The words were laced with insults, and Cao Yi dared not respond, offering only an awkward smile.
Prince Yu waved his hand dismissively. "Enough. This prince is here tonight to interrogate the prisoner. Guards, drag him out!"
His personal guards stepped forward, reaching out to seize Yan Zheng.
Sensing the murderous intent emanating from below, Cao Yi feared the two hidden figures might lose control and rush out. He hastily interjected, "Your Highness! The... the Marquis of Anning has difficulty walking. Perhaps it would be better to conduct the interrogation here?"
Prince Yu paused, looking somewhat puzzled. "What’s gotten into you today? Since when do you speak up for this cripple?"
Sweating profusely, Cao Yi couldn’t conjure an excuse. Prince Yu, however, seemed to recall something and smirked. "Ah, I see. Cao Yang is afraid the man might die in the Ministry of Justice, leaving him with no way to explain it, isn’t that so? Fine. You may leave. This prince will conduct the interrogation here."
Cao Yi left with hesitant steps, praying to the heavens that their hiding place wouldn’t be discovered.
Inside the cell, Prince Yu stared at Yan Zheng, who remained seated on the bed, his demeanor as calm and indifferent as ever.
With a cold laugh, Prince Yu sneered, "Third Yan, drop the act. You know full well why His Majesty sent me as your interrogator. The decision has already been made. You might as well confess now and spare yourself further suffering."
These words sent shockwaves through the two hidden listeners.
The enmity between Prince Yu and the Yan family was common knowledge in the court!
With the incident involving County Princess Kanghe and Prince Yu’s own head injury from an earthquake, such deep-seated hatred made it clear—the emperor had sent him to ensure Yan Zheng’s death.
Yet, the seated man showed no reaction.
Prince Yu waved his hand. "Wake the prisoner up. Remind him that when his master asks a question, he answers."
At his command, two guards approached Yan Zheng.
One pinned him down while the other slipped a finger press onto his hands.
"Marquis of Anning, forgive us..."
The press tightened abruptly, the force crushing his fingers until bones snapped.
Crack, crack...
The taut sound of the press mingled with the dripping of blood.
Yan Zheng clenched his jaw, sweat beading on his forehead, but not a single cry escaped him.
"Useless! Get out of my way!"
Enraged, Prince Yu kicked his subordinate aside. He grabbed Yan Zheng by the collar and hurled him to the ground.
"Crippled Yan, this prince will ask you one last time—how did you instruct Ajiao to steal the city defense plans?!"
Ajiao?!
Chu Ruoyan covered her mouth in shock!
Wasn’t that... wasn’t that the orphan girl Yan Zheng had rescued at Wangshuang Tower?
Because her looks bore an uncanny resemblance to the late wife of the heir, rumors had spread that he coveted his sister-in-law!
How could she be the one who stole the city defense plans?
"Ajiao... is she dead?"
A cold, mocking voice finally emerged from Yan Zheng’s lips.
Prince Yu exhaled in relief, smirking. "You’d like that, wouldn’t you? Unfortunately, His Majesty assigned Chief Physician Zhang to treat her day and night. She survived... But crippled Yan, you truly have no mercy. Such a delicate, beautiful girl—you ruined her face, chopped off her hands. Pity you forgot to cut out her tongue, letting her escape and testify against you!"
Chu Ruoyan turned to Meng Yang beside her.
His face was twisted in regret...
Prince Yu’s words were true. The orphan girl Ajiao had indeed suffered unspeakable torment at Yan Zheng’s hands!
Which meant he had long been investigating the truth behind his father and brother’s deaths—only to slip up, letting her escape and turn the tables on him.
"Cat got your tongue? Nothing to say, eh? Hah! Crippled Yan, you really are ruthless. Just because you resented your family’s neglect, you sent your parents and brothers to their deaths on the battlefield! A beast like you, devoid of familial bonds—if you weren’t locked up here, even this prince would fear you."
