Chapter 15
For Yue Mingming, Zhao Congyun's warning was only valid for two hours.
As soon as Zhao Congyun went to court, Yue Mingming found a secret guard and used threats and bribes to force him to take him to meet Sun Cheng.
After returning to the secret room, Yue Mingming discovered that there was another world inside.
In addition to the square hall, further in, there is a lounge, an interrogation room, a small study, and two dungeons that are far apart.
Sun Cheng, covered in blood, was locked in one of the rooms.
Yue Mingming frowned when he saw the dying black-faced young man: "Did you torture him?"
The secret guard explained in a low voice, "The prince was angry that day and did beat him a few times, but his condition is the result of a failed suicide attempt."
Yue Mingming thought to himself that if he would rather die than surrender, he was indeed a hero.
She squatted down, keeping her eyes level with Sun Cheng, and called out, "Sun Cheng, wake up? I'm here to settle the score with you!"
Sun Cheng slowly lifted his eyelids covered with blood scabs, and his scattered gaze gradually focused, finally falling on Yue Mingming's face.
His voice was hoarse: "You are not dead... What a pity."
Seeing him like this, Yue Mingming felt sorry for him: "I want to ask why you want to kill me? Has my father ever done anything to offend you? If possible, I want to do my best to make it up to you!"
"Bah!" Sun Cheng sneered: "...You are all wolves who eat people without leaving any bones. You pretend to be merciful, but in fact, none of you are good people!"
"Stop pretending. If I fall into your hands, just give me a quick death."
Looking at his expression, Yue Mingming thought that no matter how much he said, it would be a waste of words. This man was like a stubborn donkey. If you tried to reason with him, he would just kick back.
Her eyes rolled and her face darkened as she said, "Since you don't know what's good for you and are seeking death, I will grant your wish." After that, she called the secret guard over and whispered a few words to him. A hint of surprise flashed in the secret guard's eyes, and he nodded and left.
After a while, the secret guard came back with a bowl of something that looked like soup but was not, and handed it to Sun Cheng through the small window.
Yue Mingming said, "This bowl of poisonous soup will pierce your intestines and rot your lungs. It will be a horrible death... What do you think? Do you dare to drink it?"
Sun Cheng snorted disdainfully, picked up the bowl and drank it all.
Seeing him finish his drink, Yue Mingming suddenly laughed and said, "Sun Cheng, let me ask you... if you fall into the hands of the enemy, which is easier, survival or death?"
Sun Cheng was stunned: "What do you mean?"
Yue Mingming said, "I'm afraid of both pain and death, but comparing them, I think death is more comfortable than endless torture... You think so too, right? That's why you're so determined to die."
She paused deliberately, staring into Sun Cheng's eyes. "Now that you and your father have been captured, we must keep at least one of you alive. You'll be freed soon, but your father will suffer endlessly."
"Sun Cheng, it turns out you're a coward!"
"Bullshit! I didn't!"
Sun Cheng was horrified. He was a fiery-tempered man and was unwilling to be a prisoner. He just wanted to die. How could he have thought about so many twists and turns?
Yue Mingming said coldly, "Whether it's true or not, it's too late... The poison will take effect soon. When you become a ghost, explain it to your father in a dream."
She ordered the secret guards: "How is that old man? He must be kept under close watch. No matter how severe the punishment, he must be spared half his life."
Sun Cheng's eyes were red with anger when he heard this: "If you dare to touch my father, I will not let you go even if I become a ghost!"
Yue Mingming sneered: "That's all you're capable of!"
She turned to leave, but Sun Cheng scrambled against the prison door and shouted, "...Wait!"
"Let my father go! I'll tell you everything you want to know!"
Yue Mingming exhaled silently.
This young man was finally fooled.
She returned to Sun Cheng and said with a stern face, "There's still half an hour before the poison takes effect. You only have that much time... If you dare to hide or lie to me, I guarantee that your father will suffer miserably."
Sun Cheng was so angry that his whole body was shaking, but he had no idea what to do. He growled, "Ask!"
Yue Mingming: "What did my father do to you that makes you hate him so much?"
Sun Cheng sneered: "I don't recognize your father. He is in the capital, and I am in Jiangzhou, a hundred thousand miles away. We have no personal grudges."
Yue Mingming asked curiously, "Then why are you so mad that you're taking your anger out on me?"
"You must have heard that during the flood in Jiangzhou, many ships sent by the court to transport silver and grain were sunk by Jiangzhou's 'water bandits'?" Sun Cheng gritted his teeth and said, "My father and I are the water bandits who committed heinous crimes in your mouth!
"But we didn't do anything! As citizens of Jiangzhou, how could we possibly rob the boats that were trying to save the people's lives at this time? Your father and his gang have thrown a bucket of dirty water on us. Not only have we been wanted by the court, but now we can't even survive in Jiangzhou!"
"So...you came to the capital to seek revenge on him?"
"It's not revenge... Although I really want revenge, my father doesn't agree."
Sun Cheng lowered his voice, a hint of cold sarcasm in his voice. "No one would believe me if I told them this... My father took me undercover in Jiangzhou for several days and gathered some evidence of fake pirates. He planned to submit this evidence to the court to prove his innocence."
