153. Imprisoned (4)

At these words, a look of triumph appeared on Gong Wue’s face. The Empress and Lu Ning remained impassive, while Jiang Xuan was slightly taken aback. Faced with Jiang Yun’s question, he did not answer at once.

I looked toward him. Again and again, Jiang Yun trampled on Jiang Xuan’s sincere devotion. Part of me hoped Jiang Xuan could preserve that sincerity, for such a heart was exceedingly rare within the imperial palace. More than that, I did not want to see the two brothers turn against each other and bring about some terrible tragedy.

Yet Jiang Yun had already placed his complete trust in the Empress. In his eyes, Jiang Xuan was no longer his brother, and he would inevitably make things difficult for him at every turn. If Jiang Xuan continued to cling to that sincerity, it would not move Jiang Yun—it would only place him in danger. There was no way Jiang Xuan could avoid this.

Seeing that Jiang Xuan remained silent, Jiang Yun said, “Since you cannot refute me, Ninth Brother, why not leave this matter to me? Grandmother, I will certainly force the truth out of this servant.”

Lu Ning had no better solution. As Jiang Yun had said, the only way to make a breakthrough was through me. Thus, when Jiang Yun said this, she did not object. Han Feiyue was a girl she cherished, and Jiang Yun’s wife. The child they had lost was his as well. He had more right than anyone to investigate and uncover the truth.

When no one opposed him, Jiang Yun gave the order. “Keep beating him!”

“Yes, Your Highness!”

I saw Jiang Xuan’s foot move, as though he meant to step forward and stop them. I hurriedly looked at him and shook my head, meeting his eyes with a firm gaze. With every blow that landed on me, I could see the restraint and anguish in his eyes.

But you must endure this, Jiang Xuan. Even if you argued with them now, you could never win. At this moment, nothing could save me except uncovering the truth.

Besides, if Jiang Xuan protected me too openly, the matter at Lingbo Hall might be brought up again. They had finally relaxed their attention on it somewhat. If he once more showed too much concern for me, he would only make matters more complicated.

The more painfully I was beaten, the more triumph I saw on the faces of Jiang Yun, Gong Wue, and the Empress.

At last, when the eunuch counted to forty-nine, I thought the caning was finally about to end. I knew, however, that many other torments still awaited me.

“Fifty, Your Highness. The caning is complete.”

Jiang Yun glanced at me, then at Jiang Xuan. “Fifty? I seem to remember it was forty.”

“You—” Jiang Xuan’s anger flared, and the fist in his hand tightened.

Afraid he might truly lose control, I spoke at once. “The Crown Prince is right. This servant also thinks… thinks it was forty.” I forced the words out through clenched teeth. In truth, I knew that if they struck me even once more, I would faint.

“That’s right. I also remember it was forty blows.” Having already witnessed what happened earlier, the young eunuch beating me this time had learned to be more cautious.

Jiang Xuan heard my words. His fist remained clenched, but he said nothing more.

A triumphant smile spread across Jiang Yun’s face. Gong Wue said, “Why are you still standing there? Must His Highness give the order himself?”

“Yes, Your Highness!”

When the eunuch raised the heavy board and brought it down hard upon me, the last fragment of my consciousness was swallowed up. I closed my eyes.

Perhaps this was for the best. At least once I had fainted, I could no longer feel the pain.

I had no idea how long I was unconscious. When I awoke, my first thought was that I would have been better off never waking. Once again, I had regained consciousness in the midst of excruciating pain.

When I opened my eyes, I could see only a faint glimmer of light through a narrow window. It told me that a night had passed. But the matter was far from over. They still suspected me.

“Little Xiao.”

The sound drew my gaze toward the person standing before me.

It was Jiang Yun.

“Your Highness.” I was surprised that I could still produce even the faintest sound.

“I know you were merely being used. You are an obedient and clever servant; you simply chose the wrong master. I can promise you this: if you tell me the truth, I will spare your life. Not only that—I will let you serve me in the Eastern Palace.”

Being spared was indeed a tempting offer. Unfortunately, I should never have been sentenced to death in the first place. I had nothing to do with what happened to Han Feiyue.

