My Female General Is A Villain (GL) - Chapter 22

The guard shook his head at Chai Cheng, “My lord.” He motioned for him to look.

For the first time, Chai Cheng felt he might have a lunatic on his hands.

This person had anticipated their move and had already planned for it. He didn’t hesitate to remove his own flesh from his fingertips to avoid submission, so it was clear that ordinary methods wouldn’t work on him.

Chai Cheng’s eyes lit up with a hint of admiration. “Are you familiar with the tortures of the Grand Court of Appeals?”

“I know some of them.”

Pei Ji leaned back in the chair, exhaling a puff of white air. “If you’re just trying to scare me, Lord Chai, don’t bother. Just get on with the torture.”

Chai Cheng’s brow relaxed. It was the first time a prisoner had urged him to begin the torture.

This person was truly…

A stubborn lunatic.

*******

Late at night, under a dark, windy sky, Jiaojiao wore a plain outfit and moved much more nimbly.

She used all her strength to climb over the high wall and reach the back door of the Grand Court of Appeals’ prison.

There were many guards stationed there, but thankfully, System Nineteen showed her a shortcut. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have known how to get in.

Jiaojiao hid behind a wall, weighing the small gold nuggets in her hand. She tossed one towards them, and the clear clinking sound caught the attention of the guards.

“What was that sound?”

“Let’s go, let’s check it out.”

Two men were the first to find the source of the noise. The glittering object was even more dazzling in the moonlight, hurting their eyes in the pitch-black night.

One of them picked it up. A lowly guard had never seen anything this valuable, and the two immediately started arguing.

“I saw it first! Give it to me!”

“I clearly found it first!”

As the two of them argued, they both collapsed.

Jiaojiao had tossed the gold nuggets in a few different spots. The men who had been standing were now soundly asleep.

She smiled and walked out, kicking the unconscious figures.

“The Ninth Princess’s medicine is really effective.”

Before she came, she had asked Yuwen Jinhuan for this ‘Soul-Losing Powder.’ She had sprinkled it on the gold nuggets, betting that the guards would pick them up. It was guaranteed to make them sleep through the night, no matter what.

She was betting on human nature.

And it turned out she was right.

Jiaojiao quickly changed into a guard’s uniform, grabbed the keys, and confidently walked inside.

Most of the guards inside the prison were resting, with only one on duty.

The man looked shifty, and she didn’t like him at all.

The prison was huge, holding many prisoners.

Jiaojiao looked around but didn’t see Pei Ji. The prisoners here looked like they had been here for a while. She could tell by their expressions that they were confused by her.

They were probably used to the usual guards, and she was a new, unfamiliar face.

Thankfully, only a few were awake and wouldn’t cause any trouble.

“Hey! What are you doing?!”

As she passed the guard, she was suddenly called out, and her heart jumped into her throat.

She had never done anything like this before, so she felt a little guilty.

She turned around, her head slightly bowed, and deliberately lowered her voice. “I’m new. I just got transferred here. I’m here to cover your shift tonight. I’ll be relying on you for your help in the future, Brother.” Jiaojiao slipped a silver ingot into his hand, pretending to be a sycophant.

Zhang Shen glanced at it, casually took it, and put it away. “Alright, alright, get to work. I’m about to go rest anyway.”

After Zhang Shen left, Jiaojiao finally breathed a sigh of relief. She wiped the cold sweat from her forehead and, after calming down, continued her search.

She went down a few hallways but couldn’t find the familiar figure in any of the cells.

She finally found an iron door with a crack in it and gently pushed it open.

When she saw the bloodied figure with disheveled hair tied to a wooden cross, she froze.

She had expected the worst, but she never imagined it would be like this.

Jiaojiao walked inside, closed the door, and ran to her. Her hands didn’t know where to go. She was covered in whip marks, her fingers were bloody, and her bare feet, chained to the ground, were covered in bruises.

If it weren’t for her faint breathing, she would have thought Pei Ji was dead.

“Pei… Ji…?”

Jiaojiao couldn’t believe it. The person who had been perfectly fine a few days ago was now in such a state.

The dying woman had dried bl00d on her lips.

Jiaojiao gently wiped it away, afraid of hurting her. Her movements were extremely slow.

“Cough, cough, cough…”

Pei Ji felt the touch on her skin. She opened her eyes with great difficulty, looked up at her, and then closed them again. “Why is it you… cough, cough, cough… Why are you here?”

Seeing her cough so much, Jiaojiao wanted to pat her on the back, but she didn’t know where to put her hand, so she had to pull it back.

“They… dared to use illegal torture on you…”

“Why wouldn’t they?” Pei Ji let out a cold laugh. Her head rested against the wooden cross behind her, her breathing ragged.

She was right. Why wouldn’t they? The whole thing was a ruse to begin with. This was exactly what they wanted, and they were willing to do whatever it took.

“And you. Breaking into a prison is a serious crime. Breaking in to see a criminal is even worse. You’re brave.”

“I have my ways,” Jiaojiao said, taking out a bottle of medicine. She opened it and poured out a pill, placing it in Pei Ji’s mouth. “This will help you last a few more days.”

