◎So he, too, could feel pain and fear in this life◎

Luo Wanqing said nothing. The person before her was like a brilliantly colored venomous snake. She had never known Jiang Shaoyan could have such a side.

Jiang Shaoyan’s features weren’t striking. He was born gentle, and she’d heard his maternal grandmother was a Jiangnan woman—he inherited that gentle, refined quality from her.

Within this refinement was a neighborly warmth and softness. Compared to Xie Heng’s exquisite, sharp features, he appeared far less aggressive.

In his youth, he rarely smiled, his eyes always carrying a hidden melancholy. Only when looking at her would he reveal a smile. This special treatment once made her feel she was the most special existence in his life.

She had saved him from mortal danger, he had forgotten his past, he would only smile for her alone, only stay with her alone.

He was gentle yet distant with everyone else, showing emotions only before her—whether tenderness or anger, he displayed them only to her.

Even when serving her, looking up at her with devotion, she couldn’t help but think with vanity and presumption that she was like a deity in his life.

He would never betray her.

Later, she learned how foolishly pitiful such thoughts were.

Now, from another person’s perspective, seeing this man use her familiar features to display such cold malice, she suddenly felt how ridiculous that past affection had been.

Everything was fake.

Even this person was fake.

She lowered her eyes, restraining her emotions, and said calmly: “I’m injured today and inconvenient to act. He is my Shadow Envoy and must remain here. I hope Your Highness will understand.”

“Since Inspector Liu is injured, why not change to someone else?”

“The Supervision Department belongs to Young Master. Who interrogates whom is not for a suspect to decide.” Luo Wanqing looked up and emphasized: “Since I’ve been appointed as chief interrogator today, I ask and you must answer, not negotiate conditions with me.”

Hearing this, Li Guiyu chuckled softly: “Very well. Since Inspector Liu doesn’t cherish her prospects and insists on taking this mess, I don’t mind either. But Inspector Liu should think clearly about why I’m staying here.”

Li Guiyu closed his eyes and said flatly: “Interrogate away.”

Luo Wanqing understood Li Guiyu’s meaning clearly.

She wasn’t affected by him. She opened the case file and looked down at all of Li Guiyu’s information, which detailed his past experiences.

His Majesty had him come to the Supervision Department only to temporarily appease the Empress, not truly to interrogate him.

She couldn’t do anything to him. Any injury left behind could end her career and implicate the Supervision Department.

She calmly scanned his past, considering how to subtly lure Li Guiyu into discovering she was Luo Wanqing.

Direct exposure would certainly make Li Guiyu suspicious. Only by letting him discover it himself would he believe it completely.

Only by letting him discover she was Luo Wanqing would he truly believe she would kill him, thus desperately trying to escape.

Now was the most suitable opportunity for Xie Heng to bring down the Crown Prince, and also the easiest time for Li Guiyu to strike.

The Crown Prince had been attacked. Regardless of major or minor injuries, the Imperial Medical Academy would certainly take turns examining him, with various medicines flowing in like water. To kill the Crown Prince, this might be Li Guiyu’s best chance.

He had gone to great lengths to set up an ambush at Fangfei Pavilion to clear himself as much as possible. But now the Crown Prince was unharmed. Though there was no direct evidence proving he assassinated the Crown Prince, the Empress wasn’t stupid—she must have figured it out, which was why she insisted on imprisoning him.

If the Crown Prince survived, his future would only become more difficult.

He was already on a path of choice—gamble everything on another assassination attempt or wait for a better opportunity. Now he only needed a push to make his decision immediately.

And she would be the one to push him.

“Won’t Inspector Liu ask?”

Perhaps because she had been quiet too long, Li Guiyu was growing impatient.

He spoke with a gentle voice that carried some urgency.

Luo Wanqing gathered her thoughts, signaled Cui Heng to begin recording, and while thinking, looked at his life history and asked slowly: “Where was Your Highness last night?”

Luo Wanqing tried to be a good chief interrogator.

At the beginning of an interrogation, one couldn’t ask the questions one most wanted to ask.

She needed to lower his guard, break his will. Only words spoken inadvertently were truthful.

So she had to hide her purpose within the questioning.

“Zheng residence.”

Li Guiyu answered truthfully.

“What time did you go and return?”

“Went at nightfall, stayed until the Central Imperial Office brought people to arrest me.”

“Which street did you take?”

“Qingping Road.”

“What vendors were on Qingping Road that night?”

“There was a wonton seller at the street corner. When I passed, he was fighting with someone.”

