Chapter 46 Chapter 46 Freedom/Torture
In the golden month of October, the weather is good and the harvest is abundant.
The fields are crisscrossed like a web, and the figures of people of different heights are like tireless worker bees, frequently shuttling between the ridges.
Whether carrying loads on their backs or in their arms, they all returned with fully loaded goods. Shouts, chatter, and laughter echoed across the fields, creating a bustling and joyful scene.
"Cough, cough..."
Lan Nongnong took a deep breath, and the fresh air from the mountains rushed into her lungs, clearing away most of the heavy feeling in her chest. She stood in the sun, closed her eyes, raised her head, emptied her body and mind, and breathed quietly. In just a moment, the itching in her lungs and throat quietly dissipated.
She no longer looked far away, but carried a straw basket filled with wild fruits and vegetables on her back, and held a waist-high wooden stick in her hand. While trying to scare away any snakes, she used the stick to support herself and slowly walked deeper into the mountains.
Although the fever subsided after a few days, the rapids had not caused severe injuries to her bones, but had inevitably left her with scars all over her skin. She had drifted for a long time in the water, and after hastily reaching shore, she dared not rest, immediately seeking shelter, constantly needing to conceal her whereabouts. She was in a state of trepidation, her nerves tense and tense.
As a precaution, even though she felt dizzy and her body ached for the first two days, she didn't even dare to pick any herbs. She endured the intense fever and bruises with only her sheer willpower.
Physically and mentally exhausted, with no rest, my diet consisted solely of scattered wild fruits. To this day, the bruises on my body have not healed, my appetite has been poor, and without any nutritional supplements, my body has become alarmingly emaciated.
Even after ten days, she was still short of breath and weak. She returned to the small, gateless courtyard where she was temporarily staying, a mere three or four miles away, and she was already sweating profusely.
"call,"
Lan Nongnong put down her backpack and slowly sat down on a wooden block that had been weathered by the sun and rain and looked like it was about to fall apart, resting her shoulders. When the dizziness and weakness subsided a little, she took a deep breath, pulled herself together, untied the basket rope, and took out the purple-red wild fruits on the top.
The conditions were simple, and I was exhausted, so I didn't care about being particular. I just wiped it a few times with my wrist and the back of my hand, and when I felt it was clean, I finished it in three or five bites.
The sweet juice moistened her lips, teeth and lungs, making her so comfortable that she squinted her eyes and sighed with contentment.
When she regained some strength, she enthusiastically emptied the wild rice ears she had luckily found from the basket and spread them on the hard ground in front of her.
Lan Nongnong hadn't tasted staple food for many days. When she thought of the delicious rice, her mouth immediately began to water and she couldn't wait to eat.
Lacking suitable tools, they repeatedly beat the rice ears with a wooden stick, carefully sifting them and sweeping away the husks. If they encountered stubborn husks, they used the stick like a rolling pin, rolling them back and forth, sifting and sweeping again. Soon, the husks were completely removed.
Looking at the white rice grains on the ground, even though she was exhausted and her eyes were black and she was panting, she couldn't help but smile. After husking, these rice grains were about a handful of rice, enough for her to eat for two meals even with a big appetite.
Lan Nongnong straightened up, casually pushed her fallen braid behind her, took a few deep breaths to recover from the dizziness, stood up and slowly walked into the kitchen, took out the cracked but still usable pottery jar, slowly squatted down, put handfuls of wild rice into it, even picked up the scattered rice grains one by one, and put them carefully into the jar.
*
She used grass fluff to drill wood to make fire, washed rice and added water to simmer it. When she saw the heat gradually rising, Lan Nongnong breathed a sigh of relief, no longer staring at the hole, and her shoulders and back relaxed.
In one hand, she was fanning the stove with a fan made of thick leaves, while in the other hand she was supporting her chin. She looked relaxed and her eyes were looking around.
The gray and black peeling walls, the crooked eaves and pillars, the hollow doors and windows, even under the scorching sun, the hall is still gloomy and depressing.
