It is a Straight Road

Chapter 11

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So after a night of did they or did they not do it – they did not by the way – Xu Zhi wakes up rested and ready to find out all about the mysterious bell. I especially like the moment of truth for Lou Guang Quan when he finally pieces together all that has happened, and thanks to Zhou Wen Wu, a trip seems to be in the making with a possible cure for Xu Zhi.

Before we go there, I want to mention that my next post will be for Pursuit of Murderer so it will be about 2 weeks later before we pick up again for Just a Straight Road. Until then, have a great weekend and great week ahead!

At dawn, Xu Zhi is already on her way to the dungeon.

A few steps behind her, Jiu Xing follows uneasily as he pa.s.ses through racks and racks of clamps, whips, etc. It is not unusual for rich n.o.bleman to have a dungeon in their mansion or possess torture instruments, but such a wide array is still an intimidating sight, especially for someone who has been locked up recently. Of course, Xu Zhi may have much a bigger collection than most for research purpose, but this is still a hair-raising walk for him.

When Xu Zhi enters the main chamber, Jiang Jiu and Zhi Jin Wu put aside the lamb skewers they are eating and stand up respectfully. Jiang Jiu cleans his fingers meticulously with a handkerchief before greeting her politely. “Da Gu Niang, you look rested today.”

Xu Zhi barely acknowledges his greeting and cuts straight to the point. “Where is the hand bell?”

Zhi Jin Wu opens a box where the bell is kept and presents it to her. Xu Zhi did not bother to thank him as she studies the carvings on the bell intently so Jiu Xing quickly steps forward to thank Zhi Jin Wu on her behalf. Zhi Jin Wu informs Xu Zhi that the Minister of Law and Enforcement, Ting Wei, has sent his men by several times to request for the prisoners but Xu Zhi does not give a d.a.m.n. “Ignore him. Ah Jiu, has anyone touched the bell?”

“I have guarded the bell all night and no one has touched it.” Jiang Jiu pauses. “Can this bell really steal people souls?”

“Hm…. yes it can, unless you have brain damage. For me, I experienced a moment of complete blankness before recovering. What an amazing bell this is.”

When Xu Zhi finally drags her happy eyes from the bell and enquires about the prisoners’ whereabouts, Jiang Jiu starts to lead the way. “I have been grilling them the whole night and found out that they came from a mountain between the boundaries of Xi Xuan and Wei. That area is a no-man’s land and if either Xi Xuan or Wei tries to send their army to the mountain, the other state will intervene. There are about 200 men and women in their village and they themselves are not exactly sure if they are citizens of Wei or Xi Xuan. In fact, they only found out about the 2 countries after leaving their mountain. Their original intention is to tour Xi Xuan, earn some travel fare, before moving on to visit Wei. They have not expected to get into trouble at their first stop.”

While Xu Zhi is quiet as she digests the information and Jiu Xing uses the break to ask Jiang Jiu. “Do you have to torture them for the information?”

Jiang Jiu barely glances at him. “If not, how do you think an interrogation is conducted?”

“But they have not even been convicted of any crime yet…..”

“Their offences can be easily conjured according to the circ.u.mstance. Are you still so innocent after all this time?”

Jiu Xing has no reply and at this time Zhou Wen Wu, strides into the dungeon. Even though he is masked, Zhi Jin Wu can recognize the eyes of the former Second Prince and marvels at the nerve of Xu Zhi to let an ex-prince roam around her house so freely.

Jiang Jiu also noticed his appearance but continues to talk to Xu Zhi as he leads the group down a corridor. “Like what Zhi Jin Wu has mentioned earlier, Da Gu Niang can interrogate the prisoners however you want, but they will need to be released to the Ministry of Law soon. They did injure Zhao Zi Huan and he will need to be locked up in the central prison before they can be taken to task. Zhi Jin Wu has already opened the back-door for us to its max and His Majesty has also hinted that we should release them to Ting Wei soon, Da Gu Niang…..” If you insist on keeping the prisoners, it will make your disregard of the law too obvious!

