Jiang Ruan walked out of the Buddhist hall, where Xiao Shao was waiting for her outside. Upon seeing Jiang Ruan, Xiao Shao stuffed a silver-plated hand warmer into her hands, tightened her cloak for her, and then asked, “Are you alright?”
“Very satisfying.” Jiang Ruan smiled charmingly at her. “Let’s talk when we return.”
With such incidents occurring in the palace, it was inconvenient for Jiang Ruan and Xiao Shao to remain. At the very least, the Emperor should want some quiet time to contemplate this matter. Before leaving, Xuan Li gave Jiang Ruan a meaningful look with a half-smile, as if he understood everything perfectly. Jiang Ruan felt no fear, and before departing, she even leisurely bid farewell to Hui Jue and lit incense for the Crown Prince, then slowly left the palace and boarded the carriage back to the manor.
In the carriage, Xiao Shao observed that Jiang Ruan looked well and showed no signs of displeasure. He said, “What you did today was too risky.” Although he had long known that Jiang Ruan acted somewhat recklessly, this matter could easily backfire on her if she wasn’t careful. Even with Prince Jinying’s manor behind her, such affairs could easily entangle her if handled poorly.
“I had already carefully considered it,” Jiang Ruan reassured him. “Xuan Hua ultimately performed better than I expected. At least this time, it will be difficult for Jiang Dan to make a comeback.” Schemes and plots, especially those built upon accurate understanding of human nature, were actually interlocking—she had anticipated everyone’s reactions. Xuan Hua had a rash nature and strong desire for revenge, always seizing every last opportunity without reservation to drag Jiang Dan down with him, after all, it was Jiang Dan who directly caused his current predicament. As for the Emperor’s autocratic nature, today’s events were meant to remove a thorn from his heart. While Xuan Hua would inevitably face death, Jiang Dan—a woman the Emperor had once trusted and favored—had betrayed him and conspired with his son, which was a grave insult to imperial dignity. Moreover, Jiang Dan currently carried a child in her belly, which would only thoroughly trigger the Emperor’s dark side. It would be absolutely impossible for Jiang Dan to die quickly and painlessly.
To avenge Zhao Mei, Jiang Dan had to die—a life for a life. But to let her die easily would be too merciful. After all these years of Jiang Dan’s betrayal and vicious schemes against Zhao Mei, Jiang Ruan would never let her off lightly. Thus, Jiang Dan had to pay the price. The Emperor would not allow Jiang Dan to die easily and painlessly—this was the price she had to pay.
Jiang Ruan turned to look at Xiao Shao. Noticing her gaze, Xiao Shao asked, “What is it?”
“Do you think I’m cruel and ruthless?” Jiang Ruan asked hesitantly. No one would want their pillow companion to be daily immersed in thoughts of revenge, especially when her heart had already been hardened by all these events, becoming impenetrable as stone.
The corners of Xiao Shao’s lips curved slightly, as if he found it somewhat amusing. He said, “This is just perfect.”
Rather than falsely denying it, he frankly acknowledged that she was indeed cruel and ruthless, yet showed not the slightest disgust—even displaying some appreciation. He said, “I like it.”
Jiang Ruan raised her eyebrows and smiled as well. When they returned to the manor, Xia Qing had arrived earlier than them. Seeing Jiang Ruan, he wanted to speak, but his gaze shrank back when it fell upon Xiao Shao. Finally, unable to contain himself, he said huffily to Jiang Ruan, “Third Sister-in-law, now you must keep your word. Can you finally let me find a way to see Lin Zixiang?”
Jiang Ruan laughed inwardly. To deal with such a stubborn fool like Xia Qing, only Lin Zixiang would be effective. She smiled, “Naturally. I always keep my promises. Let me tidy up a bit, then I’ll tell you how to see her.”
