Seeing the person leave, Liu Rongruo couldn't help but frown, "What happened?"
"She escaped!"
Daring to escape amidst the chaos of tonight, she had backbone!
Such backbone!
"Pass down my order, seal off all counties and docks around the capital. No one is allowed to leave! Investigate thoroughly!"
Liu Rongruo's brow twitched, "Such a huge operation?!"
"Where is Tantai Ye?"
"Still at the docks, probably finishing up."
Xiao Chizhan's eyes were sinister, his voice chilling.
"Tell him to deploy thirty thousand troops along the waterways and land routes, heading towards the Jiangnan and Jiangbei regions. Dispatch the elite Tiger Guards to search along the border."
"You go draft an imperial decree to all prefectural governments, with her portrait, conduct a massive search."
"In one night, she can't run far!"
Liu Rongruo was slightly shocked, this guy was serious!
"Did you hear me?"
Yelled at, he raised an eyebrow, "Alright, understood!"
Xiao Chizhan ignored him, instructed the cleanup of the bodies below, and then strode towards the city wall.
"Are you not dealing with Xie Beihan anymore?!" Liu Rongruo shouted at his retreating back.
He didn't reply, having already descended the city wall and ridden away.
Xiao Chizhan did not go to the Ye residence but directly to the Bai residence.
The vast mansion was already surrounded by Dragon Scale Guards and Imperial Guards, and the people inside were in a state of panic.
Bai Wennian, wearing a robe, sat in the hall.
He looked at the Dragon Scale Guards everywhere in his mansion, each holding sharp blades, fierce and menacing. He felt as if he couldn't catch his breath, so angry he had a headache.
"Insane! Absolutely insane! What crime have I committed for the King of Dingbei to surround the Bai residence in the middle of the night? Is there no law anymore?!"
"Oh dear, master, please lower your voice. If the King's men hear you, the household will be in trouble." Madam Bai, holding a handkerchief, anxiously persuaded him.
In the hall, a large group of people sat, chattering about everything, making a racket.
When Bai Muheng arrived supporting the Old Madam, he saw the King of Dingbei, dressed in a python robe and boots, striding over with a sword, exuding an aura of killing intent.
Behind him followed a group of people.
"Grandmother, it seems Aluán has already left."
When he received the letter this morning, Aluán had asked him to take their grandmother to the estate to lie low. But Grandmother refused to leave for anything.
As expected, something had happened!
"The King of Dingbei is here to interrogate her whereabouts. Keep your mouth shut."
Hearing this, Bai Muheng secretly thought, he didn't know where Aluán had gone either, so asking him would be useless.
"This subordinate greets Your Highness."
Bai Wennian, with a group of people, paid their respects, the anger in his eyes evident.
But the King of Dingbei's fierceness and obsession were known throughout the realm. Despite his dissatisfaction, he dared not act presumptuously in public.
As soon as Xiao Chizhan entered, he directly took the main seat and looked at the Bai family members kneeling on the ground with a cold expression.
He did not tell them to rise, his deep red pupils scanning everyone present inch by inch, finally resting on the Old Madam at the head.
The Old Madam was old and could not perform such a grand ceremony. After kneeling for a short while, she felt pain all over and her head was dizzy.
Bai Wennian felt distressed for his elderly mother and was furious!
It was one thing for the King of Dingbei to act capriciously in the imperial court, but he dared to privately lead troops to surround the residence of a court official. This was practically disregarding the Emperor!
Absurd!
"Your Highness led troops to surround the Bai residence in the middle of the night. This subordinate truly does not know what offense has been committed. I implore Your Highness to enlighten me!"
As soon as he spoke, Xiao Chizhan's gaze swept over him, cold and sharp, like a sword piercing his chest, sinister and icy.
Startled, Bai Wennian broke out in a cold sweat.
Even though he had served in the same court as the King of Dingbei for many years and was accustomed to his brutal and bloodthirsty side, he was still terrified!
In the current imperial court, the King of Dingbei was almost a law unto himself.
The Emperor was seriously ill and neglecting state affairs, the Crown Prince was incompetent, and the King of Dingbei ruled the entire empire, suppressing aristocratic families. They could only express their anger in secret, fearing that one day, this treacherous minister, the King of Dingbei, would rebel, and the empire would truly fall into dire straits.
If this man were to become Emperor, with his cruel methods, he would surely be a tyrant!
"Since when do I need a reason to do things?"
His voice was very calm, and his excessively alluring handsome face was devoid of any emotion, but this calmness was like the terror before a storm, causing people to tremble.
Bai Wennian's hands trembled with anger, but he dared not say anything.
"The Bai family colluded with the Lu family, harbored criminals, assisted Northern Qi defectors, and committed treason. Their crime warrants death! By imperial decree, they are to be killed without mercy!"
What!
Everyone was greatly shocked!
"Nonsense!" Bai Wennian directly stood up, looking at Long Tian and shouting, "This old man is loyal to the court and has never betrayed the country or committed treason. What nonsense are you spouting!"
Bai Muheng, kneeling on the ground, lowered his eyes and sneered.
The King of Dingbei was accustomed to arrogance, and could casually accuse people with such fabricated charges. He was simply lawless.
Long Tian's face was cold, and he pressed Bai Wennian's shoulder with one hand, then kicked him in the leg, forcing him to kneel on the ground.
"Do not be presumptuous in front of the King!"
Xiao Chizhan played with a small knife in his hand. He leaned forward slightly, using the knife to pat Bai Wennian's face.
This action caused the Old Madam Bai's face to darken. Disgrace!
"If Bai Qingruo hands over the person, I will spare your life."
Hand over? Nonsense.
He didn't even know what a Northern Qi person looked like!
This sudden turn of events made him recall the annihilation of the Yu family. Now, was the King of Dingbei looking for an excuse to deal with the Bai family?
Looking at the terrifying and somber eyes before him, and thinking of the lives of dozens of his family members, he suppressed his anger and spoke respectfully.
"Your Highness, please investigate. This subject has never colluded with Northern Qi rebels!"
It wasn't Northern Qi people they were after, but clearly his good cousin. Bai Muheng suppressed his gaze, his fists clenched tightly, remaining silent.
The Old Madam Bai knelt on the ground, her head feeling heavy and dizzy. She mustered her spirit and said, her tone neither servile nor overbearing.
"Your Highness claims the Bai family committed treason. Do you have evidence?"
Xiao Chizhan lazily held the knife and gave Long Tian a look.
The latter immediately understood.
Soon, someone carried torture instruments and forced Bai Wennian onto a long bench.
Xiao Chizhan smiled, "Old Madam wants evidence? My words are evidence!"
Arrogant! Insolent! Wanton killing of innocents!
With such a Regent King, Great Liang would be destroyed sooner or later!
The Old Madam Bai was so angry that her head spun and her whole body trembled uncontrollably.
Xiao Chizhan stood up, placing one hand on his hip, and walked around the torture instruments.
With his other hand, he played with a sharp small knife, looking at Bai Wennian on the torture instrument, the smile on his lips deepening.
Terrifying! Fear!
"I've long heard that Duke Bai once went to the battlefield and injured his little finger, so his hand still cannot lift a saber. How about I cripple this hand for you."
His fingers were held down, and the sharp small knife was pressed tightly against his skin, as if it would cut off his finger pad at any moment.
Bai Wennian's back was drenched in sweat.
The female family members and concubines were terrified, their scalps tingling, and they retreated incessantly.
Madam Bai, fearing for her husband's life, cried and begged for mercy.
"Your Highness, spare him! Your Highness, spare him!"