RPAGF Chapter 479 Iron Will and Schemes
Chapter 479 Iron Will and Schemes
The interrogation room was even colder than the prison cell. Water droplets seeped from the stone walls, dripping onto the straw on the floor, mingling with the smell of rust and blood, making one's throat tighten.
Choi Ji-ho was pinned to the rack by two guards, his wrists and ankles tightly chained with thick iron chains. The bandages he had just applied were torn, and blood seeped out of his wounds again, flowing down his arms and forming small pools of blood on the ground.
Lei Zhao sat on the wooden chair opposite, toying with a bamboo skewer in his hand, his eyes as cold as the stone walls of the room: "Young Master Cui, I'll give you one last chance—where is Shi Wanxia?"
Cui Zhihao raised his head, his hair sticking to his face with cold sweat, but a cold smile tugged at the corner of his mouth: "Lord Lei... instead of wasting time here... why not think about... whether the Prince of Rongyang's account books will appear on His Majesty's desk tomorrow?"
"Tough mouth!"
Lei Zhao slammed the bamboo skewer on the table and winked at the jailer next to him.
"Put him in the leg clamps!"
Two burly jailers immediately stepped forward and stuffed Cui Zhihao's calves into the clamps, the thick wooden rods tightly gripping the bones.
As the jailer turned the handle, the clamps slowly tightened, and Cui Zhihao's face turned pale instantly. Cold sweat dripped from his forehead like beads from a broken string, and his teeth clenched so tightly that they made a grinding sound, but he didn't utter a sound.
"How about it?"
Lei Zhao stood up and walked over to him. "This clamping rod is just an appetizer. There's something even more amazing coming up."
"If you tell me, I'll have someone untie you immediately and find you a doctor to treat your injuries properly."
Cui Zhihao was panting heavily, his vision blurry, but he stared intently at Lei Zhao: "My Cui family... has been loyal for generations... and would never... aid and abet evil... You... don't even think about getting a single word out of me."
Lei Zhao's face darkened, and he waved his hand, saying, "Change the soldering iron!"
Another jailer brought over a red-hot branding iron, its tip emitting white smoke, and you could smell the scorching metallic odor when you got close.
Cui Zhihao closed his eyes, but the scene of him spending time with Shi Wanxia flashed through his mind—she was wearing a light green dress, standing under the pear tree in the government office, holding an account book in her hand, and smiling as she said, "Young Master Cui, I'll help you find the trickery in this account book."
"Fuck-"
The scorching hot iron pressed against his shoulder blade, the sound of his flesh being burned was particularly jarring in the interrogation room.
Choi Ji-ho shuddered, letting out a muffled groan, but he swallowed the pain he was about to cry out, his fingernails digging deep into his palms until they bled.
"Don't tell me!"
Lei Zhao stepped forward, his voice filled with ruthlessness.
Cui Zhihao slowly opened his eyes, his gaze bloodshot, yet still resolute: "Kill me... then kill me... You want me... to betray Miss Shi...? Impossible!"
Seeing his stubbornness, Lei Zhao felt a tightness in his chest, but then he remembered the instructions of the Prince of Rongyang.
We must not harm Cui Zhihao, otherwise it will force the Qinghe Cui clan to rebel.
He gritted his teeth and could only yell at the jailer, "Take him back first! We'll interrogate him again tomorrow! I don't believe he can keep holding out like this!"
The guards unlocked the chains, and Cui Zhihao collapsed to the ground like a lump of mud, his body covered in wounds that were so painful he was almost numb. But deep in his mind, there was only one thought—hold on, he had to hold on. Once Miss Shi delivered the account books to the capital, everything would be over.
Meanwhile, in a dilapidated temple outside the city, Shi Wanxia was clutching a crumpled letter, her fingers turning white from the force, her face even more pale than the white walls of the temple.
The letter was sent by Fang Wen, and it contained only a few words: "Young Master Cui has been captured by Lei Zhao and is being held in the state prison. He may be subjected to torture. Please find a way to save him quickly."
"Brother Cui...how did he get arrested..."
Shi Wanxia's voice trembled, tears welled in her eyes, and she nearly crushed the letter in her hand.
Shuyun, who was standing next to her, quickly handed her a glass of warm water and gently patted her back: "Girl, don't panic, crying won't solve the problem."
“Young Master Cui is a lucky man, he will definitely be able to hold on. We must find a way to save him quickly.”
"Yes, Miss Shi,"
Another guard spoke up, "The young master said that Young Master Cui is a member of the Cui family of Qinghe, so Lei Zhao wouldn't dare to kill him easily. We still have time."
Shi Wanxia took a deep breath and forced herself to calm down.
She wiped away her tears, folded the letter neatly, and put it in her bosom. Her eyes gradually hardened: "Yes, we can't panic."
"The most important thing now is to send the account books back to the capital. Only when His Majesty and His Highness the Crown Prince have the evidence can they order a halt, and only then can Brother Cui be saved."
She turned to look at Meng Feng, who was standing to the side—Meng Feng was someone Lin Yiyu had found; he was highly skilled in martial arts and acted with composure.
"Brother Meng,"
Shi Wanxia spoke earnestly, “Cui Jiu is Young Master Cui’s man and is familiar with the ways of the capital. I want him to take the account books back to the capital first. I’m relying on you to protect him. You must personally hand over the account books to His Majesty and His Highness the Crown Prince. There must be no mistakes.”
Meng Feng clasped his hands and nodded: "Don't worry, young lady, I will not fail in my mission. Even if it costs me my life, I will deliver Cui Jiu and the account books safely to the capital."
Cui Jiu stepped out from behind the crowd, holding a wooden box containing account books. His eyes were firm: "Miss Shi, don't worry, I will definitely hand over the account books to His Majesty and ask him to send someone to rescue the young master."
After arranging for the person to deliver the account books, Shi Wanxia turned to look at Lin Yiyu.
Lin Yiyu, dressed in a blue robe, possessed a gentle demeanor yet had sharp eyes. He stepped forward and asked, "Miss Shi, do you wish to personally investigate the exact location where Young Master Cui is being held?"
"Yes,"
Shi Wanxia nodded, "Lei Zhao is cunning, and the state prison is heavily guarded. We need to figure out the layout inside first, and know which cell Brother Cui is being held in, before we can formulate a rescue plan."
"Xiaoyu, you have a lot of connections in this area, could you help me find out something?"
Lin Yiyu smiled, his eyes filled with confidence: "Don't worry, I know a few people who work in the prefecture. They're well-informed and will be able to give me a reply tonight."
"However, Miss Shi, you must promise me that you will leave the task of gathering information to me. You should not take any risks. Young Master Cui still needs you to wait for him to come out safely."
Shi Wanxia felt a warmth in her heart and nodded: "Okay, I'll listen to you. Then let's wait here in this dilapidated temple for your news."
As night fell, a bonfire was lit in the dilapidated temple, its flickering light illuminating everyone's faces.
Looking at the campfire, Shi Wanxia silently prayed: Brother Cui, you must hold on. I will definitely find a way to rescue you. We will watch together as King Rongyang is punished and as peace reigns in the world.
Meanwhile, in his cell in the state prison, Choi Ji-ho lay on withered grass, his body wracked with pain, yet he forced his eyes open, gazing at the moonlight outside the window, a faint smile appearing on his lips:
Miss Shi, you must be safe now. The account books will surely reach the capital. I'll hold on for a few more days...