Chapter 41 Waterboarding, the Nineteenth Time!
Chapter 41
Chi Zhanlan Ce is dead!
The palace was in complete chaos, and the pro-peace faction was furious.
"The Crown Prince of Northern Yan died in our Southern Capital of Great Liang. How can we negotiate peace now?! I'm afraid the Northern Yan army will soon be engaged in a desperate battle with Great Liang!"
"Yes, clearly the Northern Yan was sincere in their peace talks. They were only waiting for the Crown Prince's seal to be delivered to the Huai'an Canal before they withdrew their troops... It's all that traitor Yan Danqing's fault for sabotaging the peace talks and destroying our Great Liang. He is truly a sinner for all time!"
"We can't let him get away! Kill Yan Danqing!"
"Kill Yan Danqing!"
...
Zhang Yuanmou and his men shouted angrily, especially after Yan Danqing was dragged into the hall. The noise grew louder, as if they wanted to turn into swords and cut the man in front of them into a thousand pieces to vent their anger.
Jiang You looked ten years paler, standing motionless with a vacant stare and a dazed expression.
This was Yan Danqing's first time stepping into the Liang Dynasty palace.
Amidst shouts clamoring for his annihilation, he slowly bowed down, letting blood seep from his wounds and soak his clothes, calmly and resolutely declaring, "Your subject, Yan Danqing, pays his respects to Your Majesty!"
The clear, melodious voice flowed like water, and the hall fell silent instantly.
All the arguing ceased, and pairs of eyes turned to the person bowing down. His features were handsome and resolute, and although he was young, he showed no trace of childishness. His dark hair was somewhat disheveled and casually scattered, and his clothes were torn and stained with blood. His kneeling and raising of his hand were like clear spring water washing over the scorching court.
He never came to the palace, nor did he appear before them, but since his sudden emergence last year, he has been the focus of debate in the court. When he was at the Huai'an Canal, people debated the war; after his return, they debated his life or death.
Liang Yue's anger faltered slightly, his expression becoming somewhat dazed. In the past, when they corresponded, he only felt a sense of familiarity with this person, but now that they met in person, he felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity...
They had clearly never seen it before.
Liang Yue didn't speak, and no one in the hall questioned him. For a moment, an eerie silence fell over the hall. Just now, everyone was clamoring to kill him, filled with righteous indignation. Now that he was right in front of them, they inexplicably felt short of breath.
Yan Danqing straightened up, lowered her eyes, and waited quietly.
Ye Pei hesitated for a moment, about to speak, when Zheng Wenjue winked at him, then stepped forward and respectfully said, "Your Majesty, Chizhan Lance is dead, and Northern Yan is about to send troops. Our Great Liang should prepare to fight immediately!"
Although he didn't directly speak up for Yan Danqing, if it came down to accepting the challenge, "Little General Yan" would still have value in living.
Ye Pei couldn't speak. He and Bai Chengguang had already neglected their duties in guarding the Dali Temple. If he were to publicly plead for Yan Danqing, he might really lose his head.
Liang Yue remained silent, his eyes fixed on Yan Danqing, his brows furrowed. Strange, why did he look so familiar? In his mind, this person seemed to gradually merge with another figure…
Liang Yue was startled.
Jiang You turned around, his old and cloudy eyes looking at the only person kneeling in the hall. Even though it was a matter of life and death, he could still straighten his back, with no fear or apprehension in his eyes, and a clear conscience.
Jiang You was so angry that his hands trembled. He asked him, "Are you so confident because you're certain that the two countries will still need you in the midst of war?"
"Your Majesty, Yan Danqing is a traitor. He dared to kill Chizhan Lance today, and he will dare to rebel in the future! It is already the best that Northern Yan sincerely wants to negotiate with Great Liang, but he dared to interfere, causing us to fail in our negotiations with Northern Yan and creating a deadly feud, which has brought disaster to the people. We must cut him into a thousand pieces to vent our hatred!"
The words shattered the silence, and another wave of condemnation erupted in the court.
"Isn't he just relying on his own abilities? If things went as he wished, wouldn't the world be in chaos? What kind of law would there be?!"
