Punishment

Punishment

The dripping water in the secret room stopped abruptly. Zeng Chenhua frowned as he looked at the person on the ground, thinking to himself, "It seems the communication has been cut off again."

"Deal with this person." We can't rely solely on what this person says. But for now, we can only slowly explore along this line.

Zeng Chenhua pondered to himself, "Isn't the Crescent Moon Sect a sect that helps the poor? What does it have to do with this matter?"

Just as Zeng Chenhua was unable to find an answer and ordered his men to retreat, someone suddenly came to the door to report, "Reporting, my lord, the head of the Medical Pavilion of the Crescent Moon Sect has come to see you, saying he wants to find someone."

"Looking for someone?" Zeng Chenhua turned to look at the dead man on the ground, his pupils shrinking. Could this matter really be related to the Crescent Moon Sect?

He ordered the guards to lock the man up first. Then he picked up the jade staff and went to face the head of the Medical Pavilion alone.

Leng Huashan sat leisurely, sipping her tea. After watching Zeng Chenhua limp out of the room with the help of a cane, she put down her teacup and stood up.

Looking at Zeng Chenhua's appearance, it's truly a pity for him. If he hadn't been shot in the thigh by the enemy while saving his comrades during the war, which crippled his leg, he would probably be a formidable opponent now.

When Zeng Chenhua came out, he saw Leng Huashan dressed in simple plain clothes and wearing a mask, looking mysterious, with only her eyes showing. Her eyes were sharp like an eagle's, and her subordinates stood behind her.

Upon seeing Zeng Chenhua emerge, Leng Huashan bluntly stated, "Second Prince, I'm taking him away."

She gently pinched a silver needle between her fingers, and the needle flashed with a cold light, its tip pointing towards the male protagonist's brow.

Zeng Chenhua found the idea of ​​"cold painted fan" amusing. A slight smile appeared on his lips as he sarcastically remarked, "Now this place has become a place where people can come and go as they please."

"I don't know what Pavilion Master Leng means, there's no one here." Zeng Chenhua spread his arms and pushed open the door to prove to Leng Huashan that there was no one in the room and that she shouldn't come looking for anyone.

Leng Huashan shot the silver needles directly at the male protagonist's shoe tips, but they were only placed on the wooden board next to the shoe tips.

"May I ask where the blood at the Second Prince's feet came from?" Unexpectedly, it was just a little bit of blood that the man had vomited, which Leng Huashan had also seen.

The male protagonist's expression changed slightly, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes, before returning to normal. The corners of his mouth unconsciously turned up, carrying a sense of leisure and self-satisfaction. "It's just a little bit of blood I stepped in somewhere. It's amazing that Pavilion Master Leng saw it. Good eyesight."

Leng Huashan took out a withered flower from her hand. "I won't beat around the bush with the Second Prince anymore. If that person coughs up blood, my flower will be able to smell it."

Zeng Chenhua hadn't expected that the blood was there to attract attention, and he sneered inwardly, "No wonder."

The flower was crushed into fragments in Leng Huashan's palm, falling piece by piece from his hand. "If the Second Prince can hand over the person, I have a secret exchange."

"Moreover, according to the rules of the Crescent Moon Sect, a traitor must have his three-inch tongue cut out and nailed to the Crescent Moon Sect's punishment hall, so that the people of the Crescent Moon Sect can see what fate awaits a traitor."

Leng Huashan's tone became more tactful, "Therefore, I must take the person with me, and I hope the Second Prince will agree."

The male protagonist raised an eyebrow, listening to Leng Huashan's words that he had a secret to exchange for. He also wanted to know what the secret was, since the person was no longer useful.

"I do not like to offend others. Since Pavilion Master Leng insists, I have no choice but to concede."

"Since Master Leng wants to take this as a warning, you don't mind if I hand over a dead man, do you?" The male protagonist said this casually.

Just as Leng Huashan said, she only wanted to take this as a warning; whether the person was dead or not seemed to be no longer important.

Leng Huashan said, "In that case, I thank the Second Prince for his kindness."

The male protagonist immediately ordered his men to bring the person up and clean up the dripping blood.

"If Your Highness does not believe me, you can come to the mass grave in the west of the city at dawn to see the corpse."

As for Zeng Chenhua, how could he not believe Leng Huashan's words? After all, the secret she gave him had helped him a great deal.

Upon meeting the man, Leng Huashan, true to her word, revealed a secret to him. However, upon hearing this secret, the man pondered it and realized that things had been reversed. He then ordered an immediate investigation to determine if the truth of the matter was correct.

Meanwhile, after Leng Huashan told the male protagonist the secret, she had already ordered her subordinates to retreat with the traitor.

At 2:45 AM, the summoning horn sounded. It was only one blast, but those in the Medical Pavilion, sensitive to the sound of the horn, rushed towards the Punishment Hall at the Crescent Moon Gate. Although Jiang Chaoyu was a member of the main pavilion, she was required to be present whenever a deputy pavilion member carried out a mission.

After dressing, Jiang Chaoyu appeared in front of the punishment hall.

At 3:45 AM, all thirty-six bronze lamps in the Punishment Hall of the Crescent Moon Gate lit up simultaneously. Leng Huashan sat on the crescent-shaped throne in the center. All the chief disciples of the Medical Pavilion were summoned.

Seeing that everyone was present, Leng Huashan waved her hand and ordered her men to bring the people up.

The dead man was dragged to the front of the crowd, with only his tongue sticking out.

"The Medical Pavilion teaches you to identify herbs and skills, not to take on other tasks on your own." The anger was directed at everyone present.

With a wave of his hand, the silver needle pierced the man's tongue, pulling it out by the root and nailing it to the warning post. "Furthermore, now that you've become a member of the Medical Pavilion, if anyone speaks carelessly, don't blame me for taking away their tongue."

