Chapter 15 (Why did you come here instead of going to Raozhou to take up your post?)
The black boots stepped into the cell and walked up to the silent Lu Huaying.
The attendant knelt down and turned Lu Huaying over: "Minister, she has fainted."
Zhou Qin looked down at Lu Huaying's blood-stained face and said indifferently, "Wake her up, feed her some medicine to keep her awake, and then continue the fight."
Torture is most effective when the victim is conscious. What pleasure is there in torturing an unconscious corpse?
"Put her on the torture instruments. I want to hear her scream."
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The attendant demanded torture instruments from the magistrate of Liucheng County: "Send over all the usable torture instruments in Liucheng!"
The magistrate of Liucheng County hurriedly wiped his mouth clean and led his entourage to fetch the instruments of torture.
Xizhou's Registrar leaned against the wall and sighed, "What a pity."
He originally intended to keep Lu Huaying for a few more days to force her to write out the Lu family's "Dan Jing" (Alchemy Classic), so that he could secretly make a copy to keep as a family heirloom for his descendants. However, he did not expect that Lu Huaying would fall into Zhou Qin's hands.
"Falling into the hands of a cold-blooded and vicious pervert like Zhou Qin is worse than killing yourself by crashing your head against a wall. At least you can die a quick death and suffer less."
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The thought of losing the readily available "Dan Jing" filled Hu Cao with heartache as he clutched his chest.
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Outside the inn, the crowd hurriedly dragged Chai Yong into a room.
"Sanlang, the death of a prince will surely enrage the Wu family. Zhou Qin will not let this opportunity to stir up trouble pass by! I heard rumors that he came to Liucheng. After hearing that the prince was dead, he immediately had someone prepare a confession to force Lu Sanniang to admit that she was ordered by you to kill the prince. As long as Lu Sanniang confesses, you will have no way to defend yourself! When Zhou Qin arrests you, he will blackmail the Princess of Jinxiang County, and your entire Duke's Mansion will be dragged into it!"
Chai Yong pushed his companion aside and walked out, saying, "I'm going to see Zhou Qin."
His partner held him down tightly: "You're going to see him? You're trying to avoid him! He's waiting for you to take the bait! Sanlang, you can't get involved in this anymore! Don't you know Zhou Qin's reputation?"
Zhou Qin was a street ruffian in Wannian County, Chang'an. His mother was a wine seller in a tavern, and his father was unknown. In his teens, he was imprisoned multiple times for theft, and later, he was exiled for trespassing on the private residence of a nobleman. Coincidentally, the person who reviewed his case was the Persian cruel official Suo Yuanli. Suo Yuanli released a large number of ruffians and recruited them as his subordinates. From then on, Zhou Qin became Suo Yuanli's henchman.
This man was cruel by nature and enjoyed torturing prisoners. He built a special prison for torture in his residence in Luoyang, where he imprisoned all the prisoners and lived next door, taking pleasure in listening to their screams every day.
"If she falls into Zhou Qin's hands, there are only two possible outcomes: she will be slowly tortured to death, or she will confess to a capital crime and wait to die. Lu Sanniang will die sooner or later. Sanlang, you not only can't get involved in this matter anymore, but you must also make a decision immediately to clear yourself of any wrongdoing."
Chai Yong suddenly understood the implied meaning in his partner's words.
The situation is complicated now. The best outcome would be for Lu Huaying to die, so that Zhou Qin would have no chance to frame him.
“I know this is not the way of a gentleman.” His companion avoided Chai Yong’s angry gaze and said in a somber tone, “Sanlang, the case of the Prince is no longer just your business. Zhou Qin is very ruthless. Perhaps even the Chai family cannot satisfy his appetite. We must not sit idly by and wait for our doom.”
“I made my decision long ago!” Chai Yong raised his head, looked at everyone, and said clearly, word by word, “Lu San Niang did not kill Wu Yanxing! I, Chai Yong, will see this matter through to the end!”
He broke free from his companion, grabbed his sword, and walked out without looking back.
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Zhou Qin's entourage pushed the collected instruments of torture into the cell one by one and placed them in front of Lu Huaying.
An attendant fed Lu Huaying some medicine, pointed to the instruments of torture, and said, "You won't confess? Tomorrow we'll let you experience the methods of our Vice Minister."
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The attendants got up and left. They rushed to Liucheng without stopping. They hadn't slept for two days and their arms and legs were stiff. They needed to get a good night's sleep tonight to recharge.
Lu Huaying heard their footsteps gradually fade into the distance.
.
