Unruly Phoenix Xiaoyao

On the night of Lou Zigui’s departure from the capital, Ning Xiaoyao was still eating pork shoulder noodles with Lord Protector, Great General Xu Jing and Shadowthunder. At this moment, the justice court prisons was ablaze; more than twenty of the imprisoned criminals had burned to death.

When Ning Xiaoyao heard the news, she was so shocked that she dropped the chopsticks in her hand. “How did it manage to catch fire?” Ning Xiaoyao jumped up from the long bench she was sitting on.

The one who delivered the news, Shadowrain, had confusion written all over his face. “I...I don’t know ah,” Shadowrain shook his head. “The people from the justice court prisons said that the fire just started all of a sudden.”

“Is the prison haunted ah?” Ning Xiaoyao scowled, If no one started the fire, how could the prison catch fire on its own? Is this a joke?!

“Then?” Shadowrain looked at Ning Xiaoyao.

Ning Xiaoyao lowered her head to look down at the noodles that had already been devoured by her. However, there was still quite a fair bit of broth left in the huge bowl in front of her. Ning Xiaoyao lifted the bowl that was bigger than her face and gulped down the remaining broth.

Great General Xu thought that Ning Xiaoyao was rather openhearted. More than twenty military criminals have died, yet this person still had the heart to finish the broth.

Lord Protector anxiously asked, “Could this be the doing of Xie Wenyuan’s remaining supporters?”

Ning Xiaoyao put the empty bowl down on the table and muttered, “At this point, they should be more concerned with hiding themselves. How would they still be in the mood to set people on fire?”

“Perhaps they’re afraid that these prisoners will reveal information about Xie Wenyuan?” suggested Lord Protector.

“Grand Preceptor has already raised a rebellion, what’s it to him if we found him guilty of a few more crimes?” Ning Xiaoyao crinkled her brows.

Lord Protector rapped his forehead. His Majesty has a point. There’s no reason for Xie Wenyuan’s remaining supporters to do this.

“I’m going to the justice courts to take a look,” Ning Xiaoyao wiped her mouth and told Lord Protector and Great General Xu, “I’ll leave the defense strategies to you both. I won’t voice an opinion. My only condition is that the army must be able to protect the common people. When Big Boss Xiang attacks, they better not be helpless.”

Lord Protector patted his chest and vouched, “Don’t worry, Your Majesty! This subject will wholeheartedly see to the arrangements.”

“Mhmm,” Ning Xioayao nodded her head and then turned to Great General Xu, “Great General, if you’ve not yet eaten your fill, then have a few more bowls. There’s certainly enough noodles, I have enough money.”

After declaring once more that she had enough money, Ning Xiaoyao left with Shadowrain, who had finished eating two bowls of the pork shoulder noodles consecutively.

Little White Fatty didn’t follow after Ning Xiaoyao. Biting onto the empty bowl, Little White Fatty ran to Chef Huang’s feet and cried, “Awoo, awoo.”

Although Chef Huang himself was a fatty, that didn’t mean he approved of how fat Little White Fatty was becoming. If this dog, ah no, this snow wolf that His Majesty is raising continues to eat so much, will it end up becoming a pig?

“Little White Fatty, you can’t eat anymore,” Lord Protector scolded.

“Awoo~” Little White Fatty looked at Chef Huang and wagged his tail. “Ai,” Lord Protector wanted to pick up Little White Fatty. Why isn’t this little fat dog listening?

“Wait, don’t bother about this dog,” Xu Jing tapped the table as he spoke to Lord Protector. Once again, Little White Fatty felt aggrieved. He is a snow wolf....

Xu Jing asked Lord Protector, “Who is Big Boss Xiang?”

“Xiang Nong ah, you didn’t know?” The corner of Great General Xu’s mouth twitched. Who in the world calls a bandit like him, big boss ah?

“What are general’s thoughts on the defense strategy?” Lord Protector pushed away the empty bowl in front of him and immediately got down to business.

“You want to talk about this here?”

“Where would you discuss it then?” Lord Protector smiled. He thought that this general wasn’t good at discerning the situation. You’ve already been invited to sit in Supreme Splendor Hall, what more do you want?

