Reborn to Become A Queen: The Real Heiress's Comeback
Chapter 542: Water, I am about to die!

Chapter 542: Chapter 542: Water, I am about to die!

The notice lists a series of issues left behind by the Nanjin dynasty, cut out like tumors by the new government.

And an accounting of the debts after fall.

The notice includes the disposition of Prince Xian and his wife.

The disposition of King Wei Si Jun, and of the entire second branch of Zhan Family.

At the end of the notice, the disposition regarding Lady Guoyue and Xu Chun’s family was mentioned.

Citizens surrounded the notice, staring at the words with no blink, each with an excited expression.

Someone was exuberant, "What a relief, what a relief indeed!"

Someone sighed, "This is great, those villains, the parasites of Nanjin, won’t have a good ending!"

Someone looked forward, "Yes, out with the old and in with the new, our Dayu will get better and better!"

"This is only natural with His Majesty and Her Majesty present. Have you noticed the streets have become bustling ever since His Majesty’s ascension?"

"Isn’t it all thanks to His Majesty and the Empress? They are the backbone of our Dayu citizens!"

...

On the long street, the citizens were rejoicing.

But those facing execution, each was in utmost pain!

In the Xingtian Department’s prison, King Wei Si Jun’s complexion was sallow, his lips chapped, his eyes vacant, cheeks sunken, his whole body having lost a significant amount of weight. He was unrecognizable as the once spirited and charming King Wei.

His wrists hung by chains, all ten fingers of his hands were gone, leaving monstrous scars at the fracture sites.

His hair disheveled, tangled and knotted, wearing clothes tattered by whips, he was covered in blood stains.

Upon hearing someone arrive, he shook his wrists urgently, "Water... I’m begging you for water..."

The people of Xingtian Department not only often tortured him but also didn’t feed him, lately even withholding water.

He stared at the water barrel in front of him; despite the filth in the water, it was his lifeline to avoid dying of thirst.

Si Jun heard footsteps growing closer, and he shouted with a hoarse voice that was about to burst into flames, "Water, this king is dying of thirst!"

"Oh, is that so?"

Suddenly, he heard a voice he hadn’t heard for a long time.

He was taken aback, his pupils constricting—all of a sudden, Zhan Lan!

How did she get here?

Zhan Lan stood at the prison gate, saw Si Jun on the brink of dying of thirst.

If it weren’t for her familiarity with his voice, she truly wouldn’t have recognized the ragged, beggar-like man as Si Jun!

Upon seeing Zhan Lan, Si Jun gave a cold smile, "Zhan Lan, are you here to see me?"

"I heard you became the Empress? That position, this king could have given it to you." Speaking each word felt like needles piercing his throat.

Zhan Lan sneered, "I don’t care for your things, Your Majesty doesn’t care!"

A deep hatred radiated from Si Jun’s gaze, it was Zhan Lan who severed his ten fingers, it was Mu Yan who made him into a permanent cripple.

They were heartless and ruthless till the extreme!

He laments his misfortune, repeatedly failing at their hands, now even his life and death are under their control.

In the prison, he heard the Iron Armor Guards talk about recent major events—Mu Yan and Zhan Lan together crushed Western Rong, angrily executed Si Yun, both ultimately became leaders wielding imperial power in Dayu under the cheers of the people.

Their tactics were terrifying, he must now admit he was utterly no match for Zhan Lan and Mu Yan.

Suddenly Si Jun burst into mad laughter, his skinny arms swinging the chains on his wrists, even though they already chafed his wrists till bleeding, he desperately tried to break free, his eyes red watched Zhan Lan wildly.

"Zhan Lan! If you have the guts, just kill me!"

Looking at Si Jun’s doglike frenzy, Zhan Lan recalled her few days in the Heavenly Prison in her past life, enduring endless torture.

That dread of not knowing what horror lay in the next moment was enough to drive a person insane.

