"You don't know?" Wang Daxia gently twisted a needle embedded in Wu Dianyong's forehead with two fingers.
Ah! Wu Dianyong felt as if his skull was being forcibly peeled away from his head. "I swear it's true! I wouldn't dare hide anything! I genuinely don't know, but I do know how the firearms from Wang Gong Factory ended up in the underground vault of Myriad Goods Trading Company without anyone noticing—please, I beg you, stop moving the needle! I'll tell you everything I know!"
Wang Daxia stopped. "Speak quickly!"
Firearms were crucial instruments of the state, even more important than capturing the sect leader Zhao Quan.
Wu Dianyong, drenched in sweat from the pain, pleaded, "Pull out this needle."
Wang Daxia replied, "After you finish talking. If you hold anything back, I'll add another needle."
Wu Dianyong had no choice but to endure the pain and confess.
Wang Gong Factory was the heart of the Ming military's strength, producing arms to counter northern cavalry and southern Japanese Pirates.
Therefore, the requisition of firearms required layers of approval and inspection before they could be issued to various garrisons. Monthly tallies had to match precisely, and superiors regularly checked their subordinates' firearms for condition and quantity. Some strict superiors even conducted daily spot checks to prevent soldiers from secretly selling firearms for money, whether to civilians or enemy states.
Under such stringent oversight, with mutual supervision and checks, it was difficult for the White Lotus Sect to find weaknesses.
Yet, these firearms indeed came from Wang Gong Factory.
The factory produced new firearms daily, consuming an average of two tons of gunpowder each day. Firearms required precise casting; the slightest error could cause misfires or explosions, harming Ming troops. Since the work was largely manual and prone to mistakes, technicians repeatedly measured each piece before it left the factory. Those with minor flaws were sent back for repairs, while those with major defects were scrapped and melted down for recasting.
Properly manufactured firearms were stamped with serial numbers before being issued to the Ming army. These numbers allowed tracking to both the user and the maker, facilitating oversight. Thus, smuggling large quantities of firearms from Wang Gong Factory was extremely difficult, nearly impossible.
Although scrapped firearms were recorded in ledgers, they were loosely managed. They were stored in warehouses, disassembled for parts, and then melted down for recasting, with little scrutiny.
The White Lotus Sect targeted these poorly monitored scrapped firearms. They bribed technicians responsible for inspections to deliberately misclassify functional firearms as severely defective by removing one or two components, sending them to the scrap warehouse.
Through bribery and other means, the sect arranged for their members to be hired as laborers in the scrap warehouse, moving and handling materials. The warehouse keeper was a drunkard who remained unaware of "rats" infiltrating the scrap storage. After "defective" items were logged in, the sect laborers secretly smuggled the firearms out.
Once removed, technicians would reattach the components, restoring the firearms to working condition before transporting them to the underground vault of Myriad Goods Trading Company.
Since monthly loss rates followed predictable patterns, excessive numbers would arouse suspicion at Wang Gong Factory. Thus, the White Lotus Sect avoided large-scale operations, instead moving a dozen or so items each month like ants, maintaining a steady, discreet flow.
Over time, these small amounts accumulated. After nearly five years, the sect had amassed a considerable stockpile, which they smuggled out of Beijing hidden among other goods.
Wang Daxia recorded the names of the technicians and White Lotus Sect laborers and handed them over to the Embroidered Uniform Guard. "Arrest them overnight to prevent any complications or escapes."Wang Daxia withdrew the needle from Wu Dianyong's forehead.
Wu Dianyong said in a trembling voice, "Thank you."
"Next question," Wang Daxia asked. "How many firearms have been leaked out over the past two years? Where did they all go? The items are all in your warehouse, so don't tell me you don't know."
Wu Dianyong replied, "Originally, the distribution of firearms was none of my concern. The sect leader gives them to whomever he pleases—how would I dare to question it? However, Sect Leader Zhao Quan is a man of great ambition. He always says, 'Are kings and nobles born to their titles?' He is dissatisfied with the White Lotus Sect's current dependence on Anda Khan and constantly stirs conflict between Anda Khan and the Ming Dynasty to profit from it. He hopes that one day, a major war like the Gengxu Incident from ten years ago will break out between the Ming Dynasty and Anda Khan, preferably plunging the world into chaos."