Xia Qing felt extremely wronged. Throughout his medical career, he valued medical ethics and integrity above all else, never speaking against his conscience or making false diagnoses. Today, he had manipulated Jiang Dan’s pulse reading—she wasn’t actually pregnant. This was his first time doing something wrong, and he was terrified. Later, when he learned the Emperor had misunderstood that Jiang Dan and Xuan Hua had conceived together, he felt even more guilty and uneasy. Normally, he would never do such a thing—physicians had their own code to follow. But recently, Lin Zixiang had been absent for so long that even her usual pastry shop no longer saw their maid coming to buy treats. Through indirect inquiries with Jiang Ruan, he learned that Historian Lin was urgently arranging Lin Zixiang’s marriage and had selected a match for her, though Lin Zixiang’s true intentions remained unclear. Xia Qing usually bickered with Lin Zixiang, appearing mutually annoyed, but only now did he realize he didn’t want her to marry someone else. However, Xia Qing was a fool who had no idea how to express his feelings, and since Lin Zixiang never left her home now, how could he find an opportunity?
In desperation, Xia Qing had sought Jiang Ruan’s help. Jiang Ruan was never one to suffer losses, so she immediately struck a deal with him—as long as he cooperated in performing before the Emperor, she would personally tell him how to win his beloved’s heart. Between his adherence to medical ethics and his beloved potentially marrying another, Divine Physician Xia finally made his decision. Thinking that Jiang Dan wasn’t a good person anyway and had even tried to slander Prince Jinying’s manor, deceiving such a person was harmless. Thus came the scene in the meditation room where Jiang Dan was diagnosed with pregnancy.
So Xia Qing’s appearance in the palace beforehand wasn’t coincidental at all—it was entirely Jiang Ruan’s arrangement. Whenever Xia Qing thought of this, he felt even more awed by his third sister-in-law. How could there be such a deeply scheming person in the world, calculating even such matters? Xuan Hua and Jiang Dan trying to scheme against Jiang Ruan was truly like showing off axe skills before Lu Ban.
Seeing Xia Qing’s awkward appearance, Jiang Ruan found it quite amusing. This pair of bickering lovers, Xia Qing and Lin Zixiang, were simply too involved to see clearly what outsiders could. However, with Lin Zixiang’s shocking personality, probably only someone like Xia Qing, who wasn’t bound by conventional social etiquette, could tolerate her. Actually, speaking precisely, they were quite well-matched. Lin Zixiang had simply caught a cold and been bedridden these past few days, while Historian Lin happened to be participating in compiling a historical text, making the Lin household busier, so Xia Qing had no opportunity to see Lin Zixiang. She had merely gone with the flow and told a white lie—on one hand helping herself while also playing matchmaker seemed like a good deal. If these two really ended up together in the future, they would both have to thank her.
After dismissing Xia Qing, Lu Zhu asked curiously, “I wonder how His Majesty will deal with Fourth Miss. Fourth Miss brought such disgrace to the imperial family—His Majesty must be furious and will surely punish her severely.”
“Perhaps death by a thousand cuts?” Lian Qiao shuddered. “This servant heard that those who face death by a thousand cuts have executioners who are masters of their craft, slicing the flesh into thin pieces—a total of one thousand cuts, only dying on the final cut. Until then, they must endure the pain while conscious, watching themselves being slowly tortured piece by piece.”
“Oh my, how terrifying.” Lu Zhu also trembled. “This must be the most torturous method in the world.”
The most torturous method? Jiang Ruan smiled slightly. Certainly not. Within the imperial family and palace, secret tortures were countless, and the cruelty known to the outside world was less than one ten-millionth of reality. For instance, the suffering she endured before her death in her previous life was also a form of cruel punishment—it just depended on whether anyone discovered it.
Noticing Jiang Ruan’s expression, Lu Zhu’s heart stirred. “Could it be that Miss has already guessed what method it will be?”
“She’s pregnant—what other methods could there be? I’ve already thought of this punishment for her.” Jiang Ruan’s voice was gentle. “Stone punishment.”