Li Guiyu knew what Luo Wanqing was trying to do. She was starting to use details to prove his lies. He smiled and asked: “Should Inspector investigate?”

No need to investigate.

Based on Luo Wanqing’s understanding of him, he would have prepared thoroughly. Qingping Road was certainly real, the fight was real, and there might even actually be a “him” who departed for the Zheng residence at that time.

Jiang Shaoyan could guarantee that everything he said was foolproof.

And she didn’t care about these details anyway.

“Your Highness’s martial arts were inherited from Sword Saint Jiang Fengwan?”

Luo Wanqing looked at the case file and changed angles.

The file clearly stated that after Li Shangwen was born, Wang Shi completely neglected Li Guiyu, entrusting him to his master.

Jiang Fengwan had been by Li Guiyu’s side since birth, serving as his guard and master. They spent far more time together than he did with Wang Shi or His Majesty.

Thinking of how Li Guiyu had finally given her that dagger from Jiang Fengwan, Luo Wanqing knew this was an extremely important person to him.

Using Jiang Fengwan as a breakthrough point indeed made Li Guiyu’s expression change.

He looked up at Luo Wanqing and said softly: “That’s not a question you should ask.”

“Jiang Fengwan entered the palace when you were born and became your master. He seems to have had no other disciples.”

“Oh?” Li Guiyu asked curiously: “He had no other disciples?”

“No.” Luo Wanqing looked at the case file and only asked: “So, how does Your Highness explain the sword marks at Fangfei Pavilion?”

“How would I know?” Li Guiyu chuckled softly and asked back: “How can you guarantee my master never taught martial arts to anyone else?”

“He entered the palace when you were born and stayed by your side constantly.” Luo Wanqing looked at Li Guiyu’s life history and said slowly: “The timing of your birth was very convenient. Initially, Wang Shi was accused of hiding witchcraft in her palace to curse the Empress Dowager, so she was imprisoned in the Cold Palace. After staying there for two months, she showed signs of pregnancy and returned to the palace.”

Li Guiyu listened to her recount his past with an indifferent expression.

Luo Wanqing continued reading his life history: “After you were born, you immediately grasped His Majesty’s finger. His Majesty was delighted, and then Wang Shi was proven to have been framed. His Majesty felt it was due to your good fortune and immediately made Wang Shi an Imperial Consort. Then Jiang Fengwan entered the palace, telling His Majesty that you were exceptional sword material. His Majesty entrusted you to Jiang Fengwan’s teaching. He spent extremely long periods with you, especially after Li Shangwen was born.”

“What are you trying to say?”

Li Guiyu was impatient.

Luo Wanqing smiled: “I’m just curious—your mother gave birth to you, you treat her well. Your birth made her an Imperial Consort, your volunteering as hostage made her Empress, and you made your younger brother Crown Prince. You who are so grateful—how did you repay your master?”

The case file didn’t record Jiang Fengwan’s final fate.

After Li Guiyu went to Northern Rong, he disappeared without a trace.

Though the case file didn’t record it, she knew that Li Guiyu had returned to the Eastern Capital covered in wounds and eventually gave her that dagger.

That dagger was a Wang family death warrior’s dagger. Such clan daggers would never leave a person’s side unless they died. Li Guiyu giving it to her proved that Jiang Fengwan was a Wang family death warrior, and he was dead.

Luo Wanqing tried to provoke him using Jiang Fengwan, but Li Guiyu didn’t respond.

He looked up at Luo Wanqing and said flatly: “What does this have to do with the case?”

“Whether it’s related is for me to judge. I said I ask, you answer.” Luo Wanqing emphasized, then asked again softly: “Where is Jiang Fengwan? How did you repay him?”

“Liu Xiniang,” this time Li Guiyu finally reacted, looking at her seriously, “I advise you to value your life.”

“My life isn’t worth valuing.”

Luo Wanqing ignored Li Guiyu and said flatly, “Your Highness, if you don’t speak, I have plenty of methods. Don’t bring suffering upon yourself.”

“You want to torture me?”

“Do you think I wouldn’t dare?”

Luo Wanqing looked up coldly.

Li Guiyu stared at her. After watching her for a long time, he asked puzzledly: “Did I have some conflict with you in Yangzhou?”

“Your Highness,” Luo Wanqing persisted in asking, “where exactly did Jiang Fengwan go? Is it difficult to say?”

