#86: The Southern Crowned Guest (IX)

◎In Prison◎

Someone snatched the bright yellow scroll from her hand.

Song Shiyan released her and hastily took it, breathing deeply a few times before dismissing his attendants. He slowly unrolled the scroll.

To his surprise, the scroll was blank.

He flipped it over several times, confirming that the writing hadn’t disappeared due to water exposure, before snapping out of his daze. Grabbing Qu You by the collar, he pulled her close. “You—”

“Hahahaha,” Qu You let out a low, mocking laugh from her throat. “Sorry, Your Highness.”

She still addressed him as “Your Highness”—the edict was unclear, the imperial seal was missing, the old ministers of the previous dynasty refused to testify, and the feudal lords had not yet entered the capital. His claim to the throne was ambiguous; he could hardly be called “Majesty.”

When she retrieved the imperial seal yesterday, she casually picked up a blank scroll from beside the bookshelf in Xuande Hall, originally as a precaution. She never imagined it would actually come in handy.

It was also because of her earlier fabricated lies about the edict that Song Shiyan was easily deceived.

Song Shiyan dropped the scroll and reached for her. Qu You thought he might be so enraged that he’d want to strangle her directly. Instead, he touched her wet cheek, frowning, seemingly hurt as he said, “Why aren’t you afraid to die? I’ve rarely trusted women all these years, but you…”

His eyes half-closed, a cold light reflecting in his deep pupils. “I knew it. Someone like you wouldn’t kneel so easily. You’d rather die than kneel, and I won’t let you have your way.”

An eager guard approached from the side. Song Shiyan took the handkerchief they offered, wiped his hands, and lightly raised his eyes. “Send people to chase along the river and bring Zhou Tan back to me.”

The guards solemnly responded, “Yes.”

Song Shiyan turned his gaze back to her. His pupils were deep, his eyes slightly tilted upward, giving him an inherently cold look.

Qu You panted, seeing her reflection in his dark pupils.

“What’s the use of stealing the imperial seal?” Song Shiyan asked softly, reaching out to brush the hair at her temple. “Even if Zhou Tan got the imperial seal, would he really rebel? If he wanted to, he could naturally take the throne. But someone like him… would he do such a thing?”

He didn’t seem to care about her answer, continuing on his own. “All the Song descendants are in Bian Capital. If they wanted to rebel, where would they find someone to put their name forward?”

Qu You, clutching her nearly crushed wrist, sneered.

He would know soon enough.

“It seems you won’t tell me…” Song Shiyan frowned, caressing her face, and actually chuckled. “This is all your fault. Since you’ve fallen into my hands, I’ll treat you well.”

He stared at her stiffened expression, seemingly amused. “Guards, escort Lady Qu to the main prison of the Ministry of Justice. I’ll personally interrogate her… I’ve heard the Ministry of Justice has ‘thirty-two methods.’ They can make anyone talk. If I don’t get answers, I’ll leave it to them…”

“I’ll see if you’ll kneel or not.”

Qu You opened her eyes, feeling the icy chill of the dungeon creep up her spine.

Song Shiyan sent men to roughly drag her onto a carriage from the dock and brought her to the Ministry of Justice, a place she was once very familiar with. Now, the imperial prison housed the royal heirs, the Zanjing Pavilion had been abolished, and only the Ministry of Justice prisons remained spacious enough to accommodate a private interrogation room.

On the way, Qu You drifted in and out of consciousness, realizing she had truly fallen into Song Shiyan’s hands.

History had already been rewritten. She couldn’t decipher fate, nor could she see her murky future clearly. But she had managed to save the ministers who had been in Xuande Hall, protected the citizens of Bian Capital who might have perished at the hands of the Xi Shao soldiers, and delivered the imperial seal to Song Shixuan… Zhou Tan and Ye Liuchun had safely left. Everything was fine except for her.

The timeline had advanced somewhat, but it was still following the course of history.

Not long after, Song Shixuan, with the help of Ai Di Sheng, successfully persuaded the noble families and lords of Jiangnan to support him. Declaring himself emperor, he raised the banner of “restoring the nation’s foundation” and marched westward.

Song Shiyan borrowed troops from Xi Shao but couldn’t effectively control them. The Xi Shao army left devastation in every city they passed through, causing fewer people to willingly submit to Song Shiyan.

In the winter at the end of the Yongning era, Yan Fu led his troops to the walls of Bian Capital.

Song Shiyan, having lost the moral high ground and with no allies left, faced a dead end. Unwilling to fall into Song Shixuan’s hands, he committed suicide in front of the city walls.

