Zhao Changdu's face returned to normal as he calmly tasted the little girl's cooking. "How is it?"
Huai Ying looked pensive and said, "Isn't Madam the legitimate daughter of the Marquis's household? This subordinate saw Madam busy working in the kitchen today and discovered that she is extremely skilled in cooking. She does not have the slightest trace of a pampered young lady. Instead, she looks just like a mature, steady common woman who is good at managing domestic affairs, not like a sixteen or seventeen-year-old girl."
Zhao Changdu's eyes darkened slightly and he paused for a moment before calmly saying, "She was mistreated by the main wife since she was young. It's not strange that she knows these things."
Huai Ying no longer doubted and said, "Yes, this subordinate was too suspicious."
Zhao Changdu's long lashes lightly dropped as he drank the congee and ate the dumplings Gu Ying had made with her own hands. A warm feeling rose in his heart.
"Madam also said that men need to eat more meat to have strength," Huai Ying said with a smile as he brought over another bowl of dumplings. "Master, eat a few more bowls. Madam's dumplings are quite delicious."
Zhao Changdu's eyebrows furrowed slightly and his face took on a strange coldness.
Was the little girl mocking him for not using enough strength last night with her words? If he was not concerned about the child in her belly, would she have the chance to "mock" him? This girl, tempting him the night before, complaining about him last night, she was truly a bewitching little sprite.
Huai Ying did not know what had happened. He was frightened by his master's suddenly gloomy face.
"No more," Zhao Changdu put down his chopsticks with a displeased expression. "Go to the dungeons."
After tormenting Jiang Yin for a while, he finally felt refreshed all over.
Unfortunately, he did not force out information about the Yu River water source poisoning or the antidote.
"This man's mouth is truly harder than a turtle's," Huai Ying, who had followed the Prince for many years and dealt with all kinds of fierce people, had never been so angry.
"Master, Jiang Yin has been tortured half to death by us. If we really can't ask anything out, what should we do?"
When Zhao Changdu came out of the dungeon, his tall figure looked particularly cold and lonely in the boundless rain and fog. "As long as he doesn't die, continue torturing him."
"This subordinate always feels that he is not holding back any secrets," Huai Ying said hesitantly.
"Watch him personally and don't let him die," Zhao Changdu said with knitted brows and deep, abysmal eyes.
"Yes."
......
Things were gradually developing in a good direction. Ever since finding out about the poisoning, Zhao Changdu had urgently notified everyone to stop using the Yu River water.
After persisting for a few days, indeed, no new plague patients appeared. Everyone also saw the hope of survival. In the infirmary, a smile appeared on the face of every patient. They worshipped the Prince and Gu Ying like saving bodhisattvas.
Gu Ying became more and more certain that it was Jiang Yin who had poisoned the water. During this time, she had also gone to the dungeons to ask Jiang Yin what exactly he intended and why he was gambling with the lives of so many common people.
However, Jiang Yin, hanging by a thread covered in blood all over, closed his eyes with an appearance that no matter what, he would not open his mouth.
Gu Ying had been led around by his nose for a lifetime. She still could not think of anything that could be this kind of person's weakness after wracking her brains.
She placed her hand on her protruding belly and stood in front of him with a cold smile, asking why he didn't tell the Prince about her matters.
Jiang Yin remained motionless, head tilted back against the wooden frame. His cold eyes glanced at her swollen belly and the corner of his mouth hooked up slightly without saying a word.
Gu Ying thought it over and figured out that this person had died once before but still feared death. He had lived another life, and she wanted to take another path to live a different life without him while his ambitions had grown larger. Before achieving his goal, he would not die easily.
Therefore, she was no longer worried that Jiang Yin would expose her rebirth. Even if he spoke about it, so what? After this plague incident, whenever she felt lost and confused, as long as the Prince said a sentence trusting her, she felt she had nothing else to fear.
She believed the Prince would not care about those matters that were already in the past. He loved her and so he would accept everything about her.
When she left the dungeon, Gu Ying saw the Prince had been standing under the eaves of another courtyard holding an umbrella waiting for her the entire time.
The tall and handsome man wore black robes decorated with dragons and phoenixes, standing tall and slender like a jade tree in the wind.
She didn’t know how long he had stood there but he had not left or entered the dungeon to listen to her conversation with Jiang Yin. This man respected, cherished and pampered her, completely different from Jiang Yin.
With such a husband, what else did she have to worry or fear?
Her heart warmed. She smiled and ran over to throw herself into his embrace.
Zhao Changdu lowered his eyes to rub his nose against her cheek. "How is it? Did you ask anything out?"
Gu Ying shook her head and looked at the concern in his eyes for her. Tenderness filled her heart. She hooked her arms around his neck and said, "Ah Du, I'm suddenly very hungry. I want to eat you."
Zhao Changdu saw the little girl's flaming red cheeks, alluring brows and eyes, gaze flowing. His own gaze darkened as he carried her into the study and slammed the door shut with a bang.
