Chapter Ninety-Seven
"That foolish woman!" The Holy Emperor roared in fury, kicking over the low table before him. The palace attendants knelt in terror as the golden platter holding Amethyst Grapes clattered across the stone floor, wobbling before finally toppling against the wall. "Keep searching! If you fail to find them, bring me your own heads!"
"Your Majesty..." The Empress Dowager looked haggard, clearly having had little rest for days. "If the gaps in our efforts are too great, perhaps we should pause for now. Forcing the matter will only worsen the situation. We may lose even the chance to turn things around."
The Holy Emperor sneered. "Just because a half-dead Xiao Weiran slipped away, Mother is already panicking?"
"But—" Before the Empress Dowager could finish, another messenger rushed in. "Your Majesty! The scouts report an unexpected arrival—the envoy from Vermilion Sand Country! Among them are our Xingping Princess, the regent Imperial Son Feng Suige of Vermilion Sand, and General Zhenyuan's wife, Ling Xueying!"
"What?! Feng Suige is here too?" The Empress Dowager gasped, casting an uneasy glance at the Holy Emperor. "Your Majesty, what do you think...?"
"How... unexpected," the Holy Emperor ground out through clenched teeth, his expression turning even colder. "I underestimated Fu Yixiao."
"Let it go, Your Majesty," the Empress Dowager sighed wearily. "What was once simple has now become impossibly tangled. Perhaps... Xia Jingshi's fate is not yet sealed."
"Who says his fate isn't sealed?!" the Holy Emperor thundered. "Have you forgotten the consequences of letting a tiger return to the mountains?! Since everything is already in chaos, let us overturn it all and start anew! Guards! Detain Feng Xiyang as well! Let’s see who Feng Suige will choose to save!"
Xia Jingshi sat cross-legged on a pile of dry straw, his eyes lightly closed. His gaunt face appeared even more angular in the faint light filtering through the skylight, yet he wore a faint smile.
There was no news of Weiran, but in this situation, no news was good news.
As long as Xiao Weiran could escape, he would undoubtedly find Yixiao. And if Yixiao could be reached in time, the reinforcements she brought would be the lifeline for them all—this was precisely why he had ordered his men to ensure Weiran's escape that day.
Had he led his troops in a violent breakout from the Imperial City, the charge of treason would have been undeniable. Once branded rebels, they would have faced relentless pursuit from all sides, leaving no chance of survival. But now, by willingly placing himself in the Holy Emperor's hands, the Emperor could neither harm him easily nor avoid explaining the situation to the nobles—Xia Jingshi doubted anyone would fail to see the inconsistencies.
"It seems you’re quite fond of this place," the Holy Emperor remarked coldly upon entering, his anger flaring at the sight of Xia Jingshi's serene expression. "Don’t think that just because Xiao Weiran escaped, you can turn the tables. With his broken body, even if the Imperial Guard Barracks fail to capture him, the chase alone will finish him!"
"Your servant has never underestimated Your Majesty’s capabilities," Xia Jingshi replied slowly, opening his eyes—bright and unwavering. "Just as I have no doubt that Your Majesty can produce evidence to convict me. After all, Your Majesty has always been the most outstanding among your peers. Such things are mere child’s play to you, are they not?""You're mistaken," the Holy Emperor laughed in his fury. "Since I cannot produce evidence, the evidence will come from you." He looked down haughtily at Xia Jingshi. "Tell me, will you hand it over or not?" Xia Jingshi stared at him for a long moment before chuckling lightly. "If even you can't produce it, how could I possibly have it?"
With a loud laugh, the Holy Emperor turned and summoned a jailer, whispering a few words before facing Xia Jingshi again. "You've always been clever. Guess what I'll do today—I'll ask you one last time. Will you hand it over or not?" Xia Jingshi replied firmly, "No!"
The sound of scattered footsteps approached as several jailers filed in. The first jailer presented an iron needle over a foot long to the Holy Emperor, then took a key to unlock the cell door. The others rushed in immediately, pinning the heavily shackled Xia Jingshi firmly to the ground.
The Holy Emperor toyed with the sharp needle as he slowly approached Xia Jingshi, smirking wickedly. "I forgot to mention—Fu Yixiao will be arriving soon. I've been thinking, if I were to chain you through the shoulders, break your limbs, and cut out your tongue in front of her, given your temperament, you'd probably beg for a quick death, wouldn't you?"
Xia Jingshi responded with a mocking smile. "If you're that foolish, then I can only accept it." "Tsk, don't be so cold when talking about your old flame," the Holy Emperor bent down, his slender fingers tracing Xia Jingshi's collarbone. "You'd better remember this—if you don't give me something satisfactory, once Fu Yixiao arrives, I will torture you in the cruelest way possible in front of her. I promise, it will be agonizing enough for you to feel every moment of pain, yet not die too quickly!"
"You—" Xia Jingshi struggled furiously for a moment before suddenly calming down. "I can guarantee you'll gain nothing and only end up destroying yourself." "Perhaps," the Holy Emperor said dismissively, casually lifting the iron needle and pressing its sharp tip vertically against Xia Jingshi's left shoulder. "One last time—hand it over, or—"
"Never," Xia Jingshi spat out the word decisively. At the same moment, the needle plunged deep into his shoulder.
Xia Jingshi's entire body convulsed violently, his jaw clenching in a rigid arc. The excruciating pain nearly forced a scream from his lips. The Holy Emperor smiled as he admired Xia Jingshi's restrained expression, continuing to press the needle deeper with unrelenting force. The torn flesh and warm blood only heightened his excitement.
"Your body is as stubborn as you are—your muscles, your bones, all resist me fiercely," he mused, his eyes gleaming with curiosity, yet his hand never faltered. "Doesn't it hurt? Why won't you scream? Why won't you beg?" "Would that make you spare me?" Xia Jingshi's lips were deathly pale, but his eyes remained coldly mocking.
"You know, long ago, I thought you were born without fear of pain," the Holy Emperor murmured with a strange smile. "Only later did I realize you're actually the most pain-fearing person in the world—you just endure it secretly, never letting anyone around you know. Do you understand? That only makes me want to torment you again and again. Because seeing you suffer brings me immeasurable joy!"Xia Jingshi had large beads of sweat rolling down his forehead, yet he clenched his teeth tightly without uttering a word. The iron needle had already pierced through his body. The Holy Emperor gripped his shoulder, pulling him bit by bit—no, pulling the iron needle bit by bit out of his body. "It's not that I disregard brotherly affection, but you are simply too stubborn. I gave you three chances, didn't I?"
Blood dripped onto the dusty ground, trembling as it formed small crimson beads. "Beg for mercy!" the Holy Emperor commanded viciously. "If you beg for mercy, I will kill you. Otherwise, there are more games waiting for you."
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