Dressed As a Consort in Ancient Times - Chapter 69
“You want to extract a confession through torture?”
The man had already walked up to Gu Yun with the branding iron in his hand, and she naturally understood his intent. With that, Gu Yun knew she couldn’t stall any longer.
“We’ve given you so many days, yet you’ve refused to cooperate.”
The man in the blue robe curled his lips into a sneer. With a sudden movement, he pressed the branding iron onto the wooden board beside Gu Yun. A thick green smoke immediately rose, accompanied by a sizzling sound that sent chills down one’s spine.
“Since you won’t be leaving this prison cell alive anyway, we don’t have to be so polite with you.”
As he spoke, the burning hot branding iron in his hand slowly moved closer to Gu Yun.
The iron was scorching. Even before it touched her, the heat radiating from it made Gu Yun furrow her brows slightly. She averted her gaze and scanned her surroundings. The two other men sitting at the table nearby were both watching this scene unfold, their eyes gleaming with excitement, as if they were eagerly anticipating the moment she would be tortured.
The heat intensified. Just as the branding iron was about to press against Gu Yun, she released her mental energy, attacking the blue-robed man holding the iron first. His movements halted, and after a fleeting moment of confusion, he lost all sense of self-awareness.
Seeing this, the two men at the table noticed something was off and started to get up to check on him.
But as soon as they stood, Gu Yun’s overwhelming mental energy forcefully invaded their minds. Under her pressure, the two men, now devoid of self-awareness, sat back down again, completely still, staring blankly into the void.
In the dark, narrow prison cell, the shouts of interrogation had disappeared, leaving only the sound of shallow breathing and the crackling of firewood burning in the furnace.
“Did you receive any orders today?”
Gu Yun’s gaze was cold as she looked at the blue-robed man standing before her, lowering her voice as she questioned him.
She had sensed something was off the moment they decided to torture her.
In the past, these people had interrogated her on schedule, but out of consideration for the Seventh Princess’s status, they had never dared to resort to torture. Yet today, from the moment these men walked in, their gazes toward her had changed. And now that they were prepared to force a confession through torture, Gu Yun had no choice but to suspect that someone above had given them new orders.
Sure enough, the blue-robed man, now under her control, slowly opened his mouth:
“Yes.”
Gu Yun’s eyes grew even colder.
“Speak.”
“…To avoid any unforeseen complications, orders from above have been given to disregard whether you live or die. As long as they can obtain your signed confession of guilt, that’s all that matters…”
So it really was the case.
“Who gave you the order?”
Gu Yun exerted more mental pressure on him. The man trembled in pain, but after only a few spasms, he gradually spoke a name under the overwhelming force.
Gu Yun lowered her gaze in thought. The person who had given the order was merely his direct superior—a low-ranking official in the Ministry of Justice.
That was to be expected.
She wasn’t disappointed. Instead, she pressed him further for more details…
After extracting everything the three men knew, Gu Yun endured the discomfort and used her mental energy to erase all their memories of what had just happened.
“Boss?!”
The two men, gradually regaining consciousness, got up and walked over. However, they felt dizzy and nearly lost their balance.
“What just happened? Why does my whole body ache?”
The blue-robed man was also exhausted, barely able to hold onto the branding iron. He steadied himself, placed the iron back into the firewood, and sat down at the table to recover.
“How would I know what’s going on?!”
Right now, his head felt heavy, and he knew nothing. The two men, intimidated by his outburst, shrank back and dared not speak again.
The blue-robed man took a long while to recover before finally lifting his eyes to look at Gu Yun. Seeing the pale face, disheveled hair, and overall weak appearance, he then glanced at the iron chains binding him—still perfectly intact, tightly wound together. He quickly averted his gaze.
That dizziness from earlier had almost made him suspect that this seemingly powerless Seventh Prince Consort had done something to them. But thinking it over now, he realized he must have been overthinking it. He was bound hand and foot, had been suspended for days, and barely had any food or water—how could he possibly have the strength to break free and attack all three of them?
