The Deposed Crown Prince had Three Lifelong Regrets - Chapter 43

Chapter 43

The fire was blazing, and the branding iron glowed red and bright.

The prisoner tied to the iron rack was spitting large mouthfuls of fresh blood. The viscous blood clung to his jaw for a long time.

The Minister of Justice only brought her here, exchanged a few polite words, and then left in a hurry. A hidden door inside the residence led directly to a small dungeon. Inside, only she and the Song family servant were staring at each other.

Li Qinghuai could not bear the solitude and sent her trusted aide. Using the cover of night to transport corpses, avoiding onlookers, her aide came to interrogate the prisoner for her.

The godson of the Director of the Western Depot, his methods were naturally ruthless. With Wenchang’s confidant watching, whatever was done would be a complete success.

Zheng Shining toyed with the branding iron, sending sparks flying. He carried the arrogance of the marketplace, showing his vicious, dog-like fangs. The torture tool stand covered half his face but could not hide his piercing gaze.

“Tell me, what does it feel like when something scalding hot is pressed against human skin?”

As he spoke, the branding iron in his hand got closer and closer to the prisoner’s exposed skin.

The already bruised and battered body, raw and bloody in places, was instantly seared. In a moment, the blood-soaked flesh was cauterized, and white steam billowed up.

However, after the tool was removed, the newly scabbed skin instantly tore, and beads of blood rolled down.

“You won’t be able to hold out. This official has a hundred ways to make you speak. Being lenient now doesn’t mean I will be later.”

His voice was clear, but the words he spoke were chilling. He was so bold as to call himself “this official,” showing no self-awareness of being a eunuch.

“You recognized the Song family as your master. You are certainly a good dog, but they truly never treated you as a human…”

A mouthful of thick, black blood was spat towards Zheng Shining. The prisoner refused to confess to the death and then tried to bite his tongue to commit suicide.

Zheng Shining’s eyes were bloodshot, and his pupils were laced with red veins. At first glance, it was hard to tell whose eyes looked more wretched. He fiercely pinched the opposite side’s neck, stopping the farce.

Because of this, he couldn’t avoid the splatter of filth and smiled sinisterly, “It seems I was too courteous.”

The prisoner forced a smile and struggled to curse, “You’re no different! You’re all just running dogs, eunuchs, rootless things! You’ll all go to hell and get your retribution!”

The man was struggling for breath. Every third word was followed by a pause. His breathing was heavy and scorching.

The interrogator took the cloth handed back by his subordinate and crammed it into the prisoner’s mouth. This prevented him from speaking. No matter how much courage or indignation he felt, he couldn’t vent it.

There’s an old saying: strike while the iron is hot, or the spirit will decline and fail.

This man failed to commit suicide, and now he was gagged and unable to curse. His anger would soon dissipate, leaving only despair.

Zheng Shining turned to the basin to wash his hands. The veins on his hands, immersed in the water, protruded. He rubbed his hands roughly and constantly until his knuckles were red.

A cold, thin smile hung on his face. As his hands were pulled from the water, he abruptly slapped the prisoner across the face.

“Lowly commoners are just vile.”

The prisoner didn’t get angry but laughed instead, as if the other party’s insane action had briefly secured him a victory and preserved his master’s dignity.

“Kill him. Find someone to replace him,” the figure leaning against the iron cage said. “Find someone who looks similar. If that’s truly impossible, perform surgery. Shadow puppets are easily exposed. Don’t be clever for the sake of being clever.”

Zheng Shining’s cunning was still evident, but it was now laced with a flattering smile. He bowed deeply towards the person in black, responding, “Your Highness is right. In seven days, ‘this person’ will appear on the busiest street and then ‘accidentally’ be arrested by the officials.”

The prisoner could no longer remain silent. He shook with fury, shouting curses, “You damned running dogs, eunuchs, rootless things! You will go to hell and suffer retribution!”

The person in black wore a Pixiu mask, which should have looked endearing but now appeared sinisterly cold.

“Noisy.”

Zheng Shining smiled in agreement, “Yes, truly noisy. Someone, bring the torture tools to cut out his tongue.”

The words were spoken casually, leaving no room for mercy.

A half-arm-long iron hook reached into his mouth. Then, with a forceful pull downward, an indescribable mass “plop” fell onto the ground.

His mouth was then stuffed with cotton to stop the bleeding, making his appearance even more ludicrous.

Behind the gag, his heavy snorts were audible. Zheng Shining calmly took the sweat towel to wipe his hands, mocking the prisoner as he cleaned.

“I told you to turn coat, but you wouldn’t listen. Now, you don’t even have this use. Hmph. Just wait to be turned into a human skin mask. Hahaha.”

The person on the iron rack struggled even more violently, shaking the chains relentlessly.