Xu Jing didn’t think much of it, so he replied, “Previously, His Majesty promised me after the war, he would give me more capital army barracks. I can have another ....”

“His Majesty may want to give it to you, but general, aren’t you embarrassed to take it? Don’t take advantage of His Majesty just because he’s little.” Lord Protector interrupted.

Xu Jing couldn’t continue the conversation. Does he dare bully His Majesty?

Chef Huang left with Little White Fatty in his arms. Since he was merely a kitchen staff, it was best he withdrew while both Excellencies were having a political discussion.

Shadowbolt was responsible of keeping watch while Lord Protector and Great General Xu were having a discussion in the kitchen. Meanwhile, Ning Xiaoyao had rushed off to the justice courts with Shadowthunder and Shadowrain. On her way there, she turned to the Shadow Commanders as well as the Dragon Guards behind her. “Even if you beat me to death, there’s no way I’d believe this was simply an accident!”

“This is just an accident,” Pei Yan only had one sentence for Ning Xiaoyao when her group arrived at the justice courts.

Ning Xiaoyao:...

The Dragon Guards: ...

So, does His Majesty believe it or not?

“It’s really just an accident,” Pei Yan led Ning Xiaoyao into the justice courts. The fire in the prisons hadn’t been fully extinguished yet, but the office of the justice courts was safe.

“Alright then,” Ning Xiaoyao popped a sugar bean into her mouth to calm herself down. “Second Young Master, tell me, how did this accident occur?”

“One of the prisoners broke free of his shackles in the torture chamber. While he was attempting to escape, he knocked over one of the lamps on the table. At the time, there happened to be a few barrels of tung oil in the torture chamber...”

“Wait a minute, why are there barrels of tung oil in the torture chamber? Don’t tell me there are people cooking in the torture chamber?”

Pei Yan smiled and asked, “Has Your Majesty heard of the mourning clothes interrogation?”

“Nope, what kind of contraption is this?”

“This isn’t a contraption. Tung oil is first applied onto the prisoner’s skin. Then the prisoner is covered with a sack. When the tung oil dries, the sack is torn off, ripping off all the skin on the prisoner’s body.”

Ning Xiaoyao was quiet. What sort of person devised such a despicable method ah?! Is there such a cruel person?!

“This torture method is also included in the torture bureau.” Pei Yan looked at Ning Xiaoyao and laughed.

“Don’t laugh. Hearing you talk about this makes me want to vomit.” Ning Xiaoyao grumbled.

Pei Yan..... Did he say something that disgusting?

“They’re all dead? Not even one prisoner was rescued?”

“No, some of the wardens even got injured.”

Ning Xiaoyao turned her head to look up at the red sky above the prisons. “The fire hasn’t been extinguished yet. Second Young Master, you didn’t even go in to take a look, how do you know what the situation is?”

“The wardens who got out said so. A few of them said the same thing. This subject thinks the information should be reliable.”

“If... If they got out, how come none of the prisoners escaped the fire?” 𝐟r𝒆ℯ𝘄𝑒𝒃𝚗𝒐𝘃e𝗹.c𝘰𝐦

Pei Yan had always been patient with Ning Xiaoyao. So, even when Ning Xiaoyao asked this extremely stupid question, he calmly answered, “Your Majesty, the prisoners were all locked up. How could they have gotten out?”

“Didn’t the wardens release them when the fire broke out?”

“They hardly had enough time to save themselves. Why would they still care about the lives of these rebels?”

Ning Xiaoyao touched her small, upright nose. This person had a point. She didn’t know what else to say.

“His Excellency Elder Li is currently talking to the Minister of the justice courts. Your Majesty, come with this subject then,” Pei Yan headed inside.

Ning Xiaoyao stood still. Old Gramps is here as well?

Pei Yan saw that Ning Xiaoyao had stopped moving. “Your Majesty?”

“Although this is an accident, the dead cannot be resurrected,” Ning Xiaoyao’s little chubby face stiffened, “Even if I stayed here, I can’t solve anything. Second Young Master, just pretend I never showed up.”

Pei Yan’s finger pointed ahead. Ning Xiaoyao looked up and saw that there were quite a number of constables standing in front of the courtyard entrance nearby. More importantly, she could hear Old Gramps Li’s voice coming out from inside the courtyard. “Goodbye,” Ning Xiaoyao turned to leave.

