Rebirth: The Fourth Lady Wants to Lie Down

Deep in the city of Hangzhou, an ancient and solemn yamen stands. Inside, the gloomy prison is like a silent beast, devouring all sins and secrets.

Yinzhen, the prince known for his calmness and courage, was now shuttling between the narrow cells, examining the souls imprisoned for various crimes.

"Sir, I...I really just accepted some benefits and did nothing else!" A haggard prisoner said in a trembling voice, trying to find a trace of mercy in front of Yinzhen.

Yinzhen had a blank expression and sharp eyes. He had already known about this man's crimes from the case files, but this did not stop him from interrogating him personally to confirm every detail.

"Your actions will be judged by the law." Yinzhen's voice was steady and powerful, leaving no room for doubt.

He continued to walk forward, leaving the prisoner muttering to himself, as if he was still dreaming of a glimmer of hope of escape.

As Yinzhen went deeper, more prisoners were brought before him, some of whom seemed innocent but were actually minor characters on the periphery of the incident.

Some of them could not wait to speak when they saw Yinzhen, pouring out everything they knew, fearing that any hesitation would lead to even heavier punishment.

"Sir, I... I was just following orders. I really don't know that much!" A young face was full of fear, and his voice trembled slightly because of nervousness.

Yinzhen nodded slightly and recorded the confessions of these people, but he knew in his heart that what they said were just the surface and the real core secret was hidden deeper.

"I have written down your confessions, but what you know is not enough to absolve you of your guilt."

Yinzhen's voice was calm and firm. He knew very well that although the confessions of these peripheral people were not of much value, they were still part of the puzzle of the case and were indispensable.

Therefore, Yinzhen ordered these people to be temporarily detained pending further investigation and trial.

He knew that his mission was far from over and the real challenge was still ahead. He needed more clues and more evidence to uncover the mystery behind this case.

"Bring Li Fengshen." He ordered briefly and forcefully, his voice echoing in the empty corridor.

Upon hearing this, two sturdy jailers immediately took action. They skillfully opened the cell door where Li Fengshen was, dragged him out from the dark corner with cold iron chains, and brought him in front of Yinzhen.

Li Fengshen was a little dazed at first, but when he was fully awake and realized that he was standing in front of Yinzhen, the iron-faced and impartial judge, his expression suddenly became complicated.

He remembered the shock and confusion he felt when he was arrested, and even more so the anger and unwillingness he felt after entering the cell - Yinzhen imprisoned him without stating the charges, which he considered to be a great insult and provocation.

"Li Fengshen, greetings to the Fourth Master." He forced himself to remain calm and bowed to Yinzhen, then looked puzzled and arrogant, "I wonder what the Fourth Master means by this? I, Li, have always been an honest official, diligent in my work and caring for the people, so how could this happen?"

Yinzhen smiled slightly, but there was no warmth in that smile. He did not directly answer Li Fengshen's question, but gently raised his hand to signal the entourage beside him.

The attendant understood what he meant, stepped forward, and said in a cold voice: "Master Li, at this point, do you need us to say more? You should know what you have done."

Upon hearing this, Li Fengshen curled up the corner of his mouth into a sneer. He was confident that his methods were covert enough and would not be easily detected.

So he pretended to be calm and replied: "My Lord, I have been an official for decades and have always worked diligently for the welfare of the people and performed my duties loyally for the court. I have no regrets. If there is any mistake, it must be a misunderstanding."

Seeing this, a trace of disdain flashed in Yinzhen's eyes. He waved his hand lightly, and a few pieces of paper fell at Li Fengshen's feet like fallen leaves.

Li Fengshen looked down and saw that it was filled with complaints from the people and reports from officials, as well as hard evidence of his corruption, bribery, and embezzlement. His own name was prominently listed, eye-catching and dazzling.

His face turned pale instantly, and his lips trembled as he tried to explain, but he found that his voice seemed to be stuck in his throat and could not be uttered.

"This... this is impossible!" He finally uttered a few words with difficulty, but his tone was full of panic and despair.

Seeing this, Yinzhen curled up a cold smile. He waved his hand again, and a thick account book was thrown in front of Li Fengshen.

The account book recorded Li Fengshen's illegal gains and dirty deals over the years. Li Fengshen opened the account book with trembling hands, and his defenses collapsed with each page he read.

Finally, he gave up resistance completely, fell to his knees, and begged with tears streaming down his face: "Fourth Master, spare my life! I...I confess everything. I was bewildered for a moment and did these evil things. Please, since this is my first offense, give me a chance to reform!"

Yinzhen watched Li Fengshen's collapse and begging for mercy with cold eyes, without any emotion in his heart. He knew very well that the scales of justice could not be tilted, and the sword of the law needed to be sharper.

So he ordered someone to record Li Fengshen's confession and have him sign and seal it, and then he ordered the jailer to take him back to the cell and keep him under strict surveillance.

Then, Yinzhen turned and left with firm and powerful steps. He knew that he had to report all this to Emperor Kangxi as soon as possible so that true justice could be served.

And that ancient yamen and the prison within it will continue to witness the end of countless crimes and the victory of justice.