Chapter 41 Chapter 41 Headless Corpse

Crossing the long corridor and passing through the moon-shaped gate, they found themselves at a corner, nestled beside a stone lake. The attic was shabby, having fallen into disrepair. As they ascended the stairs, they heard a creaking sound and a rush of dust. Wei Zhaosheng and the others were choked by the stairwell.

Due to prior orders, dozens of women were placed in a small hall at the corner of the stairs. Their eyes were dull and their faces were pale, as if they had not seen such bright sunlight for a long time. Some of them sat by the windows, staring blankly outside.

The clothes the guards had bought on the spur of the moment looked utterly ill-fitting. Their skirts dragged on the ground, and because of hunger and torture, their thin bodies couldn't hold up the clothes, making them look extremely empty.

They gathered together with numb expressions, stunned and speechless. The air was eerily quiet.

This was the scene Li Cheng saw when he came up. He walked through the crowd, checking each one, trying to find the person from that time. However, after all, decades had passed, and people's appearances would change dramatically.

Moreover, they were locked in a dark room for many years. Due to the inhuman torture, their eyes were deeply sunken and their cheekbones were prominent. At first glance, they all looked similar.

He held the jade pendant and asked them one by one, but they either shook their heads or simply ignored him and watched Li Yan's performance quietly.

The prince's expression became increasingly anxious and impatient. One of the guards, who was used to reading people's expressions, suddenly shouted, "His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is asking questions, and you filthy bastards actually dare to ignore him? Who gives you the courage?" As he said that, the whip in his hand was about to fall.

Li Cheng snatched it away and kicked the man hard in the stomach, saying condescendingly, "You're just a coward! You've acted like this before I've even spoken. Do you really think I'm good-tempered?"

The kick was so powerful that the guard flew directly under the table in the corner, holding his stomach with a grim expression. Seeing the prince's gloomy face, he did not dare to groan, but just begged for mercy.

Wei Zhaosheng looked at the figure on the ground and sighed inwardly. His Highness always despised subordinates who pretended to obey but were only interested in showing off in front of their master. Furthermore, the guard's whip was aimed at an unarmed woman; he deserved it.

When the guard said "His Royal Highness the Crown Prince", some of the women who had been selectively ignoring him suddenly looked over here with inquiring eyes. However, after a few breaths, they lowered their heads again, looking as if they were in a trance.

Li Cheng suddenly stopped and scanned the women, trying to find traces of the past through their numb faces.

Unfortunately, there is nothing.

He suddenly clenched the jade pendant tightly, his grip so strong that it seemed as if the pendant would crumble into dust in the next moment. His face grew increasingly grim, his breathing rapid and heaving, and it was unclear what he was thinking.

"Your Highness, Your Highness?" Wei Zhaosheng didn't know what His Highness was looking for in such a hurry, but judging from the situation, it should be a woman, and a woman who had a close relationship with His Highness.

Pulled back to his thoughts by his voice, Li Cheng suddenly raised his eyes, his gaze still filled with expectation, and spoke in a sonorous and powerful voice: "Everyone, I am His Royal Highness the Crown Prince of the Great Jin Dynasty. I know that you have been forcibly abducted here by the thieves.

"Don't worry, everyone. The thief has been killed. I will take care of things for you. From now on, you will be free and no longer be imprisoned in a dark room without seeing the sun. I will order someone to give you a pension. From now on, you can live in the world with dignity and be upright people without worrying about being coerced." In this world, there are laws that override the supremacy of power. As long as the law does not allow, these evil people will pay the price sooner or later.

"I have come here today with only one request. I beg you to take a closer look. Does anyone recognize this jade pendant?"

When the prince said "live uprightly in the world", several people's expressions suddenly changed. Their dry and dull eyes seemed to be instantly injected with living water, shining with star-like light.

As soon as they finished speaking, silence returned to the room. Just when they thought their mission was in vain and no one was paying any attention to them, a woman suddenly approached the window, raised her hands and started to cry.

The woman had delicate features and looked no more than twenty years old, but her hair was already covered with white hair, her hands were as dry as chicken claws, and blood marks from whipping could be seen on her neck.

Upon hearing the noise, the prince rushed over, crouching down to the other person's level, his eyes piercing, hoping to find some familiar trace. Unfortunately, it was a completely unfamiliar face, with no connection to the past.

