frightfiction Chapter 1628 ultimately points to the Chuxiu Palace.
Chapter 1628 ultimately points to the Chuxiu Palace.
He treated her no differently than he treated other pilgrims.
Gentle, polite, yet aloof.
Yet, in this distance, Seele found a sense of peace and purity.
Eventually, they gradually came together...
With Master Huichen's incident, Fatu Temple is in turmoil.
What is Xingchen doing right now?
Were they also questioned by people sent from the palace?
Will they be implicated in those dirty deeds?
Seele felt that, given his character, he must be as pure as a lotus.
But the innocent are often the most easily slandered...
A surge of impulse welled up in Seele's heart.
She wanted to see Xingchen.
Even just a glimpse from afar, to confirm that he was alright, would be enough for her.
Ke Xi'er knew that at this moment, Fatu Temple was receiving a lot of attention.
As a mere palace concubine, she had no right to leave the palace and go to Fatu Temple. Any action she took would only arouse suspicion.
If anyone finds out about her affair with Xingchen, the consequences will be unimaginable...
She cannot harm Xingchen.
……
Master Huichen was detained and interrogated in a secret room in the palace.
It is dark and damp here, and the sun never rises.
Although Master Huichen was not the most esteemed person at Fatu Temple, he was still the head of the Vinaya Hall. His disciples revered him, and pilgrims flattered him; he had never suffered even the slightest physical hardship.
At first, he still tried to maintain the airs of a high monk, repeatedly crying out that he was wronged and accusing the interrogators of blaspheming Buddhism.
To maintain secrecy, the fewer people who knew about this, the better. Although Li Changde did not inform the Shenxing Division, he sent the most experienced and skilled among the emperor's secret guards, adept at getting to the bottom of things.
They were calm and collected, but their methods were endless.
First, I was hungry.
For the first three days, they were given only water and no rice was given.
Master Huichen was initially able to sit cross-legged and chant sutras, but on the fourth day, his stomach started rumbling like a drum, he felt dizzy and his vision blurred, and the sutras he chanted went off-key.
Next came sleepiness.
Don't let him close his eyes.
Whenever Master Huichen could no longer hold on and his eyelids were about to droop, a basin of icy cold water would be poured over his head, or a startling gong would explode in his ear.
After several repetitions, Master Huichen's mind became scattered, and the figures before his eyes began to overlap...
Physical torture followed immediately.
The whip lashed my back, burning with pain.
When the salt water was poured onto the wound, the excruciating pain caused Master Huichen to scream in agony.
When the clamps were put on his fingers, he finally broke down...
Master Huichen was in tears, completely losing his composure as a high-ranking monk: "...This humble monk will tell you...This humble monk will tell you everything! Please...Please stop torturing me!"
So, he poured out all those old grievances, one by one, like spilling beans.
Which wealthy merchant offered how much silver and land deeds to smooth things over in order to resolve a lawsuit?
An official's wife, wanting to get rid of her favored concubine, asked him to "pray for blessings," then said the concubine was unlucky, and presented her with jewels and antiques.
And then there were those families whose backyards were unsettled, who asked him to "exorcise evil spirits," and how much "incense money" they received...
Several of these cases involved trivial matters within the palace.
For example, a family member of a concubine of a certain rank, seeking favors, would send gifts through various channels, hoping that when the concubine entered the palace, they would casually mention that she had a noble destiny.
However, this matter did not cause much of a stir in the palace.
An old servant from the palace of a certain dowager concubine had also made arrangements for Buddhist rites after her death.
The interrogator took careful notes, paying particular attention to parts related to the court.
After the transactions were mostly settled, the gray-clad guard in charge of the trial slowly spoke up and asked the most crucial question: "...These financial dealings are nothing more than minor offenses."
"Master, think again. Have you ever done anything shady for any master in the palace? Such as acting as a go-between, passing on messages, or even... corrupting the palace and confusing the imperial bloodline?!"
Master Huichen's eyes, which had been glazed over by pain and fear, suddenly trembled upon hearing the words "defilement of the palace," and his face was filled with injustice: "No, no! Absolutely not!"
He didn't know where the strength came from, but he struggled to get up, shouting, "This humble monk was greedy and accepted money he shouldn't have, breaking the rules. But how could this humble monk dare to commit such a heinous crime?!"
"This is a death sentence! No! It's really not!"
The gray-clad guard stared at Master Huichen. Seeing his terrified expression, which seemed genuine, he remained unmoved and simply said, "Master, think about it carefully again."
"Perhaps you didn't do it yourself, but just did something for someone else?"
Master Huichen's forehead veins bulged as he shook his head repeatedly: "I don't know! I really know nothing about anything related to palace secrets!"
"I have confessed to all my deeds! If there is not a single falsehood, may I be condemned to eternal reincarnation and never be reborn!"
"I have never heard of, much less participated in, the scandalous affairs within the palace! Even if you beat me to death, I cannot admit to a crime I did not commit!"
The subsequent punishments were even more severe.
No matter how they tortured him, Master Huichen remained adamant on this point and refused to budge.
Admitting to greed and illegality may only result in disgrace and ruin, but there might still be a glimmer of hope.
However, if one is accused of corrupting the palace or confusing the imperial heirs, it is a heinous crime punishable by the extermination of nine generations of one's family, and one will be cursed for a thousand years after death!
He really doesn't know!
Screams echoed in the sealed room.
In another secret room separated from Master Huichen by only one wall, Chu Shuxian sat on a pile of hay.
She came in earlier and suffered more torment.
At this moment, Chu was emaciated and barely breathing; he didn't even have the strength to lift his hand.
Hearing the screams from next door, Chu Shuxian felt only relief.
Although she didn't know exactly who the person who was arrested was, Chu Shuxian could tell that it wasn't Xingchen's voice.
As long as Xingchen is safe and sound, everything she has suffered has meaning.
She must protect Xingchen!
……
The Hall of Nourishing Heart.
Li Changde reported the results of the secret guards' interrogation of Master Huichen in detail.
He glossed over the trivial matters of accepting money from wealthy merchants and officials, focusing instead on the important points: "...Firstly, Huichen was asked to intervene, claiming that through observing celestial phenomena and experiencing a Buddhist spiritual connection, he discovered that resentment was accumulating in the Cold Palace, potentially disturbing the peace of the imperial heir. He suggested pardoning or relocating some of those with minor offenses to resolve the situation."
"Later, Bahargul was able to be removed from the cold palace."
"Upon investigation, the person who made the request ultimately pointed to Caiju, the head maidservant of Consort Kang, in Chuxiu Palace."
Nangong Xuanyu raised his eyes, his gaze deepening: "Consort Kang?"
He remembered that Bahargul had been removed from the cold palace.
He already disliked the mundane affairs of the cold palace, and since the previous dynasty was busy, he readily agreed.
Unexpectedly, it turned out that Consort Kang had orchestrated this whole thing.
That Consort Kang, who always had a meek and timid demeanor?
Nangong Xuanyu asked, "What's the reason?"
"Could it be that Consort Kang is connected to the rebel faction behind Bahargul?"
Li Changde respectfully replied, "Your Majesty, this servant has ordered a thorough investigation, and it is certain that Consort Kang has no dealings with the rebel prince's faction. Her family also belongs to the upright faction and has no connection with Empress Dowager Gongsu or the rebel prince."
"As for why Consort Kang risked her life to rescue Bahargul... Huichen only took the money and did the job, and was unaware of the inside story."