"Both you and Miss Gu seemed to have changed into different people at some point. I want to know what exactly happened between you two," said Zhao Changdu, very surprised that Jiang Yin had been investigated so thoroughly that it opened his eyes wide.
If it wasn't for him not having the advantage of rebirth, he would have suspected that Zhao Changdu had some uncanny ability to see through people's hearts.
However, it made sense after some thought. In his previous life, Zhao was able to overthrow the Li's dynasty single-handedly, so his abilities were naturally exceptional.
The position of the Supreme Ruler was only a step away for him, it was just a pity...
Since Jiang Yin knew his ending, there was nothing much to be afraid of. The corners of his mouth curled up smugly, "So, since Prince Zhao wants to know about the past between Miss Gu and I, shouldn't he put me down first, treat me well with good food and drinks? Otherwise I won't say a single word."
Hearing him address the young lady as Miss Gu, Zhao Changdu's voice turned icy cold, "If you don't speak, I naturally have ways to make you talk."
Jiang Yin was quite fearful of Zhao Changdu's cruel tortures, having witnessed them before when they were allies.
However, his trump card was Zhao Changdu's affection for Miss Gu.
He knew that Zhao Changdu loved Miss Gu deeply, and could abandon everything for her sake.
"What if I bite my tongue and refuse to speak? The things between Miss Gu and I, if I don't say anything, I'm afraid that even if Prince Zhao digs three feet into the ground, there won't be a single thread or clue to find," said Jiang Yin.
Zhao Changdu casually picked up a hot branding iron, speaking disdainfully, "Then we'll have to see if your mouth is tougher, or my fists are tougher."
Jiang Yin closed his eyes with a look of resignation, his expression full of maddened defiance, "Oh well, kill me or slice me up as you wish Prince Zhao, I'll just take Miss Gu's secrets with me all the way to the Yellow Springs, I'm just a worthless lowlife anyway, what's death to me? But the things Miss Gu said to me... the things she did... tsk tsk..."
He was deliberately trying to anger and frustrate Zhao Changdu. He even felt extremely lucky to have married Miss Gu in his previous life and to have toyed with her feelings as he wished.
These were things he had done before, what about Zhao Changdu? He was just a latecomer, the one Miss Gu truly loved could not possibly be him.
The more she hated him, the deeper her love for him was - the affairs between them naturally did not warrant the interference of an outsider like Zhao Changdu.
The more Jiang Yin thought about it, the more he felt he was right. He laughed increasingly maniacally, looking at Zhao Changdu with eyes filled with pity and sympathy.
Zhao Changdu's expression was unreadable, only his voice was especially deep, "So you think Miss Gu loves you?"
"Why else?"
"Loves you but refuses to marry you, instead facilitates her sister's marriage to you, what kind of logic is this?"
Jiang Yin shook his head profoundly, "Prince Zhao, you simply don't understand the affairs between Miss Gu and I."
A trace of violence flashed across Zhao Changdu's brows and eyes.
He was not a patient man by nature, only in recent years had he cultivated restraint and forbearance.
Being toyed with by the young lady made the rage in his heart surge wildly.
Seeing Jiang Yin's fearless, shameless appearance, his temple throbbed irritably. He flung the red hot branding iron at Jiang Yin's face.
Sizzle...
The sound of burning flesh was enough to make one's scalp tingle.
"Ahhhh!"
Jiang Yin howled miserably in pain, his handsome face twisted and terrifying.
Zhao Changdu asked expressionlessly, "What exactly happened to Miss Gu?"
Jiang Yin clenched his teeth stubbornly, "I refuse to say, what can you do to me?"
If he spoke, the only outcome was death.
He was no fool. When dealing with Zhao Changdu, he could only use threats of harming what Zhao valued most - Miss Gu. Otherwise, with Zhao's ruthless personality, he probably wouldn't even make it through tonight.
Zhao Changdu muttered thoughtfully to himself. At the back of his mind, he had a guess, but he didn't believe in ghosts and spirits, naturally unwilling to think too deeply in certain directions. Moreover, how could he admit that his dear Miss Gu might be some kind of monster?
Since coercion didn't work, he tried a softer approach, "If you're willing to talk, this Prince promises you one request."