Xi Zhi mutters an absent-minded acknowledgement but did not comment further. Resigned, Jiang Jiu stops in front of a door and whispers softly. “Only the people from Tu Yue Troupe knows about he bell so we have locked them up separately. The clean-face guy inside is called Yi Lang while the bearded guy is called Lou Quan Guang.”

“I know.” Xu Zhi strides through the open door and Jiang Jiu moves un.o.btrusively in front of her so as to block any surprises should the prisoners decided to cause mischief. Yi Lang and Lou Quan Guang rush forward the moment they enter and Jiang Jiu does not know if it is intentional or not, but Xu Zhi stops just a few steps from their reach as the two reach the end of their chains. Xu Zhi smiles cordially. “Please do not be alarmed. If you have anything to say, take your time to tell me.”

“Ha-ha.” Lou Quan Guang is unbelieving. “My little beauty, you have no place to speak here. Scram!”

Ignoring him, Zhou Wen Wu looks at the contraptions mounted on the wall and praises Xu Zhi for her big collection, which is far extensive than the ones he saw when he was locked up in the Imperial dungeon. Lou Quan Guang turns around to look for the speaker and notices Zhou Wen Wu. “It is you!”

Zhou Wen Wu’s eyes are a poisonous slit. “Yes, you are right, it is me. Xu Zhi, how can you leave me out from this party? Never in my entire life has anyone messed with me like this two and if I do not exact revenge, my heart will never be at ease.”

Xu Zhi is oblivious to the unimportant people in the room and squats so that she is eye-level with the prisoners. Her clean skirt soaks up some puddle on the ground but she paid it no heed. “My dear fellows, can you tell me where did the Soul s.n.a.t.c.hing Bell come from? How do you use it? Can it be used on everyone? Where is the person who made this bell?”

Yi Lang looks quizzically at Zhou Wen Wu, then at Xu Zhi. “Are you…. are you not a concubine in the household?”

Xu Zhi merely smiles. “Of course not.”

Yi Lang sweeps his eyes over the men in the room before moving back to Xu Zhi. “You are the n.o.ble?” while all the others are not?

Her warm smile did not slip. “Correct.”

Zhou Wen Wu has enough of her friendly questioning and glares menacingly at Lou Quan Guang. “Tell me – is it only people with head problems that can escape the effect of the Bell?”

At his question, the truth finally draws on Yi Lang. “So one of you have a head problem. No wonder….”Recalling what happened yesterday, he looks back at Xu Zhi. “Is it you? You are faking it all these while? How did you manage to pull it off? He even touched your b.u.m, why did you have no reaction?”

Total silence in the cell.

A vicious light appears in the depth of Jiang Jiu and Tong Mo’s eyes and the former’s fingers twitch, but he dare not take things into his hands when Xu Zhi has not met out her instructions. The silence is broken when Zhou Wen Wu chuckles dryly. “You mean all this happened right under my nose? This Soul s.n.a.t.c.hing Bell is indeed amazing to make people do things that they will never do otherwise. What else did you guys do?”

Xu Zhi looks around and finally notices Zhou Wen Wu. Oh, so he is here and as for what else happened…. she turns to look Lou Quan Guang.

Says one pair of eyes: You did quite a bit actually. And I saw all of it.

Another pair of eyes say: So you saw all of it….

Xu Zhi wants Yi Lang and Lou Quan Guang to reveal their secrets which is why she is being so friendly. Thus she is surprised and displeased when Zhou Wen Wu picks up a whip and lashes out at Lou Quan Guang. The reverse hooks on the whip dig mercilessly into his flesh before tearing them out as they leave his body and give rise to some tortured screaming. “Zhou Wen Wu!”

“Xu Zhi, are you crazy?! You are willing to put up with all this just for one stupid bell? What else did he do to you?”

