73 Ruins of a Plan (1/2)

By the time madam Lu arrived, it was already the peak of the night with endless streams of water pouring down the small abandoned store.

Madam Lu frowned upon entering the room and smelling the pungent scent of mold, mixed with putrid blood. Though an umbrella had been held over her head, keeping it dry, her cloth embroidered shoes had been soaked through, and the hem of her dress had also become muddy.

As she entered, she saw those useless servants with pale faces, standing next to a stretcher that a white cloth had been placed over, outlining the distinct shape of a human body.

”Lift the cloth.” Madam Lu ordered.

The servant slowly lifted the cloth, making sure to close his eyes as he did, as the face beneath was one from the legends and nightmarish tales that no one wished to see at night.

Beneath the white cloth was that horrible countenance that had twisted and contorted in pain from the excruciating torture. The corpse could be said to no longer look human. Merely a pile of flesh and bones.

Even madam Lu, who had seen the worst of humanity felt the urge to puke.

She gazed into the empty orbitals that she had once seen every night. When she had seduced this man into helping her do her biddings. If not for that intimate relationship, what else would she have to make him help her?

All men had desires, she believed, money, power, and women were just they all wanted. She had never believed there would ever be a single man who would remain true to his beloved till the day they parted.

Stopping her train of thoughts, she returned to the bigger picture. Ma Wei was a person she frequently contacted to do her unsavory business, and he also knew some things about her. To be tortured this much, she would not believe it if someone told her that he did not say a single word.

She knew what a coward he was, all it took was evidence of him secretly trading with the people of Northern Wei Kingdom, and she had already gotten this man to board her ship.

Why did this trouble arise so close to the new year?

Were the matters of the fugitives coming north and the emperor's pursuing them not enough?

Now, this!

Madam Lu was fuming. Her leg furiously kicked one of the servants who was kneeling upon the soaked ground.

The man fell over but did not dare get up.

At this, madam Lu got more furious and screamed ”You bunch of useless dogs, all you had to do was watch over a single person, and you couldn't even do just that! Tell me, what's the point om me continuing to feed you?!”

Once she finished yelling, she went to kick the others.

”Madam Lu, please calm down!” Older servant Zhao tried to pull madam Lu away from the people she was aiming to kick.