“Crack.”

A crisp sound suddenly rang out in the dark underground of some estate in Ruzhou, Liaodong.

The clear sound of bone breaking sounded particularly chilling in the deep dungeon.

A wooden stick clattered to the ground. The mottled colors on the stick looked like grain patterns at first glance, but closer inspection revealed it was all dark blood.

The jailer Bull Head kicked away the stick, twisted his neck, cracked his fingers, and grinned: “This bone’s so hard.”

The person on the torture rack didn’t respond. Long torment had already drained him of all strength. One leg hung at an odd angle to one side.

Only the prisoner’s ragged and heavy breathing echoed in the dungeon.

Bull Head felt somewhat restless. He suddenly looked up, quickly changing to a humble and submissive expression, bowing his head and stepping aside.

Someone walked down the stone steps softly.

Some faint light seeping through cracks above the dungeon passed over his robe hem. It was extremely luxurious deep purple silk with brocade patterns—dark four-sided auspicious cloud motifs interspersed with ruyi heads, gold ingots, square victories, ancient coins, and rhinoceros horn patterns. Shallow gold thread embroidered mythical beast designs, with the beast tails woven in silver thread fish-scale patterns. The fierce beast patterns extended from his lean, narrow waist all the way to his straight shoulders, fastened at the shoulders with gilded brass five-claw clasps, with a heavy purple jade satin cloak flowing down like water to the ground. Between steps, glimpses of even more gorgeous eight-panel sea water, cliff and auspicious cloud patterns at the robe’s hem made him appear increasingly noble and imposing, with an elegant, tall figure.

Following his gracefully curved neck upward, what one saw was a silver-white mask covering up to his forehead, the exposed forehead skin lustrous as jade.

All the prison guards and those responsible for interrogation—Bull Head and Horse Face—lowered their heads.

“Master.”

The newcomer casually hummed acknowledgment, walked to the torture rack, and lifted the prisoner’s drooping head with one finger. It was a middle-aged man’s face—haggard from torture yet still fierce, but this fierceness instantly vanished upon seeing the masked man. A flash of subtle terror passed through his eyes, and his whole body began trembling uncontrollably.

The masked man observed this face as if admiring a beauty, smiling: “Didn’t expect Minister Yang to have such resolve.”

The man said hoarsely: “I am utterly loyal, with no shame before the king.”

“But someone says that as Palace Guard Commander of Liaodong Prince’s palace, you placed personal associates among the palace guards and conspired with the Great Qian court, having unlawful dealings. Quite a few famous products from the capital were found in your residence. How do you explain this, hmm?”

“Which prestigious Ruzhou family doesn’t have some capital specialties? That so-called personal associate—I didn’t even know he was my distant relative from the capital.” The man said bitterly: “You shameless lackeys, fabricating crimes, framing loyal subjects—you’re the ones who should go to hell!”

He suddenly struggled, iron chains clanging in the empty room. Hitting his broken leg, he let out a scream but spat blood hatefully and cursed: “Use all your tricks! If grandpa says one word, I’m your grandson!”

“I don’t have such a big grandson.” The masked man shook his head, looking down at the man’s broken leg and clicking his tongue: “Too pitiful. Bull Head, Minister Yang is a noble person—how can you be so crude? Also, it’s cold in this prison—how can he wear so little? Quick, bring some coarse hemp cloth.”

Bull Head eagerly went to find hemp cloth, returning with it shortly.

“This won’t cover him properly. Bring some glue too. The stickiest fish glue. Heaven have mercy—after being tortured and bleeding, he must be very cold, right?”

His tone was gentle and caring, making Minister Yang even more unsettled as he stared at him blankly.

The Embroidered Guards were a secret intelligence organization under Liaodong Prince’s command, not subject to any official hierarchy but directly responsible to the Prince himself. Besides collecting military and political intelligence both domestically and abroad and secretly protecting the Great King, they also had the right to secretly monitor, report, and interrogate all officials. They had always been the Prince’s web with hidden thorns, eagles with iron claws—all officials under the Prince’s rule trembled at their name.

This organization was originally called “Lijing Gate,” meaning those who entered would invariably be finished. Later, the Great King found the bloody and sinister atmosphere too heavy, personally designed brocade python robes as uniforms for the organization members to add some dignified air, and renamed them Embroidered Guards.

Most Embroidered Guard members were recruited from various talents among the common people. The backbone forces responsible for operations were selected from helpless orphans raised from childhood, chosen one in a hundred through a process like raising venomous insects, making every member elite.

This mysterious Master before them—no one had seen his face or knew his background. They only knew he was also of orphan origin, had killed gods and Buddhas alike within the organization, gradually climbing to high position. His appointment as Master was recent—he had consecutively saved the Great King three times, earning deep trust. After the previous Master was assassinated, he was promoted beyond normal ranks. Living up to the Great King’s favor, soon after taking office, he established secret report boxes encouraging mass informing, personally leading subordinates to screen and investigate day and night, thus uncovering many spies and malcontents hidden in Ruzhou.

Yang Xiong was Palace Guard Commander, originally one of the Great King’s most trusted close ministers, but such important positions inevitably aroused royal suspicion. Once treason was involved, severe investigation was inevitable.

