Chapter 25 Escape, the farther away from Xiao Shenjing...
That evening, Fan Zishi went to Tingfeng Xiaozhu as arranged.
Tingfeng Xiaozhu is a place opened by Ms. Hu where people listen to music and drink wine. Because of its elegant environment, it has become very popular in the capital in recent years.
When he arrived, several people were already there, all of whom knew each other. Among them were two unfamiliar faces, who introduced themselves as wealthy businessmen from out of town.
Fan Zishi knew that the people who could attend such a banquet must be very wealthy.
As soon as they sat down, Young Master Xue came over.
"Brother Fan, how exactly did your sister from before come back to life?"
Xue Zeyu currently holds no official position, but he is the elder brother of Consort Xue in the palace, and everyone in the capital has to give him some face.
Fan Zishi looked at him in confusion, completely not understanding what the man was talking about.
Young Master Xue nudged his shoulder. "Hey, it's that Yun Xi. He caused quite a scene at the South Gate today, acting all arrogant."
"What are you talking about?" Fan Zishi still couldn't understand.
Someone raised their voice and asked, "What are you talking about? Didn't Fan Yunxi already fall off a cliff and die? Everyone in the capital knows about the white banner that Princess Chong'an used for her burial."
Young Master Xue immediately raised his chin and said, "It seems you haven't heard yet?"
He flicked his folding fan and said, "Yunxi is not dead at all. Today, she brought a man and forced her way through the south gate. He was captured by His Majesty's troops."
Everyone listened with great interest, except for Fan Zishi, who remained in a daze.
"Such a bizarre thing! Could it be that they've mistaken me for someone else?"
"Impossible! His Majesty called out the name himself, how could it be wrong?" Young Master Xue immediately denied.
Yunxi is alive?
Yunxi is not dead!
Fan Zishi was completely engulfed in a huge dream, unable to see or hear clearly.
"Brother Fan." Young Master Xue patted Fan Zishi on the shoulder. "Brother Fan, don't be surprised, your fake sister has quite a temper and is incredibly audacious. Do you know what she did?" Young Master Xue leaned forward slightly and shook his head. "She actually dared to attack His Majesty in order to escape the city gates!"
"What!" The young noblemen in the room were all shocked.
"This is incredibly audacious! Is she tired of living and wants her entire family wiped out?" someone blurted out. Then, remembering the relationship between Fan Zishi and Yun Xi, they gave an embarrassed smile and tried to salvage the situation, saying, "Luckily, she's not Brother Fan's biological sister."
"That's right, otherwise, with her temper, she'd cause a huge disaster sooner or later." Others chimed in with words of comfort.
Fan Zishi snapped out of his dream, clenching his fists tightly as he hurriedly asked, "Where is she now? Is she alright?"
The two consecutive questions instantly silenced the crowd's words of comfort.
For a moment, everyone present looked at him, unable to guess what Fan Zishi was thinking.
After all, not a single person from the Jiangyuan Marquis's residence showed up when Princess Chong'an held a funeral for Na Yunxi.
It's clear that he wants to completely sever ties with Yunxi.
Everyone could understand why they did this, since Yunxi was just a fake sister with no blood relation, an unrelated outsider. Naturally, they had to consider the feelings of their own sister.
Moreover, I heard that Yun Xi is uncouth and vulgar, and he will start a fight at the slightest disagreement, and even stabbed Jiang Yuanhou.
Given such behavior, it's only natural that the Fan family dislikes Yunxi.
Young Master Xue comforted her, saying, "Brother Fan, don't worry. Assassinating His Majesty is a serious crime. He threw her directly into the Imperial Prison. That's the Imperial Prison! Who hasn't heard of the tortures inflicted there? Those thirty-six cruel tortures, tsk tsk."
Others chimed in, saying, "He deserved it; he brought it upon himself."
Fan Zishi's expression changed drastically, and he stood up abruptly and strode away.
He was in a daze, seemingly oblivious to everyone's attempts to persuade him to stay.
When he left Tingfeng Xiaozhu, the servant noticed that he looked strange.
Before he could speak, Fan Zishi said, "Go to the Imperial Prison."
The servant never expected, "Master, what are you doing going to the imperial prison so late?"
Fan Zishi didn't speak, and entered the carriage in a daze.
Yunxi really didn't die?
With a slight tremor in his fingertips, Fan Zishi slowly came back to his senses.
She didn't die; she's been in Kyoto all this time?
But she hasn't come to see him yet; does she really hate him to the core?
He had to go see her.
Unfortunately, the imperial prison was a heavily guarded place, and one could not enter without a special order.
They couldn't even find out the slightest movement.
Yunxi was inside, separated by layers of cold walls.
It wasn't a pile of bones, it was the living, breathing Yunxi.
