Qian Yi only then realized that beside the Prison Chief, there was seemingly another person.
At this mont, his hair was disheveled and filthy, with ssy long hair obscuring his vision, making everything look blurry. He reached out to lift the hair off his forehead and saw the person beside the Prison Chief.
This person, he was very familiar with, too familiar!
"Li... Li Qingmu!!!"
His voice, initially hoarse, gradually turned crazy, hateful!
It was him, all because of him, that his life was ruined!
He had fallen into this person’s hands!
"Bang!"
He rushed up and crashed into the railing, reaching out as if to grab onto Li Qingmu.
"You bastard, you set up, you beast, you set up! I... I will kill you, even as a ghost I won’t let you go, ah—"
"Shut up, what are you shouting about? You little beast, this is Mr. Li, the Imperial Censor, what do you amount to, daring to speak to Mr. Li like that?"
The Prison Chief, a lowly official, knew best how to curry favor with the wind. Li Qingmu was now a favored minister by the Emperor’s side, so he naturally wanted to cozy up.
So, after scolding, he suddenly had a long whip in his hand and directly lashed it towards Qian Yi.
The whip was very long, a full ten feet long, and when it was swung through the bars, it struck Qian Yi, causing him to emit a shrill scream.
"Ah, stop, stop, I am a Prince, you can’t beat , soone, help!"
With just two hits, Qian Yi began to scream in pain, completely forgetting the ti when he beat Li Qingmu, it was not just a simple two hits, it was tens of hits!
But Li Qingmu didn’t even make a sound.
This is the difference!
The Prison Chief sneered, and the whip in his hand struck even harder, making Qian Yi scurry while holding his head and finally begging for rcy.
"Spare , Li Qingmu, please spare , for the sake of us being from the sa hotown, won’t you let go? Just... just let it be like letting a dog go, huh?"
He cried and knelt on the ground, knocking his head desperately, to the point where his forehead bled, making a truly ugly display.
Li Qingmu, with a cold face, was unmoved by his pleas for rcy.
Showing rcy to the enemy is being cruel to oneself!
"Do you rember the state of my substitute’s death back then?"
Li Qingmu’s hands were tucked into his sleeves as he spoke lightly.
The Prison Chief had a flattering face: "I rember, I do, I have no skills but a photographic mory, hehe..."
Li Qingmu nodded: "Then follow the death thod of that substitute, but... it’s not beheading in the end, that’s too swift, instead, Lingchi, do you have anyone here who can do this work?"
Lingchi, or slow slicing, involves slicing soone with a thousand cuts, and within those thousand cuts, the prisoner is not allowed to die until the final cut pierces the heart and the prisoner ets death.
This is a very grueso thod of death.
The Prison Chief smiled and cupped his fists: "Understood, I will handle it properly, Mr. Li, don’t worry!"
In an instant, Qian Yi panicked. How miserable was that substitute’s death back then? He knew because he personally executed it. Thinking of the upcoming suffering, even the inhumane palace punishnt, he was scared out of his wits.
"No, no! Please, Li Qingmu, spare , ah—"
"Crack!"
A lash ca down, and Qian Yi could shout no more, only giving out piercing screams.
Li Qingmu coldly watched him, without any pride, nor did he step forward to hit him, just looked coldly.
Until his body was beaten bloody and torn, Li Qingmu finally announced, "Cut off his tongue, otherwise all this shouting is too noisy."
"Yes, yes, I will do it now!"
"Puff!"
"Mmm—"
Qian Yi’s pupils contracted abruptly, and then he emitted a muffled sound, but without a tongue, he couldn’t cry out.
Li Qingmu did not linger, he turned around and walked away.
The Imperial Palace’s dungeon was monitored by people from Yulong Pavilion, only the Emperor could tamper, so he didn’t have to worry about Qian Yi being swapped out.
Besides, with his tongue cut out, he held no value anymore.
"Did you see him?"
As Li Qingmu returned to the General Mansion, Long Yue supported her waist with a coy smile and asked.
To them, Qian Yi was just an insignificant ant, yet this ant always wanted to stir up so issues, which was truly irritating.
Since that’s the case, he should just be crushed.
Li Qingmu nodded: "I saw him, let him die like that substitute, and to prevent him from making too much noise, I also had his tongue cut."
"Oh!" Long Yue pouted her small mouth, then smiled, "Good to have it cut, a clean break, that’s great!"
Li Qingmu: "..."
He lowered his head, looking at the small wife’s bright red lips, his gaze turned obscure, he felt like stepping forward to give a kiss.
"Rest!"
But the little woman didn’t give him a chance, she turned around and went up onto the bed.
The next day, Li Qingmu attended court.
This was Li Qingmu’s first ti attending court as an important minister, the official uniform was very exquisite second rank attire, with Long Yue personally dressing and grooming him.
Looking at the black official robe, which accentuated his handso face, Long Yue couldn’t help but marvel at how strikingly good-looking he was, especially wearing this dignified official robe, he looked even more graceful.
"Go on, the first ti attending court, you must perk up, also, rember to bring sothing to eat for on your way back from the yan!"
Long Yue tidied up Li Qingmu’s clothes and hurried him to court, but before leaving, she still reminded him to bring back so food.
Li Qingmu chuckled, his little wife, except for the first three months when she had no appetite, now she particularly enjoyed eating, after all, she had two mouths to feed now.
"Alright!"
Officials of the fourth rank and above were required to attend Changchao daily, and Li Qingmu was no exception.
Arriving outside the palace gate early, many officials were already waiting with lanterns, when Li Qingmu ca over, many ministers gathered around and greeted him, but Li Qingmu greeted them with a faint smile without getting too close.
These ministers got a cold shoulder and left sullenly, but Li Qingmu didn’t care, he remained standing by himself.
Pang Wenzheng cast a cold glance at him, seeing him not interacting much with the officials, he couldn’t help but sneer in his heart.
Being so seemingly clever, but in actuality, acting foolishly, no matter how capable you are, or how much the Emperor favors you, without understanding people connections in officialdom, not knowing how to make friends with ministers, being a lone minister, your good days won’t last long.
In the court, forming cliques is more than normal; once a clique is ford, they will have each other’s backs, and others will face obstacles trying to oppose you.
Relying solely on the Emperor’s favor is simply insecure!
Li Qingmu thinking to distance himself from all the ministers?
This is courting death!
"Creak—"
A dull sound, the palace gate opened, and everyone entered in single file.
The Changchao was mainly for discussing court affairs, and as a newly appointed Imperial Censor, it was expected for Li Qingmu to submit morials, but he had just taken office, so it wasn’t necessary.
The court was lively with discussions, suddenly, soone from below reported: "I report to Your Majesty, Prince Lingjiang has arrived! Waiting outside the palace!"
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