“Liu Xiniang,” Li Guiyu laughed upon hearing her words, “Ask what you want directly. I understand your interrogation methods. What I’m willing to say, I’ll tell you, but what I’m unwilling to say—you won’t get a single word out of me.”

“Is that so?”

Luo Wanqing’s voice was flat: “Guanlan.”

“Inspector.” Cui Heng seemed to have been waiting long, smiling as he responded.

Luo Wanqing looked up at Li Guiyu and coldly spoke three words: “Paper suffocation.”

Hearing this, Li Guiyu’s aura turned cold.

Luo Wanqing changed position in her chair and commanded coldly: “Begin.”

Cui Heng stepped forward with water and mulberry paper.

Paper suffocation was a punishment for scholars and officials—using wet mulberry paper to cover a person’s face, layer by layer, until they suffocated to death.

He lifted the wet mulberry paper and said gently, “Your Highness should know the rules. If you want to confess, you can kick your legs.”

“What’s your name?”

Li Guiyu stared at Cui Heng, who smiled: “Cui Heng, courtesy name Guanlan.”

“Cui Heng?”

As he spoke, Cui Heng placed the mulberry paper over his face, his tone flat: “You may remember me.”

Wet mulberry paper, when placed on a person’s face, prevented breathing.

It wouldn’t cause any wounds, wouldn’t even make someone choke on water like water torture.

It just sat quietly on a person’s face, making them suffer from an inability to breathe.

Initially, it was just holding one’s breath, then struggling as death approached, and when struggling proved futile, the lungs would begin to feel explosive pain, with roaring sounds all around as the person convulsed violently, gradually approaching death.

This near-death sensation, rather than directly killing someone, made them more clearly aware of death’s terror. Most people would confess at this point.

But Jiang Shaoyan wouldn’t.

Luo Wanqing understood his character.

Let alone paper suffocation—even if they flayed him alive, he wouldn’t utter a word of what he didn’t want to say.

He had absolute control over his mind and body, likely having received corresponding training from Jiang Fengwan, a death warrior.

But she hadn’t intended to make him confess anything through torture. Paper suffocation simply made people delirious afterward.

This way, she could more easily ask what she wanted to know.

And also…

That hidden private desire in her heart to see him suffer.

She watched coldly as Cui Heng placed paper after paper on his face, waiting for him to struggle and suffer like all other criminals.

But one sheet of mulberry paper, two sheets, three…

She watched the mulberry paper pile higher while he remained completely motionless.

Wasn’t he in pain?

Luo Wanqing frowned. Unwilling to give up, she rose and walked to Li Guiyu’s side.

Cui Heng calculated the time. Seeing her approach, he looked at her and shook his head, indicating they couldn’t delay any longer.

Luo Wanqing knew they couldn’t kill him here, so she nodded. Cui Heng removed the mulberry paper, revealing the young man’s bluish face. In that instant, he gasped heavily, opening his eyes somewhat dazedly. Seeing Luo Wanqing standing before him, he couldn’t help but laugh.

“Inspector Liu,” Li Guiyu breathed rapidly, his eyes seeming to want to cut her to pieces, “what else do you want to do?”

“It seems Jiang Fengwan is Your Highness’s taboo. Your Highness is quite stubborn, so let’s change the subject.”

Luo Wanqing smiled and said with feigned composure: “Your Highness didn’t repay Jiang Fengwan. How did you, who knows gratitude, repay the Luo family?”

Li Guiyu didn’t speak. Luo Wanqing raised her hand to summon Cui Heng: “Bring the ‘Ghost Binding.'”

Cui Heng glanced at them and turned to get the drug.

Ghost Binding was an interrogation drug that greatly heightened a person’s sensitivity to all sensations. With this drug, even gentle friction would produce multiplied pain.

Hearing about this drug, Li Guiyu calmed down. He watched Luo Wanqing take the drug from Cui Heng, dislocate his jaw, and force the medicine down his throat, then direct Cui Heng: “Continue with the paper.”

Cui Heng lowered his head and stepped forward, re-soaking the mulberry paper in water. Li Guiyu studied Luo Wanqing and suddenly spoke: “What’s your relationship with the Luo family?”

Just after asking, the mulberry paper covered his face again.

“Your Highness was rescued by the Luo family.” Luo Wanqing ignored him. She waited a while, watching the mulberry paper cover his face. After a moment, his chest began to heave.

The Ghost Binding should be taking effect—all his senses would now be countless times more acute.