"Then, he plans to lead the White Lotus Sect to deceive desperate and ignorant commoners, capture several cities, declare himself king, and even unify the realm to ascend the throne as emperor. So, based on his ambition, I believe these firearms have mostly been given to the Death Warriors trained and maintained by Iron Bull, one of the Four Great Disciples. The sect leader harbors ambitions of kingship and dominance. While relying on Anda Khan, he also distrusts him and would never offer these superior firearms to Anda Khan."
"Therefore, I believe the firearms must still be in the hands of the White Lotus Sect."
Wu Dianyong begged Wang Daxia, "Please, remove the needles. The pain is driving me insane, and a madman is useless to the Embroidered Uniform Guard. As long as you spare my life and give me a bowl of rice to eat, I am willing to pledge loyalty to the court, cooperate with the Embroidered Uniform Guard, find Iron Bull, recover all the leaked firearms, and eradicate the White Lotus Sect."
This "Ming traitor" Wu Dianyong truly had no loyalty—switching from "Ming traitor" to "White Lotus traitor" was as easy as flipping his lips.
Even though Wang Daxia loathed Wu Dianyong to the core, he understood the man's importance to the Embroidered Uniform Guard in eliminating the White Lotus Sect and recovering the lost firearms.
However, Wang Daxia dared not fully trust Wu Dianyong's words. The man was two-faced and had surrendered far too easily.
Outside the carriage, Ding Wu silently calculated the numbers. Assuming fifteen firearms per month, that would be 180 per year, and at least 900 over five years!
The Embroidered Uniform Guard's armory didn't even have 900 firearms. With such a massive quantity, if things unfolded as Wu Dianyong described—a major war breaking out again between the Ming Dynasty and Anda Khan, plunging the world into chaos—the White Lotus Sect could indeed capture cities and establish their own rule with these 900 firearms.
Sect Leader Zhao Quan was not merely fantasizing; such a scenario could truly happen.
Ding Wu quickly wrote a note and had an Embroidered Uniform Guard deliver it to Wang Daxia.
After reading it, Wang Daxia pulled out the fine needles from the acupuncture points on Wu Dianyong's head and said, "As long as you cooperate sincerely with the Embroidered Uniform Guard, we will let bygones be bygones. But if you utter a single lie, these needles will return to their rightful place, ensuring every last one finds its way back."
Ding Wu's note had urged Wang Daxia to remove the needles, advising against driving Wu Dianyong insane or crippling him, as he would still be of great use in the future.
Once the fine needles were removed, the pain vanished instantly. Wu Dianyong felt as if his scattered soul had returned to his body, and his limbs stopped convulsing. It was such a relief.
His vision went dark, and he fell into a deep sleep once more.
"Hey!" Wang Daxia slapped Wu Dianyong's face. "Is he dead?"Ding Wu approached the carriage and checked Wu Dianyong's breathing. "He's not dead. Earlier, Banxia used a silver needle dipped in medicinal solution to stimulate his acupoints and forcibly wake him. He's reached his limit, and the effects of the Lanke Dream haven't worn off yet, so he's naturally fallen asleep again."
Fortunately, crucial intelligence had been obtained.
Wang Daxia handed the written confession to the Embroidered Uniform Guard, who delivered it overnight to Lu Bing.
Lu Bing was awakened by his guards in the middle of the night. Upon learning that at least nine hundred firearms had been diverted from Wang Gong Factory, he immediately felt unwell!
This was even more terrifying than discovering that Boss Wang was actually Zhao Quan, the leader of the White Lotus Sect.
Nine hundred firearms could lead to tens of thousands of deaths. In comparison, the escape of sect leader Zhao Quan through a secret passage, becoming a fugitive with his whereabouts unknown, was hardly significant.
For someone prone to recurrent strokes, staying up late and experiencing shocks were the worst possible triggers. Lu Bing had now encountered both. He lay rigid in bed until his guards skillfully prepared a resuscitating pill and fed it to him.
After recovering slightly, Lu Bing said, "Commander Lu is in the northern city, while Wang Gong Factory is in the southwest corner. The distance is great—we must not delay. I'll personally lead a team to arrest the technician from Wang Gong Factory and the White Lotus Sect follower working in the scrap warehouse."
