Chapter 55: Explosion

Jade Hall Tower had been sealed off for quite some time, with heavy guards posted around it at all hours. Even the brothel across the street had seen its business suffer as a result.

The two madams had long been rivals. Now one couldn’t operate at all and lived in constant fear, while the other struggled to make ends meet. The girls from both establishments did their best to keep their madams apart, but it was impossible to prevent the two women from running into each other eventually.

When the plain and unassuming carriage from the Prime Minister’s Residence pulled into the back courtyard of Jade Hall Tower, Nian Zhi’an could even hear the two madams shrilly trading insults.

But as soon as they spotted the Prime Minister’s carriage, they fell instantly silent. They hurried over with fawning smiles to pay their respects.

“Prime Minister! This old woman has been wronged!” The madam of Jade Hall Tower wailed her innocence from afar, tears streaming down her face. “Every girl in my establishment is timid as a mouse. How could any of them dare to plot against the Prince?”

“Don’t listen to her nonsense, Prime Minister! Timid as a mouse? Her girls turn fierce as tigers when they’re fighting for business! They’ve used every trick in the book. Who knows what dirty tactics they might’ve stooped to just to snag a customer?” The rival madam wouldn’t miss a chance to kick her opponent while she was down. She said whatever would hurt the most.

“You old hag, what are you blathering about? Prime Minister, you must investigate this thoroughly!”

The two women, both well past fifty, nearly came to hair-pulling blows. It took one of Meng Congyun’s subordinates slamming his blade downward with a heavy thud to scare them into silence.

“I judge cases based on evidence, not on one-sided stories from the likes of you.”

The Prime Minister’s cool voice drifted out from inside the carriage.

“Yes.” The two madams knelt on the ground, their heads bowing involuntarily.

Inside the carriage, Meng Congyun adjusted Nian Zhi’an’s veiled hat for her, the white gauze covering her lovely features.

“Don’t feel any pressure. If you can’t get anything out of her, it doesn’t matter. I’ll just use some special methods afterward,” Meng Congyun instructed.

“Don’t worry, I’ll do my utmost,” Nian Zhi’an replied with a slight smile. The Prime Minister’s special methods, huh? If she and Yan Niang truly had a grudge, that woman certainly wouldn’t let her confess.

Actually, no… Meng Congyun definitely knew about the grudge between Yu Ji and Yan Niang. So why had she sent Nian Zhi’an to probe her herself?

Could it be… that on the surface, she wanted Nian Zhi’an to test Yan Niang, but in secret, she was checking Nian Zhi’an’s loyalty? Seeing if she’d slack off or deceive her? Nian Zhi’an immediately went on high alert. She felt that Meng Congyun was up to something, and she had to stay vigilant!

As soon as the madam of Jade Hall Tower laid eyes on Nian Zhi’an, her right eyelid twitched incessantly. Her rival, on the other hand, brightened up at the sight.

“Isn’t this Yu Ji? Prime Minister…” The madam caught a faint warning glance from the Prime Minister and wisely shut her mouth.

Having run a brothel for so many years, the madam had seen plenty of her girls bought out by high officials and nobles. But what good matches could girls from a pleasure house hope for? The lucky ones became cherished concubines, treading carefully in some noble household’s inner residence. The unlucky ones ended up as playthings for the powerful, never treated as people. And if they crossed a jealous primary wife, they might one day be rolled up in a mat and tossed out like trash—it happened all too often.

Out of all of them, Yu Ji had turned out the most successful.

Everyone knew the current Emperor held no real power; the Prime Minister called the shots.

And unlike those ordinary nobles, the Prime Minister was a woman—gentle and courteous, without any of those disgusting perversions. Her inner residence stood empty; even the Eldest Princess, once betrothed to her, had been dead for six years. In all that time, Yu Ji was the only one to take up residence in the Prime Minister’s Mansion! Talk about making it big!

Look at that! The Prime Minister protected Yu Ji so carefully. That girl would never want for anything in the future. She was one the old madam had personally trained, after all—no doubt she’d remember her old benefactor!

“I’m here today regarding the matter of the Prince’s poisoning at your Jade Hall Tower. I need to speak with a few of your girls,” Meng Congyun said, naming five people. “Bring them to see me.”

“Yes!” The madam of Jade Hall Tower immediately sent for them and prepared the finest private room for the Prime Minister to question the girls.

Deep down, the madam was convinced none of her girls had done it. Apart from a few outliers, most had ended up in her brothel at a tender age. She’d watched them grow up and knew their hearts inside out. As for the other “outsiders,” none seemed connected to the incident—at least not on the surface.

Nian Zhi’an followed Meng Congyun into Jade Hall Tower. She watched as Meng Congyun questioned each of the named girls one by one, delving into every trivial detail. It seemed thorough, but Nian Zhi’an knew this woman wasn’t taking it seriously at all. All those questions were pointless; her real goal clearly lay elsewhere.

Yan Niang was the first, and it took nearly the time it took for an incense stick to burn before she was let go.

After Yan Niang left, Meng Congyun glanced back at the person standing behind her. Nian Zhi’an nodded and quietly slipped out.

Nian Zhi’an trailed after Yan Niang’s departing figure. Her footsteps were so light that Yan Niang never noticed anyone following her.

During the questioning just now, Yan Niang’s answers had been flawless. If it had been up to Nian Zhi’an, she probably would’ve let her go right then. But Meng Congyun was the type who wouldn’t let go until she got results—that “rabbit” was Yan Niang, and the “hawk” was Nian Zhi’an herself.

