78: Imperial Prison

"You two shouldn't go, right? It's not exactly a pleasant place."

Hearing that Luo Yongan and Luo Yongning wanted to follow him into the Imperial Prison, Mo Yingqi refused point-blank: "Why would you girls go into a place like that? It's full of madmen and death-row inmates, and the smell..."

"Fine, fine, we were just curious..." Luo Yongan looked at Mo Yingqi with a wronged expression. "You're clearly on leave, and we even accompanied you away from the Empress Dowager's banquet, yet you still insist on going into the Imperial Prison to help your friend interrogate prisoners..."

"Er, this... I suppose I didn't think it through." Mo Yingqi scratched his head. "But after all... never mind, it's fine if we don't go."

"Silly, my sister and I were just teasing you." Luo Yongning burst into laughter. "We know you have a grudge against that Xu Fengzhang, and naturally, you want to see what his final fate will be. If you want to go, then go, Yingqi. Although we haven't been to the Imperial Prison, we've heard of it. If it weren't for worrying about you, why would my sister and I ever go to such a place?"

Of course, they were lying to him. While it was true they hadn't been to the Imperial Prison, to say these two sisters cared about such things... they wouldn't be the leaders of Partridge Sky if they did.

It was just that Mo Yingqi hadn't figured it out yet. He only assumed that all the dirty work was done by the subordinates of Partridge Sky and would never let the two sisters get even a speck of filth on them. But to be the leader of the largest, most secretive, and most ruthless organization in the martial arts world without getting a single drop of blood on one's hands—how could such a good thing exist?

But if Mo Yingqi believed that, then the sisters... would naturally go along with him. They would even go to great lengths to make him believe that they had no desire to go to such a dirty and dark place, and that it was only because he was there that they were willing to go, even if it meant climbing a mountain of blades or plunging into a sea of flames.

"Go ahead, Yingqi, but don't stay too long." Luo Yongan chuckled softly and gently kissed the corner of Mo Yingqi's lips. "It's not a good place, after all. I know you've probably been to this Imperial Prison more than once or twice this past year, but you should go less often in the future."

After thinking for a moment, Luo Yongan suddenly grasped Mo Yingqi's hand tightly: "Yingqi, the Pacification Bureau is ultimately not a place you should stay in forever. I know what you are thinking... When everything has settled, will you leave this place? If you are already the Imperial Son-in-law and the Marquis Yongding personally conferred by the Emperor, you really shouldn't stay in this Pacification Bureau any longer, okay?"

"Yingqi, my sister is right. The Pacification Bureau is not a place to stay for long." Luo Yongning also looked at her beloved boy with a face full of worry. "I know you joined the Pacification Bureau initially to take revenge on your father's family and Grand Chancellor Zhou, but I just hope that after you finish all of this... can you live a good life with me and my sister, the three of us together?"

"Alright, I understand."

Mo Yingqi did not hesitate at all, which even surprised himself. It wasn't that he didn't know what was good for him or didn't understand that they had his best interests at heart, but he was surprised that he seemed... unable to refuse the two sisters anymore.

"That's right, Yingqi is such a good boy." Luo Yongning smiled with satisfaction. "Oh, by the way, Yingqi, I'm planning to request an imperial decree from the Emperor to let us go to the Jiangsu and Zhejiang region to visit my Granduncle in a few days, shall we?"

"We can, but why the sudden trip to the Jiangsu and Zhejiang region?" Mo Yingqi asked with some curiosity. "Although the scenery in the Jiangsu and Zhejiang region is picturesque, is it appropriate to go at this time?"

Although he was holed up in the Princesss Residence every day, he wasn't completely ignorant. While he really wanted to go to the Jiangsu and Zhejiang region to see how his father was being pressed until he couldn't breathe by that legendary, civil and military-adept Minister Shen, they were newlyweds after all. Wouldn't it be a bit inappropriate for the Princess and the Imperial Son-in-law to leave the capital together?

Besides, the Grand Empress Dowager should be returning to the capital in a few days, and as her grandson-in-law, he hadn't paid his respects yet. That would be terribly impolite.

"It's fine, it's fine. The Grand Empress Dowager happens to be in the Jiangsu and Zhejiang region too." Luo Yongan saw through Mo Yingqi's thoughts, or rather... she was becoming increasingly able to see through Mo Yingqi's mind. "Since her middle age, the Grand Empress Dowager has been acquainted with a nun, and they often discuss scriptures and doctrines. This time, her trip to pray and offer sacrifices is mainly to gather with that nun in her nunnery for a while."

"Yes, my sister and I can just take you to pay your respects to the Grand Empress Dowager then," Luo Yongning chimed in. "And besides, Yingqi, don't you want to see for yourself... how your father and your so-called brother are faring these days?"

Not wanting to see... that would be a lie. For Mo Yingqi, he had been waiting for this day. He was waiting for them to fall into disgrace, and when that time came, he would definitely rush over and kick them while they were down...

While Mo Yingqi was still talking with his two beautiful wives, Xu Fengzhang in the Imperial Prison was not having such an easy time.

From the day the Pacification Bureau was established, the Imperial Prison had been built by the personal decree of the founding Emperor. Initially, it only housed corrupt officials, who would be punished after a joint trial by the Three Judicial Offices.

However, in the beginning, the threat posed by the Pacification Bureau was not significant. Many officials protected one another, covering for each other and destroying evidence. At the very beginning, some officials who held military power or had bailiffs at their disposal even openly resisted the Flying Fish Guard.

Even if they took people into the Imperial Prison, the outcome remained unchanged. The Three Judicial Offices had to provide evidence. However, at first, the Pacification Bureau had no power to inflict punishments and was only responsible for detention. Only when the Three Judicial Offices conducted a joint trial and the suspects were brought to court could punishments be administered.

But at that time, the new dynasty had just been established, and most officials were either former dynasty officials or scholars recruited by the founding Emperor, many of whom were sons of noble families.

These people thought that by doing this, they could force the founding Emperor to compromise and turn a blind eye to their behavior. But how could they know that the founding Emperor, who had risen from humble beginnings, had spent his youth struggling in the martial arts world, and had fought step by step to conquer the empire, would ever be constrained by such tactics?

"Therefore, the Pacification Bureau's Imperial Prison, under the personal decree of the founding Emperor, was granted unique powers of interrogation and punishment."

As Lu Qianyuan spoke, he took off his official hat and pointed to the wall behind him, and the floor, where a dazzling array of torture instruments were displayed.

"Young Marquis, the Pacification Bureau has eighty-one types of torture, but in truth... they are all much the same." Lu Qianyuan gestured behind himself while looking at Xu Fengzhang, who was chained to the wall and trembling all over. "This humble official doesn't intend to let you truly experience all the tortures of the Pacification Bureau; I'm afraid you don't have the life for it..."

"So, Young Marquis, I have selected only the torture instruments that will keep you alive while leaving you unable to beg for life or death..."

At this moment, Xu Fengzhang had none of his former prestige. However, just as he was about to speak, Lu Qianyuan pointed to a pot on the side: "This ginseng soup was prepared by my brothers at my instruction. When the Young Marquis is struggling to breathe, it will be used to keep you hanging on, so you don't die."

"Oh, that's right, don't bother thinking about whether you'll confess or not. The Pacification Bureau already has the files on your little affairs. Let me make it clear today: I just... want you to suffer, I want your skin to be torn, and I want your tendons and bones to be broken!"