His ascension to the throne had been irregular, and no official documents were left behind. In the annals of history, he received only the vague title of “Shang” (mournful), more often referred to as the “deposed crown prince,” disappearing amidst the smoke of war.

After ascending the throne, the first act of Emperor Ming was to confront Xi Shao and send General Zhuo Zhou to fight the historically famous Battle of Shaoguan.

The Da Yin Empire enjoyed peace and prosperity. A few years later, Su Chao Ci’s prestige grew higher and higher, respected by all. Thanks to his presence, factional disputes almost vanished during Emperor Ming’s reign, truly marking it as one of the greatest eras in the centuries-long history of the Da Yin Empire.

Qu You realized she finally understood how Zhou Tan felt back then.

Though she had known the outcome of history all along, even as a mere speck, she couldn’t stand idly by and worked tirelessly to save those unsung small figures.

Failing to escape and falling into Song Shiyan’s hands, she didn’t regret it. Instead, she felt a sense of relief.

If she had known she could save them and done nothing, she surely would have blamed herself just as Zhou Tan did—when Gu Xianghui fell from the building, her fluttering sash grazed his fingertips; after Yan Wuping died, his corpse was placed beneath a dilapidated deity statue, and Zhou Tan knelt beside it, nearly consumed by guilt and self-loathing.

Facing a similar dilemma, they instinctively made the same choice.

Only Zhou Tan failed to save Yan Wuping, while she succeeded in what she set out to do.

The citizens of Bian Capital didn’t lose their homes or lives to the Xi Shao invaders; the upright ministers didn’t die in Xuande Hall; Song Shixuan obtained the imperial seal without losing a single soldier… even Zhou Tan was safe and sound.

If it meant everything she cared about could remain safe, even falling into an abyss, she believed it was worth it.

This was how Zhou Tan felt about being a bridge.

The fate of a martyr.

But Zhou Tan met her, pulled up from the depths of the Black Water Abyss, struggling to rise again with newfound courage to move forward.

Who knows… if she would have such good luck.

Qu You was tied to the rack, catching sight of Song Shiyan walking toward her with a long whip in his hand. He lifted her chin with the tip of the whip. “Yoyo, that day at Fan Tower, you said you wanted to make a name in history, wanted all men to respect you… Were those lies?”

Her hair at the temples was damp with cold sweat, but at his words, she merely blinked weakly. “What does Your Highness think?”

“If you die here, no one will remember you.” Song Shiyan spoke gently. “You stayed behind to steal the imperial seal, but Zhou Tan and the others can’t even find a legitimate heir to oppose me. What’s the point of getting it?”

“Do you know? In my early years, I helped my father handle a few cases, assisting the Ministry of Justice with interrogations. For female prisoners, they would start with thumb screws, then strip them and beat them with court rods if that didn’t work. If that still failed, they would take a wooden board as long as an arm and strike the woman’s abdomen. After enough hits, you’ll never be able to bear children in your life.”

He spoke these words in the gentlest tone, and by the end, tears had unexpectedly fallen from his own eyes.

Qu You felt wave after wave of coldness wash over her body, involuntarily clenching her fingers tighter.

“There are even more cruel punishments I can’t bear to describe. But… Zhou Tan must have endured quite a few during his time in the imperial prison—I’ve seen it myself. They take thick, long nails and drive them into the gaps between bone and flesh. Can you guess how much it hurts?”

“Even now, on damp and rainy days, he must still remember the unbearable pain from back then, right?” Song Shiyan wiped away the tears from his cheeks and said with apparent pity, “I truly don’t want to do this to you. Just talk to me a little more.”

Qu You bit down hard on her lips, not wanting him to see her trembling.

Having studied criminal law, she was naturally familiar with the punishments women faced during the Yin Dynasty. She just never imagined that one day, what she read in books would be inflicted upon her own body.

Bitterly, she thought about how in her past life, even a small cut on her finger warranted a bandage and careful medication. Now, despite being terrified by these horrific punishments, she refused to utter a single word of plea.

As Song Shiyan said, running his hand along her nape, all he could feel were stubborn bones.

Inappropriately, she recalled Zhong Yi, who was imprisoned in Jin during the Zuo Zhuan era. Even in captivity, he still wore the southern crown and played southern tunes. Torture couldn’t break his spirit—this was the behavior of a true gentleman.

And behind her stood not only Zhou Tan but also the moral compass of a thousand years of civilization.

To defend what she wanted to protect, to uphold the righteousness she believed in.

It should be this way—why should she kneel?

