Royal Palace, Yongxiang.
Liu Ruoye, who was covered in bruises and bruises, fell on the hay, feeling despair in his heart.
Now, on her body, there is no trace of the natural beauty and skin that she once had.
Almost every inch of skin was covered with wounds from repeated torture. They accumulated and blood and pus seeped alternately into the hay beneath him.
Since this kind of grass is rarely replaced, the entire haystack now emits a foul smell.
There were also countless mosquitoes and flies, busily darting in and out. Lice jumped openly between her ragged clothes, greedily sucking the remaining life out of her. And Liu Ruoye had nothing to do except watch helplessly... It was even very difficult for her to even watch.
From the first day, after being tortured, she was so weak that she couldn't even get rid of a fly that took advantage of the situation, let alone the many insects that looked at her as food
It really looks like... It really looks like it's already a corpse...
Liu Ruoye sighed silently, trying to open his swollen eyes and look at the dark top of his head.
Originally, after Zheng Cuiye's death, she was detained and tortured by the Wang family in Lu Guogong's Mansion. However, after the Wang family suspected that the Liu family had rebelled, Liu Rong, who learned the news, immediately rushed to the palace gate to take Liu Ruoye to prison. .
Of course Wei Changying, Mrs. Zhou and others disagreed.
Finally, after negotiation, Queen Qiu came forward to smooth things over and imprisoned Liu Ruoye in Yongxiang.
Judging from Liu Rong, Queen Qiu was the original wife of Wen Yaozi. Even though she is now older and less beautiful, and her love is not as good as before, the couple are both prosperous and devastated. They must be towards Wen Yaozi;
Judging from Wei Changying, Queen Qiu is now obedient to Qiu Baoniang. It is estimated that she and Liu Rong had been confronting each other for a long time before Queen Qiu was "alarmed" and sent people to the palace gate to make peace and take Liu Ruoye to Yongxiang. It's probably Qiu Baoniang's idea! She was happy to fulfill Qiu Baoniang.
From Mrs. Zhou's point of view, how could Queen Qiu be as smart as Liu Rong? How can Yongxiang's security be as strict as the imperial edict? Anyway, Liu Ruoye couldn't be handed over to the Liu family, let alone the Wang family, so it was better to choose a good place to start.
So Liu Ruoye was sent to this palace that was not unfamiliar to her, but to an absolutely unfamiliar corner - Yongxiang.
I remember when I was sent in, the cramped palace wall seemed like it would never end. It didn't look like it was just leading to a female prison, but rather it was leading to a hell.
... If Liu Ruoye felt miserable when he was in Wang's hands, after entering Yongxiang for a few days, Liu Ruoye completely understood what "can't survive, can't die".
The young general who seemed to have heard of Yaozi's adopted son, although he was unable to imprison her in the imperial prison in his own hands as he wished, he still passed on his instructions: "She was asked to confess under the influence of several noble families. He was the one who murdered Miss Zheng on Liujiazhuangzi!"
The nobles seized on Wang's slip of the tongue and refused to let go. Liu Rong, as the commander who was ordered by Wen Yaozi to stay in the imperial capital and stabilize the rear, naturally had to find a way to fight back.
As long as Liu Ruoye did what he said and said Zheng Cuiye's death was intentional because of other nobles' jealousy of Liu Ruowo being granted the title of Duke of Jing, then not only the Wang family's slip-up could be covered up lightly, but also the nobles' You can also be provoked...
If Liu Ruoye was just an ordinary lady, she would probably agree.
The pain of enduring torture is one thing. At first glance, this rhetoric also makes the Liu family clear.
But Liu Ruoye sees further than ordinary ladies, so she knows that she absolutely...can't say that.
Although Wang's words were based on suspicion of rebellion by the Liu family, they could put the entire gentry in danger!
If Liu Ruoye confesses as Liu Rong wants, the Liu family will be cleansed, but what about other families? When did the overt and covert fighting within a family stop, let alone between families
But when it comes to the interests of the entire gentry class, it is a tacit understanding to immediately put aside all prejudices and join forces.
Without this tacit understanding, how could the gentry exist today
Liu Ruoye wanted to follow Liu Rong's words. With the current power of the gentry and the shallow foundation of the new dynasty, it was unlikely that Wen Yaozi would attack the entire gentry now - unless he didn't want Dayong, at most When he instigated infighting among noble clans, he acted as a mediator to take advantage. In this way, the nobles would not think that she was ordered by Liu Rong, but that she was ordered by the Liu family.
For the sake of the Liu family, push other families out to be scapegoats!
How can Donghu Liu family explain to other families like this
Then we can only blame Liu Ruowo!
How could Liu Ruoye let his biological brother end up like that? So she fell into coma and woke up again and again, but refused to confess as Liu Rong ordered!
This night... maybe it's daytime outside? The cell she was assigned to in Yongxiang was built underground, so she couldn't tell the difference between day and night.
Liu Ruoye lay down on the hay, thinking about death in a daze - but whether Zheng Cuiye's accident happened in the Liu family's village or in Liu Ruowo's house, if she died, how would Liu Ruowo clean himself up?
At this moment, a slight sound of footsteps attracted her attention.
Are you going to be interrogated again
Liu Ruoye's body couldn't help but tremble when thinking of the endless torture methods used by those powerful and powerful palace servants!
"Miss Eleven." As expected, the visitor stopped outside the cell door and called softly.
