In the imperial palace, there were always secluded areas, even deserted palaces, usually places that had once housed residents but were later abandoned. These were known as cold palaces, used to house disgraced male attendants or palace staff who had committed offenses.
In a secluded cold palace, a person was bound by several large iron chains. Their long hair was disheveled, and their clothes were bloodstained, indicating they had been tortured. Their head hung to one side, making it impossible to tell if they were alive or dead.
Just then, someone entered. "Well, have you confessed?"
"Reporting to sir, no. This person is extremely stubborn. We've used all the methods we could, but not only did they not confess, they didn't utter a single word."
The man grabbed a bucket of water and poured it out. The person whose head had been hanging down immediately jolted awake. Their wet, matted hair clung to their cheeks, revealing a pale yet defiant face.
"Divine Physician Ye, why be so stubborn? If you cooperate properly, we can let you go."
Ye Qing spat, expelling a mouthful of bloody phlegm, his eyes filled with disdain. "Do as you please, kill me or flay me."
"Divine Physician Ye, Wan Du Zi poisoned your master to death. Why do you protect him? We only want to know Wan Du Zi's whereabouts."
"I told you, I don't know," Ye Qing said coldly. "Besides, if I knew, I would have killed him long ago. How could I tolerate him still being alive?"
The man frowned slightly. Ye Qing was definitely connected to Wan Du Zi. Since Ye Qing wouldn't say, it didn't matter. The message had already been spread, and if Wan Du Zi truly cared about this junior nephew, he would surely come to rescue him.
"Keep an eye on him. Don't let him die."
"Yes, sir."
Ye Qing moved his wrist but found he couldn't. Despite the hot weather, sweat mixed with blood had soaked his clothes, sticking uncomfortably to his skin. However, the chains binding him radiated a bone-chilling cold.
"Truly an impressive feat. They used such a rare material as cold iron to forge these chains."
A guard smirked. "Kid, you're lucky. This thing was used to chain the Empress Dowager Yun Qi. It's your good fortune to wear it."
"If this good fortune is for you, do you want it?" Ye Qing gritted his teeth. The cold from the cold iron was constantly eroding his body, and they called it good fortune. How shameless!
The guard chuckled, a smile playing on his lips. "This is forged from thousand-year-old cold iron. It cannot be opened without a key, and there is only one key."
Ye Qing understood. The key must be in Feng Mo Ran's possession. Obtaining the key from Feng Mo Ran would be no easy feat, unless Xiao Man personally intervened.
"I know you captured me to lure Wan Du Zi out. Wan Du Zi killed my master, do you think he would come to rescue me?" Ye Qing leaned against the wall, using it to support himself to avoid collapsing from exhaustion. He had already ignored the pain from his wounds.
"Whether he comes or not, we'll know soon enough."
Ye Qing felt deeply uneasy. Originally, he was supposed to accompany the envoy to Bei Rong. However, he received news mid-journey to meet with He Qing Yi. To his surprise, he didn't meet He Qing Yi and instead fell into these people's trap, being captured. He didn't know how He Qing Yi was faring. Su Dan Novel Network.
Ye Qing mused hazily, hoping nothing bad happened to them, otherwise, he wouldn't know how to explain it to Xiao Man.
At the Princess's Estate, Xiao Man was reviewing official documents. Yin Zhu entered with another person. "Miss, look who has arrived."
Xiao Man looked up and, upon seeing the visitor, was somewhat surprised. She quickly put down her brush. "Mother, why have you come?"
He Qing Yi, dusty from her journey, said, "Senior Brother Ye has been captured. I followed all the way and discovered he was taken into the Blue Moon Imperial Palace."
"Ye Qing has been captured?" Xiao Man immediately recalled the covered prison cart she had seen. Could Ye Qing be imprisoned inside?
"When did this happen?"
"Half a month ago." He Qing Yi took the cool tea handed to her by Yin Zhu and drank it in one gulp. Wiping her mouth, she continued, "Half a month ago, I received a message from Master saying he had found some clues and asked me to arrange a meeting with Senior Brother Ye. However, when the appointed time came, I didn't see Senior Brother Ye, but instead received news of his capture."
Xiao Man's brow furrowed. Ye Qing being captured and taken into the palace was likely related to Marrow Cleansing. Marrow Cleansing was Wan Du Zi's masterpiece, and Feng Mo Ran was currently afflicted with it, unable to control himself. To break free from the Empress's control, he had to find a way to detoxify himself.
"Has Senior Wan received the news?"
"As soon as I discovered Senior Brother Ye was captured, I immediately sent word to Master. By now, Master should be arriving."
"Find a way to contact Senior Wan and tell him not to enter Bian Jing City!" Xiao Man decided resolutely. "I will rescue him."
"Miss, will Senior Brother Ye be alright?"
"As long as Senior Wan is not captured, he will be fine," Xiao Man said, frowning. "I'm afraid Senior Wan might rashly enter Bian Jing City."
"I will immediately send a message to Master." He Qing Yi was also very worried. If both Wan Du Zi and Ye Qing were in trouble, she truly didn't know what to do.
"Good. Make sure Senior Wan stays hidden. If my guess is correct, Feng Mo Ran captured Ye Qing for the antidote to Marrow Cleansing."
"Marrow Cleansing, Master's masterpiece, doesn't it have an antidote?"
"It simply doesn't have an antidote currently," Xiao Man said slowly. Moreover, the Marrow Cleansing Feng Mo Ran was afflicted with was modified by her. She wondered if he had discovered the hint she left for him.
"Are you developing the antidote for Marrow Cleansing?" He Qing Yi asked, confused.
"I am not developing the antidote for Marrow Cleansing," Xiao Man said softly. "However, if Senior Wan falls into Feng Mo Ran's hands, Feng Mo Ran will definitely force him to develop the antidote, and Ye Qing will become the test subject."
He Qing Yi's face turned pale. "Miss, please, save Senior Brother Ye."
"He is my sworn brother, of course, I will not abandon him." Xiao Man looked up at the ceiling beam. "Go find Nangong Yi and tell him Ye Qing has been captured by Feng Mo Ran and is currently imprisoned in the imperial palace."
As if someone left from the ceiling beam, He Qing Yi, though unseen, understood that Xiao Man had countless capable individuals around her. If Xiao Man acted, Ye Qing would surely be safe.
"Miss, what can I do?"
"Go wash up and get a good night's sleep. When you wake up, perhaps he will be back," Xiao Man reassured her. "Don't worry too much. As long as Feng Mo Ran still wants to detoxify himself, he won't take his life, though he will undoubtedly suffer some hardship."
"As long as he's alive, that's good."
Xiao Man nodded. Yes, as long as he was alive, he could still do things. If his life was lost, then nothing remained. Although Feng Mo Ran wouldn't take Ye Qing's life immediately, the longer Ye Qing was in his hands, the more harm he would suffer. It seemed she had to make a trip to the imperial palace tonight.