The courtyard wall is badly damaged, weeds are growing wildly, and rotten wood is scattered everywhere. Every trace of it silently tells of desolation and vicissitudes of life.
Outside the courtyard gate, the open space in front of the threshold was covered with dust, the paint on the plaque was mottled and curled, and most of the words were blurred. Only the outline of the two words "Yi Zhuang" was still clear, adding a bit of eerie silence to this dilapidated courtyard.
Lan Nongnong still remembered the shock of finding herself in the funeral home when she first stopped here. A chill ran through her bones, and a web of fear and self-inflicted terror woven itself into a horrifying constriction, choking her breath...
As the aroma of rice grew stronger, Lan Nongnong withdrew her gaze, her expression now relaxed and at ease. If she could survive the rapids and the calamity of life and death, what was the point of a mere abandoned charity cemetery?
This place is remote, desolate, and dilapidated. Because it was once a charity cemetery, it has long been deserted. Although the house and courtyard are dilapidated, they still provide shelter from the wind and rain. Outside the courtyard lies an abandoned well. Although the axle and ropes are rotten, there is still water in the well, and the grass and vines can be used to weave ropes.
Fortunately, the wooden barrel used to fetch water was placed in the shade of the well and was not exposed to the sun and rotted, so it can still be used.
It is remote and uninhabited, surrounded by mountains and water, with lush vegetation. It is the perfect place to take shelter temporarily.
Drawing on the experience her aunts had taught her, Lan Nongnong knew by the time the rice was cooked. Using leaves as a cushion, she lifted the broken pottery jar from the earthen stove. She then quickly sealed the stove mouth with loose soil dug up by the tiles, even blocking the air intake.
This place was remote, and she didn't dare light an open flame. Just to be safe, she even covered the steam rising from the porridge pot with clean leaves. Her stomach rumbled with hunger, burning and aching, but the rich aroma of the rice porridge overflowed from the gaps between the leaves, tempting her to salivate.
Lan Nongnong pressed her belly with her hand, stood up, walked a few steps away and looked back to confirm that there was no smoke leaking out. Then she sat back in front of the pottery jar, suppressing her hunger and waiting for the heat to dissipate before she lifted the leaf cover.
She peeled off the bark and used two white twigs to scoop up the soft, glutinous and crystal clear rice porridge. The moment she put it into her mouth, her whole body trembled as if she had been electrocuted. The huge sense of satisfaction instantly soothed her body and mind. Her long eyelashes drooped, and a little water light flashed quietly.
The warm porridge soothed his stomach, which had not eaten staple food for several days. He put down the curved tile that was used as a bowl with leaves, closed his eyes, raised his head, slightly opened his lips, and let out a long and satisfied sigh.
I opened my eyes and saw the sky was clear and the clouds were flowing freely. I took a breath and my heart was filled with sweetness.
This is an invaluable breath of freedom.
The gloom and pain that had been accumulating in my heart for days were all washed away in an instant.
*
After washing a few simple utensils, Lan Nongnong went to sit under the shade of a tree by the well outside the courtyard, looking out into the distance. Her lazily raised eyelids gradually drooped, dimples appeared on her thin cheeks, and the corners of her lips curled up higher and higher.
A gentle breeze blew, birds chirped occasionally, leaves rustled, and a sudden laugh, crisp and pleasant, complemented the leisurely scene between heaven and earth.
Lan Nongnong could swim, had gone rafting, and had even bungee-jumped from a 30-meter platform, but facing the unprotected rapids, she was not at all daring. Until the moment she entered the water, she had no idea what the outcome would be.
She only knew that she finally didn't have to be so cautious, and she couldn't bear it for a moment. Rather than stay imprisoned, depressed, and suffer all day long, exhausted and sad, she might as well give it a try!
Even if I don’t know where to go, even if I gamble my life.
Fortunately, fate was on his side after all. He was caught in the rapids but not seriously injured. He was able to hide away despite being surrounded by pursuers. He had a high fever but still managed to survive despite sleeping in the open air.
Until now, I have food and shelter, and can finally take a break.
