Tan Hua - Chapter 38

“Qiyu?”

 

Song Liqing thought he had misheard.

 

He was stunned. Was this… an order from Jun Qiyu?

 

Not only was he perplexed, but everyone was also puzzled. Even the guards didn’t immediately move. They looked around, waiting for Jun Qiyu’s next words.

 

“Song Liqing is suspected of poisoning the Emperor. Immediately send him to the dungeon for interrogation!” Jun Qiyu repeated the order, “Didn’t you hear me?!”

 

“Wait! Crown Prince!”

 

The first to rush out was Qi Miao.

 

He knelt down anxiously and said, “The person who poisoned and attempted assassination has not been confirmed. How can you arbitrarily accuse the Crown Prince Consort? Even if there are suspicions… how can you send him to the dungeon so easily… that’s… that’s where serious criminals are kept! A martial artist can’t endure it for more than a few days, let alone the Crown Prince Consort, who has just recovered from a serious illness. How can he withstand torture?!”

 

Jun Qiyu looked coldly at Qi Miao, unmoved.

 

“Conspiring to harm the Emperor is a great crime that affects nine generations! Isn’t it enough reason to send him to the dungeon?!”

 

“But there’s no conviction yet! If he experiences torture and suffers in the dungeon, what’s the use of proving his innocence later? Even if he doesn’t die, he’ll be maimed… Your Highness, please think twice! I’m begging you!” 

 

Qi Miao knocked his head on the ground forcefully, causing everyone to feel sorry for him.

 

Many old physicians also tried to persuade, “Your Highness… Doctor Qi makes sense. If you damage your relationship with the Crown Prince Consort due to this, it will be irreparable.”

 

“Your Highness, please reconsider!”

 

Someone started it, and the guards all knelt down.

 

Most of these guards had followed the Emperor and Song Qing in their conquests, so they dared to plead against the order.

 

“Shut up! What do you outsiders know?!”

 

Jun Qiyu angrily shouted, and everyone lowered their heads, not daring to speak again.

 

He pointed at Qi Miao and said, “Qi Miao, I know you still harbor ill intentions towards Song Liqing. Have you thought about it? Your Qi family has been serving generations in high positions. If you plead for him again, you will be considered an accomplice to regicide!”

 

Before Qi Miao could speak, Song Liqing interrupted him.

 

“Doctor Qi, thank you,” Song Liqing shook his head at him, “You focus on saving the Emperor first.”

 

Qi Miao was ultimately insignificant, and the more he protected Song Liqing, the more he would anger Jun Qiyu.

 

Song Liqing walked up to Jun Qiyu.

 

“Qiyu, are you really sending me to the dungeon?”

 

Jun Qiyu’s mind was clouded by hatred, and there was no room for turning back. Even if there was a tiny bit of affection left, it couldn’t compare to the importance of the Emperor being assassinated.

 

“Song Liqing, I will never trust you again.”

 

There was no emotion in Jun Qiyu’s eyes, only deep coldness.

 

Song Liqing nodded. He accepted his fate.

 

Had Jun Qiyu ever trusted him?

 

“Can I go without being escorted? I’ll go by myself.”

 

All he could do was to try to preserve a little bit of dignity.

 

Qi Miao watched helplessly as Song Liqing left. He remained kneeling on the ground for a long time. When no one was paying attention, he got up and quietly left the inner hall.

 

That night, Qi Miao rode to the post station outside the palace. He was going to find Pei Xingxu.

 

When Pei Xingxu heard the news that Song Liqing had been imprisoned, he slammed the table.

 

“Why? Jun Qiyu, that bastard! He suspects anyone, but he shouldn’t suspect Song Liqing!”

 

Qi Miao sighed, “I also can’t figure it out… Perhaps, perhaps it’s not just because the Emperor was poisoned?”

 

Pei Xingxu couldn’t sit still, “I’ll go find Jun Qiyu!”

 

“Wait!” Qi Miao said, “What’s the use of you going like this? I’ve already pleaded once. If you go, he might vent his anger on Liqing even more!”

 

Pei Xingxu felt frustrated, but after a moment’s thought, he listened to the advice.

 

“I’m currently unable to move freely. Everyone who attended the Longevity Banquet has been confined to their residences and can’t leave the capital. You saw it just now, guards are stationed outside the post stations.” Pei Xingxu had a sudden realization, “Before Jun Qiyu gave the order, where did he go? Who did he meet?”

 

“He didn’t meet anyone else,” Qi Miao thought for a moment and said, “But he did return to Qilin Mansion.”

 

“Qilin Mansion…”

 

Before they could take any action, they heard another piece of bad news.

 

That night, several teams of forbidden troops, on the orders of the Crown Prince, stormed into the Grand Marshal’s Mansion, arresting Song Qing and others involved. The charges were not made public, but hundreds of people from the Grand Marshal’s Mansion were all thrown into prison.

 

For a moment, the entire capital was in turmoil.

 

The Grand Marshal, who was deeply trusted by the Emperor just the day before, a man above ten thousand, was thrown into prison overnight!

 

Even the news of the Crown Prince Consort being imprisoned spread rapidly. It made people unable to help but wonder, what grave crime had this family committed to incur the wrath of the royal family?

 

—

 

In the dark and damp dungeon, only the most serious criminals were kept.

 

The cell where Song Liqing was imprisoned was dim and musty, with only a small ventilation hole in the wall letting in some light. The whole cell reeked of rot, making one nauseous.

 

A rat crawled up to Song Liqing’s feet, and he recoiled.

