Chapter 1 When Bai Chen Opened His Eyes

When Bai Chen opened his eyes, he saw Xie Jin Yan's cold, smiling face. He was startled at first, but quickly realized what was happening.

Had he been captured?

*Bang!* A loud crash.

Before Bai Chen could recover, he was thrown heavily to the ground.

The cold, hard floor collided violently with his tailbone, and Bai Chen almost fainted again from the pain.

He rubbed his aching backside, glared at Xie Jin Yan with resentment, and, feigning the tone of a frail woman being forcibly taken by a villain, questioned him sharply, "Who… who are you? What do you want to do to me?"

As he spoke, Bai Chen intentionally glanced at Yu Qing Wu, hoping to cause some misunderstanding.

Perhaps, to make her suspect her husband had designs on him.

But Yu Qing Wu saw through his little scheme. Besides, while his cross-dressing was quite successful, he couldn't hide the obvious features of a man.

Seeing Bai Chen struggling to squeeze out tears, Yu Qing Wu couldn't help but laugh.

She casually glanced at his prominent Adam's apple and mocked, "This gentleman, while you are indeed effeminate in appearance, and your posture and voice are quite convincing, your Adam's apple is rather conspicuous.

"So, please, stop acting like a weak woman being forcibly taken by a villain.

"Instead, you might as well slander my husband for being fond of male beauty and imprisoning you here."

Yu Qing Wu spoke with a smile, her enchanting eyes scanning Bai Chen with extreme sarcasm.

Bai Chen had originally intended to use Xie Jin Yan's supposed fondness for male beauty to turn the tables and provoke conflict between the couple, then use the opportunity to escape.

However, as soon as he opened his mouth, Yu Qing Wu had blocked all his paths.

The expression on Bai Chen's face instantly froze.

He looked around, seeking an opportunity to escape.

But as soon as he tried to push himself up with his hands, he collapsed again.

The feeling of weakness throughout his body caused him to slump uncontrollably to the ground.

Xie Jin Yan chuckled, pulled up a chair, sat opposite him, and sighed.

"Alright, stop trying to escape. Before you entered, this room was filled with "soft bone incense" (a fictional incense that weakens the body). Without the antidote, you won't be able to move for five or six hours.

"In other words, even if we tortured you to death right now, you would be helpless."

Xie Jin Yan's tone was calm, but as he finished speaking, the smile on his face gradually solidified, and a cold light appeared in his eyes.

Bai Chen, on the other hand, was completely despairing.

He had always heard that the Wei Dynasty太子 (Crown Prince) Xie Jin Yan was outrageous and ruthless, a notorious纨绔子弟 (good-for-nothing son of powerful officials) and a infamous "cruel official."

Tortured to death…

The Wei Dynasty Crown Prince was capable of doing it.

Thinking of this, Bai Chen couldn't help but shudder.

But on the surface, he still tried his best to remain calm, and retorted with an angry laugh, "You… you're threatening me. Murder is against the law, and torture is a capital crime.

"You've imprisoned me here for no reason, and those violent acts against me are punishable by beheading."

"Beheading?" Hearing this, Xie Jin Yan laughed.

He curled his lips and scanned Bai Chen, who was clearly terrified but still putting on a brave face, with great interest. "Murder is indeed against the law, and torture deserves death.

"But what if we kill a spy? What if we kill a traitor?

"Or perhaps, you have some special fetish and sneaked into our room to engage in some scandalous behavior, and accidentally killed yourself?"

Xie Jin Yan asked one question after another. By the end, Bai Chen's face had turned deathly pale, and the words about disregarding human life and causing public outrage instantly caught in his throat.

It should be known that there were already many false rumors about him circulating outside.

Most of them were scandalous rumors about him being fond of male beauty and having special preferences.

But what was infuriating was that those foolish people actually believed them.

In this case, if he were really tortured to death today, those people might actually believe that he died because of those dirty reasons.

As a spy, although he had lived a very wealthy and comfortable life these years, he was not so afraid of death.

After all, he had been through fire and water at some point.

But he was afraid of being defiled after his death.

If that happened, he would have no face to face his ancestors even in the afterlife.

This Wei Dynasty Crown Prince was too insidious!

He had lived for more than twenty years, and this was the first time he had encountered someone even more vile than himself.

In addition to anger, Bai Chen couldn't help but feel a bit shaken.

But since it wasn't a dead end yet, he was still unwilling to betray Nan Yue.

After thinking for a moment, he simply changed his strategy.

After glaring at Xie Jin Yan for a moment, Bai Chen suddenly laughed, his tone sarcastic and provocative. "Heh, is this how the dignified Crown Prince of Wei Dynasty deals with his enemies, by using such vile and shameless methods?"

"Bai Chen, leader of the White Moon Society?"

While Bai Chen was putting on a righteous and unyielding face, Xie Jin Yan chuckled.

He raised his eyebrows and said with a smile, "Bai Chen, now that you know my identity, I won't waste any more words with you.

"You're right, I do like to use the most shameless and vile methods to deal with my enemies.

"Especially… people like you who sneak into other people's countries to plunder the people's wealth… you base person!"

He curled his lips and deliberately emphasized the last four words.

Bai Chen had a humble background and was most sensitive to people talking about his origins.

The reason why he came to Wei Dynasty as a spy was because of his low status, which made him unworthy to show his face in front of those nobles. Therefore, he decided to take a gamble and come to Wei Dynasty to make a name for himself.

After coming to Wei Dynasty for several years, the people's support had gradually made him forget the humble years in Nan Yue.

But at this moment, when Xie Jin Yan mentioned it again, those unbearable and shameful pasts resurfaced in his mind.

In an instant, Bai Chen's face turned green, and his eyes couldn't help but become a little embarrassed.

Xie Jin Yan sighed and slowly scanned his face, which was smeared with tea stains, and said again in a coaxing manner, "Bai Chen, I know the reason why you came to Wei Dynasty. It's nothing more than thinking that after you succeed, you can return to Nan Yue and make a good name for yourself.

"If you can't succeed, then you'll sneak away.

"But now, do you think you can run away?

"Tell me, if I spread the news that you are a spy from Nan Yue, and then claim to the outside world that you have confessed, and have offered Nan Yue's city defense map for your own benefit, just to get a position in Wei Dynasty.

"At that time, I will send troops to attack Nan Yue. As for the city defense map, my mother is a princess of Nan Yue, and a princess who was once treated badly by Nan Yue. If I ask her for it, she will naturally be willing to give it to me.

"Although I can't fully grasp the current situation of Nan Yue, I can still draw some of it roughly, and then integrate the news sent by the people of my Wei Dynasty who were sent to Nan Yue. It is not difficult to break the city.

"At that time, do you think Nan Yue will still tolerate you? And how will the people of Wei Dynasty view you? You and Wang Chuan have been corrupting and embezzling in Yun Zhou City for many years. How much wealth have you plundered from the people? And how bitterly have you deceived the people? Tell me, will there be a petition signed by ten thousand people requesting your execution?"

Xie Jin Yan's voice was calm, and there was even a faint smile on the corner of his eye.

But the more he smiled, the more afraid Bai Chen became.

It would be fine if he died, but if that were the case, he would be infamous for all eternity after his death.