Chapter 28: Unyielding before illegal punishment (2) (1/2)

The jailers splashed her viciously with bucket after bucket of ice water. The cold liquid flowed from her neck down her body, freezing the already-cold Han Yunxi to the point that her hands and feet trembled while her teeth started chattering.

“Oh my! Why are you guys so clumsy, don’t hit Qin Wangfei! See how pitiful she looks,” Princess Changping laughed out loud. “Han Yunxi, hurry up and beg them. Heheh, or you could beg me instead. Beg me to slap you and I’ll let you off.”

That’s right, Princess Changping had come tonight to seek revenge. What kind of thing was Han Yunxi? She dared to touch her Qingwu gege, lecture her on propriety, and even punish her afterwards. Tonight she was going to make this slut pay her back!

“Splash her! Splash her good! Splash until she’s begging for forgiveness!” Glancing at the thin layer of ice forming on the floor, Princess Changping trusted that Han Yunxi would be pleading for mercy very soon.

Yet she was quickly disappointed. Han Yunxi didn’t beg–in fact, she even stopped dodging to stand on the brick bed, leaning against a corner as she stared at the princess. Her pathetic state made her look like a drenched dog. Despite this, she was still peerlessly beautiful, magnificent, and youthful. Those purple lips curved up in a slight smile while those clear eyes filled with ridicule. Right at this moment, she was standing high up to stare down at Princess Changping.

“What are you smiling about? Don’t look!” Princess Changping was utterly discomfited. She was supposed to be toying with Han Yunxi, but why did it feel like the princess was the one being humiliated? “Han Yunxi, don’t look! Close your eyes!”

“Han Yunxi, I’m telling you, if you don’t beg for forgiveness today I definitely won’t let you off! North Court Official, open the door.” Princess Changping was so angry that she wanted to personally deal with this cheap woman.

“Princess, you mustn’t. She’s from the Duke of Qin’s household,” the North Court Official was still afraid of the consequences, or else he’d have tortured Han Yunxi long ago.

“Right now she’s a prisoner! I order you to open up the door immediately!” Princess Changping huffed, before commanding the other jailers to keep pouring water. Han Yunxi looked coldly at the princess hooting like a rabid dog, disdain growing in her eyes. This only pushed Princess Changping closer to a frenzy.

“North Court Official, you dare disobey the princess’s orders? Still won’t open up?”

The North Court Official could neither open or leave the door. Despite the cold, his forehead broke out in sweat from the pressure, before relenting beneath Princess Changping’s threats. A few jailers rushed in first to hold Han Yunxi in place. She didn’t resist, but found the whole thing rather hilarious. Did they fear she’d do something to Princess Changping?

She was so cold that she had no more strength left.

Princess Changping crossed her arms as she angrily stalked inside. “Han Yunxi, keep looking, hmph! If you have any guts, keep staring!”

Han Yunxi lowered her head and didn’t move, exactly like a dead person. Princess Changping was very satisfied with this reaction. She used a hand to tilt up Han Yunxi’s chin, just in time for the latter to spit a mouthful of icy water at her face.

“Ahhh….!” Princess Changping cried shrilly, pushing her aside as she wiped her face. “Slut! You have some guts.”

“The wangfei’s title is naturally higher than yours, so I’m your senior. Princess Changping, this is a fact that you’ll never change.” Han Yunxi looked over, voice full of ridicule. It wasn’t that she didn’t fear death. Rather, she knew that even if she begged for mercy, Princess Changping still wouldn’t let her off easy. Begging forgiveness would just be adding to her humiliation and playing to Princess Changping’s whims.

When the princess wiped her face dry, she smeared her makeup in the process. That, combined with her malevolent expression, made her resemble a fierce tigress. “Your senior, is it? Very good, then this princess will serve you herself!”

As she spoke, she grabbed a bucket of water and dumped it over Han Yunxi’s head, who shrank back as the cold immediately spread from her skull to her four limbs, feeling that her cells had been frozen solid. Everything in her mind turned blank white.

But the nightmare had just begun.

Very quickly, Princess Changping picked up another bucket and poured it over her head again. More and more followed unchecked until all of the buckets had been emptied. The two jailers who been holding onto Han Yunxi had their fingers frozen stiff, to say nothing of Han Yunxi herself. Still, she kept her gaze on Princess Changping like an ice sculpture, staring at her without moving. It seemed like she could see through Princess Changping’s heart and all her petty vanities, faults, and dirty, small-minded thoughts. This stare not only petrified the princess, but the surrounding jailers as well.

When they released Han Yunxi, she toppled to the ground, her stiff body crashing loudly against the floor.

Dead?

The North Court Official’s heart gave a lurch as he placed a finger beneath her nose. Seeing that she was still breathing, he managed to recover his heartbeat. Princess Changping looked at Han Yunxi’s rigid body but felt no satisfaction from her revenge as all. Instead, there was a creeping sense of fear. She clearly knew that this woman couldn’t act against her anymore, but still she was afraid. She didn’t even dare to look at Han Yunxi’s face again, but tried to bolster herself.

“Hmph! Han Yunxi, serves you right for rampaging. I might as well tell you now. Even if Qingwu gege wakes up, don’t think of leaving the prison! You’re definitely going to die!”

When she finished, Princess Changping hastily turned to leave, but didn’t take a few steps before she slipped and fell flat on her face.