She glanced at the cold, hard instruments of torture in the cell and closed her eyes.
She didn't know Zhou Qin, but Suo Yuanli and Lai Junchen were both notorious cruel officials. Even in Liucheng, she had heard of their infamous reputations. Suo Yuanli invented many horrific tortures, and Zhou Qin was Suo Yuanli's subordinate, so one can imagine how he tortured people.
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Suddenly, a series of light footsteps came from the steps. Two figures exchanged a few words with the guards and then sneaked down the stairs.
One person stood in front of the steps, while another entered the cell, his gaze falling on Lu Huaying.
"Lu San Niang!" The man's voice was filled with undisguised laughter. "Zhou Qin is here. Now even Chai Yong can't help you. Let's see who else can save you?"
Lu Huaying opened her eyes and saw Cheng Can's smug face.
She smiled faintly.
She was all too familiar with that expression on her face. After the Lu family's downfall, those people, just like Cheng Can in front of her, stood before her triumphantly, their faces bearing that same mocking and gleeful expression, ruthlessly humiliating her.
Seeing her smile, Cheng Can's face darkened. He took two steps forward, squatted down, and pinched Lu Huaying's chin: "Third Sister Lu, you're about to die, and you can still smile?"
"I am indeed facing death." A slight smile appeared on Lu Huaying's lips beneath the bloodstains. "How long can you, Cheng Can, remain smug?"
Cheng Can sneered, her face contorted in pain, and gripped Lu Huaying's neck tightly: "Still so stubborn? Third Sister Lu, you're the one who's going to die now."
When you touch it, it's covered in blood.
"Lu San Niang, no one can save you."
With a sharp tearing sound, Cheng Can ripped open Lu Huaying's clothes.
His gaze fell on Lu Huaying's body, his eyes fixed, and then his gaze went down.
Lu Huaying could understand what the sudden surge of excitement in Cheng Can's eyes meant.
She didn't move.
She had no strength left.
"Cheng Can, do you think you can do whatever you want just because I'm locked up here?"
Cheng Can laughed heartily: "Who can stop me? Zhou Qin's men have taken my money, they won't come in."
His triumphant laughter echoed in the dark and silent prison cell, but the guards outside seemed not to hear it.
Lu Huaying's eyes held a hint of mockery: "Cheng Can, you want to take revenge on me, but you're using the pretense of being the heir of the Duke of Qi. You're afraid of Chai Yong, so you're instigating Wu Yanxing... Well then, I'll give you a taste of your own medicine."
In the darkness, her gaze was as cold as ice and snow.
Cheng Can suddenly felt a surge of fear: "What do you mean by 'return the favor'? Are you threatening me?"
"The reason Wu Yanxing asked me to dance was because of your instigation, Cheng Can." Lu Huaying smiled. "Cheng Can, since I'm going to die anyway, I might as well take someone down with me. I'll confess to Zhou Qin that you deliberately created trouble, sowed discord between Chai Yong and Wu Yanxing, and that you were the one who ordered me to kill Wu Yanxing! You'll get to experience Zhou Qin's methods too!"
Cheng Can was taken aback. His hand, which had reached out to pull off Lu Huaying's belt, froze in mid-air. His expression gradually changed from arrogance to disbelief, and then to horror.
Zhou Qin enjoys torturing living people. If Lu Huaying really confesses like this, Zhou Qin won't mind arresting another one of him!
"You'd better get out of here right now."
Lu Huaying curled up on the ground, covered in whip marks, disheveled and weak, and whispered.
Cheng Can gasped, looking at Lu Huaying in horror. The smugness on his face vanished. He scrambled to his feet, turned around, and fled in panic under Lu Huaying's icy gaze.
Lu Huaying straightened her torn clothes and closed her eyes.
After a moment of silence, footsteps suddenly echoed in the passageway.
Does Cheng Can still have the guts to come back?
Lu Huaying opened her eyes.
A middle-aged man in his forties walked into the cell and put down a basket: "Madam Lu, I am a close attendant of Prince Chai. Prince Chai asked me to bring you some food."
Lu Huaying's gaze swept across the middle-aged man's face and landed on the flatbread in the basket.
Is it poisonous?
She asked calmly.
The middle-aged man was stunned.
Lu Huaying said calmly, "If it's poisonous, please take it back. If it's not poisonous, keep it and tell the young master that I will not identify him."
The middle-aged man looked at Lu Huaying, whose face was covered in blood and whose features were unrecognizable, with surprise in his eyes.