"Yes, we can't let him live."
"Even if war breaks out, there are other generals available. Why must we use Yan Danqing?"
Ye Pei, caught in the middle, suggested: "But a major battle is imminent, and the Huai'an Canal needs Yan's army. Why don't we imprison him first?"
"This traitor harbors rebellious intentions. If we let him live, who knows what might happen?"
"Lord Ye spoke up for him, but didn't he deliberately let him out to obstruct the peace talks?"
"Yan Family Army? Hmph, if it weren't for the Emperor's money, food, and manpower, how could he have built up an army like Yan Family Army in just half a year? They are ungrateful and even plot rebellion!"
"Your Majesty, please execute the traitor Yan Danqing!"
...
With a whoosh, most of the people in the hall knelt down.
Ye Pei didn't want to kneel, but Bai Chengguang pulled him down to kneel with him, lowering his voice and saying urgently:
"Don't forget what General Yan said..."
On the way here, General Yan told them that he had a way to survive, but they must not ask him to speak, as Ye Pei's words just now had already made things difficult for him.
Ye Pei knelt down, his brows furrowed.
How will General Yan survive?
Only Jiang You remained standing in the main hall. He walked towards Yan Danqing, his steps slightly unsteady, and asked persistently, "You still haven't answered me. Is it because you're certain you can live that you can do whatever you want?"
Upon hearing this, Yan Danqing finally looked at him with a calm gaze: "No, I know I cannot live, but Chi Zhanlan Ce must also die. Northern Yan has no intention of making peace. Even if I die, I will drag him down to hell with me."
Can't produce any evidence?
Then let us exchange our lives for each other, and never spare Chi Zhanlan Ce.
Since death is inevitable either way, it's better not to die because of the imperial edict for peace talks. There's nothing wrong with using one's life to shatter the unrealistic expectations of the people in the court.
Jiang You's fingers trembled with rage as he pointed at him, gritting his teeth: "Where does Northern Yan not want peace talks? Chi Zhan Lan Ce has already shown all his sincerity, yet you've done this based solely on your own conjecture. Yan Danqing, do you know you've ruined the Great Liang!"
His breathing became heavy, and he spoke each word clearly:
"You destroyed my Great Liang, you should atone with your death!"
At the head of the table, Liang Yue opened his mouth, then hesitated.
Yan Danqing simply smiled, took something out of his sleeve, and bowed to Liang Yue: "Your subject Yan Danqing has privately attempted to assassinate the Crown Prince of Northern Yan, a crime that cannot be forgiven."
"Your Majesty, I confess my guilt, but I beg you to exchange this for my life. The assassination was done by Chunzhou alone. Please do not implicate others. I hope Your Majesty will grant my request."
He held a piece of white silk in his palm, and on it... a military tally.
Liang Yue raised his chin, and the eunuch next to him immediately stepped forward and presented the item. The military tally could command all the soldiers in the Huai'an Canal, and the blank scroll contained Yan Danqing's confession written in blood!
He declared that he was guilty first, and whatever his fate, he deserved it and it had nothing to do with the imperial court. He then ordered all Yan family troops at Huai'an Canal to obey military orders...
Yan Danqing transferred all the troops at Huai'an Canal to the imperial court in exchange for Liang Yue not pursuing the others.
Liang Yue looked at Yan Danqing with a complicated expression. Before seeing Yan Danqing, he only wanted to kill this traitor. After seeing him, the sense of familiarity made his killing intent disappear, and doubts gradually arose.
Upon seeing the blood-written letter again, he made a decision:
This is a plan to postpone it.
Yan Danqing deserves to die, but I don't want to kill him yet.
"Your Majesty!" Zhang Yuanmou crawled forward on his knees, his face filled with shock. "Northern Yan and Great Liang are about to go to war. The situation is critical and precarious. And the culprit who caused all this is still alive?!"
One voice after another rose up, all urging the emperor to kill him.
“Yan Danqing must die.” The Minister of War spoke up at this moment. “Such heinous acts cannot appease the people’s hearts if he is not executed. However, considering that he handed over his military seal, wrote a blood oath, and has made past contributions, let him be given a dignified death.”
