Chapter 18: Yue Ya’er
The girl in the flower dress stepped into the stone pavilion, the flower-patterned whip around her waist swaying like a playful tail along with her pleated skirt.
She smiled, “I just arrived and heard you were here, Sister Li Tong, so I came to see you.”
Shi Hao stood up, “Since the County Mistress has a distinguished guest, I’ll take my leave.”
County Mistress Li Tong hesitated, “But…”
The girl in the flower dress waved her hand, “No need, no need! You continue your gathering. I don’t want to interrupt.”
She smiled brightly, “Sister Li Tong, which family is this young master from? Are you two having a secret rendezvous in the back garden?”
County Mistress Li Tong chuckled, “If it were a secret rendezvous, would it be so easy for you to find us? This is Young Master Shi Hao, the young master of Small Han Mountain City.”
The girl in the flower dress suddenly realized, “So he’s the Shi Hao who displayed such impressive skills on Red Mountain the other day and saved you, Sister Li Tong? I heard about it on my way here. Hee hee, Sister Li Tong, a hero saving a beauty. Is this little banquet a prelude to pledging yourself to him?”
County Mistress Li Tong blushed and said playfully, “You’ve been reading too many romance stories.”
Shi Hao attempted to excuse himself again. The girl in the flower dress, however, grabbed his arm, “Sit, sit, sit! Don’t let me interrupt your romantic moment. I was just passing by and wanted to join the fun.”
County Mistress Li Tong looked at Shi Hao and said, “Please sit, Young Master Shi. Don’t mind her.”
The girl in the flower dress said, “Yes, yes, yes, don’t mind me! Just mind her.”
The three of them sat down again, and a maidservant brought tableware for the girl in the flower dress.
County Mistress Li Tong looked at the group of martial artists guarding the garden gate and said, “Sister Yue, are those the Thunderclap Eighteen Riders from your brother’s entourage?
“I heard these eighteen riders are elite warriors chosen by your brother from among the royal clan, each riding an Yingzhao beast. Why did you bring them here? Is your brother also in Jin Prefecture?”
The girl in the flower dress pouted, “He doesn’t have time to come. He’s been having a headache dealing with those foolish Daoists from Ming Kun Monastery. It was just a secret experiment, but somehow the news leaked out and attracted that female thief. Now he has to rush back to the capital to explain why he kept such an important experiment from the court.”
County Mistress Li Tong asked, puzzled, “Experiment?”
The girl in the flower dress waved her hand dismissively, “Let’s not talk about that. My visit to Jin Prefecture has nothing to do with those matters. I’m here to supervise a Six Gates investigation. My brother was supposed to come himself, but he had to return to the capital, so he entrusted the task to me.
“Otherwise, he wouldn’t be so kind as to let me bring the Thunderclap Eighteen Riders.”
County Mistress Li Tong asked in surprise, “What kind of case requires you to personally supervise the investigation, Sister Yue?”
The girl in the flower dress lowered her voice, “It’s about the recent surge in children being stolen or abducted from refugees fleeing the central plains. Although the court doesn’t seem to care much, the numbers are alarming. The closer to Jin Prefecture, the more frequent these incidents become.
“Although my brother ordered the local Six Gates to step up their investigation, those useless fools haven’t found any clues so far. He was going to come and see for himself, but now he has to rush back to the capital, so he sent me instead.
“I can’t really do much, but my presence here will put some pressure on those Six Gates slackers.”
County Mistress Li Tong hesitated and said softly, “Perhaps I shouldn’t say this, but the current influx of refugees from the central plains is supposedly due to the court’s reconstruction of the Grand Canal. They’ve conscripted a large number of laborers, and many people have died from the harsh labor. That’s why they’re fleeing with their families.
“As long as the construction of the Grand Canal continues, these incidents are unavoidable, aren’t they?”
The girl in the flower dress tilted her head, “I don’t understand these things either. My brother also advised the Chancellor that although the Grand Canal will benefit future generations, it shouldn’t be built at this time. But the Chancellor told him to stay out of it. My brother told me secretly that there’s probably more to the Grand Canal project than meets the eye.”
