Chapter 26: Viciousness

Tang Chaochao once again produced the cloth bundle containing the ox-hair needles. She slowly unwrapped it, revealing the thirty-six minuscule needles nestled within.

"These are the very things that killed my elder sister, so Miss Xie should also have a taste of what that feels like."

Xie Tingyao’s aunt was Consort Jing in the deep palace, so she naturally recognized these instruments. To be fair, Xie Tingyao was more beautiful than Xu Luowan. Her brows and eyes were delicate; even with dust smudged on her face, it was easy to see she was a noble daughter raised in luxury. Now, with her face pale, she looked somewhat pitiful.

"You cannot do this. I am the daughter of the Prime Minister. What you are doing is lynching!"

Tang Chaochao grinned. "Rest assured, Miss Xie. The best part about these little things is that they cause excruciating pain without leaving a single mark. You should know that better than anyone!"

Seeing Tang Chaochao pinch one of the needles, ready to plunge it into her neck, Xie Tingyao shrieked, "No! I never sent anyone to Huaicheng! Your sister’s death has nothing to do with me!"

Tang Chaochao ignored her and drove the needle into her fair neck. "Whether it has anything to do with you or not, we shall see soon enough!"

Whether Xie Tingyao was innocent or not was irrelevant. Even if someone had used her hand to commit the deed, in Tang Chaochao’s eyes, she was still an accomplice. The bone-chilling pain only drew screams of agony from Xie Tingyao. To prevent her from fainting, Tang Chaochao administered two additional needles to keep her conscious.

A-Bei watched coldly from the side. He had never seen a woman like Tang Chaochao—ruthless and unrelenting in her methods. While he knew she did this to uncover the cause of her sister’s death, he wondered if it was too cruel to act without concrete evidence.

Tang Chaochao closed her eyes, listening to the heart-rending screams until they began to fade. She lifted Xie Tingyao’s chin. "If you don’t want to continue this, Miss Xie, you had best tell the truth."

Xie Tingyao’s face was twisted in agony, yet her consciousness remained sharp. To Tang Chaochao’s disappointment, even under such torture, she stubbornly insisted she knew nothing.

Tang Chaochao released her grip and turned to A-Bei. "Bring me the maidservant by Miss Xie’s side named Xihong."

A-Bei accepted the order and departed. Tang Chaochao sat in the dim room, watching the weakened Xie Tingyao. "Do not be impatient, Miss Xie. Once your maid arrives, one question will reveal the truth of your words."

Xie Tingyao cursed inwardly. If you wanted a confrontation, you should have done it sooner. Waiting until after you’ve tortured me to suggest a confrontation is clearly just for the sake of inflicting pain.

Capturing a maid was much easier than capturing Xie Tingyao. Within an hour, A-Bei returned with the captive, throwing her directly at Tang Chaochao’s feet.

Tang Chaochao looked at the unconscious maid and applied two needles. The girl slowly stirred, waking in a daze. She found her missing mistress bound to a wooden chair, and upon turning, she met a pair of beautiful yet soul-piercing eyes.

Tang Chaochao stared coldly at the panicked Xihong and pressed the edge of a cold sword against her neck. Xihong shivered violently, whispering, "What... what do you want?"

Tang Chaochao pressed the sword deeper into Xihong’s shoulder. "Who ordered you to send Xu Luowan to Huaicheng and confirm the death of the eldest daughter of the Tang family?"

At these words, Xihong’s gaze flickered instinctively. Tang Chaochao curled her lips. "It matters not if you don't speak. I will hang your head at the gates of the Prime Minister’s mansion as a warning to your master!"

Xie Tingyao spoke up, "Xihong, did you really do this? Who ordered you to? Speak quickly!"

Xihong bit her lip. She did not implicate her mistress, but she did not name anyone else either. Tang Chaochao, never a patient person, swung her sword. She cleanly sliced a piece of flesh from Xihong’s arm. Because it was winter, the cotton padding of her sleeve fell to the floor along with the chunk of flesh.

"Ah!" Xihong’s scream shattered the silence of the dim room. Xie Tingyao stared at the scene of blood flowing endlessly, stunned into silence.

Tang Chaochao raised her sword again. "If you don't speak, I will carve the meat from your body, piece by piece."

Xihong was terrified. She tried to cover her bleeding wound, but the slightest touch sent her into spasms of pain. "Miss, save me!"

It was laughable that she would place her hopes in Xie Tingyao, who was in no position to save herself. Having already suffered because of this maid, Xie Tingyao could hardly plead for her. "Xihong, whatever you know, say it now!"

Xie Tingyao wanted to scream, *You foolish slave, tell them what you know; I do not want to be implicated further by you!*

Tears streamed down Xihong’s face, whether from pain or terror, she could not tell. Looking at the raised sword, she finally broke. "It was the young eunuch by the Third Prince’s side who ordered me to do it."

Tang Chaochao smirked. "What is the name of that little eunuch?"

Xihong trembled, "He is called Xiaoliuzi."

Having obtained the answer she sought, Tang Chaochao did not hesitate; she brought her blade down and severed Xihong’s head. Xie Tingyao let out a piercing scream. Xihong’s eyes were wide open, frozen in a look of disbelief.

"Hang her head at the gate of the Third Prince’s residence."

A-Bei felt that Tang Chaochao’s actions were perhaps too reckless and wanted to offer advice, but she gave him no chance.

"Miss Xie, although you were unaware, failing to control your maid is a dereliction of duty. Let today serve as a lesson."

Xie Tingyao bit her lip, remaining silent. Though she harbored hatred for what Tang Chaochao had done to her, she needed to ensure her own safe return to the Prime Minister’s mansion first. Tang Chaochao saw the hatred in her eyes, but she did not care. She was not her elder sister; she would not be manipulated by them.

The next day, a major event shook the capital. A bloody head was found hanging at the gate of the Third Prince’s residence. Simultaneously, the Prime Minister entered the palace and formally impeached General Tang Wu, who had just returned to the capital, accusing him of allowing his daughter to commit crimes, kidnapping his eldest daughter, Xie Tingyao, and subjecting her to torture. He claimed such lawlessness could not be tolerated. Consequently, a grim-faced Tang Wu and Tang Chaochao were summoned to the palace.

No sooner had the father and daughter left than the news reached the Old Madam of the Tang family, who flew into a rage. She summoned Song Rongzhi and unleashed a torrent of abuse.

"Truly a disgrace who cannot be seen in public! She is going to get our Tang family killed! If His Majesty does not punish us, you must send her back to Huaicheng immediately. No, send her back to the mountains! Our Tang family cannot tolerate such an unfilial descendant who thinks herself above the law!"

The Old Madam had never liked Tang Chaochao, and now that she had leverage, she naturally sought to be rid of her once and for all. Madame Zhou chimed in, fanning the flames. "Sister-in-law, you cannot shield Chaochao this time. She has committed such a catastrophe; if His Majesty holds us accountable, how are we to survive?"

Song Rongzhi sneered. "This matter has yet to be decided. Furthermore, Chaochao must have had a reason for doing what she did. Are Mother and Sister-in-law not being a bit too hasty?"

Seeing her defiance, the Old Madam, in a fit of rage, grabbed a teacup from beside her and hurled it directly at Song Rongzhi’s face.