Chapter 36: The Harmless Princess of Beiyang vs. The Fratricidal Prince of Beiyang

The words hung in the air, and both of them fell silent, stunned. A sudden quiet settled over the room. Wen Yurou gripped his sleeves tightly, her eyelids stinging with unshed tears.

Xiao Zexuan reached out to stroke her hair, his voice low and steady: "I believe you."

She snapped back to reality, looking up at him with a faint smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.

"Good."

As long as he believed her, nothing else mattered. Unable to speak, she reached out and pulled him into a hug, resting her head against his chest to listen to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat.

He looked down at her and asked softly, "What happened today? Are you hurt?"

Wen Yurou paused for a moment before calming herself, recounting the events of the day to him. After listening, Xiao Zexuan’s expression remained composed. After a long silence, he rubbed her head with an air of profound reassurance.

Wen Yurou couldn't help but smile through her tears. "So, I truly am not their daughter..."

Xiao Zexuan gently stroked her dark hair and leaned down to press a kiss to her forehead.

"I will uncover the truth of what you wish to know. For now, the most important thing is to take things slowly; do not be impatient."

His words made it clear to Wen Yurou. The political waters of the capital ran deep, and investigating the events of the past would certainly not be easy. 027 knew nothing, which was infuriating.

"Yes, I understand."

"Are you hungry? Let’s have dinner, then you should rest."

"Alright."

***

In the dungeons of the Inspectorate, Liu Yangjiang glared viciously at Zhou Ziqing, who stood before him. "I have said everything I can say! Wen Ruowei killed my brother, so why are you still here?"

Zhou Ziqing smiled, his voice devoid of emotion. "You’ve finished? Then take a look and see if she has anything to confess."

Liu Yangjiang looked suspiciously toward the adjacent cell.

The woman inside was dressed in black, her body restrained by iron chains. Her hair hung in disarray over her shoulders, and her face was sallow and haggard. Thick chains bound her hands and feet, but most striking was the heavy iron collar locked tightly around her throat. She was clawing at the thick chain with all her might, but it was anchored so firmly that it would not budge.

As Liu Yangjiang stared at her, his face turned deathly pale, and he reflexively looked down.

"Who killed your brother is irrelevant. What matters is providing the Emperor with a scapegoat. You attempted to assassinate the Crown Prince, but the Prince is choosing not to hold you accountable, provided you admit to killing your brother and reveal the whereabouts of the military tally."

Liu Yangjiang stared at them, gritting his teeth. "I will never say it! Even if I die, I won't say it! I won't admit to it!"

No sooner had he spoken than the woman in the cell began to claw frantically at the iron chain around her throat. A bloody gash tore open across her neck.

"Cough, cough..."

The woman’s face twisted in agony as she let out a desperate, ragged struggle, blood dripping from her neck onto the floor. It was a horrifying sight.

"I am warning you," Zhou Ziqing said, "if the Crown Prince does not receive a satisfactory answer, he will use this woman as your substitute. By then, don't even talk about the military tally—the entire Marquis of Zhenxi’s estate will be destroyed!"

"You're spouting nonsense!"

Liu Yangjiang refused to believe him. How could the Emperor condemn his entire family for the sake of an assassin? It was impossible!

"Do you want to test it?"

Not long after he spoke, the woman in the cell tore at the chains again, slicing her neck until blood flowed down the metal and pooled on the ground. She tilted her head back and let out a shrill, piercing scream.

Liu Yangjiang turned white with terror.

Observing his panicked and helpless state, a faint smile appeared on Zhou Ziqing’s face. "Have you considered it?"

Liu Yangjiang gritted his teeth. "I tell you, it's impossible. The military tally is not in my hands. I don't know!"

"Are you sure?" Zhou Ziqing smiled.

A tall, burly man walked in from outside. He approached the cell door, opened it, and stepped inside. Liu Yangjiang’s pupils contracted violently upon seeing him.

"No!"

The man ignored him. He reached out, grabbed the chain on the cell door, and tightened it. The sound of metal grinding into bone echoed clearly.

"Ah!" The woman screamed in agony.

Zhou Ziqing clapped his hands and said with a light chuckle, "Is that enough now?"

The woman stared at Liu Yangjiang, her eyes filled with rage and terror.

Zhou Ziqing smiled. "Actually, I don’t want to make things difficult for you. Just hand over the military tally to the Crown Prince. Once the Prince is pleased, he will not only let you go, but he will also spare your family and this woman. How about that?"

Liu Yangjiang was trembling, his face pale, as countless images flashed through his mind.

After a moment, he gritted his teeth. "I can give you the military tally, but I want you to release her right now!"

Zhou Ziqing raised an eyebrow. "Do you think you are in a position to negotiate with me?"

He glanced coldly at the woman. "She is in our hands. If I release her now and you go back on your word, wouldn't all our efforts be in vain? What do you think?"

Liu Yangjiang’s face was bloodless. When he didn't answer, Zhou Ziqing clapped his hands again and said to his subordinate, "There is another way. Give him a glass of water."

Liu Yangjiang took the teacup Zhou Ziqing handed him. He took a cautious sip and looked at him. "What are you doing?"

Zhou Ziqing glanced at him and held out his hand. Liu Yangjiang stiffened; his expression changed instantly when he saw the pill in his palm. He smashed the cup to the ground. "Release her now, and I will naturally tell you."

Zhou Ziqing scoffed, a cold smile on his lips. "It seems you have made your decision."

The cell fell into a heavy silence. The woman lay on the floor, clutching the wound on her throat as blood dripped steadily, staining the earth red. Liu Yangjiang glanced at her, a glimmer of pity in his eyes.

After a long time, he looked away and swallowed the pill Zhou Ziqing had given him.

"Can you tell me now?"

"In the rafters of the back kitchen..."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Ziqing struck Liu Yangjiang on the neck. His eyes glazed over, and he lost consciousness completely. Seeing him collapse, Zhou Ziqing gestured for his men to take him away.

The woman lay on the floor, her eyes hollow. She opened her mouth, her voice raspy and wretched. "He didn't kill him... I saw it with my own eyes..."

The man frowned, walked over to the woman, and kicked her. "Shut up!"

The woman scrambled up, grabbing the man’s leg, pleading in a pained, hoarse voice, "Please, let me go. I will tell you everything you want to know..."

The man grabbed her chin, his other hand forcing her teeth apart with brutal pressure.

*Crack.*

With a sound of shattering bone, the man’s fingers were stained with blood. His eyes were cold as ice. "I told you to shut up!"