Chapter 28 Holding on tight Hearing Lin's faint, weak voice, Pei...
"Speak! What border military affairs did you obtain from General Pei? How dare you be so ignorant and defy the imperial authority! You must have eaten the heart of a bear and the gall of a leopard!"
With a heavy lash, another dark red bloodstain burst open on the snow-white undergarment.
"No...no military affairs, just...family matters..."
Xiao Wen ordered that no one should be injured during the torture, so the men put all their strength into it. The intense pain made Lin Zhi feel as if she had returned to the time when she stayed at her uncle's house.
She was young then and couldn't bear pain, but now, after living a life of luxury in the Pei family for several years, she is in even more pain than before.
Seeing that she was stubborn, the rough-handed old woman, panting heavily, threw down the thin whip in her hand and went to wash her hands in the copper basin. As soon as her hands entered the water, they stained the clear basin with blood.
"This girl is really stubborn; we can't get anything out of her no matter what we do."
"What should we do? The princess said that if we can't make her vomit something else, we'll both lose our heads!"
The two old women huddled together, whispering to each other, their eyes filled with worry.
"I see her slender fingers, and I've heard she's quite the talented woman. But if her hand is injured, what talent will she be able to produce in the future?"
The two men exchanged a glance, then one of them went to the side to pick up the clamps, while the other stood in front of Lin Zhi with his arms crossed: "Miss, we are all pitiful people, and we don't want to make things difficult for you."
"Since such a crime is still in the princess's hands, you might as well give yourself a quick death. Confessing might make you feel better. I'm afraid your small body can't withstand a few more rounds of torture."
Lin Zhi trembled all over in pain; her arms were bound, and her fingertips were cold and stiff, not even bleeding. "I didn't do it... admit to what?"
"You can search the Pei residence if you want. What can a woman like me do to spy on border military affairs?"
As she spoke, she became more and more excited, and Lin Zhi's lips were so dry and cracked that they bled. The beautiful red of her lips became the most gorgeous lip rouge, and her pale face blossomed with a breathtaking beauty.
"If the princess had wanted me to confess from the beginning, there would have been no need for torture; she could have just given me a quick death!"
Lin Zhi stared at them coldly, and even though she was at a disadvantage, her piercing gaze was still quite intimidating.
The two maids were stunned for a moment, but then gritted their teeth and stepped forward: "We are the princess's people, why would we be afraid of you?"
"Such a stubborn mouth!"
Seeing the clamps already on her hands, Lin Zhi closed her eyes and refused to look anymore, the taste of blood filling her mouth. She didn't regret running around for Pei Mingli; her aunt had saved her life, and her second cousin had protected her for three years. Everything she did was what she should have done.
She only regretted not listening to Pei Lang and not acting rashly, being deceived by Xiao Wen's few words.
"......ah!"
The clamp tightened, and a piercing pain shot through Lin Zhi's finger bones. She unconsciously tried to pull her hand back, but it was firmly bound and she couldn't move.
"Oh!"
A loud thud echoed in her ears. Lin Zhi, whose mind was already blank from the pain, didn't even bother to look up and see what had happened. She only felt that her eyelids were too heavy to open.
When Pei Lang and the Crown Prince's guards arrived, they immediately saw that Lin Zhi's hands were bound with clamps, and her entire body was covered in wounds. She hung her head listlessly, looking utterly exhausted.
As Pei Lang scanned the bloodstains on Lin Zhi's body inch by inch, his rage could no longer be contained. He raised his leg and kicked the old woman who had attacked him hard, growling, "Get out of my way!"
The two maids were terrified and hurriedly tried to call for the guards, but the Crown Prince's personal guards drew their swords and held them to their necks: "The Crown Prince's actions are not to be stopped by anyone!"
Seeing that the two were so frightened they almost lost their souls, Pei Lang hurriedly stepped forward to untie Lin Zhi.
"Lin Zhi! Don't sleep!"
Seeing her face as pale as paper, he reached out to embrace her but saw her trembling in pain, and a rare look of panic appeared in Pei Lang's eyes.