The guard protested, "But your health... and it's pouring rain outside."
"Bring my usual medicine and summon Imperial Physician Song," Lu Bing rose from bed. "Quickly."
According to Wu Dianyong's testimony, both the technician and the laborer lived in Shuanghe'an Alley near Wang Gong Factory, separated by only five households. Most residents of Shuanghe'an Alley practiced ancestral crafts, with generations serving in Wang Gong Factory through hereditary succession.
The technician represented the fifth generation of his family at Wang Gong Factory. His ancestors could never have anticipated their descendant would betray the factory.
The laborer was an outsider. Five years earlier, when Wang Gong Factory hired temporary workers, he had bribed the recruiter to secure a position in the scrap warehouse.
The two had colluded shamelessly: the technician would falsely report functional firearms as scrap, which would then be stored in the warehouse. The laborer would secretly smuggle them to his home, after which the technician would visit under the pretext of socializing, repair the "scrap," and then Myriad Goods Trading Company personnel would transport them to an underground warehouse under the guise of deliveries.
Two people, four hands, five years, over nine hundred standard-issue firearms—they had stolen them from Wang Gong Factory piece by piece like ants, threatening the security of the Ming Dynasty.
Lu Bing felt like devouring their hearts raw.
Boarding his carriage to direct the operation, Lu Bing first ordered barricades set up at both ends of Shuanghe'an Alley to seal it completely. Then he divided his forces into two teams to simultaneously arrest the laborer and the technician.
The laborer claimed to be from Baoding, Hebei—a widower without attachments who consistently rejected matchmaking offers by professing devotion to his deceased wife, living alone year-round.
But the technician was a local of the capital with a wife, children, and elderly parents depending on him as the family breadwinner.
Pointing at the technician's name, Lu Bing instructed, "Focus only on capturing him. Don't attempt to threaten him through his family. Someone who colludes with the White Lotus Sect has no morality or humanity left. He doesn't care about his family's survival."
His subordinates acknowledged the order and departed.
Since the two houses were close together, to avoid alerting either target, the arrests of the laborer and technician were conducted simultaneously.
In the pouring rain, the operation commenced. Embroidered Uniform Guards scaled walls, broke down doors, and smashed windows, heading straight for the bedrooms where they dragged the soundly sleeping laborer and technician from their beds, gagged them with hemp pellets, and bound their hands and feet.
The technician's family awoke in panic from their sleep, thrown into confusion and alarm.Lu Bing approached the worker's home, where the Embroidered Uniform Guard dragged out a chest from beneath the bed. Inside were five firearms—specifically, the latest flintlock rifles replicated (counterfeited) by Wang Gong Factory based on Western Frankish designs.
Previous firearms were predominantly matchlocks, requiring ignition of a fuse with a flint striker before aiming at the enemy, with the shot firing only after the fuse burned down.
The new flintlock rifles had no fuse; merely pulling the trigger mechanism would strike pyrite fragments inside the chamber to ignite and fire the bullet.
Flintlock production was scarce. Due to Lu Bing's relationship with the Jiajing Emperor, only the Embroidered Uniform Guard had fully transitioned to flintlocks, underscoring their rarity.
With irrefutable evidence, it appeared Wu Dianyong had not lied, confessing everything readily.
The worker, gagged and forced to kneel, wore a mocking smile and eyes full of scorn, showing no fear of Lu Bing.
Lu Bing removed the cloth gag from the worker's mouth and said coldly, "Laugh while you can. Soon you won't be able to. We'll take you to the Embroidered Uniform Guard prison to experience our 'special treats.' You're a member of Hall, so you must know its whereabouts. Finding Hall will lead us to cult leader Zhao Quan."
The worker spat, "You lackeys of the court—don't think you'll dig any information out of me."
Lu Bing replied, "Is that so? I look forward to it."
Half an hour later, the most experienced jailer of the Embroidered Uniform Guard reported, "He confessed."
Author's Note: The comeuppance came too swiftly. Regarding Miss Yingying's identity, everyone guessed the right direction but arrived at the wrong conclusion. The outcome isn't that straightforward. She is a complex character, with a fate even more legendary than Li Jiubao's.
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