With all these things, how can we not say that the clouds have cleared and the rain has stopped, and good times are coming?
"ha!"
A hearty laugh erupted from my chest, filled with extreme pleasure.
Lan Nongnong opened her eyes, her gaze clear and firm.
When she was with him, she was constantly under his control, with no one she could trust to turn to for help. Having learned from her aunts' experience, she was unwilling to implicate innocent people again. Her escape this time was entirely due to surprise, not even a well-thought-out plan.
Fortunately, the guards on the way to the capital were forthright and detailed their experiences. Even more fortunate was her curiosity after arriving in the capital, which led her to inquire about everything and, by accident, to learn about the geography of Kyoto and its surroundings.
Therefore, even though she had no one to talk to and no one to rely on, she still fought for a way out for herself! And the only way to have him see her "get into trouble" with his own eyes and escape with his life was to have no worries.
Although there was no sign of the person alive or the body dead, it was still a hidden danger. However, the town's riverbanks were well-connected, connecting to the canal and traversing the entire country, with numerous tributaries. Searching for someone in such a vast expanse was like searching for a needle in a haystack, and it would take far longer to find results.
She didn't want to take the chance that he would give up after searching in vain, and she didn't want to think about how he would react if he found out he had been deceived.
Instead of being anxious all day long, it is better to focus on the present and the future. How to settle down is what she really needs to think about.
At this point, the past was gone like flowing water, and she was finally free.
*
At the beginning of October, people still wear simple clothes, and the midday heat still lingers. Two consecutive autumn rains fell in the middle of the month, and by the end of the month, the autumn wind was howling, and the branches were withered and the leaves were yellow, scattered all over the steps.
The twelfth lunar month had arrived, and the capital was still bustling. Commoners donned new clothes and hats, their faces beaming with smiles. A few days earlier, the imperial court had purged the rebels with lightning speed, but the terrifying aftermath had long since dissipated, like water passing through, leaving no trace.
Liushang Street, Yao Mansion,
The martial arts arena was filled with the sound of continuous thuds, fists and feet hitting flesh, bodies slamming to the ground, and groans of pain echoing one after another. Five or six palace guards, dressed in brown singlets, black trousers and boots, each tall and muscular, with wiry muscles, their bodies steaming with heat and covered in dust, rose from the ground one after another and bowed to leave the stage.
When he stood still, he saw that there were companions on both sides who were similar in appearance, dressed in similar clothes and in the same miserable state.
A lone figure stood proudly on the martial arts field. He was tall and slender, not as burly as the selected palace guards, but nonetheless strong and erect. His snow-white garment, soaked with sweat, clung to his body, highlighting every muscular muscle that rose and fell with his breathing.
He has a monkey-like back and a wasp waist, long arms and legs. Every time he moves, his muscles tense, and a strong sense of oppression comes over you.
With a clang, the long sword was unsheathed, and the sharp blade cut through the air with a sharp sound. The tip of the sword was as bright as snow, and the cold light was intimidating in the sunlight.
A hoarse and deep voice followed: "Come!"
Yan Feng felt the sword point directly at him, and his hair stood on end, and he cried out in pain. As the commander of the palace guards, his skills were well known to you.
If it were a normal sparring match, the master only needed to exert 70% of his strength to win, saving both sides' dignity. However, over the past month, even though some of Miss Lan's belongings had been recovered, her life—her life—remained uncertain, with no news at all.
The master's aura was becoming increasingly fierce, making it hard for people to breathe, and he was no longer merciful when he attacked.
Those remnants somehow got wind of the situation and took advantage of it to threaten you with information about Miss Lan. But you hated being threatened, and although this move was tantamount to seeking your own death, it forced you to act cautiously.
Although he was not present that day, he was well aware of the danger of the water flow at the Zhenhe embankment. With such a turbulent rapids, Miss Lan, a weak woman, was completely unprepared and fell into the water... It was really dangerous.
Everyone in the know knew this, so how could someone as intelligent as you not understand? Yet, you were deeply in love, and you witnessed your loved one fall into the rapids just steps away. How could you accept the heartbreaking pain? How could you let it go?