In my eyes, Jiang Yun still possessed some conscience. He had not yet become the sort of person who would stop at nothing to achieve his ends.

“Your Highness, there is something I wish to say to you,” I said weakly.

Jiang Yun stepped closer, expectation in his eyes. “Go on. The Crown Prince always keeps his word.”

Ignoring the agony throughout my body, I did my best to persuade him. “Your Highness, this servant does not know the truth. But there is one thing I do understand. The person who harmed the Crown Princess was not merely trying to kill the child in her womb. He was also trying to harm you—and perhaps even other people as well. Your Highness, you must uncover the truth, or you will fall into the trap of a treacherous villain!”

Jiang Yun had listened with eager anticipation, but as soon as I finished, his expression turned cold.

“Little Xiao, you certainly are loyal to your master. Even now, you are trying to deceive me with such words and protect him. You are right that the culprit wanted to harm not only the Crown Prince’s eldest son—my child—but me as well. But is it not already perfectly clear who is behind all this? Do you take me for a fool? You and Jiang Xuan are unusually close. You are trying to protect him, aren’t you? When he learned that I intended to win over Lian Fei and Lian Qi, why did Ninth Brother suddenly leave with Father and happen to deal with them? Was that not a deliberate attempt to suppress my power?”

“That time truly was an accident. His Majesty—”

“Hold your tongue!” Jiang Yun interrupted me. “There is no need to keep making excuses for him. In this imperial palace, what brotherly affection could there possibly be? As for Ninth Brother, I refuse to believe he has no desire to become—”

Realizing there were others in the room, Jiang Yun did not finish the sentence.

He looked at me and said, “Since you refuse to shed tears until you see the coffin, do not blame me for being ruthless. Guards! Deal with him properly again. I refuse to believe he will not speak. He is not made of stone, nor is he invulnerable.”

“Your Highness…” I called out weakly, but it was useless.

“You defend your master at every turn, yet he cannot come to save you. Perhaps he thinks exactly the opposite of me at this moment—perhaps he hopes you will say nothing, for only then will he be safe. Little Xiao, do you still not realize that you chose the wrong master?”

Since there was no longer any point in explaining, I stopped trying.

“Your Highness, I will never confess to something I did not do. Nor will I drag another person into this merely to save my own life.”

“Very well!” Jiang Yun shouted. Then he said, “Let us see whether your mouth is harder than my punishments. I have heard that the fingertips are connected to the heart. Even the slightest injury to them can cause pain that reaches the bone. You know what to do.”

At a glance from Jiang Yun, a matron stepped forward with a pair of delicate tweezers in her hand.

I could guess what she intended to do. Terror swept over me as I imagined a torment beyond anything I had expected.

The matron approached slowly, like a savage beast preparing to open its bloody jaws and tear me apart. Instinct drove me to struggle, but I could not break free.

A eunuch stepped forward and seized one of my hands. The matron waved the tweezers before me.

Just as they drew near, someone suddenly shouted, “Stop!”

I saw that Jiang Xuan had entered, accompanied by Long Zhan.

Could they have discovered something? A faint glimmer of hope rose within me.

“Long Zhan? Ninth Brother, what are you doing here?” Jiang Yun asked.

Jiang Xuan and Long Zhan both glanced at me. They saw the tweezers in the matron’s hand and naturally understood what was about to happen.

“Your Highness, are you resorting to torture?” Long Zhan asked Jiang Yun.

Jiang Yun replied, “Commander Long seems very busy. Instead of protecting Father’s safety, you have come here to visit a lowly eunuch accused of a grave crime.”

Long Zhan answered neither humbly nor arrogantly, “I came on His Majesty’s orders to examine the results of the interrogation. I did not expect to find the Crown Prince administering torture. I wonder what His Majesty will think when he learns of this.”

Jiang Yun was unmoved. “You may report it to Father exactly as you please. Little Xiao is stubborn, and without some punishment, he will never speak. My mother and Grandmother both know about this. If Father has any objections, Commander Long may return and inform me. I will stop immediately.”

For a moment, even Long Zhan had no answer.

