The chaotic fight at the Zhou Residence ended with Yu Shu being captured. The Jin Wu Guards and the Yu Family's guards were all injured. Fortunately, their injuries weren't serious and they only suffered superficial wounds. The ground was covered in blood and it looked a bit frightening.
A good wedding event brought about a bloody disaster. The bride ran away and the groom was so scared that he peed his pants. The guests who came to drink the wedding wine were all frightened. When the scene calmed down, they hurriedly took their leave, afraid that they would fight again and hurt the innocent.
Zhou Yede insisted that Yu Shu abused her power and allowed slaves to commit murder. He arrested her and the dozen people she brought and threw them into the Ministry of Justice's prison. He personally escorted them there and then turned around to go to the Prime Minister's residence. As soon as he saw Xue Lingnan, he complained.
"Prime Minister only said that someone would come to kidnap the bride today and wanted me to arrest them. Why didn't you tell me who was the one who started the trouble? That crazy girl is too daring. She actually brought people to fight with my Jin Wu Guards. Not only did she injure many of my subordinates, but I also lost all my face."
Xue Lingnan was trimming a beautiful orchid and didn't know where to start with the scissors in his hands. He didn't turn his head and said, "I know, you can go back."
"Uh," Zhou Yede hesitated, "Jinxun was kidnapped. I have already sent people to search all over the capital. If we find her — —"
Xue Lingnan cut the flower with a snap and a beautiful orchid fell at his feet, "No need to trouble yourself. Didn't you arrest her? Interrogate her properly and make her speak."
Zhou Yede felt that he was asking for trouble. He didn't even care about his own granddaughter, let alone his daughter-in-law.
"You mean, you want to use torture on her? That's not very good. After all, she is an official of the Celestial Commissioner. No matter how big a mistake she makes, it's not the Ministry of Justice's turn to punish her. How will we explain when the Minister investigates? "
The former Emperor abolished the position of Minister of the Six Ministries and appointed two new Prime Ministers. Prime Minister Yin controlled the Ministry of Civil Affairs, Ministry of Revenue and Ministry of Works. The Ministry of Justice and Ministry of War followed Prime Minister Xue's lead. The Celestial Commissioner was Zhu Muzhao's word.
Xue Lingnan put down the scissors and turned around. "The affairs of the Ministry of Justice are not for the Celestial Commissioner to meddle in. Zhu Muzhao's hand has stretched too far. This time, I want to punish the chicken to warn the monkey. If you are afraid, you don't have to worry about it anymore. Go back and train your Jin Wu Guards well. If a motley crew can make you so miserable, how can you take on great responsibilities in the future?"
Zhou Yede's face turned red, but he had no words to refute. In the end, he could only leave resentfully.
*
*
*
It was already summer in the fifth month of the lunar calendar. The wind during the day was hot, and there was only a slight coolness after the sun set. However, the inside of the prison cell was a different world. During the day, it was like staying in a steamer, with sweat flowing out freely. At night, it became gloomy and cold, making people stiff.
The prison of the Ministry of Justice had not been renovated for twenty years. Usually, it was not cleaned diligently. Even with the skylight open for ventilation, there was still a sour and rotten smell. Yu Shu was brought here during the day and locked up alone in a cell, separated from her guards and servants.
The cell was surrounded by three stone walls and one by a fence. Yu Shu leaned against the wall and sat on a pile of hay. She was still wearing the grayish-blue robe that she had casually put on in the morning, but her hair was messily draped over her shoulders. Her hairpin had fallen off when she was escorted by the Jin Wu Guards.
As the sun set, the entire cell slowly fell into darkness. A gust of cold wind poured in from the skylight above her, waking her up from her sleep. When she opened her eyes, she saw someone holding a bright lantern outside the fence. She did not know when he had stood there. She squinted her eyes and raised her head to see the other person's face. Unsurprisingly, she revealed a cold smile.
"I was wondering who wanted to deal with me. It turns out to be you."
Xue Lingnan did not respond. Turning his head, he had the jailer open the cell door and carry her out. Taking her to the torture room at the end of the corridor, he tied her hands and feet to the rack. From beginning to end, Yu Shu did not resist. She knew that the Ministry of Justice was Xue Lingnan's territory. Even if she screamed her lungs out, no one would come to save her. She might as well save her energy and think about how to survive.