Yan Danqing was not surprised by the situation before him. He raised his head and said, "How can I atone for my sins by dying? I am willing to accept water torture. I only ask to be spared my life. I just want to live."
The hall fell silent instantly. Even Zhang Yuanmou and the others, who were determined to kill him, had their throats choked and could not make a sound. Ye Pei looked at him in disbelief.
Is this how he survives? Who couldn't survive this way!
Liang Yue gasped, "Yan Chunzhou, do you know that water torture is worse than death!"
Suffering waterboarding?
It would be better to just execute him now to avoid suffering!
Yan Danqing remained calm, a slight smile playing on his lips: "Your subject understands, and is willing to atone for my sins."
-
"What is waterboarding?" Ye Xiren didn't understand.
Ye Changming's face was full of complex emotions, and his voice was inscrutable: "Water torture was a form of punishment during the reign of Emperor Xianzong. His Majesty was benevolent and abolished it after ascending the throne. Water torture may not sound cruel, but in reality, it involves locking a person in a filthy water dungeon, binding their hands and feet, with no light or sound, only water soaking their body, and flesh-eating insects in the water."
He paused, unable to continue: "...Those insects will gnaw on some flesh, causing excruciating pain but not death. As long as they are given a meal every day, the people inside will never die."
“In the past, only those who offended Emperor Xianzong would suffer such punishment. I once heard Uncle Bai say that even the most powerful people who went inside would eventually become a piece of rotten flesh, still able to breathe, but unable to live or die.”
Ye Xiren's vision went black, her head was buzzing, and her body instantly lost its strength, causing her to collapse into the chair.
Waterboarding, alive.
Is this how he lives?!
Ye Xiren felt breathless, as if her heart was being gripped by something. A chill ran through her body, her teeth chattered uncontrollably, and her voice became hoarse.
"His Majesty...has he agreed?"
Ye Changming sighed as he considered the information he had gathered: "Initially, the court wanted to kill him, but after hearing about water torture, most officials fell silent. Minister Jiang said that since he wanted to live a life worse than death, then so be it. His Majesty has already issued an edict, and General Yan is now... being subjected to water torture."
Ye Xiren suddenly found it hard to breathe, as if she were sinking into boundless darkness with the sewage, suffocating and despairing, engulfing her from all around, her limbs and bones with no way to escape.
Almost instinctively, she stood up and went outside.
The water dungeon was not in the Dali Temple, but in the more heavily guarded Imperial City Guard. After the Imperial City Guard, which had been sealed off, unearthed the gunpowder, the seal was lifted.
Lu Qian is dead, and the Imperial City Guard is currently under the temporary control of Zhang Yuanmou.
Ye Pei and Bai Chengguang, along with men from the Dali Temple, escorted Yan Danqing to the Imperial City Guard. Zhang Yuanmou, with a gloomy face, stood outside the Imperial Prison and replaced a large number of guards.
Lu Qian's identity is unknown, and many people in the Imperial City Guard can no longer be used. He wants to use people he trusts to keep an eye on Yan Danqing.
Bai Chengguang lowered his voice: "Lord Zhang, there is no precedent for water torture since we arrived in Nandu. After all, this is the Marquis of Loyalty and Courage, whose family has been loyal and brave for generations. Do you think we should make an exception?"
Since there is no water torture, there are many loopholes that can be exploited on the first execution. As the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, he knows the ins and outs best and can make people suffer less.
Zhang Yuanmou sneered, his face gloomy. "If the Marquis of Zhongyong, a man of generations of loyalty and bravery, knew that such a traitor had appeared in his family, he would probably have already jumped out and killed him! You two have failed in your duties, but His Majesty has been lenient and has only ordered you to reflect on your mistakes behind closed doors. So stop pleading for a traitor here!"
After saying that, he flicked his sleeves, turned around and walked forward, instructing: "Dig smaller and deeper, and put in more insects. Since he wants to live, he should live 'well'."
Ye Pei pulled him back and shook her head silently.
