Chapter 34 Hou Fengmian If the original owner was Liu Yunying, that means...
A rough, low shout broke the silence of the long night, and Ning Lu stared wide-eyed at Zhao Yue's back.
Is there any hope?
She doesn't have to die?
Zhao Yue frowned and looked at the newcomer: "Guard Ding, what brings you here?"
The guard Ding walked past several heavily armored soldiers to Zhao Yue's side, glanced at Ning Lu, and respectfully saluted Zhao Yue.
"General Zhao, my master heard that you have captured this witch. He requests permission from His Highness to personally investigate this case." The guard Ding paused, then said, "His Highness has granted his request."
"Lord Pan?"
Zhao Yue immediately understood, sneered, and threw Ning Lu on the ground.
She had just knocked out Lord Pan at Yanchun Tower, and now she was in his hands. She probably wouldn't even die a peaceful death.
Now that the prince had spoken, Zhao Yue had no intention of getting involved with him. He exchanged a glance with Guard Ding, signaling him to take the person away.
Before leaving, Zhao Yue called out to the other party again: "Tell Lord Pan to close the case as soon as possible to avoid trouble."
"Don't worry, General."
Ning Lu saw all of this, her lips pressed together until they turned white.
Although she knew that Lord Pan, whose jar she had smashed, would not let her off easily, the guard Ding in front of her was upright and honest, and she could see a bit of righteousness in him. She still held a glimmer of hope, hoping that things would turn around.
She was dragged into the dungeon and forcibly stripped of her maid's clothes, replaced with prison uniform.
This prison uniform could hardly be called clothing; it was even worse than her original coarse linen rags. It was liningless and unlined, and felt bitterly cold in the sunless dungeon.
Ning Lu had barely changed her clothes and been shackled when she was shoved into the darkest cell deep inside the prison.
There were iron bars everywhere, but no doors or windows. The only light came from the flickering candle in the jailer's hand.
One second, the guard Ding seemed to have a hint of righteousness in his eyes, but the next he had changed. His ochre-red official uniform looked even darker in the gloomy dungeon, and a large bunch of keys hung from the side of his long leather whip, making a crisp and eerie sound as he swayed with each step.
This is really the end.
Before she could react, she was suddenly kicked in the back and fell to the ground.
Her hands were covered in a sticky substance. Before she could examine it closely, she heard Guard Ding speak coldly: "The master said to leave her out for the night, and settle all the old and new scores together when it gets light."
"yes."
The burly jailers behind him exchanged glances, understanding each other's meaning.
Ning Lu sensed something was wrong and used both hands and feet to struggle to her feet and throw herself against the railing, trying to beg for mercy.
The sound of the key rattling gradually faded away, and the dungeon became even darker with one less candle. She felt panicked and helpless, and pitifully looked up at the jailers, trying to negotiate.
"Brother... if the situation is already decided and we can't escape the death penalty, can we change to a room with a street view?"
The prison guards burst into laughter upon hearing this, jokingly mocking her remarks.
The oldest of them squatted down and looked at her: "No need to rush, you won't be staying here for more than a few days."
"Then...can I still go out?"
These words gave Ning Lu a glimmer of hope, and she immediately spoke.
"Once you become a ghost, you can drift wherever you want."
The jailers behind him laughed even harder upon hearing the noise, and got up and started joking around as they went outside.
The sound of their footsteps faded into the distance, and the light deep within the dungeon disappeared.
The cold wind seeped in through the cracks in the wall, making a low, whistling sound.
Ning Lu listened for a while longer, but it didn't sound like the wind; it sounded more like a man's wailing.
The surroundings were empty, and no one paid attention to her helplessness.
She, who is always ready to give up and refuses to even run to catch the bus when it pulls into the station, was now hugging the iron fence and screaming until she was completely exhausted before she finally stopped.
With her heart completely broken, Ning Lu lay on her back on the ground, her mind replaying everything that had happened that day.
What does it mean to settle both old and new scores together?
Could it be that besides this debt, the original owner had other grudges with Lord Pan?
"If I had known I was going to die here, I wouldn't have kept Ji Ming in suspense."
He's so cunning; he might actually be able to help her.
Originally, he intended to investigate the madwoman at Yanchun Tower, but instead of finding the madwoman, he confirmed his own guilt.
Isn't this just courting death?
Ning Lu sighed in the darkness, feeling that at this moment she was no different from a novice gamer who recklessly charged around in the first playthrough of a simulation game and achieved the "Tears Behind Bars" achievement.
The harder you try, the more heartbroken you become.
"Even if we had known it would end this way, why did we set such high moral standards in the first place?"
I remember those tender eyes of Ji Ming's when we talked in the snow that night.
If she had known this would happen, she wouldn't have needed to dodge back then. Regardless of whether he wanted to or not, she could have just pounced on him and experienced all the joys and sorrows.
After all, she had always been a well-behaved girl who followed the rules from childhood and had never experienced sex.