Jiang Jiu moves to stand between Zhou Wen Wu and Xu Zhi just in case that crazy man turns his whip at Xu Zhi, he should be able to block it. “Zhou Wen Wu, I think you should remember one thing. Da Gu Niang has nothing on her when she was kidnapped. How do you expect her to escape? Did you forget how you refuse to release her when you are under the control of the bell, even when she asks you to? Do you really expect her to be able to escape when you are holding her so tightly? And if she has resisted, are you willing to run the risk of us finding her dead body?”

As Xu Zhi stands up, Zhou Wen Wen kept his muderous gaze fixed on where she was squatting. Sighing to herself, Xu Zhi reminds herself that this guy is Not Right In The Head so she need not take his love claims yesterday too seriously. Remembering that the human touch can help to dispel anger, she covers the back of his hand with her own. When he turns started eyes on her, she asks evenly. “How is it? Are you feeling more in control now?”

Although he is still clenching his teeth, she notes that at least he is no longer at risk of bursting a vessel. This is one great aspect about the pa.s.sionate Xi Xuan nature, she thinks. A touch her, a kiss there, and any anger flames can be tamed. So good.

Yi Lang says carefully. “Please believe us. We swear we have no intentions of killing anyone. We truly intended to release Miss once we are out of the city gate.”

Zhou Wen Wu voice is like ice. “Do you mean to say that when I am under the spell of the bell, I can even kill without question once I am ordered to do so?”

“It should be but we have never tried it before.”

“You can order me to kill just anyone?”

“Well…. It depends, I supposed. Take yourself for instance. You broke out from the bell once, and you are a most un.o.bedient person. When we asked you to put down Miss Xu, you refused to do so. “ Yi Lang decides to try a little flattery. “From this, we can tell how important this lady is to you so you will not hurt her.”

Xu Zhi looks at Zhou Wen Wu dubiously while the latter looks equally unconvinced. “She? Important? Yeah, you can say so. Afterall, how can any citizen of Xi Xuan not feel the importance of Xi Xuan Xu Zhi?”

“Oh, so the people in Xi Xuan consider me as their small love and small affection? They like me that much?” Oblivious to the stunned looks in the room, Xu Zhi voices her doubt to Yi Lang. “Will a person lie when he is under the influence of the bell?”

“Lie? No. We have experimented many times and in each instance, the person hynoptized by the bell only speaks the truth.”

Xu Zhi is encouraged by his lack of hostility and probes further. “Will a person experience heart ache after being awaken from the bell?”

Lou Quan Guang clutches his back and bites out. “We have tried it on ourselves and encounter no such thing. Do you mean to say that your heart aches when you awaken from the spell of the bell?”

“How about the costume which your dancers wore in Yuan Bao Lou? Is that your traditional costume?”

“Yes.” Yi Lang has no idea where this is leading to but he replies honestly. “This is how our ancestors dress, based on an old painting we have back home.” He peers at Xu Zhi and sensing something, Lou Quan Guang picks himself up from the floor and moves closer to peer at Xu Zhi too.

Xu Zhi let go of Zhou Wen Wu and squats helpfully once more so that they can observe her more clearly. “See, do I resemble someone you know?”

“Not exactly. In one of the old paintings, there is a woman who looks a bit like you. If you have a sister, I bet the woman in the painting will look just like her.”

“I do indeed have sisters.” Xu Zhi digests the tidbit and beams. “Back at your hometown, do you have any giant birds that are big enough to carry someone on its back?”

“Carry someone? How can there be such a big bird? Impossible.”

Xu Zhi speculates that the people in Yi Lang/Lou Guang Quan’s hometown likely retain relics from the past but not literal records. “Back in your place, do you know of someone called Sun Shi Yang, or Yang Yan?”

Lou Quan Guang has enough of her questions. “Miss Xu, seems like all the questioning we went through is made on your behalf. Who are you trying to fool by acting all nice now? Since we now know that you are a n.o.ble woman, it explains why Zhou Wen Wu is so protective of you. Who is he to you? Your guard?”

Xu Zhi did not break eye contact and inches nearer to him. “I really like to know if you have a Sun Shi Yang or Yang Yan back home. What is your answer to that question?”