She is still alive
The servant fanned himself and tentatively said, "Master, it's getting late. Why don't you go back and think of something?"
It's the height of July, and even though it's already night, the heat hasn't dissipated.
Fan Zishi seemed not to hear, standing stiffly in the moonlight, staring at the blue stone wall.
It was as if they were looking at something through the stone wall.
It was only after a long time that he moved, turned around and left.
That night, the candlelight in Fan Zishi's study never went out.
He didn't leave until the rooster crowed, then he changed into his court robes and hurried to the palace.
Lu Xiuran also spent the night without sleep.
As soon as the court session ended, Gu Wenqian was stopped by Fan Zishi.
Although they served in the same court, the two did not have much contact in private.
Gu Wenqian showed no surprise and greeted him politely, "Lord Fan."
Fan Zishi's ability to rise from a suppressed aristocratic family to his current position demonstrates his considerable skill and ability.
He always speaks only a third of what he says, never giving anyone a chance to find fault with him.
Otherwise, it would have been impossible for the Jiangyuan Marquis's mansion to remain unscathed.
"May I ask if Yunxi is imprisoned in the Imperial Prison?" This time, he went straight to the point, his polite evasiveness seeming to have lost its patience.
"Logically speaking, since we are both officials in the same court, and Lord Fan has already spoken up, I should naturally inform you of such a small matter," Gu Wenqian paused, cupped his hands, and said, "Unfortunately, this matter concerns His Majesty, and there are some things that cannot be disclosed to the public. I hope Lord Fan will understand."
After saying that, Gu Wenqian turned and left.
"My lord, is she still alive?" Fan Zishi caught up a few steps and asked, unwilling to give up.
"Lord Fan, please don't make things difficult for me." He waved his hand.
Gu Wenqian has a good temper, likes to laugh, and seems easy to talk to.
But everyone knows that as the emperor's most trusted confidant, he is more discreet than anyone else.
Fan Zishi chased after him for a couple of steps, but eventually stopped.
Just as he was frowning in thought, a voice suddenly came from behind him: "If your Fan family hadn't gone too far and forced her so much, she would definitely be alive and well."
Fan Zishi turned around abruptly and saw Lu Xiuran standing behind him with his hands clasped together, a clear hint of mockery on his face.
Fan Zishi didn't mind his tone and asked calmly, "So you don't believe that the person in the imperial prison is Yunxi, right?"
"Lord Fan, there's no need to try to trick me." Lu Xiuran smiled slightly. "Even if she were still alive, do you think she would still have any connection with your Fan family?"
Fan Zishi's face stiffened, as if a bucket of ice water had been poured over him from head to toe.
Lu Xiuran glanced at him, then looked away and strode away.
As they passed each other, Fan Zishi suddenly asked, "What will His Majesty do with her?"
Lu Xiuran paused, remained silent for a moment, and then left without looking back.
He didn't know either.
He only heard the news yesterday, and when he rushed to the imperial prison, he was unable to get in.
He recalled that when he left the palace last night, he asked Eunuch Fu for information, but the latter shook his head mysteriously.
Even Dao Yi and Dao Er couldn't get a word out of him, clearly indicating that His Majesty had issued a gag order.
So much so that although it caused quite a stir outside, no one had any real evidence and no one dared to be sure.
The prison was dark, damp, and foul-smelling. Yunxi was covered in wounds and was in so much pain that she couldn't sleep well all night.
When I toss and turn in bed, I sometimes accidentally press on the wound.
He cursed Xiao Shenjing countless times, and when he finally felt so thirsty that he wanted to drink water, he discovered that the bowl he had been holding had been broken into several pieces.
Yunxi closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
She finally fell asleep with great difficulty, only to be woken up soon after.
Yes, it really was a wake-up call.
She was forced to open her eyes by the ear-piercing sound of chains pounding against the fence.
In a daze, I saw four jailers walk in and walk to the haystack without saying a word. The strongest jailer said, "Hurry up and put the chains on."
"Why?" Yunxi asked back, instinctively reaching for the short blade in her boot, only to find it empty as she realized it had fallen at the city gate.
“Our superiors want to interrogate you,” the jailer replied.
Yunxi gave up resisting.
This was a heavily guarded prison, and given her injuries, it would be difficult for her to escape even if she resisted.
She simply reached out and let the other person lock her hands.
The tall jailer glanced at her again, noticing her composure.
One glance revealed that the girl in front of him was a rare beauty.
Although her face was pale and stained with blood, her almond-shaped eyes were quite captivating.
Yunxi obediently allowed the prison guards to lead her through the passageway. They turned left twice, and after turning left once, she faintly heard screams.
As they got closer, the screams grew louder and louder.
It was heart-wrenching and exceptionally chilling.
"Brother, where are we going?" Yunxi couldn't help but ask.