Huai Ying very intelligently walked away.
Gu Ying wept without tears. She was very indulgent when tempting but it was too late to beg for mercy.
The two fumbled together, jade pendants around their waists knocking
against the edge of the table, making soft then loud knocking sounds.
The night rain continued to fall while layers upon layers of rain sounds concealed the scalding passions within the room.
The sky grew darker and darker as black clouds roiled, completely covering the firmament while torrential rain poured down.
In the deep of night, Huai Ying rushed over in the rain to knock urgently on the study door, disturbing the man’s sleep inside.
Zhao Changdu wrapped the blanket around the little girl who had fallen asleep beneath him. His brows knitted together as he put on his outer robe and opened the door.
Huai Ying stood there soaked. He urgently said, "Master, Jiang Yin is dead."
Upon hearing this, Zhao Changdu quickly looked back at the sleeping person before closing the room door and walking out to the outer corridor. His face instantly darkened.
Rain continued to crash noisily to the ground while the man’s voice grew increasingly hoarse. "What happened?"
"This subordinate also doesn't know..." Huai Ying frowned, hesitating to continue. "After Madam left the dungeon, Jiang Yin fell into a coma. This subordinate checked his breathing then and he was still alive. Just now, this subordinate was about to splash water on him to wake him for punishment but discovered that he had died from vomiting blood with stiff limbs. He had already died for almost an hour. This subordinate calculated the time and during that period, only Madam had gone to the dungeons..."
Zhao Changdu's eyes turned icy cold as he narrowed them slightly. Holding a bamboo umbrella, he walked towards the dungeons.
Hurried footsteps sounded peculiarly creepy in the rainy night.
Huai Ying carried a dim, sputtering oil lamp. A small circle of yellow light swayed unsteadily in the rain like a ghost.
Inside the dungeon, Zhao Changdu placed his hand on Jiang Yin's neck to confirm his death, his brows tightly knitted together.
Huai Ying pressed his lips saying, "Master, it looks like he died from poisoning."
A chill gathered between Zhao Changdu's brows. Huai Ying and Huai An were elites amongst elites of the Qilin Army. When it came to interrogation, they clearly understood limits and it was impossible for them to directly torture someone to death.
Jiang Yin had been imprisoned here for five or six days but still clung to life to keep Gu Ying’s secrets. Other than Huai Ying, no one knew he was here. It was only this afternoon Gu Ying came once.
Nothing happened at other times but right at this moment, the person lost his life.
Zhao Changdu's face returned to normal as he calmly tasted the little girl's cooking. "How is it?"
Huai Ying looked pensive and said, "Isn't Madam the legitimate daughter of the Marquis's household? This subordinate saw Madam busy working in the kitchen today and discovered that she is extremely skilled in cooking. She does not have the slightest trace of a pampered young lady. Instead, she looks just like a mature, steady common woman who is good at managing domestic affairs, not like a sixteen or seventeen-year-old girl."
Zhao Changdu's eyes darkened slightly and he paused for a moment before calmly saying, "She was mistreated by the main wife since she was young. It's not strange that she knows these things."
Huai Ying no longer doubted and said, "Yes, this subordinate was too suspicious."
Zhao Changdu's long lashes lightly dropped as he drank the congee and ate the dumplings Gu Ying had made with her own hands. A warm feeling rose in his heart.
"Madam also said that men need to eat more meat to have strength," Huai Ying said with a smile as he brought over another bowl of dumplings. "Master, eat a few more bowls. Madam's dumplings are quite delicious."
Zhao Changdu's eyebrows furrowed slightly and his face took on a strange coldness.
Was the little girl mocking him for not using enough strength last night with her words? If he was not concerned about the child in her belly, would she have the chance to "mock" him? This girl, tempting him the night before, complaining about him last night, she was truly a bewitching little sprite.
Huai Ying did not know what had happened. He was frightened by his master's suddenly gloomy face.
"No more," Zhao Changdu put down his chopsticks with a displeased expression. "Go to the dungeons."
After tormenting Jiang Yin for a while, he finally felt refreshed all over.
Unfortunately, he did not force out information about the Yu River water source poisoning or the antidote.
"This man's mouth is truly harder than a turtle's," Huai Ying, who had followed the Prince for many years and dealt with all kinds of fierce people, had never been so angry.
"Master, Jiang Yin has been tortured half to death by us. If we really can't ask anything out, what should we do?"
When Zhao Changdu came out of the dungeon, his tall figure looked particularly cold and lonely in the boundless rain and fog. "As long as he doesn't die, continue torturing him."
"This subordinate always feels that he is not holding back any secrets," Huai Ying said hesitantly.
"Watch him personally and don't let him die," Zhao Changdu said with knitted brows and deep, abysmal eyes.
"Yes."
......
Things were gradually developing in a good direction. Ever since finding out about the poisoning, Zhao Changdu had urgently notified everyone to stop using the Yu River water.