“I am merciful and can’t bear to see you suffer. But I also need someone to test the newly forged torture tools. What do you suggest I do?” Zheng Shining lightly patted his cheek.

“How about we let Yinyin do it?”

Yinyin, his daughter.

Clang-clang.

The chains went taut. The man’s eyes were splitting with rage.

The next day.

The lingering sunset reflected on the purple tiles and golden walls. The sky was a mix of red and blue, forming a violet hue. A carriage rattled out of the capital. The sedan chair bearers dug a grave and buried a bloody, mutilated male corpse.

Coincidentally, Li Qinghuai’s attendant was out on a mission. After several days of stakeout yielding no results, she treated a dead horse as a live one. She escorted a carriage transporting palace maids back to their hometown and happened to witness the burial scene.

The news was rushed to the Princess Residence.

Li Qinghuai was not residing in the Princess Residence, but in the desolate Hall of the Pepper Fragrance after her Imperial Mother’s death. Thus, the news was relayed to the Imperial Palace.

She slowly closed the scroll and smiled faintly.

“Send someone to investigate.”

The spring was mild and the scenery clear. Since her return to the capital with the Embroidered Uniform Guard, the political scene had been turbulent. Li Qinghuai was not someone to be trifled with. The first thing she did after her house arrest was prematurely lifted was to thoroughly stir up the waters.

A foreign guest had arrived in the Central Plains. Those not of their race harbored different intentions. The envoy he brought was likely equally scheming.

But for the sake of good relations between the two countries, as long as the other side did not act recklessly, she would not cause trouble unnecessarily. Since the envoy contacted the Song family servant, let the Song family bear the punishment for him.

Even if the envoy was a man of great understanding and high virtue, coming to the chaotic Qin State meant he had to step into the upper layer of mire. The only person who could remain untainted was the future Crown Prince.

The next day, Yinyin’s father, who had “resurrected” from the dirt, cautiously went to the designated meeting place to exchange information. Unexpectedly, someone was already lying in wait. He was quickly apprehended.

At that time, Li Qinghuai had just returned from court. The national treasury’s grain reserves had been low, and the common people were suffering. She had proposed changing the method of tax collection based on the number of people.

This single proposal was met with massive criticism, and some elderly ministers even threatened suicide.

The Emperor was furious about this, even bringing up the important matter of establishing an heir, asking for the officials’ opinions to suppress the unrest.

She rolled up her sleeve and examined the knife scars on her wrist. These were self-inflicted in her youth when she felt life was hopeless and wanted to renounce the world. She hadn’t felt the pain, but they looked terribly gruesome now.

Now, she preferred to slash people’s faces, shave their heads, cut off their tongues, chop off their limbs, and place them in large jars, like the rumors of the Demon Empress creating human swine.

Since everyone is reluctant to see me return, let there be more cases in the capital. Let them be overwhelmed first.

As predicted by the Ministry of Justice, Zhou Chen, who was arrested for prostitution and drinking, confessed his crimes in gratitude for the Emperor’s grace. The Song family servant’s daughter died tragically on the street, and he believed the master was the killer, reporting it to the authorities voluntarily.

Zhou Chen’s ability to act brazenly was inseparable from Song Xuyao’s protection. Now that he was in deep water and could barely save himself, she wondered if he would still try to save anyone else.

“The person is in the hands of the Ministry of Justice. The moment they act, Lord Zhou’s life will be in danger. I’m just afraid they are not here to save him, but are the actual executioners.”

Li Qinghuai looked at the palace lantern in the maid’s hand, as if she were back at the Princess Residence.

“Zhou Chen most likely has evidence that can link the Song family to the plague case and their collusion with Prince Zhao to inflate medicine prices. But was he a participant in the past events?”

What evidence exactly forced the Song family to retreat to this extent?

“Too many people have died in the capital recently. Be careful when you’re out,” she glanced at the maid behind her, accepting the cloak that was handed to her. “I should return to the residence today. It’s not suitable to stay in the palace for long.”

As she spoke, she couldn’t help but chuckle softly.

The deep night was quiet, and the cold moonlight shone down. Two long, slender shadows slowly seeped into the earth.

This was the fourth time Li Qinghuai had been to the Princess Residence since her return to the capital. The residence was full of elderly people, so much so that the scandalous matter of a coffin being placed in the corner of a side courtyard did not leak out.

If not for the few extra paper rats, enchanted with blood and spirit, climbing into the coffin, she wouldn’t have known that two new burial shrouds had been added inside.

A “peerless expert” who could enter the sealed residence under the watch of the Imperial Guards would not come just to deliver two shrouds. They surely wanted to meet with Her Highness Wenchang.

The wind howled, and the four corners of the sky seemed to be wound with copper wires, from which different styles of soul-镇ing bells hung on the dark, brownish threads.