The tall jailer, Sun Bin, chuckled and said, "I wonder what crime you committed. You're going to have a tough time today."
Thinking of what happened yesterday, Yunxi clenched her hands and silently shut her mouth.
Xiao Shenjing is determined to get revenge and will definitely not let her get away with it.
I just don't know when he'll finally get over tormenting her.
She has to find a way to escape.
I wonder how my husband is doing now. Has he, a frail scholar, suffered any hardship?
Amidst the increasingly piercing screams, Yunxi's thoughts were a jumbled mess.
Even though she was prepared to be tortured, she never expected to see such a terrible sight.
In the cell filled with instruments of torture, four torches were stuck into the iron rings on the stone wall, their flames flickering in the draft. Several rusty iron chains hung from the charred wooden beams, one of them wrapped around a man's ankle, suspending him upside down in mid-air. Drops of blood dripped from his disheveled hair, spreading a dark red stain on the blue bricks, mingling with salt water and the stench of decay, the stench making one's throat tighten.
On the wall hung barbed "Yama whips" on iron hooks, and several branding irons were stuck in the charcoal brazier, their dark red patterns moving like snake tongues.
The wooden shelf in the corner was filled with finger-crushing devices, clamps, and head clamps, with dried bits of flesh stuck in the crevices, and flies buzzing around.
The man hanging upside down had a naked upper body covered in whip marks and branding scars, his ribs jagged and prominent. His wrists were bound behind his back with a rope made of cowhide, and his fingernails were all torn off, with drops of blood hanging from his fingertips that had congealed into black scabs. The upside-down position caused blood to pool in his head and neck, making his face swollen and purple like a ripe eggplant.
The jailer splashed a basin of cold water on the man, and a hoarse scream escaped his throat. His body convulsed like a dying fish, and the chains rattled loudly.
Another jailer slowly turned the winch, tightening the chains inch by inch, pulling the upside-down man into an arch shape, his joints making a chilling "crackling" sound.
The chilling screams and the stench of blood were like a living hell.
Xing Zhao raised his hand, took off his soiled leather gloves, and glanced sideways at Yun Xi, who had been brought in. "Even the most stubborn person can't withstand the thirty-six tortures of the Imperial Prison."
After saying this, the man threw the whip aside and said to the jailer behind him, "Drag him out and make him sign and put his fingerprint on the document."
As the man dragged Yunxi away, a long trail of blood was left on the ground.
Yunxi had traveled all over the country since she was a child and was not a delicate girl who had never seen blood, but she frowned deeply because of the hellish scene.
She stood motionless by the door.
Xing Zhao slowly washed his hands and said, "Miss Yunxi, please come in and sit down."
Yunxi resisted and didn't move, but Sun Bin shoved her from behind.
This caused her to stumble and fall a few steps.
Once she had managed to regain her balance, she immediately turned around and glared fiercely at Sun Bin.
Sun Bin, however, reached out and pressed her down onto the iron chair.
Yunxi struggled and said, "Let go, I can do it myself."
"How can you people treat such a beautiful young lady so rudely?" Xing Zhao waved his hand to dismiss the jailers.
Yunxi wasn't sure if it was just her imagination, but when Sun Bin let go of her, the back of his hand seemed to brush against her back unintentionally.
She was furious and kicked Sun Bin hard in the butt.
With a cry of "Ouch!", Sun Bin fell flat on his face.
The remaining jailers burst into laughter.
Sun Bin stood up cursing and glared fiercely at Yun Xi, his face flushed.
Yunxi couldn't even be bothered to look at such a person.
Seeing her like this, Sun Bin was furious, but because Xing Zhao was there, he didn't dare to say anything and withdrew.
See Yunxi sitting on the iron chair, her hands and feet locked in iron rings, unable to move.
A lewd smile flashed across Sun Bin's fleshy face.
After turning the corner, Sun Bin spat and asked, "What serious crime did that woman commit to be sent to a place like the Imperial Prison?"
"I heard it's about assassinating His Majesty," said one of the short jailers.
"What? That woman is so bold? That's a capital offense!" Sun Bin was also startled.
“That’s a capital offense, but we can’t let her die so easily. Now that she’s in the hands of the Deputy Commander of the Criminal Division, we’re going to torture her to death,” another guard with a full beard said.
Even Sun Bin couldn't help but shudder at the thought of Deputy Commander Xing's methods.
The fire that had just ignited in my body was extinguished all at once.
But the thought of the beautiful woman trembling with fear and her face pale with fright rekindled a surge of lust.
It was truly a case of extremes, like fire and ice.
Sitting on the cold iron bench, Yunxi tried to move her body slightly, but found that there was no way to break free. She stopped trying and leaned back in the chair, looking at the executioner's edict and said, "Sir, I confess to all my crimes. Is it possible to be spared the punishment?"
