Chapter 557: Emergency

T/N: Slight warning that this chapter is a bit gruesome.

The air seemingly all congealed. The people under Li Hong Yuan looked to Yao Rao, carrying a bit of ‘admiration’. It really was their first time seeing such a ‘brave’ person. However, their master wasn’t someone that can be provoked easily. Whether or not your words have an effect, often times, was actually based on his mood.

Li Hong Yuan originally was idly sitting there with his head lowered, fiddling with the jade thumb ring[1] on his finger. This while, he lifted his head, “Noisy, An Wu(five), take down the face and then have the flesh peeled down. In any case, in this estate, no matter how much meat, it all won’t be wasted.”

Li Hong Yuan’s voice seemingly was even lower than before, and even heavier. Upon hearing, the people by his side all couldn’t help but get goosebumps, thinking to themselves, master lately sure enough was somewhat off. Right now, it was just increasingly obvious, which means that he might erupt at any time. That kind of master was absolutely dangerous.

Yao Rao, who still wished to say something, in the next moment, got slashed by An Wu, the two corners of her mouth extending to her cheeks, entirely opening up. If she were to open her mouth, then it would probably form into a true bloody bowl.

Yao Rao’s pupils rapidly shrunk, but she was also unable to speak, because she got ruthlessly gripped by the neck.

An Wu was thinking, his skinning technique was actually very good, a thin layer of skin, able to be completely intact without the slightest tear, and the recovery afterwards was actually also quite fast. Tsk, why can’t you just stay still?

A rope was horizontally inserted into Yao Rao’s mouth, pulling on the deepest part of the cut. Shortly after, Yao Rao’s head got fixed to the wooden pillar behind her. In this way, if she were to still have the courage to shake her head, then An Wu won’t mind it being a bit troublesome when setting to the task. In any case, this face was already damaged, so even if there’s a bit more flesh on the skin, it also didn’t matter. For him, although it was a flawed stroke, it didn’t matter either, just treating it as when he first started practicing.

No matter how beautiful of a woman, with this appearance, it was all difficult for the eyes. A normal person all won’t look at more than once, and those that were timid, afraid can wet themselves in fear, and afterwards, vomit their brains out to the side.

Yao Rao this while also didn’t have anymore thoughts. The rope was embedded into the flesh, and the middle area directly pressed against the back of the tongue. Not only was it painful, it was also very very uncomfortable. Although making muffled sounds with her mouth, she nevertheless didn’t dare to move.

Yao Rao’s hatred overflowed the skies. In her eyes, Li Hong Yuan really wasn’t a man. Would a man be like him? At the same time hating, she also somewhat regretted. If she’d long known it would be like this, then why bother doing all those excessive things? Unfortunately………..

Gong Jiu entered from the outside, practically unable to hear his footsteps. Slightly leaning over, “Master, there’s a discovery.”

“Speak.”

Gong Jiu had the previous matter thoroughly and methodically explained.

Li Hong Yuan extended his hand. Gong Jiu had the small box placed in his hand, and Li Hong Yuan subsequently opened it. A fat and chubby bug, but it appeared as if it was dead, completely motionless. Reasonably speaking, the incense ash should’ve been sprinkled on the bug’s body. However, at present, that bug had turned gray, and even very evenly colored, but on the surface, one was unable to make out the slightest trace of incense ash. The inside of the box was also quite clean, just like as if everything had gotten absorbed into the bug’s body.

“So, you’re saying, it’s this bug that made the person strangely die, and after dying, the body still like a living person’s body?”

“Replying to master, that is just this subordinate’s guess.” Some things, Gong Jiu obviously still need to reconfirm.

TN: All

Li Hong Yuan lifted his head and glanced at Gong Jiu, loudly snapping the box closed, throwing it to Gong Jiu, “There’s still one right here, directly have her head split open for a look. A living person and a dead person should be different, right? Gong Jiu, after extracting the bug, it’s best if you can ensure that she can live.”

“This subordinate will try one’s best.”

Everything that Gong Jiu had said just now, everyone present had all heard clearly.