“We’ve been stuck here watching him for days, and we’re exhausted.”
It took him quite some time to fully recover. Then, he raised his hand and called to the thinner man, “Go buy some food, and be sure to bring back two jars of strong liquor.”
The thin man was tempted by the idea but still hesitated, remembering their mission. “But… aren’t we supposed to avoid going out as much as possible? If someone spots us, the Seventh Princess might find this place.”
The blue-robed man scowled and waved his hand impatiently. “Just go! Why so much nonsense? It’s been so many days already—she’s probably long forgotten about this matter.”
The men no longer cared that Gu Yun was right there; they spoke without restraint. Gu Yun watched them indifferently, her gaze flickering slightly with their still somewhat dazed expressions. She then lowered her eyes again.
She had already invaded their minds, leaving traces of her mental energy within them for control. As long as she didn’t give overly extreme commands, they wouldn’t notice anything unusual, thinking that nothing had ever happened.
Originally, she had planned to directly control the blue-robed man and have him unlock her chains. However, after realizing there might be hidden enemies within the Ministry of Justice, she abandoned that idea. She chose to stay put and wait for a better opportunity.
As long as she remained imprisoned, those who sought to harm her would let their guard down, focusing entirely on achieving their goal. This way, the Seventh Princess outside might be able to uncover more details. However, this also meant she would have to expend even more mental energy to keep controlling these three men.
This was precisely why she hadn’t used her abilities right from the start—because as long as she remained captive, she would need to reinforce the mental control implanted in them every day.
The process was simple but tedious and incredibly draining. But to avoid physical torture and extract useful information from them, she had no other choice.
It had been nearly half a month since Gu Yun was taken away.
The summer heat was gradually fading, and the early autumn breeze carried a slight chill. A few yellowing leaves rustled, swaying precariously on the tree branches.
Jiang Libai stood within the dappled shadows of sunlight, quietly listening to Mu Jiang’s report.
“…Two days ago, during a secret patrol, our men noticed a suspicious figure. As Muzhou passed by him, he caught a faint fragrance—similar to the scent on the Prince Consort. So Muzhou secretly followed him.”
“After tracking him, Muzhou lingered around the area for two more days. After careful investigation, he has roughly confirmed that it is the place where the Prince Consort is being held…”
Hearing this, Jiang Libai immediately lifted her eyes. Clenching her sleeves tightly, she asked urgently, “Where is it?”
“In an abandoned residence on West Street.”
A dilapidated estate on West Street? How could it be there?!
By logic, it was the Ministry of Justice that took Gu Yun away, so she should have been imprisoned in the Ministry’s dungeon. Even if they suspected her of colluding with the enemy, she should have been placed in a secret prison. How could they just throw her into some abandoned house on West Street?
The more Jiang Libai thought about it, the stranger it seemed.
But she didn’t have time to dwell on the details—right now, all she wanted was to get Gu Yun out.
Who knew what kind of suffering Gu Yun had endured after all these days of captivity?
Mu Jiang understood the Seventh Princess’s urgency and quickly added, “There should be a basement beneath that estate. Our people couldn’t determine if there are any hidden escape routes, so we shouldn’t act rashly just yet. If they relocate the Prince Consort, the next rescue attempt will be even harder.”
He also found it odd that the Ministry of Justice had imprisoned the Prince Consort in such a place. Since the reasons were unclear, he decided they should investigate further and act only when they were at least ninety percent certain of success.
Jiang Libai thought for a long time.
She knew she couldn’t take any risks.
She had initially planned to storm the residence on West Street and demand Gu Yun’s release under the authority of her princess status. But that method wouldn’t work—she needed to try something else.
Before dusk fell, Jiang Libai took Qin’er and entered the palace.
This time, she didn’t go to Changchun Palace. Instead, she headed straight to the outside of Ganming Hall.
Her mother had already pleaded on her behalf once before—she didn’t want to trouble her again.
“Oh! Princess, why have you come here?!”