Another illusion…

A deafening impact… continuously…

Plugging her ears was useless. “Your Highness, Your Highness, what’s wrong?” The anxious words were distorted. The faces of the people in front of her grew large and small. She calmly pushed away the maid blocking her way.

“I need to retire for the night. Go open the door.”

My wife and children, my wife and children, they died so miserably.

“They died well.” Li Qinghuai squeezed out a sentence through gritted teeth when no one was around.

Thump, thump, thump.

Two sounds of something cutting through the air, accompanied by the heavy thud of wood hitting the ground, rang out.

For a moment, Wenchang couldn’t tell if her eyes were bloodshot or if the young maid had truly fallen into a pool of blood.

Her face remained grim. She didn’t even spare this fading life a frown. She didn’t realize her legs were trembling, yet she walked step by step to the door and pulled out the two darts embedded in the half-open door panel.

One dart to cut the throat, two darts to stop the breathing.

No matter what, the person would not be able to scream before death.

Li Qinghuai looked down and saw her for the last time. The person had completely stopped breathing. Blood stained her hair and clothes, like a scene of a broken flower dashed in a downpour.

“Do you want me to ask you in?” Her lips moved, but no sound came out.

She felt as if she had really been drenched in a damp, gloomy rain. She imitated the breathing of moss, enduring the wet, sticky air around her.

“Greetings, Your Royal Highness the Crown Prince.” A tall figure emerged from the shadows.

Hearing this sentence, Li Qinghuai suddenly took a deep breath, and her body straightened up.

“Your Highness.”

“Your Highness Wenchang.”

She finally regained her composure and turned to face the man she had met on Camel Ridge Mountain—Jiang Yule’s husband.

The madwoman’s husband.

His surname was Zhang, and his given name was Ling.

A bloody footprint marked each step, and only then did she realize she had just stepped into a pool of blood.

The cold wind, like a speeding train, circled the night sky, emitting a sharp, roaring sound. Snowflakes swirled and scattered down.

Li Qinghuai forcibly endured the cold wind, which only became more unrestrained. She raised her hand to catch the snowflakes, which were actually pear blossoms.

The temperature this year was unusually cold. It was this season, yet there were still pear blossoms. They were beautiful, but the implication was not good.

That night, she listened to a long tale of love and hatred. Zhang Ling and his wife truly had an unwavering bond. It was no wonder that after sensing a noble guest on Camel Ridge, he was surprised and then went to great lengths to meet her.

First, he invited her for a private talk at the Zhang Residence, then helped the Embroidered Uniform Guard arrive smoothly, and finally, he secretly learned the techniques of people like Su Wushuang, sending paper rats to relay messages.

What deep-seated effort.

She had not intended to pay attention, but her constitution had been weak since childhood, and she had been poisoned with a Western Regions toxin. Although it was mostly under control, encountering the subtle fragrance carried by the other party, who had been making and adjusting poisons for years, could still induce hallucinations that inverted day and night.

The poisoner intended for her to go mad in the illusory dream, which was why this poison, incurable by Central Plains physicians, was administered. Now, a new opportunity lay before her. There was no harm in trying.

Helping him, even if it failed, would still create a favor.

As long as the person, afterward, did not feel that the matter was over, the obsession was gone, and commit suicide, it would be fine.

In the story, the woman was a noble young lady, willful and headstrong, never putting outsiders in her eyes. The man was a disciple of a traditional corpse-herder, who had learned martial arts, proficient in murder and robbery.

Being in the martial arts world inevitably meant having enemies, but clearly, there were more people who wanted to destroy Jiang Yule. The two went from falling in love to fleeing together. Jiang Yule suffered internal injuries, and the Five Poisons Powder deeply penetrated her bones and marrow.

“The Five Poisons folk medicine formula has the effects of activating blood circulation, resolving stasis, soothing the liver, and dissipating lumps. But adding the powder ground from the Golden Silkworm Gu…” She leaned on the recliner, taking a lazy breath. The maid’s corpse was still outside the door. She was not in a good mood.

“The victim’s whole body will fester and cannot be cured until death.”

“So, why are you looking for me now?”

She felt as if she had also been poisoned, with vague aches and pains throughout her body. The cold sickness brought on by her confinement had flared up, so she abruptly changed the subject. “It will definitely rain tomorrow. I can bet that house in the northern city, oh no, this residence.”

Zhang Ling probably guessed that the other party cared about the dead young maid, and he quietly knelt down as he had when he arrived.

He seemed to be repenting, but it was only to ask her to consider the difficulty of a martial artist meeting a long-deposed Crown Prince and the consequences if discovered.

The subsequent narration was full of twists and turns. Jiang Yule forcibly expelled the toxins, which damaged her heart meridians. Not only that, but a small portion of the poison still stubbornly remained in her body.