Yao Rao’s eyes violently widened, unconcealable fear reflecting in her eyes. Getting one’s head split open while still alive, that scene, just thinking about it made one terrified. Yao Rao even disregarded the pain, loudly shaking her head———–When Li Hong Yuan had given the order, An Wu had already stopped, and the skin on Yao Rao’s face, a little less than half had been peeled. Following her movements, that skin flapped on her face. That scene truly was unbearable, but for people like them, there all wasn’t any influence.

“Master, just in case, should we interrogate first?” An Er suggested, carrying a bit of caution.

Facing their master that was in an abnormal mood, they were actually also quite exhausted. Everything else aside, they all needed to be extra careful and cautious, else who knows what will just hit a certain nerve on him. When time comes, don’t know how unlucky one will be. Although, as long as one doesn’t do something like betraying him, then there was no worries to the life, but if able to be perfectly fine, then who would be willing to cause trouble for oneself? It’s not like they were masochists.

Li Hong Yuan indifferently nodded, and afterwards, slowly got up to leave.

From beginning to end, they actually all didn’t understand too well why he was sitting here.

However, he was the master. What he wanted to do, that was all his own business. Others were unable to interfere.

“Gong Jiu, come with this prince first.” Outside, Li Hong Yuan stood with his hand behind his back, looking to the sky, “Gu bug, this thing, how much do you know?” Everything else aside, just that bug’s impact and effect already made one have no choice but to guard against.

Gong Jiu had that bit that he understood briefly explained.

Li Hong Yuan turned back, his gaze particularly calm as he looked to him, yet it was also like as if there was something stirring in the depths of his eyes, “This is just everything you know?” A very general outline?

Li Hong Yuan’s gaze landed on his hand. Seemingly, it was just knowing about this thing’s existence, but then, how did he know the way to control this thing? Moreover, he also knew how to contain it, and just happened to have a suitable box.

Gong Jiu clearly also understood the fishy areas in this matter. However, he indeed just knew that bit. Even if deliberately digging through his memories, it was still the same. Previously, it was like as if after encountering that little thing, he just naturally knew how to handle. Gong Jiu was very certain that he didn’t have missing memories, because it was completely able to connect together. Moreover, there weren’t any areas that were abnormal either. “Replying to master, this subordinate indeed just know this bit.” Gong Jiu slightly lowered his head as he answered.

To not doubt when using someone and to not use someone suspicious, this bit wasn’t applicable on Li Hong Yuan. To say that he didn’t trust the people below him, but for many things, he all unhesitantly passed down. However, to say that he very much trusted the people below him unconditionally, that was also a joke. Under normal circumstances, Gong Jiu’s situation, no matter what, would all make the master suspect.

Li Hong Yuan didn’t say anything either, just waving his hand.

Gong Jiu’s brows faintly furrowed. Even though he was already accustomed to Li Hong Yuan’s behavior and style, he still was a bit nervous inside, because he was completely unsure of what Li Hong Yuan was thinking, yet he didn’t further explain for himself either, just deferentially responding, and leaving.

Li Hong Yuan casually plucked a leaf. The things that changed sure enough were too many. At least, in the past life, he’d never heard of this gu bug before. Of course, the possibility of him not discovering in the past life was bigger. Otherwise, in this life, he wouldn’t be unprepared to deal with this thing. However, there was one thing Li Hong Yuan was certain of. This thing sounds as if mysterious and unpredictable, but to want to silently use, it still wasn’t too possible. There should exist some sort of limitations.

Southern Qi had began sending spies to the various countries since several decades ago. This bit absolutely won’t change because of his rebirth. And in his past life, he believed that in the beginning, probably no one was optimistic about him. but in the end, it was him that seized Qi Yuan’s mountains and rivers, and a hundred percent hindered certain people’s certain plans. There was no reason for those people to not target him.

Regardless whether it was in the palace or on the battlefield, the difference between him an other emperors was probably just having relatively few people, and the ones that were able to come in contact with his body were even fewer. That’s why, this gu bug required close range contact. Moreover, it wasn’t too possible to be soundless. There ultimately will be some signs.