Prince Yu’s words painted a clear picture for Chu Ruoyan...
Last year, Yan Zheng had rescued the orphan girl Ajiao at Wangshuang Tower. Due to her resemblance to Rong Shan, she stayed by the heir Yan Xun’s side.
Later, during the military campaign, she stole the city defense plans at Hangu Pass, leading to a crushing defeat.
Before returning, Yan Zheng must have captured her—but failed to extract the mastermind’s identity before she escaped.
"You’d best advise her to live a little longer."
Yan Zheng spoke, his tone eerily calm. "Long enough... for me to grind her bones to dust myself."
The icy menace in his voice sent a shiver down Prince Yu’s spine. He scoffed, "You should worry about your own fate first. Right now, it’s not just His Majesty watching—your father’s old subordinates, the Longwu Army, the Black Armor Army, every military official in court has their eyes on you, Yan Zheng. Confess, and this prince may beg His Majesty to grant you a clean death."
Under Great Xia’s laws, kin-slayers faced death by a thousand cuts.
Yet Yan Zheng closed his eyes, refusing to speak further.
Prince Yu had expected this. He gestured, and an old executioner entered.
"His Majesty demands results. If words won’t work, bring out the tools..." He yawned, feigning weariness. The shrewd old executioner understood—this was serious. "And the prisoner...?"
"He must not die. Control the intensity. If all else fails, get the confession first."
The so-called "confession" was nothing more than forcing a fingerprint onto a pre-written statement.
The old executioner nodded. "Understood."
The cell fell into deathly silence.
Chu Ruoyan had barely registered her dread when a heavy thud echoed above.
"Marquis of Anning, don’t blame us. We’re just following orders..."
Something massive was being moved into place. From her angle, Chu Ruoyan couldn’t see, but Meng Yang beside her tensed.
"The whip..."
He trembled as he whispered the word, his hand gripping his sword hilt, ready to strike.
Chu Ruoyan knew—if they revealed themselves now, all would be lost!
With no other choice, she struck Meng Yang’s neck with a swift chop.
The guard collapsed silently.
She lowered him to the ground just as the clank of chains sounded above.
Yan Zheng was bound to what seemed like a wooden stake. The old executioner muttered, "Get the confession once he passes out."
Then—thud, thud.
No more slow torture with finger presses or branding irons. They had escalated to brutal methods. Peeking through a gap in the straw mat, Chu Ruoyan saw an eight-pound whip lash down.
No screams, no pleas—just the sickening crack of flesh splitting open.
She bit down on her hand, watching helplessly as his blood poured like rain, filling the cracks between the stone tiles...
"Damn it, he’s finally out!"
"Fifty lashes before passing out—never seen that before!"
"Enough chatter! Get the confession now!"
The old executioner carefully unrolled the confession Prince Yu had provided, preparing to press Yan Zheng’s finger onto it—
Suddenly, the man who should have been unconscious snapped his eyes open. The murderous glare sent the old man stumbling back, just as his companion shrieked—
"The confession! Watch out—!"
Before they could react, Yan Zheng spat a mouthful of blood onto the document.
The ink, still wet, smeared instantly upon contact.
The old executioner gaped in horror. "It’s ruined! Quick, copy another—!"
"Too late!"
The blood had rendered the words illegible. Knowing his doom was sealed, the old man scrambled out to beg for mercy.
Before long, angry shouts and the sounds of a violent beating echoed from outside. Prince Yu stormed in, his fury blazing. "Fine, fine! You can destroy this petition, but next time I'll bring a hundred copies. Let’s see how many you can tear up!"
With that, Prince Yu strode away, and the guards quickly followed, not daring to linger.
The cell was left silent, with only Yan Zheng tied to the wooden post, motionless.
Chu Ruoyan pushed aside the straw mat and crawled out. The metallic tang of blood filled the air, choking her senses. Staggering forward, she threw herself against him...
"Yan Zheng, wake up!"
"Yan Zheng, don’t die—please, don’t die!"