“What impudence!” the sound of Elder Li’s angry voice sounded out from the courtyard.

Seeing that Old Gramps was in a bad mood, Ning Xiaoyao ran away even faster.

Pei Yan didn’t stop Ning Xiaoyao from running. He didn’t want Ning Xiaoyao to be involved in the matter anyway. But when he saw that two yamen runners carrying out someone were about to walk right into Ning Xiaoyao, he quickly rushed towards her.

Ning Xiaoyao looked at the person being carried away by the two yemen runners and let out a gasp.

Shadowthunder exclaimed, “This person skin has been burnt black, yet he’s still alive?”

The two yamen runners didn’t think that they would’ve bumped into His Majesty and wanted to bow down in greeting, but couldn’t because they were carrying someone. In the midst of their panic and confusion, they heard Shadownrain’s question and one of them answered, “This prisoner is barely alive, this humble one is carrying him to see His Excellency Minister and His Excellency Elder.”

Ning Xiaoyao reached out her hand to touch this man’s severely burnt face and asked, “Is he one of the generals imprisoned?”

Both the yamen runners nodded, unable to speak due to their nervousness.

“Your Majesty,” By now, Pei Yan had reached Ning Xiaoyao and pull her backwards. “Your Majesty need not to pay attention to this prisoner. Looking at this sort of person will only sully your eyes.”

The prisoner’s clothing had been completely burnt off, his body was covered in large burns. Ning Xiaoyao frowned and asked, “Who cares about sullying what eyes ah, save him if you can.”

At this point, the prisoner had regained consciousness. Before he opened his eyes, he heard someone shout out “Your Majesty”. He quickly opened his eyes, his first glance resting on Ning Xioayao’s small body.

When two yamen runners realized the half-alive prisoner had opened his eyes, they were shocked to the point of almost dropping him onto the ground.

Ning Xiaoyao moved to the front of the prisoner. She had just healed Elder Young Master Zhou’s injuries, so, right now her healing abilities were limited and could only help preserve his life. “What exactly happened?” Ning Xiaoyao asked with concern, “How do you feel now ah?”

The prisoner looked at Ning Xiaoyao. Due to serious burns on his face, he didn’t look human anymore. Naturally, it was impossible to read his facial expression.

“He’s so fierce,” Ning Xiaoyao muttered to Pei Yan, “Does he want to bite me to death? He hates me because I captured and locked him up?”

“Why aren’t you taking this prisoner away?” Pei Yan coldly reprimanded the two yamen runners carrying the prisoner. The two yamen runners looked at Ning Xiaoyao. Without His Majesty’s permission, how would they dare to leave? f𝓇𝘦e𝑤𝘦𝚋𝒏૦ѵℯ𝒍.c𝐨𝒎

“He’s already in this condition, Second Young Master, don’t lose your temper with him ah.” At this moment, Ning Xiaoyao pulled Pei Yan behind her. This prisoner seemed to want to bite her to death and Second Young Master Pei wanted to kill this prisoner.

“Ning...Ning Yu,” the prisoner suddenly opened his mouth to speak.

The yamen runners’ hands trembled. If not for Shadowthunder who supported the prisoner on one side, the prisoner would’ve been thrown onto the ground by them.

When Ning Xiaoyao heard the prisoner talk, she felt a little happy. His throat was injured by the fire, but he could still speak. This means his body has taken a turn for the better. In her heart, she was jumping for joy. Her healing ability has improved ah!

“Ning Yu,” the prisoner glowered at Ning Xiaoyao with his bloodshot eyes that almost seemed pop out. He spoke a single sentence, enunciating each word, “You will be dethroned. You will definitely die a horrible death.”

Ning Xiaoyao (⊙＿⊙；). What did she do? Why is this prisoner cursing her ah?!

To my dear readers,

I will be taking a short break now. I'll be back next Monday. I've been going through a lot of mental stress. I found out one of my friends is in the hospital for self harm. I don't know what he did to himself but he won't take any visitors right now. These days, I just feel like crying for no reason. I think I am having a mental breakdown so I really need to rest a bit. Don't worry, I'll be back. <3.

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