After a moment of silence, he said, “Madam Lu, I wasn’t sent by the young master. He is a man of great loyalty and righteousness and would not harm you. He is still trying to clear your name. My master is the young master’s mother, the Princess of Jinxiang County. When the young master left the capital, the princess instructed me that sometimes, for the sake of the young master, I could disobey his orders.”
"Since Madam Lu has guessed my purpose, I will be frank. Madam Lu, I swear in the name of my master, the Lady of Jinxiang County, that as long as you promise not to identify our heir and to resolve this case as soon as possible, the Chai family promises to take good care of your sister-in-law and brother. Although we cannot take them out of Liucheng, we guarantee that they can live peacefully and comfortably as wealthy men for the rest of their lives."
After the middle-aged man finished speaking, he placed the basket in front of Lu Huaying, looked into her eyes, and waited for her to make a choice.
Lu Huaying shook her head and said, "Take the basket away."
Lu Huaying opened her eyes.
Lu Huaying didn't look at them; her eyes were fixed on the beam of sunlight outside the passage.
A gaze passed over Zhou Qin and his entourage and landed on Lu Huaying.
Inside, the light was dim. The scribe, who was sitting on a bamboo mat copying Buddhist scriptures, looked up, stopped writing, held the half-rolled scripture with the ink still wet, got up, and opened the door.
She ran across the uneven brick path of the temple, rushed up the steps, and knocked on the door.
A series of hurried footsteps approached from afar. The guards led Lu Huaying into the courtyard, where Zhou Qin's entourage rushed up and blocked their way, preventing them from leaving.
The attendant spent half a day selecting, picked up the riding whip, and raised his arm.
A slender figure dismounted at the gate, entered the inn, saw him, and nodded in greeting.
Fifteen-year-old Lu Huaying, with her long hair loose and barefoot, ran through the rain, carrying her bright red pomegranate skirt.
The next letter was written by Chai Yong. He spoke earnestly, saying that Lu Sanniang had been wronged and demanding that the governor of Xizhou immediately send people to arrest Wu Yanxing's followers and find the real culprit who killed Wu Yanxing.
The attendants looked at each other in bewilderment.
Several letters were delivered to the Governor of Xizhou almost simultaneously.
The chief clerk handed the letter to the governor: "Wei Mingsu has arrived!"
The past few years seem to have been swallowed up by the flying dust, and I am back to a damp, rainy night in early autumn four years ago.
They liked to deliberately and leisurely discuss which torture device to use first before torturing the prisoner.
Zhou Qin will interrogate her personally tomorrow; she can't take it anymore.
"Go quickly and inform the Vice Minister!"
"Wait!" came an urgent voice from above the stairs. "Take the prisoner to the main hall!"
After reading the letter, the governor of Xizhou felt completely overwhelmed.
Lu Huaying was in a daze. Every time she opened her eyes, she could see the torture instruments in front of her. There were dried bloodstains on the wooden frame, which made her feel terrified.
A prince died in Xizhou, and the governor-general just washed his hands of it. How could he explain this to the court?
A letter arrived from the Revenue Department, reporting that Wu Yanxing had been beaten to death, and the prime suspect was Lu Sanniang, who had been reduced to a lowly status. The case could be closed once Lu Sanniang was convicted. Zhou Qin suddenly arrived in Liucheng, fabricated testimony, and used torture to extract a confession, intending to target Prince Chai.
“I will not plead guilty,” Lu Huaying continued. “You don’t need to poison me; I can make you that promise.”
The governor of Xizhou impatiently tossed the letter aside: "Why did Wu Yanxing have to die so soon, or so late, when he arrived in Xizhou?"
The governor of Xizhou sneered: "If I take charge of this case, the entire Xizhou will be in turmoil. If I don't, I'll lose all face and become a laughingstock, making it difficult to gain public respect in the future."
Lu Huaying raised her head and looked through the crowd, seeing a pair of calm and indifferent eyes.
"Wei Mingsu, if you're a man, then take me tonight."
A cool, moist atmosphere and a strong aroma filled my nostrils.
When she was fifteen, the Lu family's property was confiscated, and her father, sister-in-law, and brother all fell ill. The whole family was on the verge of death, but she had to stand up and support the family. From then on, she toiled day after day, year after year.
With a snap, the neat and vigorous handwriting of the Buddhist scripture slipped from the young man's fingers and fell to the ground.
The night was quiet, the sky was full of stars, and Liucheng, nestled in the yellow sand, slept peacefully under the starlight.
...
As they were talking, another letter arrived.
