Chapter 77: Bone-Piercing White

Xu You slowly descended the spiral staircase into the depths of the earth. The walls on both sides still bore the marks of recent maintenance, and in the damp corners, moss invisible to the naked eye had begun to take root. It was this very sense of decay that made the Spring Well feel all the more unfathomable, eerie, and terrifying.

After walking for what felt like an eternity, his feet finally touched level ground. Because of the ventilation shafts, the air was breathable, yet an inexplicable sense of oppression weighed upon his heart. The corridor was lined with stone chambers, each door lintel engraved with a different name, corresponding to the Nine Springs.

The Cold Spring was the fourth. It was not far off, but Xu You did not enter. After all, professional matters should be left to professionals; while he was no stranger to blood, he had little interest in the art of torture.

He sat down in an outer stone chamber, with Zhan Wenjun at his side. She ordered Wan Qi to stand guard at the entrance and forbid anyone else from entering. Sitting opposite him, Zhan Wenjun asked, "Sir, do you have a sound strategy?"

"The enemy is in the shadows while we are exposed. It is too early to say. Let us wait until Shi Shu extracts the confession from Li Ji and we have corroborating evidence; then we can deliberate." Xu You paused, then added, "However, there is one thing we can do now. From this moment on, send word to the people at the Ship Pavilion and the Spring Well to spread the rumor that Master Guo is about to return to the estate. Then, you should personally come forward and divide the Zhan family’s assets into four portions, gifting them to Zhan Tian, Zhan Xi, Zhan Hong, and the Seventh Uncle, Zhan Liang..."

"What?" Zhan Wenjun was shocked. Spreading word of Guo Mian’s return might stabilize the hearts of the people and pressure the enemy, but dividing the family assets into four? Why, then, had she struggled so bitterly all these days? "Sir, when my late father departed, he specifically instructed me that, no matter what, this family must not be allowed to scatter. Furthermore, in this world, without the clan, the Zhan family loses the foundation of its existence. This name, this reputation, will surely vanish in this generation. I... I..."

Xu You smiled and said, "Madam, rest assured. No matter how foolish I may be, I would never let you become the eternal sinner of the Zhan family. I suggest this only to deceive the masses and keep Zhan Tian and the others from standing with Zhan Ting for the time being. Zhan Ting can only offer them wealth, but what you offer them is the prospect of independent households and the pride of leading their own lineage. With this vision, we can stall for a few more days. Once the plan succeeds, the Zhan family will naturally return to being your Zhan family!"

Zhan Wenjun remained silent. People of this era placed the utmost importance on the family. Whether it was a top-tier noble house or a minor scholar-official clan, they viewed their lineage as the foundation of their standing. When interests aligned, they gathered; when divided, they scattered. They did not divide the family estate lightly.

"This is a desperate measure. If not for the variable of the Prince of Hengyang, we would not need to play this card," Xu You comforted her. "But as it stands, we have no other choice. If we do not win by a surprise move, I fear that before our plan can be implemented, the Guo clan will be crushed to pieces... Madam, if that happens, would there even be a possibility for the Zhan family to exist?"

Before Zhan Wenjun could reply, Wan Qi pushed open the door and entered, followed by Shi Shu. Her expression revealed a sense of relief as she said, "Li Ji has confessed!"

It was a known truth that few who entered the Spring Well could hold out for long, yet Li Ji’s swiftness in cracking surprised everyone.

"Li Ji did not come here under the orders of the Prince of Hengyang."

Shi Shu’s first sentence allowed Zhan Wenjun to breathe a heavy sigh of relief. She continued, "During a hunt, Li Ji accidentally wounded a personal attendant of the Prince of Hengyang, and being ostracized by his colleagues, he was banished from the Prince's estate several months ago."

Everyone familiar with the Prince of Hengyang knew that his so-called "personal attendant" was merely a catamite. That was why he had flown into such a rage over a minor injury and cast Li Ji out.

"He was once in the Prince's inner circle, so he knew of the disappearance of the Princess of Haiyan and knew that the Prince often wept in remembrance of her. He believed that if he could find the Princess, it would be a great achievement, allowing him to return to the Prince's favor. Thus, he spent months traveling north and south, gathering intelligence. By chance, while passing through Jingzhou, he met a fellow townsman who served in the Prince's secretariat, who mentioned that a mysterious person had once been sent to Qiantang. He journeyed to Qiantang and learned that you, Sir, have a close relationship with the Prince, which is why he conceived this plan, lurking for a long time to find an opening through Bai Hua and planting his spies in the estate..."

"So that is how it was!"

Zhan Wenjun asked, "Did he manage to send the information back?"

"Bai Hua only told him about the Cliff Waterfall today, and he came to the mountain immediately after. He should not have had the chance yet."

"We must still be wary of whether he has a contingency plan..."

