10: Chapter 10 Evidence? Open your dog eyes and see!

Eunuch Wei and Commander Qin Hu exchanged looks upon hearing this. Without a moment's hesitation, they blurred and leaped from the second-floor window, landing lightly beside Xia Jin.

"Your Highness," the two of them bowed in unison.

"Let's go!"

Xia Jin gave a slight nod and led the two of them directly toward the tightly closed vermilion gates of Duke Jings Mansion.

Commander Qin Hu's lips curled up slightly as he pressed his fingers together and let out a short, sharp whistle.

In an instant, dozens of figures began to appear behind the three of them from street corners, alley entrances, tea stalls, and behind cargo loads. It turned out these were Imperial Guards who had specifically disguised themselves as ordinary commoners.

Xia Jin's group had just arrived in front of Duke Jings Mansion,

When the two burly servants guarding the gate saw this, they instinctively moved forward to block them. Unexpectedly, just as one of them was about to speak, one of the Imperial Guards behind Commander Qin Hu stared him down intently, his right hand already gripping the hilt of his blade, looking as if he might draw it at any moment.

That undisguised Killing Intent made the two servants of Duke Jings Mansion tremble all over. The words at the tip of their tongues were forced back down, and they turned and scrambled back into the mansion to report the news.

"It has been quite a while since I last visited this Duke Jings Mansion!" Xia Jin looked up at the four large characters 'Duke Jings Mansion' hanging above the entrance,

He then led the crowd straight inside. Just as they reached the main hall, they saw Duke Jing hurriedly coming out to meet them, his Face ashen and surrounded by a group of family members and servants.

The old Duke's hair and beard had already turned gray, but his back was straight, and his Face was currently clouded with gloom. He recognized Xia Jin, who was walking at the front, at a glance. His pupils constricted as he suppressed his anger and said in a deep voice, "Prince Jin! I wonder for what matter Your Highness has graced my humble residence with so many Imperial Guards today? What law has my Duke Jings Mansion broken to warrant Your Highness personally coming to demand an accounting?"

Xia Jin acted as if he hadn't heard his questioning. Without stopping, he walked directly through the crowd, went to the main seat in the hall, and sat down with composure.

Eunuch Wei and Commander Qin Hu stood silently behind him, one on his left and one on his right.

"What," Xia Jin finally looked up, his gaze calmly sweeping over Duke Jing's Face, which was slightly flushed with anger, "does this Prince need to find a specific excuse to enter this Duke Jings Mansion?"

The muscles in Duke Jing's cheeks twitched as he gritted his teeth and said, "Your Highness must be joking. The gates of the Duke's mansion are naturally always open to Your Highness. It's just that such a display... inevitably leaves this old man confused."

Xia Jin didn't respond to him. His gaze fell on a young man behind him who was wearing a brocade robe and bore some resemblance to him, currently staring fixedly at him.

There was a clearly perceptible, though slight, trace of panic in the young man's eyes.

"This must be the The Eldest Young Master of your residence?" Xia Jin pointed at the other party and asked calmly.

Duke Jing's heart tightened, having a faint, ominous premonition. "It is indeed my son..."

"Little Wei," Xia Jin interrupted him, picking up a teacup from the side and using the lid to brush away the floating foam, "tell Duke Jing what exactly his precious son and their Duke Jings Mansion have done."

"Yes, Your Highness." Eunuch Wei took a step forward and said to Duke Jing with a smile, "Lord Duke, you must still be in the dark. This fine The Eldest Young Master of yours has been secretly colluding with the remnants of the Demon Cult, causing trouble in the capital. Tsk tsk, Lord Duke, your lifelong reputation is likely to be ruined in your later years."

"Pure nonsense!" Duke Jing's hair and beard bristled as he roared, "My son has read the books of sages since childhood and strictly adheres to etiquette. How could he be involved with the Demon Cult! Eunuch Wei, do not make such baseless accusations!"

The The Eldest Young Master also took a sudden step forward, his Face flushed. "That's right, this is absurd! You are framing us! Do you have any evidence?"

