Chapter 023: Caught by the Villain
Wei Wanlan covered his mouth through his mask.
The hard shell of the mask pressed against the scab on his lips.
Above his head, Su Jingzhi continued speaking in a calm, eerie tone, his voice lowered even more:
“Qin Shilang, tell me, what methods does this Prince have to deal with the bullies of the Eastern City Gang?”
Qin Zhen: “?”
Qin Zhen paused for a moment, clearly baffled. For some reason, he suddenly felt that the Regent wasnāt acting quite normal.
But since the Regent had already issued the command, a military order, what reason did he have to disobey?
“Iāll start by explaining the tortures used in Dali Prison!”
“Pick the most brutal ones.”
“Then letās begin with *lingchi*,” Qin Zhen began to explain the process in a cold, emotionless tone. “With *lingchi*, a sharp knife is used to make 3,600 cuts on the prisoner. Each slice of flesh must be as thin as a cicadaās wing.”
Wei Wanlan pressed his teeth against the roof of his mouth, but his lips quivered downward.
Qin Zhen continued his description: “Before the required number of cuts is complete, the prisoner must not be allowed to pass out. If they do, the executioner pours strong liquor over their wounds to revive them. After every ten cuts, the executioner takes a break and shouts, ensuring the prisoner experiences both physical and psychological torment.”
Wei Wanlan closed his eyes.
Qin Zhen went on: “The final cut is the most crucial. By then, the prisoner is reduced to a skeleton, with flesh and bone barely holding together, their heart still beating beneath the diaphragm. The executioner raises the knifeā”
Wei Wanlan held his breath.
“āand stabs it into their heart!”
“Ugh…”
Under the table, a soft whimper escaped from Wei Wanlan, as quiet as a kitten. The mask didnāt block his trembling voice. He tried harder to cover his mouth and nose, but the suppressed gasps continued to leak through his fingers.
Itās said that people who donāt get enough sleep are always irritable.
After all, he had kept the Regent from sleeping for two days. He probably really would be sliced into pieces by him!
Wei Wanlanās shivering caused Su Jingzhiās desk to tremble along with him.
Su Jingzhi, sharp as ever, noticed the brushes hanging from the pen rack swaying slightly. The pale yellow petals of “Qingjia Fengzhi” fell softly to the ground.
Amused, Su Jingzhi silently traced circles on the desk with his finger, pointing through the table at Wei Wanlanās head. He could feel a little head shaking frantically beneath.
The corners of Su Jingzhiās mouth curved deeper. “Not brutal enough, Qin Shilang. Tell me something else. The Emperor isnāt behaving.”
“This…” Qin Zhen was even more confused.
If the Prince had any real intent to kill the Emperor, he could have done so days ago in the Tianlu Pavilion. But he hadnāt claimed the throne. Nor had he offered any explanation afterward.
And yet… if the Prince had no intention of regicide, why was he asking about torture? Did the Prince have some peculiar hobby, like enjoying these kinds of stories?
Qin Zhen was even more perplexed than when he left Tang Tuanās study.
But orders were orders, and he had to obey.
Qin Zhen quickly changed the topic: “This time, letās talk about the *Shuxi* punishment, where a personās skin is scalded with boiling water and then scrubbed with an iron brush.”
“Mm, next.”
“Thereās also āRain on Plum Blossoms,ā where the prisonerās face is covered with an oilcloth, and then water is poured onto it. The oilcloth becomes soaked and suffocates the prisoner as more layers are added.”
“Over and over, the oilcloth becomes airtight, and the prisoner eventually suffocates to death…”
“Thereās also the *Chenggan* punishment, gutting, flaying, and stuffing with straw.”
“And the *Paoluo*, finger clamps, nail pulling, and court-staff beatings.”
And on and on…
No, please, no more!!!
Wei Wanlan was on the verge of a mental breakdown. The suppressed gasps behind the mask were about to turn into uncontrollable sobs.
He shook the entire desk.
Su Jingzhi glanced at the pen rack. The brushes were swaying faster, the cups on the desk were vibrating.
The Regent knew full well. He could easily imagine the little Emperorās tearful face under the table. The more he thought about it, the more amused he became.
He waved his hand, dismissing Qin Zhen:
“Thatās enough. You may go.”
“Yes.”
Qin Zhen, who was about to describe the next gruesome punishment, hurriedly excused himself.
As soon as Qin Zhen left, Wei Wanlan felt a wave of relief wash over him. Cold sweat formed on his forehead, sending a chill through his body. He wiped the sweat away, his limbs tightening under the table. One thought kept circling his mind:
*The Regent is such a villain!*
Both he and his subordinates were people you absolutely couldnāt afford to provoke.
His gaze fell on Su Jingzhiās long legs in military boots. He desperately wanted to confront the villain and have a final showdown.
But in reality, he didnāt dare. He was too much of a coward. He pressed his chest under the table, avoiding any reckless moves that might put him in danger. He adjusted his mask, hiding himself even more securely.