Upon hearing this, everyone answered in unison, "Yes, sir."

Seeing the man's miserable state, with blood still dripping from his tongue, Jiang Chaoyu was witnessing this scene for the first time. Her stomach churned, and she clenched her clothes tightly. She hadn't expected that Pavilion Master Leng was so powerful. As expected, to become a Pavilion Master, one's abilities must be superior to others.

Previously, others had only heard how powerful the Pavilion Master was, but now they have seen it for themselves.

"The tongue is taken. Throw this man into the mass grave in the west of the city. That's it for today." After the warning had taken effect, Leng Huashan dismissed the others.

At dawn, the man was thrown into the mass grave in the west of the city.

Just as Jiang Chaoyu was about to turn and leave, Leng Huashan called out to her, "Xiaoyu, stay."

Jiang Chaoyu, who was called to a halt, was startled.

With a forced smile, she looked at Leng Huashan and asked, "Sect Leader, what's wrong?"

Leng Huashan pulled Jiang Chaoyu to sit down next to her. "I heard from your master that Zeng Chenhua asked you to be his informant?"

Jiang Chaoyu didn't know what to say, but after the warning she had just received, she felt it was better to tell the truth. "Before, I was trapped by him while doing a mission, and he asked me to be his informant in the Crescent Moon Gate."

Leng Huashan grasped Jiang Chaoyu's hand, "I think this is a good idea."

Jiang Chaoyu had assumed that Leng Huashan disagreed, just like You Zhenghong, but her answer surprised her. She stammered, "Ah... ah, really as an informant?"

Leng Huashan nodded, looking at Jiang Chaoyu with expectant eyes as if encouraging her, "That's right, but you have to be the line within the line!"

"A line within a line?" Jiang Chaoyu felt this task was too difficult. Every time she met Zeng Chenhua, she felt as if he could read her mind, and she was always seen through. If she were to do the line within a line, she felt like she would become the filling within the filling.

Jiang Chaoyu broke free from Leng Huashan's hand and stood up. "Sect Master, let me think about it some more. This task is too difficult. It's almost time for my greetings, so I'll be going now." After saying that, she seemed to be fleeing in panic, walking very fast, or rather, running.

Leng Huashan watched Jiang Chaoyu's hurried figure and found it quite amusing, a slight smile appearing on her lips.

As dawn broke, Jiang Chaoyu returned to her room. After changing her clothes, Cui Cui's voice rang out from outside the door.

"Miss should go pay her respects." Cui Cui's voice broke through the morning mist. She carried a basin of water for Jiang Chaoyu to wash and change.

After changing her clothes, Cuicui helped Jiang Chaoyu with her hair and makeup, and then went out.

Jiang Chaoyu walked around the corridor to her grandmother's room and ran into Jiang Yuyao.

Jiang Yuyao glanced at her coldly, then stepped across the threshold and into the room before her, followed closely by Jiang Chaoyu.

The two bowed and said in unison, "Granddaughter greets Grandmother."

After paying your respects, you must serve your grandmother in her room for a quarter of an hour before you can leave.

After reading the lesson, Jiang Chaoyu hadn't slept well and still felt tired. She wanted to yawn, but it was impolite in this situation, so she had to hold it in, which brought tears to her eyes. She then wiped them away with her handkerchief when no one was looking.

Jiang Yuyao happened to see this scene and leaned close to Jiang Chaoyu, whispering, "Did you not sleep well yesterday, little sister? You're so sleepy today."

Jiang Chaoyu felt extremely helpless, as Jiang Yuyao had witnessed everything in that short time. "There was thunder yesterday, and my sister was a little scared, so she was too frightened to sleep."

"Thunder?" Jiang Yuyao was very puzzled. When did her younger sister become afraid of thunder? Or was there really thunder yesterday?

She had questions in her mind, but didn't know how to express them. Seeing Jiang Chaoyu's response, she didn't press the matter further.

Fifteen minutes passed, and it was time for dinner. Jiang Chaoyu and Jiang Yuyao went to the dining hall together.

Perhaps disgusted by the scene of Zi Shi Leng painting the fan and wielding the needle, Jiang Chaoyu had no appetite for the food on the table. She ate a couple of bites listlessly, just enough to fill her stomach, otherwise it would hurt.

Seeing Jiang Chaoyu's actions, Jiang Yuyao sneered, "If it weren't for the fact that my sister is afraid of poison in the food, she wouldn't even touch it."

These words only fueled Jiang Chaoyu's already irritated anger. She was still talking even though she was full, and she was still eating even though she wasn't. She grabbed her chopsticks and attacked the food on the table. "Sister, what are you saying? I'm just worried that if I eat too much, you won't get any."

She ate the food in her bowl in big mouthfuls, without the slightest bit of ladylike demeanor.

Jiang Chaoyu intended to show Jiang Yuyao through this action that it had nothing to do with poisoning. After finishing the meal, she burped without any regard for her image, saying, "So, sister, you still say I'm afraid of poisoning?"

"What if you have the antidote? Who knows?" Jiang Yuyao added casually.

These words left Jiang Chaoyu speechless. She used the serving chopsticks to add some food to Jiang Yuyao's bowl and said angrily, "If my sister gets poisoned, I'll stay with her."

Looking at the full bowl in front of her, Jiang Yuyao put her chopsticks down on the table and elegantly wiped her stained mouth with a handkerchief. "I'm full. Thank you for your kindness, sister."

Jiang Yuyao got up and left the dining hall. Jiang Chaoyu slammed the serving chopsticks on the table and realized that he had been tricked by Jiang Yuyao again.

A short while later, an announcement came from outside that the Second Prince had arrived. Jiang Chaoyu was startled, thinking that the ten-day deadline had not yet passed.