The Sovereign – Chapter 91

Volume Five: Remembering a Lifetime in the Sound of a Breaking Heart

Severe Punishment Awaits

One lash of the whip, the skin splits and flesh tears open

The dungeon of the Bureau of Execution exuded a dark sinking qi, with darkness filled with sunless despair. Occasionally rats scurried past, cockroaches would spring out, and besides the nauseating smell of mold, there was a putrid stench mixed with the scent of blood. Liu Qianxun recalled her childhood when she and her mother were driven to a filthy firewood storage room by the First Consort, where drafts came from all sides, and winters were cold to the bone.

For warmth, she once stole straw from the stables, as mother and daughter relied solely on each other for survival. Many times at the brink of death, she found life in desperate situations, keeping both Liu Zhu and herself alive. Since entering Changning Manor, she became a noble person, with Ling Yu treating her as an honored guest, sending imperial doctors to treat Liu Zhu’s body, changing their fate.

Now, she was once again abandoned and scorned. Before it was by her birth father, now by the person she loved – Liu Qianxun’s life was truly laughable to the extreme. Clearly unworthy of love, yet still luxuriously hoping to stay with her beloved – it was simply her own greed that led to today’s situation.

If not for her obsession with Qin Junlan, if not for failing to guard her heart against falling in love with her, how could things have come to this? How could it have implicated Qin Junlan in poisoning, how could it have made a thousand-year female emperor so weak?

Liu Qianxun was imprisoned in the severe criminals’ area, in a cage made of dark iron, impenetrable, and Mujin was also imprisoned afterward. Past happiness was like a fleeting bloom, dissipating like smoke after its brevity.

Liu Qianxun sat on the ground, leaning against the cold wall, everything happened unexpectedly, as if toyed with by fate. She had anticipated such an ending, but never thought it would implicate so many people in suffering. Yi Ziquan was dead – that foolish man who became silly at first sight of her; the young princess was dead – that pure and precious lovely girl, only sixteen when she met her demise; Ye Ming’s whereabouts unknown – a cold-faced swordsman who had followed her through life and death for many years, only to meet such an end.

She had never felt such sorrow for others’ deaths before. Hadn’t she killed enough people over the years? But somehow, she had grown soft-hearted. The once aloof and cold Tower Master was now just a woman scorned by thousands.

The Bureau of Execution prison was so cold… so dark… so quiet… even the raging storm outside couldn’t be heard. Liu Qianxun curled up her body, arms wrapped around herself, alone again – she should be alone, she should always be alone.

“Yan’er…” Liu Qianxun thought of Qin Junlan’s shocking blood-spitting, and her heart tied itself in knots. She didn’t resist, couldn’t resist – if she fought back, what if she hurt her loved ones? The palace was her home; she couldn’t act recklessly there, even if it meant waiting in this imperial prison for news of Qin Junlan, she wouldn’t leave.

“Sister~Sister~” Mujin’s voice came from next door, Liu Qianxun slightly raised her head, “I’ve implicated you, Mujin.”

“Our fates were tied together long ago, what implication? Though I fear Suyuan Tower has met with disaster.”

“Didn’t the Sect Leader issue a retreat order? Were there still people who met with misfortune?” Liu Qianxun’s expression slightly changed.

Mujin sighed softly, “Actually, the Sect Leader’s retreat order was only about abandoning Suyuan Tower’s stronghold, the people didn’t leave. The Sect Leader had given each of us one command.”

“What?”

“Only when the Tower Master escapes safely can others retreat. If anything happens to the Tower Master, everyone must exchange their lives for your safety.”

Liu Qianxun stood up dazedly, her pupils focusing vaguely. After a long while, she finally sighed softly, “Why did she have to do this?”

“In the Sect Leader’s eyes, no one’s life is more important than yours, so sister, could it be that you misunderstand the Sect Leader? The Empress may be good, but how the Sect Leader has treated you and Aunt Liu all these years – you should know better than anyone.” Mujin tried to persuade Liu Qianxun to reconsider, after all, betraying Ling Yu might be a point of no return.

“I know what to do, you need not say more.” The Tower Master’s face was expressionless. Though hearing these things was unexpected, everything seemed to have come too late.

“Yes, then… I’ll stop bothering you…” Mujin pouted, sighing softly. For her, she would live if Liu Qianxun lived, die if Liu Qianxun died – her mission was the same as Ye Ming’s: to stay by her side no matter what happened.

