The Prodigal Son

In the Imperial Garden, Zhao Luan also received news from Qin Yu about selecting people.

Upon hearing about Qin Yu's method of selecting people, Zhao Luan couldn't help but marvel.

Is this how you select people?

After a moment of contemplation, Zhao Luan looked up at Shangguan Youyi and asked, "Why do you think Qin Yu is so picky about people?"

"Lord Qin's thoughts have always been different from ordinary people's, and I really can't see it."

Shangguan Youyi pursed her lips and replied, "If Your Majesty has any questions, why not summon Lord Qin to the palace for questioning?"

Zhao Luan thought for a moment, then gently shook her head: "Never mind, I'll send someone to inform Qin Yu later, ordering him to attend the court assembly tomorrow! We'll ask him after the assembly! Let's go, to the Empress Dowager's!"

As she spoke, Zhao Luan slowly stood up.

Some things need to be resolved!

Before long, Zhao Luan arrived at Cixi Palace with the two generals, Heng and Ha.

When they arrived, the Empress Dowager was chatting and laughing with Lady Lü in the palace, and she was holding Lü's youngest son, Lü Lin, in her arms.

Upon seeing Zhao Luan enter, Madam Lü quickly bowed to her.

"Madam, there's no need for such formalities."

Zhao Luan nodded and smiled, then bowed to the Empress Dowager.

The Empress Dowager smiled and beckoned to Zhao Luan, "Luan'er, come and see, this little one is so adorable."

Zhao Luan took graceful steps and came to the Empress Dowager's side.

Lu Lin is already six months old, and looks completely different from when he was born, all wrinkled and grotesque.

The little guy is so pink and tender now that Zhao Luan couldn't help but reach out and pinch his cheek.

"What are you doing!"

The Empress Dowager laughed and slapped Zhao Luan's hand away, "How can you tease a child like that?"

"Isn't it because my daughter thinks this child is cute?"

Zhao Luan smiled lightly, then couldn't resist touching Lü Lin's cheek.

I must say, this baby's skin is incredibly tender, even more tender than a freshly peeled egg.

"If you like children so much, why don't you have one yourself?"

The Empress Dowager jokingly remarked, then asked with a smile, "Do you have something to discuss with me?"

"Um."

Zhao Luan nodded slightly.

Upon hearing this, Madam Lü quickly bowed and said, "Then my son and I will go ahead..."

"It's nothing serious, Madam, there's no need to avoid it."

Zhao Luan stopped Madam Lü, looked at the Empress Dowager with a complicated expression, and said slowly, "I think it's about time to execute the Shi family."

The mention of the Shi family caused the Empress Dowager's kind expression to vanish instantly, replaced by an endless chill. "What's going on? Are people in court starting to gossip?"

"No!"

Zhao Luan shook her head. "This is a matter between my daughter and me. Who would dare to gossip about it?"

"Then just leave this to your own devices!"

The Empress Dowager turned her head to the side, her face full of hatred, and said, "I said I would make them wish they were dead! I would make them suffer the most extreme pain and torment, and make them regret ever being born!"

"Daughter understands Mother's hatred."

Zhao Luan sighed softly, "Your daughter feels sorry for Mother and doesn't want her to live in resentment forever! Mother, you haven't gone to the peony garden this year..."

In the past, the Empress Dowager would stay at the Peony Garden for two or three months every year.

But this year, she didn't even set foot in the peony garden, let alone stay there.

The root cause was the overwhelming hatred in his heart.

As they spoke, Zhao Luan subtly gave Madam Lü a wink, signaling her to help persuade her.

Madam Lü understood and said softly, "Empress Dowager, I also think His Majesty is right. You are torturing them, aren't you also torturing yourself?"

The Empress Dowager remained silent, her thoughts turning to her son who had died young.

Zhao Luan gently patted the Empress Dowager's back and continued, "If Mother is still not satisfied, I will personally cut off the heads of those villains one by one!"

The Empress Dowager remained silent.

With her eyes lowered, the Empress Dowager saw Lü Lin in her arms again.