"According to Wan Qi, Li Ji came to Qiantang alone, and the men he used were hired drifters from within the county. The leader, Cao Zeng, is already dead, and the others are being held in the northern suburbs. I will set off now to question them; if we compare their testimonies, we can verify the truth of Li Ji's words."

Zhan Wenjun nodded. "Go, and be careful on the road. I will handle things here."

Shi Shu bowed and left; given her connection to the Princess of Haiyan, she was the most invested in this matter. Xu You, however, felt Li Ji had confessed too readily. "Madam, let us go and see this Li Langjun who is so devoted to his master."

Zhan Wenjun rose with a smile. "After you, Sir."

The Cold Spring was filled with bone-chilling air, and the stench of blood was inescapable. The walls were lined with torture implements Xu You had never heard of, many equipped with barbs and hooks. It was no wonder Shi Shu had described the Cold Spring as soul-piercing; it was no exaggeration.

When they saw Li Ji, his hair was disheveled, he was unconscious, and his clothes were in tatters. He was a completely different person from before. There were no wounds on his upper body, but his legs had been shredded by something; they were a bloody mess, deep enough to expose the bone—a truly ghastly sight.

Zhan Wenjun frowned imperceptibly. Jinxiu, who had been waiting to the side, had been secretly observing her expression and sneered at the sight. She kept her head down, standing behind, thinking she was hidden from Zhan Wenjun, but she did not account for Xu You looking her way. "Little one, can you elaborate on the interrogation?"

Jinxiu was startled and quickly replied, "Yes!"

She walked to Li Ji, pointed to his feet, and said, "These are the 'Golden Staple Shoes.' There is a steel spike at the heel. Once his hands and shoulders are bound in a straight line, he can only put weight on his toes. Once his strength fails, his feet are pierced by the spikes. It is bone-chilling agony."

Xu You looked where she pointed and saw a pair of wooden shoes fixed to the floor, with a gleaming, spike-like object protruding from the heel. This torture was more of a psychological torment; while the pain of one's feet being pierced was unbearable for the average person, the fear of the impending agony was the true brilliance of this device.

"He had some backbone. Even after being fitted with the shoes, he continued to curse, claiming that when he got out, he would lead an army to raze Mingyu Mountain to the ground. Hah, I don't know how many martial artists have entered this Cold Spring; every one of them came in cursing just like that, but in the end, didn't they all beg for their lives?"

Jinxiu took an iron comb-like instrument from a nearby iron basket. Its front was sharp as claws, stained with flesh and blood. She smiled, "This is a torture tool created by the Lady, called 'Bone-Piercing White.' Just a light touch..."

As she spoke, she casually dragged it across Li Ji’s leg. A shrill, grating sound echoed, the skin tore open, and scarlet blood welled up, soaking the floor in an instant.

"Ah!"

Li Ji let out a scream, jolted awake from his unconsciousness by the pain. In his delirium, he mumbled, "Kill me... I have already told you everything... kill... me..." Before he could finish, he lapsed back into unconsciousness.

Jinxiu sneered, "Kill you? It’s not that simple. There are seven types of torture in the Cold Spring, and you’ve only experienced two..."

"Enough!"

Xu You felt a wave of revulsion. Torture had its uses, which was why it had existed for millennia; he did not shy away from it as a necessity, but it was merely a means to an end. Jinxiu’s behavior, however, suggested a twisted personality that took pleasure in the act.

"I ask you, what exactly did he confess?"

Jinxiu put down the 'Bone-Piercing White,' looking unsatisfied, but she dared not be too brazen in front of Zhan Wenjun. "Reporting to you, Sir, he first claimed he was acting under the orders of the Prince of Hengyang to find someone in Qiantang, and that if we released him, all would be well—otherwise, he threatened that none of us would survive."

"Oh... and then?"

"Sir, you may not know this, but we never believe the first thing a prisoner says. After we put him in the Golden Staple Shoes, he immediately changed his tune, claiming he came of his own volition, that he posed no threat to us, and that he would never step foot in Qiantang again. That was closer to the truth, but still not entirely trustworthy, so we used the 'Bone-Piercing White'... There were still the 'Heavenly Ladder Needles,' the 'Human Pig Rack,' and others, but he lacked the backbone and immediately confessed everything without reservation."

Because of Li Ji's sensitive status, only Shi Shu and Jinxiu had been involved in the torture, and it went without saying that Jinxiu was the one who had wielded the tools. Xu You looked at her—so young, pure, and innocent-looking—and was stunned by how truly venomous her heart and methods were.

"I combed his story seven times and questioned him seven times; there were no discrepancies. Therefore, I can conclude the confession is accurate!"

One must admire someone who loves their craft. Xu You could only concede, smiling at Zhan Wenjun, "Madam, your estate's Spring Well truly lives up to its reputation."

Whether this was a compliment or an insult depended on the listener. Jinxiu looked proud, but Zhan Wenjun’s expression remained cold. "Let us go. Clean him up—and remember, I want him kept alive!"