Is this really Qin Niang? Li Cheng's heart sank. Relying on the tiny hope in his heart, he raised the jade pendant in his hand and tried to lower his voice so as not to scare the other person: "Is this your jade pendant?"

"Do you still remember your childhood? Did you live in the Changsun Mansion and secretly deliver food to a young man in the attic?"

The woman was confused and shook her head.

"It's not your jade pendant? Or do you not remember what happened in your childhood?" Li Cheng was like a judge interrogating a prisoner, not missing any subtle expression on the other's face.

The woman continued to shake her head, wave her hands, and hum something, as if she wanted to convey something.

"Your Highness, she can't speak. What should we do?" Wei Zhaosheng felt deeply distressed as he looked at the emaciated woman. His daughter was roughly the same age, and while she hadn't been blessed with luxury, she had been raised with the care of her parents. Yet, this woman, roughly the same age as his daughter, had been tortured to such a gaunt state.

That Yan Guang is truly hateful!

The woman saw the man opposite her frowning and saying nothing, then reached out and drew something on the floor. Li Cheng's eyes suddenly lit up: "Can you write?"

The woman nodded hurriedly.

"Come here, quickly prepare the pen and ink!" The prince gave an order, and the attendant beside him quickly brought the pen and ink. Li Cheng personally handed it to the woman and watched her write.

The woman had clearly received instruction. She gripped the pen with her thumb and index finger, gently gripping the shaft. Her elbow was so steady that even a bowl of water could be placed on it without spilling. She wrote carefully on the vellum paper, her movements flowing like flowing water.

"This jade pendant is not yours? Who is that? Do you know her?" Li Rong asked anxiously before the other party finished writing.

It's no wonder he's so obsessed with this, because it has become an obsession in his heart. Countless times in the middle of the night he dreams about his childhood, and he always blames himself and feels regretful for losing the other person.

Only by finding her can you completely get rid of the demons in your heart.

The woman continued writing, the setting sun shining on her tranquil face, making her appear as if in a fairyland, shimmering and glittering. She said she had no idea who the jade pendant belonged to or where it came from, but she only had an inkling of it from seeing Yan Guang playing with it once.

He had anticipated the expected outcome the moment he stepped into the attic. Li Cheng shook his head, calmly facing the sudden surge of joy that then abruptly ended.

He should know that how could the person who he had been looking for for many years without seeing any trace of him suddenly appear in Jiangnan and appear beside him?

Even though he tried to comfort himself in this way, he could still hear his chest breaking. He read the words written by the woman over and over again, as if he wanted to stare a hole in the parchment.

"Your Highness, even though this woman doesn't know who the jade pendant belongs to, doesn't she still have Yan Guang? That cowardly idiot will definitely tell the truth in order to save his life." Wei Zhaosheng reminded the prince when he saw that the prince was shaking and seemed about to collapse.

Li Cheng's body suddenly trembled. Yes, Yan Guang must know the origin of this jade pendant. How could he have forgotten this? Countless thoughts flashed through his mind. His phoenix eyes were cold, and he regained his usual calmness. He stood up and asked, "Where is Yan Guang? Hasn't he invited him here yet?"

In fact, Xia Chang and his men had been waiting under the attic. When they heard the prince's call, they brought the man up and threw him to the ground.

Yan Guang was not surprised to see the people inside. The attic was not hidden. Ever since the prince discovered his identity and was about to reveal it, he had been mentally prepared for everything.

Li Cheng walked up to him, bowed, and looked him in the eye. He placed the jade pendant between them and asked calmly, "Is this your jade pendant?"

Yan Guang had no idea what the other person was up to, so his gaze lingered for a moment before he looked away. He sneered, "You don't need to know."

"What if I really want to know?"

"Unless you can pry it out of me, but I don't think you'll be able to do that." Yan Guang said with disdain. It wasn't that he wanted to protect the person behind the scenes, but he simply didn't want to go along with the prince's wishes.

Hearing him say this, the prince was no longer anxious. He walked towards the window with his hands behind his back, as if strolling leisurely in the garden: "What a tough bone! I'd like to let Gu Gao take a look."

She continued quietly, "You've probably heard of skinning daylilies? Tell me, if I were to use that on you, with your temperament, born of wealth, how far could you endure? Would it be when the skin is peeled off from the top of your head, or when it's stuffed with straw? You're really that strong-willed to watch your skin being peeled off?"