At this moment, Lü Lin was grinning and opening his little hands, as if he wanted a hug from her, or as if he knew she was in a bad mood and wanted to cheer her up.

Looking at the adorable child, the Empress Dowager's face regained a touch of kindness.

After a moment of silence, the Empress Dowager picked up the child upright, rubbed her head against the child's head, and said calmly, "I will not interfere in this matter; you can handle it yourself!"

"good!"

Zhao Luan breathed a sigh of relief.

It's good that the Empress Dowager has agreed!

The Shi family has already been tormented for so long; if the torment continues, it will only cause more suffering for the Empress Dowager!

Only by killing the Shi family and putting an end to this matter can the Empress Dowager's wounds begin to heal.

After spending some more time with the Empress Dowager at Cixi Palace, Zhao Luan took his leave.

Upon leaving Cining Palace, Zhao Luan immediately ordered, "To the Imperial Prison!"

Shangguan Youyi was taken aback, then advised, "The Imperial Prison is a filthy place; Your Majesty should not go there."

"I must go and take a look!"

Zhao Luan's gaze was firm. "I've seen it, my anger has subsided, and it's time to use their heads to pay tribute to our elder brother! The war against Yan is imminent, so it's a way to use their heads as a sacrifice for our flag!"

Without saying anything more, Shangguan Youyi immediately followed Zhao Luan outside.

Soon, they arrived at the imperial prison.

Currently, the imperial prison has been temporarily taken over by Guo Yang's men.

It's not that I'm worried about the Shi family being rescued, but rather that it would make it easier to torture them.

Looking at the prison before him, Zhao Luan couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

Back then, when Qin Yu held Lü Si hostage in the Heavenly Prison, he wanted me to go to the prison to talk to him, but I ignored him.

I never imagined I'd end up in the prison again today!

It has to be said, the Shi family really has a lot of influence!

After taking a deep breath, Zhao Luan led Shangguan Youyi and Yun Ying into the Heavenly Prison.

As soon as they entered the prison, they heard a series of piercing screams, accompanied by the mournful cries of a woman.

Led by the head eunuch, they endured the pungent smell and continued deeper into the prison.

Nowadays, this prison can be said to be the home of the Shi family, and all those imprisoned are members of the Shi family.

The Shi family members in each cell were dehumanized from prolonged torture, and it was said that several of them had gone insane.

However, for Zhao Luan, it made no difference whether they were crazy or not.

These people will all lose their heads sooner or later!

Zhao Luan looked indifferently at the Shi family members who had been tortured beyond recognition, and finally arrived at the deepest part of the prison.

The brothers Shi Yi and Shi Wang are imprisoned here, as well as the old ghost whose cultivation was destroyed by Guo Yang.

"Their fingers have all been cut off, and these days they've been cutting off their toes."

"As instructed by the Empress Dowager, each of them was to be whipped fifty times a day with a whip soaked in salt water, and their descendants were to be brought before them daily to be punished..."

The head eunuch reported their "victories" to Zhao Luan from the side.

Zhao Luan looked up and saw that there was almost no intact flesh on the three people's bodies.

If you get close enough, you can smell a putrid odor.

Shi Yi's hair was a mess, his face was covered in bloodstains and looked ferocious, but his eyes were lifeless like a walking corpse, and his mouth was stuffed with rags that smelled foul.

It wasn't until he saw Zhao Luan that a glimmer of light appeared in Shi Yi's eyes.

Shi Yi's tears streamed uncontrollably down his face as he looked at Zhao Luan with pleading eyes, uttering painful sobs.

Although Shi Yi was unable to speak, Zhao Luan knew that Shi Yi was begging her to quickly order their deaths.

Zhao Luan glared at Shi Yi with hatred in her eyes, "I had a thousand ways to make you suffer both physically and mentally!"

"I can even make you watch your daughter and daughter-in-law be wantonly violated!"

"But as the Empress of Great Ning, I cannot do such despicable and shameless things!"

"Two days from now, I will order your execution!"

"Once you get to the underworld, go kneel before your elder brother and kowtow properly!"