Lou Quan Guang is unwilling to cave but relents when he casts a look at Zhou Wen Wen. “No, I have never heard of either of them.”

Xu ZHi did not show her disappointment and answers him in return. “Ah Wu is a man from my harem.”

Zhou Wen Wu had enough of their exchange and threatens to torture the truth out of them when Yi Lang protests. “No please! We are really telling the truth! Miss Xu Zhi, believe me when I say that we are sincere! It is our fault to mistake you to be in cahoots with that Zhao fellow but it is not our intention to hurt innocent people! Had your fellow n.o.bleman not s.n.a.t.c.hed one of our women, we would never have resorted to violence. How can a kidnapper run free while we bear all the guilt? If Miss Xu has any questions, rest a.s.sured that we will answer you truthfully and to the best of our ability! I only hope that you can let us go after we have answered all your questions. Please!”

While Jiang Jiu and Tong Mo wait patiently for Xu Zhi to decide on their course of action, Zhou Wen Wu is more vocal. “You say you guys have never left your mountain? That this is your first trip away from home?”

“Yes.”

“Does this apply to everyone in your settlement?”

“Yes. Is anything the matter?”

“You are not citizens of any country?”

“I…. suppose not.”

“What happens if someone falls sick?”

Lou Quan Guang catches on and brightens. “Zhou Wen Wu, if you are unwell but is willing to let us go, we can bring you back to see our doctors back home. I’m not trying to brag but our doctors are definitely better than the ones you meet outside.”

Yi Yang is appalled and asks Lou Quan Guang not to say anymore. Xu Zhi’s eyes starts to gleam as she brushes some dust off her skirt carefully. “How can Ah Wu follow you to your hometown when he is my precious man? What if you do not take care of him properly in my absence?”

Lou Quan Guang grimaces inwardly at the idea of a kept man. “If he is so precious to you, let us go and I give you my word that we will cure him.”

Zhou Wen Wu is not aware of his good relations with Xu Zhi but she even holds his hand to demonstrate their closeness. “Ah Wu is definitely my favourite man. If I do not see him for a single day, my heart will feel uneasy.“ Xu Zhi looks at their joined hands when he turns his palm so that their fingers are now interlocking. “I need to think on your suggestion.”

Turning around, she marches out of the dungeon without a second look. The moment she is out of earshot, she spins around excitedly looking for Jiang Jiu but Zhou Wen Wu held her back. She shakes off his hold but makes no move to walk to Jiang Jiu when the latter approaches. “Ah Jiu, find out how to use the bell from those two. Use whatever method you want but I need to know the answer. I also want to find out how to go to their hometown.”

“No.” interjects Zhou Wen Wu. “You have to let them think that you are their friend. If not, their hometown folks will not trust you even if you managed to find your way there.”

Seeing that Xu Zhi is silent, Jiang Jiu agrees although it is not obvious which option is he agreeing to. “Yes. I will see to it. However, Da Gu Niang should be aware that you cannot leave the Capiral before the Hunting Festival.”

At her nod, Zhi Jin Wu sighs and pa.s.ses her a letter. “Da Gu Niang, this is a letter penned by Ting Wei himself to request for the release of these men. If you do not comply, he says that you should be ready for the consequences.”

Xu Zhi opens the letter and reads it impa.s.sively. Her verdict: “Ignore him. There is nothing in this letter. Ting Wei merely wants me to admire his calligraphy.”

Ting Wei is indeed well-known for his calligraphy but Zhi Jin Wu is willing to bet his last dollar that the intent of the letter is not what Xu Zhi claims. The conflict between Ting Wei and Xu Zhi is well-known to all the people in the capital, as the former is a stickler for law and order while the latter always does as she pleases with total disregard of the law or rules. And when these 2 favourite people of the Emperor clashes… Zhi Jin Wu wisely decide to stay out of the matter and let the Emperor play referee with his 2 favourite subjects if they come to blows.

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