Chapter 49 Her lips were pressed down hard by something. ...

"Kill you?"

Ji Chengning gave a particularly handsome smile.

The warm breath fell on his skin. There were also hook wounds on the side of Zhang Yuhuai's ear. He clenched his teeth to keep himself from trembling as the breath brushed against him.

It definitely hurts.

However, the wounds left from the previous torture were properly treated by Ji Chengning's orders. The cool medicinal powder was applied to the wounds, like a long-awaited rain after a drought.

The tearing pain behind the ear was inflicted by Ji Chengning, and so was the relief.

Zhang Yuhuai closed his eyes tightly, the veins on his neck, which was wrapped in gauze, throbbing.

Ji Chengnin said slowly, "You led the disturbance, besieged the examination hall, and assaulted an official of the imperial court..."

Zhang Yuhuai, who had been holding back, suddenly opened his eyes. "We didn't!"

Ji Chengnin raised his voice, "Can you guarantee that none of the people you brought with you were beaten to death?" His voice suddenly became sharp, "Zhang Yuhuai, you should be glad that no official was beaten to death, otherwise, you wouldn't be the only one in Qingluwei today!"

Zhang Yuhuai grunted.

Cold sweat rolled down his blood-stained eyebrows and into his eyes, stinging his cheeks and causing them to twitch.

The wounds on his face trembled, and blood seeped out.

The next second, Ji Chengnin's expression suddenly changed, and his previous stern tone vanished without a trace.

He picked up the handkerchief he had just used to wipe his hands and pressed it onto Zhang Yuhuai's wound.

The latter's skin tightened as she stared intently at Ji Chengnin.

His veins bulged violently, and a hint of resentment gradually seeped from his pale skin.

Ji Chengnin smiled and said softly, "Who wants to kill you? Who wants to kill you now?"

He bent down. "I just counted. You have forty-seven wounds of varying sizes, mostly whip marks, club marks, and," his gaze shifted downwards, Zhang Yuhuai's body tensed, "burns."

The blood was quickly absorbed by the handkerchief, turning into a living flower that spread outwards.

Ji Chengning said, "After all these years, the Dali Temple still uses the same old tricks. I really can't stand them."

Zhang Yuhuai looked at him warily, his Adam's apple bobbing.

This man possessed the appearance of a handsome and noble young master, but his mind was extremely ruthless, just like the monsters in folk tales who enjoyed peeling off bones and skins.

Although it was he who had a mouth full of blood, Ji Chengnin's lips were far redder than his.

It seems to have been infected by someone who had just devoured human hearts.

Lustrous, deep red.

Ji Chengning seemed to have thought of something interesting, and said with a smile, "I am different. If I interrogate you," he moved his finger down and lightly pointed above Zhang Yuhuai's back, "I will make an incision here, and then pour in mercury, and I can peel off a whole human skin intact."

Before Zhang Yuhuai could speak, Ji Chengnin continued, "If you find this method too bloody, I'll have someone set up a pot right here," he smiled slightly, "With your pride, what would it taste like?"

The beautiful and affectionate voice reached his ears, but perhaps due to the excessive use of healing medicine, Zhang Yuhuai was somewhat delirious.

Otherwise, how could he feel that the words, which were clearly the most terrifying things, had a strange sweetness because of the master's moist tone?

Zhang Yuhuai stared intently at Ji Chengnin.

His vocal cords trembled as he said, "No one instructed me to."

Ji Chengnin clicked his tongue in annoyance.

Zhang Yuhuai showed no fear whatsoever.

He was too badly injured to see the fleeting admiration in Ji Chengnin's eyes.

"You have an unyielding spirit; I admire you greatly."

Zhang Yuhuai did not relax; instead, his shoulders tensed even more.

He was waiting for the next part.

As expected, the young Marquis Ji's next words were: "I am willing to leave you a whole corpse."

As expected!

The attempt to persuade him with polite words was completely ineffective. After realizing that he could not obtain any useful information from him, Ji Chengnin lost patience and decided that killing him was the only right thing to do.

Zhang Yuhuai had long been prepared to die.

Zhang Yuhuai's eyelashes, covered in blood, trembled slightly. Then, without flinching, he raised his head and smiled at Ji Chengning, "Thank you, sir."

Ji Chengning saved him and did not torture him; he should be grateful.

He was not afraid of death.

I'm just very unwilling to accept it.

He was unwilling to accept that such a crucial matter concerning the nation's future had fallen as lightly as a feather, just like his life. He was unwilling to accept that his classmates had studied diligently for decades, only to end up as the son of a nobleman holding a high position.

It's a bit of a pity.