The Crown Prince had held her back in Huazhen Garden. Right now, no one could save her from the hands of Xue Lingnan.
Xue Lingnan sat on a chair ten feet away from the rack. The jailer with a knife scar on the left side of his face lit the torches on the two walls and added charcoal to the brazier on the tripod. Next to him was a row of torture instruments with all kinds of whips, hooks, knives, and cudgels hanging from them. The stone bricks under the rack had been soaked in blood all year round and had a rotten reddish-brown color.
Yu Shu coldly watched the scar-faced man pick and choose from the torture instruments. He picked up a small iron hammer that was half a foot long. The head of the hammer was small and nimble. It didn't seem to have any killing power. He bent down and grabbed a handful of iron nails from a box on the ground.
The scar-faced man walked to her side and pinched the bones in her arm. He grinned at her and introduced the torture instruments in his hands to her in a low voice, "This is called the Bone Breaking Hammer. It's specially used to deal with those prisoners with hard bones. Like your small bones, it only takes a few light knocks to break them."
Yu Shu did not look at the weapon in his hands. She turned her head and asked Xue Lingnan, "If I didn't kidnap the bride today, would you really have married Jinxun to the Zhou Family?"
At this point, there was nothing she couldn't understand. The official marriage document between the Xue family and the Zhou Family was fake. If Xue Lingnan only wanted to marry into the Zhou Family, he should have secretly held the marriage two days before the ancestral worship ceremony. He shouldn't have waited until she returned to the capital and then had someone instigate Feng Zhaomiao to find her. Just like this, he didn't even show his face and let her walk into the trap.
As for why Xue Lingnan wanted to catch her, it was because he knew that she was the one who broke his life. He either wanted to kill her or dig out some secrets from her mouth.
"Marriage is a big matter, how can it be a child's play." Xue Lingnan expressionlessly looked at her. His attitude was very clear. He had already planned to give up a useless granddaughter to win over Zhou Yede. He wouldn't change his mind just because of whether or not Yu Shu kidnapped the bride.
"Even a vicious tiger doesn't eat its cubs. You really make me look at you in a new light." Yu Shu ridiculed him, but she didn't regret it. Even if she could do it again, even if she knew it was a trap, she would still choose to kidnap the bride. Because she didn't want to see Xue Rui's disappointed appearance when she reunited with him one day.
Xue Lingnan shook his head, "You still want to use your tongue to win? This old man said last time that it would be easy to deal with you. You really won't shed tears until you see the coffin. A 'Yong, first teach her to be obedient. "
The scar-faced man put a handful of nails in his mouth and held a two-inch long nail in his hand. He rubbed it against her sleeve and aimed the nail at her arm. First, he used the hammer to knock it twice, and then he suddenly slammed it down with all his might.
Yu Shu suddenly twitched and opened her five fingers. She looked at the nail halfway into her flesh and into her bone. Blood flowed out and instantly dyed her sleeve red. Her mind went blank for a moment and the sudden pain made her suck in a breath of cold air. She clenched her teeth and didn't make a sound. The scarred man did the same thing and hit three nails into her left arm. Her forehead was covered in sweat and she was trembling from head to toe.
Just as the scarred man spat out the fourth nail, Xue Lingnan called for him to stop. His cold gaze rested on her pale face as he slowly said, "Answer whatever this old man asks. If you answer a question incorrectly, there will be another nail in your body."
Yu Shu stiffly raised her head, a bitter smile on her lips. She said in a trembling voice, "Then can you first tell me one thing? The two murders in Taishi Library, the two female students who died, did you send people to kill them?"
Xue Lingnan was silent for a moment and said, "You are talking about Zhan Xueyuan and Cao Youling."
Yu Shu closed her eyes, "It really was you." This way, Xue Rui's guess about the murderer was confirmed. As long as Emperor Zhao Qing died and the crown prince ascended the throne, the position of the Celestial Commissioner would be replaced. At that time, wouldn't the one who would monopolize power in the court be Xue Lingnan, who had helped Liu Tan ascend the throne?
Xue Rui said that whoever monopolized power was the traitor who tried to kill the Life Breaker and stop the Celestial Commissioner from opening the Book of Mystery Woman's Six Rens.
"The two of them died unjustly." Xue Lingnan had been seen through by her, so he no longer hid it. "This old man originally wanted to kill the Life Breaker."
