A Foodie Transmigrated into the Palace Chapter 1183: Flogged and Branded!
Previously on A Foodie Transmigrated into the Palace...
A back-and-forth debate ensued between the two.
"I disagree entirely!"
"The current Emperor is a sage, and none of the court officials dare to engage in corruption!"
"Each of them has a family to support and a career to maintain; naturally, they all require funds to live!"
"Therefore, it's inevitable that there's a shortage of funds!"
Old Master Rong wholeheartedly concurred, his doubts resurfacing.
"Then it must be that we haven't offered enough silver!"
Old Master Song knitted his brows.
"To triple the original amount, nearly ten thousand taels, is that not sufficient?"
Old Master Rong became somewhat exasperated.
"Did you not observe that there were three individuals involved?"
"Three thousand taels per person, what could that possibly be enough for?!"
Old Master Song's eyes widened.
"Could it be that each person demands ten thousand taels? That constitutes a truly exorbitant demand!"
Old Master Lian interjected sharply.
"What time is it, and you are still preoccupied with the matter of silver!"
"It would be wiser to concern ourselves with our own predicament!"
He spoke with evident distress and inner turmoil.
"At this moment, the utmost priority is to devise a method for dispatching a message!"
"We must swiftly bribe sufficient officials to secure our release!"
Old Master Song and Old Master Rong promptly nodded in agreement.
"Yes, yes, yes!"
"Old Lian speaks the truth!"
...
That very night, the trio discreetly bribed the officials and jailers.
Yu Qingbo hesitated to directly confront the Lord Imperial Envoy.
However, subordinates like Xiao Luo had encountered such situations numerous times; as long as one offered money, they would be treated with utmost respect.
Upon receiving the silver, the government officials diligently ran errands to relay messages for them.
Meanwhile, individuals from outside the three families were also making inquiries everywhere.
After all, the imprisonment of the family patriarch was a matter of grave significance, and they were practically frantic.
While their search was underway throughout the city, a messenger arrived.
The message conveyed that it was the patriarch's wish to send a substantial amount of silver to the Lord Imperial Envoy!
The family members instantly understood.
They realized it was likely due to the inadequate handling of bribes, which explained their patriarch's confinement.
Without delay, they began preparing the silver.
Representatives from the three families, in three separate waves, rushed non-stop to the Magistrate's Government Office, carrying the silver.
Unfortunately...
How could Zhao Junyao and his contingent possibly accept such offerings?
The crucial point was, they weren't even present at the government office.
The individuals bearing the silver were unable to gain an audience with the Lord Imperial Envoy and returned in utter despair.
In the ensuing days.
No further messages were received from their masters.
It was rumored... that even the jailers guarding the government office's prison had been replaced.
Initially, they had assumed the imperial envoys were merely attempting to intimidate them, with the intention of extorting some silver.
At first, they had only taken the situation somewhat seriously, believing that the matter would be resolved once the silver was delivered.
But now, everyone began to grasp that the circumstances seemed to have shifted dramatically.
And the change was profound!
The three families immediately recognized the gravity of the situation.
They refrained from any rash actions, instead dispatching individuals to maintain surveillance at various locations.
The primary objective was to ascertain if any news would emerge, and the secondary goal was to secretly identify these imperial envoys.
Their aim was to understand the purpose behind their arrival, and to determine if any old grudges were involved.
After all, arriving to cause such a disturbance, without soliciting any silver, must stem from a specific reason.
...
However, Zhao Junyao had no inclination to engage in any prolonged games with them.
He was fully occupied with the clandestine interrogation of the three elder figures.
The jailers had also been replaced with his own trusted personnel.
Magistrate Yu found himself completely excluded, receiving absolutely no information.
On that particular morning, Zhao Junyao, accompanied by Xia Ruqing who was disguised as a man, proceeded to the prison together.
The cell, dimly lit and low-ceilinged, was foul, damp, and intensely suffocating.
Upon entering, a pungent odor permeated the air, mingling with the scents of rust, blood, sweat, and an indescribable foulness.