Ruoye Liu heard the thunder and didn't know where she got the strength. She climbed up, struggled to the cell door, grabbed the fence, and said in a voiceless voice: "What are you calling me?!" At this moment, she did not expect that she had been exposed. After being the eleventh young lady of the Liu family, others would look at her with shame, but - Ruowo - how would he explain to the clan? !
Outside the fence was an unfamiliar palace maid. She was as thick and vulgar as the other palace maids here, but the indifferent look in her small eyes made her look different from ordinary palace maids. Looking at her gaze, Liu Ruoye suddenly thought of something and blurted out: "Are you... from the noble clan?"
"Master Twenty-Third, let me bring you something." The palace maid did not answer her directly, but it was equivalent to admitting it.
Hope suddenly rose in Liu Ruoye's heart, and she tried hard to suppress her ecstasy: "Say it!"
On the upper floor of the cell where Liu Ruoye is held, at the entrance of Yongxiang Women's Prison, is a room used for the palace guards who guard the female prisoners here to rest or change shifts. Now it has been cleaned spotlessly, with more than a dozen lights. The oil lamp illuminates as brightly as day.
Several palace servants who looked fiercely in front of the female prisoner were flattering a palace maid in gray with apologetic smiles on their faces: "Auntie, what is your identity? In this dirty place, how dare I ask my aunt to come in person? If you have any orders, just send someone. Come and tell me, the slaves will definitely handle it for you!"
This would have been a few months ago, and maybe they wouldn't be so attentive.
But since Concubine Shan had lost a male fetus, she didn't dare to say anything. All the concubines in the Sixth Palace were extremely well-behaved, and the palace servants didn't dare to be humble.
"I came here on the order of the empress." They were sensible, and Qiu Bao-niang was also kind-hearted.
She had indeed fallen badly from the steps before, but the letter that the Liu family forced Liu Ruowo to write had already been brought to Yongxiang. More than half a month had passed since Zheng Cuiye died. After careful nursing care by the imperial doctor, she She can move as usual now - besides, tonight is the most painful night in Liu Ruoye's life. Even if she has to crawl, she will crawl over to watch.
At this moment, she imagined Liu Ruoye's pain and fear in the prison at her feet. She acted like the most shameless aunt in front of the queen, and said with a smile in the eyes of the palace people, "That Liu family who was imprisoned more than half a month ago. , how are these days?"
"According to General Liu's instructions, the slaves are interrogating her every day! Even if General Liu said to keep her alive, the slaves would not dare to kill her." A palace servant said hurriedly.
"Then has she done it?" Qiu Baoniang asked with raised eyebrows.
"This..." Everyone in the palace showed a hint of nervousness - could it be that the Queen was impatient because she had been unable to get the confession General Liu wanted, so she sent this hateful aunt to urge her
Qiu Baoniang pondered: "Her bones are so hard?"
"The slaves are incompetent!" Hearing the dissatisfaction in her words, the palace people quickly apologized and secretly prayed that Queen Qiu would be merciful and not embarrass them.
"In that case." Qiu Baoniang was silent for a moment, and when everyone in the palace was already filled with anxiety, she said calmly, "She is even more suspicious - do ordinary people have such hard bones?"
"My aunt is wise..." The palace people quickly wanted to flatter her, but they were interrupted by Qiu Baoniang: "No matter how hard your bones are, there are no flaws. Hasn't she shown any flaws these days?"
The palace people hesitated and said: "She... didn't say anything."
This is the best way not to confess, that is, not to say a word.
After all, it is always difficult for people to think things through when they are extremely tired and seriously injured. Even if they are deliberately talking nonsense, in the eyes of experts in torture, they can still find clues.
For someone like Liu Ruoye, whose identity is a big secret, she simply doesn't say a word. The interrogator who doesn't know her identity will easily think elsewhere.
Qiu Baoniang is very satisfied with Liu Ruoye's perseverance: "If she really tells her identity, and she tells me, I will be alive. Don't mention it to others, Queen Qiu and Sun Mo, no matter how stupid they are, they will think of me."
"Well, since I'm here, let's go down..." Qiu Baoniang was only halfway through her words when she suddenly heard a faint scream, which seemed to come from the ground!
"If I estimate the time, the palace official who received the hint when I came in just now should have told her the same thing and showed her Liu Ruowo's token... Tsk! This shout actually penetrated the ground, she Is the mood at this moment similar to that of my mother when she was dying?" Qiu Baoniang knew what was going on, but she asked: "What's going on?"
The palace people were sweating profusely, and one of the palace people hurriedly said: "Auntie, don't be surprised. I think it is some blind female prisoner who received a few whips during the day and is going crazy now! I will go down and have a look!"
"There's no need to rush down now." Qiu Baoniang said nonchalantly, "Since it's not a big deal, let her shout. It won't be too late to teach her a lesson after she finishes shouting - I won't be able to stay here long, I have to go back to serve you soon." , How can I get in front of the queen if I don’t take a shower and change my clothes when I’m in a place like yours?”
She dusted her clothes in disgust - even though she told her face to face that she was unclean, no one in the surrounding palace showed anger, and they all laughed and apologized.
"You continue to talk about the Liu family's situation. His Majesty is unable to escape now, and so are General Zheng and the others. This matter must now be resolved by the empress... Even if you can't see the seriousness of the matter, you should listen to the rumors these days. That's enough." Qiu Baoniang said calmly, "Anyway, Mrs. Liu must be allowed to speak!" (To be continued)