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Qing Luan was unaware that Su Yuanhang had already discovered her. The events of that year were laid bare before him, and the only relief she felt was that Su Yuanhang did not know the details of her escape; otherwise, Prime Minister Huang would not have considered capturing her but would have acted with ruthless force instead. Over the years, he had climbed to power through bloodshed, and for a mere pawn, it was no big deal to kill if they were of no use.
After bringing the captives from the south into the Princess Mansion, Qing Luan began to interrogate them about what had happened back then. "This one is Zhou Chun, a trusted aide of General Bu. He led the attack on the villagers and was captured by your men," Lin Hu introduced each of them. Upon arriving there, he quickly identified them based on the list of missing persons he had sent to the court.
"Hmph!" Zhou Chun was a tough man. Seeing only a fifteen-year-old girl before him, he looked at her with disdain and let out a cold snort. Qing Luan did not immediately question him but carefully scrutinized them. Despite their weariness from the journey, there was a fierce determination in their expressions. She realized that prying information from them would be difficult.
"They've kept their mouths shut all along and refuse to say anything," Lin Hu noted, sensing Qing Luan's calm demeanor and feeling curious. To be honest, when he first saw the general hand over such an important prisoner to such a young girl, he thought the general was being reckless. Yet, seeing how she managed to bring the prisoners into the Princess Mansion made him curious about her capabilities.
"Is that so?" Qing Luan turned her gaze and sneered, "Are these people from the capital?"
"Some are, some aren't," Lin Hu replied honestly.
"If they were to speak about their shameful deeds, their families would surely suffer," Qing Luan said nonchalantly, but her sharp gaze remained fixed on their subtle expressions. Indeed, apart from Zhou Chun, the others showed signs of anxiety—though fleetingly, she caught it.
"Prime Minister Huang has praised them for sacrificing themselves for their country, so each will receive a generous compensation," Lin Hu revealed in front of them.
"Sacrificing for their country?" Qing Luan raised an eyebrow mockingly at them and coldly laughed, "Don't you feel ashamed?"
She could hardly bear to listen any longer while they remained so calm.
"We're just following orders," Zhou Chun argued defiantly, feeling no remorse for his actions.
"Following orders?" Qing Luan shook her head in disbelief and narrowed her sharp eyes at the man who refused to admit his wrongdoing. She coldly demanded, "If General Bu ordered you to kill your own family, would you obey?"
Her furious question silenced those who had been arguing back; they looked at her with changing expressions as their arrogance faded away.
Seeing their guilt, Qing Luan understood they were not truly evil people. However, recalling their actions made her voice even colder. "If I hadn't arranged for people to wait for you early on, perhaps everyone in that fishing village would have been slaughtered... They didn't die at the hands of pirates but by soldiers claiming to protect their homes. Do you think they can rest in peace?"
"The dead aren't fishermen; they're our people," they murmured in confusion at this unexpected turn of events. Their once flawless plan had unraveled into chaos. The fishermen knew nothing; they couldn't even wield weapons. When did such martial experts hide in their village? Even those who had fought on battlefields like them couldn't defeat them.
"Oh? Do you still want them to pay with their lives?" Qing Luan's expression grew colder in response to their outcry.
"Miss, that's not what we meant; we just want to know why you've brought us to the capital," one of them said hesitantly. Despite understanding somewhat, facing a girl barely in her teens made him feel slightly relaxed.
"I want you to confront General Bu and clarify whether it was pirates or his men who attacked the village," she stated firmly. She had no time for tea parties; these men were not fools; they likely thought she was young and easy to bully.
Upon hearing this, their faces changed as they fell silent; none dared to speak up.
"Do you think protecting General Bu while bearing the stigma of deserters will make things better for your families?" Qing Luan pressed directly on their vulnerabilities without wasting words. "They will live forever despised by others. You think you're doing what's best for them when you're actually condemning them to a life where they can never hold their heads high? Do you wish for them to be looked down upon and ridiculed?"
"What do you mean?" Zhou Chun's earlier resolve wavered as he showed signs of uncertainty on his face.
"Don't you understand yet? If General Bu truly cared for you, would he be hunting you down relentlessly? You think they are here to save you, but in reality, they want to silence you—who can guarantee what will happen to your families after you're gone?" Qing Luan employed psychological warfare, using their weaknesses against them without resorting to threats or temptations.
These people had been on the battlefield; the more they were threatened, the more their inner strength and stubbornness would be provoked. Therefore, she adopted a gentle approach, simply sharing things that mattered to them.
"What can you guarantee?" Zhou Chun asked on behalf of the group, voicing their most pressing concern.
They were willing to yield for the sake of their families. If sacrificing their lives wouldn't ensure the safety of their loved ones, then all of this would be in vain.
Meeting their eager gazes, Qing Luan revealed a flower-like smile and softly said, "I can't guarantee anything for you..." Just as their expressions began to shift, she suddenly changed her tone and smiled, "I promise your families will be safe and won't be affected by any of this!"
"Why should we believe you?" A young girl questioned; why should they trust her?
"First, you have no other options. Second... this is Princess Mansion. Do you think General Bu and Prime Minister Huang would dare to storm in here? As for the third point... as long as you agree to cooperate with General Bu, regardless of the outcome, I will ensure that all your families are taken out of the capital. They won't suffer from any rumors or slander; that is my greatest guarantee!" In fact, she had thought of this even before meeting them.
"You...," Zhou Chun was uncertain where her confidence came from, feeling restless inside.
"I am the leader of the Merchant Alliance. You are from the fishing village; I believe you know Uncle Ma and Sister Ma. They work for me in the village. Taking your families away is a small matter for me—I can also guarantee that their lives will be stable and free from turmoil!" They were men of valor but had followed the wrong general.
If their passion had aligned with Xuanyuan Rui, they would have achieved great success instead of being in such a pitiful state.
The group exchanged glances, stunned by her words. She was indeed the young lady mentioned by Uncle Ma, just a teenager.
Midnight has come to an end.
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