Volume Five: Down and Out Northward Gaze at the Cloud Stele Chapter Twelve: Bloodstained

Three days later.

The dungeon door creaked open, and the freckled captain strode toward the cell with a few subordinates.

“Jailer, today the city lord wants to interrogate Su Kuang. Open the door,” the captain said casually, nodding toward Su Kuang without even glancing at the short and stout jailer.

Originally dozing by the wall, the jailer jolted awake at the command, quickly sprinted to Su Kuang’s cell, and expertly selected the correct key from a jangling bunch. With swift precision, he unlocked the door, flashing a sycophantic smile back at the captain.

“Heh, Hu San’er, we all thought you were just a bloated glutton, but who knew you were so agile!” the captain praised sincerely.

“Heh heh! I make my living this way; I wouldn’t dare delay your orders. Please, after you.” Hu San’er beamed as he threw the cell door wide open, gesturing politely inside.

“Good! You know how to handle yourself. I’ll be sure to put in a good word for you with the lord!” The captain nodded approvingly, then bent slightly and stepped into Su Kuang’s cell.

“Yan Muyun wants to interrogate me first?” Su Kuang lifted his haggard face, staring at the captain.

“Heh heh! That’s right! After all, you two are old acquaintances,” the captain grinned wickedly as he snapped handcuffs onto Su Kuang’s wrists. Then he barked, “Take him away!”

“Father! Father!” Su Mengling cried, stretching her hand out from behind the bars. “Don’t hurt my father!”

The captain glanced back at Su Mengling and snorted, “Don’t worry, you’ll be next.” With that, he and his men swiftly left the damp, shadowy dungeon.

“Ling’er, don’t be anxious. Their target is me; they won’t harm your father,” Zhuo Hua comforted her.

“But, big brother, my father seems so easy-going, never losing his temper or arguing. But when it comes to matters of honor, I’m truly worried he might lose hope,” Su Mengling said, fear growing as tears streamed down her cheeks.

In the main hall, Yan Muyun frowned as he looked down at the elderly man kneeling before him. Once the most renowned and refined scholar in Moonview City, Su Kuang had attracted countless scholars and talents to the western Qi Continent every year. Though now a prisoner, he still wore his distinguished scholar’s attire with dignity.

“Su Kuang, why don’t you kneel before the city lord?” the freckled captain snarled, baring his teeth.

“I, Su Kuang, kneel to Heaven, kneel to Earth, and kneel only to the Sovereign. To have a gentleman kneel before a petty official is a request I cannot comply with,” Su Kuang replied, his gaze fixed on the roof of the government building, refusing to look at Yan Muyun.

“How dare you! Disrespecting the officials by refusing to kneel—isn’t that punishable by death?” the captain threatened.

“Death? What fear is there? You can destroy this body, but can you destroy my spirit?” Su Kuang sneered contemptuously, dismissing such empty threats.

“Let’s see how tough your mouth is after a few blows!” The captain waved his hand, and two constables wielding water and fire rods began mercilessly beating Su Kuang’s calves.

At first, Su Kuang stood firm, but at over fifty years old, after five or six strikes, his legs gave out, and he collapsed to the ground.

The captain circled to face him, grinning cruelly. “What now? I thought your bones were so tough! You’re nothing but a frail old man!”

Panting heavily on the floor, Su Kuang finally spoke, “Age saps strength. Let’s continue.” He struggled to push himself up, his legs trembling uncontrollably as he stood.

“Good! As you wish! Carry on!” The captain signaled the constables, who resumed their savage strikes on Su Kuang’s calves and knees.

But Su Kuang gritted his teeth, enduring the pain without kneeling. Growing impatient, the captain snatched a rod from a constable and delivered a brutal blow to Su Kuang’s back. Su Kuang groaned and lost his balance, collapsing face-first onto the floor.

“Enough.” Yan Muyun, who had watched silently, finally spoke, stopping the captain from striking Su Kuang’s head.

“Brother Su, why make things so difficult for yourself?” Yan Muyun coaxed kindly.

Su Kuang lay gasping, ignoring him.

“Kneeling before the chief interrogator is the law set by the Sovereign. Even a commoner like you must obey,” Yan Muyun patiently continued.

At these words, Su Kuang lifted his silver-streaked head with great effort, his bloodshot eyes blazing with fury as he glared at Yan Muyun. Suddenly, he spat a mouthful of blood, staining two feet of the ground crimson.