 

The sound of iron chains clinking, and someone opened the cell door.

 

“Crown Prince Consort, please come out.”

 

Song Liqing got up from the ground, his hands and feet heavy with shackles, causing him to bleed as he walked.

 

He caught a glimpse of various torture devices in the dungeon, some of which were bizarre, and he didn’t even know their purpose.

 

“Are you afraid?”

 

The jailer’s voice was like rusty scissors.

 

“Yes.”

 

Song Liqing swallowed.

 

“Good,” the jailer chuckled ominously, “If you’re afraid, then confess early. We’ll save effort, and you’ll avoid the pain of punishment.”

 

“I did not poison the Emperor.”

 

Song Liqing’s voice sounded too clear in the dim dungeon, out of place.

 

“Doesn’t matter.”

 

The jailer patted his shoulder.

 

“Before torture, everyone says the same.”

 

In front of him was a wooden stool with shackles on it. Once locked in, there was no way to move, nowhere to hide.

 

“Don’t blame me, we rats in this dungeon only follow orders. Those who come here, each one is of noble status, some were high-ranking officials, some were marquis… You, the Crown Prince Consort, are the highest-ranking one here. But who made it an order from the Crown Prince to send you in?” The jailer spoke casually, as if it were a trivial matter, “Please take a seat, Crown Prince Consort.”

 

“Performing loyal service for the people is my duty. I don’t blame you,” Song Liqing took a deep breath and sat on the wooden stool, his limbs locked by chains.

 

The jailer seemed surprised by his politeness, “You’re the only one who’s polite to us like this… tsk tsk, such a handsome young master. Crown Prince Consort, as long as you sign this confession, I won’t lay a finger on you, how about it?”

 

Song Liqing glanced at the accusation written on the paper.

 

“I will not admit to something I did not do, no matter what torture you use.”

 

“Alright,” the jailer ordered, “Brothers, be as quick as possible, don’t let him suffer too much. Let’s start with a whipping, add some salt, but skip the chili water. The Crown Prince Consort has delicate skin and flesh, it’s heartbreaking to see.”

 

Song Liqing saw the whip clearly, it had iron spikes and hooks, and it had been soaked in saltwater.

 

How could Song Liqing not be afraid? He had been timid and afraid of pain, ghosts, darkness, loneliness, and abandonment since he was a child. But he couldn’t confess to something he didn’t do.

 

Jun Qiyu wanted him to endure torture, then he would endure all these punishments! Surely, this would prove his innocence, right?

 

Crack—

 

Just one strike, and Song Liqing was sweating profusely, the iron spikes on the whip cut into his skin, the hooks directly piercing into his flesh, leaving a bloody trail. The saltwater seeped in, more painful than bugs burrowing.

 

“Crown Prince Consort, just confess and you’ll receive one less lash.”

 

Song Liqing clenched his teeth and remained silent.

 

Crack… Crack—

 

The sound of the whip hitting his flesh echoed in the dim dungeon. Second strike, third strike… until the executioner’s arm grew tired, and Song Liqing still hadn’t uttered a sound.

 

“Could he be dead?”

 

The jailer worried that his frail body couldn’t bear it, so he pinched Song Liqing’s chin.

 

“He’s still breathing, just passed out from the pain. Wake him up.”

 

Song Liqing was jolted awake by a bucket of cold water. The dungeon was extremely cold, and his body trembled uncontrollably.

 

“The Crown Prince Consort has courage,” the jailer chuckled, “Shall we move on to the next course?”

 

A guard brought a wooden board and placed it between Song Liqing’s fingers.

 

“Master!”

 

Song Liqing suddenly spoke up.

 

“Can we change this? I still need… need to write.”

 

Tears welled up in his eyes. He could endure the pain, but his hands were for reading and writing, they represented his dignity.

 

“Oh… look at you, crying like a willow in the rain, it breaks my heart. I heard you were a top scholar, with excellent handwriting. It would be a pity if your hands were broken.” The jailer’s tone shifted, “But if you want any room for negotiation, you must sign first.”

 

Song Liqing closed his eyes.

 

“Then… I don’t want these hands anymore,” Song Liqing bit his lip, “I don’t want them!”

 

Song Liqing didn’t know how many punishments he endured because he kept passing out and being revived with cold water. Towards the end, he spent more time unconscious than awake.

 

When his shackles were removed, and he was taken down from the wooden stool, he felt boneless, as weak as a piece of clothing being carried.

 

The jailer looked at the weakened Song Liqing thrown back into the cell and sighed, “I thought he would confess within half a day. The young master of the Song family looks weak, but he’s quite proud…”

 

You see, even the toughest characters, when faced with a few types of torture, will scream and confess, preferring to be beheaded rather than endure the agony of the dungeon.

 

“The Crown Prince is here…”

 

Someone reported, and the jailer quickly got up from his chair to greet him.

 

“Long live the Crown Prince!”

 

As soon as Jun Qiyu entered, he wrinkled his nose; the smell inside was truly nauseating.

 

“Has he confessed?” 

 

“Um, my apologies, Your Highness… He has endured eight punishments, but the Crown Prince Consort refuses to confess and sign. As you can see, Your Highness, the Crown Prince Consort has become so thin. I’m mainly concerned that if a few more punishments are administered, he won’t survive.”

 

Jun Qiyu glanced at Song Liqing in the cell, his white clothes now stained red, like a butterfly with broken wings, tattered and torn.

 

TL – Qiyu when i catch you qiyu