After persisting for a few days, indeed, no new plague patients appeared. Everyone also saw the hope of survival. In the infirmary, a smile appeared on the face of every patient. They worshipped the Prince and Gu Ying like saving bodhisattvas.
Gu Ying became more and more certain that it was Jiang Yin who had poisoned the water. During this time, she had also gone to the dungeons to ask Jiang Yin what exactly he intended and why he was gambling with the lives of so many common people.
However, Jiang Yin, hanging by a thread covered in blood all over, closed his eyes with an appearance that no matter what, he would not open his mouth.
Gu Ying had been led around by his nose for a lifetime. She still could not think of anything that could be this kind of person's weakness after wracking her brains.
She placed her hand on her protruding belly and stood in front of him with a cold smile, asking why he didn't tell the Prince about her matters.
Jiang Yin remained motionless, head tilted back against the wooden frame. His cold eyes glanced at her swollen belly and the corner of his mouth hooked up slightly without saying a word.
Gu Ying thought it over and figured out that this person had died once before but still feared death. He had lived another life, and she wanted to take another path to live a different life without him while his ambitions had grown larger. Before achieving his goal, he would not die easily.
Therefore, she was no longer worried that Jiang Yin would expose her rebirth. Even if he spoke about it, so what? After this plague incident, whenever she felt lost and confused, as long as the Prince said a sentence trusting her, she felt she had nothing else to fear.
She believed the Prince would not care about those matters that were already in the past. He loved her and so he would accept everything about her.
When she left the dungeon, Gu Ying saw the Prince had been standing under the eaves of another courtyard holding an umbrella waiting for her the entire time.
The tall and handsome man wore black robes decorated with dragons and phoenixes, standing tall and slender like a jade tree in the wind.
She didn’t know how long he had stood there but he had not left or entered the dungeon to listen to her conversation with Jiang Yin. This man respected, cherished and pampered her, completely different from Jiang Yin.
With such a husband, what else did she have to worry or fear?
Her heart warmed. She smiled and ran over to throw herself into his embrace.
Zhao Changdu lowered his eyes to rub his nose against her cheek. "How is it? Did you ask anything out?"
Gu Ying shook her head and looked at the concern in his eyes for her. Tenderness filled her heart. She hooked her arms around his neck and said, "Ah Du, I'm suddenly very hungry. I want to eat you."
Zhao Changdu saw the little girl's flaming red cheeks, alluring brows and eyes, gaze flowing. His own gaze darkened as he carried her into the study and slammed the door shut with a bang.
Huai Ying very intelligently walked away.
Gu Ying wept without tears. She was very indulgent when tempting but it was too late to beg for mercy.
The two fumbled together, jade pendants around their waists knocking
against the edge of the table, making soft then loud knocking sounds.
The night rain continued to fall while layers upon layers of rain sounds concealed the scalding passions within the room.
The sky grew darker and darker as black clouds roiled, completely covering the firmament while torrential rain poured down.
In the deep of night, Huai Ying rushed over in the rain to knock urgently on the study door, disturbing the man’s sleep inside.
Zhao Changdu wrapped the blanket around the little girl who had fallen asleep beneath him. His brows knitted together as he put on his outer robe and opened the door.
Huai Ying stood there soaked. He urgently said, "Master, Jiang Yin is dead."
Upon hearing this, Zhao Changdu quickly looked back at the sleeping person before closing the room door and walking out to the outer corridor. His face instantly darkened.
Rain continued to crash noisily to the ground while the man’s voice grew increasingly hoarse. "What happened?"
"This subordinate also doesn't know..." Huai Ying frowned, hesitating to continue. "After Madam left the dungeon, Jiang Yin fell into a coma. This subordinate checked his breathing then and he was still alive. Just now, this subordinate was about to splash water on him to wake him for punishment but discovered that he had died from vomiting blood with stiff limbs. He had already died for almost an hour. This subordinate calculated the time and during that period, only Madam had gone to the dungeons..."
Zhao Changdu's eyes turned icy cold as he narrowed them slightly. Holding a bamboo umbrella, he walked towards the dungeons.
Hurried footsteps sounded peculiarly creepy in the rainy night.
Huai Ying carried a dim, sputtering oil lamp. A small circle of yellow light swayed unsteadily in the rain like a ghost.
Inside the dungeon, Zhao Changdu placed his hand on Jiang Yin's neck to confirm his death, his brows tightly knitted together.
Huai Ying pressed his lips saying, "Master, it looks like he died from poisoning."
A chill gathered between Zhao Changdu's brows. Huai Ying and Huai An were elites amongst elites of the Qilin Army. When it came to interrogation, they clearly understood limits and it was impossible for them to directly torture someone to death.
Jiang Yin had been imprisoned here for five or six days but still clung to life to keep Gu Ying’s secrets. Other than Huai Ying, no one knew he was here. It was only this afternoon Gu Ying came once.
Nothing happened at other times but right at this moment, the person lost his life.