"Evidence?" Eunuch Wei's smile carried a hint of chill. "Don't be so quick to cry foul, The Eldest Young Master."

As soon as he finished speaking, everyone's vision blurred, and Eunuch Wei was already in front of the The Eldest Young Master.

The The Eldest Young Master wanted to retreat in horror, but how could there be enough time? A pale palm had already grabbed his sleeve.

"Rip—!"

With the crisp sound of tearing silk, the brocade clothes on the The Eldest Young Master's upper body burst into pieces like butterflies, scattering in all directions. He cried out in surprise and stumbled back with his upper body bare, the skin on his chest exposed to everyone.

Above his heart on the left side of his chest, a sun and moon pattern no more than three inches in size was clearly tattooed.

This was precisely the Sun Moon Sacred Mark from the Ming Cult!

The hall fell into an instantaneous, deathly silence.

Duke Jing felt as if he had been struck by lightning. He stared dumbfoundedly at the glaring tattoo on his son's chest, the color draining from his Face.

"I wonder if Duke Jing can see it clearly now? The tattoo on your son's chest—it's a capital offense for an ordinary person to dare have such a thing tattooed!" Xia Jin looked at the other party with a faint smile.

The The Eldest Young Master himself was also dazed and instinctively used his hand to cover it. "This... this isn't it! This is just an ordinary tattoo! It's just a tattoo, how can you conclude I'm a member of the Demon Cult? You are trumping up charges!"

Duke Jing also snapped back to his senses and forced himself to remain calm, saying sharply, "That's right! How can a crime be determined based solely on a tattoo! It's just a resemblance! Prince Jin, there must be something fishy about this!"

"Something fishy?" Xia Jin waved his hand toward those behind him,

"Commander Qin Hu."

"Your subordinate is here!"

"Search."

"As you command!" A sharp light flashed in Commander Qin Hu's eyes as he turned and roared, "Search the mansion! Leave no corner unsearched! Take down anyone or anything suspicious!"

"Yes!" The Imperial Guards waiting outside the hall responded in unison, then scattered like wolves and tigers, rushing to all parts of the mansion.

"How dare you!" Duke Jing was both shocked and angry as he tried to stop them. "This is the Duke's mansion! Without an Imperial Decree, you have no right..."

"Noisy." Xia Jin glanced at him, and the chill in that gaze caused the rest of Duke Jing's words to get stuck in his throat. His family members behind him were already pale with fright and trembling.

A moment later,

"Reporting—!"

Several Imperial Guards hurried back from the inner courtyard. The one in the lead held a redwood tray in both hands, on which several items were placed.

"Your Highness, these items were found in a hidden compartment in the The Eldest Young Master's study!"

The evidence was as solid as a mountain.

Xia Jin's gaze slowly rose from the tray and fell on the Faces of Duke Jing and his son, who were now as pale as death.

"Duke Jing, now, what else do you have to say?"

Duke Jing opened his mouth and stared fixedly at those items, looking as if he had aged ten years in an instant. The The Eldest Young Master's legs gave way, and if not for the servants on both sides barely supporting him, he would have collapsed to the ground.

Xia Jin stopped looking at them.

"Commander Qin Hu."

"Your subordinate is here!" Commander Qin Hu bowed in response, a cold light flickering in his eyes.

"Take everyone in Duke Jings Mansion, master and servant alike, into custody. Throw them into the Zhao Prison under strict supervision to await interrogation."

"As you command!"

Commander Qin Hu cupped his fists and took the order, then turned abruptly, his voice like a great bell: "By order of His Highness! Everyone in Duke Jings Mansion is to be shackled and sent to the Northern Administration Court! Those who resist shall be killed without mercy!"

"Yes!"

The Imperial Guards, who had already been on standby, instantly detained the other people of Duke Jings Mansion.

"Humph! If it weren't for the sake of my brother's Face, you lot who colluded with the remnants of the Demon Cult would have been executed on the spot by this Prince!" Xia Jin stood up, his gaze coldly sweeping over everyone in Duke Jings Mansion.