In all fairness, the Regent had a mountain of reports to deal with. Even if he wasnāt made of iron, he needed rest.
As soon as Su Jingzhi finished his work and went to sleep, he would be free. This was a waiting game. Wei Wanlan patted himself on the back for his strategy. He felt that even the system would approve of his plan this time.
*[But Host, the sentence you were thinking of earlier has six words, not five.]*
“…” Wei Wanlan paused.
*System, your priorities are all wrong!*
***
Night fell, and servants came to light the lamps. The warm orange glow reflected off the floor.
They also brought dinner, but Su Jingzhi wasnāt interested. He told them to place it by the window. However, the aroma of the food made Wei Wanlan, hiding under the desk, lick his lips and swallow the saliva pooling in his mouth.
He was starving.
Despite Yun Niangās excellent cooking skills, he was just so hungry. He hadnāt eaten all afternoon. Ever since escaping the palace, he hadnāt had a proper meal. His stomach felt empty and flat.
He missed the palace food…
He missed steamed lamb, steamed deer tail, and bear paws.
He missed roasted duck, roasted chicken, and roasted goose, soy-braised duck, marinated chicken, cured meats, and ham-stuffed tripe. He wasnāt just reciting a menuāhe was really starving.
Wei Wanlanās mind drifted, and his stomach growled loudly, a sound no mask could hide. He quickly placed a hand on his belly, trying to soothe it.
He just needed a little more patience. Soon, heād escape from the Regentās grasp. It wouldnāt be long now. Su Jingzhi had been reading memorials all afternoon, and his work efficiency was high. Heād be leaving soon.
From time to time, the Regentās calm voice would softly rise in the study as he read snippets from the memorials:
“The corrupt officials reported by the Censorate must all be severely punished.”
“Reinforce the border walls to prepare for an invasion from the Turkic Khagan.”
“…”
If Su Jingzhi had once treated him with sarcasm, mockery, and oppressive force, now, during his work, his voice was gentle and clear.
Wei Wanlan couldnāt help but be captivated. He inexplicably felt that a man with such a voice must be reliable in handling matters of state.
*[The two memorials you heard represent the Regentās internal and external policies.]*
Wei Wanlan nodded, recalling the three main plotlines he had been assigned when he arrived in this world. He asked, “Did the Regent in the original story accomplish all of them?”
*[Yes. But now that youāre involved, some parts of the plot have already changed.]*
Wei Wanlan suddenly felt a bit lost.
404ās meaning was clear: the story had essentially begun again. Whether the internal and external problems could be resolved, the future was uncertain.
This only made Su Jingzhi, who remained calm and composed while dealing with court affairs, seem even more wise and resolute.
Wei Wanlan took a deep breath. “System, in the original story, was Su Jingzhi loved by the people later on?”
*[I will guide you to gain the peopleās favor. Thereās no need to worry about that.]*
404 always seemed to be right.
Just then, the sound of Su Jingzhiās brush stopped. No more pages were being turned.
Wei Wanlanās mind started racing. Su Jingzhi must have fallen asleep. Maybe he hadnāt finished all his work tonight and had dozed off at the desk, too exhausted.
āAnd now was the perfect chance to escape!
The desk was large.
The space between the chair and the desk wasnāt too wide, but just enough for him to squeeze through.
The whole operation wasnāt that difficult. It all depended on luck and caution. Wei Wanlan decided to go for it. He pressed his body tightly against the wooden wall and slowly, very slowly, began crawling out from under the desk…
He carefully brushed past the hem of the Regentās robe.
Wei Wanlanās confidence soared.
He nodded to himself, continuing to inch forward. Heād made it a little farther.
Nice!
He had gotten past the Regentās chair.
Two strands of his hair floated in front of his face. Wei Wanlan couldnāt contain the excitement, his lips curling upward. Victory was just within reach.
The study door, here I come. Big villain, Iām out of here!
But just then, his collar seemed to catch on something from the desk.
Wei Wanlan twisted his back, loosening the collar a bit, and continued his escape. But then his collar tightened again. He turned his head and found Su Jingzhi holding onto the back of his neck. The light from the lamps cast a glow on Su Jingzhiās handsome, sharp features.
Wei Wanlanās blood froze. He widened his eyes. “Re-Regent.”
“Hmm.”
The villainās smile didnāt reach his eyes.
The mask fell off.
The memorials scattered across the floor.
Wei Wanlan was lifted up by the scruff of his neck, his vision suddenly rising as his body was pressed against the desk. His head lay back on the desk, his waist bent, his wrists pinned down by Su Jingzhi!
āThe runaway little Emperor was caught red-handed by the great power-holding official.
In his mind, Wei Wanlan replayed his imminent fate over and over again. Then Su Jingzhi tugged at a strand of his hair, looking down at him from above: “Your Majesty, weāve been waiting for you to show up… for a long time.”
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