The Return of the Seventh Young Lady-Chapter 171 - 170

Chapter 170

After Bai Lijun was arrested, she was rendered unconscious by an imperial guard striking the back of her neck as she was being taken to the imperial prison. When she regained consciousness, she found herself tied to a large wooden plank with her arms and legs bound. The surrounding air was filled with a nauseating stench of mustiness and the metallic scent of blood. The darkness was absolute, with no light penetrating the area.

Bai Lijun tried to scan her surroundings through the darkness but could see nothing as it was too dark, akin to the dead of night. She remembered that it was still morning when she was taken away.

The guard had mentioned taking her to the imperial prison, but given the current situation, she doubted that this was the imperial prison!

If this was not the imperial prison, it meant that she could be tortured or subjected to anything at the Empress Dowager’s whim. Even if she died here, no one would know...

Realizing the dire situation, fear crept into her heart, nearly driving her mad. She had no idea what she would have to face, much like the darkness enveloping her now. Everything seemed hopeless.

While Bai Lijun was lost in her thoughts, the sound of approaching footsteps echoed closer, accompanied by the faint light of a torch. The steady footsteps grew nearer, reverberating continuously. 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎

When Bai Lijun saw the approaching light, she squinted to make out the figures. She then found that the person who led the group was none other than the Empress Dowager herself!

In no time, the Empress Dowager stood before Bai Lijun. The group behind her dispersed to their positions, lighting torches in various places. As the room brightened from the torchlight, Bai Lijun could see that she was in a wide, enclosed hall surrounded by thick walls, with no windows or openings for outside light.

Not far from her, in the corner of the room, was a large table with various peculiar and somewhat familiar tools on it. Bai Lijun instantly recognized them as torture devices!

Her body shivered immediately at the sight, her heart pounding with fear. When she scanned around further, she found that the floor around her was stained with blood, both old and new, adding to the terrifying atmosphere.

This place...seemed like the Empress Dowager’s personal hell!

"Mu Furen, you must know why you are here,"

The Empress Dowager said in a cold voice, her face expressionless. However, her eyes, which gazed at Bai Lijun, resembled those of someone staring at a dead person.

“Y...Your Majesty, I was wrong! Please have mercy on me!”

Bai Lijun instinctively begged for mercy. The fear consuming her heart was more intense than ever, making it impossible for her to maintain any semblance of composure.

“Mercy? You ask for mercy from me?”

The Empress Dowager laughed softly before speaking in a stern voice. “Did your daughter show any mercy when she intended to kill my nephew and his heir!?”

“M...my daughter acted out of momentary impulse. Please, Your Majesty, have mercy! I promise to reprimand her and ensure she behaves properly from now on. S...she can be sent to a temple to become a nun and atone for her sins!”

Bai Lijun pleaded desperately, offering solutions to save both herself and her daughter. However, the Empress Dowager laughed even louder. “Become a nun? Do you think I would let someone who dared to harm my nephew go? Dream on!”

“Your Majesty! I beg you, p...please let me take responsibility for my daughter’s actions. I offer my life in exchange for hers. Please, consider this!”

Bai Lijun bowed her head in genuine supplication. She knew this situation would not end well, but at least if she died in her daughter’s place, it would be worth it. Her daughter needed to live on.

“Hah! You are shameless. You were involved in this as well and cannot escape punishment. Yet, you still dare to ask to take responsibility on her behalf?” The Empress Dowager scoffed before stepping closer to Bai Lijun and gripping her chin tightly.

“You dared to harm Shin Wang and his only heir. You dared to offend us! That alone warrants your death tens of thousand times over. Now you are nothing but worthless scum to me. I will ensure you pay dearly!”

The Empress Dowager released Bai Lijun’s chin forcefully, causing her head to snap to the side. She then turned and walked back to a chair that her people had prepared for her, continuing in a chilling voice.

“Previously, when your daughter spread rumors that tarnished Shin Wang’s reputation, leading to His Majesty’s reprimand and loss of power, I spared her because of Mu Gongzhen. But this time, Mu Gongzhen cannot shield you. Do not dream of a good end...”

“Proceed!”

At the Empress Dowager’s command, her people, who had been prepared beforehand, picked up various tools and approached the bound Bai Lijun slowly. When Bai Lijun saw the strange tools in their hands, her heart pounded with extreme fear.

“No! No, please! Get away! Your Majesty! I was wrong! Please have mercy on me! Ahhh!”

Bai Lijun cried out for mercy from the Empress Dowager, but her pleas were in vain. One person came forward to slowly remove her fingernails, one by one. Another used a saw to slice her skin, piece by piece, and yet another inserted needles into various points on her body, causing excruciating internal pain.

She was tortured repeatedly with these cruel methods, screaming continuously in agony. Her entire body was tortured, and she was subjected to unimaginable pain that she passed out multiple times, only to be revived each time by being doused with water. Then, the torture resumed, relentless and brutal.

Bai Lijun screamed herself hoarse, but it had no effect. She was now completely out of her mind; she no longer felt anything, only feeling the overwhelming pain she was experiencing.