Who knows what the future holds? Will I ever meet a man like Ji Ming again?
Ji Ming...
She shrank back, her eyes widening in the darkness.
If I remember correctly, Zhao Yue just called her... Miss Liu?
Su Yun called her, A Ying.
Miss Liu, Aying, Liu Yunying...
If the original owner was Liu Yunying, that means...
Is she Liu Yunying?
He clapped his hands and sat up abruptly.
so--
Was she the one Ji Ming was looking for from beginning to end?
The memory of that night when I first met him flashed through my mind, and the last taut string snapped.
Ning Lu closed her eyes in despair, leaned against the wall behind her, and became increasingly puzzled.
So what exactly was the original owner doing for the past twenty-odd years, and how did he manage to make enemies everywhere?
Prince Jing, Zhao Yue, Lord Pan, Xie Qinghe, Ji Ming...
Each and every one of them is extraordinary.
Liu Yunying, you're no ordinary person either.
Ning Lu covered her face and wailed, her voice shrill. Then she heard the jailer on night watch banging his stick.
"Shut up!"
They suddenly fell silent, shutting their mouths and closing their eyes.
When she opened her eyes again, she was drenched in a bucket of cold water.
When I opened my eyes, I saw a few candles flickering, and the cold water soaking my wounds caused me excruciating pain.
Before Ning Lu could react, two jailers squeezed through the bars and grabbed her from either side.
The iron chains slammed to the ground with a cracking sound, leading directly to the torture chamber.
Unlike the dark and gloomy dungeon, this torture chamber was filled with torches on both sides.
The warm firelight did not dispel the chill of the dungeon; on the contrary, its unusual brightness made the bloodstains on the torture instruments clearly visible.
A stern-striking rod, a long whip soaked in salt water, a large pot filled with oil, and bizarre instruments of torture she had never seen before...
Ning Lu's legs went weak, her face turned pale, and she turned to look at the two jailers holding her, managing only a weak, fawning smile.
"I don't like any of these... Are there any others...?"
"Still have the energy to banter? You can discuss it with the jailer yourself later."
The jailer glared at her and then hoisted her arms high onto the rack.
She was short, and her feet barely touched the ground, causing her wrists to ache immediately.
Knowing she couldn't escape and was powerless to resist, Ning Lu could only try her best to make herself comfortable. Taking advantage of the warmth generated by the burning torches around her, she advised herself to close her eyes and rest to conserve her strength.
She slept and slept, the candlelight flickering, and a figure landed before her eyes.
It wasn't Lord Pan, but rather Guard Ding from last night.
The man, holding the case file, sat down in the seat of honor, spread his hands, and began to speak.
Do you know your crime?
The saying goes, "One doesn't hit a smiling face," but Ning Lu smiled and asked in return, "What crime have I committed?"
Then, different types of torture instruments were used in turn.
After several such incidents, even the most obtuse person would have realized the intentions of Guard Ding and the instructions given by Lord Pan.
What kind of trial is this? What kind of conviction is this?
It was nothing more than settling personal scores under the guise of procedural justice.
Ning Lu gave up struggling completely and silently endured it.
When they were thrown back into the cell, they still didn't know when it was.
By the light of the candle in the jailer's hand, she finally saw what the sticky liquid on the ground last night was.
Blood. A mass of dark red, almost congealed blood.
Ning Lu couldn't help but shudder.
If she had been discovered the moment she walked in last night, she would have been terrified. But now, with her skin torn and bleeding, her elder brother no longer laughs at her second brother.
The commotion was so great that the prisoners in the cells on both sides woke up.
She then noticed that the dungeon did not distinguish between men and women; each person was in a single cell, and everyone was covered in blood and their lips were cracked.
After the jailer left, her older brother, who was only separated from her by a fence, asked her, "What did you do wrong?"
She remembered that the room was empty last night.
Seeing her surprise, the older brother explained impatiently, "I was just brought back this morning. Otherwise, how would you have been assigned to the torture chamber?"
Well, the infrastructure at the grassroots level is really rudimentary; even being sentenced requires waiting in line.
Ning Lu pursed her lips, struggled to move to the corner of the wall while holding onto the railing, and gave an awkward smile.
The older brother asked again, "What kind of trouble have you, a young lady, caused to end up locked up in this godforsaken place?"
Ning Lu couldn't think of any crime she had committed, and gave a wry smile, saying, "Maybe it's treason."
"That is a hero."
The elder brother, with his long hair and beard, leaned against the wall, waving his hand casually, exuding a chivalrous air.
Ning Lu was speechless. Ignoring the lacerations on her body, she stepped forward and asked him what he meant.
"This is the third level of the dungeon, specifically for Pan Xingxue's prisoners. Bad guys can't even get in."
But bad people won't admit they're bad.
Ning Lu was both amused and annoyed. She turned over and sat down, too painful to speak.
The dungeon fell into darkness and deathly silence.
