Chapter 127: Direct Action!

Chapter 127: Direct Action!

Qiu Yunshan and Qiu Yunxiu were dragged inside, while Cuizhu approached Tang Shuyi and whispered, “My lady, it’s cold outside. Perhaps you should step indoors?”

Tang Shuyi, feeling no chill herself, grasped Xiao Yuzhu's small hand to gauge its temperature. Noting a slight coolness, she led her inside a room. Xiao Yuming and Xiao Yuzhen remained outside, watching the others search the courtyard.

Niu Hongliang took the command to dig three feet into the ground quite literally. Every corner of each room in the courtyard was turned inside out, and all furniture was removed to lift and inspect each tile on the floor.

During this process, Qiu Yunxiu and Qiu Yunshan had been searched thoroughly, yielding nothing. Furthermore, the matron who had conducted the search came to report, "My lady, upon examination, both are still maidens.”

Tang Shuyi was at a loss for words. She hadn’t ordered such an examination.

However, at the very least, this revealed a lie. Qiu Yunxiu had just claimed that Xiao Huai frequented their chamber each month, yet they were found untouched, casting doubt on Xiao Huai’s capabilities.

"Have the clothes been inspected?" Tang Shuyi inquired.

"Yes, we've scrutinized every stitch," the nanny replied.

"Bring them to me for a look," Tang Shuyi suddenly remembered a spy movie from her previous life where information was passed through the stitches in clothes.

The nanny complied and soon returned with the clothes. Tang Shuyi examined them but failed to discern anything noteworthy. It seemed that movies were just movies after all.

Just then, Xiao Yuchen and Xiao Yuming pushed aside the curtain and entered, both with anger etched on their faces.

"Mother, look at this," Xiao Yuming presented a piece of leather-like material to Tang Shuyi.

Tang Shuyi took it and saw a map sketched out with lines and names marked in certain places. It was clearly a map.

"What location is this map of?" Tang Shuyi queried.

Clenching his teeth, Xiao Yuming replied, "We found it beneath a floor tile under Qiu Yunxiu's bed. Master Niu said this is a map of the northwest frontier, and it might very well be a map of the defensive positions there."

Having served in the northwest army, Niu Hongliang recognized at a glance that it was a topographic map of the northwest frontier.

Tang Shuyi's brow furrowed. If this was indeed a defensive map, had a similar one been leaked out before? Was Xiao Huai's death orchestrated by someone?

"Did you find anything else?" Tang Shuyi pressed.

Both Xiao Yuchen and Xiao Yuming shook their heads. Tang Shuyi fell silent, pondering the roles played by Cheng Yuquan, who had gifted Qiu Yunxiu and Qiu Yunshan to Xiao Huai, and Su Bingcang, who had insisted on sending them back to the capital.

At that moment, Xiao Yuming suggested, "Mother, if you want to know something, just interrogate those two directly."

"Right," Xiao Yuming agreed. "No mouth can't be pried open under harsh torture."

Tang Shuyi looked at her sons. "Alright, you two go with Captain Niu and conduct the interrogation."

Xiao Yuchen and Xiao Yuming promptly left. Tang Shuyi knew that her sons would think of the same possibilities she had. The mere thought that their father might have perished due to a conspiracy filled them with an urge to annihilate the culprits.

The brothers approached the room where Qiu Yunxiu and Qiu Yunshan were detained, with Niu Hongliang standing guard outside. "Take them away for interrogation," Xiao Yuchen ordered.

Niu Hongliang nodded, gave the command to his subordinates, and the securely bound Qiu Yunxiu and Qiu Yunshan were dragged out from the room. The two, now devoid of their previous grace, looked utterly disheveled.

Yet neither of them screamed or shouted; they knew their deception had been uncovered. However, they were unaware of how their cover had been blown.

Niu Hongliang led the way, escorting a group towards the west side of the Marquis's estate, through a small garden, and arriving at a rockery. He gestured, and several guards moved a large stone as tall as a man, revealing a staircase leading down,

The Marquisate of Yongning, with its martial heritage, naturally possessed dungeons. Descending the staircase to a spacious area below, the flick of a flint brought the oil lamps on the walls to life, illuminating the space at once.

Both Xiao Yuchen and Xiao Yuming were aware of the dungeons in their home, yet this was their first visit. They observed several large iron cages on the open ground, each capable of holding five or six people.

Currently, the cages stood empty. In fact, since Xiao Huai's death, the dungeon had not been put to use—today marked the first time.

"Eldest Young Master, Second Young Master, the interrogation room is just ahead," Niu Hongliang informed Xiao Yuchen and Xiao Yuming.

"Lead the way," Xiao Yuchen responded, seemingly unfazed by the setting, and Xiao Yuming was even more unperturbed.

The group continued forward, soon reaching a room partitioned with stone. Niu Hongliang entered first, with Xiao Yuming and Xiao Yuchen following. They saw walls laden with torture devices, a rack in the center, and a large iron cauldron supported by wood saturated with tung oil.

Niu Hongliang ordered Qiu Yunxiu and Qiu Yunshan to be chained to the rack. The sisters, though silent, trembled with fear.

Niu Hongliang then said to Xiao Yuchen and Xiao Yuming, "As it's your first time here, would you young masters like me to introduce the various instruments of torture available?"

Xiao Yuming and Xiao Yuchen looked at the torture devices hung on the wall with apparent interest and nodded. Niu Hongliang approached a wall, pointed at a whip, and explained:

"This is the most commonly used instrument for interrogation. It's used to lash directly onto the person's body. However, I usually soak it in saltwater before whipping. It makes the pain much more intense. A few lashes are often enough to make the less resilient and tough ones talk."

He then gestured to another whip and said, "If someone is more resistant, I use this barbed whip. One lash will tear the flesh. And then, pouring saltwater over the wounds, ha! The pain is exquisitely intense."

"And this," Niu Hongliang said, pointing to a knife one foot long and three fingers wide, "I call this 'Thousand Cuts.' It's used to peel the flesh off bit by bit. I'm not boasting, but my skills ensure that even by the last cut, they won't pass away, letting them fully experience the agony of a thousand cuts."

His voice was rough, and at moments of excitement, he would laugh heartily. However, to Qiu Yunxiu and Qiu Yunshan, that laughter sounded like the voice of a devil, making them shiver violently.

It was then Xiao Yuming's voice sounded, "Let's start with the barbed whip; it seems rather interesting."

"Right away."

Niu Hongliang reached for the barbed whip on the wall and approached Qiu Yunxiu and Qiu Yunshan. Looking back at Xiao Yuming, he asked, "Second Young Master, what questions do you wish to ask?"

Xiao Yuming's face was inscrutable, "Ask what? There's nothing to ask. Everything about them is crystal clear, isn't it? Just start whipping!"

Niu Hongliang glanced at the whip in his hand, musing that the Second Young Master had a knack for this on his first interrogation. With that thought, he swung the whip fiercely onto Qiu Yunxiu's body. The sound of ripping fabric as the barbs tore through, revealing pale flesh beneath.

Niu Hongliang clicked his tongue, then delivered another lash to the same spot, and blood immediately welled up as Qiu Yunxiu cried out in pain.