"So, when Jing Chen was plotted against on the way to the capital, it was also you who sent people to do it. It was Governor Xu, right?" The more Yu Shu thought about it, the more she understood. The pain made her thinking abnormally quick, "You already knew that Xue Rui's biological father was Yun Hua. When Xue Zao brought back a child from the south, he couldn't hide it from you. Later, Xue Rui's father died unexpectedly. You investigated that it was the Celestial Commissioner who killed him, but you endured it because you knew that you couldn't fight against the Celestial Commissioner alone, and you couldn't fight against the Celestial Commissioner who was tied to the emperor. So, you endured for more than ten years until Jing Chen, the Calamity of Mystery Woman's Six Rens, was born. "
Although the secret of the Book of Mystery Woman's Six Rens could only be known by the emperors and the Celestial Commissioner, there was no such thing as an impenetrable wall in the world. After two hundred years, there would always be people who explored these secrets. Xue Lingnan was a successful example. He knew very well that the inseparable relationship between the emperor and the Celestial Commissioner was built on the Book of Mystery Woman's Six Rens. Only when the Celestial Commissioner lost his omniscient ability, the imperial power could get rid of the puppet of the Celestial Commissioner.
But there were also things he didn't know. For example, the existence of the Calamity of Mystery Woman and the Life Breaker was to nurture the Destiny Tai Bone. Without the Destiny Tai Bone, the Celestial Commissioner couldn't open the Book of Mystery Woman's Six Rens.
"But I don't understand. Why didn't you just get someone to kill Jing Chen and end it once and for all? Instead, you used the tricks of the pugilistic world to make him lose his memory. You didn't kill him because you were soft-hearted. That means that you can still make use of him. Let me think … Ah, I got it. Jing Chen and Xue Rui have one thing in common. They are both Yun Hua's biological sons. You kept Jing Chen alive, just like how you raised Xue Rui. It was all to lure Yun Hua to show up. Am I right? "
"You talk too much nonsense." Xue Lingnan interrupted her talking to herself and said coldly, "Let me ask you, who has the Book of Mystery Woman's Six Rens now?"
Yu Shu's eyes flickered. In the blink of an eye, she decided to lie. "Of course, the Book of Mystery Woman's Six Rens is in the hands of the Celestial Commissioner now. Otherwise, why do you think my big brother was able to leave the capital city alive? It was because Yun Hua used the Book of Mystery Woman in exchange for his life. "
Xue Lingnan frowned. He did not know whether he believed her words or not. He asked again, "Have you seen the Book of Mystery Woman's Six Rens?"
"Of course I have seen it. Let me tell you, I know more than you think." Yu Shu suddenly smiled at him. If one ignored her sweaty face, one would not be able to see that there were three two-inch-long iron nails in her bones at this moment.
Xue Lingnan narrowed his eyes and stared at her. "I don't mean to underestimate you. You are a little girl with no one to rely on. In less than two years after you entered the capital city, you were able to fight for a place in the Celestial Commissioner's Office. You are doing very well. It is not only because of your identity as a life breaker, but also because of your shrewdness. It is far beyond your age."
"If you praise me like this, should I feel honored?" It was not that Yu Shu wanted to talk glibly, but she was in great pain. If she did not say a few more words, she was afraid that she would not be able to endure it.
"You should feel lucky. If you don't know anything, I will simply kill you." Xue Lingnan sneered. "Let me ask you again. Zhu Muzhao let you marry Jing Chen. What does it have to do with the Book of Mystery Woman's Six Rens in his hands?"
"Jing Chen and I got married so that I could give him his life." Yu Shu told him half-truthfully. "He is the scourge of Da An. He is related to the fate of the country. Unfortunately, he is entangled with the Ketu Star and brings disaster to the world. Only me, a life breaker, and him can change his fate."
Xue Lingnan shook his head. "It seems that if I don't let you suffer a little, you will not be willing to tell the truth, Ah Yong."
Yu Shu's gaze turned. She saw the scarred man stick out his tongue to lick the fourth nail on his hand. He moved it around her arm and finally stopped at her wrist. With a light press, her entire body stiffened.
"Wait," She couldn't help but shout for him to stop. She bared her teeth at Xue Lingnan. "I can tell you the truth, but you have to answer my questions. Otherwise, even if you kill me, I will not say another word to you. If you don't believe me, you can try. My bones are hard."