…
That night in the palace was extraordinarily eventful. The person who had attempted to harm the Crown Prince was discovered to be Fifth Prince Xuan Li, completely unrelated to the case. The Supreme Court reportedly investigated this, the Emperor personally inquired, the evidence was conclusive, and Xuan Hua had confessed before the Emperor. Upon hearing this news, Consort De fainted. When she regained consciousness, she went personally to see the Emperor. Everyone speculated that after decades of affection, and with Consort De always being well-behaved and proper, surely some consideration would be given. Who knew that when Consort De entered the Emperor’s study, she emerged half an hour later ashen-faced, as if aged ten years overnight, seemingly knowing all was lost. She requested to take religious vows and become a nun.
The Emperor granted this with a wave of his hand. Consort De taking religious vows meant Xuan Hua’s fate was sealed. The crime of attempting to harm the Crown Prince was severe—no matter what, Xuan Hua could not escape death. With Xuan Hua’s defeat this time, the court situation was completely rewritten. His former faction quickly withered, each seeking new masters. Since Xuan Li was their former master’s enemy and difficult to approach, most of Xuan Hua’s former subordinates chose the newly rising power in court—Xuan Pei’s faction.
People are always like this, especially those in the imperial court—when someone falls from power, tea grows cold. They all must consider their own futures. With Xuan Hua barely fallen, those behind him rushed to serve the next master. The connections, relationships, and wealth Xuan Hua had built throughout his life inadvertently became a wedding dress for others, freely benefiting Xuan Pei. This allowed Xuan Pei’s power to rise rapidly in the coming succession struggle, compensating for his lack of powerful maternal relatives, almost matching Xuan Li’s strength. The court situation became tense again—but this is a story for later.
Meanwhile, the Emperor’s favored consort Jiang Dan was sentenced to death by beating for disrespecting the Emperor and speaking ill of him to his face. As for Wang Lian’er, she suddenly contracted a serious illness and was sent outside the palace for treatment. Outsiders speculated that something must have happened in the harem, but unfortunately, not a whisper of information emerged, leaving everyone to speculate endlessly without answers, making it an unsolved mystery. Among the three new favored consorts, two suddenly vanished without trace, leaving only the cold Mu Xiruo by his side. Such rapid changes in fortune were truly lamentable.
The night was cold and dark. In an abandoned palace within the imperial grounds, cold crows roosted while night owls made eerie calls. Many people stood in a garden, surrounding someone bound and lying in the center. This was a desolate courtyard that seemed uninhabited for years, even within the palace, appearing devoid of any human presence.
The woman on the ground looked disheveled, with a torn cloth stuffed in her mouth, making futile whimpering sounds. Her eyes were wide open, almost bulging from their sockets, clearly terrified to the extreme.
Surprisingly, beside this woman stood a black water buffalo fitted with plowing equipment—such work animals were rare in the palace. This buffalo was unusually large, and behind the plow was attached what looked like a complete stone roller, round and obviously very heavy.
The lead eunuch spoke in a shrill, sinister voice: “Everyone be careful not to crush her too quickly.” Then he turned to address a woman in a bright red cloak: “Princess, please step back to avoid blood staining your skirt.”
“No matter,” the woman’s voice was gentle as wind. “Since I came specifically to see Fourth Sister off, I don’t mind such things.” She looked at the woman still struggling on the ground and smiled slightly. “Don’t be afraid, Fourth Sister. To ease your mind, Sister came specially to accompany you and witness your execution. Having an old friend nearby should comfort you somewhat.”
“Mmph… mmph…” The woman on the ground rolled futilely, her eyes shooting uncontainable hatred toward Jiang Ruan. Jiang Ruan didn’t avoid her gaze at all, her own eyes gentle as she said, “Fourth Sister was always so kind-hearted, never watching anything bloody or violent. You probably don’t know what this punishment entails. Since Sister is here, let me first explain it to you, so you won’t feel unfamiliar and won’t know what you’re about to face.”
Jiang Dan’s body trembled, and she stopped moving, only her eyes still staring fixedly at Jiang Ruan.