Jiang Yin was fearless like a dead duck unafraid of boiling hot water. He grinned hideously, the branding imprint on his left cheek was blackened and ugly, yet he remained extremely aggravating, "Very well. I, Jiang Yin, have but one request - to have Miss Gu returned to me. If Prince Zhao is willing to give Miss Gu back to me, I will tell you the whole truth."
His deliberately ambiguous words instead suggested the depth of his ties with Miss Gu.
The arrogance in his eyes was truly nauseating.
Zhao Changdu's eyes were as cold as knives. He flung the branding iron with a clang into the burning coals, having lost his patience to continue sparring with him, "Huai Bi, don't beat him to death."
Huai Bi entered the dungeon, pulling open the door. He quickly saw his master walk out with a cold expressionless face.
Glancing at the various instruments of torture placed to one side, he casually picked up an iron bramble whip soaked in pepper water, weighing it in his hand as he walked towards Jiang Yin.
Jiang Yin narrowed his eyes.
Not long later, suppressed agonized screams rang out from the dungeon.
...
The sky had darkened, and the weather had turned colder.
After the sun had set, dark clouds hung overhead. Before long, a light drizzle fell.
The humid oppressive air drifted down in a veil of rain from the eaves.
Miss Gu rubbed the back of her neck and looked up from under the oil lamp, staring blankly at the raindrops dangling from the eaves outside the window, lost in thought.
She had expected that such a day would come. When the Prince had left for the dungeons that morning, she had suppressed the urge to stand up to stop him.
She knew that Jiang Yin would probably tell the Prince everything. And she, was also giving herself a chance to confess the truth to the Prince...
The night was as dark as ink, seemingly endless melancholy.
The Prince must still be at the dungeons right now?
When he returned, how should she face him?
She thought, she should still explain to him... No, it shouldn't be called an explanation, it should be called an account...
Mr. Zhuge and the doctors had gone for dinner together, leaving Miss Gu sitting blankly for a moment before pushing up from her chair, only feeling a bit of hunger in her belly now.
"I told you not to come, but you insisted on coming anyway."
"There's not much good food in this harsh environment. Eat some of these buns and bread to fill your stomach first. I'll get someone to bring you the stewed chicken soup later," said a clear masculine voice from the doorway.
"Both you and Miss Gu seemed to have changed into different people at some point. I want to know what exactly happened between you two," said Zhao Changdu, very surprised that Jiang Yin had been investigated so thoroughly that it opened his eyes wide.
If it wasn't for him not having the advantage of rebirth, he would have suspected that Zhao Changdu had some uncanny ability to see through people's hearts.
However, it made sense after some thought. In his previous life, Zhao was able to overthrow the Li's dynasty single-handedly, so his abilities were naturally exceptional.
The position of the Supreme Ruler was only a step away for him, it was just a pity...
Since Jiang Yin knew his ending, there was nothing much to be afraid of. The corners of his mouth curled up smugly, "So, since Prince Zhao wants to know about the past between Miss Gu and I, shouldn't he put me down first, treat me well with good food and drinks? Otherwise I won't say a single word."
Hearing him address the young lady as Miss Gu, Zhao Changdu's voice turned icy cold, "If you don't speak, I naturally have ways to make you talk."
Jiang Yin was quite fearful of Zhao Changdu's cruel tortures, having witnessed them before when they were allies.
However, his trump card was Zhao Changdu's affection for Miss Gu.
He knew that Zhao Changdu loved Miss Gu deeply, and could abandon everything for her sake.
"What if I bite my tongue and refuse to speak? The things between Miss Gu and I, if I don't say anything, I'm afraid that even if Prince Zhao digs three feet into the ground, there won't be a single thread or clue to find," said Jiang Yin.
Zhao Changdu casually picked up a hot branding iron, speaking disdainfully, "Then we'll have to see if your mouth is tougher, or my fists are tougher."
Jiang Yin closed his eyes with a look of resignation, his expression full of maddened defiance, "Oh well, kill me or slice me up as you wish Prince Zhao, I'll just take Miss Gu's secrets with me all the way to the Yellow Springs, I'm just a worthless lowlife anyway, what's death to me? But the things Miss Gu said to me... the things she did... tsk tsk..."
He was deliberately trying to anger and frustrate Zhao Changdu. He even felt extremely lucky to have married Miss Gu in his previous life and to have toyed with her feelings as he wished.