Falling into Embroidered Guards’ hands, Yang Xiong dared not hope for much. Now seeing this Master with his bloody reputation being so considerate and gentle, his heart felt even colder as he watched those people brush a thick layer of sticky glue on his body, then wrap it with coarse hemp cloth.

Wrapped extremely tight, finally tightening the cloth ends and pressing firmly.

The Master watched with a smile, even personally reaching out to press areas that weren’t stuck flat and tight enough.

After waiting a while, though no torture was applied, Yang Xiong felt no relief. He could feel the glue slowly contracting on his skin, making the hemp cloth stick tight as if growing on his skin. His entire body was pulled taut, even his heart compressed and beating erratically.

This feeling was extremely unbearable.

The Master leisurely sat in a round chair Bull Head had brought over, accepting a small knife Horse Face handed him, slowly filing his nails.

His hands were extremely beautiful—slender with distinct joints, the thin skin on his hand backs snow-white, fingertips slightly red, nails crystalline as jade.

Such hands should only pluck strings and hold brushes dipped in fragrance, seeming never to have touched filth and blood.

Many people surrounded them, yet made no sound. Only Yang Xiong’s nervous breathing and the soft scraping of nail filing wandered through the prison.

Unknown waiting was most unbearable.

After quite a while, the Master finally finished filing his nails, looked down and smiled: “Oh my, is it wrapped too thick? Uncomfortable?”

Before Yang Xiong could answer, the Master had already stood up, suddenly grabbing the hemp cloth’s reserved edge and tearing hard!

“Rip.” A light sound.

Accompanied by an inhuman howl.

Yang Xiong’s body slammed into the torture rack with a tremendous bang. That broken leg thrashed wildly, Yang Xiong’s screams became even more inhuman, iron chains crashed violently as he writhed into a monstrous mass in extremely frenzied agony.

Everyone in the prison instinctively stepped back.

The Master stepped back, weighing the bloody hemp cloth in his hand, while a large piece of skin had been torn from Yang Xiong’s body, exposing a layer of bright red tender flesh.

As if he couldn’t hear those frenzied screams, he casually tossed the hemp cloth aside: “Minister Yang’s voice is quite strong. Since that’s the case, let’s dress him again.”

“…No no no… no… I confess… I confess!”

The Master smiled unsurprised, waved at Bull Head and Horse Face, and strolled out of the cell.

After another moment, Bull Head trotted over with a blood-stained paper.

The Master’s gloved hand accepted the paper, smiling: “Thank you for your hard work. Finally can report back.”

Bull Head said fearfully: “We subordinates are incompetent. Only with Master’s personal action could we succeed.”

The Master smiled: “We’re all brothers, why distinguish? Finishing this matter early means everyone gets some silver and can go home early tonight to hold their wives while sleeping.”

Everyone laughed, respectfully watching him go up, continuing their follow-up work.

Above was bright sunny weather after snow, clean and clear everywhere.

He deliberately stood in the roadside snow, letting the winter wind blow away the lingering bloody smell on his body before leaving this inconspicuous estate that was actually a secret Embroidered Guards interrogation site.

Outside the main gate, two black-clothed figures, one tall and one short, waited, both wearing masks. The short one nervously rubbed his hands: “Why were you inside so long? Is that Yang Xiong so hard to interrogate? The Great King already deeply suspects his betrayal—if we can’t produce evidence, our master will be in trouble.”

The other frowned: “You worry constantly! How could Master fail to get a confession? Yang Xiong is someone he wants to handle—of course he has methods!”

The short one continued: “Master targeted Yang Xiong—if the Fourth Prince notices…”

“How could he notice! Yang Xiong’s distant relative has dealings with the First Prince’s steward. Those who dined with Yang Xiong the night of the incident included the Third Prince’s people. Yang Xiong wasn’t investigated because of reports either—the Great King discovered the clues himself while hunting outside the city. Though he’s the Fourth Prince’s maternal uncle, even if the Fourth Prince suspects, he can only suspect the First or Third Prince, or his own father! What does it have to do with us!”

“This move by Master will inevitably drag the First, Third, and Fourth Princes into muddy waters. The First Prince just lost Meng Decheng recently—now there’ll be more chaos…”

“What’s there to sigh about! If Ruzhou isn’t chaotic, how can Master be secure! This Yang Xiong used to rely on palace access to constantly incite Consort Baoxiang, causing Master so much trouble. Now it’s just payback.”

The short one stopped talking when he saw the Master emerge.

The Master handed the confession to the tall one: “Have the Flying Ears division send it to the palace under secret seal.”

“Won’t you deliver it personally, Young Master? Though seeing the Great King is somewhat risky, now is a good time to claim credit. You might even place people in positions, since the Palace Guard Commander position is vacant.”

“Such an important position—if I interfere, today’s interrogation merit would be wiped out. Besides, before the Great King, I’m a perverted killer who only loves interrogation and doesn’t covet power. Must maintain the image, brother.” The Master put on his cloak, one-handedly unfastening and tossing the luxurious outer robe to the short one from under the cloak, revealing an exquisitely textured but much more low-key moon-white brocade robe.

He raised his whip with a smile, though the smile didn’t reach his eyes.

“Besides, I was already planning to see him today. Every month on the fifteenth, he gathers his sons for examination. Though he forgets about me every time, I still have to stand there and make up the numbers, right?”

Dual-line writing: Mu Shiba today, Tie Shiba tomorrow.