Although Yan Muyun sat high above, safely out of the spray, he hastily raised his sleeve to wipe his powdered face.

“Do you even deserve to utter the word ‘Sovereign’? To speak of lordly law? Your vulgar words, a broad-shouldered man who paints his face daily, preening and posturing before others, lips pursed and tongue wagging. The whole city knows of your scandalous tastes yet you show no restraint. You crippled dog, how dare you snarl before me and preach about law and order? You are not worthy!” Su Kuang’s breath was ragged, sweat poured down his face, but his spirit soared as he laughed wildly.

“You old beast, how dare you roar in court on the brink of death! Someone! Make him sign!” Yan Muyun, furious, threw down a bucket full of official orders.

The constables surged forward, some pinning Su Kuang’s feet, others holding his body. The captain knelt beside him with a prepared confession paper, grasping Su Kuang’s hand to press it to the document.

Though unable to move, Su Kuang clenched his fist tightly. The captain tugged at his hand, but it wouldn’t open. In a rage, he stomped on Su Kuang’s hand. Su Kuang bit his lip, holding firm.

Frustrated, the captain grabbed a rod and smashed it down hard on Su Kuang’s right hand.

“Aaah!” A scream of agony, fingers throbbing with pain, and Su Kuang fainted.

“Hurry! Press the seal!” The captain wiped sweat from his brow, handing the confession to a constable who swiftly pressed Su Kuang’s fingerprints in red ink at the top, center, and bottom.

With a sycophantic smile, the captain bowed deeply before Yan Muyun. “Reporting, my lord, the prisoner confessed to orchestrating a man in the cell to impersonate the Sovereign within Moonview City, deceiving the populace with nefarious intentions—an act of treason punishable by death. His daughter Su Mengling was also ensnared by this man’s charms and complicit in these crimes...”

Yan Muyun waved him off, pointing to Su Kuang on the floor. “Douse him with water to wake him.”

A basin of icy water splashed over Su Kuang’s head.

Su Kuang jolted awake from unconsciousness, feeling water dripping down his face. He tried to wipe it away, only to find his right hand completely unresponsive.

A voice came from behind the high desk: “Su Kuang, although you shouted defiantly in court, you have confessed your crimes. Considering your age, this official, adhering to mercy, will not torture you further. You are to be detained until your execution in ten days.”

Realizing his hand was useless, Su Kuang already understood what had been done to him. When the official finished, he gave a bitter smile and lay on the floor. “Brother Yan, since I have confessed and my death is but ten days away, may I ask a final favor?”

Yan Muyun immediately assumed a magnanimous pose, raising his hand sincerely. “Brother Su, as fellow scholars of Moonview City, we have always respected one another. Whatever your wish, if within my power, speak freely.”

Su Kuang smiled faintly, nodding. “My wish is simple: before I die, I want to see the street outside the government gate once more. That street is my entire world in Moonview City. Will the city lord grant me this small longing for home?”

Yan Muyun frowned briefly, then looked at Su Kuang’s bloodied, bleeding limbs. He reasoned that since Su Kuang had confessed, even if the townsfolk saw him, they would only praise his mercy. After all, he was the law in Moonview City; who would dare speak against him?

After some thought, he resumed his benevolent demeanor and ordered those below, “Since the prisoner wishes to see his homeland before death, grant him this wish. Assist him outside and return immediately.”

The captain chuckled and, taking the city lord’s command, led two constables to support Su Kuang out the side gate of the government office onto the main street.

Su Kuang closed his eyes and inhaled the cold air deeply.

Though the Spring Festival had passed, the western climate remained harsh. Snow blanketed the streets, pedestrians hurried along, neither too many nor too few, all turning their heads to stare at the strange group standing before the side gate.

The captain nudged Su Kuang. “Hey! Have you seen enough?”

Su Kuang opened his eyes and watched the passersby, then asked, “Captain, do you have a wife and children?”

The captain sneered. “What nonsense is that? Who doesn’t have family?”

Su Kuang sighed softly. “Then they must have suffered terribly because of you. Throughout history, those who aid the tiger never end well—including the two constables beside me.”

The captain and the two constables exchanged puzzled glances. The captain was about to ask what he meant when Su Kuang suddenly broke free and staggered toward a white tiger statue beside the side gate.

The captain and the others rushed to seize him, but were too late. Su Kuang’s head struck the statue’s base with a sickening crack, blood gushing forth and splattering the snow-covered ground in a vivid scarlet.