Even if plunged into the coldest night, her heart carried its own bright moon.

Forever full, never lacking.

“Good, good…”

“Then let me grant you the thumb screws first, so you can taste the flavor. Guards—”

Cold bamboo clamps were placed on her fingers. The pain was sharp and piercing, even with the slightest pressure, as ten fingers were connected to the heart.

Qu You’s face turned as pale as gold paper, and cold sweat dripped profusely.

She bit through her lip, filling her mouth with the metallic tang of blood.

Song Shiyan flicked his robe and sat at the desk, resting his chin on his hand as he watched her. “What a pity. You deceived me so thoroughly that I released your family from Bian Capital. But no matter, since you’re so bold, I’ll send people to bring them back.”

Qu You’s heart trembled for a moment, but then she calmed down.

The Qu family should already be in Lin’an. With Song Shixuan there, they would soon raise their banners in rebellion. Lin’an would be the first city to escape Song Shiyan’s control—he wouldn’t be able to touch anyone there.

When she initially sent her family away, she had foreseen this. Once they entered Lin’an, even if Song Shiyan sent people to follow them, it would be impossible to bring them back.

Thinking of this, Qu You’s lips curved slightly upward.

But Song Shiyan continued with great enthusiasm, “Whom should I kill first in your household? I heard your mother is often ill—she might not withstand the shock… And your younger brother, who just passed the spring examination, what’s his name again…?”

She barely registered the rest of his words.

Born and raised in a civilized and orderly environment, she had never suffered any serious injuries apart from breaking a bone after falling off a motorcycle. She had certainly never experienced such meticulously designed torture meant to extract confessions.

And there was more—the kind that crushed dignity and shattered the spirit.

If only her body were weaker, she might not survive this ordeal. In her hazy state, Qu You thought that perhaps after death, she could return to her original world.

It was a pity to leave Zhou Tan behind here, unable to show him her world—a future where order prevailed, and the legal system was sound.

He would surely be captivated by it.

Song Shiyan heard her involuntary groan of pain and smirked. “Actually, what’s the point of your persistence? I admit Zhou Tan is a capable man. If he hadn’t been so determined to be a gentleman, he could have usurped the throne himself—even I couldn’t forget about you two during those years at the border.”

He stepped closer. A guard administering the punishment poured a basin of icy water over Qu You’s head. The water splashed, wetting Song Shiyan’s robes, but he didn’t seem to care.

“Now I sit within the grand palace of Bian Capital, with military strength, wealth, and the prestige of a decade as Crown Prince. So what if Zhou Tan stole the imperial seal? Can he return? Would he dare to come back? He missed the best opportunity to challenge me when my father was still alive. Now that Chu Lin is dead, it’s too late! No matter how much he despises me, he can only watch as I destroy everything he holds dear—whether it’s the ridiculous penal reform proposals he tirelessly submitted to my father or you. He can only watch as I crush you both with a flick of my finger, reigning supreme for generations, while he remains powerless!”

So Zhou Tan had previously submitted penal reform proposals to Emperor De.

However, at the time, he wasn’t trusted by Song Chang. Despite discovering numerous issues in the Ministry of Justice and the Department of Punishments, he couldn’t act freely.

Song Shiyan rose from the desk, supporting himself as he burst into laughter.

The torturous pressure on her fingers momentarily eased. Qu You lifted her head and looked at Song Shiyan’s face, distorted by laughter. Suddenly, she remembered Ye Liuchun’s words.

Song Shiyan’s current demeanor was indeed unusual.

He fluctuated wildly between emotions, crying and laughing, sometimes switching between completely opposite moods in an instant.

Given that he had been Crown Prince for many years, he shouldn’t have been so overtly emotional, especially with the guards still present.

Yet, Song Shiyan’s deranged behavior didn’t seem to bother him in the slightest?

After only a short while, Song Shiyan stopped laughing and turned as if he had completely forgotten his earlier emotions. With a sinister tone, he asked, “Lady Qu, what are you thinking about?”

His manner of address and speech now seemed disjointed, utterly different from when she first met the Crown Prince.

The bamboo clamps suddenly tightened again, this time with much greater force. Qu You furrowed her brows in pain, letting out a cry.

She was somewhat afraid of pain, and tears unconsciously streamed down her face. Her thoughts became completely chaotic. Song Shiyan watched her lowered head with interest. After a long while, he heard her struggling laugh amidst pained groans.

Song Shiyan suddenly felt insulted by her laughter at a time like this. “What are you laughing at?”

Her voice, broken and choked by pain, reached him clearly, word by word.