She watched him, her voice flat: “The Luo family always had an excellent reputation, but suddenly, after Miss Zheng discovered your identity, they became salt smugglers. Didn’t Your Highness find this suspicious? Five years.”

Luo Wanqing stepped forward, her fingers brushing through his hair before suddenly gripping it tightly and pulling him down toward her.

The pain, magnified thousands of times, made his entire body shudder. Luo Wanqing’s other hand tore off the mulberry paper, watching Li Guiyu’s eyelashes tremble as he struggled to look up at her.

She stared into those familiar eyes, her hand gripping his hair, trembling involuntarily.

Cui Heng glanced at her, wanting to say something but ultimately holding back.

Luo Wanqing stared fixedly at Li Guiyu. To hide this trembling, she gripped his hair tightly. The pain made him unable to focus on anything else. Luo Wanqing asked with a smile: “Didn’t Your Highness ever discover evidence of the Luo family’s salt smuggling? Or did Your Highness discover it but cover for criminals and fail to report them?”

“You came to seek justice for the Luo family?”

Li Guiyu smiled with trembling lips.

He seemed in extreme pain but maintained his composure: “Or do you simply have a grudge against me and want revenge?”

“Think whatever you like.” Seeing him gradually going off track, Luo Wanqing took a steel comb from nearby and slowly scraped it down his neck.

This was a steel comb used for torture, normally requiring boiling water to scald and rot the skin before scraping it off with the comb.

Though they hadn’t used boiling water to burn his flesh, and this smooth steel comb wouldn’t leave any marks on Li Guiyu’s body, under Ghost Binding’s influence, the pain wouldn’t diminish at all.

Li Guiyu’s face turned pale as he clenched his fists, feeling as if his flesh was falling off piece by piece, while hearing Luo Wanqing’s questioning: “Who planted the salt that framed the Luo family? Who made the decision? You, Zheng Biyue, or Zheng Pingsheng?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. These matters have nothing to do with me.”

Li Guiyu gasped and spoke calmly.

“Nothing to do with you?” Hearing his denial, Luo Wanqing’s anger rose. She spoke sarcastically: “The Luo family saved you, Miss Luo was your fiancée, you loved each other for years—how are their affairs unrelated to you?”

Hearing this, Li Guiyu raised his eyes. In his pain-induced delirium, he stared at her: “What position are you in to question me?”

“I’m the chief interrogator…”

“What case are you interrogating?!”

Li Guiyu suddenly turned aggressive, interrupting her and raising his voice: “Are you interrogating the Crown Prince’s case or the Luo family’s? If it’s the Luo family, I tell you,” Li Guiyu leaned toward her, emphasizing, “I have nothing to do with that case.”

Nothing to do with it.

Hearing his words, Luo Wanqing couldn’t help but laugh: “Unrelated to you? Then Luo Qushu,” Luo Wanqing emphasized word by word, “how did he die?”

Hearing this, Li Guiyu froze.

“You were the last person to see him.” Luo Wanqing drew the steel comb across his face, the fine pain spreading from his face as she maintained her smile, her lips trembling slightly, “Why did you want him dead?”

“Who told you?”

Li Guiyu stared at her in shock, blurting out.

That he had seen Luo Qushu before his death—no one knew this.

Except…

Luo Wanqing.

But as soon as this thought appeared, he immediately stopped it.

He didn’t dare think it, immediately changing his reasoning: “The Supervision Department? You want to find my flaws and destroy me, don’t you?”

Luo Wanqing paused, not speaking—tacit acknowledgment.

Li Guiyu felt as if the heart that had been tightly gripped was finally released. He laughed: “The Supervision Department knows everything?” Li Guiyu stared at Luo Wanqing mockingly and continued questioning: “Then you should know he killed himself. Why do you think he wanted to die?”

Luo Wanqing couldn’t speak. Hearing his words, though he was the one being tortured, she felt as if she was the one pierced by countless arrows.

Li Guiyu raised his voice: “If he was innocent, why did he kill himself?!”

He felt no remorse.

Looking at this person before her, who showed no guilt, she said calmly: “You have no regret for this matter?”

“Why should I regret it?”

Li Guiyu asked as if it were natural, as if he had done nothing wrong. He stared at her face and asked back, “Luo Qushu deserved to die. His family suffered because of his actions, and he died—he should be the one with regrets. What do I have to regret?!”

As soon as he finished speaking, Luo Wanqing suddenly drew her blade and pressed it against Li Guiyu’s throat.

The blade pressed against his neck. Luo Wanqing gritted her teeth: “If you died here today, would you regret it?!”

