"Since you can't get any information from the interrogation, why does Your Excellency still keep him? A bandit who kidnaps Miss Lin should be executed by a thousand cuts. I heard that you have someone under your command who can flay a person piece by piece, leaving no trace of blood, until only a skeleton remains."
The bandit stiffened, looking up to see these words spoken by this man as if they were inconsequential matters.
Prefect Lin looked at Yan Jin Chao, wondering if he had such a person under his employ. However, having been an official for many years, he assumed Yan Jin Chao had his own intentions in saying this and did not object.
"Can Your Excellency summon this person? Let him practice his skills!"
Prefect Lin stared at Yan Jin Chao for a long moment before calling out, "Fetch Liu Fei."
Shortly after, Liu Fei arrived in a hurry. Upon entering and seeing Prefect Lin, he quickly bowed and cupped his hands. "Your Excellency, you sent for me?"
Prefect Lin asked, "I have heard you possess a unique skill in slicing meat, making the slices uniformly thin and bloodless?"
Liu Fei was taken aback, not understanding the Prefect's intent. However, it was true that he was skilled at slicing meat. "Your Excellency is too kind. I am merely adept at slicing meat. Be it thick or tough, I can slice it. May I ask whose meat Your Excellency wishes me to slice?"
Prefect Lin pointed to the bandit on the chair. "Slice his flesh."
Liu Fei's smile vanished as his gaze fell upon the chair. He quickly knelt. "Your Excellency, I dare not." He was merely a butcher, accustomed to slicing pork, beef, or lamb, but he had never sliced human flesh!
"Liu Fei, if you do it well, I will reward you handsomely," Prefect Lin stated.
Liu Fei faltered. "Your Excellency…"
"Go!" Prefect Lin commanded.
Liu Fei drew his knife from his waist and began to rub it against his clothes. The bandit, sitting in the chair, was at his breaking point. If he were to be killed with a single stroke, it would be one thing, but to be made to wait and watch his own demise was unbearable.
"Wuwu…" The bandit finally let out a sound.
However, he had bitten off his own tongue, rendering him unable to speak. Prefect Lin grew impatient. "How are we to know what he is trying to say?"
Yan Jin Chao calmly said, "Your Excellency, do not be hasty. Fetch paper and brush."
Prefect Lin smacked his forehead. "You are right. Someone, bring paper and brush."
The bandit took the paper and brush and drew a picture, handing it over. Prefect Lin looked at the drawing, his mouth twitching. He slapped the bandit. "Are you toying with me?"
The bandit shook his head and pointed at the drawing, unable to utter a word. "Kill him, kill him…" Prefect Lin had lost his last shred of patience.
"Your Excellency, this is likely where he has drawn Miss Lin's location," Yan Jin Chao said slowly.
The bandit nodded vigorously, his sounds muffled.
Prefect Lin looked at the drawing, his voice urgent. "Where is this?"
"Your Excellency, I have heard that Mu Rong Bo once traveled with his father through the rivers and mountains of Jiangnan. Perhaps we should ask him if he recognizes this place?" Yan Jin Chao suggested.
Prefect Lin nodded and quickly ordered someone to fetch Mu Rong Bo.
Upon hearing Prefect Lin's summons, Mu Rong Bo did not dare to delay and hurried to the Prefect's mansion. "Your Excellency, you sent for me…"
"Do you recognize this place?" Prefect Lin did not wait for Mu Rong Bo to finish before handing him the drawing.
Mu Rong Bo took it and studied it for a while. "This looks like Mao Er Mountain."
Prefect Lin blinked in surprise. "Are you certain?"
Mu Rong Bo looked again. "It is indeed Mao Er Mountain."
Prefect Lin immediately asked the bandit, "Mao Er Mountain?"
The bandit nodded.
Prefect Lin, holding the drawing, hurried out. Mu Rong Bo was utterly bewildered. "Your Excellency, where are you going?"
But Prefect Lin was already gone. Mu Rong Bo turned to the man before him, noting his handsome appearance, and understood why Miss Lin favored him.
"Young Master Mu Rong, please make yourself comfortable," Yan Jin Chao said, grabbing the bandit and leaving.
Mu Rong Bo was astonished to see that this Young Master Yan seemed to have effortlessly lifted the bandit and carried him away.
"You…" Mu Rong Bo chased after them, but there was no sign of anyone.
Arriving at Mao Er Mountain, Yan Jin Chao stood at the foot of the mountain. Xue Song, behind him, holding the bandit, said, "Young Master, we are faster than Prefect Lin. He is likely still half an hour away."
Yan Jin Chao nodded. "Let's go."
Xue Song, carrying the bandit, followed behind him, ascending the mountain.
Mao Er Mountain was very steep, so it was rarely visited. There was only a dilapidated temple on the mountain. Due to the steepness, few people came to offer incense, resulting in little income. Thus, the temple had fallen into disuse and was currently empty. This also provided a hiding place for the bandits.
Upon reaching the temple entrance, the door was locked. Xue Song stepped forward and knocked. Soon, a voice came from inside. "Who is it?"
Seeing no reply, the person inside waited a moment longer. The door was then opened, and they peered outside.
"Xiao Si, you're finally back? Everyone was worried about you!"
Xiao Si made muffled sounds. "Xiao Si, what are you saying? I can't understand you!"
Xiao Si could only open his mouth and point to the emptiness within.
"You… where is your tongue?"
Xiao Si made muffled sounds…
"Let's go back and tell the boss."
Xiao Si nodded and entered the temple. Xiao Si and the person who opened the door walked around the temple hall twice, finally disappearing behind the temple's Buddha statue.
Yan Jin Chao and Xue Song, who had been following, arrived behind the Buddha statue and discovered that it was hollow, allowing passage downwards. Xue Song went down first, with Yan Jin Chao following.
Lin Shishu was curled up to one side, not knowing where she was. At Juhua Tower, she had argued with a large man, who then kidnapped her. She struggled desperately but to no avail. However, she had not lost hope, as Cui Hua had escaped, and her father must surely know of her disappearance and come to her rescue. She wondered why these people, with whom she had no enmity, had kidnapped her. But her mouth was stuffed, preventing her from speaking. However, from the bandits' conversation, she could tell they were hired to do this.
Suddenly, someone walked towards her. Because her eyes were covered, she could not see what the person looked like. Her heart pounded, and her body trembled uncontrollably from fear.
"Wuwu…" She wanted to speak but could not utter a sound. Suddenly, a hand lifted her chin, forcing her to look up. "Indeed, your beauty matches your reputation as the number one beauty of Jiangnan. I wonder what you taste like?"
Lin Shishu shivered all over and shook her head, making muffled sounds. The person's hand insidiously moved towards her collar. Suddenly, a voice rang out, "Stop him."
"Don't you want to taste? Xiao Si said Prefect Lin's men have already come looking."