Fingers hidden beneath her flowing sleeves dug fiercely into her palm, drawing blood. The sharp pain registered, yet she remained oblivious.
An infuriating chill emanated from her, causing one of the young eunuchs accompanying her to glance up.
Nangong Mo could clearly sense the change in Gu Qianying's aura.
He wondered what could possibly provoke such fury in her.
Following her gaze, he saw only a prisoner whose blood seemed to be contained.
He couldn't discern the prisoner's features clearly.
Yet, for some inexplicable reason, upon seeing the prisoner's form, a vague sense of heartache arose within him, a feeling he couldn't explain even to himself.
This sensation was peculiar, much like the moment he had encountered what Gu Qianying called "that scumbag Nan Rong Qi."
He had felt an immediate urge to kill Nan Rong Qi.
Moreover, this impulse was so strong that he even suspected he knew the "scumbag" Gu Qianying spoke of, and that he was very familiar with him.
Just as he suppressed this feeling, another illusion arose.
In short, it was all very strange.
At this moment, Gu Qianying's eyes were filled with rage.
Damn it! How could they!
How could they treat Bai Qi like this!
How utterly despicable!
At this moment, she truly wished to wring the head off that scumbag Nan Rong Qi, and to kill everyone here instantly!
But the words "Ying Po" carved into Bai Qi's wrist, which was almost broken by the iron chain, pulled her back to reason.
Ying Po was Bai Qi's ranking among the dark guards, a codename given to him by Nangong Mo. Nangong Mo had told her this once.
Killing wouldn't solve everything. Nan Rong Qi was a definite target, but not now.
To destroy a person, one must render them utterly destitute, force them to experience a life worse than death. Destroying their spirit was far more effective than killing them!
With this thought.
Gu Qianying coldly commanded the guard holding the key, "Open it!"
Her voice was colder than before.
The guard felt as if he were walking on ice. He shivered and quickly replied, "Yes, Noble Consort."
The iron lock of the cell was opened, and the door was pushed ajar. The guards remained stationed outside.
No matter what Gu Qianying interrogated the prisoner about inside, those outside could hear it all clearly.
Gu Qianying had a chair brought over and sat down gracefully.
"Go, splash water on the prisoner to wake him up!"
A basin of cold water was doused over Bai Qi's head. The shock of the cold instantly jolted his consciousness, waking him.
The first thing he saw upon waking was Gu Qianying sitting opposite him.
Dressed in red, adorned with jewels, exuding cold nobility and wealth.
"Damn woman, it's you!"
Bai Qi's tongue was already blistered, and after days without a drop of water, his voice was hoarse, his eyes burning with fury.
If his hands and feet were unbound, he would surely kill the woman before him!
Although imprisoned, he had learned from the guards.
He learned that Gu family's eldest daughter, Gu Qianying, had returned, transforming overnight from a wanted criminal to a noble Imperial Consort of the current court.
Furthermore, he had heard that his master, the Ninth Prince, was dead, and that it was this ruthless woman, Gu Qianying, who had killed him.
Gu Qianying, this damned woman, had not only divorced his master of her own accord, causing him immense grief, but had also caused his death.
Hate! He hated her! He wished he could personally put her to the sword!
"Long time no see, Bai Qi!"
Gu Qianying's thin lips curved upwards. Though her voice remained unchanged, her gaze towards Bai Qi was not as cold.
Nangong Mo, who was standing nearby, froze when he clearly saw Bai Qi's blood-stained face.
Such a familiar face.
He felt as if he had seen him somewhere before.
But he couldn't recall who the man before him was.
"Pah! Bitch! I'm not familiar with you!"
Bai Qi glared at Gu Qianying resentfully.
The hatred in his eyes intensified.
His master's remains were barely cold, yet this woman, Gu Qianying, was living quite comfortably.
This made him hate her even more!
"Not familiar? Very well, since we're not familiar, let's get acquainted!"
Gu Qianying's voice was light and airy.
Bai Qi looked utterly bewildered.
Get acquainted? With what?
"Go, bring out all the torture instruments here. I want to try them one by one. I want to see how long this thing that insults me can endure."
With that, she glanced at a nearby young eunuch.
Nangong Mo, understanding, immediately turned and walked out of the cell.
All the torture instruments were hung on the wall not far away: iron hooks, branding irons, needle boards, cleavers – everything was present.
"I'm not afraid of you, bring it on! Bitch, do you think I can be scared to death by these dog things? Let me tell you, these dog things used on me feel like mere tickles. I don't feel any pain!
Every single torture instrument here had been used on him. It wasn't that he didn't feel pain, but that the pain had numbed him.
He, Bai Qi, was a dignified man of seven feet. The master he recognized, he would serve with unwavering loyalty for eternity.
That dog Nan Rong Qi, by not killing him, his intention was to torment him endlessly.
He, Bai Qi, would never bow down, never!
"Oh."
It was like punching cotton.
Gu Qianying simply uttered a soft "Oh."
This made Bai Qi pause. He looked up at Gu Qianying, wondering what this woman was planning.
Meanwhile.
Nangong Mo, after a circuitous route to the place where the torture instruments were kept, returned without any instruments in his hands. He stopped before the guards standing outside the cell, and his footsteps blurred.
In the blink of an eye, the guards standing outside the cell all collapsed in unison.
"Hurry up!"
Nangong Mo glanced towards Gu Qianying and reminded her.
At this moment, Bai Qi was staring in stunned silence.
What was happening?
Clang!
Gu Qianying quickly stood up. She took the Scarlet Blood Saber from another young eunuch, and with a swift stroke, severed the iron chains on Bai Qi's hands and feet.
"Gu Qianying, you bitch, I'll kill you!"
Freed from his restraints, Bai Qi pulled out the dagger lodged in his chest, gripped it tightly, and lunged towards Gu Qianying's face.
A faint breeze swept past, and the sharp, bloodied dagger cut through the strands of hair by Gu Qianying's ear.
Gu Qianying's eyes darkened.
She glanced at Bai Qi and uttered, "Fool!"
Bai Qi: "..."
Before Bai Qi could react, Gu Qianying raised her hand and delivered a palm strike, knocking him unconscious.
"Quick, you two, change clothes!"
Gu Qianying turned her back.
Nangong Mo walked over and, with great thoughtfulness, reached out to cover her eyes.
"...
A faint woody fragrance wafted to her nose.
It smelled pleasant, yet also strangely familiar.
Uncharacteristically, she didn't move, allowing his long, slender, well-defined fingers to cover her eyes.
She wasn't sure if it was her imagination.
She felt as if this "little eunuch's" hand wasn't trying to cover her eyes, but her heart.
More precisely, his well-defined hand moved from her eyes to her nose, then her chin, her neck, closer to her chest, so her eyes could see everything.
She could see his eyes roaming over her chest.
She asked, "Are they big?"
Nangong Mo clearly faltered.
He looked at Gu Qianying suspiciously.
She asked again, "Do you like looking?"
He remained somewhat suspicious.
Gu Qianying threw a punch.
Nangong Mo's right eye turned into a "panda eye"!
Gu Qianying slapped Nangong Mo's hand away, glaring at him coldly, "Look again, and I'll dig your eyes out!"