I only regret that those remnants are still like mad dogs when they are about to die. They have refused to confess even after days of torture, which makes the master increasingly depressed and fierce. The bloodthirsty aura emanating from them alone has already taken away eight points of his courage. Even he has to deal with it with all his strength.
If I use all my strength, I might hurt you. If I hold back, it would be disobeying orders and might anger you. I am really in a dilemma.
At this moment, he really regretted that he had not competed with Tongze for the overseas assignment so that he could receive the secret order from the adults and search for people outside.
Yan Feng's mind raced, yet he didn't hesitate. He immediately bowed his hand in response, drawing a longsword from his weapon rack. They both advanced and drew their swords simultaneously. In an instant, a stream of white light crisscrossed like streaks of silk, its glaring reflections blinding everyone. The clash of swords rang out with a clang, punctuated by the sounds of fists and kicks. For a moment, it was impossible to tell who was winning.
Qin Jingyao was exhausted, his knuckles bursting with blood, his hands were slippery and he could no longer hold the sword. The long sword slipped out of his hand and was thrust straight at his chest.
Yan Feng, concentrating intensely, saw the tip of his sword about to pierce that sweat-soaked chest. He was horrified and quickly stopped. With a thud, he slammed one knee to the ground, dropped his sword, and, with his head bowed, said anxiously, "I made a mistake and nearly committed a serious offense! Please punish me severely!"
Qin Jingyao's hands trembled slightly as they fell to his sides, letting the blood drip freely. He closed his eyes and raised his head, sweat dripping from his sharp jaw to his neck. His clothes clung to his body, and his chest rose and fell violently, a mass clearly visible, as if it would burst through the wet clothes at any moment.
He opened his eyes, his gaze dark and empty beneath his half-closed eyelids, devoid of a ray of light. After a long pause, his Adam's apple rolled, and he let out a long, raspy sigh. The sound was so soft and hoarse that it brought a momentary stillness to the arena, already utterly silent from the sudden halt to the fighting.
"stand up."
Yan Feng then stood up and took the order. Jiang Ting Yifang stepped forward with the hemostatic medicine and signaled his attendants to help.
Long legs moved, their sweat-soaked silk pants clinging to him like a rope, outlining his figure as sharp as iron. Qin Jingyao casually tore off his clothes, leaving his upper body bare. His dark hair splattered across his back, falling from his sturdy waist. The clear water was stained with blood, and the blood-stained cotton cloth was thrown into the basin.
Jiang Ting put his coat on him and followed him, whispering, "Sir, the Ministry of Justice has sent a message that the man will be released. I want to ask if you want to personally conduct the trial."
"Wait!"
By the time he finished speaking, Qin Jingyao's face was covered in a fierce rage, his eyes gleaming coldly. He stalked into the bathroom with lightning speed and quickly washed himself with cold water. His hair still dripped with water as he trotted out. His broad shoulders, long legs, and cinched waist made him look even more imposing and commanding.
Just as he was about to step out of the door, he suddenly stopped, lowered his head and his eyes fixed on a four-finger-wide dark blue auspicious belt. However, the slots that should have been inlaid with gold and jade were empty, with only a few pink and white flying petals embroidered on the left and right.
The unfinished stitches, clumsy yet vivid, were like the finishing touch, breaking the solemnity of the ink. He stared at the unfinished work in silence, as if he could see through it the figure of someone threading the needle.
His hand, wrapped in white cloth, gently stroked the belt. Qin Jingyao reached behind his waist and untied the dark blue belt, which had grown longer than before. Jiang Ting took it with both hands, hurried into the inner room, and carefully placed it in a box lined with pink satin. He then took out another dark blue belt with a rhinoceros head inlaid with gold and jade and presented it to him.
*
Today the world is at peace, the borders are submissive, there are no major events in the court, and the court is also peaceful.
