Mu Yao gently pursed her pale lips, her hand trembling slightly as she recorded Chu Chu's words on paper.
As she listened further—whip marks, burn scars, needle puncture wounds, and injuries from numerous torture instruments Mu Yao had never heard of in her life—they nearly covered this elegantly-shaped body. Mu Yao dared not let these words linger in her mind, swiftly transcribing Chu Chu's account.
By the time Chu Chu finished describing the injuries on both the front and back of Shi Niang's body from head to toe, Mu Yao had already filled three pages with neat, tiny regular script.
When Chu Chu fell silent for a while, Mu Yao couldn't help but ask, "Imperial Concubine... is the examination complete?"
"There's one last area..."
Chu Chu carefully turned Shi Niang's body over, parted her long, well-proportioned yet scar-riddled legs, and froze in shock after just one glance at that most private area.
She had seen female corpses tortured to death, even one who died after three days of imprisonment and gang rape, then subjected to necrophilia—but compared to the scene before her, that bloody violation could hardly be called unbearable...
After staring blankly for a long while, Chu Chu finally looked toward Mu Yao and saw her sitting at the table, face deathly pale with her head bowed low. Gritting her teeth, Chu Chu gently closed Shi Niang's legs, pulled the quilt back over her body leaving only her intact head and neck exposed, then turned to Mu Yao saying, "The last area is difficult to describe. I'll report it directly to Wang Ye later."
"Alright..."
Chu Chu washed her hands in the basin, adjusted her sleeves, straightened her clothes, took the pages Mu Yao had written, and cast one final glance at Shi Niang lying quietly on the bed before leaving. "Just stay with her... I'll come later to cleanse her body."
Mu Yao paused momentarily before nodding, "Yes... thank you for your trouble, Imperial Concubine."
Chu Chu pressed her lips together and murmured softly as if to herself, "She's the one who endured true hardship..."
When Chu Chu returned to the bedchamber, Xiao Jin Yu was already lying in bed. He lay there quietly, appearing at first glance as pale and serene as Shi Niang had.
Chu Chu set down the stack of papers, kicked off her shoes, and climbed onto the bed. Still fully dressed, she burrowed into the thick quilt, curling into a small ball as she nestled into Xiao Jin Yu's slightly feverish embrace, holding his body tightly.
Through the thin underwear, Xiao Jin Yu clearly felt Chu Chu's small hands against his waist were cold, her soft body trembling faintly as if greatly frightened.
He dared not imagine what could have frightened her so...
"Chu Chu..." Xiao Jin Yu raised his hand to gently hold her, "What happened?"
Breathing in his faint herbal scent and soothed by his gentle patting, Chu Chu gradually recovered after nestling for a long while. She lifted her head from his chest, "Wang Ye, you must sentence Grand Tutor Xue to the severest punishment—one heavier than death by a thousand cuts!"
Knowing she was about to describe Shi Niang's injuries, Xiao Jin Yu tried to sit up, but the moment the back of his head left the pillow, Chu Chu pressed him back down with her whole body. "Stay lying down."
"I can lie down... but don't use me for demonstration."
Chu Chu pressed her lips together, "Mu Yao helped me record all the injuries on Shi Niang's body except for one area I didn't dare describe to him..."Xiao Jin Yu had just focused his attention entirely on her words when Chu Chu's small hand suddenly slid between his legs. "Around this area... but you don't have it on you."
Xiao Jin Yu's face alternated between dark and red - if he didn't have it, why was she still touching...
That small hand abruptly grabbed his most vulnerable part. "But you possess one of the murder weapons."
Xiao Jin Yu took a deep breath. "Chu Chu, my heart condition isn't good..."
Another small hand climbed onto his gradually reddening cheek. "Wang Ye, don't worry, I'll speak slowly."
Feeling the rising temperature beneath him, Xiao Jin Yu once again realized that the saying "early death brings early rebirth" might be crude but held truth...
"Better to hurry up..."
"No, your heart condition isn't good, we must take it slow."
Xiao Jin Yu sighed silently and closed his eyes in resignation. "Alright..."
Chu Chu's warm, soft fingers gently traced the shape of what she held, while her voice carried indignation. "Grand Tutor Xue is truly despicable... Wang Ye, after you catch him, you must have him castrated!"
At this moment, Xiao Jin Yu almost wished she would castrate him instead. After these past two days of turmoil, his body was utterly exhausted and couldn't withstand the slightest provocation...
"Chu Chu..." Xiao Jin Yu struggled to suppress his panting. "Describe the injuries..."
Chu Chu gently pecked his slightly parted lips. "Wang Ye, don't be impatient, I'll speak slowly."
"...!"
"Wang Ye," Chu Chu skillfully kneaded with her hand, her face as calm as if she were touching any ordinary part of Xiao Jin Yu's body. Her voice carried no hint of ill intent, as composed as if discussing what to eat for breakfast. "Don't think that just because this part of a man is made of flesh, once wicked thoughts arise, it becomes hard like stone..."
Chu Chu grabbed Xiao Jin Yu's hand that was clutching the bedsheet, placed it on that area, and squeezed, saying with complete seriousness, "Just like how you are now."
Xiao Jin Yu's face flushed crimson instantly, so flustered he nearly sprang from the bed. She actually made him grab his own...
"Chu Chu...!"
Chu Chu showed no intention of letting go, blinking at the man who seemed about to die from embarrassment. "You said you've never touched yourself here, and probably never touched others here either... I was afraid you wouldn't believe me if I said it."
Xiao Jin Yu nearly cried. "I believe you..."
Only then did Chu Chu leisurely release his hand. "But Shi Niang's injuries weren't all caused by this thing. There was also boiling water, needle points, sharp blades, branding irons, hemp ropes..."
Chu Chu spoke lightly and rapidly, so fast that Xiao Jin Yu couldn't even hear the words that followed. But the first few terms were enough to make his body stiffen, his flushed face instantly pale again, and his breath catch in his throat.
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