We'd agreed that after he passed the imperial examination, he'd take his grandmother, father, and Mianmian to Wanzhou for a feast. They must be eagerly awaiting his return. And, and...

“My lord,” Zhang Yuhuai said in a hoarse voice, “you have treated my injuries and shown me great kindness time and time again. I am deeply grateful.” Ji Chengning looked at him, “However, as a lackey, one must know that once the cunning rabbit dies, the hunting dog is cooked. Please, my lord, take care of yourself and behave yourself.”

Ji Chengnin was not annoyed by what he said, and his expression did not change much, clearly not taking his words seriously.

Indeed, when things are at their most prosperous and flourishing, who would think about what will happen after death?

He moved the handkerchief aside and slowly folded it into three sections.

Zhang Yuhuai watched his every move.

The handkerchief, soaked with blood, was thick and damp. Ji Chengnin placed the handkerchief in his palm, and then knelt on one knee by the bed.

Zhang Yuhuai could clearly feel that a section of the bed beside him had been pressed down.

Ji Chengning bent down.

The bright red handkerchief slid down with its owner's movements.

She kissed his lips intimately and tenderly, perfectly sealing his mouth.

Zhang Yuhuai's arms convulsed violently.

Ji Chengning used his other hand to press down on Zhang Yuhuai's arm, which instinctively tried to struggle, and whispered, "Don't be afraid, it won't hurt."

Perhaps it was Ji Chengnin's gentle tone that made Zhang Yuhuai's eyelids tremble, and a tear of blood rolled down his cheek.

Ji Chengnin lowered his head and asked, slowly and deliberately, "Who ordered you to do this?"

This is the last chance!

Zhang Yuhuai knew that Ji Chengnin's patience was invaluable, and that he had already shown extraordinary kindness by tolerating him to this point.

His lips moved.

He slowly shook his head.

Ji Chengnin finally lost all patience and tightened his grip.

I don't know how much time has passed, whether it's a lifetime or a fleeting moment.

"Oh dear." Chen Jian stood at the doorway and looked at the scene inside the room, his expression somewhat strange.

Ji Chengnin met his gaze, then casually waved his handkerchief. "Mr. Chen, come help me."

Half an hour later.

A dilapidated horse-drawn carriage carrying vegetables drove away from the back gate of the Qingluwei government office.

"And then what?"

Zhou Zhuo asked in a deep voice.

The scout replied respectfully, "After that, they went to the funeral parlor outside the city."

The so-called "place of death" is the place where human corpses are cremated and turned into ashes. Corpses of those who died from infectious diseases, those who died violently and had no relatives or help, and those whose identities are special and cannot be told to outsiders are often brought here and burned clean.

Zhou Zhuo chuckled.

Ji Chengning is efficient in his work.

It's unclear how much torture he inflicted on Zhang Yuhuai, but he was probably beaten so badly that he was unrecognizable that he had no choice but to be taken away for treatment.

"Your Highness, there is one more thing."

"explain."

"When my subordinates were monitoring the Qinglu Guard's office, they discovered that there were other spies there as well."

Zhou Zhuo sat up straight immediately. "So, were you discovered?"

The scout shook his head. "I left early and no one noticed."

Zhou Zhuo sat back down, fiddling with the fire coral ring on his finger, and said with a smile, "I know, you can go now."

Besides him, who else is monitoring Ji Chengnin's movements?

The third son, the crown prince, or... Zhou Zhuo's eyes revealed a hint of fear, the emperor.

Just as the scout was about to leave, Zhou Zhuo said, "Wait."

The scout stood there helplessly.

"Spread the word that Director Ji used excessive force and beat a Hanlin scholar's son to death. To avoid punishment, he threw the body into a crematorium and burned it. It's a pity that the scholar was not punished before he was reduced to ashes."

"Yes, I understand."

Zhou Zhu lazily fiddled with the thumb ring in his hand.

Moist red, delicate, just like the sly smile on Ji Chengnin's lips when he was negotiating with him.

He wanted to let the young marquis know that his gift of gratitude was not something he could easily accept without any cost.

What will Ji Chengnin's expression be after the storm has passed?

Will they come to him, trying to quell the gossip through his help?

Zhou Zhuo seemed to already see the proud young man bowing his head and begging for mercy, and he suddenly gripped the ring.

...

Upon hearing the news of his son's death, Zhang Hanlin collapsed to his knees.

After Zhang Yuhuai was arrested and imprisoned in Dali Temple, Zhang Hanlin, who had lived a life of integrity and self-discipline, had no choice but to beg his colleagues and plead with them, only to receive helpless sighs and stern ridicule and disdain.

His deep worries and despair were transformed into a memorial written in blood and tears, which was sent to the palace.

