"It's an order from His Majesty," said the head eunuch with a forced smile when he saw the queen approaching, despite having been scolded earlier. "His Majesty commanded this servant to torture the prisoner mercilessly until he reveals the mastermind."
"Has the mastermind been found out then?" Ji Feiyu demanded, her face cold. Her eyes were fixed on Lin Zhiran, who had passed out. She sized up the bloodstains on his body, wondering how much he had suffered.
The head eunuch stole a glance at the queen's expression and replied somewhat awkwardly, "This servant has failed in his duty. This lad has a tight mouth. Despite much effort, there has been no progress..."
"If there's no progress, take a break. Apply some medicine to him first. Since we want to find out the mastermind, we can't let him die. Do as I say. I will report this to His Majesty myself. You won't be held responsible." Ji Feiyu took a deep breath, suppressing her annoyance as she spoke calmly.
However, the head eunuch looked hesitant. "This... this servant takes orders directly from His Majesty. I'm afraid I can't comply. But Your Majesty, please rest assured. This servant knows well how to apply torture and will not endanger the prisoner's life."
Not endanger his life, but turn him into a person like you? Ji Feiyu suddenly felt a strong dislike for the eunuch in front of her. She said coldly, "Are you saying I'm not qualified to give you orders?"
The eunuch replied, "This servant wouldn't dare. This servant is just doing his job."
Normally, the dungeon in the palace was in a secluded location. Inside, it was under the charge of the head eunuch, and outside, there were one or two imperial guards standing guard. Hearing this, Ji Feiyu really couldn't do anything to him. She had no choice but to swallow her anger.
"Fine, very good!" Ji Feiyu glanced at him and then turned around to leave. She must talk to Yong Yaxuan about this! How could extreme torture be used before the matter was investigated clearly?
...
In the imperial study, Yong Yaxuan was discussing matters with his ministers. The atmosphere inside was extremely tense. Ji Feiyu was stopped outside the door by Eunuch Li. "Your Majesty, His Majesty is in a meeting. If it's an urgent matter, this old servant can convey it for you."
Ji Feiyu straightened her expression and said coldly, "Tell him I'll be waiting for him in the Zixiang Palace."
After saying that, Ji Feiyu led her entourage and left quickly.
There was a time and place for everything. For now, Ji Feiyu had to be patient.
Ji Feiyu waited in the Zixiang Palace for a whole morning. It was not until 12:45 p.m. that Yong Yaxuan finally showed up.
"Have you been to the dungeon?" As soon as he entered, he waved away the servants in the palace and walked towards Ji Feiyu.
Ji Feiyu was sitting on a purple wooden carved chair. She looked up at him and saw that he looked tired. She simply replied, "Yes."
"Are you unhappy?" Yong Yaxuan only needed one look to tell that she was in a bad mood. But at this moment, his heart was also heavy. The reason was that the valiant general had encountered obstacles on his way back from the war.
Ji Feiyu was indeed unhappy, so she didn't notice the solemn look on Yong Yaxuan's face. She replied rather impatiently, "What do you think?"
Yong Yaxuan didn't blame her. He just found a seat next to her and sat down. "I thought he deserved all that. I didn't expect you to be soft - hearted first."
Ji Feiyu looked up and met his gaze. "Your Majesty, I think if the matter is investigated clearly and he is truly guilty, you can do whatever you want to him. But if he is just a pawn being used, isn't your punishment a bit too harsh?"
Yong Yaxuan frowned slightly, looking a bit puzzled. "He treated you like that, yet you still speak up for him?"
Ji Feiyu looked a bit embarrassed and said in a low voice, "I just don't like such punishments. If he was forced to take drugs, then the fault doesn't lie with him..."
Yong Yaxuan immediately got angry. He retorted, "If it's not him, then who? Who was it that held down my woman in front of me? I watched you being humiliated and just wanted to avenge you. Yet you blame me for doing something wrong?"
