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

"It was...it was Young Master Zhou Mao! He asked me through an intermediary to find and train a group of skilled men, saying he was going to do something 'big'! I selected the men from bandits and outlaws who had fled to the north...but I really didn't know it was to assassinate you, Grand Commander! Zhou Mao only said the target was an enemy of the court, and there would be a great reward after it was done..."

"After the defeat, Zhou Mao told me to hide the wounded at the 'Yuelai Inn,' and he would send people to deliver medicine and take care of things... That token was a token given to me by the people of 'Chiyuan,' who said that I could use it to get help in the North or certain places in critical moments... I'm really not familiar with the Third Prince or the Liu family; I'm just nominally there to make a living, and occasionally... occasionally I help them with some shady little things..."

"Who is the middleman? And who are the people from 'Red Abyss'? How do we contact them?" Lin Feng pressed.

"The middleman... is Liu Mang, the vice leader of the Black Tiger Gang! The people from 'Crimson Abyss' are very mysterious; they always wear masks. I only know his code name is 'Grey Falcon.' He always leaves a mark at the agreed-upon location to contact me; I can't reach him on my own..."

Hu Meng spilled everything he knew, including the locations of his several meetings with "Grey Falcon," the methods Zhou Mao used to pay the money, and details of the Black Tiger Gang's assistance in transporting weapons.

Whether the Third Prince was directly involved is unknown, as Hu Meng is not of a high enough level to know.

After interrogating Hu Meng, Lin Feng used the same method to interrogate the "Liu fellow's assistant." But his knowledge was limited to that as well.

After the statement was recorded, the person signed it.

"Separate them and keep them in secret, under strict guard. No one is allowed to approach them without my order," Lin Feng instructed Chen Heng.

"Also, send men to keep a close eye on Zhou Maofu, Liu Mang of the Black Tiger Gang, and Liu Kun of the Yongchang Earl's Mansion. Report back immediately if there are any unusual movements. But do not take any action; wait for my orders."

"yes!"

"And another thing," Lin Feng looked out the window. The sky was still dark, but the faint sound of roosters crowing could be heard in the distance.

"It's almost dawn. Compile Hu Meng's confession and some of the physical evidence, and after daybreak, send it directly to the palace in my name to present to His Majesty. Remember, it must be sent secretly, without going through the Office of Transmission or any other government office."

"Understood!" Chen Heng replied.

The morning light pierced through the thin clouds and fell on the golden glazed tiles of the Forbidden City, but it could not dispel the solemn atmosphere that shrouded the Qian Yuan Hall.

Lin Feng, dressed in a brand-new python robe, stood at the head of the military officer ranks with his hand on his sword.

The emperor sat upright on the dragon throne, his face solemn and unreadable.

On one side of the imperial desk were several items: a "secret memorial" recently sent by Lin Feng, the Grand Commander of the Northern Frontier.

The Emperor slowly began to speak: "Last night, Lin Feng, the Grand Commander of the Northern Frontier, captured Hu Meng, a retired instructor of the Imperial Guard and a fugitive wanted for the assassination attempt last night, along with several of his accomplices, at the 'Yuelai Inn' in the western market of the capital. After an overnight interrogation, we obtained confessions and a number of physical evidence."

Upon hearing this, a suppressed gasp and whispers immediately filled the hall.

Lin Feng actually took action last night! And he captured the wanted criminal and obtained a confession! The efficiency and the ruthlessness of his methods were astonishing!

Zhou Wenyuan's face turned deathly pale the moment the emperor spoke. Zhou Mao, standing not far behind him, swayed and almost lost his balance.

The emperor's gaze, like a cold blade, slowly swept over the civil and military officials in the hall, pausing slightly on Zhou Wenyuan, Zhou Mao, and the Earl of Yongchang standing in the ranks of meritorious officials.

"Hu Meng confessed," the emperor's voice was calm and unhurried, "that he was employed by Zhou Mao, the nephew of Zhou Wenyuan, the Right Vice Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate. Zhou Mao, through Liu Mang, the deputy leader of the Black Tiger Gang, hired him at a high price to find and train outlaws from the north, equipping them with poisoned weapon tokens provided by the 'Red Abyss' sorcerers, to ambush and assassinate Lin Feng, the Grand Commander of the Northern Frontier, with the intention of harming a high-ranking official of the court. During this time, Liu Kun of the Yongchang Marquis's Mansion provided him with hiding places and cover. The witnesses, physical evidence, and confessions corroborate each other, and the evidence is irrefutable."