But in her own opinion, she was satisfied.

Although this would damage her mind, she could die with dignity. Furthermore, she could maintain her sanity until death by her own will.

But Zhang Ling was unwilling and insisted that both of them should live.

Li Qinghuai was speechless. After all, forcibly dragging someone back to suffer was not the action of a true gentleman.

She thought left and right but couldn’t understand what power her royal status could lend to this matter.

“She once consumed the Three Corpse Brain God Pill. It’s a small red pill. Once ingested, the dormant insect eggs inside will hatch. Without an antidote, the corpse worms will bore into the recipient’s brain, eating their marrow. Once the worms enter the brain, the person who took the medicine will act like a ghost or a demon.” (1)

It was only after hearing this that Li Qinghuai slowly sat up.

Combining this with the news gathered by her martial arts world informants, Jiang Yule was likely a strong-willed woman, willing to endure all kinds of suffering to fight poison with poison.

Unwilling to die from the Five Poisons Powder, but willing to die from the self-taught Gu poison. What a fierce temper. There have been many such cases inside and outside the capital. The manner of death and the torture suffered were no less severe than any worldly form of cruelty.

She finished her thoughts and asked, “The Three Corpse Brain Gu. You two truly have had many misfortunes. Were you also coerced?”

“My wife took it voluntarily to fight poison with poison.”

It seemed her guess was correct. It was just that Zhang Ling had endured years of hardship and could now talk about these things calmly. His tone and expression were normal; not even paleness colored his face.

It seemed that the woman herself did not want to die. She would rather become a living dead person than let go.

What an extremely strong will to live.

A gentleman is cautious when alone and does not deceive himself in the dark. He restrains himself and does not deceive his own heart. (2)

Li Qinghuai frowned, unknowingly stopping her habit of rubbing her fingers. When collaborating with someone, one must trust the person and be faithful to the task. Looking down on others from a high position is unacceptable.

“I knew long ago that we would have an opportunity to cooperate, though I didn’t know the time or place,” she hinted, though the other party was certainly going to miss the meaning. “The moment I saw you, our transaction would be completed.”

“Happy to cooperate.”

This should have been a glorious, long night, happily talking by candlelight.

“I have seen you before, in a dream.”

Zhang Ling rarely saw her without a mocking smile. It was alluring and overbearing, the heroic spirit in her eyebrows soaring into the sky.

Like his beloved’s original appearance.

Equally arrogant and secretly murderous.

Zhang Ling’s skill in painting false faces was excellent, but unlike others, his false face had another identity in the capital.

Even if others knew the skin was fake, the person who used this body and face from beginning to end was him. The accumulated fame and official connections over the years belonged to the Zhang Ling beneath the shell, not something any disguise peddler could imitate.

An old hand who mastered both the light and dark sides through two identities, clearing the path with his connections. Just the thought of it excited Li Qinghuai immensely.

Gaining an extra helper out of nowhere. Ha, that’s truly good.

She even forgot to ask what kind of help the other party needed, because she knew, she always knew.

Li Qinghuai had waited for a long time.

Zhang Ling on the ground slowly raised his head. His gaze at her was increasingly profound, not just confusion, but suspicion.

The wind quietly swept through, penetrating the long night.

When he looked at her again, his face showed a degree of madness. But when their eyes met, the smile on Li Qinghuai’s lips vanished completely.

Almost instantly, that expression made people uneasy.

Li Qinghuai coldly told the still unresponsive Zhang Ling, “I heard you can mix incense to control dreams. Do me a small favor. I want my Imperial Father to change his mind. He should love and respect me.”

Zhang Ling didn’t answer, tacitly agreeing.

“When my Imperial Father’s oral decree comes down, take that Li Wei shell of yours and tell the officials you can tell that the Emperor favors Zhu Lingwei.”

Zhang Ling still didn’t answer.

She wasn’t embarrassed by the lack of response and continued to speak.

“Though slandering is a petty act, one must be flexible to achieve great things. Sometimes, I have to trouble you, sir, with disputes between girls.”

Finally, Zhang Ling answered, “Very well.” Like a soft lamb throwing itself into the net. There was no shame about being led astray, as if his service to her was in accordance with the will of heaven, and should be so.

Only this time, he didn’t show confusion or a scrutinizing gaze. Li Qinghuai knew Zhang Ling had taken note and suppressed it.

“Such good days will be gone soon. The future will be a human hell, with smoke, fire, and a stench filling the rooms.”

May my people not suffer.

“Will there be more great disasters and epidemics in the future?” Zhang Ling probed, being meticulous not to automatically attribute the meaning of this sentence to the upheaval in the court due to the succession struggle.

Li Qinghuai answered briefly, “No.”

But it was close enough.