“This is called stone punishment, a method that has existed since the Great Jin Dynasty’s founding. It was specifically prepared for women who violated wifely virtues—this punishment specifically targets those who are with child. If a woman commits adultery and carries another man’s bastard, when caught, this punishment is used. The method involves lying the person on the ground while a water buffalo pulls this large stone roller slowly across the belly, gradually crushing the bastard child from the abdomen. This crushing requires great skill—one cannot let the person die from pain too quickly, but must control the pressure. Rolling over the woman’s belly repeatedly until all the intestines are crushed out and the stomach is flattened into a thin layer of human skin—only then may she die. Fourth Sister, this is stone punishment.”
Her smile was gorgeous and alluring, her voice gentle, yet the words from her mouth were bone-chilling, each word and sentence carrying an icy, eerie quality that made people increasingly fearful. Hearing this, Jiang Dan struggled even more fiercely, almost desperately using her last strength to try to break free from her bonds—such punishment was truly too terrifying.
Jiang Ruan watched her leisurely, then glanced at the hourglass nearby and suddenly said, “The time seems to have arrived. Begin the execution.” The Emperor had indeed used stone punishment as she had predicted—this was punishment created specifically for cases of carrying an adulterer’s child. The Emperor wanted to secretly dispose of Jiang Dan, and she also wanted to personally see her off.
Jiang Dan struggled desperately while the old eunuch immediately waved his hand and shrieked, “Execute—”
Four people each pulled one of the four ropes binding Jiang Dan’s limbs, stretching her flat on the ground. The water buffalo snorted heavily nearby, and even from a distance, one could smell the bloody scent from the stone mill. The bottom of the stone mill bore some strangely vivid red stains—obviously bloodstains.
Jiang Dan shook her head frantically as the water buffalo step by step dragged the heavy stone mill roller toward her. Finally, the mill’s roller touched her skin. Her upper body was already naked, and this icy cold contact immediately made her eyes bulge wide, as if wanting to scream, but her mouth was gagged, her eyeballs nearly popping from their sockets.
Jiang Ruan stood coldly to one side as the stone mill crushed over Jiang Dan’s body, precisely targeting her belly. Although Jiang Dan’s abdomen contained no so-called bastard child, the first crushing still caused blood to seep out, and Jiang Dan’s expression became extremely painful, seemingly unable to even maintain her hateful glare.
The person leading the buffalo dared not rest and immediately began a second round. This device required particular skill—one could not let the victim die from pain, but must ensure they remained conscious throughout. Thus, after the first crushing, someone immediately came to sprinkle a thin layer of salt on Jiang Dan’s abdomen.
Time passed second by second. Among all those present that day, this wasn’t their first time witnessing such a scene, but even these battle-hardened people couldn’t remain unmoved by such cruel punishment. The woman’s piercing screams echoed long over the palace grounds, painting the gloomy palace with a tragic hue, like hell on earth.
After an unknown amount of time, the eunuch finally waved his hand, and those leading the buffalo cart stepped aside. Only a naked layer of human skin remained on the snowy ground, spread thin, with a pile of colorful filth nearby. The air was filled with a strong, nauseating stench. The accompanying guards all felt sick, looking at the woman standing before them with unchanged expression, all feeling somewhat terrified. Even they, as grown men, would be frightened by such a scene. How was Jiang Ruan so calm from beginning to end, never showing even a trace of discomfort?
Jiang Ruan lowered her eyes. Jiang Dan had hidden her wolfish ambitions while following Zhao Mei, yet Zhao Mei had always treated her kindly, only to be repaid with such viciousness. Such a person probably had no heart, or perhaps her heart, liver, and lungs were all black. She wanted to personally witness and personally design Jiang Dan’s death with an empty shell of a body, to see if her heart was as black as imagined.
“Eunuch, may I take this human skin with me?” Jiang Ruan asked softly as Tian Zhu placed a heavy gold ingot in the old eunuch’s hand. The old eunuch beamed: “Naturally, naturally. As long as the Princess cleans it properly, this convenience can be arranged.”
“Then I thank you.” Jiang Ruan smiled, instructing Tian Zhu: “Send this thing to the imperial prison. After all, she’s Minister Jiang’s biological daughter—this father and daughter should meet one last time.”