"Then why doesn't Your Majesty just execute him?" Ji Feiyu suddenly raised her voice, her eyes filled with unbearable anger. Did that embarrassing scene keep torturing him? Did it torture him so much that he had to deprive that person of his manhood?
A flash of anger crossed Yong Yaxuan's eyes, but he took a deep breath to suppress it. He tried to make his tone as gentle as possible. "If he dies, will you forgive me?"
"Do you think I'll forgive you for torturing him like this?" Ji Feiyu stared at him steadily, her chest heaving.
Yong Yaxuan was suddenly stunned.
Ji Feiyu continued, "Your Majesty, I hope you can distinguish between public and private matters. Don't let your personal feelings influence the punishment you give."
Yong Yaxuan looked at Ji Feiyu and couldn't help but laugh, but there was a hint of desolation in his voice. "He sneaked into the palace and insulted the mother of the nation. Shouldn't he die? I've already shown him great mercy by not killing him. Is it really worth you turning against me just because I used a bit of torture to find out the truth?"
With every word he said, Ji Feiyu became more and more disappointed. In his eyes, that bit of torture was nothing. But he was also a man. Didn't he know that for a man, losing that part was worse than death?
Seeing Ji Feiyu's indignant expression, Yong Yaxuan calmed himself down. He waved his hand and said, "Go back first. I'm in a bad mood today. We'll talk about this tomorrow."
"Then please release the top - ranked scholar first."
"No." Yong Yaxuan flatly refused.
"Your Majesty, you've already punished him enough..." Ji Feiyu tried her best to suppress her emotions, forcing herself not to say anything offensive. In fact, she knew that Yong Yaxuan didn't kill Lin Zhiran because he wanted to use him as a bargaining chip against Lin Chujie. It had nothing to do with his so - called magnanimity! But that old fox Lin Chujie had already gone so far. If he knew that his son could no longer have offspring, he probably wouldn't give up his plan for his son. So threatening Lin Chujie with his son was useless. It was just humiliating Lin Zhiran again. So if Yong Yaxuan released him today, she wouldn't argue with him about this anymore.
But Yong Yaxuan said coldly, "I don't think it's enough. He deserves it!"
"Yong Yaxuan!" Ji Feiyu finally couldn't bear it anymore and suddenly stood up. She hadn't even said what she wanted to do with Lin Zhiran, but he was being so persistent!
Yong Yaxuan grabbed Ji Feiyu's hand and preempted her outburst. "That's enough, my dear. Don't plead for that man in the future. I don't like it when you lose your mind for him. You'd better understand clearly. He is him, and Cheng Xuan is Cheng Xuan!"
After hearing this, Ji Feiyu immediately shook off his hand and shouted, "Don't mention Cheng Xuan to me. It was you who killed Cheng Xuan! How could I have been so blind to fall in love with you!"
"Enough!" Yong Yaxuan roared, looking at her angrily. "Look at yourself now. Is this still my intelligent and wise wife? Please don't doubt our feelings and say such hurtful things when you're angry. I can tolerate you once, but I can't let you trample on my feelings casually every time!"
Ji Feiyu was stunned on the spot by Yong Yaxuan's roar. Yong Yaxuan was also stunned after he finished speaking.
After a moment, he turned his head, composed himself, and said in a low voice, "I'm sorry. I said I'm in a bad mood today."
In a bad mood? Did being in a bad mood give him the right to roar at her? Ji Feiyu felt a bit wronged.
She glared at him angrily and then turned around and ran out. Some hot and salty liquid involuntarily flowed down her face and into her mouth. Ji Feiyu desperately told herself that she wasn't crying. She wouldn't cry for him. But that couldn't suppress the sadness in her heart, and the tears still kept flowing.
Wiping her tears as she ran towards the Qiwu Palace, she ran into Xi Zhuang on the way. Xi Zhuang looked at her in surprise, but she ignored him and rushed straight into her own palace.