Her guards

Chapter 138 wasn't a question.
Ji Ying paced back and forth indoors.

He listened intently; all around him was quiet.

But he knew that at this very moment he was in the most bustling East Market of the capital.

His home is only two streets away.

As the New Year approaches, the streets are even more crowded, and there are more officials and soldiers patrolling.

But he didn't shout or run away...

Since falling into the hands of this group and failing countless times in his attempts to escape, Ji Ying knew he couldn't get away.

The sealed, dark room was suddenly pushed open, and a man with a hideous scar on his face walked in carrying a water glass.

"Isn't Lord Ji reading anymore?" He frowned as he saw Ji Ying standing there, his gaze fixed on the books on the table beside him. "Have you finished this one? I'll get you another one. What would you like to read, Lord Ji?"

These thieves started giving him books from the very first day they captured him.

After he finished reading it, they promptly replaced it for him and gave him a pen, ink, paper, and inkstone.

"If Lord Ji is feeling down, he can write poems and essays."

Ji Ying found it amusing that thieves would actually try to make prisoners read books and write essays. He had no interest in reading at first and was even mocked by these people.

"This old man isn't good at studying."

"I'm easily agitated and can't concentrate on my studies when something happens."

"Unlike our young master, who was imprisoned for half a year and read books that were stacked up to be taller than himself."

What a strange young master! Ji Ying thought to himself, is he a thief pretending to be a scholar?

However, these people rarely mentioned their young master. When they did mention him, it was usually to praise how well he studied.

How good is it? Ji Ying scoffed, ignoring the newcomer.

Imprisoning him and then trying to discipline him is laughable.

The scarred man didn't mind his attitude and handed him the water glass: "I have something to ask you. Take the antidote."

Ji Ying sneered again. The reason these people brought him into the bustling streets of the capital without any restraint was that, in addition to binding his hands and feet along the way, they also gave him a drug to make him mute.

Make sure he can't run or shout.

Questioning.

They're still asking the same old questions.

Who sent him back to the capital? Was there any token of his consent? What shady dealings did they have before?

He didn't answer a single word.

Ji Ying neither accepted the water cup nor looked at it.

No need, it's not necessary. He won't answer even if he drinks the antidote, so it's better not to drink it.

"Pour it down his throat."

There was a sound coming from outside.

It's a female voice.

A soft, youthful female voice.

Among these people were men and women, old and young, which didn't surprise Ji Ying. As soon as he finished speaking, the scarred man holding the water cup stepped forward, grabbed his neck with one hand, and poured the water from the cup into his throat with the other.

Caught off guard, Ji Ying coughed violently, but the medicine still went down his throat smoothly. He choked until tears came to his eyes, and through his blurred vision, he saw a woman walk in.

"Before you went to White Horse Town, did anyone give you any instructions?"

The woman's voice rang out again.

Ji Ying bent over, pressing his chest to catch his breath. When he looked up again, he saw the person sitting at the table.

This was a young girl, dressed simply yet in fine clothes. Ji Ying could tell at a glance that this was the typical attire of a maid in a wealthy household in the capital.

He caught his breath, gave a mocking laugh, and did not answer.

Why did you suddenly return to Beijing? Who sent you this message?

The woman's voice asked again.

Ji Ying brushed the water off his clothes, ignored the question, and sat down to pick up a book.

“Girl, he’s always been like this, he won’t say anything no matter what you ask,” the scarred man said.

"Was torture used?" a female voice asked.

Ji Ying paused slightly.

Scarface paused, then said, "No."

"Then let's use torture," the woman said softly.

Ji Ying froze, lifting his gaze from the book to look at the person opposite him.

……

.......
Hong Lin squatted on the ground, pressed down on a floor tile, and gently pulled it. A hidden door leading underground opened a crack, and a pitiful scream instantly rang out. Hong Lin released his grip, the hidden door closed, and the scream disappeared.

"Why is Lao Hei so rough? He made people scream like that." Hong Lin muttered, "Haven't used torture in a long time, he's probably rusty."

Sitting at the table, Mo Zheng said, "Uncle Hei will definitely be fine, Uncle Hong, don't worry."

