen frowned.

Lin Feng's appearance disrupted his plans, but it also gave him a breakthrough.

But is this breakthrough reliable? Is it controllable?

And what role did Prince Qi play in this turmoil, this prince who, though far away in his fiefdom, wielded immense influence over Qingzhou and even the northern border? Was the burning of those "mountain goods" truly an accident, or was it an attempt to destroy evidence? How deeply is Zhou Wenyuan involved in all of this?

"Will Yang Dingbian (Captain Yang) be able to capture Zhou An at Zhoujia'ao? And what will that surviving assassin reveal?" Feng Zhen rubbed his throbbing temples. He knew he had stepped into a massive whirlpool; one wrong move and he would be shattered to pieces. But as an imperial envoy, tasked with representing Heaven, how could he back down when faced with such a treacherous official?

"Issue the order!" Feng Zhen suddenly spoke, his voice echoing in the empty second hall. "From this day forward, martial law will be enforced at all four gates of Qingzhou. No one may enter but no one may leave! A city-wide search will be conducted to apprehend all suspicious individuals, especially those connected to the Di and Rong tribes! The clerk Wang is ordered to review all documents and accounts related to Qingzhou's dealings with the Northern Di in recent years, particularly those involving the Qi Prince's residence and the Zhou Prefect's residence! Furthermore, dispatch a fast horse, traveling 800 li at an urgent pace, to secretly report this situation to the Ministry of War and the Cabinet! Remember, it must be a secret report!"

"Yes!" A voice responded softly from the shadows outside the hall, then quietly withdrew.

Feng Zhen stood up, walked to the window, and opened it.

The morning sunlight streamed in, somewhat dazzling.

Outside the prefectural government office, Qingzhou City remained bustling with activity, as if the bloodshed and chaos of the previous night had never occurred.

But he knew that beneath the calm surface, the undercurrents were already surging to their peak. His orders, like boulders thrown into a deep pool, would surely stir up a monstrous wave within Qingzhou City!

"The storm is coming," Feng Zhen muttered to himself, gazing out the window, his eyes flashing with a resolute and determined light. "I'll see just how much trouble these demons and monsters of Qingzhou can stir up!"

Will Captain Yang, who was sent to capture Zhou An, be able to do so successfully? How many secrets will the captured assassin reveal? What clues will Hou Qi's focus on the "Qingxin Teahouse" and the "mysterious doctor" lead to?

All the contradictions, all the clues, all the conspiracies, were all forcefully pushed to the breaking point by Feng Zhen with thunderous methods at dawn!

The sky over Qingzhou City was covered with dark clouds, and an ultimate storm that would determine the fate of countless people had begun!

Lin Feng, at the center of this storm, will experience the most crucial turning point in his destiny!