Chapter 52: The Ministry of Punishments

Chapter 52: The Ministry of Punishments

In this world, there was only one person who addressed Xie Zhifei in such a manner.

Xie Zhifei was now fraught with anxiety, hardly having the time to tend to this ancestor. He mounted his horse and said, "We'll talk as we go. I have an urgent matter."

"Your anxiety cannot surpass mine!"

Pei Xiao was about to unleash a torrent of abuse when she noticed the unprecedentedly grim expression on Xie Zhifei's face. Realizing that something severe must have transpired, she hastily mounted her horse and dashed after him.

Two horses rode side by side.

Xie Zhifei stole a glance at Pei Xiao, "Speak, what's the matter?"

Pei Xiao, atop his horse, bounced with each stride, causing his voice to oscillate accordingly, "Where did you hear about Li Buyan?"

Xie Zhifei raised an eyebrow, "Oh? Have you found him?"

Pei Xiao shot him a sidelong glare, "I've inquired throughout all of Fugong County, and there's no such person at all!"

Xie Zhifei's forehead twitched. "How could there not be?"

"I was just about to ask you!"

"I..."

Xie Zhifei's hesitation immediately ignited Pei Xiao's fuse.

"Xie Fifty, my grandmother's grave is still open, and the days are getting hotter by the day. If this continues..."

The mere thought of the scene sent shivers down Pei Xiao's spine.

"Don't you trust me?"

"I'd like to, but tell me, what the hell are these so-called 'heart intentions' and 'heart demons' you keep mentioning?"

Pei Xiao gritted his teeth in frustration. "Even ghosts wouldn't believe your nonsense."

Believe it or not, it's up to you!

I have no time to deal with your Ji family's trivial matters right now, Third Master!

Xie Zhifei tugged on the reins, and his horse dashed forward.

"Hey, you bastard, where are you going? Are you too ashamed to face me? You did this on purpose!"

Pei Xiao followed suit, urging his own horse to catch up.

"I'm telling you, if you don't help me resolve this, my grandmother and I will haunt you during the day and night."

Xie Zhifei was so infuriated that he almost fell off his horse.

Damn it!

Why can't anything go smoothly?

...

Soon, they arrived at the Jade Treasure Pavilion.

The manager of the Jade Treasure Pavilion realized he had stirred trouble and was about to close shop for the day. Just as he propped up a few door panels, a hand clamped around his throat.

"Speak, where is that young lady?"

Seeing that it was Third Master Xie from the Northern City's Horse and Chariot Department, the manager dared not hide anything and divulged the entire story in detail.

When his last word fell, an eerie silence enveloped the world.

Pei Xiao glanced down at his crotch with lingering fear.

The way this maiden behaves seems to resemble that little vixen the eldest son of the Xie family keeps outside, doesn't it?

Xie Zhifei felt as if he were suffocating.

Each punch landing on Yan Sanhe was like a slap to the face of the Xie household.

He gritted his teeth and asked, "Who is the other party?"

The shopkeeper wailed with a mournful expression, "Third Master, that person is Xu Sheng, the son of the Left Vice Minister of Justice. We common folk can't afford to provoke him!"

"It's actually him!"

Xie Zhifei felt as if he had fallen into an icy pit.

This man was a notorious womanizer in the capital, surrounded by a gang of followers and enforcers. No woman he set his sights on could escape his grasp.

"Master!"

Zhu Qing whispered, "We need to inform Lord immediately."

Xie Zhifei was well aware that his insignificant position was no match for Xu Lai, the Left Vice Minister of Justice.

"Not only do we have to notify Father, but also…."

He gritted his teeth, not finishing his sentence. Zhu Qing, however, understood his unspoken meaning.

Even if Lord received the news promptly and rushed to the Ministry of Justice to demand her release, it would still take at least two hours under the best circumstances.

In those two hours, anything could happen in the dungeon. If it were a man, it might be tolerable, but it was a young lady. The thought of her suffering was unbearable.

Thoughts racing, Zhu Qing grew anxious. "My Lord, what should we do?"

Xie Zhifei was at a loss.

He could always think of ways to deal with the situation if the person had been taken by the Imperial Guards or the Board of Censors, but the Ministry of Justice...