The weather was favorable, and the harvest was plentiful. A constant stream of grain carts arrived at the capital from all over the country. Officials from the Ministry of Revenue worked all night to verify incoming grain. Even with tax cuts, income still outstripped expenditure, leaving surplus grain piling up and the warehouses under strain.
However, after several years, several new granaries with blue bricks and gray tiles were built, filled with grain, which was indeed a sign of abundance and prosperity.
Just across the street was the Ministry of Justice. Busily busy, the Ministry of Revenue officials took a moment to listen and heard the clatter of carriages and horses, the clatter of footsteps, and the cacophony of shouts and reprimands. Their brows relaxed as if a heavy burden had been lifted.
The Ministry of Revenue, in charge of the nation's finances and taxes, had always been considered a place of abundant wealth. However, six years earlier, since the Emperor accepted Prime Minister Tan's advice and relocated the Ministry of Justice to a neighboring street, prisoners had been brought to the court for interrogation at regular intervals. Ministry of Revenue officials often handled their duties amidst shrill cries, like killing a chicken to scare the monkeys and frightening the tigers from afar.
The Ministry of Revenue, which originally had the most frequent official turnover in all dynasties, has become the "empty office" with the slowest turnover and the most stable tenure.
Occasionally, those of a more upright disposition would raise their voices in protest, only to be met with the simple rebuke of "I have nothing to hide, so why should I fear the neighboring prison?" This was a matter of national importance, and with the greater good at stake, no one dared to openly object.
Therefore, even if someone was dissatisfied, at most they would just make a few insignificant complaints in the memorial, which would only make the reputation of the Shangshu Ling as a cruel, ruthless and tyrannical person spread even more loudly.
The sounds of torture could be heard on ordinary days, but for the entire month of October, the screams from the Ministry of Justice, from cockcrow until the third watch, never ceased. The sound was terrifying and chilling. Officials felt like they were living through the day, so how could they concentrate on their work?
The remnants of the rebels had been wiped out half a month earlier, and the Shangshu Ling's merits and faults had been offset. Not only was his previous misdeeds of privately mobilizing officers and soldiers absolved, but he also regained the emperor's favor, with even greater trust than before. He should have been enjoying great success, so why was the punishment so severe?
Could it be that they found out that someone in the Ministry of Revenue was embezzling money in defiance of the law, but they had no concrete evidence, so they used torture to scare others and serve as a warning to those who had guilty consciences?
This person still doesn't understand Qin Jingyao. If there really is someone who is corrupt, even if there is no solid evidence, he would rather kill the innocent than let him go, and would have arrested him long ago.
*
The Ministry of Justice's prison was divided into three categories: Heaven, Earth, and Human. The Heaven category held royal relatives, nobles, and officials. The Human category held thieves, bandits, and criminals. The Earth category held only prisoners sentenced to death for serious crimes.
The Di-shaped dungeon was buried deep underground, its passageway long and narrow, about ten feet high and only half a foot wide. Never seeing the sun, it was gloomy and eerie. A few dim oil lamps dotted the ceiling, their light flickering. Walking through it, the only sounds were the echoing sounds of footsteps and screams, a terrifying cacophony.
The cells were windowless and cramped, making it impossible for prisoners to stand up straight or stretch their legs. They were chained and huddled all day long. It didn't take long for their bones to become twisted and their faces to become unrecognizable, leaving them in a state worse than death, with no hope of death.
In a local prison, if someone is taken away for torture, even to the execution ground for beheading, all the other prisoners will be jealous and curse, wishing they could take their own lives in their place.
In the torture chamber, a prisoner was immersed in pitch-black sewage, being bitten by leeches and snakes, and he wanted nothing more than to die. However, his legs were tied to the rocks, unable to move, his hands were bound with iron chains, and his mouth was gagged with a crossbar. Despite his struggles and trembling, he could not even bite his tongue to commit suicide.
With bloodshot eyes, he could only mumble to the man sitting in the shadows a few meters away, "...You will die a miserable death!!!"
"Ugh!!! Qin Jingyao! You are so cruel and ruthless - you will be punished!"
"I curse you! Don't ever know---no no no---Ahhhh!!!"