When Li Cheng said the four words "peeling daylily", Yan Guang's face turned pale, his lips trembled constantly due to extreme fear, and he pointed at Li Cheng with his dry fingers and was unable to speak.

"Go ahead, I await your answer." The Crown Prince sat down, firmly grasping the initiative in his own hands.

After a long while, a voice came out of Yan Guang's throat: "This is what I discovered on a little girl..."

"Where is she now? Is she still alive?" Li Cheng could no longer care about anything else after hearing the key information. He pulled the other person's sleeve and yelled angrily.

Yan Guang's gaze lingered on him for a long time, as if he had noticed something unusual. He ignored his fear and was not about to let go of the doubt that had just flashed through his mind:

"What's wrong with the Crown Prince? She's just a vulgar woman. Is she worthy of your highness's excitement?" He sneered, "Could it be that this woman is the Crown Prince's sweetheart?"

The prince was too lazy to listen to his nonsense. He turned sideways, drew the hilt of his sword from the guard's waist, and placed it across Yan Guang's neck, demanding repeatedly, "I am asking you a question, and you must answer truthfully!"

The man's eyes were red with emotion, and his face was filled with anxiety. Yan Guang's eyes lingered on his face for a long time, and finally confirmed a fact:

This woman must have a special place in the prince's heart. Perhaps she is indeed the one he cherishes. Otherwise, why would he still be obsessed with her for so many years and repeatedly lose his composure in front of others?

That woman had also come from Chang'an, and he had discovered her at the West Market Yahang when he saw her. So, it's not impossible that she had met the Crown Prince. It's really interesting. The Crown Prince was only in his teens back then, right? How could he have known about love at such a young age?

Fate is a wonderful thing. The person Li Cheng has been pursuing for many years just happened to be right next to him, and was even working as a spy. Who knows how devastated the prince would be if he discovered the truth one day?

He was really looking forward to that day. It must be very interesting.

Yan Guang's lips curled up, unable to conceal his inner joy, and he said frivolously: "She died a long time ago." As if he himself found it hard to believe, he explained:

"Back then, during the chaos of war, the people were starving, and countless bodies lay dead in the fields. I saw her at the pawnbroker in the West Market. She was so small, her eyes swollen from crying. I felt pity for her and bought her. Unexpectedly, the girl was too weak, and the pawnbroker starved her for days on end. She died less than a month after I bought her."

Looking at Li Cheng's lips which were turning white bit by bit, he continued, "Back then, I saw that she was in the same situation as me, so I paid for her burial myself. The jade pendant was her most precious thing, and she entrusted it to me for safekeeping before she died. Poor girl, she died at such a young age, it's such a pity."

He said it was a pity, but there was no regret in his tone or expression.

Even if Li Cheng hadn't witnessed it herself, she could still imagine the brutal and cruel life she would face in his hands. Abuse and beatings, bloodletting to make elixirs? She was so young, and even a body as strong as diamond would struggle to survive such a severe injury.

He still couldn't believe it, as if deceiving himself. A fierce look flashed through his half-closed eyes: "Tell me the truth." He wouldn't believe a single word of his nonsense.

Yan Guang shook his head and sighed helplessly: "This is my truth. I bought her out of pity for her back then. I didn't expect that the girl actually had a connection with the prince. It's really a pity that she died young. It's so sad."

He stretched his neck, deliberately pressing it against the cold blade, his face as if ready to die. "If Your Highness doesn't believe me, then just kill me with one blow." He had no intention of living in the hands of the Li family. The blow came down, but it was a clean and satisfying blow.

Li Cheng suddenly retracted his knife, stood up, and sneered: "You think you can die so easily? That's too easy for you." As he spoke, he looked at the women beside him. Since Yan Guang came in, those women had been trembling with fear and huddled together in terror.

"You have tortured these young women to the point where they are no longer human. As the saying goes, you should give people a taste of their own medicine. All the crimes you have committed against them will be blamed on you."

As soon as the voice fell, Yan Guang's face changed slightly.

These words sounded like heavenly music to the ears of the mute girls. The woman who had just been writing made a humming sound again, as if she wanted to convey something.

Li Cheng took the paper and, after reading the words, became furious again. He threw the parchment paper in Yan Guang's direction, "How dare you claim you're not lying? Isn't there someone else in the secret passage?" As the saying goes, a cunning rabbit has three burrows. Yan Guang might be a bit slow, but if he wanted to hide someone, he certainly wouldn't choose just one place.