People who are handed over to Zhang Yuanmou will suffer a lot. If they say less and Lord Zhang is less angry, General Yan might suffer less.
He turned to look at Yan Danqing, his eyes filled with guilt. He was about to hand the person over to Zhang Yuanmou, and after that, they would never be able to take care of him again...
Yan Danqing smiled and said, "Lord Ye, don't worry, I'm fine."
In this murky world, what he was doing was destined to end badly. He had his own principles and was willing to die, but he shouldn't drag innocent people down to hell with him.
Yan Danqing slowly lifted his foot and walked towards the imperial prison.
He was willing to return to the place where Ye Xiren had risked his life to get him out of, now that he had returned again.
-
The Imperial City Guard is under tight surveillance. Zhang Yuanmou will not allow Yan Danqing to escape as easily as he did with the Court of Judicial Review, nor will he allow the Imperial City Guard to be unaware of the gunpowder planted there before. The direction of the Imperial Prison is one of permission to leave but not to enter.
Ye Xiren could only stand outside, staring blankly at the imperial prison.
Ye Xiren opened her mouth, but no sound came out.
Ye Pei looked at her with a complicated expression.
Before yesterday, he didn't think his daughter would know Yan Danqing, but from yesterday to today, the two of them were clearly very familiar with each other. The familiarity was strange and incongruous, as if it were a secret between the two of them, which no one else could pry into and would never know the truth.
Seeing that her palms were bleeding from pinching them, Ye Pei sighed and gently rubbed her head.
"Xixi, don't be sad. It's good that General Yan is alive. Today I saw that His Majesty's attitude has softened. He is currently in the water prison, but there may be a day when he will be released. We will do our best to save him."
Ye Xiren's eyes suddenly reddened. She looked in the direction of the imperial prison, as if she could see a shadow in the sewage, bound to a wooden frame and suffering pain...
The dark water prison was as small as a well, pitch black without a single ray of light. It was eerily quiet inside, so quiet that not even the wind could be heard. The sound of tiny insects swimming should not have been clear, but because it was so dark and quiet, the sound of the water rippling could be heard.
Blood continued to flow from the festering wound, something seemed to be gnawing at it excitedly. As excruciating pain struck, Yan Danqing slowly raised her head, her bright eyes as still as water in the darkness.
He will live, he will live forever.
She lived to a ripe old age.
Ye Pei took the dazed Ye Xiren back to the Ye family home and secluded himself to reflect on his actions.
The people of Nandu were still unaware of Chizhan Lance's death. In the brief peace following the great battle, the city was bustling with activity, filled with the sounds of vendors hawking their wares and haggling.
Inside the carriage, Ye Pei and Ye Changming were talking.
“Chizhan Lance is dead, and things are about to get very turbulent. What about the Northern Yan people?” Ye Changming asked.
"His Majesty has ordered them to be kept under guard." Ye Pei shook his head, his expression grave. "The great battle is about to begin. The news of the Northern Yan Crown Prince's murder has been blocked. Great Liang must act before Northern Yan."
"The Ministry of War is reorganizing the army. Jiang You and the others are in the palace discussing the war with His Majesty. Several imperial edicts have been issued, appointing Zhao Wu as General Zhennan as the commander-in-chief, and appointing Ma Shan, a subordinate of Yan Danqing, as General Piaoqi as the deputy commander. They are to immediately proceed to Huai'an Canal to meet the enemy!"
Ye Changming frowned: "Since we're preparing for war, why not involve Father, the Minister of Revenue? How will military provisions be allocated?"
"These matters were all handled by You Cao. He was appointed by Chiang Kai-shek and is deeply trusted by him. Even the national treasury accounts are managed by him. What use would it be to allocate military rations without me?"
Ye Pei sighed again: "Besides, I am now a guilty person and need to reflect on my mistakes behind closed doors. It's all fine. It's fortunate that the court was able to respond in time. The situation is not too bad."
The situation in Daliang is precarious and cannot be delayed any longer. If we can actively fight back now, we still have a 50% chance of survival.