The cursing stopped abruptly, not because of surrender, but because the black-clad guards dumped another bucket of insects and snakes into the pool. In the dim light, the small pool of black water suddenly churned and swarmed with a dense mass of wriggling horrors.
Another guard twisted the chains and lifted him up, revealing his legs, covered in leeches and entangled with insects and snakes, bloody and bloody, with bones visible. This move wasn't a gesture of mercy, but rather a moment of respite, before forcing him back into even more brutal torture while he was still recovering from the shock.
This torture cycle continues until someone confesses.
"...Help me! I'll tell you, I'll tell you! Yushan, please speak up! I confess! I confess everything!"
"Lord Linggong! Lord, please spare my life, spare my life, ahhhh!!!"
"Have mercy on me! I confess! I confess!!!"
The tortured person seemed to have lost his mind, and the prisoner who was brought here and forced to witness the miserable plight of his companions had also completely collapsed. He trembled and crawled on the ground, his teeth chattering. As soon as he was released, he crawled limply towards the silent man in the shadows and confessed the secret that he should have kept.
"Sir, please spare my life! I will tell you everything! Your Excellency is wise and powerful. We, the rebels, have been almost wiped out. Now, except for a few people here, there are only 27 of us left. We are hiding in the secret cellars at Ancao Wharf, Cang County... and other places."
"Please, sir, spare my life in consideration of my honest confession! Besides the list, I—they also have a cache of hidden gold and silver. If you are willing to spare my life, sir, I will offer all my hidden silver and swear allegiance to you until death!"
However, his desperate attempts at surrender and bribery yielded no response. He crawled and tumbled to try to get closer, but before he could even get close, he was kicked down by the black-clad guards. He didn't even dare to cry out in pain, and hurriedly rolled over to the ground, not daring to take another step forward.
But he was still unwilling to die. While racking his brains for a way to survive, he suddenly had an idea and shouted urgently, "Master Linggong, please understand! We really did not kidnap that girl. What we said before was all nonsense. It was purely a thief who was holding a grudge and wanted to disturb you! I actually found the bundle by the Huanxi River by chance. As for the girl's whereabouts, I really don't know!"
"Lord Linggong! Lord Linggong! I swear that I have said nothing false! Please spare my life, Lord, considering that I am only an accomplice, coerced by the traitors and have never intended to bring disaster to the country! Please have mercy! Please have mercy!"
The prisoner in the black pool had long since passed out. The mechanism turned, the chains rattling. With a crash, a special insect repellent sprayed down, and all the insects and snakes hanging from the prisoner's body fell off. Only the remains of bones and flesh remained below the waist and legs, and blood dripped continuously.
With every ticking sound, the surrendered man would crouch lower, as if the blood was splashing on himself.
At this point, the man in the shadows slowly spoke, his voice as cold as ice, yet terrifying.
"Unintentional? Unaware?"
"If you really had no intention, why would you wander down the Zhen River and 'just happen' to pick up the bag?"
"If you really don't know, how can you use this to threaten me?
As soon as he finished speaking, there was a sudden, explosive sound. The solid wooden armrest of the official chair was actually broken by bare hands! To the prisoner lying on the ground, this terrifying sound was like his own neck being broken on the spot. Frightened out of his wits, he let out a shrill scream that was not human, and curled up into a ball, shaking like a sieve.
"Sir, please calm down! Calm down! I didn't know, I really didn't know! The girl is really not in our hands! I was just being quick-witted and talking nonsense to irritate you! It's absolutely true! Every word is true, sir!"
Qin Jingyao leaped to his feet, the wound on his palm suddenly cracking, blood spurting out. He casually threw the broken wood in his hand, hitting the man's forearm, who was clutching his head tightly! With a crisp sound, the man's forearm was severed! But before the scream could escape his throat, it seemed to be strangled by an invisible hand and stopped abruptly.
The torture chamber was filled with blood. Apart from the suppressed breathing, there was no other sound. It was terrifyingly dead silent.
