The "putt-putt-putt" sound of the motorcycle echoed all around. Jiang Ling hadn't had such a thrill in a long time, but she still dared to ride it for most of the ride before leaving the two of them on the ground and hiding the motorcycle behind the storage cabinet.

He took out a signal flare from his waist and fired it, a buzzing sound echoing through the valley.

About an hour and a half later, Jiang Ling heard the sound of a carriage approaching from afar. She hid in the bushes nearby and secretly observed. When she saw that the driver was Xiao Hai, she breathed a sigh of relief. She jumped out of the bushes and waved to Xiao Hai.

Xiao Hai grinned when he saw Jiang Ling. He stopped the carriage in front of Jiang Ling and bowed, saying, "Greetings, Your Excellency!"

Jiang Ling nodded, pointed to the two Western Region people who were still unconscious in the bushes, and said, "They're in the bushes. Let's give them a hand and throw them into the car!"

Xiao Hai nodded, carrying the Westerners to the cart. He looked at Jiang Ling, seemingly thinking of something, but unsure how to ask. Noticing Xiao Hai's expression, Jiang Ling, fearing exposure, quickly explained, "They've been drugged with a sleeping potion taught to them by my great-grandmother. They probably won't wake up for several hours. Before they do, take them back and search them thoroughly! I'll head back now; you'll have to deal with it yourselves!"

As she spoke, Jiang Ling walked towards the bushes. Xiao Hai glanced at Jiang Ling, then at the two Western Region people in the car, hesitated for a moment, and finally turned the car around and sped off towards Shengjing.

Seeing that Xiao Hai had left, Jiang Ling took out her motorcycle from the storage cabinet and sped back to the carriage.

Fortunately, everyone was still asleep. Jiang Ling recalled Jiang Shan's driving style and carefully began to drive the carriage.

Xiao Hai hurried towards the Third Prince's residence. The signal flare that had pierced the air earlier had calmed the anxious He Shunsu, Gu Aqi, and Jiang Wenxi somewhat.

"Master! Master! Brother Hai is back!" He Shunsu's servant called out towards the door.

He Shunsu disregarded his status and hurriedly ran towards the backyard.

By this time, Xiao Hai had already carried the two Western Region people into the courtyard. He Shunsu looked at the unconscious Western Region people and said, "Take these two to the secret room!"

"Yes!" Upon hearing this, the servants hurriedly carried the two Western Region men into their prince's private chamber.

The two men from the Western Regions were awakened by excruciating pain. They were horrified to find themselves stripped naked and bound to a pillar.

"You! You! Who are you! Who knows who I am..."

With a loud "crack," two whips, each as thick as a thumb, lashed out in an arc through the air, striking the two men.

The Western Region people howled in pain as they were whipped, glaring angrily at He Shunsu and shouting, "What are you? Let me go right now! Otherwise, I'll make you pay!"

He Shunsu and Xiao Hai exchanged a glance, then swung their whips again. The two Western Region men were nearly whipped unconscious before He Shunsu and Xiao Hai finally stopped.

"Who's afraid of you assassinating Nianci!" He Shunsu, who had been silent for a long time, suddenly asked.

In the dimly lit secret room, He Shunsu, dressed in a black robe, frowned and glared, giving the impression of a demon from hell.

The man from the Western Regions shuddered in fright, and his wounds burned with pain. The two men exchanged a glance and remained silent.

He Shunsu was not in a hurry. He took out a dagger from his pocket and walked towards one of the Western Region people.

He rubbed the Western Region man's skin with his dagger and said in a chilling tone, "You don't have to tell me. Judging from your appearance, you're probably not from our Great Hua Dynasty. I guess you don't know there's a way to die called 'Lingchi' (death by a thousand cuts). Anyway, I have plenty of patience now, so I'll just give you a brief introduction!"

"You should have seen this dagger by now. I will use this dagger to cut you 3335 times before the last cut kills you. How do you think of this way of dying?"

The two men from the Western Regions had never heard of such a grotesque way of dying. They were trembling with fear, but they remained defiant.

He Shunsu wasn't angry. He gave Xiao Hai a wink, and Xiao Hai immediately threw the two brushes beside him at the feet of the Western Region people.

These two brushes were unlike ordinary brushes; they were made entirely of iron, and the bristles were not animal hair, but sharp iron nails that gleamed coldly in the dimly lit basement.

The two men from the Western Regions turned deathly pale. Their bodies went from trembling slightly to shivering violently, and their lips and teeth chattered.

He Shunsu bent down and picked up one of the brushes. He walked over to the hand of another man from the Western Regions and gently placed the brush on the man's body.

The icy touch made the man tremble even more violently.

"Oh? You're scared? I haven't even told you what this brush is for yet! Tell me, what would happen if this steel brush kept brushing your skin, stroke after stroke? Wouldn't it hurt a lot if it went deep enough to expose the bone?"

As He Shunsu spoke, he gently moved the brush back and forth across the man's body.

A strong smell of urine suddenly wafted from the secret room, and a puddle of water appeared at the feet of both men from the Western Regions.

"I'll talk, I'll talk, I'll tell you everything, please! Please don't treat me like this!" One of the Western Region men finally couldn't take it anymore. He looked extremely disheveled, with snot and tears mixed on his face, his lips pale and he was trembling.

“Is that right? There’s an old saying in our Great Hua Dynasty: ‘Those who know when to yield are the heroes.’ You should give in sooner rather than later, so you don’t suffer this pain!” He Shunsu didn’t put the brush down, but continued to gently brush the shoulders of the Western Region people.

"It's...it's...the Empress Dowager of the Imperial City!" the Western Regions man hesitated for a moment before finally saying.

He Shunsu was not surprised by this answer. He nodded, stopped what he was doing, and walked towards Xiao Hai, whispering, "Knock him out! I'm going to see the Emperor!"

Xiao Hai swiftly knocked the two unconscious with a karate chop, dressed them, threw them into the carriage, and drove it at breakneck speed toward the capital.

The Imperial City, the Empress Dowager's bedroom.

After court, the emperor, as was customary, came to his bedchamber to inquire after his health.

Just as they were about to leave, the little eunuch rushed in and knelt on the ground, saying, "Your Majesty, the Third Prince requests an audience!"

The Empress Dowager frowned as she looked at the young eunuch, and the Emperor was also somewhat surprised.

"Come in!" The Empress Dowager was about to speak when the Emperor interrupted her.

The Third Prince walked in slowly and smiled slightly at the Empress Dowager.

An ominous premonition arose in the Empress Dowager's heart, and she shook her lips, trying to remain calm.

"Greetings, Your Majesty and Your Majesty!" He Shunsu knelt down to pay his respects, then stood up.

"Third brother, why did you suddenly come to the capital today? You used to be most afraid of coming here, afraid that I would keep you occupied and make you chat and play chess with me!" The emperor asked He Shunsu, puzzled.

He Shunsu smiled and said, "Brother, I have a story for you to hear."