To reward the well-practiced smile for the additional Spirit Beast Egg update (5.16)
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Although not literally being skinned, the pain was no less severe. The person on the wooden plank bed shook violently, gripping the edge of the bed tightly with both hands.
Yet still facing inward, he didn't utter a single muffled groan.
"Zhu Zan, why do you bother?" Lu Yunqi said.
As the speaker walked from the shadows into the light of the torches, an old, stooped figure followed him, holding a medicine bowl in his hand.
The scent of medicine, masked by the putrid smell, emanated from within the bowl.
As he spoke, the person upon the wooden plank bed turned his head.
"Lu Xiaozao, you lowly thing, how dare you call me by name?" Zhu Zan said. "It seems that not beating you for a few years has weakened your memory."
The Jinyiwei on both sides looked angry and ready to step forward when Lu Yunqi raised his hand to stop them, his face flickering between light and shadow from the leaping torches, yet his expression remained impassive.
"Lord Heir, you didn't actually need to kill Huang Ziqing," he said. "Even if he wanted to impeach you and your father, the emperor might not have believed him."
Zhu Zan looked up at him and laughed.
"Is this how you interrogate and frame people?" he asked. "With your crappy skills, if you hadn't sold your conscience, you wouldn't be strutting around as a Jinyiwei."
This infuriated the two Jinyiwei even more, but seeing that Lu Yunqi gave no indication to act, and his gaze darkened, it seemed Zhu Zan's words reminded him of something.
Yet the words weren't anything special.
Most people thrown into the imperial prison curse and mock in this manner.
But if Lu Yunqi was bothered by a few insults, he wouldn't have lived till now.
Could it be because the one cursing was Zhu Zan?
Firstly, due to his status as the Duke of Chengguo's heir, and secondly, it was said that Lu Yunqi had been assigned to lead horses for the Duke of Chengguo's heir when he first arrived in the capital.
Perhaps it was old grievances? Or maybe it recalled the humiliation of being a servant?
Experiences from one's childhood and youth can always affect emotions for a lifetime, and nobody knew this better than the Jinyiwei, experts at interrogation and torture.
They were also adept at exploiting this to deal with people who fell into their hands.
Lu Yunqi wouldn't be so easily pricked at his weakness, would he?
In the midst of surprise, Lu Yunqi's expression had already returned to normal.
"If that's the case, then make sure you do your utmost, so the Lord Heir doesn't look down on you," he said woodenly, then turned and stepped back into the darkness.
The two Jinyiwei were immediately invigorated; torturing prisoners was as much a hobby for them as gamblers come alive at the sound of rolling dice.
As for who was being tortured, they didn't care. As long as someone was thrown into the imperial prison, and as long as Lu Yunqi ordered it, even prince or princess would be treated the same.
As the two reached to lift Zhu Zan from the wooden plank bed, the stooped old man who had followed Lu Yunqi silently stepped forward.
"Don't rush, don't rush," he croaked dryly, "The Lord Heir hasn't used the medicine yet."
"What medicine do you want to use this time, old ghost?" the two Jinyiwei said, annoyed at being interrupted.
The old man called "old ghost" chuckled with a coughing laugh, stepping forward with the medicine bowl in hand, looking at Zhu Zan on the door plank, the torchlight illuminating his cane-beaten wounds.
Excitement and delight appeared on the face of the old ghost, as if he were beholding a brothal woman lying naked before him.
"The eunuchs' skill in execution within the palace is getting better and better," he said, "Look at how beautiful these wounds are."
He pressed his hand onto the wounds and rubbed twice amidst the bloody mess, as a child would with mud.
Zhu Zan's body trembled, but still, he made no sound of pain.
"Grass." he said, frowning at the old ghoul, "You really should be sent to Zhenbei to have your fill of fun."
The old ghoul chuckled, lifting up his hands that were already covered in bloodstains.
"Princely Heir, don't scold me." he said, "I am here to treat your wounds, don't misunderstand, I am not a bad person like them."
He said, coughing and laughing again, revealing his jagged teeth.
"I am a doctor."
"I specifically treat those who have been tortured so that you don't succumb to the punishment and die."
He said, pointing to the two Jinyiwei beside him.
"They have a hundred ways to kill a person, and I have a hundred ways to prevent them from dying."
He spoke more and more fervently.
"It's said that Miss Jun can decide life or death, performing miraculous resurrections, can what I do also be considered as such?"
No sooner had he spoken than, without waiting for Zhu Zan to say anything, the two Jinyiwei next to him frowned and shouted.
"Old ghoul, do your job and talk less." they ordered, "Miss Jun is not someone you are worthy to mention."
The old ghoul clearly realized his mistake, as an uneasy and flustered expression crossed his once cheerful face.
"It's not intentional." he muttered, "It's not disrespect, I truly hold great respect for Miss Jun."
Saying so, he scooped out a handful of medicine from the medicine bowl, smearing the black salve onto Zhu Zan's wound as if he were painting a wall.
This action, and the medicine, made Zhu Zan's body quiver, his hands tightly grasping the sides of the bed plank, his jaws clenched, a stifled grunt still unable to escape.
"With my medicine applied, they'll be able to continue with the torture, any method they choose, without fear of you not being able to endure it and dying."
The old ghoul's voice nattered on in the confined prison cell, the torchlight casting his hunched shadow on the wall, like a withered tree branch swaying in the wind.
.................................
Miss Jun sat up from bed, the sky outside was dimly lit, obviously not yet the time she was accustomed to waking.
It was probably because she had dreamt.
To ensure a good night's sleep, she would often use some methods before sleeping.
These methods allowed her to sleep well and not have dreams.
Dreams were the most disturbing to the mind and spirit.
But this time she still had a dream.
The dream was short and straightforward, neither scary nor sad.
She dreamt of the Duke of Chengguo, who was still seated in her father's study, extending his hand to her.
In his open palm lay a piece of candied fruit.
"Do you like it?" he asked with a gentle smile, his face as bright as the sunshine, "Take it and eat."
She hadn't taken the candied fruit when she was suddenly awoken.
Looking at the dense greenery of late spring outside the window, Miss Jun exhaled and got out of bed.
"Are you going out? Where to? No one has come seeking medical treatment recently."
After breakfast, hearing Miss Jun's words, Fang Jinxiu frowned and said.
With things so chaotic at this time, it's better not to go out.
"I'm not going to see a patient, I am going to find Zhang Baotang." Miss Jun said, "I want to know how they plan to save Zhu Zan."