Zhou Qin's entourage were all fast asleep in bed, but the others were on tenterhooks, and many of them spent the night without sleep.
The young woman, who had braved the rain, stood at the door, soaked to the bone.
She froze, feeling a chill run through her from head to toe.
The attendant in black entered the prison.
Fang rubbed his hands together and began selecting instruments of torture.
The young man took a step back.
...
Amidst the pattering rain, a sudden knock came at the door.
The rain-soaked clothes slowly drifted down.
The middle-aged man's heart trembled.
The governor of Xizhou was extremely agitated and swept several letters from his desk onto the floor.
On this day, fast horses galloped out from different courtyards, all heading towards Xizhou.
The middle-aged man's gaze darkened slightly.
The rain soaked into the cool of the night, leaving her damp and cold.
Lu Huaying racked her brains to recall, but found that she couldn't remember it for the time being.
It was already noon.
Zhou Qin also sent a letter, saying that he had been sent by Suo Yuanli to Xizhou to investigate a case. Before leaving, he had arranged to meet Wu Yanxing in Xizhou. Wu Yanxing died a violent death in Liucheng, which he felt was too suspicious. He wanted to investigate the case thoroughly for both public and private reasons, and asked the governor for assistance.
"What brilliant plan?"
"Wei Mingsu alone is enough of a headache for me, and now Zhou Qin has come along. Wu Yanxing also died in Liucheng, and Prince Chai is suspected of ordering the murder!"
Lu Huaying smiled calmly: "Zhou Qin wants me to identify the heir apparent. Once I confess and implicate the heir, he will definitely kill me to silence me. Whether I confess or not, he won't spare my life. So, I'd rather use my life to exchange for the promise of the Princess of Jinxiang County. My sister-in-law and brother can live a peaceful and prosperous life. I won't lose out. Don't worry, even without the princess's promise, I won't confess. You don't need to poison me."
The Prefect of Xizhou agreed: "With Wu Yanxing's violent death, the Prince of Wei and the Prince of Liang will definitely take this opportunity to make trouble and plant people in Xizhou. As for people like Zhou Qin, they are like a bone-deep sore. We must not get involved in this case."
Before the words were finished, several figures rushed into the cell, pushed aside the attendants, and carried Lu Huaying out of the cell.
The young man paused, then fell silent.
There was no response for a long time.
The chief clerk's eyes lit up as he glanced at the writing on the envelope. He quickly stood up, picked up the letter, opened it, and read it. He narrowed his eyes and a relieved smile appeared on his face: "Commander, I have a brilliant plan!"
The middle-aged man was taken aback.
The middle-aged man took the basket with him.
A budding flower slowly unfolds its form in the young man's gaze, revealing its bright red stamen.
"Minister Zhou."
There were also several other letters written by other people, all related to Wu Yanxing's case, requesting the Governor of Xizhou to try Wu Yanxing's case.
The cell fell silent, and no more footsteps suddenly sounded.
Lu Huaying stepped forward, raised her hand, and her pale fingertips untied her belt.
The chief clerk sighed helplessly, "We're in a bind."
"I'd rather go out of the city and fight the Turks!"
He pondered for a moment, then suddenly changed the subject: "But the Prince was killed in Liucheng, which is under our jurisdiction, so we can't stay out of it."
Fortunately, the Chai family will take care of her family members.
"No wonder the young master risked everything to save Lady Lu. Lady Lu, please remember your words and take care."
Zhou Qin stepped forward, a forced smile on his face, and asked, "Prefect Wei, why aren't you going to Raozhou to take up your post? Why have you come to Xizhou?"
The Prefect of Xizhou picked up the letters and read them one by one, his brows furrowing.
Without hesitation, the Governor of Xizhou waved his hand and said, "I don't want to get involved in this case. It's connected to the Wu family, and we won't be able to shake it off even if we want to."
How old is she this year?
Several beams of bright light shone on the steps, and voices could be heard coming from the narrow passage.
He had been copying Buddhist scriptures all day, and his body carried a faint scent of sandalwood and ink, mixed with the cool fragrance of green wood and a slight smell of male sweat. His eyes were calm.
She stood before him, her clothes half-undone, a few raindrops slowly sliding down her shoulders.
Zhou Qin's expression changed several times: "Prefect Wei."
Zhou Qin was writing a letter in his room when he heard the news. He put down his pen, got up and went downstairs. He sneered and his eyes were gloomy: "Who dares to take someone away from me?"
Lu Huaying was not afraid of death; she was only afraid that her family would suffer after her death.
Lu Huaying entered the room and closed the door behind her.
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