He wasn't worried; he was just a little surprised that this Miss Yang was quite ruthless, resorting to torture the moment she met someone.

Since capturing Ji Ying, they haven't touched a single hair on his head; at most, they've bound his hands and feet and forced him to take medicine.

At this moment, Ji Ying must be thinking that this is the real thief they've encountered; before, they were indeed kind and honest mountain people.

“We didn’t need to take action earlier, since he had nothing to do with us,” Mo Zheng said. “Miss Yang, it was necessary and you were qualified to take action.”

Hong Lin nodded. It was Ji Ying who was in charge of investigating the deaths of Miss Yang's mother and fellow villagers in Baima Town, and even used a death row inmate to impersonate a bandit to close the case.

The victims of the White Horse Town died with their eyes wide open in disgrace; it would not be an exaggeration for the living to skin them alive and tear them apart.

As Hong Lin pondered, he saw Mo Zheng frown and think for a moment, then relax and pick up his brush to write. He asked curiously, "What are you writing, young master?"

After arriving at the general store and instructing Yang Luo to meet Ji Ying, she sat down and began to write.

"Just now, Chai Wan'er asked me two questions at Dengyun Tower," Mo Zheng said, tapping her head with her pen. "Although I didn't answer them for her in public, I had nothing better to do, so I wrote them down."

He said this with a smile.

"Show it to my teacher after you've finished writing it."

Hong Lin nodded with satisfaction: "Good, good." He then examined the inkstone and inkstone beside him and loudly ordered, "Bring some more good ink for Miss to choose from."

The shop assistants outside responded in unison, and the grocery store was bustling with activity.

……

……

Ji Ying fainted, and the dark room fell silent.

Yang Luo watched as the blood spread from the ground to her feet, then looked up at Ji Ying.

At this moment, Ji Ying was no longer the dignified figure he had been before. His hair was disheveled, his face was pale, and his sleeves had been torn off, revealing cuts on his bare arms from which blood was still seeping out...

The last time I saw so much blood was when my own throat was pierced.

In both her past and present lives, she never saw the horrific scene in White Horse Town, nor her mother's corpse.

Although she died a tragic death, she never witnessed a bloody scene.

She had just watched as the knife slowly sliced ​​through Ji Ying's arm. At first, she felt nauseous, but when she heard Ji Ying's screams, her eardrums felt like they were about to tear.

But she neither vomited nor fainted, and her gaze remained fixed.
In that lifetime, others watched her die, and they certainly didn't feel anything.

This time, it's her turn to watch others die; she can't let herself faint from fright first.

That's ridiculous.

She, Yang Luo, has already been laughable in one lifetime; she cannot be laughable in a second.

“Uncle Black,” she said, “splash him to wake him up.”

The scarred-faced man nodded and said, "No need to splash it." He then squatted down and gently pressed the slender blade in his hand against Ji Ying's head...

Ji Ying's body convulsed violently, and the next moment he let out a wail and opened his eyes.

He was breathing heavily, looking down at the girl sitting next to him, following the trail of his own blood.

He coughed and spat out a mouthful of blood.

“I am an official appointed by the imperial court, and I am here on a mission to inspect the area. No one is directing me…” he murmured.

Uncle Hei shook his head: "This guy is really stubborn."

Yang Luo stood up and walked over, stepping on the blood.

"Lord Ji, I actually know who wrote you the letter asking you to return to the capital."

"I also know whose favor you received to become an official of the imperial court."

Ji Ying let out a weak laugh: "Knowing that, why are you still asking me..."

These words won't fool him. As long as he doesn't talk, their knowledge is just a frame-up. Otherwise, why would she torture him to extract a confession?

He was used to these kinds of tricks in officialdom...

"I didn't come here to ask you any questions."

Yang Luo stopped in front of him.

"I just want to hit you."

"You died young last time, so I didn't have a chance."

Is she just going to hit him? Also, is she confused or is she confused because of her pain? Ji Ying felt he didn't quite understand. What do you mean, "last time"?
The thought flashed through his mind, and then he saw the girl lift her foot and stomp on the cut on his arm.

Ji Ying's face turned pale instantly, his body trembled, and he let out a hoarse scream.

(End of this chapter)