Yue Mingming was stunned for a moment, and his heart was slightly touched.
"But... they will probably think that this evidence was fabricated by you."
Sun Cheng chuckled: "That's right, so in addition to physical evidence, we also have human witnesses."
He looked at Yue Mingming in a protesting manner: "My father planned to surrender himself to the court and testify for himself... He knew that surrendering would be a capital crime, but he said that he could admit to being a pirate, but he would never admit to robbing the canal ship!"
“…” Yue Mingming was speechless.
"Sure enough, you don't believe it!" Sun Cheng laughed heartily. "I've been a pirate all my life, and now I'm so old, and suddenly I want to be a hero... What's even more ridiculous is that we came to the capital with the intention of dying, but we don't even have the chance to be heroes. We will die in this gloomy prison for no reason!"
The young man's angry and unwilling laughter echoed in the dark cell, and everyone fell silent.
Sun Cheng paused: "Do you have anything else to ask?"
"Where is the evidence?" Yue Mingming tried his best not to let his voice tremble.
Sun Cheng squinted at her for a long time, and finally said sadly, "We sealed it and hid it at the bottom of Jade Lake."
Yue Mingming leaned over and said solemnly, "Leave this matter to us from now on."
Sun Cheng was surprised: "..."
Yue Mingming told him about his experiences of being assassinated several times by his father.
"Believe it or not, I'm on your side." She smiled slyly, "And... that bowl you just drank wasn't poison at all. It was just a hangover soup made by Uncle Dong. It tastes a bit weird, but I guarantee it's non-toxic and harmless!"
Sun Cheng: …………
"You... liar!" he said blankly, but his tone was no longer as fierce as before.
"Not only is he a liar, he's also a lunatic!" A cold voice suddenly rang out from outside the darkroom: "How did I warn you? Looks like I need to let you know the consequences of meddling in other people's affairs!"
Zhao Congyun, dressed in court robes, strode in.
Yue Mingming felt guilty, as if he had been caught red-handed: "...Why did you come back so soon?"
Uncle Dong explained, "The prince was on his way to court when he learned that you had sneaked into the secret room. He took a leave of absence and hurried back!"
Yue Mingming didn't dare look directly into Zhao Congyun's angry eyes. He smiled and interrupted, "You've come at the perfect time. I've asked about Sun Cheng's situation for you... I'll consider this as atonement, okay?"
Zhao Congyun: "Not good."
“…”
Yue Mingming was very dissatisfied with his blunt attitude: "Did you hear what he said at the door just now? Now with the evidence, plus the canal transport records, we might be able to bring my father to justice. Why are you not happy?"
Zhao Congyun remained silent with a cold face.
His eyes were deep, filled with meaning that Yue Mingming could not understand.
Yue Mingming thought of the Lingxi Pill and her heart suddenly softened. Although this man had an unpredictable temper, he was her savior after all.
She admitted defeat and said, "I was wrong! When I get better, I'll sweep the yard for you for three months!"
Zhao Congyun's expression eased slightly, and he instructed Uncle Dong, "Have him draw a map of where the evidence is hidden, and have someone retrieve it quickly... and find a doctor to treat his and his father's injuries."
"Yes!" Uncle Dong lowered his head.
"Why are you still standing there? Go back and lie down now!" But these words were said to Yue Mingming.
Yue Mingming nodded fiercely: "Don't worry, I won't get out of bed even if the sky falls this time!"
She didn't dare to delay and decided to evacuate the scene quickly before Zhao Congyun could come up with his ultimate move.
Unfortunately, she forgot that she was injured, and after being interrogated, the moment she moved, she felt a sharp pain in her chest and broke out in a cold sweat.
Yue Mingming grimaced and couldn't move a step.
Zhao Congyun saw that something was wrong and immediately stepped forward to help her: "What's going on?"
Yue Mingming waved his hand with difficulty: "It's okay... maybe I stretched it."
She turned to a secret guard in the secret room and called out, "Brother, could you please carry me on your back for a bit? Take me back like you did when we came here!"
Zhao Congyun: …………
Unlucky secret guard: …………
Zhao Congyun: "Did you carry her here?"
The secret guard shrank back and nodded helplessly, feeling that his career was over.
Uncle Dong winked at him and said, "The patrol camp is still short of someone to keep an eye on it. You go and fill in."
The secret guards vanished from Zhao Congyun's sight as if they had been pardoned, and Uncle Dong also tactfully withdrew. In the vast secret room, only the three of them remained, staring at each other in amazement.
Yue Mingming had no choice but to grit his teeth and try to move forward: "Don't worry, Your Majesty, even if I have to crawl today, I will crawl back to the bed!"
Zhao Congyun seemed even angrier.
He looked at the pale girl, moving forward like a snail, and finally couldn't bear it anymore. He took a step forward to block her and bent down silently.
Yue Mingming: “…”
Could this be what she was thinking?
"No... no need!" Yue Mingming refused hurriedly.
Zhao Congyun said coldly, "You don't want me to carry you, do you want me to carry you back?"
The feeling of being held in his arms before she fainted suddenly emerged in her mind, as well as... the smell. Yue Mingming blushed from the tips of her ears to the base of her neck, and she obediently climbed onto Zhao Congyun's back.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