The most torturous thing was waiting. Locked in the Bureau of Execution, unable to distinguish day from night. Liu Qianxun neither slept nor ate, just sat alone on the ground for a very long time, so long she seemed to have turned to stone. All her thoughts were occupied by beautiful memories of the past.

Suddenly, sounds broke the silence of the iron cell. The cell door opened, and behind the head jailer were two prison guards. “Liu Qianxun, come out~”

“What are you doing?” Mujin sensed something was wrong, but the guards merely glanced at her, ignoring her completely.

Liu Qianxun was taken from the prison to an interrogation room, filled with various torture instruments, emanating a horrifying atmosphere amidst the gloom. Yi Qinghuan sat formally at the front, and though looking unwell, maintained a stern face that grew even darker upon seeing Liu Qianxun.

“To think the Empress Dowager would grace us with her presence.” Liu Qianxun’s calm eyes showed no ripples, unsurprised to see Yi Qinghuan.

“Hmph, with you, I dare not be careless.” Yi Qinghuan scrutinized her again – a face that brings disaster, even with beauty that could topple nations, she was still a harmful fox spirit.

“The Empress Dowager flatters me!” Liu Qianxun remained proud.

“I always felt your background was suspicious. You bewitched Qingyu into accepting you as an adopted daughter, then seduced the Emperor, and now you’ve caused the deaths of Ziquan and Xi’er, and made the Emperor fall ill with poison – your sins are beyond counting!” Yi Qinghuan’s long-suppressed emotions finally erupted, releasing all her grief and prejudice.

Liu Qianxun raised an eyebrow and smiled lightly, looking around at the various torture instruments arranged neatly, seemingly prepared for her, yet showing no fear. She smiled and said, “Then congratulations to the Empress Dowager for finally having an excuse to eliminate me.”

“So you know you deserve death?” Yi Qinghuan’s imposing aura expanded, colder than the gloomy prison itself.

But Liu Qianxun was no ordinary person – she had never known fear or trepidation. If there was anything in this world that was her soft rib (weakness) or that she feared, perhaps it was losing Qin Junlan.

Liu Qianxun looked at Yi Qinghuan, deliberately narrowing her eyes with eyebrows slightly raised, successfully causing Yi Qinghuan’s discomfort, making her avoid eye contact and grow uneasy. People had said this expression of hers most resembled Liu Zhu’s. She deliberately provoked Yi Qinghuan this way, refusing to be intimidated by her show of authority.

“Just because I bear some resemblance to Liu Zhu, it makes you so resistant, or is it…” Liu Qianxun glanced at her, pausing briefly, “that the Empress Dowager has a guilty conscience and is afraid?”

“Insolent!” Yi Qinghuan, struck at her soft rib by Liu Qianxun, was shocked that Liu Qianxun knew about Liu Zhu. She raised her hand in fury, but Liu Qianxun grabbed it, frightening the nearby guards who quickly drew their swords. “How dare you offend the Empress Dowager!”

“Princess, calm down. How dare you touch the Empress Dowager?” Qiushui also grew tense, having witnessed Liu Qianxun when she killed Hei and Bai.

Liu Qianxun’s cold eyes frosted over, her gaze sharp as a sword that could place people at death’s door. She glared at Yi Qinghuan, gradually releasing her grip, her expression softening slightly, “I won’t hurt you, because you’re her birth mother.”

If not for this relationship, Liu Qianxun would have long ago avenged Yi Qinghuan’s plot against Liu Zhu. Now she had no desire to harm Yi Qinghuan; if not for her aggressive pressure, she wouldn’t have confronted her.

Yi Qinghuan was furious beyond measure. Her wrist, where she had been grabbed, showed a slight flush and lingering pain. She shook her arm and said to the jailer, “Liu Qianxun is suspected of plotting against the Emperor and assassinating the Princess. Give her a proper interrogation!”

“Yes, Empress Dowager!”

Two guards seized Liu Qianxun and bound her to a wooden cross, her hands chained, rendering her immobile. She clenched her fists without resistance, silently enduring everything, knowing that if Qin Junlan awakened, she would surely investigate this torture. She wasn’t merely waiting for death, but was certain that Ghost Eye would find a way to expose Yi Qinghuan’s actions of “covering the sky with one hand” (meaning behaving like a dictator).

In her heart, she still faintly hoped that when she awakened and learned of her torture, there might still be a trace of pity. How laughable – she had become so humble. No matter how strong and cold she appeared to others, such strange thoughts would surge in her heart.

The jailer, holding a long whip, glanced furtively at the Empress Dowager and asked Liu Qianxun, “Did you cause Ye Ming to assassinate the young Princess?”