Her lips curled into a smile, "Death is easy, a clean stab in and out and then you know nothing, enduring torture like this, not knowing what tomorrow holds is better, Your Majesty feels pleased watching!"

"Zhan Lan, you don’t dare kill me do you?" Si Jun gritted his teeth.

"Si Jun, remember, your life is in Your Majesty’s hands, and if Your Majesty wants you to die, you’ll die. Without Your Majesty’s permission, dreaming of death is futile!"

Si Jun was terrified by Zhan Lan’s presence, Zhan Lan was approaching him step by step.

What does Zhan Lan want to do to him again!

"No, Zhan Lan, please don’t torture me, I am worse than dead now, is this still not enough?" Si Jun pleaded bitterly after losing his prior courage to face death.

Zhan Lan took out the ladle from the barrel, and scooped some water; Si Jun thought Zhan Lan was going to feed him water.

Unexpectedly, the next moment, a ladle of water was poured over his head.

Cold water flowed down his head, eyes, nose, mouth, he couldn’t help but open his mouth to drink, the water tasting foul and bitter entered his throat, he endured the struggle and swallowed it.

Zhan Lan threw the ladle back in the barrel, sneering, "Hypocritical coward! It seems you want to live after all!"

Si Jun had no words, he wanted to live, he lacked the courage to die, yet he was unwilling to live in such humiliation.

The body’s instinct to survive let him appreciate the goodness of water, he looked at Zhan Lan with pleading eyes, "Please, give me a bit more water to drink, could you..."

Seeing Si Jun as a captive, Zhan Lan thought of her past self.

The person she hated most was Si Jun, making him worse than dead could relieve her hatred.

Like the water before them, Si Jun could see it but couldn’t drink it.

"Come!"

"The Empress requests instructions!" The Iron Armor Guard nodded outside the door.

"Just torture him slowly, don’t let him die."

"We respectfully obey the Empress’s decree!"

Si Jun saw the always cold and detached Iron Armor Guard appear respectful before Zhan Lan.

After Zhan Lan left, Si Jun asked the Iron Armor Guard, "Why are Zhan Lan’s words a decree?"

One Iron Armor Guard looked at Si Jun coldly, "The Emperor’s decree: The Empress can participate in politics, her words are imperial edict!"

Si Jun suddenly felt a chill down his spine.

Throughout history, no emperor has ever achieved this!

Mu Yan indeed loves Zhan Lan to this extent!

...

In the prison of the Ministry of Justice, Zhan Xuerou’s hair was messy; she hadn’t bathed for a long time, her silky hair had turned frizzy and clumped, with occasional lice scuttling among her hair.

She collapsed, scratching her scalp and crying bitterly, why was her fate so miserable!

The days of being the legitimate daughter of the General Mansion were the most glorious and triumphant in her life.

And now she is imprisoned, regularly subjected to various mental and physical tortures.

She glanced at the figure cowered in the corner resembling nothing human, Li Shi, hatred filled Zhan Xuerou’s eyes, it was all this woman’s fault!

Suddenly, Zhan Xuerou smelled the aroma of braised meat, the two jailers were eating braised meat rice, chatting.

"The Emperor and Empress have waived three years of taxes for the citizens, yet our salary hasn’t decreased at all, not to mention if the public opinion of our Ministry of Justice is good, everyone would even receive ten taels of silver at the end of the year, ah, the Emperor and Empress truly care for us!"

Zhan Xuerou assumed they were talking about Si Yun as the Emperor, she was suspicious; could Si Yun have the capability to waive three years of taxes for Nanjin?

Until the two constables said, "The Emperor and Empress together destroyed Western Rong, established Dayu, maybe in the future Dayu could even unify the world, then the strength of our nation will grow, the future is promising!"

Zhan Xuerou’s pupils dilated, she suddenly realized something was wrong, what woman could fight alongside Si Yun?

And founding Dayu by destroying the brutal Western Rong?

Zhan Xuerou got up from the ground, gently asking the two officer lords, "Which Empress are you talking about?"