“With the world as a cauldron and our generation as ingredients, we live to be cooked—what’s to regret about death?”

Li Guiyu laughed breathlessly: “Death is merely death—it would be liberation. But I wonder if Inspector Liu,” Li Guiyu stared at her, “is willing to die with me?”

As soon as he finished speaking, Luo Wanqing pressed down without hesitation, letting the blade break the skin on Li Guiyu’s neck.

She wanted to kill him.

In that moment, her mind was blank.

She wanted to kill him!

Her killing intent was too obvious. Just as the blade pressed down, Cui Heng grasped the blade and shouted urgently: “Inspector!”

Luo Wanqing abruptly stopped the blade.

She gasped, staring fixedly at Li Guiyu.

Blood flowed down, making Li Guiyu’s face pale with pain.

He looked back at Luo Wanqing, his eyes containing shock.

His gaze examined her, missing no detail, engraving every strand of hair, every line into his eyes.

The woman before him showed undisguised killing intent. Those similar yet subtly different eyes erupted with such genuine hatred, overlapping with that woman who had lain on the ground feigning madness in Yangzhou prison.

“Who are you?”

At this moment, he finally realized something was wrong.

If she were just an ordinary person… just Liu Xiniang, she couldn’t possibly be willing to gamble her life like this.

He seemed to suddenly understand, his eyes showing shock and excitement: “Who exactly are you?”

Luo Wanqing said nothing. She understood he had noticed.

Looking at him, she revealed a brilliant smile: “What do you think? Your Highness,” she whispered, “good and evil will be repaid. I’m keeping you alive not because I don’t dare kill.”

She leaned close to Li Guiyu and whispered in his ear, “But because I want you to die slowly. I’m willing to die with you.”

Hearing this, Li Guiyu chuckled softly.

Luo Wanqing ignored him, speaking word by word softly: “Shao-yan!”

Hearing this, Li Guiyu’s eyes moved slightly. His amber eyes turned to look at her, carrying killing intent.

Luo Wanqing faced him calmly without retreating.

“Enough.”

After a long while, Cui Heng couldn’t watch anymore. He forcibly took the blade and separated Luo Wanqing and Li Guiyu.

He inconspicuously positioned himself between them, arranging her clothes: “That’s enough for today.”

Luo Wanqing didn’t move, only clenched her fists tightly.

“Inspector,” Cui Heng raised his hand and placed it on her shoulder. Hearing his voice, Luo Wanqing’s reason gradually returned. She looked up at that masked face. Cui Heng was like a morning temple bell, his voice breaking through confusion, gentle and clear: “Let’s go.”

Hearing Cui Heng’s words, Luo Wanqing lowered her head. She tried hard to restrain her killing intent, turned, and responded: “Mm.”

Li Guiyu stood behind her, quietly gazing at her.

Cui Heng noticed his gaze and glanced at him indifferently, then silently walked behind Luo Wanqing and placed his hand on her shoulder.

In an instant, Cui Heng’s scent surrounded her.

It was a cold fragrance like pine and cypress, evoking thoughts of green mountains and ancient bells, morning and evening mists, white cranes spreading wings, and blue smoke circling mountains.

Luo Wanqing’s mind was somewhat chaotic. She looked up in confusion. Cui Heng turned and smiled gently: “Let’s leave quickly.”

Luo Wanqing was half-pushed, half-led by him, protected as they walked out the door.

Li Guiyu quietly watched that retreating figure that never looked back, showing a smile tinged with madness.

Trying to deceive him.

A fake, a counterfeit specially cultivated by the Supervision Department to stimulate him and find his faults—did she think she could deceive him?

Impossible.

How could he be fooled by a fake?

His young lady was dead, died on the long road of exile to Lingnan, remaining forever clean and pure, always by his side.

She wasn’t her.

He laughed softly in the darkness, leaning against the torture rack and slowly closing his eyes.

He thought of last night when the woman held her blade and looked up at him, those eyes so similar to Luo Wanqing’s filled with him.

A trace of regret surged in his heart.

He should have killed her last night. How had he failed to kill her?

What was he thinking when he released the bowstring?

He seemed to remember the night news of Luo Wanqing’s death arrived.

He carved her memorial tablet, carving until his hands were bloody.

It hurt so much.

During his time in Northern Rong, he had endured countless tortures.

His pain tolerance had long been much duller than ordinary people.

But when releasing the bowstring, he realized that in this life, he too could feel pain and fear.

This fake… she looked like her.