Additionally, this thing was difficult to raise, which means that it was sparse. As for how sparse, from Yao Rao’s body, perhaps they can verify this. If there’s a good amount of them, then these spies should all have one in their body.

Gong Jiu was preparing to go look at Changping Marchioness’s corpse again. Without that bug, there should be changes.

Just, midway, Gong Jiu got intercepted. Because of Yao Rao’s super ‘big mouth’, she spoke with a lisp, so many words were unclear. Under the circumstances of having an alternative, one sure enough didn’t want to endure.

This was merely another country’s spy, so Gong Jiu naturally wasn’t so kind as to disinfect and numb the pain. Instead, it was rather crude and simple, directly having Yao Rao’s face sewn together. Although, whenever Yao Rao screamed out in pain, he would unhesitantly use the needle to let her shut up.

The others all silently watched, and then looked to that swaying needle. Speaking of which, if switched with another place, he can just numb the pain for the person, so sure enough, Gong Jiu was just a lump of elm wood that didn’t have tender feelings for the fairer sex.

—–However, they forgot that they themselves similar won’t have tender feelings for the fairer sex. Just like when An Wu was setting to the task, did he ever once hesitate?

After he finished, Yao Rao seemingly was just on her last breath.

The interrogation continued, but Yao Rao instead wasn’t as forward as before, because she was very clear, even if saying everything, she still won’t have a good end.

As a shadow guard, examining a person’s words and observing their expression were the basics, so how could they not know Yao Rao’s current thoughts?

“If you quickly say everything, then you can have a quick death, or could it be that you really want to have your head split open?”

“There isn’t a gu in my body!” Yao Rao said rather worked up.

Clearly, Yao Rao at least knew about this thing’s existence. But, exactly whether or not there was one in her body, it was still hard to say, because Yao Rao still desired to live. It was very hard to say whether that gu was self-controlled, or controlled by someone else.

The interrogation afterwards was still considered smooth. From the looks of it, Yao Rao seemingly indeed was asking for a quick painless death, and this seemingly can indirectly prove that she didn’t have a gu in her. But, who can be certain that she wasn’t deliberately doing this to leave behind false information for them?

Yao Rao ultimately was someone that had gone through special training. Lying with seven part truth and three part lie, one may not necessarily be able to tell.

However, the suspicions that Li Hong Yuan wanted to resolve, in the end, was still resolved.

Changping Marchioness and Ruan Rui Zhong’s second wife Wei-shi clearly had entered Qi Yuan many years earlier. At the time, the one on the throne in Southern Qi wasn’t the current emperor. According to Wei-shi, the spies were all dispatched by the ruler, but the one Yao Rao worked for was nevertheless an ambitious wangye of Southern Qi. These two groups of people clearly should be two different factions, yet they just so happened to end up together.

As such, one side certainly must have betrayed their master.

Changping Marchioness and Wei-shi? The possibility was very small. Yao Rao also indeed said that she’d casted herself under the Southern Qi crown prince, and the reason why she would come to Qi Yuan, it was also under the Southern Qi crown prince’s arrangement. Afterwards, she just convinced the wangye that she served on the surface.

Then, on this bit, what caused Yao Rao to not betray her master in the past life, yet betrayed in this life?

Li Hong Yuan twirled the leaf, the excretion dying his fingertips green. He also had quite a few arrangements in Southern Qi, little by little disrupting Southern Qi’s affairs. Perhaps, in this matter, there was something that caused Yao Rao to betray her master?

Li Hong Yuan slightly narrowed his eyes. If Sun Yi Lin really had already betrayed the country, then which did he cast himself under, Southern Qi or Former Wei? Aside from these two, there wasn’t a third option.

Since Sun Yi Lin still has yet to make a move, then he didn’t mind drawing the snake out from its hole.

Just, before Li Hong Yuan could think of the specifics, the head of the guards, Guard Qian, hastily arrived at the estate, “Master, there’s an emergency, wangfei……” Meeting Li Hong Yuan’s line of sight, Guard Qian just felt his head go numb, “…..wangfei is in an unconscious state, having yet to waken.”

[1] An ornamental thumb ring originally worn by archers in ancient times to protect the thumb when drawing a bowstring.