Eunuch Sun had just stepped out of the hall when he saw Jiang Libai lifting her skirt and stepping up the stairs.
He looked back and saw that only Qin’er was following, with no one from Changchun Palace, so he knew that the Seventh Princess had come on her own.
“The sun is about to set. Why has the Princess entered the palace at this hour? Is there something urgent?”
Even though Jiang Libai was anxious, she still remained courteous to Eunuch Sun. “Is my father inside?”
At this time of day, her father would usually be in Ganming Hall reviewing memorials and wouldn’t rest until it was time for dinner. The red lacquered doors were tightly shut, and though everything around was quiet, Jiang Libai could still hear faint sounds coming from inside the hall.
Eunuch Sun had also heard them and figured that the Emperor already knew the Seventh Princess had come to see him. However, since the Emperor had not summoned her, the message was clear—he did not want to see her.
Eunuch Sun did not wish to go against the Emperor’s will, nor did he want to make the Seventh Princess feel too embarrassed. “Princess, His Majesty has been reviewing memorials all day and is quite exhausted. He was just about to rest in the side hall and likely cannot see you right now. Why don’t you come back tomorrow?”
Eunuch Sun tried to sound as tactful as possible, but Jiang Libai still felt a wave of sadness and helplessness. She had suspected that her father did not want to hear her mention Gu Yun, but she had not expected that he would refuse to see her entirely.
Even though she could understand her father’s concerns and dilemmas, how could she not feel heartache and disappointment?
The sun had already set, and dusk was slowly creeping in. The evening glow stretched across the sky, casting a peaceful and tranquil aura over the vast palace complex.
Jiang Libai gazed into the distance—everything was so familiar, yet, in that moment, it all felt strangely unfamiliar.
“Princess, it’s getting late. Perhaps we should return?” Qin’er stepped forward and gently urged her, “The Little Princess is still at the residence; she should be waking up soon.”
Hearing this, Jiang Libai closed her eyes briefly.
Since she could not see her father and Xingxing was about to wake up, she could not linger here any longer.
“Let’s go.”
She stepped onto the staircase, and the early autumn breeze swept past, still carrying traces of late summer’s warmth. However, she felt no warmth at all—only a biting coldness that seeped into her bones, leaving her powerless.
She couldn’t help but turn back, glancing at the tightly shut red lacquered doors. Her lips curled slightly in a bitter smile before she slowly descended the steps.
Just as she was lost in thought, hurried footsteps sounded from not far away.
A figure rushed past her at full speed, and she instinctively paused in her steps. That person looked anxious, though she had no idea what had brought them here in such a hurry. The thought flickered briefly in her mind before she dismissed it, her expression indifferent as she continued walking away.
“…What did you say?! The Prince Consort was poisoned? She is now on the verge of death?!”
But then, Eunuch Sun’s sharp voice came from behind.
He was so shocked that he forgot to lower his voice.
Jiang Libai’s steps came to an abrupt halt.
In the next instant, she spun around and, lifting her skirt, sprinted back to Ganming Hall.
“Who was poisoned?! Who is on the verge of death?!”
She forced herself to stay calm, asking each word with deliberate clarity.
The commanding presence of a royal princess was overwhelming, and Eunuch Sun was startled by her intensity.
Thinking of the message he had just received, he quickly lowered his head.
“It’s the Prince Consort… He was poisoned in prison…”
In that moment, everything around Jiang Libai seemed to blur and fade away.
Only one sentence kept echoing in her mind—
Gu Yun was poisoned and was now on the brink of death.
—
Eunuch Sun hurried to report the news to the Emperor. After offering a few words of comfort to the Seventh Princess, he quickly turned around, preparing to enter the hall. However, just as he pushed the door open a sliver, a figure swept past him like the wind.
He instinctively raised his eyes to watch the retreating figure, who looked extremely anxious. He let out a small sigh and then closed the door again. Since the Seventh Princess had already gone inside, the news of the Prince Consort’s poisoning would naturally reach the Emperor’s ears. Whatever father and daughter had to discuss next was not something an outsider like him could eavesdrop on.