Xue Lingnan waved his hand, indicating for the scarred man to move to the side. His gaze examined her as he asked, "What else do you want to know?"
Yu Shu took the chance to ask: "Before Cao Youling died, it was Ji Xingxuan who lured her to the observatory. Isn't she Ning Wang's person? Why would she listen to your orders?"
Xue Lingnan replied: "Aren't you very smart? Why don't you guess?"
Yu Shu didn't guess but threw out question after question: "Jing Chen going down the mountain to enter the world should have been a secret, but you knew his whereabouts like the back of your hand. You used my da ge's marriage as a smokescreen to send Governor Xu to Yi Yang City to discuss the marriage with the Ji family, setting up an ambush along the way. Then who was the one that informed you?"
"A while ago, the court was debating the choice of the Crown Prince. More than half of the people supported Jing Wang to be the Crown Prince. I heard that among those people, there were Ning Wang's henchmen. How did you do it?"
Xue Lingnan frowned and said impatiently: "You have too many questions."
"He he," Yu Shu gave a hurried laugh. Her eyes were like torches as she stared at his face. She asked: "It was Xiang Wang, wasn't it? You and Xiang Wang have been in cahoots for a long time. The two of you, in order to remove the foundation of the Celestial Commissioner and not let the Major Tipping Point control the next Crown Prince, joined hands to deal with the Major Tipping Point. Let me guess, twenty years ago, the xianhuang hadn't decided on the Crown Prince. Xiang Wang was more popular than the current Emperor, but it was the interference of the Celestial Commissioner that caused him to miss out on the throne. He wasn't satisfied so he conspired with you. Am I right? "
Xue Lingnan didn't answer but his sharp eyes already told Yu Shu the answer.
"Are you finished?"
"I've asked everything that needs to be asked," Yu Shu raised an eyebrow at him. She said without fear: "I know so many of your secrets. I guess that you won't let me go out alive, right?"
Xue Lingnan's face instantly darkened. He could see that she didn't intend to answer his questions honestly.
"Kill me, I won't tell you any secrets about the [Fairy Woman Liu Ren Book]." Yu Shu closed her mouth and lowered her head. Her heart was like a mirror. If she wanted to live, she definitely couldn't speak. Because once she no longer had any value, this old thief wouldn't hesitate to take her life.
With Xue Rui gone, there was no one in Jing City that could protect her. It was laughable that she had always been conceited. Now that she was a sheep in a tiger's mouth, she could only hope that the Major Tipping Point would receive news of her accident and send someone to save her.
"You're seeking death." Xue Lingnan was finally angered by her. He sat up from the chair and coldly looked at her. He turned around and left, only leaving behind a sentence: "Ah Yong, make her speak."
Receiving the order, the scar-faced man's eyes flashed with excitement. Licking his lips, he turned around and went to the torture rack to pick out a suitable tool. After picking and choosing, he finally chose a palm sized awl. He burned it on the brazier for a while before walking back in front of Yu Shu. He pulled her hair to make her raise her head, letting her see the thing in his hand —
"This little thing is called the Soul Stealing Awl. Do you see the barbs on it? It's said that people have three souls and seven spirits, all in the head. Tell me, if I were to make a hole in your head, would your soul be sucked out?"
Yu Shu smelled the burnt smell of rust. She didn't look at the red hot awl and closed her eyes, hiding the fear in the depths of her heart. In the next moment, she felt the hot awl piercing the center of her forehead. She couldn't help twisting her neck, wanting to avoid it. However, her scalp was firmly grabbed, holding her head in place. The awl was slowly pierced between her eyebrows, pulled out and fiercely pierced back in.
"Ah, ah, ah — —"
She couldn't bear it anymore and let out a string of miserable screams. She struggled with all her might, but it affected the bone shattering nails in her arm. The blood flowed out and quickly seeped into half of her sleeves.
Her face was pinched by someone and then there was a fishy smell. A sticky thing slid back and forth on the bloody hole between her eyebrows, making her hair stand on end.
She suddenly opened her eyes. Her eyes were bloodshot as she vaguely stared at the scarred face that was filled with excitement because of bloodthirst. Her throat trembled as she shouted: "I, Yu Shu ….. have a grudge ….. I will definitely take revenge."
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