“Hahahaha, I’m laughing at you… You’re nothing but an ant of this era, lowly as an insect, yet you think so highly of yourself, imagining you possess boundless power… Eternal reign? Dream on! Dream on!”

“A mantis trying to stop a chariot, blinded by a single leaf… Disregarding life, you will be the first to discard it; disregarding the people, losing their support, what use are countless troops and supplies? In the end… you will surely die under the crushing wheels of history, your blood spilled everywhere! I… I’ll wait to see your downfall.”

“Madam, wake up…”

Someone shook her shoulders. She opened her eyes dazedly, and a faintly metallic taste of blood surged up her throat.

The person supported her back and carefully wiped away the blood dripping from her chin with a handkerchief.

Qu You raised her eyes and saw a familiar face.

She was helped to lean against the wall, gaining some strength. “He… He San, the guard.”

He San immediately knelt and kowtowed deeply to her. “Madam.”

“Cough…”

Qu You tried to speak, but a wave of dull pain struck her chest. Seeing this, He San skillfully tapped her back, causing her to cough again. Blackened blood trickled from the corner of her lips.

He San quickly said, “Madam, please endure for a while. I secretly went to ask a few sisters in the prison earlier. When night falls, they’ll come to dress your wounds.”

“Are… Are you all alright?” Qu You finally managed to speak, clutching her chest painfully. “Did the Crown Prince trouble you?”

“When Master Zhou was in the Ministry of Justice, he wasn’t particularly close to us. The one transferred later perished in Xuande Hall a few days ago. The Ministry of Justice has always stayed out of factional disputes, so no one was implicated. Now, I temporarily oversee matters on behalf of the others,” He San explained softly. “Today, when I heard His Majesty brought you here, I prepared medicine in advance and came to visit tonight.”

Qu You nodded weakly. “Thank you.”

“Madam, there’s no need to thank me. Back when Lord Zhou was here, he treated us…” He San paused, guilt washing over his face. “He treated us with immense kindness. When my mother was gravely ill, Young Master Zhou frequently arranged favors and rewards for me. Compassionate and merciful, I misunderstood him… It wasn’t until he left the capital that we realized the ‘Snow Mr. Bai’ in the inner chambers was none other than him.”

She reflected for a moment before recalling the private seal she pressed on the screen before leaving.

It seemed they had already figured it out.

Qu You smiled faintly. “He… These past few years, he’s been well. When he enters Bian Capital, remember to go see him. He’ll be delighted to meet old acquaintances.”

Though He San didn’t fully understand, he deeply bowed his head and replied, “Yes… His Majesty ordered the Ministry of Justice personnel to interrogate you. I’ve already informed them not to use harsh torture on you. However, sometimes, for appearances, you may suffer some superficial wounds. Madam, please endure for now. At night, I’ll send someone to tend to your injuries.”

Qu You closed her eyes and nodded, slowly saying, “If it puts him on alert, don’t take risks…”

He San hastily reassured her, “Madam, please take care of yourself. There’s little I can do for Master Zhou, but I absolutely won’t let you perish in the Ministry of Justice.”

With that, he hurriedly left. Not long after, several female jailers responsible for female prisoners came to apply medicine to her.

Their respectful tone suggested they were among the pitiable souls once comforted by the “Snow Mr. Bai” behind that screen.

Though the Ministry of Justice had seen several changes in ministers and secretaries, below Liang An, the personnel remained largely unchanged. Even without He San’s reminders, most had benefited from Zhou Tan’s kindness and tacitly conspired to secretly care for her.

They even took her request to collectively look after the group of civil ministers detained here.

Thus, the cruel punishments Song Shiyan spoke of were avoided. Whenever they learned he was coming, they would deliberately inflict visible, bloody wounds to maintain appearances.

However, Song Shiyan seemed incredibly busy afterward, personally visiting only twice.

He San vaguely mentioned that rebels had risen in Lin’an, and the Emperor was preoccupied dealing with them, leaving no time to attend to those in the Ministry of Justice prison.

It seemed Song Shixuan and the others had publicly revealed Emperor Xuan’s edict. Song Shiyan now understood the significance of the imperial seal she had stolen that day, no longer needing to force answers from her.

Qu You bit her lip, pleasantly thinking, no wonder he was so angry during his last visit.

Though she hadn’t been tortured further, the damp and dark conditions of the prison weren’t conducive to healing, and she remained extremely weak.

Thus, she began to sleep extensively during the day, doing her best to preserve her strength.

In that cell where only a sliver of sunlight could be seen each day, she had a long, long dream.