Yu Cheng was also a general who had guarded the border for many years, with an unyielding spirit. Even after enduring all kinds of torture, he remained incredibly resolute.

After a bowl of ginseng soup was poured down his throat, he even had the strength to curse.

Lu Ziyuan dug at his ear, suddenly feeling a surge of curiosity.

He walked over leisurely, using the horsewhip in his hand to lift the other’s chin, speaking slowly, "Do you hate me?"

"You disregarded your integrity, actively got involved in the battle for the throne, and even colluded with foreign enemies. Now that you’ve become a prisoner, are you unwilling to accept it?"

Yu Cheng spat, but before he could speak, Ming Feng, standing nearby, immediately kicked two of his teeth out.

Lu Ziyuan didn’t stop him. He looked into the old, hate-filled eyes and said calmly, "I heard that General Yu only had one daughter in his life, cherished her like a treasure, and declared that the Yu Family Army was her dowry?"

He suddenly laughed, "Perhaps it was this statement that made your good son-in-law start plotting."

The malice in his laughter was apparent, causing Yu Cheng to stiffen while still bleeding, "You!"

"Crown Prince Consort, right?" Lu Ziyuan’s smile grew wider, "Do you think with a father who colluded with foreign enemies and committed treason, she can still hold her position as Crown Prince Consort? Or will her husband risk everything to protect her?"

He clicked his tongue lightly, "The person I’m targeting, even that useless Crown Prince can’t protect."

"Just wait, in a few days I’ll reunite you father and daughter together."

He smiled, gently patting the other’s face with the flat side of the horsewhip, "Coincidentally, the soldiers under me have been weakened by the cold waters of Dayang Lake, so I’ll have to trouble General Yu’s beloved daughter to entertain them."

"How dare you!" Yu Cheng’s eyes were about to burst, "Xin’er is married into the Royal Family, now part of the Imperial Family with Yudie’s female relatives. No matter how serious my crimes, they can’t compare to my wife and daughter!"

His only daughter was the Crown Prince Consort, not far from becoming the future Empress.

The families of convicted officials entering the Imperial Music Bureau or military camps would make sense, but there’s never been a precedent of Imperial Family women being sent to entertain the troops.

Lu Ziyuan sneered at these words and suddenly swung his hand, landing a heavy lash on his face, "How dare you speak of female relatives."

Wasn’t his Wanwan also a female relative?

Who was it that first moved against his female relative!

Since they dared to act, they should be prepared to face his insane revenge.

The root cause was the Yu family’s daughter being bewitched by the Crown Prince and drawing her father into the fray.

How could she escape unscathed?

Death would be too lenient for her.

Didn’t she want to be Empress?

He would make her the lowest of camp prostitutes!

There would never again be such a noblewoman in the military camp.

It was unprecedented, and there probably wouldn’t be any successors in the future.

After savoring Yu Cheng’s despair for a while, Lu Ziyuan quickly found it boring again.

Despairing?

Blame him?

Then who should he blame?

He lived in such despair every day, shouldn’t those who made him so desperate pay the price!

If he could, he would forego those few nights of passion; he only wished his Wanwan could stay safe in the Capital.

It’s fine if she got angry with him, even spat blood from rage, or was bewitched by that sickly husband.

As long as she was alive.

"Master,"

Lu Ziyuan walked out of the Punishment Hall, and a guard waiting outside bowed to greet him, "News has come from the Capital. The Princely Heir of the Marquis Xuanping Mansion was sent by the Emperor to Bianzhou as the chief examiner for this autumn’s exams, and by now, he should have almost arrived."

Lu Ziyuan returned to the Capital from the Northern Land, not just to personally kill all the enemies who were responsible for his wife’s death, but also often felt disinterested in life. The only thing that could somewhat occupy his mind was the Xie family.

In his past life, after Xie Wanqing’s death was linked to Consort Shufei, Xie’s father and son withdrew from the court and even passed their title to the second branch. Later, his thirst for violence was insatiable, and he waged wars everywhere, with countless court officials beheaded by him.

But he never laid a hand on the Xie family.

In fact, after Xie Wanqing’s death, Lu Ziyuan felt no guilt anymore, even treating the Lu family’s ladies with indifference, but with the Xie family, perhaps due to his lingering affection for Wanwan, he felt he owed them.

Especially in this lifetime, having experienced a rebirth, he became quite superstitious, always feeling as if his Wanwan was watching him from somewhere unknown.

Therefore, he should treat her family kindly, he should protect them.

If they were to meet in the afterlife, he would at least have more courage to ask for a hug from her.

He was in too much pain.

If she could hug him a bit longer, that would be enough.