Inside Ganming Hall, bright candles were lit all around, and the thin paper-covered windows allowed the soft twilight to filter through, casting flickering light onto the smooth marble floor. The glow illuminated Jiang Libai’s forcibly composed expression.
Hearing the noise at the door, Emperor Yu did not look up. “What is it?” He assumed it was Eunuch Sun.
Jiang Libai, however, bit down hard on her lower lip and remained silent. She strode forward, stopping below the steps.
The Emperor furrowed his brows slightly before finally lifting his gaze.
“Jia Ning?”
Under his calm and detached gaze, Jiang Libai stubbornly held back the tears in her eyes. Lifting her skirt slightly, she suddenly knelt down on the cold marble floor.
“Father, my Prince Consort has been poisoned and is on the verge of death! Could you release him first?”
No matter how much she tried to suppress her emotions, a faint tremble could still be heard in her low voice. This made Emperor Yu feel uneasy.
“Do you care about him that much?”
Although he was still unclear about the details of Gu Yun’s poisoning, seeing his beloved daughter plead so desperately for him made him feel irritated.
A royal princess, noble and dignified—how could she lower herself like this, crying over a man?
Jiang Li Bai noticed the discontent in her father’s eyes, but at this moment, she could no longer care.
“Yes, I care about him very much.”
She no longer knew how much weight she still held in her father’s heart, nor whether her pleading would soften him.
All she could think about now was getting Gu Yun out as soon as possible and having Imperial Physician Zhao detoxify her. If… if the poison couldn’t be cured…
Jiang Libai did not dare to continue that thought.
She looked at the Emperor’s still composed expression behind the desk. Closing her eyes briefly, she then lowered her head and kowtowed hard against the marble floor.
“Father, my husband is dying! Please, release him first… I beg you…”
Before long, bloodstains appeared on her forehead. The bright red color spread across her snow-white skin, making for a shocking sight.
Emperor Yu’s heart trembled slightly. He set down his vermillion brush.
“Get up first.”
Jiang Libai’s eyes were already brimming with tears. Hearing the exceptionally calm tone, she hurriedly lifted her head, her blurred vision falling on her father.
“Father, are you going to release Gu Yun?!”
His daughter’s humility made Emperor Yu feel reluctant. Rising from his dragon throne, he slowly walked toward Jiang Libai. Then, he reached out, intending to help her up.
But Jiang Libai was momentarily stunned at the gesture.
“What? Are you angry at me?” Emperor Yu sighed slightly.
Jiang Libai hesitated for a moment before finally placing her hand in her father’s palm. Feeling the warmth from her father’s hand, she felt a deep sorrow in her heart as she slowly got up.
“From now on, you must not disregard your dignity and health for him like this. Do you understand?”
Emperor Yu raised his hand slightly, wanting to touch his daughter’s head, but hesitated, fearing that she was truly upset with him, and ultimately held back.
Jiang Libai no longer cared what her father was saying. She hurriedly nodded.
“Yes, I understand.”
“Have Gu Yun released for treatment first. I will order a thorough investigation into the arson case.”
With a helpless nod, Emperor Yu conceded, settling the matter.
Even after leaving Ganming Hall, Jiang Libai still felt as if she were in a dream.
After these days of separation, Gu Yun could finally be released. But what kind of poison had she been given… Could her life still be saved…?
Thinking of this, Jiang Libai quickened her pace.
She rushed straight to the palace gates, boarded the carriage, and ordered Mu Jiang to return to the residence as quickly as possible.
Outside the Seventh Princess’s residence, a rather simple-looking carriage had already stopped there.
Jiang Libai glanced at it, her heart pounding even faster.
Upon arriving at the side chamber, she ignored the guards at the door and forcefully pushed it open, stepping inside.
At last, she saw the person she had been longing for day and night…
That person’s eyes were tightly shut, her face pale as death, with a trace of blood at the corner of her lips—everything about her appearance made Jiang Libai’s heart ache.