Tch… Why did it feel like she was just a pet kept by Meng Congyun’s household?

Nian Zhi’an zoned out for a moment and nearly bumped into Yan Niang ahead of her.

Yan Niang seemed to have something weighing on her mind too. She wandered aimlessly through the darkened Jade Hall Tower like a lost soul trapped in a cage. With the place shut down by force, what had once blazed with lights every night was now eerily black. She paced back and forth, circling the same paths over and over to clear her head.

An alarm suddenly blared in Nian Zhi’an’s mind. When Yan Niang leaned out over the railing once more, she stepped forward at once, adopting Yu Ji’s signature snarky tone. “Well, if it isn’t Yan Niang? You’ve come to Jade Hall Tower, but before you could make a name for yourself, you’re already tangled up in a murder case? And the victim’s a Prince of the realm, no less. Tsk, tsk, tsk…”

“I was right to call you a jinx after all.”

Her dead rival’s arrival made Yan Niang’s brows furrow. Her previously unfocused eyes filled instantly with loathing.

She turned around to face the boneless woman lounging against the wall and fired back with sarcasm of her own.

“Then how come I didn’t jinx you to death back in the day?”

“That just proves I’ve got a tough life.” Nian Zhi’an snorted a laugh. “Don’t worry, I’ll outlive you for sure.”

Heh.

Yan Niang let out a cold laugh. Yu Ji used to be merely annoying, but now she made Yan Niang want to sew her mouth shut.

“What are you here for? To gloat over my downfall?” Yan Niang wasn’t calm today; every word dripped with venom.

“You’re damn right! Seeing you down in the dumps actually makes me happy!” Nian Zhi’an nodded solemnly, her expression begging for a slap.

“Well, you’ve seen it now, so get lost. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” Yan Niang stared at Nian Zhi’an icily.

Nian Zhi’an kept up her rogue act on the surface, but inwardly she keenly sensed that Yan Niang was implying something.

“What’s this? I came here with the Prime Minister herself. Who’d dare lay a hand on me?”

“Pfft…” Yan Niang suddenly let out a mocking laugh. “Yu Ji, are you getting dumber the longer you live? Do you actually believe the Prime Minister dotes on you?”

“…Whether the Prime Minister truly dotes on me or not, I don’t know. But I do know some idiot didn’t clean up after herself properly and got found out.” Nian Zhi’an sidled up to Yan Niang and caught the momentary shrinking of her pupils.

“The Prime Minister’s a sadist in private too. Her mansion has a dungeon full of all sorts of prisoners. Do you know what her favorite thing is?” Nian Zhi’an raised her hand and trailed it over Yan Niang’s soft skin. “She loves making beauty drums.”

“She starts by slicing open the top of your head while you’re still alive, then pours in mercury. You won’t die right away, but your skin will tear away from your body as you thrash… and in the end…” Nian Zhi’an met Yan Niang’s eyes and layered on a subtle suggestion. “Your body will peel right out of your skin—and you’ll still be alive…”

What does a person look like when they’ve been flayed?

Yan Niang collapsed bonelessly in that instant. For a split second, she’d seemed to see herself without skin!

“The Prime Minister already has nine in her collection. Looks like you’ve got a shot at being the tenth.” Nian Zhi’an crouched down in front of Yan Niang. “If you don’t want to end up as the tenth beauty drum, why not beg me? Maybe if I’m in a good mood, I’ll put in a word for you with the Prime Minister~”

Of course, beauty drums were fake. Meng Congyun didn’t have such perverse tastes. But it was perfect for breaking down Yan Niang’s mental defenses.

Yan Niang wavered for a moment. Just as Nian Zhi’an thought she had her, the woman sank into an even deeper despair.

“It’s too late.” Yan Niang murmured.

“What do you mean, too late… Holy shit!”

“Boom!”

A sudden deafening boom echoed through the air, and the entire Jade Hall Tower shook as if it were on the verge of collapse.

Nian Zhi’an let out a curse. There was no need to guess—it was aimed straight at Meng Congyun.

The explosion was terrifying, and Meng Congyun was merely a frail scholar who knew nothing of martial arts. But with A Jiu and the others there, she should be… all right, shouldn’t she?

“The person backing you?” Nian Zhi’an grabbed Yan Niang by the collar, her tone carrying an indescribable chill.

Yan Niang avoided her gaze but shot back, “No.”

It did not sound like a lie, but she was definitely hiding something.

Nian Zhi’an patted Yan Niang’s face. She was clearly smiling, yet her expression sent shivers down Yan Niang’s spine—she had never seen Yu Ji like this before.

“Forget it. I don’t need Meng Congyun; I’ll make you talk.”

The flames swiftly engulfed the Jade Hall Tower afterward, and she immediately hoisted Yan Niang over her shoulder and leaped down from the building.

Meng Congyun was surrounded by powerhouses, so she probably would not miss her anyway. She herself could contribute nothing and was nothing but dead weight, so she would not hold them back.

Moments later, now that she had put some distance between herself and the sea of fire, Nian Zhi’an heard the urgent sound of hoofbeats outside the Jade Hall Tower. A group of soldiers clad in armor climbed onto the surrounding walls, nocking arrows in their bows and loading bolts into their crossbows as they took aim at every exit of the Jade Hall Tower.