He shouted to his left and right guards, "Come here, pry open the floorboards of the Tai Chi diagram in the study. I want to see for myself who is responsible for the rebellious party's efforts to hide it!"

He then ordered his attendants to take good care of the women and to call in a doctor, then slammed his sleeves and walked down the attic. Wei Zhaosheng followed behind him, grunting and finally understanding the whole story.

It turned out that the jade pendant was left by His Highness's sweetheart. Looking at His Highness's anxious and worried look, perhaps that little girl means a lot to Him.

As he pondered this, he felt a strange feeling. The Crown Prince was not interested in women, and the East Palace's backyard had been empty for years. He had only just taken in a concubine this year, and that concubine was pregnant with the Crown Prince's only child. His Highness clearly loved Concubine Liangyuan dearly, yet now, out of nowhere, this little white moonlight lady had appeared.

Wei Zhaosheng was genuinely curious: did His Highness prefer Empress Liang Yuan or the young lady from back then? Or, between the two, which one did he like more?

Realizing that he was thinking about all sorts of random things, he shook his forehead vigorously, trying to suppress his curiosity about gossip.

The guards pried open the Bagua floorboards in the study, revealing a tunnel. A staircase led directly down, a secret passage that seemed incredibly dark and dark, without a single ray of light. A chilly, eerie air blew in, making one shiver in the broad daylight.

Li Yan took the fire starter handed over by the guard. Xia Chang, the Qianniu Guard, led a team in front to lead the way and ensure that there were no hidden weapons inside.

The Crown Prince always kept about a foot away from them, with the Provincial Surveillance Commissioner following closely behind. As soon as they entered, they could faintly hear the sound of dripping water, which sounded hollow and deep. There was also a faint, extremely foul smell in the air, which went straight to the top of their heads and made them nauseous.

The closer I got, the more distinct the smell became. Walking down the stairs, I saw a flat, open space. Water droplets seeped down the walls, clattering to the ground. In the far corner was a bed. Judging by the bulge in the quilt, someone must be lying on it.

Clearly, the stench was emanating from there. Li Cheng's eyelids twitched, and he had a bad feeling. Sure enough, Xia Chang and the others who arrived first saw the tragic scene on the bed and suddenly retreated, their fire starters clattering to the ground.

Flames flickered all over the ground.

"Xia Beishen, have you found anything?" Wei Zhaosheng suppressed his nausea and asked the people not far away.

Xia Chang's face turned grim. He was used to seeing life and death, but he was rarely disgusted by the scene before him. Lying there was a corpse, a headless corpse.

Judging from the degree of decomposition, the deceased had been dead for several days. The weather was hot today, and even though the chamber was built underground, the temperature was much lower than outside, it still couldn't stop the body from rotting.

The nails on his hands were covered in blood. Judging from the blood and the degree of decay, they must have been pulled out alive.

Who could be so cruel as to not only pull out the nails but also leave the body to rot in the secret room without even a straw mat? Even if the deceased had committed a heinous crime, he wouldn't have done this.

When Li Cheng heard Xia Chang's report, he didn't care whether it was good or bad. He quickly stepped forward, brought the fire lighter close to the corpse, and looked at it carefully.

As a minister, Wei Zhaosheng had the duty of admonishing the Crown Prince. He endured the stench and tried his best to persuade him, but he was unable to persuade him to leave. Li Cheng watched for a moment, then put down his things and stepped back, his face grim. "Bring Yan Guang here, and make him identify the dead man."

It would be fine if he was dead, but why was there only a body left without a corpse? Could the murderer have done this deliberately to cover up the truth about the death?

Who is the person imprisoned here? Why did Yan Guang imprison him in such a secret place? Did Yan Guang know that this person was dead? Did Yan Guang kill this person?

Countless questions lingered in Li Cheng's mind. He ordered his followers to ask a coroner to perform an autopsy, and then returned to his study.

When the mute girl revealed the secret room in the study, Yan Guang's face quickly became calm except for the initial surprise.

He had remained calm ever since he fell into the hands of the Crown Prince. He was dead, his future was over, so why should he care about these things? Even if the mute girl didn't tell him, the Crown Prince would find out sooner or later.

But when he heard the visitor say that the person in the secret room had been dead for many days, the old face suddenly burst into fear.