“If he is innocent, what difference does it make if you torture him into confessing?” Jiang Xuan said from the side.

When I heard him speak, I saw a trace of triumph flash across Jiang Yun’s face.

“Are you afraid he will confess under torture,” he asked, “or are you afraid of what the truth will reveal?”

Without hesitation, Jiang Xuan replied, “Third Brother, what do you want him to say? What are you trying to make me admit?”

Jiang Yun countered, “If there is something you need to admit, then admit it. That would save the Crown Prince a great deal of trouble.”

“If you truly intend to do this, then I—”

Afraid that Jiang Xuan might say something rash, I interrupted him at once.

“Ninth Prince, Commander Long, Your Highness, this servant has done nothing. I have been framed, the Crown Princess has been framed, and the Crown Prince has been framed as well. I am not afraid of these punishments. My conscience is clear, and I believe the truth will eventually come to light.”

Jiang Xuan immediately looked at me, grief in his eyes. I hoped he understood what I meant and would say nothing more. At this moment, whatever he did would be useless. It would only make matters worse.

Fortunately, Jiang Xuan said nothing further.

Jiang Yun was furious. “What are you waiting for? Must I do it myself?”

“Yes!”

The matron answered and, without hesitation, clamped the tweezers around the nail of my left index finger and pulled with all her strength.

I felt I might as well die. I threw back my head and let out a howl. Tears streamed from my eyes, and my throat felt as though it had been torn raw.

Pain!

Agonizing, bone-deep pain!

The matron tossed my fingernail onto a plate. I clenched my teeth and endured, feeling as though my teeth themselves were about to shatter.

Jiang Yun asked again, “Even watching this hurts. Little Xiao, do you truly intend to continue? Speak the truth as I have ordered, and you will be free of this.”

Clenching my teeth, I trembled as I replied, “This servant will never confess to something he did not do, nor will he wrong another person. Your Highness, the true culprit is someone else. Please do not allow the real criminal to go free.”

“Still stubborn.” Jiang Yun gave a cold snort. “Continue.”

“Stop!”

Jiang Xuan stepped directly in front of me.

“Third Brother, what exactly are you trying to do?”

“I am not trying to do anything. I merely want justice for Feiyue—and for the child who never had the chance to be born.”

“Even if that means wronging an innocent man?”

This was the first time I had ever seen Jiang Xuan openly oppose Jiang Yun.

“Wronging him?” Jiang Yun spread his hands. “Before the truth has been revealed, who can claim with certainty that he has been framed? Ninth Brother, if you insist that Little Xiao is innocent, where is your evidence?”

“Then if Third Brother insists that Little Xiao is the true culprit, where is your evidence?”

Jiang Yun smiled. “That is why I am trying to obtain evidence from him. If you wish to prove that he has been framed, Ninth Brother, you are free to search for evidence yourself.”

Jiang Xuan was about to respond when Long Zhan spoke.

“His Majesty already knows of this matter. While Your Highness searches for evidence here, I will do everything in my power as well. Since Ninth Prince has some connection with Little Xiao, perhaps he would be willing to search for evidence with me.”

Jiang Xuan looked at me but said nothing.

Long Zhan turned to Jiang Yun. “I ask Your Highness to show mercy. If anything happens to him, there will be no witness left to testify. Then, even if Your Highness wishes to declare someone guilty, it may no longer be possible to establish the charge.”

“You, Long Zhan—how dare you speak to me like that?”

Jiang Xuan’s expression hardened.

“Commander Long is not wrong. If Third Brother truly wishes to achieve justice, then Ninth Brother will be waiting. You must keep him alive for your wish to come true, mustn’t you?”

Seeing Jiang Xuan and Long Zhan join forces against him, Jiang Yun grew even angrier. Yet he knew that what they said was reasonable. I marveled at their skill in striking at his weaknesses; they had managed to leave me a slim hope of survival.

I looked at Long Zhan, then at Jiang Xuan, and gave them a meaningful glance. I was telling them—and reminding myself—that I would endure, that I would wait for them.

At last, Jiang Xuan and Long Zhan left.

And I knew that even if Jiang Yun spared my life, the ordeal awaiting me would be anything but bearable.