All of these documents were kept in the archives and not issued.

Zhang Hanlin stared blankly at the ink stains on the paper, a memorial that had not yet been finished.

Your subject Zhang Zhanying respectfully submits this memorial with tears in his eyes… Your subject Zhang Yuhuai is arrogant and ignorant, deserving of death nine times over, yet… Your subject begs to exchange his official position and life for your subject…

Gradually becoming blurry.

...

The news of his death was spread in the afternoon, and Ji Chengnin was summoned to the palace and reprimanded in the evening.

It can't really be called a reprimand, because the emperor didn't even appear. Qin Min conveyed the imperial edict on his behalf, which essentially said, "I told you to act cautiously, but you were too eager for quick success and beat Zhang Yuhuai to death. You have deeply disappointed me!"

Practice makes perfect, and Ji Chengning responded with exceptional fluency, "Mmm, mmm, mmm."

Qin Min was amazed by his shameless attitude; the young Marquis Ji's thick skin was becoming more and more astonishing.

After listening to Qin Min finish cursing on behalf of the emperor, Ji Chengning took out a memorial from his sleeve and said, "Please trouble Eunuch Qin to convey this to His Majesty."

Qin Min looked around awkwardly, "This..."

"Xiao Ning!"

But then they heard someone laughing gleefully.

Ji Chengnin's eyes lit up, "Your Highness!"

Qin Min quickly greeted him, "Your Highness."

Zhou Yu glanced at Qin Min with a sarcastic look. The latter lowered his head like a quail, wishing he could bury himself in the ground.

"What's wrong?"

Ji Chengning explained the whole story to Zhou Yu, but the Crown Prince didn't take it seriously. "What's so difficult about that? I'm on my way to see my father anyway. Just give it to me."

Ji Chengning smiled and said, "Thank you, Your Highness. I saw auspicious seven-colored light in the east when I woke up this morning. I thought it was going to be something good. Now that I've bumped into Your Highness, it has indeed come true."

Zhou Yu's cheeks flushed slightly as he tapped Ji Chengning's forehead. "Hmph, young marquis, you should save that clever tongue of yours for fooling others."

Ji Chengnin looked at him innocently.

Seeing that his eyes were clear and bright, and he seemed to know nothing at all, Zhou Yu waved his hand and said, "Never mind, it's nothing. Cheng Ning," he casually pinched Ji Cheng Ning's chin, which was pointed and made Zhou Yu's heart flutter, "Business is important, but your health is even more important."

Ji Chengnin lowered his head and said with a grin, "Your Majesty, I understand. I will definitely eat two extra bowls of rice when I get back tonight."

Zhou Yu smiled helplessly, exchanged a few more words with Ji Chengnin, and then left.

Qin Min and Ji Chengnin were left staring at each other in bewilderment.

After all, the emperor didn't say that Ji Chengning could leave after being scolded.

After waiting for another hour, as darkness fell, dozens of palace lanterns finally appeared in a long procession.

The Crown Prince's carriage stopped, and Zhou Yu leaned down and whispered in Ji Chengnin's ear, "His Majesty said, I grant permission."

His voice was so soft that only the two of them could hear it. Ji Chengnin felt that waiting another night was worthwhile. "Thank you, Your Highness!"

Zhou Yu glanced at him and reminded him that he had said the wrong thing.

There was no dissatisfaction in his eyes, but rather a faint sense of pride.

Ji Chengnin quickly changed his tune, "Thank you, Your Majesty."

"It's getting late," the Crown Prince said. "Go back now, I'll have someone escort you."

Ji Chengnin lowered his head and said, "Yes."

Palace servants emerged from the crowd to escort Ji Chengning out of the palace.

After a long day of activity, it was already past midnight when Ji Chengning changed his clothes and went to bed.

He was extremely tired, but his mind was crystal clear.

Every joint felt heavy, and every part of his body was screaming for him to rest.

However, I just couldn't fall asleep.

Countless faces shifted and changed before him, sometimes showing Zhou Zhuo's unfathomable features, sometimes Zhang Yuhuai's face, soaked in blood yet showing no fear.

Ji Chengning's long eyelashes trembled.

"Click".

It sounded like the sound of an incense burner lid closing.

Ji Chengnin suddenly opened his eyes.

However, perhaps because the window screens had been replaced, the entire room was completely dark, with not even a sliver of moonlight penetrating inside.

It was so dark you couldn't see your hand in front of your face.

Ji Chengnin was startled and was about to ask someone to light a lamp.

But her lips were pressed down hard by something.

The thing was cold, hard, smooth, and had a strange leathery smell.

Yes, a gloved hand!

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Author's note: Goodnight, my wife.