Although I know the chances of that happening are slim.
But we should give it a try.
After all, the room was full of torture instruments, and just looking at them made her scalp tingle. She thought she probably couldn't even withstand a finger-pinching torture.
Xiao Shenjing wanted to torture her, and she had no other option but to find a way to escape.
Sure enough, Xing Zhao shook his head and explained with a helpless expression, "Miss Yunxi, the crime you committed is not something I can decide."
Yunxi clenched her hands, closed her eyes, and said, "Then let's do it."
Xiao Shenjing wants to torture her and vent his anger, so he probably won't torture her to death immediately.
If she can hold out, she will definitely have a chance to escape.
Yunxi took deep breaths desperately, telling herself not to be afraid.
But unexpectedly, the punishment did not fall on her.
When she heard the clanging of chains behind her, she instinctively turned around.
A young man dressed in prison clothes was dragged in.
He must be a scholar.
"Young Master Qin, will you confess or not?"
"Pah!" Young Master Qin spat at Xing Zhao. "You lackey of the court, Xiao Shenjing will not have a good death, and you lackey will not have a good end either."
Xing Zhao slowly wiped the saliva off his face, showing no anger. Instead, he clapped his hands and praised, "You have backbone."
Then, he waved to the jailer behind him.
At first, Yunxi didn't know what this young master Qin was going to suffer, until she saw the execution order open a leather bag, inside which were rows of sharp needles of various sizes.
"Young Master Qin, you certainly haven't tried this method of 'ten fingers connected to the heart'," he said clearly to Young Master Qin, yet he kept glancing at Yun Xi with a half-smile. "They say the ten fingers are connected to the heart. After these iron needles are heated red-hot and pierced into the fingernails, the victim will truly 'waile all night long, and their knuckles will turn completely black'."
Staring at the increasingly red-hot needle, Yunxi felt a chill run down her spine.
Before the young master Qin could struggle, Xing Zhao pinched his thumb and forcefully inserted the needle between his fingers.
"Ahhhhh!" In an instant, Young Master Qin let out a violent scream.
His face was distorted from the sharp pain.
Yunxi couldn't bear it and wanted to cover her ears.
But with her hands bound, she couldn't do it at all.
Then, Xing Zhao slowly inserted thin, sharp needles into the spaces between his fingers, ignoring the blood on his hands.
Amidst a series of piercing screams, Qin Gongzi's hands were soon stained red with gushing blood.
Even if the needle hadn't pierced her hand, Yunxi couldn't imagine how much pain it would have caused.
She turned her head away, unable to bear watching any longer.
But then they saw a jailer adding white powder to the basin of water.
Yunxi didn't immediately realize what was being added until Xingzhao used a whip to lift Qin Gongzi's chin. "With your stubbornness, Qin Gongzi, you must want to try what it feels like to wash your hands with salt water, right?"
Young Master Qin's pupils dilated violently, his body trembling like a leaf. "I don't know, I really don't know anything!"
"It seems that Young Master Qin won't shed tears until he sees the coffin. He is truly an admirable hero. It's alright, this is just a small appetizer." Xing Zhao finished speaking slowly and waved to the people behind him.
As she stood up, she gave Yunxi a half-smile.
As if being stared at by a hungry wolf, Yunxi instinctively felt a chill.
"Ahhhhh!" As the finger pierced by the steel needle was immersed in the salt water, a heart-wrenching scream suddenly echoed in the cell.
But as the imperial edict stated, this was only the beginning.
Rows of instruments of torture, the imperial edicts of punishment, were used on Prince Qin from childhood to adulthood.
A series of painful howls were followed by a hissing sound emanating from the throat.
Young Master Qin lost too much blood, so he used a branding iron to stop the bleeding.
The room was filled with the smell of burning flesh.
Later, when Prince Qin was executed by imperial decree, Yunxi vomited.
She vomited until her whole body convulsed.
Xing Zhao looked at her with great interest. "Miss Yunxi, why go to such lengths? This is only five rounds of torture. Some tough guys might endure nine before they die."
"What exactly does Xiao Shenjing want to do?" she asked, suppressing her nausea and feeling somewhat weak.
“You must bear the consequences of your mistakes. I think Miss Yunxi understands this principle,” Xing Zhao said meaningfully.
“”
When Yunxi was sent back, she had only one thought in her mind: to escape.
At night, she applied the last bit of hemostatic medicine to the wound and bandaged it up.
She needs to get better soon.
She swallowed the cold steamed buns that the jailer brought her without even flinching.
He didn't mind how dirty the bowl was, and drank the cold water in one gulp before lying down to sleep.
Even in her dreams, all she could think about was escaping.
Escape, get as far away from Xiao Shenjing as possible.
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