The prison was eerily silent. Xiao Yan’s words, uttered so softly earlier, seemed to linger in the air, impossible for Tang Ning to ignore. Fortunately, the screams from Cheng Wang’s interrogation had masked her initial panic, allowing her to quickly turn away and hide her fleeting shock under the dim, flickering light.
But now...
Tang Ning sat holding her teacup, feeling lost and uncertain.
Her brother... why would he say such a thing?
Had she done something wrong? Was it because she shouldn’t have probed his thoughts? Or perhaps she had overstepped boundaries, forgetting that they weren’t related by blood and standing too close?
No, that couldn’t be it. Xiao Yan hadn’t shown any anger toward her, not even when he brushed her hand aside before interrogating Cheng Wang. Instead, he’d spoken to her gently, as he always did.
If it wasn’t about her actions, then what did those words mean?
Tang Ning’s fingers tightened around the teacup as she recalled the look in Xiao Yan’s eyes when he had glanced at her earlier. Those dark eyes, usually calm and indifferent, had held a reflection of her, their depths tinged with something unspoken. Every word he had uttered seemed to linger on his tongue as though carefully chosen.
Her thoughts drifted to that day in the Herli Hall. Xiao Yan had suddenly approached her, pressing her into the narrow space between the table and the wall. He had shed his usual languor, his movements predatory, like a beast cornering its prey. He had held her firmly by the waist, pinning her against the couch. The memory of that closeness still made her heart race.
His breath had brushed against her lips as he said in a low voice, full of weight: “Tang Ning, I am a man too.”
And then he had added: “Even a eunuch can take a wife.”
At the time, she had been so frightened that her whole body trembled. Xiao Yan had released her, laughing it off as a joke. But now, after hearing his words in the prison...
Her grip faltered, and the tea spilled over the rim of her cup. The rippling surface reflected her confused and flustered expression.
Xiao Yan wasn’t in the best mood. For a brief moment, he had lost control of himself, nearly saying something he shouldn’t have.
Leaning against a chair in the corner, he stretched his long legs, exuding a casual elegance despite the oppressive air around him. His white fingers pressed lightly against his brow, rubbing the spot where Tang Ning had touched him earlier. The sound of Cheng Wang’s anguished screams echoed in his ears.
The searing branding iron sank into Cheng Wang’s flesh, charring it instantly.
Cheng Wang’s eyes bulged in agony, his bound body convulsing uncontrollably.
When Changlang pulled the branding iron away, it peeled off a strip of scorched skin and flesh. Cheng Wang, on the brink of passing out, let out a faint groan, his head lolling as his eyes rolled back.
Changlang smiled pleasantly. "Your Highness, you might as well confess. The Judicial Office has plenty more ways to make you suffer. Even if you endure this, I doubt you’ll survive the others."
"You’re a nobleman, after all. Surely you can’t endure this much pain. Wouldn’t it be easier to confess and spare yourself?"
Cheng Wang, pale and drenched in sweat, could barely speak. "I... I don’t know what you want me to say..."
He turned his head toward Xiao Yan, his voice weak and trembling. "I had no intention of rebellion. The weapons were for self-defense... I know you want me dead for Rong Yue’s sake. But do you think the other nobles in the capital are clean? Which of them doesn’t secretly raise private guards or keep contraband weapons?"
"If my actions amount to treason, then what about them? When the Lu family tried to assassinate you, weren’t their assassins real…?"
Cheng Wang’s words were cut off by a scream as the branding iron was pressed into his previous wound, burning deeper into his flesh.
Changlang sneered, "Other people may be just as guilty, but they didn’t foolishly deliver themselves to my master’s hands. You, on the other hand, practically begged for this."
He pressed the branding iron harder, peeling away more charred skin. "You’re already a prisoner. You should know how to save your own life. Yet here you are, still acting tough. Why bother?"
Cheng Wang’s body twitched violently. When Changlang finally pulled the branding iron away, sweat and blood pooled beneath him.
Tears and snot streamed down his face as he sobbed, "Xiao Yan, just kill me outright! Why torture me like this?"
"If you cooperate, I wouldn’t have to go to such lengths," Xiao Yan replied coldly.
He watched Cheng Wang tremble and smiled faintly. "The Thunder Crossbows—where did they come from? And how did the siege ladders end up in your estate? Even if you don’t tell me, I can guess."
"You cling to the hope that the imperial clan will save you, but who among them would dare speak for you? Private armies, contraband weapons—no one will risk their neck for treason."
Xiao Yan’s voice was calm, yet it pierced through Cheng Wang like a blade. "Branding is just the beginning. If you remain stubborn, next comes the leg-breaking punishment. One by one, your leg bones will be shattered, your kneecaps ground down, your feet severed, and your fingers pulled out joint by joint. After that, your arms will be removed."
"If you still refuse to confess, we’ll move to flaying. Starting from the spine, your skin will be carefully peeled back in two symmetrical halves, separating the flesh from the bone. By the end, your skin will spread out like butterfly wings."
Cheng Wang shuddered violently, the vivid description breaking what little courage he had left. The oppressive scent of blood in the cell and Xiao Yan’s ghostly presence drained his resolve. His limbs curled inward as he trembled, his pale face slick with sweat.
Xiao Yan leaned forward slightly, a mocking smile playing on his lips. "Of course, someone like you, who survived the brutal fight for the throne, must be fearless. But don’t worry, I’m not a cruel man. If you endure it all, I’ll personally end your suffering and send you to the underworld."
"And as for the Ministry of War and the Department of Military Equipment, it’s only a matter of time before I uncover their involvement. I’ll write a confession on your behalf, stamp it with your seal, and present it to them. Someone in their ranks will surely talk."
Cheng Wang’s hoarse voice trembled as he spat out, "Xiao Yan, you… you’re shameless!"
"Thank you for the compliment." Xiao Yan rose from his chair, straightening his sleeves. Turning to Changlang, he instructed, "Take good care of Cheng Wang. Don’t let the Judicial Office lose its reputation."
Changlang grinned and hefted the branding iron again. Cheng Wang’s screams echoed long after the cell door slammed shut.
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