After hearing the cry of fear, the figure that was sitting took out a matchstick from his chest and lit the candle on the table. The flickering candlelight revealed a man with a handlebar beard and a ferocious face.
Fang Zhi Chen drew in a breath of cold air. When he looked towards the person that was seated, his pupils contracted abruptly and he immediately wished that he could faint. This person was not an ugly person. On the contrary, he had a uniquely handsome face and a pair of long, narrow and Phoenix-like eyes, which were narrowly eyeing at him.
Fang Zhi Chen was so frightened that he couldnât even speak. He kneeled down and kowtowed heavily a few times before he finally managed to speak, âMarquis, please spare my life. I didnât come to stir trouble but I was compelled to do so. I beg the Marquis to spare my life!â How could he not be afraid of the Marquis when his fatherâs head was severed by him?
âWho ordered you to do this?â Yu Pin Yan spoke slowly.
âItâs the Second Young Miss, Yu Xiang. She sent someone to give my mother and I five-hundred silver taels. She said that she couldnât stand how Yu Si Yu has acted so unruly in front of her and that she wanted her to regret forever. She also said that if I marry Yu Si Yu, she would give me an additional thousand taels so that I could bring Yu Si Yu out of the capital. If Yu Si Yu was disobedient in the future, I could torture her to death. In addition, the dowry left behind would not be taken back and would be given to my mother and I.â
Fang Zhi Chen kneeled limply on the ground. He confessed everything without being coerced. When he saw that Yu Pin Yanâs gaze turned even more frosty, he quickly added, âMy family has already suffered a great catastrophe and I would not have agreed to such an unethical act if it was not because I could no longer survive. Moreover, Miss Yu Xiang had promised my mother and I that she wouldnât bring us any harm. She assuredly said that the Marquis would do her bidding and would not disagree. All she has to do is to support somebody in an argument and everything would be resolved. Marquis, this was all Miss Yu Xiangâs plans, this commoner was also compelled by her, so please spare this mother and son! If it werenât for her, I wouldnât have dared to offend you even if one gives this commoner a hundred guts!â Before he even finished speaking, tears and snot streamed down looking like a complete mess.
Yu Pin Yan was silent for a moment and then he softly laughed. His laughter contained a thick and frosty sharp knife that could only be crystallised in winter. Before he came here, he thought that the Fang familyâs mother and son were ordered by some political enemy, but he didnât expect that there was an internal traitor in the Marquis manor.
âMarquis, isnât he insulting Young Miss?â The man with a large stature and handlebar beard drew out his sword from his waist.
When Fang Zhi Chen heard the sound of the sword unsheathed, he urinated on the spot and an unpleasant stench of urine mixed with the smell of alcohol permeated within the room.
âAs long as this mother and son disappeared from the capital, there would be plenty of dossier on the Emperorâs desk tomorrow morning for my impeachment. He canât die, or at least he canât die in the capital.â Yu Pin Yan shook his head as he took out a pair of thin cicada-winged gloves and slowly put them on. He strode over and looked askance at Fang Zhi Chen, âI will give you a chance to live, but letâs see if you know what you are supposed to do.â
âWhat⌠what opportunity?â Fang Zhi Chen immediately asked.
âThereâs no hurry. You have been speaking about Yu Xiang and still dare to throw dirty water on her. This Marquis will teach you what it means to rather die than live.â Yu Pin Yan softly chuckled as his fingers reached over, and Fang Zhi Chenâs jaw was instantly removed resulting in him being unable to scream. Then, his joints were removed section by sectionâŚ
After half a shichen (one hour), Fang Zhi Chen laid limply like mud. The moveable joints in his whole body were removed from his body and his chest rising and falling weakly. The only breaths remaining were quickly leaving, none coming in. He was also quickly running out of the remaining breaths he had left.
Yu Pin Yan walked around him before taking off his gloves and throwing them on the floor. He spoke quietly, âSend someone to Yangzhou to investigate and find the person who met the Fang familyâs mother and son.â
The man with the handlebar beard and large stature silently assent in a low murmur. He sent the Marquis out of the room then picked up the gloves and burnt them. Then, he realigned Fang Zhi Chenâs joints. Naturally, it was another torture worse than death.
Once he left the door, he saw two guards walk in from the shadows and silently followed him. Yu Pin Yan smoothed over the wrinkles on his clothes and sneered, âYu Miao Qi, how dare you?!â
He doesnât need to verify who was behind this since he couldnât think of anyone other than that duplicitous and venomous Yu Miao Qi. Although he knew that she was discontented with what she had, he didnât send the Dragon Scale Guards to keep an eye on her around the clock. The emperor hated his subjects using official resources on their personal matters. When he was searching for his kin, he did not use the Dragon Scale guards and now he would not use them for a mere internal trifle. The men that were brought with him today were all past soldiers who were trained during the war. Even though their ability was not unparalleled like the Dragon Scale guards, they werenât any weaker and could probably investigate the truth within three to five days.
Yu Pin Yan stood outside of the courtyard for a while to dispel the unpleasant stench on his body. Only then did he slowly take his leave. When he arrived back at the Marquis manor, it was nearly midnight, and all the lanterns had been extinguished. The sky was pitch-black. However, Yu Pin Yan seemed to be walking under the light. In a couple of turns, he arrived at the west courtyard and gently pushed the door open.
The scent of flowers pervaded in the breeze was different from the smell of grass. It was rich yet it wouldnât overwhelm oneâs nostrils. After he inhaled, it seemed to carry a hint of sweetness on the tongue.
Yu Pin Yanâs cold and solemn face appeared to ease imperceptibly as he quietly walked over to the carved bed that had the strongest scent, and flicked open the layers of curtain.
His martial arts skills were exceptional that he was able to see clearly in the dark. It revealed a lump under the red blanket and a sweet, beautiful face on the pillow as a fragrance like the scent of lotus escaped from her red lips.
Yu Pin Yan stared at the young girlâs pink cherry lips. His face approached closer until the tip of their nose touched and their breath intertwined. Just then, there was a rustling noise outside and a tiny light from a candle could be seen approaching towards them.
Yu Pin Yan did not budge nor did he pull away from her. Both of his hands were placed on the girlâs cheeks as he gazed deeply at her.