Chapter Seventy-Two
Yixiao casually asked the maidservant standing beside her, "Where is the boiling water I asked for?" The maidservant, pale-faced from the screams echoing from the back hall, trembled as she replied, "Reporting to the Minor Imperial Concubine, the water has already boiled. Should we bring it over now…?" "Of course," Yixiao drawled in response. "Have someone carry the empty vat in first and dump everything inside."
Under the watchful eyes of all present, the ants, scorpions from the porcelain jar, and the rats from the cloth bag were poured one by one into the vat. Almost simultaneously, three loads of scalding hot water, steaming with heat, were carried in and placed nearby.
Footsteps shuffled as two jailers dragged a bloodied figure back into the hall, tossing him carelessly onto the ground. They bowed to Yixiao and Feng Suige before retreating to the side.
With a sweet, mocking smile, Yixiao pointed and instructed, "Drizzle honey over his wounds, then throw him into the vat for the ants to feast on—I’ve heard that scorpions turn on each other when disturbed. I wonder if that’s true. Today seems like a good day to test it. As for the rats… well, they say rats are excellent at burrowing. I wonder if that’s true or not…"
The eldest among the four senior ministers could no longer restrain himself and stood up in protest. "Minor Imperial Concubine, using such cruel methods to extract a confession—do you not fear the consequences, even if you care nothing for your reputation?"
Yixiao scoffed. "Consequences? If karma truly existed in this world, why would I resort to such methods? If the honorable minister has objections, shall I hand the interrogation over to you?" The old minister immediately fell silent, glancing at Feng Suige’s indifferent expression before reluctantly sitting back down.
As the maidservants stepped forward to pour honey over the man’s body, one of the jailers peered into the vat at the squirming mass of venomous insects and rodents, a cruel grin spreading across his face. "The Minor Imperial Concubine’s methods are truly ingenious," he praised loudly. "I hope to learn more from you in the future." At these words, several of the thirteen kneeling prisoners began trembling violently, while the bloodied man on the ground desperately tried to crawl away from the vat, weakly pleading, "Kill me… just give me a quick death…"
"Has it truly begun, and already you can’t bear it?" Yixiao sneered coldly, her gaze sweeping over the ashen-faced thirteen. "You may use this time to think carefully—will you speak, or will you stay silent? And don’t even think of seeking death. Anyone who dares to act rashly will have their entire family executed once their crimes are confirmed!"
Like tigers and wolves, the jailers lunged forward, hoisting the man up and throwing him into the vat. Heart-rending screams immediately filled the torture chamber as the jailers used their batons to pin him down, preventing him from crawling out. Soon, the edges of the vat were smeared with bloody handprints from his desperate thrashing.
The maidservants wept in terror, their sobs mingling with the man’s inhuman shrieks in the otherwise silent hall, creating a scene of spine-chilling horror.
After a quarter of an hour, the screams from the vat gradually weakened. Yixiao gestured to the jailer in charge. "Fish him out. It’s not over yet—don’t let him die too soon."
With a wet thud, the man collapsed onto the ground, barely alive. His body was covered in a black mass of crawling ants, his limbs twitching sporadically. A few scorpions and rats scattered from his body, scurrying in all directions and causing a stir among the guards. The maidservants shrieked and fled in panic.Yixiao was already feeling a bit of pity, but as her gaze swept over the thirteen kneeling figures below, she steeled herself and barked in a low voice, "What are you panicking for? There's water right beside you!" The jailer froze for a moment before breaking into a wide grin. With a few quick strides forward, he exhaled sharply and hoisted up a wooden bucket, pouring scalding water over the man.
A piercing, agonized scream tore through the air as steam billowed up from the ground, dotted with countless black specks—scorpions and rats scattering in all directions, writhing alongside the man in the searing mist.
Feng Suige watched, beads of sweat forming on his brow, and turned to Yixiao. Seeing her dazed expression, he sighed softly and murmured, "Let me handle this." "No," Yixiao snapped back to attention, rising to her feet with determination. The hem of her resplendent brocade robe, embroidered with golden threads, dragged slowly across the damp floor. "Have you made up your minds yet? If you still refuse to speak, I have no choice—I'll break your spines one vertebra at a time. I doubt the Imperial Son would mind supporting you for the rest of your lives."
The sound of chattering teeth rose from below. Yixiao's icy glare snapped toward the source, landing on a man trembling like a leaf. With a sinister smile, she pointed at him and said, "You're next." "Spare me, Minor Imperial Concubine!" the man shrieked. "We were just following orders! We had no choice—"
"Who gave the orders?!" Yixiao's eyes flashed with an eerie light, her burning stare forcing the others who had tried to silence the man to lower their heads. "It—it was Lord Yu!" the man wailed. "This has nothing to do with us!"
The four elder ministers erupted in uproar, and Feng Suige stood, his face darkening. Meeting Yixiao's questioning gaze, he ground out three words through clenched teeth: "Consort Zhuang."
With the help of her attendants, Feng Xiyang stepped down from her carriage. Yesterday, after a brief conversation with the Empress Dowager, she had prepared to take her leave, but the Empress Dowager insisted she stay for dinner. Over the meal, the Empress Dowager shared many amusing childhood anecdotes about Xia Jingshi, and Feng Xiyang had been so engrossed that she lost track of time. By the time she realized, the palace gates had already been sealed for the night, forcing her to stay overnight.
As she walked through Mingde Palace, her heart was uneasy—not just because she had stayed out without notice, but also because the Empress Dowager's words lingered in her mind: "Can you endure it forever? Understanding him, caring for him..."
Is it possible to love someone like that?
To love like that?
Lost in thought, Feng Xiyang faintly recalled her own voice saying, "I can. For him, I can. To win his heart, I would spare no effort." The Empress Dowager had smiled, gently stroking her hair. "I knew I wasn't wrong about you. You truly are a good child. It is his fortune to have married you." Though the words were tender, an inexplicable chill had crept up Feng Xiyang's spine.
She finally found Xia Jingshi by the edge of Ningbi Pond. Clad in a sky-blue robe embroidered with gold, he stood quietly, gazing at the lotus-filled water. Feng Xiyang slowed her steps as she approached and called softly, "Husband..." Almost simultaneously, Xia Jingshi turned his head.
In countless dreams, she had envisioned this moment—a casual turn of his head, not for any particular reason, but simply to look at her with a faint, gentle smile, his features serene and warm.
And now, just as in those countless nights and countless glances, there was none of his usual cold sharpness. Instead, his gaze held boundless solitude, his elegance untouched. Xia Jingshi turned slowly, a hint of amusement in his eyes as he glanced at her. "You're back?""You're back," Feng Xiyang suppressed her racing heart and answered with a smile. "The Empress Dowager sent me back in her phoenix carriage." Xia Jingshi raised an eyebrow. "What did you think of Her Majesty?"
Xiyang's face took on a dreamy expression. "The Empress Dowager reminds me of my late mother. Though I never met her, I imagine my mother would have been just like this—so beautiful and kind." "Is that so?" Xia Jingshi chuckled softly. "It seems you and Her Majesty got along well."
"Yes," Xiyang replied, too immersed in the joy of him initiating conversation to notice the chill in his eyes. "The Empress Dowager was also very concerned about you, my husband..." "Of course," Xia Jingshi interrupted her. "If she didn't care about me, no one in this world would." "That's not true," Xiyang murmured, blushing as she lowered her head. "Even if everyone else stopped caring for you, you would still have Xiyang."
Xia Jingshi studied her intently for a moment before suddenly bursting into laughter. Without another word, he turned and walked away.
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