Liu Qianxun remained silent, not even looking at him, maintaining an expression of complete indifference, showing no fear.

Seeing no response, the jailer asked again, but she remained silent. In front of the Empress Dowager, he had no choice but to swing the whip. Liu Qianxun suppressed a groan, feeling a burning pain in her shoulder. Where the whip landed, her white thin garment was stained blood-red, as brilliant as blooming peonies.

“I ask you again, did you poison the Emperor?” The jailer continued questioning. Liu Qianxun merely furrowed her brows while maintaining silence. The jailer had to whip again, this time striking her abdomen. She bit her inner teeth tightly, fists clenched, without a single cry of pain.

Skin split and flesh exposed, blood staining white clothes, the long whip like a sharp blade, cutting deep wounds in her clothing.

“Keep beating her until she confesses!” Yi Qinghuan glared at her. The jailer dared not slack, swinging the whip again and again, landing on her legs, shoulders, and waist, leaving every struck area a bloody mess.

From beginning to end, Liu Qianxun never uttered a cry, her muffled sounds of pain too quiet even for herself to hear. Only her lips turned pale, cold sweat beaded on her forehead, her whole body soaked with both blood and cold sweat from the pain. Her fingers dug so deeply into her palms that they drew blood.

After more than ten lashes, not a single part of Liu Qianxun’s body remained unscathed, crisscrossing whip marks transformed into bloody imprints, blooming like flowers on her body. Most people could only endure a few lashes before howling in pain, but Liu Qianxun, a woman, had endured more than ten lashes without any reaction. The jailer had never seen such an unyielding person, especially a woman.

His arm had grown sore, yet Liu Qianxun never begged for mercy. He had to take turns with the prison guards, as they dared not slack with the Empress Dowager present. Yi Qinghuan ultimately couldn’t bear to watch the bloody scene and left. After her departure, they quickly threw down their whips and released Liu Qianxun from the frame, apologizing, “Princess, we were only following orders. Please be magnanimous and don’t report this to the Emperor!”

They all knew Liu Qianxun not only possessed great martial arts skills but was also deeply favored. Despite recent events and the Empress Dowager’s insistence on torture, they remained apprehensive. They felt reluctant to harm her and sensed her powerful presence, as if striking her would bring retribution upon themselves.

Liu Qianxun was in too much pain to speak, even breathing carefully, her body’s pain leaving her no strength to respond. Each breath pulled at her wounds, and if not for her internal energy protecting her body, she might have been beaten to death in the Bureau of Execution today.

Fine rain fell like silk outside the Bureau of Execution, where a figure waited in the corner for news. A guard secretly ran over after the Empress Dowager left, reporting, “The Empress Dowager just had the Princess whipped, and likely won’t let this end. The head jailer fears the Emperor’s investigation and dares not use severe torture. You must think of something quickly.”

“Thank you, treat your brothers to some wine.” Chen Qing secretly slipped a silver ingot into his hand before hurrying away.

With the Empress fallen, no one could protect the Tower Master. The Empress Dowager’s absolute power meant no one could oppose her. Forceful entry would be useless if the Tower Master refused to leave, and clever strategies would be futile if the Empress didn’t wake. Chen Qing walked while thinking, rapidly forming strategies, quickly reaching her residence. Taking advantage of the solitude, she whistled.

A long xiao’s low cry sounded in the air, and an eagle landed at her window, its eyes blazing yet full of spirit. Named Shan Dian (meaning lightning), it had been injured as a young bird and saved by Chen Qing, then trained to deliver messages for her. She stroked its sharp beak, placing a message in a thin bamboo tube and putting it in its mouth.

Shan Dian flew extremely fast, specially trained to deliver messages between Chen Qing and Ling Yu. Now with the urgent situation, she had to inform Ling Yu.

“Shan Dian, this is your last mission for me. Take this message to the Sect Leader – she’ll be your owner from now on. Don’t come back looking for me.” Chen Qing reluctantly stroked its feathers, rubbing her face against it. “When you return, I might be gone. Don’t be sad. Remember, your future master is Ling Yu, the Crown Princess of Yu Kingdom.”

Shan Dian understood her words, its sharp eyes showing a trace of sorrow. It swayed its body, turning twice. Chen Qing nodded and waved, “Go quickly.”

Shan Dian stepped back twice, gazed deeply at Chen Qing, then spread its wings and soared into the sky. Chen Qing watched Shan Dian disappear, a contented smile appearing at her lips. “Sect Leader, I promised you I would protect her completely, and I will certainly do so.”

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