Ye Changming breathed a sigh of relief and exclaimed, "Fortunately, General Yan produced the military tally and the blood oath, which allowed General Zhaowu to successfully take over the military command. General Mashan will also continue to obey the court's orders. They have already set off, riding at full speed, and will arrive at the Huai'an Canal early tomorrow morning."
The current situation is one that cannot be allowed to deteriorate at all.
"I hope Daliang can win..." Ye Pei looked ahead, his gaze seemingly piercing through Nandu, crossing the water protection river, and reaching the Huai'an Canal. "If the situation requires it, General Yan might have a chance to come out, but for now, we have to wait it out."
boil?
But water torture is not an easy thing to endure.
Ye Changming felt terrible just thinking about it and couldn't help but sigh, "It's a pity we can't save him."
"Stop the carriage!" Ye Xiren couldn't stand it anymore, and suddenly stood up and jumped off the carriage.
"Hey," Ye Changming shouted, "What are you doing?"
Ye Xiren waved her hand and quickly left.
Her mind was in turmoil, and she had no sense of direction. She walked wherever the road led, and soon disappeared into the bustling streets.
Ye Changming wanted to give chase.
Ye Pei pulled him back and shook her head: "Let her walk by herself."
Ye Xiren didn't know where she wanted to go. She walked through the bustling market, listening to the laughter of passersby, watching farmers carrying loads out of town, and children running in the street, accompanied by their parents' calls...
She walked into the crowd and was swallowed up by it.
They walked until they reached the moat surrounding the southern capital, and when there was no road ahead, they stopped, panting. The sun had already set, and the afterglow of the setting sun spread across the water, gilding the small boats, which swayed gently.
She can save them!
As long as the knife is held to his neck, just like before, the day will be reopened, and Yan Danqing can be saved.
“But that was your own choice.” Ye Xiren raised her head, her eyes reflecting the red glow of the setting sun. She was like a swallow circling overhead, spinning around, unable to find a way out. “I should live, and live well.”
If she could find a way, what would it matter if she reopened the business and found a new path to survival?
However, Chi Zhanlan's strategy made this game unsolvable. The game was restarted, but it just continued to stagnate on the fourth day of the third month, with no hope in sight.
Yan Danqing was determined to protect his country and was loyal to the cause, so even if it cost him his life, he was determined to kill Chi Zhanlan Ce.
But she was just an ordinary person who only wanted herself and her family to live well, to break free from the cycle and escape the endless cycle of death.
She had no lofty ideals, no intention of sacrificing herself for what she desired. She was just one of the masses, wanting only to live a good life like these ordinary people nourished by the river, to eat, sleep, and to wake up to a brand new day... instead of being trapped here, endlessly going around in circles.
As darkness fell, Ye Xiren gazed at the gradually brightening lights. The sun had completely set, daylight had passed, and night had arrived. In a few hours, it would be a new day, the fifth day of the third month, a day she had never seen before.
Ye Xiren covered her face, squatted down, and burst into tears.
-
Xu Shi (7-9 PM)
Ye Xiren walked home in a daze, stepping into the darkness.
"Xixi!" Ye Changming was anxiously searching for her all over the street with a lantern, sweating profusely.
Upon seeing the person, he took a few steps forward, his eyes wide with anger, about to unleash a torrent of abuse. However, seeing her dazed expression and swollen, red eyes, he swallowed all his words and sighed silently.
"Let's go home."
Ye Xiren forced a smile and said, "Okay, brother, let's go home."
The two walked side by side toward the Ye family home, which was brightly lit. Ye Pei and Liao Changying stood at the door waiting for her, their faces full of worry and anxiety. They immediately came to greet her when they saw her, and Ye Xiren's eyes reddened.
Before I could get close, I heard another series of hurried footsteps behind me.
Ye Xiren turned around to look.
"Second Miss Ye!" Ma Shan hurried over.
Ye Pei was startled and rushed forward, stepping past his two children, urgently asking, "Ma Shan? What are you doing here? Didn't you go to the Huai'an Canal with General Zhao?!"
-----------------------
Author's note: Two parts combined, see you tomorrow!
There's a new lead!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