Tormenting!

Extremely tormenting!

She wanted to die just to end the suffering!

She would rather be killed than endure this torture!

Amidst this horrific scene, the Empress Dowager sat watching Bai Lijun being tortured with an ambiguous smile on her face, her eyes gleaming with amusement as if she were watching a farce. She observed the torture for a while before standing up and leaving without a backward glance.

Even after the Empress Dowager left, Bai Lijun’s torment did not end. The torture continued without respite, like an endless hell...

Time passed, but she could not tell how long it had been. Her body was now covered in blood, resembling a human bloodstain. All her fingernails and toenails had been removed, exposing raw flesh. Her arms and legs had been flayed in places, revealing red muscle tissue. It was a horrifying sight.

Bai Lijun’s eyes were now lifeless, like a body devoid of spirit. She had no hope left, only darkness where she could see nothing.

It could be said that she was like a corpse nailed in place!

When the Empress Dowager deemed the time appropriate, she returned to visit the woman again. Upon seeing Bai Lijun’s wretched state, she immediately smiled mockingly.

“I hope you’ve learned your lesson this time. Those who dare to harm us will never meet a good end!”

Bai Lijun lifted her head towards the voice. When she saw the Empress Dowager, her eyes instantly reflected a cold light.

“No matter what...you will never let me go, will you?”

“That’s right. But since you were only helping your daughter destroy evidence, I will show mercy and release you from your suffering,” the Empress Dowager replied coldly, unaffected by Bai Lijun’s change in demeanor.

No matter how much Bai Lijun resented the Empress Dowager for her torture, she knew she couldn’t contend or do anything against her!

Bai Lijun took a deep breath and spoke through gritted teeth, her eyes filled with hatred. “Then, would the Empress Dowager be kind enough to fulfill my last request?”

The Empress Dowager didn’t respond but merely smiled slightly, waiting to hear the request. She didn’t expect a dying Bai Lijun to dare ask for a final wish from the one who tortured her.

“Mu Cui Ming! He must not die well! Your Majesty, please grant my last request.”

Both Bai Lijun’s voice and eyes revealed this was her true desire. Despite being severely tortured by the Empress Dowager, and no matter how much she resented the Empress Dowager, her greater hatred was reserved for Mu Cui Ming!

If he had tried to help her and her daughter instead of abandoning them, she might not have met such a miserable end!

If he had considered their relationship and used his position and power to plead for mercy, at least she might have received a punishment that wasn’t a living death!

It was because of him!

Because of Mu Cui Ming!

Did he think he could abandon them and escape unscathed?

No way!

She wouldn’t allow it!

If she had to suffer in this hell, he must suffer in the same hell as her!

The Empress Dowager raised her eyebrows in surprise upon hearing this request. What a loving couple, wanting to drag the other down to death with them...

“Why should I grant your request? What right do you think you have?”

The Empress Dowager asked coldly, refusing outright. Bai Lijun had anticipated this and replied, “Because he knew about what happened with Shin Wang! But because he was afraid of being implicated, he pushed the blame onto me and my daughter!”

“Don’t think you can slander others. Do you think I would believe you? My people have gathered evidence pointing only to you and your daughter,” the Empress Dowager narrowed her eyes dangerously. Even on the brink of death, she was still trying to shift the blame.

How disgusting...

“The evidence may point to me and my daughter, but Mu Cui Ming was supporting us from behind the scenes. All the money and connections needed to carry out the plan came from him. Does Your Majesty think that just my daughter and I could manage all this under Shin Wang’s nose? Everything was orchestrated by Mu Cui Ming!”

Bai Lijun lied without hesitation. She had decided that no matter what, she would drag Mu Cui Ming down with her. If she had to fabricate a story to take him down, she would do it!

“If Shin Wang died, my daughter, who is his consort, would become the matriarch of Shin Wang Palace. The wealth and assets of Shin Wang Palace are immense, far beyond the reach of ordinary officials. Once the Consort became the sole matriarch of the palace, Mu Cui Ming would be able to manipulate her to control the power of Shin Wang Palace. That’s why he devised this plan and supported us all along.”

The Empress Dowager laughed softly and said, “Do you think I would believe such nonsense?”

“If Your Majesty does not believe me, you can ask the guards who arrested me. When he heard the news that the guards were coming to arrest me for attempting to kill Shin Wang, he showed no surprise at all. Because he knew about everything from the beginning! He knew that sooner or later I would be arrested as the culprit, and he would escape unscathed!”

Although the Empress Dowager initially did not believe Bai Lijun, deep down, her resolve began to waver. The guards who had been sent to arrest Bai Lijun had indeed reported similar observations. If one thought about it, it was indeed peculiar.

If someone was unaware of such a grave matter, they would certainly be shocked and alarmed to find their spouse being arrested as a culprit conspiring to assassinate royalty. They would likely protest vehemently that it was a misunderstanding and try to prove their spouse’s innocence.