“…Cousin, it was A-Zhi's fault. A-Zhi shouldn't have been disobedient…”
Hearing Lin's faint, weak voice, Pei Lang quickly comforted her, "Alright, alright, it's not your fault. Your cousin will take you home..."
Just as he carefully held her in his arms, Pei Lang noticed that the finger bones of her originally delicate and fair left hand were completely red, with bright red blood dripping down her fingertips.
Pei Lang restrained the strength in his hands; too heavy and he would hurt her, too light and he would drop her. But as he walked up to the two executioners, he still glanced at her out of the corner of his eye: "You injured her left hand just now?"
The two were so frightened they trembled like leaves, unsure whether to reply.
Pei Lang grabbed Lin Zhi with one hand and snatched the long sword from the guard's hand. With a swift movement, the sword fell, and several fingers fell to the ground with a sharp cry of pain.
With a clang, Pei Lang threw the knife to the ground, staring coldly at the filth on the ground, and ordered in a deep voice: "Pack these things up and send them to Yuhua Palace. Tell them that they are a small gift from Junior Tutor Pei to the princess."
Before leaving the private prison, Pei Lang thought for a moment and then took off his cloak and covered Lin Zhi completely.
This matter should not be alarmed by the Pei family, so Pei Lang simply took the person to his private residence in the capital. He also asked Xingyun to return to the mansion and bring Chun Tao with him: "There is no need to tell her anything else. Just have her pack Lin Zhi's usual things and ask about Lin Zhi's usual habits."
"Don't worry, young master!"
Watching the young master escort his cousin inside, Xingyun suppressed the absurd thought in his mind: Why does it look like he's going to keep her as a mistress?
When the female doctor was brought in, she was so frightened by the sight of Lin Zhi's injuries that her legs went weak: "Young master, please have mercy! I am just a doctor! I have elderly parents and young children to support!"
Pei Lang stood by the couch with his arms crossed, staring intently at the wounds on Lin Zhi's bare back. He couldn't help but frown and say, "Enough nonsense. I'll give you ten times the consultation fee if you heal her. If you can't heal her, then you'll have to wait."
Upon hearing this, the female doctor tremblingly continued to examine the wounds on the girl's body on the bed. Although they were shocking, they were all just superficial injuries.
He breathed a sigh of relief: "Don't worry, young master. As long as you rest patiently and apply medicine, it will heal. It's just that the injury on your hand will take some effort to heal, so please take good care of it."
"You can't use it too much or get too tired within three months, otherwise you'll never be able to recover."
Pei Lang frowned, signaling her to apply the medicine quickly, but when he saw Lin Zhi flinch in pain as soon as she started, he clicked his tongue impatiently: "Alright, bandage the other wounds, I'll apply the medicine."
The female doctor carefully bandaged the wound and wrote a prescription before being seen out the door.
Sitting on the edge of the couch, Pei Lang looked at Lin Zhi's once smooth and delicate back, now covered in scars, and couldn't help but feel a little resentful towards Xiao Ting. Why couldn't they have said something later, instead of dragging it out until now?
The delicate straps of her light pink dress crossed her slender waist and were tied into a pretty knot behind her back. Pei Lang couldn't help but look away and focus on the ointment in his hand.
But before she could even catch a glimpse of it, Lin Zhi drowsily shifted her body, pressing on the wound on her shoulder and crying out in pain.
"Don't move!"
Pei Lang quickly reached out and held her body to prevent her from moving around. But just as he was about to let go, Lin Zhi unconsciously tried to turn over again, because this position was really awkward and uncomfortable to look at.
If you don't want her to move and press on the wound, you'll have to hold her in one position the whole time.
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Author's note: Thank you all for your support!
The column also has a new pre-order for a historical romance novel, "Driving the Resentful Husband into Madness (Rebirth)," which still features the familiar gloomy male lead vibe. Feel free to add it to your favorites if you like it! [Rabbit Head with Upright Ears]
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