Feeling intense pain all over her body, Ning Lu felt wronged and scared, so she continued to talk to the older man to distract herself.
Only after asking did I learn that the death row inmates in the governor's mansion had committed strange and unusual crimes, but none of them had committed any unforgivable crimes.
It was nothing more than who hadn't paid their grain tax, who had argued with the military officer, and someone had even spilled wine on their clothes while pouring it for that corrupt official...
In comparison, Ning Lu's charges were the most serious and the most genuine.
She was already prone to talking a lot when she was nervous, and now that she was out in the dark and had grabbed someone, she naturally kept talking.
In no time at all, I figured everything out.
The prison guards work two shifts a day, and lunch is served. Prisoners who are not in their cells are not given food.
When they took Ning Lu away, it was the early shift, and she was gone for two hours. Unfortunately, they missed lunchtime. So she didn't get to eat lunch.
Ning Lu, who was seeing stars and longing for a hot meal, was suddenly taken away by jailers.
Not only did they torture her twice a day, but they also deducted two meals a day. Even with the original owner's excellent physical condition, it was all in vain.
When Ning Lu was sent back to her cell late at night, she collapsed on the ground, too weak to even speak. She could only wave to the man in the distance to indicate that she was still alive.
As the jailer walked away, half a moldy steamed bun rolled over through the bars.
The eldest brother, squatting in the corner, remained expressionless. Ning Lu, however, was on the verge of tears.
This damn world always hammers her into hell just when she thinks everything is going well, and then gives her a touch of luxury and warmth when she thinks she's doomed.
The steamed bun had a sour and foul smell, and every bite was nauseating, but Ning Lu still managed to swallow it with difficulty.
My cellmate next door joked that every extra bite you take will keep you full for another day.
Who knows, maybe someone with a stronger constitution will outlive Pan Xingxue first.
Ning Lu said weakly, "It would be better to hope that the emperor dies and grants a general amnesty."
What was originally a highly disrespectful remark went unchallenged; everyone just gave a wry smile.
Her elder brother scolded her for being stupid: "Changzhou is a hundred and eight thousand miles away from the capital, so a general amnesty wouldn't apply to us."
"If you ask me, we should hope that those high-ranking officials will bring down that corrupt official surnamed Pan."
"The one surnamed Xie?"
"What kind of good person do you think Xie is? Back then, the entire Xie family was imprisoned, and he himself suffered a lot of torture in prison. Now that he's supervising all officials, are his subordinates any less cruel? You dog who's forgotten the pain once the wound has healed, you're all birds of a feather."
A sound, neither too loud nor too soft, came from deep within the prison. Ning Lu bent down and peered over.
It was too dark for her to see clearly.
Judging from his manner of speaking, he seemed like a scholar.
Ning Lu swallowed the last bite of steamed bun with difficulty, burped, and felt a little more energetic.
Just as they were about to ask some more questions, the jailer walked in with the keys, yelled at everyone to shut up, and then took away the man from next door.
In the darkness, she could only swallow the words that were on the tip of her tongue and lay there crookedly.
Xie Qinghe is truly mysterious.
I heard that he traveled south and hardly ever appeared in any government offices, but in reality, secret reports were sent to the capital in an endless stream.
Before Changzhou, at least a dozen or more officials had been dismissed.
A top star truly lives up to his reputation; he's a legend even in prison.
Ning Lu was in so much pain that she couldn't sleep. She gently ran her fingertips across her elbow and inexplicably recalled the way Ji Ming had bent down to treat her wound that evening.
As that man said, legends are just legends, and they have nothing to do with ordinary people like them.
However, the real Ji Amin, the living, willful, and eccentric soul, is the only true connection between her lonely soul and this world.
I wonder if he took his medicine and rested properly.
From her observation, this person was actually quite willful. When no one was watching, he would habitually take shortcuts, be lazy, and treat himself harshly.
The charcoal brazier glowed red, and the sandalwood and pine resin in the air was overwhelmed by the strong smell of medicine.
Ji Ming had just drunk half a bowl of thick, dark, and bitter calming soup.
The long-awaited effects of the medicine, along with a deep-seated weariness, allowed him to barely pull himself out of the day's exhaustion and close his eyes for a moment.
Wei Zhan stood silently like a pine tree in the cold, guarding the bedroom door and doing his best to keep out any noise from the outside.
The sound of hurried, deliberately low footsteps grew louder as Wei Chun appeared in the pitch-black night.
He stopped in front of the door, and the usually outspoken man fell silent.
Wei Zhan took half a step forward and let Wei Chun whisper in his ear.
Upon hearing this, he suddenly looked up, exchanged glances, and confirmed it again.
Wei Zhan hesitated and said, "Lord Cen came to report on the grain tax matters this afternoon, and the master just took his medicine and rested."
“But this is something we cannot do on our own,” Wei Chun reminded him again. “Pan Xingxue is a vicious man; every day that passes brings more danger.”
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