Chapter 172 The Bloodstained Cage

Chapter 172 The Bloodstained Cage

Xie Yan lay on the bed, waiting for Xue Yubai's breathing to become even.

He quietly got up, put on his outer robe, walked out of the palace, and raised his finger to the guards outside, signaling them to be quiet.

As the palace door was closed, Xue Yubai opened his eyes.

He stared silently at the top of the tent, having just received the news, and immediately came to stop them.

But……

It seems Xue Qingning was right; Xie Yan has fallen for that mother and son.

…

As Shen Nanzi watched Old Fish Head's retreating figure, her legs went weak and her mind went blank.

She didn't believe what Old Fish Head had just said.

Old Fish Head said, "Grand Commandant Shen has been executed!"

Execution?

She didn't quite catch it at first and pressed Old Fish Head for answers.

Old Fish Head remained silent, simply telling her to come along.

After walking a few steps, she finally realized what "punishment" meant!

She suddenly couldn't walk; her legs went weak, and her mind went completely blank.

Seeing Old Fish Head point to a nearby cell, she leaned against the wall with one hand, not daring to approach.

The dark cage was divided by thick wooden partitions, and by the dim light, one could vaguely see a person curled up on the ground.

He was face down, his hair was disheveled, and he was wearing the same prison uniform as his brother.

Shen Nanzi dared not go over; she was afraid, afraid that the person was really her brother.

She clutched her chest, her eyes fixed on that spot.

Old Fish Head shook his head regretfully, "Your Highness, why didn't you come sooner?"

"Grand Commandant Shen was given poison, and the effects of the poison took effect in less than half an hour."

"Ah! Grand Commandant Shen is truly a man of honor; he drank it down without saying a word."

"Your Highness, please accept my condolences."

Every word Old Fish Head uttered felt like a dagger piercing her chest.

She still couldn't believe it, shaking her head and whispering, "No, my brother can't be dead!"

"How could my brother, such a strong and resolute man, leave us in the prime of his life?"

Shen Nanzi didn't believe it; she couldn't accept her brother's departure at all.

Her eyelashes blinked frantically, her breathing rapid, and she leaned against the wall, walking step by step to the edge of the cage.

Force yourself to be strong.

When he saw the wooden hairpin that held his brother's hair back, his last hope shattered, and he instantly collapsed to the ground.

Those were handmade hairpins for the couple, shaped like clouds. One was on my sister-in-law's head, and the other was on my brother's head.

"elder brother!"

She couldn't believe that her brother, whom she had seen just a few hours ago, was now gone forever.

She climbed into the cage, knelt beside Shen Minghan, and with trembling hands, gently peeled back her brother's skin.

My heart stopped; I couldn't believe the person in front of me was my brother.

His face was swollen and bluish-black, with black blood from vomit around his lips, and his expression was ferocious.

A glimmer of hope rose in Shen Nanzi's heart. This wasn't her brother; her brother wasn't like this.

Perhaps seeing the hope in Shen Nanzi's eyes, Old Fish Head couldn't bear to see her hopes dashed again, and reminded her, "This poison is a poisonous poison that will cause swelling all over the body in the victim."

Upon hearing this, the flame of hope that had risen in Shen Nanzi's heart was extinguished once again.

She remembered the mole behind her brother's ear and reached out to brush the hair behind his ear aside.

I prayed in my heart that this person didn't have a mole, but... contrary to my wishes, the mole was behind his ear.

At this point, the swollen skin had grown to the size of a soybean.

Shen Nanzi's fluctuating heart plummeted to the bottom. The chill of the prison was like countless ice needles, piercing her body until she felt stiff, and even her breath tasted of blood.

It was her brother, Shen Minghan, who had once protected her and shielded her from all the storms, but was now unrecognizable and lifeless.

Overwhelmed with grief, she collapsed onto Shen Minghan, crying out in heart-wrenching sobs, "Brother!"

Her voice pierced through the dark, cold cage, sending shivers down people's spines.

Touching his cold cheek, Shen Nanzi snapped out of her daze, "Brother, you're so cold! Why are you dressed so lightly!"

She stared blankly around, "There's nothing here, and my brother is so cold!"

Suddenly, she remembered something, and her eyes filled with tears.

"Brother! Wake up! Look at me!"

"You can't die! How could you die!"

She clung tightly to her brother's cold body, burying her face in his blood-stained prison uniform.

The rough prison uniform fabric stung her cheeks, and her vision blurred as tears and blood mingled with them.

"Brother, I told you, I can't do it. What will I do without you?"

"Brother! Please wake up!"

The crying gradually became hoarse, breaking into intermittent sobs, each sound as if it were being torn out from the depths of the chest, accompanied by blood and foam.

She held her brother's gradually stiffening body tightly, as if that would keep him by her side.

It was as if if she cried any harder, he would reach out and pat her head, just like before, and comfort her, saying, "Shen Nanzi, your brother is here! Don't be afraid."

"If things don't go well, move back to the Grand Commandant's mansion. Your brother will take care of you!"

"My sister is still somewhat useful; she's saved up so much silver!"

"Shen Nanzi, that is the bloodline of our Shen family, we are all counting on you."

The wind outside rushed into the prison, carrying the smells of mildew and blood, and seeped into her sleeves.

She couldn't feel the cold; she only felt a piece of her heart gouged out, the pain almost suffocating her.

Her face was streaked with tears, and there were bloodstains from unconscious biting her lip.

Only her eyes were fixed on her brother's bloodless face.

It was filled with despair and indignation, and an unspeakable dependence.

She stroked his cheek, cupped it in her hands, and gently wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth with her sleeve, her eyes filled with a mixture of sorrow and hatred.

"Brother, don't worry, I will take good care of sister-in-law and nephew. I won't let you die in vain; none of the people who harmed you will escape."

"Xie Yan, Xue Yubai, Xue Qingning, Wuying, and Liefeng, they all must die!!"

When Ye Shuyin entered, he saw Shen Nanzi kneeling in the cage, holding Shen Minghan's body and tidying up his remains.

He stared in shock at the scene before him, thinking of the palace guards chasing after him.

He stepped into the cell. "Go! The palace has sent people!"

Shen Nanzi looked up somewhat slowly.

Ye Shuyin knew she was overwhelmed with grief and somewhat dazed, so he hugged her tightly.

"Let's go! We have to go!"

“Brother,” Shen Nanzi said, reluctant to let go, clutching Shen Minghan’s sleeve. She knew that letting go now would mean goodbye forever.

Ye Shuyin pried her fingers apart. "Shen Nanzi, you know what the consequences will be if you don't leave."

Shen Nanzi's eyes instantly cleared. Her brother was gone, and the Shen family would have to rely on her from now on.

She reluctantly let go, tears welling up in her eyes.

Ye Shuyin picked her up and quickly ran outside.

Shen Nanzi seemed to have regained her senses, her voice calm yet hoarse, "Put me down, I can walk!"

Ye Shuyin immediately put her down, "Go! Go quickly!"

The two ran to the outside of the prison and rode away on horseback.

＊

When Xie Yan arrived at the cage, he found nothing.

He immediately turned back, instructing his guards as he went, "Luoyang City shall remain under lockdown. No city gates shall be opened without my order."

"Yes, Your Highness."

Xie Yan dared not linger and headed towards the Jing Prince's residence.