These were things he had done before, what about Zhao Changdu? He was just a latecomer, the one Miss Gu truly loved could not possibly be him.
The more she hated him, the deeper her love for him was - the affairs between them naturally did not warrant the interference of an outsider like Zhao Changdu.
The more Jiang Yin thought about it, the more he felt he was right. He laughed increasingly maniacally, looking at Zhao Changdu with eyes filled with pity and sympathy.
Zhao Changdu's expression was unreadable, only his voice was especially deep, "So you think Miss Gu loves you?"
"Why else?"
"Loves you but refuses to marry you, instead facilitates her sister's marriage to you, what kind of logic is this?"
Jiang Yin shook his head profoundly, "Prince Zhao, you simply don't understand the affairs between Miss Gu and I."
A trace of violence flashed across Zhao Changdu's brows and eyes.
He was not a patient man by nature, only in recent years had he cultivated restraint and forbearance.
Being toyed with by the young lady made the rage in his heart surge wildly.
Seeing Jiang Yin's fearless, shameless appearance, his temple throbbed irritably. He flung the red hot branding iron at Jiang Yin's face.
Sizzle...
The sound of burning flesh was enough to make one's scalp tingle.
"Ahhhh!"
Jiang Yin howled miserably in pain, his handsome face twisted and terrifying.
Zhao Changdu asked expressionlessly, "What exactly happened to Miss Gu?"
Jiang Yin clenched his teeth stubbornly, "I refuse to say, what can you do to me?"
If he spoke, the only outcome was death.
He was no fool. When dealing with Zhao Changdu, he could only use threats of harming what Zhao valued most - Miss Gu. Otherwise, with Zhao's ruthless personality, he probably wouldn't even make it through tonight.
Zhao Changdu muttered thoughtfully to himself. At the back of his mind, he had a guess, but he didn't believe in ghosts and spirits, naturally unwilling to think too deeply in certain directions. Moreover, how could he admit that his dear Miss Gu might be some kind of monster?
Since coercion didn't work, he tried a softer approach, "If you're willing to talk, this Prince promises you one request."
Jiang Yin was fearless like a dead duck unafraid of boiling hot water. He grinned hideously, the branding imprint on his left cheek was blackened and ugly, yet he remained extremely aggravating, "Very well. I, Jiang Yin, have but one request - to have Miss Gu returned to me. If Prince Zhao is willing to give Miss Gu back to me, I will tell you the whole truth."
His deliberately ambiguous words instead suggested the depth of his ties with Miss Gu.
The arrogance in his eyes was truly nauseating.
Zhao Changdu's eyes were as cold as knives. He flung the branding iron with a clang into the burning coals, having lost his patience to continue sparring with him, "Huai Bi, don't beat him to death."
Huai Bi entered the dungeon, pulling open the door. He quickly saw his master walk out with a cold expressionless face.
Glancing at the various instruments of torture placed to one side, he casually picked up an iron bramble whip soaked in pepper water, weighing it in his hand as he walked towards Jiang Yin.
Jiang Yin narrowed his eyes.
Not long later, suppressed agonized screams rang out from the dungeon.
...
The sky had darkened, and the weather had turned colder.
After the sun had set, dark clouds hung overhead. Before long, a light drizzle fell.
The humid oppressive air drifted down in a veil of rain from the eaves.
Miss Gu rubbed the back of her neck and looked up from under the oil lamp, staring blankly at the raindrops dangling from the eaves outside the window, lost in thought.
She had expected that such a day would come. When the Prince had left for the dungeons that morning, she had suppressed the urge to stand up to stop him.
She knew that Jiang Yin would probably tell the Prince everything. And she, was also giving herself a chance to confess the truth to the Prince...
The night was as dark as ink, seemingly endless melancholy.
The Prince must still be at the dungeons right now?
When he returned, how should she face him?
She thought, she should still explain to him... No, it shouldn't be called an explanation, it should be called an account...
Mr. Zhuge and the doctors had gone for dinner together, leaving Miss Gu sitting blankly for a moment before pushing up from her chair, only feeling a bit of hunger in her belly now.
"I told you not to come, but you insisted on coming anyway."
"There's not much good food in this harsh environment. Eat some of these buns and bread to fill your stomach first. I'll get someone to bring you the stewed chicken soup later," said a clear masculine voice from the doorway.