However, Mu Cui Ming had been different. Not only did he not appear surprised, but he also did not resist or create a commotion. After Bai Lijun was taken away, he remained silent in his manor, making no effort to prove her innocence or to help her.

It was as if he had known all along...

Even though the Empress Dowager began to suspect Mu Cui Ming inwardly, she maintained a facade of amusement.

“Say whatever you want. No matter who you try to drag into this, it will ultimately be in vain.”

“Your Majesty...”

“Your daughter aimed to kill my nephew. She killed his only heir, causing him immense grief and leaving him to live a life worse than death. I am merely repaying that with equal suffering, making her live a life worse than death as well!”

The Empress Dowager interrupted Bai Lijun, not allowing her to continue speaking. They locked eyes for a brief moment before the Empress Dowager stood up, ready to leave, and commanded her people in a cold voice,

“Finish her off.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

As the Empress Dowager walked away, Bai Lijun shouted desperately after her, like a final attempt to reach the Empress Dowager.

“Your Majesty! Mu Cui Ming is vile and despicable! He escaped alone! Do not let him go unpunished!”

“Do not let him get away!”

“He must not die a good death!”

Shin Wang Palace

In the east wing, Mu Luofei was sitting by the window, sipping tea happily. These days, she was still under confinement, but she had heard daily news about Shin Wang, who had become disabled. Hearing about his pitiful state brought her immense joy.

However, while Mu Luofei was indulging in her delight over Shin Wang’s suffering, she remained completely unaware of her mother, Bai Lijun’s arrest. In fact, no one in the capital knew about this event, except for the Mu family members who were present.

As Mu Luofei enjoyed her tea and snacks, two guards suddenly entered the quarters carrying a large wooden chest, drawing her attention. She glanced at the old chest with a faint smell of decay emanating from it, looking at it with disdain.

“What is this? Who allowed you to bring such filthy things inside?”

Mu Luofei raised her sleeve to cover her nose and scolded the guards irritably. The guards responded calmly, “It is an order from the Empress Dowager to deliver this gift for the Consort to open herself, Your Highness.”

“An order from the Empress Dowager?”

Hearing that it was from the Empress Dowager, Mu Luofei didn’t dare to show her displeasure. She glanced at the chest briefly before turning back to the window to breathe in the fresh air instead of the foul smell.

“Understood!”

With that, the guards left the quarters, leaving the large chest in the middle of the room. Mu Luofei paid no further attention to it. Even though the Empress Dowager called it a gift, such an old and foul-smelling item couldn’t be anything good.

Disgusting!

Mu Luofei turned away in revulsion and retreated to her bedroom to escape the foul odor that kept emanating out. That night, as she was preparing for bed, a maid entered to ask about the chest left in the middle of the room.

“Your Highness, what should we do with the chest?”

“Throw it away! It’s both filthy and smelly!” Mu Luofei replied without hesitation. Just thinking about the stench from earlier made her feel nauseous.

“Yes, Your Highness.”

The maid acknowledged the order and walked to the outer room, eyeing the chest curiously. It was something sent by the Empress Dowager, after all. Despite its age and foul smell, it was a royal gift...

Driven by curiosity, the maid decided to open the chest. As soon as she did, a powerful stench hit her, making her step back and cover her nose. When she peered inside, her face turned pale, and she fell to the floor in shock.

Ahhh!

A scream echoed through the quarter, startling Mu Luofei, who was about to sleep. She hurriedly got up and walked out, only to see the maid sitting on the floor with her hands over her mouth, not far from the open chest. Enraged, Mu Luofei yelled out in anger.

“Why are you screaming so loudly!? I’ll have you flogged to teach you a lesson!”

“Y...Your Highness, in...inside.”

The maid stammered, pointing a trembling finger at the open chest. Mu Luofei, already irritated, grew even more furious.

"I told you to throw it away. Why did you open it and let the stench out? Useless!"

Mu Luofei glared at the petite maid for a moment before raising her sleeve to cover her nose. She was in an extremely foul mood as she stomped over to the chest, intending to close the lid to keep the smell contained.

However, as she was about to shut the chest, her eyes caught sight of its contents. In an instant, it was as if cold water had been poured over her, freezing her in place. Her eyes widened in shock and disbelief, and her lips trembled, unable to utter a sound.

Her delicate hand, poised to close the chest, began to shake uncontrollably before she lifted it to cover her mouth. Her eyes wavered for a short while before they welled up with tears.

No...

This couldn’t be real...

What she saw was an illusion...

Indeed, it must have been an illusion!

Mu Luofei closed her eyes and then opened them again to look inside the chest. But the scene remained unchanged, confirming that what she saw was the undeniable truth.

Ahhh!

"No! No, it can’t be true! Arghh!"

Mu Luofei screamed in agony, collapsing to her knees as she clung to the edge of the chest, crying uncontrollably. Inside the chest lay the body of her mother, Bai Lijun, stuffed into the chest...

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Read ‘The Return of the Seventh Young Lady’ before anyone else with more Chapters at http://www.jinovel.com/en