She covered her mouth with both hands, “Oops, I shouldn’t have said that.” She stuck out her tongue.
She looked around, “By the way, isn’t Sister Yuejiao here?”
County Mistress Li Tong said, “Senior Sister is at Ming Kun Monastery.”
The girl in the flower dress shook her head again, “Those foolish Daoists from Ming Kun Monastery have really caused my family a lot of trouble this time.”
After a few more drinks, she stood up and said with a smile, “I won’t disturb your secret rendezvous in the back garden any longer. I have things to do. Hee hee.”
County Mistress Li Tong blushed, “Sister Yue, you’re talking nonsense again.”
The girl in the flower dress had already left like a gust of wind, the eighteen barbarian warriors following her out of the garden.
Shi Hao asked softly, “Who is that young lady, County Mistress?”
County Mistress Li Tong said helplessly, “That’s the daughter of the Yue Ke Tai family. The Yue Ke Tai family was one of the first royal families to intermarry with the Chinese. Both her and her brother’s mothers are Chinese. Although her surname is Yue Ke Tai, she goes by Yue and is called Yue Ya’er.”
Shi Hao suddenly understood, thinking, as expected of the Yue Ke Tai clan.
The muffled sounds of seductive music drifted faintly from above.
Du Yuejiao, now moved to the rack, had her arms spread and tied to the horizontal beam, her legs forced into a kneeling position by the angled wooden bar beneath them.
A finger pressed against her body, the force flowing through her meridians, unblocking the Jade Pillow acupoint.
She slowly regained consciousness, a face suddenly appearing before her eyes. The slightly hooked nose, not particularly prominent before, now seemed terrifying.
She instinctively struggled against the restraints, but it was futile.
She wore only a thin garment that barely covered her body.
Her delicate skin was flawless, except for a fresh, bloody cut on her thigh.
“Miss Du, I hope you won’t waste any more of our time,” the young man with the hooked nose said slowly, “I don’t need much information. Just tell me what I want to know, and I’ll let you go immediately.”
His tone was sincere, but how could she simply trust him?
She knew that she was only alive because he still needed information from her.
And even if she didn’t consider that, she would never compromise with such a villain.
“It seems you’re still quite resilient,” the young man with the hooked nose said, seemingly unconcerned, even slightly amused.
He grabbed her with his left hand and raised his right hand, extending a finger, its tip flickering with flames.
The small flame, although weak, filled her with terror. She thrashed against the restraints, her eyes wide with fear.
His finger touched her body, and she screamed. She writhed like a snake, the horizontal beam shaking with her struggles, the entire rack creaking and groaning.
There were no new wounds on her body, but the technique he used to dislocate her joints and tear her muscles was more terrifying than whips or branding irons.
Her flesh felt like it was being pulled and twisted, her arms and legs contorted.
Her screams echoed through the lavish underground cell, muffled by the noise from above.
The young man with the hooked nose stepped back, watching coldly.
He was increasingly impressed by the Severing Meridian Burning Heart Finger. Used skillfully, this demonic technique could achieve a variety of effects.
He knew that fear had taken root in her heart. After a night of torture, he didn’t believe she could hold out much longer.
He recalled Yue Ya’er’s words from that afternoon.
The Yue Ke Tai clan had to answer to the court for conducting a secret experiment.
If Yue Ya’er was referring to the God-Sealing Experiment, what kind of experiment was it that even a “royal” family like the Yue Ke Tai clan had to explain to the court?
It seemed Dark Thunder’s information was accurate. This mysterious experiment was indeed a significant matter.
Shi Hao could tell that the “Eighteen Riders” Yue Ya’er had brought with her, even into the Marquis’ residence gardens, were no ordinary guards.
Each of them was an elite warrior. It would be nearly impossible to target Yue Ya’er under their protection.
Du Yuejiao was his only chance to obtain information about the God-Sealing Experiment.
