The Princess and Her Rough-Rider Khan
Chapter 320 A man of few harsh words

Chapter 320: 320 A man of few harsh words

After leaving the Department of Equipment, Yelu Yan said in a grave voice, "To the dungeon."

"Yes!"

Jinwu drove the carriage to rendezvous first with the guards waiting at the entrance of the alley, and the procession moved mightily towards the dungeon.

Today in the Hall of Diligent Governance, Yelu Qi put all the blame on Guli, claiming he was coerced.

Xiao Dilu and other ministers would not miss such an excellent opportunity to trip up Yelu Qi, naturally, they argued vehemently.

Yelu Yan had promised Guli to spare Yelu Qi’s life, but he didn’t specify what kind of life it would be.

In the imperial court, Yelu Yan stripped Yelu Qi of his title as Prince, repossessed all his fiefdoms, demoted him to a commoner, and condemned him for life to the Shanhua Temple in the Suburbs of the Capital.

The name of this temple was a great irony for Yelu Qi.

Yelu Yan knew that Yelu Qi’s treacherous heart would not die; keeping him under close watch would prevent him from causing any further trouble.

This was the best way to deal with him.

Yelu Qi was undeniably of the royal bloodline, and if Yelu Yan had him killed, no matter the reason, he would bear the infamy of being cruel and unrighteous, fratricidal.

Apart from dealing with Yelu Qi, Guli was sentenced for treason, demoted to a commoner, stripped of all royal records, buried in the Mass Burial Mound without the right to a grave marker or biography. All of Guli’s close relatives were to be executed without discussion, and other relatives who had been in close contact were exiled to the harsh lands of Western Yunnan, banned from holding office for three generations, never to return to the capital without an imperial decree.

This was the severest punishment for rebels.

The wheels of royal power rolled on, crushing heaps upon heaps of bones, as had been the case through the ages.

While handling affairs of the court, Yelu Yan ordered the kitchen of Haoyang Palace to prepare ample food, intending to deliver a meal to Li Xianyun at noon, then visit the military camp.

After dealing with the government affairs, the food was ready.

Yelu Yan boarded the carriage with his guard and left the Imperial Palace, his heart filled with anticipation and joy at the thought of seeing Li Xianyun.

But just as they passed through the marketplace, a group of assassins attacked from the trees and the rooftops.

This assassination attempt was particularly fierce.

However, the guards of Yelu Yan were no pushovers; they quickly gained control of the situation.

Bodies lay strewn on the ground, and several captives were subdued.

Yelu Yan instructed some of the guards to take the captives to the dungeon for interrogation, planning to visit the dungeon after delivering the food.

The party soon arrived at the dungeon; the soldiers at the door, seeing their Khan, quickly opened the dungeon door with great respect.

Yelu Yan led the group inside.

The dungeon was very dim, with a torch lit every few meters on the wall, burning fiercely and illuminating the dark dungeon.

There was a difficult smell of mildew pervading the air.

Bold rats occasionally scurried across the corridor, sniffing around unconcerned.

The soldiers of the prison respectfully led the way in front.

When they reached the interrogation room, the soldiers opened the door.

Yelu Yan stepped inside.

He saw an assassin, bound to a wooden frame, skin torn and bloodied.

Just as Yelu Yan entered, a soldier was dipping a whip in chili water, ready to lash fiercely.

The assassin grimaced in pain, but still clenched his teeth and didn’t utter a word.

At this moment, when they heard the sound, everyone quickly kneeled and saluted, "We greet the Khan."

Without a word, Yelu Yan walked to about five meters in front of the assassin and stood erect.

A guard brought over a Taishi chair and placed it behind him.

Yelu Yan sat down, coldly observing the tortured assassin, his presence both austere and noble, like a demon from hell and yet like a deity from heaven. The two extreme sentiments fused perfectly within Yelu Yan, captivating those who beheld him.

The interrogating soldier kneeled and saluted, "Forgive me, Khan. These assassins are tight-lipped, and I have not been able to extract a single word from them."

Without furrowing his brow, Yelu Yan asked in an indifferent tone, "How many were captured alive?"

"Seven," the interrogating soldier reported truthfully.

"Then carry out the ’boring into the skull’ punishment. Try it on all seven, and eventually, someone will be willing to speak the truth."

Boring into the skull involved using an iron tool to bore into a person’s skull, a death penalty so brutal and bloody that it had been abolished.

The assassin’s legs went weak upon hearing this, especially as a soldier approached with a spike in one hand and a hammer in the other.

As the spike touched the top of the assassin’s head, the soldier lifted the hammer, appearing ready to strike.

Panicked, the assassin exclaimed, "I confess! I will confess!"