She had traded her favorability points for this medicine from Nineteen. It had cost her five percent, and it hurts.

A lot.

After swallowing the medicine, Pei Ji asked, “What will you do when I’m dead?”

You’ve always wanted me to die.

He Jiaojiao looked at her. “If you die, the He family will be next.”

That would only make things more complicated.

Jiaojiao didn’t see the sadness in Pei Ji’s eyes. After a moment of thought, she asked haltingly, “Did they… do anything too much to you?”

“Hmm… like… tearing off your clothes?”

Although Pei Ji was wearing the same clothes as always, Jiaojiao was still a little worried. If her gender was discovered, it would be too late.

“Did they?” she asked again anxiously.

Pei Ji turned her head, squinting at her indifferently. The crimson bl00d on her lips parted with her words, her voice slightly hoarse. “Why would they tear my clothes off? Is Miss He scared?”

“Are you afraid that my worthless life will drag the He family down with it? Hmm?”

Jiaojiao felt a chill run down her spine. She shrank back, averting her gaze. She then took out a jar of ointment and began applying it to her bloody hands.

She gently held her limp, drooping hand. Her knuckles were red and swollen. The torture must have just ended. The skin on her fingertips was starting to rot. Jiaojiao immediately understood this woman.

She was cruel, even to herself.

“It’s going to hurt a little. Just bear with it.”

Even though she was applying the medicine as carefully as she could, she could still feel Pei Ji’s body trembling slightly. But she refused to make a sound.

Sweat beaded on Pei Ji’s forehead, the veins on her neck bulged, and her ears were flushed red.

Jiaojiao could see she was trying to hold back the pain.

Pei Ji’s heart was pounding. She felt suffocated and tried to suppress it, gritting her teeth. “It’s no use. It’s all futile.”

The wounds wouldn’t heal that quickly. Even if they did, they would reopen when the sun came up.

The old wounds would never heal, and new ones would be added.

Jiaojiao retorted, “This isn’t ordinary medicine. Just trust me.”

This was a cheat code, after all.

“The Third Prince and the Ninth Princess are trying to find a way. We will get you out. Just hold on for a few more days.”

Pei Ji looked deeply at Jiaojiao as she applied the medicine and suddenly said, “He Jiaojiao.”

“Hmm?”

“Come here.”

Jiaojiao didn’t understand. She couldn’t read the look in her eyes, but she walked over and stood in front of her.

Pei Ji slowly lifted her head. Her calm face was smeared with bl00d. She said softly, “A little closer.”

Her voice was full of a strange allure, like a deep pool, like mud, pulling her closer to Pei Ji.

They were a few inches apart, their eyes locked. Her mind felt a little disoriented.

“What are you…”

“Someone’s coming…”

Pei Ji leaned her head closer. Just as her nose was about to touch Jiaojiao’s, she turned her head. Her lips brushed against Jiaojiao’s ear. The smell of bl00d was mixed with a faint scent of sandalwood.

He Jiaojiao froze. She instinctively turned her head, almost bumping into Pei Ji’s cheek. In her daze, she didn’t hear what she said and panicked, taking a step back.

“If… if you have something to say, just say it properly…”

Pei Ji didn’t seem to mind. She leaned back and returned to her normal state. “If you hide now, you might still make it in time.”

Jiaojiao snapped back to reality. She strained her ears and heard footsteps outside the iron door. They were very faint. If she wasn’t paying attention, she wouldn’t have heard them.

She closed her mouth, looking at Pei Ji in confusion.

She had just realized that Pei Ji’s perception was extraordinary. Recalling all the things that had happened at the He Estate, Jiaojiao felt a sense of strangeness.

She tiptoed to a hidden spot behind some torture instruments and hid, waiting to see what would happen.

Not long after, Jiaojiao saw a person walk in leisurely, wearing a large tiger fur coat and holding a hand warmer. The jade ring on his thumb was particularly eye-catching.

He walked up to Pei Ji, clicking his tongue in sympathy. “My goodness, Young Master Pei. How did you end up like this?”

Pei Ji opened her eyes. “The Crown Prince can’t be seen during the day, so you find time at night.”

“You, Young Master Pei, are a tough nut to crack. If you had been more obedient, I wouldn’t have had to go through all this trouble.” Yuwen Jingshen paced back and forth. “It’s a shame, you have to taste some hardship before you accept your fate.”

Pei Ji scoffed. “You’re going to be disappointed, Crown Prince. Not only am I a tough nut to crack, but I refuse to accept my fate.”

“Either way, just get it over with and kill me.”

“Do you dare?”

Pei Ji’s eyes were unreadable, as if she were sure of herself. Her tone was calm but also a little provocative.

Yuwen Jingshen raised his eyebrows. “Don’t be in such a hurry.”

He exhaled a puff of white air, seemingly deep in thought. “You know this isn’t my intention. We have no bad bl00d between us.”

He then grabbed her chin and turned her face back and forth. “Tsk—I’m very curious. How can this face of yours be so hateful that it makes your own brothers and sisters wish for your downfall?”

“You’re truly pitiful.”

Pei Ji’s playful eyes instantly turned cold as ice. Her lashes lowered, and she remained silent.