Chapter 425

Da Ming Wang slowly regained consciousness, a hand waving in front of his face, annoyingly so.

A familiar voice sounded by his ear, "Glad you're awake. Da Ming Wang, look closely—you're still in prison, not dead."

Da Ming Wang turned his head slightly and saw the person he had longed for: Chen Yuli.

Chen Guanlou made a disgusted sound.

That look in Da Ming Wang's eyes—any woman seeing it would've executed him on the spot.

"Didn't die, are you disappointed?" he asked.

Da Ming Wang felt utterly drained. Of course it was all wishful thinking—he'd never hear what he wanted to hear from this man. Chen Yuli was perfect in every way, except his brain was full of water, unable to distinguish a narrow dirt path from a broad sunlit road, always confusing the two.

Chen Guanlou snapped his fingers, drawing the man's attention. "Since you're not dead, let's talk properly. Do you remember how you were poisoned?"

Da Ming Wang looked puzzled, as if still dazed, then asked after a long pause, "I was poisoned?"

"You didn't feel anything?" Chen Guanlou found it strange—someone who'd walked through the Underworld had no sensation at all.

Da Ming Wang was half-delirious. "I remember, I was sitting with my eyes closed, thinking about how to persuade Chen Yuli. Suddenly I smelled a fragrance, then fell asleep. When I woke up, I saw you. You told me I was poisoned."

Chen Guanlou: …

"You really didn't know you were poisoned?"

Da Ming Wang shook his head.

"You said you smelled a fragrance. What kind of fragrance?" Chen Guanlou pressed.

Da Ming Wang thought for a moment. "It was sweet, maybe? Or perhaps floral… I don't know exactly what it was, but it smelled nice."

Chen Guanlou turned to look at Mu Yiguan, hoping he might have an answer.

Mu Yiguan shook his head. "I've only seen the appearance of poisoned people. Whether it smelled or not, I can't say. But at least now we know one trait of this poison."

"Da Ming Wang, who was beside you when you smelled the fragrance?"

"No one," Da Ming Wang said with absolute certainty.

Chen Guanlou was skeptical.

Da Ming Wang immediately bristled. "You poisoned me, sealed my martial meridians, and suppressed my cultivation. But my mind is clear, my hearing is fine. I can swear that when I smelled the fragrance, no one approached my cell except the two jailers guarding the gate."

Chen Guanlou was curious. "How exactly was the poison administered?"

"I really was poisoned?"

"Of course you were! If not for Mu Yiguan, you'd be dead already. Are you that eager to die?"

"You suspect I tried to kill myself? Hah! You lie limp on your bed all day—tell me, how could I possibly poison myself? What heavenly power do I have to do it?" Da Ming Wang sneered bitterly.

Chen Guanlou pondered. "I believe you have neither the intention nor the means to kill yourself right now. Don't worry—starting today, we won't give you medicine. We'll give you poison instead."

"The difference is this: one keeps you limp like a vegetable; the other lets you get up and move around, but your body is weak. How weak? Old Mu, tell him."

"Weak enough to gasp for breath after every step."

"You heard that. If you're not happy with it, we can go back to the old method."

"I didn't say I refused. And when did I ever have the right to choose? Chen Yuli, stop pretending to be noble. Don't act like you're a good man."

If this had been his first day in Tianlao, Da Ming Wang would've killed both men on the spot. Now, perhaps he'd grown used to it—he accepted things well, even felt a strange illusion that things had improved, that he was finally living a decent life.

Chen Guanlou laughed. "I never claimed to be a good man—you must've misheard. Besides, our Tianlao prides itself on humane management, not on jailers being human. And just pretend you have a choice—it helps stabilize your emotions and keeps you cheerful."

Your case is special—you can't be taken out for fresh air. We worry your mental stress is too high, so we must gently counsel you. We hope you'll cooperate, take care of your body, and grow plump and healthy by next year, ready for your execution. Everyone benefits—everyone wins."

"So this is your reason for poisoning me?" Da Ming Wang laughed bitterly.

Chen Guanlou explained patiently: "Last night, your poisoning was too strange to investigate. To prevent outsiders from meddling further, we've decided on a permanent solution—we, Tianlao, will poison you ourselves, so outsiders won't waste their time. Don't worry—Mu Yiguan is a divine physician. The poison he gives you won't kill you."

"But I can't move, right?" Da Ming Wang saw through it all.

"You can still move," Mu Yiguan said solemnly. "Enough to take a step and gasp for air—I'm sure Da Ming Wang can accept that."

Da Ming Wang: …

What could he say?

He couldn't refuse. If he refused, these two would conspire to shove him back onto the bed, forcing him to remain a limp vegetable again.

"You've truly gone to great lengths to ensure I don't die!" he remarked bitterly. "Chen Yuli, if you'd applied this same dedication to my rebellion, success would've been guaranteed."

"Da Ming Wang, you're hilarious. I'm Chen—the Chen from Pingjiang Marquis. The man who captured you is the Pingjiang Marquis. And you're telling me to inherit your cause? Don't you fear that if I take it up today, I'll betray you to the court tomorrow? Your surviving brothers will follow you to the slicing block. Are you sure you want that?"

"You won't! If you promise to inherit my cause, I'd stake my head on it—you'd never betray my brothers. The Pingjiang Marquis is the Pingjiang Marquis. You are you. A mere surname can't bind you—I can see it clearly." Da Ming Wang spoke with absolute certainty, his heart ablaze, his gaze burning.

It felt like victory was within reach—just one more push, one more effort, and the goal would be achieved.

He longed to seize Chen Guanlou's hands, tear out his own heart—if only that would work.

Chen Guanlou: …

He clearly wasn't cut out for rebellion. He had no such thick skin, no such iron will, no such fiery gaze or unyielding resolve.

He hated pain.

Without torture, he'd confess everything.

If he were captured, he'd be the first to betray his lord and become a turncoat.

If he were the lord himself, he'd unhesitatingly betray his own men. Better the other guy die than me.

He cleared his throat and said solemnly to Da Ming Wang, whose eyes were filled with tears: "Starting today, you're a poisoned convict. Cooperate fully, and I'll have the kitchen improve your meals—try to put on a few extra pounds. The benefit? When you're sliced to death, you'll last longer."

You wouldn't want your grand title as Da Ming Wang to end with you screaming and dying on the execution ground, making a mockery of yourself. As a great rebel, you must have a strong body and unbreakable will to endure until the final ritual step. Though cruel, in this age, only sufficient cruelty ensures you're remembered, written about in history, and cherished by future generations. Your spirit shall live forever!"