Chapter 30: Ye Xun flies into a rage, brandishes his blade, and picks up the ear.

Shangjing City.
The Shangjing Prefecture Office.
Ye Xun stood before the gates of the office.
Wei Feng casually struck the drum of injustice standing outside the entrance. The sound, like rolling thunder, cut through the veil of rain and echoed deep into the compound.
A moment later, the gates swung open.
A soldier marched out, ready to unleash a torrent of abuse, but upon seeing Wei Feng, he turned pale with fright.
"Your... Your subordinate pays respects to the Vice Minister."
Wei Feng, heir to the Duke of Zhen’s estate, had been trained in martial arts since childhood and was a formidable fighter. He currently held the post of Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice, a fourth-rank official, and was widely regarded as a rising star among the younger generation of the Great Xia.
Moreover, the Shangjing Prefecture Office operated under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Justice.
Thus, Wei Feng was the direct superior to everyone within these walls. This was the source of his confidence in bringing Ye Xun here alone to demand the release of a prisoner.
Wei Feng nodded slightly and strode into the office.
The soldier glanced from Wei Feng to Ye Xun, a sense of dread washing over him.
Stammering, the soldier asked tentatively, "My... My Lord, to come at such a late hour..."
Wei Feng turned his gaze toward him, his eyes cold and indifferent. "And? Must I report to you to conduct my official business?"
"I dare not, I dare not! That is not what I meant!" The soldier waved his hands frantically.
The heir to the Duke of Zhen and Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice—either title alone was enough to have a lowly soldier like him executed ten times over.
Wei Feng continued, "Who is on duty today?"
"Reporting to you, my Lord, it is... it is Master Liu, the Chief Clerk," the soldier replied hastily.
"Go, fetch him," Wei Feng commanded in a deep voice.
"Yes, right away!" The soldier scrambled off, running as if his life depended on it.
Moments later, Wei Feng and Ye Xun walked into the compound.
Master Liu came rushing out in a panic, but upon seeing the two men, his heart sank.
"This humble official... pays his respects to Lord Wei and His Highness, the Prince of Qin."
At that moment, Master Liu was mentally cursing the ancestors of Liu Mingyuan down to the eighteenth generation. Liu Mingyuan had clearly stated that Wei Wuji had defected to the Prince of Wu, Ye Tao. The sudden arrival of Wei Feng and Ye Xun made it painfully obvious that they had come to reclaim their man.
Wei Feng stared at him, his voice gravelly. "Lead the way. Take me to the dungeon."

Master Liu was startled again. He didn't even dare to ask questions; they were getting straight to the point. He wanted to stall, but he wasn't a fool. Looking at Wei Feng’s severe expression, he knew there was no escaping this.
Wei Feng had been the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice for two years. He knew the tricks of these bureaucrats all too well.
"Yes, Lord Wei, please follow me." Though Master Liu was unwilling, he had heard whispers of the Wei family’s methods. He knew he could not deceive this man.
"Lord Wei, Your Highness, today this humble official..." He tried to offer an explanation, hoping for leniency.
Wei Feng waved a hand, cutting him off. "There is no need for words. Once I see Zheng Qian, I will question him myself."
Master Liu nodded repeatedly. "Yes, I understand."
Ye Xun followed in silence. Only now did he realize that this era was far more complex and darker than he had imagined. As long as you held power, everyone would respect you; if you lost it, even a stray dog would look down upon you.
Ye Xun was a legitimate prince, a true royal, while Wei Feng was merely the heir to a ducal estate holding a fourth-rank post. Yet, before Master Liu, the clerk feared Wei Feng ninety percent, and Ye Xun only ten. Ye Xun surmised that had he come alone, he probably wouldn't even have made it past the gates of the Shangjing Prefecture.
Led by the clerk, they descended into the dungeon.
It was dim, damp, and reeking of decay. Cockroaches and rats scurried everywhere, and the sound of distant screams spoke of the darkness hidden within.
They reached the torture chamber.
Zheng Qian lay on the floor, his clothes in rags, drenched in blood, a sight too gruesome to behold. Two bloodstained whips lay nearby. The jailers stood to the side, staring at Wei Feng and Ye Xun with palpable fear—fear born entirely from the presence of Wei Feng.
Ye Xun rushed forward, lifting Zheng Qian into his arms, his face etched with anxiety. "Zheng Qian, wake up! Are you alright, Zheng Qian..."
Zheng Qian slowly opened his eyes. Seeing Ye Xun, he managed a faint, strained smile. "Your... Your Highness, I am sorry. I have... I have caused you trouble again..."
Ye Xun suppressed his surging rage, stood up, and grabbed a discarded prison uniform to wrap around Zheng Qian.
"Say no more. Just say no more."
"We are going home soon."
Ye Xun rose, turned toward Master Liu, and fixed him with a gaze of icy fury. "You were the one who captured him? You were the one who harmed Cao An and Wangcai?"

Master Liu recoiled from that murderous glare.
"He... he owed a gambling debt to the Xingcai House, and I merely... merely apprehended him." He gestured toward a debt note nearby. "Look, here is the contract, in black and white, with... with Zheng Qian’s thumbprint."
Wei Feng stepped forward, picked up the note, rubbed the blood-stained print, flipped it over, and fixed his eyes on Master Liu. "Is this your first day at the office, Liu Jingfu? Is this your first day as Chief Clerk? Do you not know when a print is forced?"
Wei Feng continued, "Furthermore, you dared to openly assault Cao An and the imperial hound, Wangcai, within the Shangjing Prefecture Office. Do you have any idea what kind of crime that is?"
As he spoke, Ye Xun, beyond the point of containment, snatched up a broadsword from the side and charged at Liu Jingfu.
Wangcai and Cao An had nearly been killed. Zheng Qian had been tortured within an inch of his life. Even though he knew this was irrational, even though he knew Liu Jingfu was merely a pawn, the rage of a common man could stain the ground with blood for five paces. He could not force himself to be rational.
"Liu Jingfu, I’ll kill you!"
With all his might, Ye Xun swung the blade at Liu Jingfu.
"Ah! Help me!" Liu Jingfu screamed, his face contorted in sheer terror.
Wei Feng hurriedly intervened, "Your Highness, no!"
Though he moved to stop him, he only touched Ye Xun enough to deflect the blade by half an inch.
*Swish!*
The blade descended, cleanly severing Liu Jingfu’s left ear and biting into his shoulder blade.
"Aaaah!"
Liu Jingfu shrieked as he tumbled to the ground, blood gushing from the wound.
Ye Xun stood over him, his eyes fierce, his hand gripping the sword trembling slightly. To be honest, this was his first time cutting a man.
The surrounding jailers were paralyzed with terror, cowering in the corners.
Wei Feng pointed at Liu Jingfu, his voice roaring. "Pick up your ear! Pick it up!"
Trembling in agony, Liu Jingfu scrambled to retrieve the severed ear, his body shaking with uncontrollable fear. He was filled with profound regret. He should never have provoked Ye Xun.
This was a deposed prince? He was a living demon!
Liu Mingyuan had truly ruined him.