Jiangting bowed and stepped forward, took out a brocade handkerchief and gently wiped the wood chips on the adult's hands and clothes, and then quietly retreated to his original place.
Qin Jingyao raised his head, half his face bathed in light and shadow. He was dressed in a stern black robe, his face handsome, but his jaw was tense, and the veins in his neck were visible. Standing in the torture chamber, he looked like a bloodthirsty demon.
More than half a month, sixteen days.
If he really just wanted to show off his eloquence, confuse the public, and mislead him into looking for someone!
During this long period of time, how many unexpected events may occur, and how many opportunities may be delayed?
Then it is not a pity for these people to die.
He suddenly opened his eyes, his gaze as cold as an ice blade as he cast towards the two people cowering on the ground. The veins on his clasped hands behind him were bulging, and his knuckles turned pale from the extreme force.
A cold voice uttered from between his teeth, as if coming from the bottom of a deep abyss:
"Privately forming a clique with the intention of treason, knowingly breaking the law, is a crime tantamount to treason, and according to the law, the entire clan shall be punished."
"If you don't know, what's the point of keeping it?"
"Pull out his tongue, chop off his hands and feet, and execute him by slow slicing."
The four black-clad guards responded with a stern expression. Two of them swiftly stepped forward, pinning the prisoner's limbs firmly to the spot. The other two turned and removed the gleaming iron hooks and heavy axes from the grim rack. With cold steps, they returned in an instant, weapons drawn, and were about to carry out the execution.
The prisoner, who was being held down tightly, had not expected the sudden death order to come, and was immediately terrified. The fear of dying actually forced a trace of clarity from his chaotic mind! Seeing that the iron hook was about to pierce his mouth, he suddenly struggled to his feet like a dying carp, screaming and howling.
"Sir, please spare my life! I know! I remember! I remember! The man who found the bundle once said so! He said the girl was lucky. She floated for several miles through the turbulent water above the dam. The river was full of jagged gravel and sharp rocks, but the bundle was intact. Not even the straps had a scratch on them!"
Tears streamed down his face, and he spoke so fast he almost bit his tongue as he desperately shouted, "It doesn't look like the bundle was washed away by the water at all. It looks like it was deliberately dropped there! Your Excellency, please bear with me! My humble opinion is that the girl must be an expert swimmer and must still be alive! If you don't believe me, please send people to search that section of the river immediately! If she really was drowned, her clothes would have been torn by rocks and branches, leaving fragments. But if not, then there would be absolutely no trace, which is enough to prove that the girl escaped on her own, Your Excellency! Your Excellency, please understand!"
The sharp scream before death was like a sharp blade suddenly cutting through the fog. Qin Jingyao's body paused almost imperceptibly, and a sharp light gradually gathered in his cold eyes. A nearly terrifying focus awakened from the depths of his eyes. It was the readiness of a beast finally smelling the traces of prey, the eagerness to hunt that surged out after being suppressed to the extreme!
His chest was rising and falling, his breathing was becoming rapid, and he no longer had the heart to listen.
To prevent the leakage of secrets, the torture chamber was located away from the ordinary prison area. Its walls were nearly half a foot thick, and even the door was a specially made stone door. Once closed, no matter how loudly someone screamed inside, not a single sound could escape.
All of this was verified only by the jailers' observation, hearing, and written records.
As for how to record it, it is up to the superior to decide.
Qin Jingyao glanced at the corner of the wall, and the huddled jailer was as if burned by an iron. He hurried forward and held the recorded confession high in his hands, presenting it to him. The ink on the paper was still wet, but there were only a few words.
"The traitor Yu Shan and others have confessed their crimes. Those they have confessed to are all accomplices of the traitors. According to the law, they should be sentenced to death and their entire clans should be punished."
The whole article is all about official business, and there is no mention of the most crucial "private matters".
The stone door slammed shut, sealing off all the screams from within.
The sound of footsteps echoed in the long and narrow corridor. The person had gone far away, but the strong smell of blood on his clothes lingered for a long time.
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The author has something to say: Sorry for waiting so long, babies [shy][hug]
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