His heart remained cold as he watched the girl scream and struggle on the rack, the cut on her thigh reopening and bleeding with her movements.
He watched her throughout the night, occasionally adding a few more touches with his finger.
He knew the agonizing pain of this torture. Before last night, he had foolishly tested it on himself, the pain making him want to bash his head against the wall.
There were no visible wounds, but his meridians twisted and contorted. This pain was far worse than any cuts or whips.
Initially, the girl tried to suppress her screams, but eventually, she could no longer hold back.
He continued until late into the night, then stopped, crouching before her and grabbing her hair.
He said coldly, “It’s about time you talked, Miss Du. I’ll say it again, just tell me what I want to know, and I’ll let you go.”
The girl gasped for breath but said nothing.
She was more resilient than he had expected.
He realized that, at least for tonight, his efforts had been in vain.
Although slightly surprised, he wasn’t worried…
The next morning, after returning to his residence, Shi Hao hadn’t rested long when a carriage stopped outside.
This time, it was Deng Liang, the young guild master of the Yuan Rong Merchant Guild, along with some of his friends, coming to find him.
Having nothing else to do, Shi Hao joined them for a stroll around the city. At noon, they went to a restaurant and drank quite a bit.
By now, the story of Shi Hao, the young master of Small Han Mountain City, saving the County Mistress on Red Mountain had spread throughout the city.
Especially within the circles of local landlords and gentry, although not particularly prominent, the story was widely known.
Shi Hao knew Deng Liang had been spreading the news.
Whether it was the royal clan, the Marquis’ residence, or the Six Gates, no one trusted each other.
Especially within the circles of landlords and gentry, they were even more aware of the underlying currents.
By letting everyone know that the young master of Small Han Mountain City had saved the County Mistress, the Marquis’ residence would have to show some restraint, and the Six Gates wouldn’t dare to act rashly… That was Deng Liang’s thinking.
Although Shi Hao didn’t want to attract too much attention, he knew Deng Liang was helping him.
“Brother Hao!” After a few drinks, Deng Liang pulled Shi Hao aside, “Tell me, who did you learn your martial arts from?”
Shi Hao smiled, “You won’t believe me even if I told you. It really was that old Daoist I met in the mountains.”
Deng Liang said, “Brother Hao, why are you hiding it even from me? I heard you practice Daoist internal energy cultivation. And I also heard that Daoist cultivation requires both internal and external elixirs. They say you’re eighth-rank, which means you’ve consumed at least two Daoist elixirs, the ninth and eighth ranks of the Nine Ranks Immortal Formula.
“That’s not something you can achieve by just learning from someone in the mountains.”
Shi Hao continued smiling, “You won’t believe me even if I tell you, so what can I do?”
They wouldn’t believe this explanation, and they would be even less likely to believe the truth.
Thinking back, the Holy Jade Immortal and the Enchanting Fire Witch were indeed terrifyingly powerful.
They had each given him a small portion of their foundational essence, and he had reached the eighth rank directly, bypassing the need to consume the ninth and eighth-rank elixirs.
If they hadn’t fought each other three hundred years ago, leading to their imprisonment in the Primordial Grotto Heaven, how could the barbarians have dominated China?
The others, now drunk, clamored to visit a brothel.
Deng Liang, his arm around Shi Hao’s shoulder, nudged him and tried to persuade him to join them.
Shi Hao smiled, “I’ll pass. I’m going back to rest.” He had a female prisoner to interrogate tonight; he didn’t have time for such frivolous pursuits.
After parting ways with them, Shi Hao walked back alone.
He thought to himself, “Two nights of dislocating her joints and tearing her muscles haven’t made her talk. Continuing with such methods probably won’t be effective.”
“Other physical injuries probably won’t work either. Since torture isn’t working, I might as well try some humiliation tactics and see how much she can withstand psychologically.”
He passed a market stall where a hunter from the mountains was selling medicinal wine, a bag containing a writhing snake beside him.
Shi Hao paused before the stall, lost in thought.
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