Xia Ruqing's brow furrowed slightly, and she subtly covered her nose.
Zhao Junyao, however, remained unfazed, as if completely unaffected.
Xia Ruqing silently commended his composure: So tranquil, truly impressive!
The pair entered a cell of considerable size and took seats on chairs arranged by the attendants.
Gazing at the three elder figures, whose luxurious attire had been replaced by prisoner's garments and who were bound to the tiger bench.
Zhao Junyao uttered not a word, merely offering a cold, sneering smile.
"Proceed with the torture! Begin with fifty lashes!"
Xia Ruqing nodded once more in admiration; this individual was exceptionally cunning, commencing not with words, but with the application of force!
The three men below were consumed by terror, desperately pleading for clemency.
"Spare us, Lord Imperial Envoy!"
"We implore you to show mercy, Lord Imperial Envoy!"
"For what transgression have we truly been apprehended? Kindly enlighten us, Lord Imperial Envoy!"
Xia Ruqing let out a mocking laugh.
"I don’t know if you’ve committed a crime, but… why are the prices in Jinling City so astronomically high? That’s what I truly want to know!" "If you don’t wish to be beaten, you’d best confess honestly!" Zhao Junyao was performing the role of the harsh interrogator, so she had to play the more lenient one; being an imperial envoy is certainly not an easy task! At these words, the trio exchanged glances, continuing to feign utter innocence. Each one claimed ignorance, their expressions even more guileless than those of newborn rabbits. Zhao Junyao raised an eyebrow. "Don’t know? Then prepare to be beaten!" With a sweep of his hand, the servants below understood his unspoken command, lifted their blunt instruments, and began the assault. The individuals Zhao Junyao brought with him were elite experts from the Imperial Palace, significantly more formidable than the average jailer. With the first strike. The three old foxes felt as though their very posteriors were about to rupture. "Ah!" "Ouch!!" "Ooh ooh…" Their screams created an immediate uproar. As the second and third blows landed, it wasn't just their backsides that felt fractured; it seemed their internal organs were equally pulverized. The sheer agony was so intense it verged on a perverse form of euphoria. The old foxes, accustomed to a life of pampered ease, could not endure such indignity and immediately fell to their knees, begging for mercy. "Spare us!" "Oh, esteemed Lord Imperial Envoy, what is it precisely that you desire?" "If it’s silver you seek, simply state the amount, there's no need for this unnecessary commotion!" "It matters not if we are harmed, but you demean yourself by coming here in person, laboring yourself and provoking your anger – it is truly not worth it!" Zhao Junyao’s eyebrow arched slightly higher. "Silver is not what I want; I merely have these questions. Answer them truthfully, and I guarantee your lives." The old foxes were on the verge of tears. "My lord!" "The questions you are posing, we genuinely do not know the answers to!" "Even if you were to beat us to death, it would serve no purpose!" Old Master Lian’s eyes darted furtively. "My lord, perhaps it is simply because…" "The people in Jiangnan are wealthy, and thus the prices are higher!" "While prices in Jinling City are indeed high, the common folk also earn a substantial amount, allowing them to manage!" They attempted to placate Zhao Junyao with their reasoning. The logic they presented was almost plausible. If it had been some other imperial envoy, unfamiliar with the intricacies of commerce, they might have been swayed. But for Zhao Junyao… No one born into this world had ever managed to deceive him. He contemplated for a moment, then wordlessly gestured with his hand, calmly issuing his next command. "Fetch the iron rack, and after the beating, prepare the branding iron!" The three old foxes: "…" Xia Ruqing: "…" That is far too ruthless. She immediately pictured a gruesome scene of 'skin glistening with thick subcutaneous fat being sizzled by a searing branding iron.' It was too revolting, sending shivers down her spine. She quickly shook her head and urged them onward. "I strongly advise you to speak now!" "Money is an external possession, but the pain you endure is something no one else can possibly suffer for you!" "If your life is extinguished, what use will anything else be?" "Hurry and speak your truth!" The three men were visibly wavering. But… they still hesitated, unable to decisively make up their minds!