In the torture chamber of the Jingzhao Prefecture government office, dozens of yamen runners were gathered around. In the middle, being tortured, was the spy named Li Feng.
Accompanied by screams, the faces of the yamen runners grew grimmer by the moment.
Behind them were He Xun, looking nonchalant, and Su Nansheng, with her head down.
At this moment, Su Nansheng kept her head down, not daring to meet He Xun's eyes.
Just now, she actually thought He Xun wanted to hold her hand. What on earth was she thinking in broad daylight?
"Master, he fainted." Fei Yu's voice was laced with harshness, making it even more chilling in this gloomy torture chamber.
He Xun let out a cold snort.
"What a tough guy. It's a pity he became a spy."
Ning Weizhi was pacing angrily in the torture chamber.
"I knew there was a reason those bandits always managed to escape. So there's a traitor right here!"
When he first learned that He Xun suspected a yamen runner from his prefecture, Ning Weizhi was so angry that his beard quivered. He even wanted to withdraw his request for He Xun's help right away.
But to his dismay, He Xun really caught the spy right under his nose.
Where could he hide his old face?
"Keep interrogating him until we find out where those bandits are hiding," Ning Weizhi said, his beard still quivering, but this time out of anger at the spy.
The shrill screams finally made Su Nansheng raise her head. Through the gaps, she could faintly see Li Feng.
His body was covered in blood and his flesh was mangled. His legs were especially badly hurt, with some wounds so deep that the bones were exposed.
Memories from her past life came flooding back. The color drained from Su Nansheng's face, and her lips turned pale.
He Xun stood up and blocked Su Nansheng's view. He said to Ning Weizhi,
"Then please continue the interrogation, Prefect Ning. We'll wait outside."
With He Xun watching, Ning Weizhi felt a bit restricted. So he was more than happy to hear this and immediately sent someone to lead He Xun and the others to the back hall while he stayed in the torture chamber.
...
"I thought you wouldn't dare to look up. The scene just now was quite gory. If you're scared, just cry. No one will laugh at you," He Xun said as he sipped his tea and stole glances at Su Nansheng's expression.
"I'm not scared. I just think that guy is really despicable. I wish I could tear him to pieces," Su Nansheng said in a low voice, her face as cold as frost.
Li Feng had colluded with the bandits and caused people's deaths. No amount of torture was too much for him.
But setting aside his actions, just looking at his wounds made even a stranger like her feel sorry for him.
In her past life, Su Hele had watched as her own legs were broken and the bones were exposed.
Su Nansheng clenched the skirt of her dress, trying hard to control her hatred.
He Xun sighed silently. She was as tough - minded as she was tough - tongued. He should have known better than to bring her to the torture chamber.
Thinking this, He Xun walked up to Su Nansheng, took the hand that was clutching her skirt, and gently pulled it away.
"Come with me to the training ground."
Su Nansheng was forced to stand up. "What for?"
All the yamen runners were in the torture chamber, watching the show. No one was training on the training ground.
"I'm going to choose a self - defense weapon for my family members. Didn't you want to be bait with me?"
He Xun turned around and walked forward with his hands behind his back. His big hand held Su Nansheng's cold hand, leading her out of the inner hall and pulling her out of her thoughts.
"Can I go with you to fight the bandits?"
"You don't need to fight the bandits. Just be a proper family member."
...
Su Hele was sitting numbly on the bed. Her hands, propping up the bed, were clutching the bed sheet so tightly that her fingertips turned white.
She was supposed to go kneel in the ancestral hall today, but she hadn't done anything wrong. Why should she suffer such humiliation?
So she was sick, too sick to get out of bed and go kneel in the ancestral hall.
But what bothered her more than the humiliation of kneeling in the ancestral hall was He Jin's attitude.
He not only didn't plead with Chen Wanrong to spare her the punishment, but also went to the Huai Prince's Mansion with gifts to apologize. He even wanted her to go with him.
Did he also think she was wrong?
Su Hele's grip tightened. Her nails scraped against the brocade quilt, making a grating sound.
"Madam, the medicine is back," Sumo said softly as she closed the inner - room door, her voice trembling.
"Did you ask about the dosage?"
Su Hele didn't move her eyes. She just stared straight ahead, as if looking at something but also not.
Sumo bit her lip, then knelt on the ground as if she had lost all her strength. Her voice was full of pleading.
"Madam, why don't we just go to the ancestral hall? I'll kneel for you. You can just sit there. You mustn't take this chuanxiong!"
Her voice was hoarse, her shoulders were shaking, and her whole body was curled up.
Su Hele finally looked down at her and said calmly,
"That's why I asked you to find out the dosage and the antidote. If something happens to me, you won't be able to escape."
Sumo trembled even more. When she spoke again, there was a sob in her voice.
"I would never harm you, Madam. But chuanxiong is harmful to the body. You mustn't take this risk. I'm begging you."
Big tears rolled down Sumo's face, but she didn't dare to wipe them away.
Su Hele just smoothed the wrinkles on the brocade quilt silently.
"Quickly give me the medicine. The doctor invited by Concubine Li will be here soon."
Her voice was calm, and she didn't even look at Sumo.
Sumo didn't dare to delay any longer. She quickly stood up and with trembling hands, picked out a little bit of the powder and poured it into the teacup beside her.
"Madam, for a normal person, taking chuanxiong will only make them feel weak, dizzy, and nauseous. You can just pretend," Sumo said, still making a last - ditch effort as she held the teacup with both hands.
"I disdain to pretend to be sick. You should know what to say when my husband comes back," Su Hele finally looked at Sumo, but her gaze made people shiver.
Sumo nodded quickly.
"I'll ask the young master to plead with the mistress for you. You shouldn't have been punished."
After drinking the tea, a faint smile appeared on Su Hele's face.
Concubine Li, you'll never get to see me make a fool of myself.
...
"She's really sick, not faking it?" Concubine Li looked surprised.
Originally, she was quite sure that Su Hele was faking her illness and was just waiting for the doctor to expose her lie.
Doctor Liu shook his head.
"Second Young Mistress is currently experiencing symptoms such as shortness of breath, weakness, dizziness, and nausea. But her pulse indicates excessive liver fire and strong heat. The symptoms don't match the pulse, which is a bit strange, but it can't be faked. I've already written a prescription for her..."
The moment Concubine Li was sure that Su Hele wasn't faking her illness, she stopped caring about what Doctor Liu was saying. She was just thinking about how to talk to He Jin.
The relationship between her and her son had just improved, and now Su Hele was sick.
She might say later that this illness was caused by her. Then He Jin would surely grow distant from her again.
Concubine Li rubbed the handkerchief in her hand, and her face gradually darkened.
Seeing this, Nanny Wang immediately understood her concerns. After the doctor left, she whispered,
"Concubine, since Second Young Mistress is sick, you might as well ask the mistress to spare her the punishment. Second Young Master will surely see your concern for her."
Hearing this, Concubine Li rolled her eyes.
Right. Since the direct approach didn't work, she'd change her strategy. There must be a way to deal with Su Hele.