That was the domain of Prince Han, and his influence didn't extend that far.

"Xie Fifty, who is this girl? She's quite loyal, but a bit too fiery. Can a man's privates be kicked around like that? Twice, even?"

Pei Xiao winced just thinking about it.

Xie Zhifei shared the sentiment. If he hadn't dodged swiftly back then, he might have suffered the same fate.

Suddenly, his expression cracked, turning fierce.

"Mingting, what did you just say?"

Pei Xiao: "..."

"What did I say? What exactly did I say?"

Zhu Qing replied, "Master, Lord Pei said he kicked twice."

It was as if a bolt of lightning struck down, and Xie Zhifei grabbed Pei Xiao's collar.

"Twice. The injury must be severe. The Xu family will surely seek help from the Imperial Medical Institute. You have connections there; hurry and inquire who they've called in."

Pei Xiao looked bewildered. "…."

Xie Zhifei continued, "I don't care how you do it, but get that person to exaggerate the severity. Make it sound like the kind of injury that would render one infertile for life if not treated immediately."

"Xie Fifty, aren't you asking me to lie with my eyes wide open? What if…?"

"Pei Mingting!"

Third Master Xie enunciated each word clearly.

"Li Buyan's name came out of that girl's mouth. If you genuinely want to know what happened when they couldn't find anyone, help me rescue her."

"You bloody bastard, why didn't you let out that fart earlier for your father!"

Pushing Xie Zhifei aside, Pei Xiao vaulted onto his horse. As the sound of galloping hooves echoed, more curses continued to pour from Young Master Pei's mouth —

"Xie Fifty, I, Pei Mingting, must have been blind to consider you, a half-truths and secrets kind of brute, as my brother! You're a damned cur!"

Third Master Xie, with "bastard" and "cur" ringing in his ears, casually rubbed his ear, but his expression lightened slightly.

The fiercer the curses, the more it indicated how much this young man cared, and that the matter was undoubtedly settled.

Zhu Qing asked, "Sir, the messenger to inform Lord has already left. What should we do now?"

"What should we do? Why, what else?"

A sneer curled at the corner of Third Master Xie's lips. "Come on, follow Third Master to the Ministry of Punishments to demand our people back!"

...

At the Ministry of Punishments headquarters.

The shrill screams of Young Master Xu were so piercing that they made everyone's scalp tingle.

The royal physician had yet to arrive, and Xu Lai was pacing anxiously in circles.

With several wives and concubines who only produced daughters, he had finally been blessed with a son, one who was supposed to carry on the family lineage for the Xus. If anything happened to his precious heir...

It would be the end of the Xu family line!

"Pain, oh the pain...!"

Xu Sheng clutched at his father's sleeve, wailing, "Father, cut off that wench's tendons in her hands and feet. I want to ravage her first and then kill her, tearing her limb from limb!"

"Let's discuss this later. Once she's in our hands, that person..."

"I don't want to wait! I want it now, immediately, right this instant!"

Tears flew from Xu Sheng's eyes as he wept, "Father, if you don't avenge your son, I won't be able to live, I won't be able to live!"

"Alright, alright, alright."

Xu Lai gritted her teeth. "Father, I'll have her tendons in both hands and feet severed right away."

...

The stench was overwhelming within the dungeon.

Yan Sanhe sat cross-legged on a tattered mat, locking eyes with several brazen rats before her.

Yet, her gaze held no focus.

By now, the Xie family should have received news. Assuming nothing unexpected happened, they wouldn't idly stand by. It was merely a matter of time.

Aside from patiently waiting, Yan Sanhe knew she had to be cautious of potential retaliation. But how could she protect herself in such a place?

Surveying her surroundings, she reached behind her back to grasp the corner of her garment and gently tore it apart.

A golden hairpin fell into the palm of her hand.

Though small, this golden hairpin is more than capable of piercing an adult's throat with ease. At the very least, it can be used to safeguard one's innocence.

This is Yan Sanhe's last line of defense for herself.

"Clang!"

The metal door at the end of the corridor creaked open, followed by the sound of hurried footsteps drawing near.

In that instant, Yan Sanhe's blood rushed to her head.