NFBE Chapter 51 Crucification
Chapter 51 Crucification
When Lianye rushed back to Yuhua Courtyard, Xu Jiaojiao was no longer there.
The other servants in the courtyard all wore mournful expressions, as if disaster was imminent, giving the impression that when the city gate catches fire, the fish in the moat suffer as well.
Seeing this, Lianye's anger flared up: "Where is our master?"
Lu Hai looked over anxiously: "My master has been locked in a dark room by the Princess Consort; I'm afraid he won't survive..."
"Shut your stinking mouth! If you can't speak properly, then shut your stinking mouth!"
Lianye cursed angrily, but she knew in her heart that once they entered that dark room, her master would be severely injured, if not killed.
Her eyes reddened, and after cursing, she turned and ran into the dark room.
At that time, Xu Jiaojiao had been locked inside for a while.
Once inside the dark room, Lianye slipped a silver hairpin to the guard at the door, in exchange for a short time to go in and see her master.
Seeing her mistress huddled in a corner in such a disheveled state, Lianye burst into tears: "Mistress! This servant is Lianye, I've come to see you!"
Xu Jiaojiao, who was resting with her eyes closed to clear her mind, suddenly felt a tremor in her eyelashes. She saw Lianye looking at her through a small window with railings at the door. Her heart warmed and her nose felt a little sore.
Although Lianye is a stubborn and inflexible girl, she is someone you can entrust your life to.
Xu Jiaojiao quickly stepped forward: "How did you get in?"
"I gave the guard at the gate a silver hairpin, and he let me in." As she spoke, Lianye took out a small porcelain bottle from her bosom and handed it to Xu Jiaojiao: "Master, I have done what you asked me to do. This bottle contains ginseng slices. If you can't take it anymore, remember to put one under your tongue!"
After a pause, Lianye glanced at the doorway and lowered her voice to continue, "Master, you must hold on. The Prince will be back at the earliest tonight, or at the latest by tomorrow morning. As soon as he returns, I will immediately beg him to come and save you!"
Xu Jiaojiao gripped the bottle tightly in her hand: "Lianye, take care of yourself!"
She is currently enjoying great favor, and if something were to happen to her, it would surely enrage Prince Chen.
No matter who it is, anyone who dares to mess with Prince Chen will not have a good outcome, so they probably won't dare to let anything really happen to her, because it's not worth it.
Xu Jiaojiao wasn't afraid, but she knew that some physical pain was inevitable.
At this moment, more than anything else, she wanted to know whether the person behind Tian Chunhua was the Princess or Zheng Antong, or whether Tian Chunhua was being controlled by both sides.
Compared to her, it was the lotus leaf that was running around outside like a headless fly that was more dangerous.
After all, these people dared not touch her, but they had no qualms about touching a mere maid.
With this in mind, Xu Jiaojiao once again instructed, "Before the Prince returns, remember not to act rashly! Before I am released, you must guard Yuhua Courtyard well, and don't let even a fly in!"
As she spoke, Xu Jiaojiao glanced out the window, and after confirming that no one was outside, she lowered her voice and said, "Tell Lu Hai to be on high alert. If he finds anyone suspicious sneaking into Yuhua Courtyard, he must detain them!"
Lianye took the words to heart and nodded solemnly: "This servant understands!"
The words had barely left his mouth when the guard at the door looked over and coughed.
Lianye's eyes instantly reddened again, filled with worry and concern: "Master, I must go now! You must hold on! I will find a way to save you!"
As instructed by Xu Jiaojiao, Lianye told Lu Hai to perk up as soon as she returned to Yuhua Courtyard.
Lu Hai was initially disheartened, feeling that he would likely suffer the same fate as his master. However, when he thought of the handkerchief in his sleeve, he rallied and, as Lian Ye had suggested, climbed a tall tree and hid among the dense foliage to secretly monitor the entire Yu Hua Courtyard.
He didn't want to die, nor did he want his master to die.
I'll do anything as long as he and my master can get through this ordeal!
In the dark room.
Not long after Lianye left, Tian Chunhua arrived.
"This is a forbidden area; unauthorized personnel are not permitted to enter!" The guard at the gate blocked Tian Chunhua's path with his sword drawn and his tone stern, preventing her from going any further.
The latter frowned slightly: "I am just a concubine. How could I come to a place like a dark room without permission?"
The guard refused to let him go: "If Master Tian has a token, your subordinate will naturally not stop you."
Tian Chunhua felt annoyed and rolled her eyes at the guard.
After a moment, her eyes shifted, and she narrowed her eyes at the guard: "Would the master openly allow someone to do something like forced confession? The witchcraft involves the prince's safety and is a matter of great importance. Your obstruction suggests you have something to hide."
The guard immediately retorted, "I have always been diligent and conscientious; how could I have anything to hide!"
Tian Chunhua chuckled, her eyes filled with threat: "Fine, I'll go and report to the master right now. Tell him that the guards in the secret room are doing their duty and will not let anyone through without a token. Please ask the master personally about the confession."
She spoke with righteous indignation and conviction, which made the guard a little apprehensive.
As a guard in the secret chamber, he had indeed witnessed many of the mansion's underhanded dealings, and many things were indeed as Concubine Tian had said, things that could not be discussed openly.
After all, those in high positions will not easily leave any room for criticism or manipulation.
After a moment's thought, the guard coughed softly and said to himself, "A few days ago, the master asked me to go to the storeroom to get a new wall lamp. There shouldn't be anyone around right now, so I'll go and come back quickly..."
After saying this, the guard placed the key to the secret room on the table, turned around, and strode away quickly.
Looking at the dark and gloomy door of the dark room, Tian Chunhua felt as if she were seeing the entrance to hell.
Her eyelashes fluttered, she took a deep breath, and stepped inside.
Xu Jiaojiao, we are both caged birds, unable to fly out of this vast Prince Chen's mansion. If we want to live well, we can only do our best to please our master.
I didn't mean to hurt you, but I don't want to die, and I don't want my family to die either. I'm sorry...
As she walked to the cell where Xu Jiaojiao was being held, Tian Chunhua suppressed the reluctance and bitterness in her heart, and when she looked up again, her eyes were filled with indifference.
Through the small window in the railing, she looked at Xu Jiaojiao, who was leaning against the corner with her eyes closed, and then gave her maid a look.
The latter was someone Zheng Antong had planted next to her, and she was all on Zheng Antong's side, so naturally she was targeting Xu Jiaojiao.
Seeing that this was not in Xu Jiaojiao's best interest, the maid immediately picked up the key and opened the door.
Hearing the sound of the lock being opened, Xu Jiaojiao opened her eyes with slight hesitation.
She wasn't surprised when she saw who was standing at the door.
Tian Chunhua stepped forward and laid out a piece of Xuan paper with a pre-written confession in front of Xu Jiaojiao, saying calmly, "Press your fingerprint and confess, and you can avoid physical punishment."
Xu Jiaojiao glanced down at the confession and scoffed, "What if I don't?"
Tian Chunhua sighed, feeling helpless yet reluctant: "Then we'll have to resort to some methods..."
Xu Jiaojiao narrowed her eyes slightly, and the hands hidden in her sleeves tightened slightly.
Tian Chunhua rolled up her confession again and held it in her hand before standing up.
The two maids behind her immediately stepped forward and pinned Xu Jiaojiao down, while Tian Chunhua turned around and fetched the torture instruments for handcuffing.
Xu Jiaojiao's pupils shrank: "You dare!"