"boom--!"

The hall erupted in chaos!

"Your Majesty! I am innocent! My nephew is innocent!" Zhou Wenyuan knelt down with a thud, banging his head on the ground. "This must be a frame-up by Lin Feng! Someone must have seen that I spoke frankly in court, which offended their interests, so they devised this vicious scheme to frame me and my nephew, and to persecute loyal officials! Your Majesty, please see the truth! Your Majesty, please see the truth!"

"Your Majesty!" Zhou Mao scrambled forward and knelt down, trembling violently. "Your Majesty, I am innocent! Grand Commandant Lin and my uncle have a grudge in court, and he is using this case to settle a personal score, attempting to kill my Zhou family! Your Majesty, you must not believe only one side of the story!"

The Earl of Yongchang hurriedly stepped forward and knelt down, his face ashen: "Your Majesty, this old minister has failed in his duty to educate his son. My unfilial son Liu Kun may have associated with villains, but he would never have dared to assassinate a high-ranking official! There must be more to this matter than meets the eye. I beg Your Majesty to investigate thoroughly!"

The three men cried out their grievances, their voices shaking the palace.

The emperor turned his gaze to Lin Feng: "Minister Lin, what do you have to say?"

Lin Feng stepped forward and bowed to the throne. "Your Majesty, I was ordered to investigate the assassination of the imperial envoy. All actions were carried out in accordance with the law and regulations. The capture of Hu Meng and others was documented with the cooperation of the West City Military Command, and the innkeeper and staff can all testify to this. The interrogation process is documented with written records and signed documents, and no torture was used."

Zhou Wenyuan, Zhou Mao, and the Earl of Yongchang also stopped crying and looked at the emperor with pleading, fearful, and desperate eyes, as if they had grasped the last straw.

The emperor remained silent, his fingers unconsciously tapping the armrest of the dragon throne.

After a long silence, the emperor finally spoke:

"The evidence and witnesses are irrefutable, the case is airtight. Zhou Mao, colluding with bandits and the 'Red Abyss' sorcerers, assassinated a high-ranking official of the court; his crime is unforgivable. He is hereby stripped of all his titles and official positions, imprisoned in the Imperial Prison, and handed over to the Three Judicial Offices for joint trial and severe punishment according to the law! His family property is to be confiscated! Zhou Wenyuan, as a high-ranking official of the court, failed to manage his household properly, allowing his nephew to commit the crime, and his steward was also involved; he cannot escape responsibility. He is hereby stripped of his position as Right Vice Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate, all his privileges are revoked, and he is to reflect on his mistakes behind closed doors and await further judgment! Liu Kun, the Earl of Yongchang, aided and abetted the evildoer and associated with bandits; he is hereby stripped of his earldom, and his son, Liu Kun, is to be transferred to the Imperial Clan Court for confinement! The Yongchang Earl's estate is to be fined three years' salary as a warning to others!"

"Liu Mang of the Black Tiger Gang, the demon 'Grey Falcon' of the 'Crimson Abyss,' and all other involved criminals are to be apprehended with full force by the Prefect of the Capital, the Court of Judicial Review, the Ministry of Justice, and the Five City Garrison Commands. They must be wiped out in one fell swoop! The 'Longsheng Goods Store' must be immediately sealed off, and its assets and accounts must be thoroughly investigated!"

"Your Majesty! Your Majesty, spare me! I'm innocent! I'm innocent!" Zhou Mao collapsed to the ground, crying out hoarsely. Zhou Wenyuan's face was ashen, his lips trembling, unable to utter a single word, as if he had aged twenty years in an instant. The Earl of Yongchang fainted instantly.

The Emperor continued, "Lin Feng, the Grand Commander of the Northern Frontier, faced danger without fear during the assassination attempt, bravely repelling a powerful enemy; during the investigation, he swiftly cracked a major treason case, capturing a key criminal, a meritorious service to the nation. He is hereby awarded a thousand taels of gold and a hundred bolts of brocade to recognize his achievements! It is hoped that you will continue your efforts and serve the Emperor faithfully!"