Chapter 100 – The madam’s hands are so soft

Translator: ChuRen/ YuQiChen

Xie Qingzhi quickly determined the fate of the maid with just a few words.

Everyone present appeared anxious and pale-faced upon hearing this. Clearly, they had witnessed the cruel and barbaric methods of the royal madman, Xie Qingzhi, before.

The maid kept bowing her head continuously, and blood could be seen seeping from her forehead where she had hit it.

Tang Qing’s face turned even paler.

He had heard of the term “slicing a person a thousand times,” which was a form of ancient torture. It involved tightly wrapping a person in a net-like contraption and using sharp knives to neatly cut off pieces of flesh highlighted by the grid until only bones remained.

It was more brutal than beheading, hanging, drowning, or dismemberment by horses. It was one of the most excruciating forms of execution.

Ignoring the maid who was already sobbing uncontrollably on the ground, Xie Qingzhi turned to Tang Qing, his eyes filled with bloody excitement.

“Madam, I have exceptional skills. I don’t need a net – I can precisely slice the flesh to uniform thickness. And after three days and nights, I guarantee she will still be breathing and moaning.”

Tang Qing couldn’t muster a false smile in response to Xie Qingzhi’s boasting tone.

His gaze involuntarily fell on the young maid on the ground. She was barely in her teens, full of youth and loveliness. In Tang Qing’s former reality, girls like her should have been carefree, loved by their parents, only worrying about schoolwork.

They shouldn’t be kneeling on the ground, crying without any dignity, with no one daring to speak up for them.

As a modern person, Tang Qing found it difficult to adapt to this environment of one person’s absolute authority. He felt compassion for this seventeen or eighteen-year-old girl who brought disaster upon herself by simply stealing a glance at him.

He was tempted to plead for mercy on her behalf.

But he was just the Duke’s nominal wife in the eyes of the royal family, seen as a mere tool for procreation due to his decent appearance. To the Duke, he was disposable, a collectible item to be skinned alive at any moment. Tang Qing himself had barely survived the first night – how could he help others?

Tang Qing couldn’t bear to watch the maid any longer. He hesitated to speak up, but ultimately remained silent.

“Steward Li, take her away,” Xie Qingzhi said casually.

Steward Li and a few male servants skillfully dragged the maid away, taking her to the dungeon.

Xie Qingzhi extended his hand in a gentlemanly gesture. “Madam, please.”

Tang Qing, struggling to maintain composure, placed his slightly trembling hand on Xie Qingzhi’s large hand.

“Madam, your hand is so soft and cool,” Xie Qingzhi remarked, playing with Tang Qing’s hand, finding it smooth and cool, akin to a fine jade.

After being led by Xie Qingzhi through a dark and damp corridor, Tang Qing passed by various condemned criminals with bloodied bodies and severed limbs on either side.

Just a glance made Tang Qing feel physically ill, causing him to turn his head away.

He didn’t want to proceed any further.

But the rough and powerful grip of the hand holding his reminded him that his life was in this person’s hands.

The group arrived at the execution site.

The maid was already tied up on the execution frame, crying with swollen eyes, blood seeping from her forehead, and trembling uncontrollably.

Tang Qing’s body was icy cold, and once Xie Qingzhi released his hand, Tang Qing’s hand trembled uncontrollably. He watched helplessly as a girl, who had merely glanced at him, was subjected to such a cruel and inhumane punishment, facing a painfully torturous death.

Could he really do this?

Even if he didn’t vomit or faint on the spot, he knew he wouldn’t be able to face himself in the future, haunted by the memories. Although he had mentally prepared himself and repeatedly told himself not to meddle, seeing Xie Qingzhi approach the maid with a gleaming knife, emotions overtook reason, and Tang Qing spoke out:

“Wait!”

In the eerily quiet execution room, Tang Qing’s voice sounded abrupt, like a thunderclap.

All eyes turned to him.

Xie Qingzhi, holding the knife, turned slowly, his gaze deep and dangerous as he looked at Tang Qing, speaking softly, “Madam?”

Suppressing his fear, Tang Qing tried to keep his voice steady, “I feel that this punishment may not be appropriate…”

As he spoke, his brain raced, and a spark of inspiration struck. Tang Qing continued, “I believe this is too lenient for her.”

“Oh, what do you mean?” Xie Qingzhi looked at him with interest, a smirk playing on his lips.

Tang Qing swallowed nervously, mustering his courage, and calmly said, “Your Grace, in the case of dismemberment, this maid would only suffer pain for two to three days before dying, putting an end to her suffering. I’ve heard that when a person reaches the peak of pain, they lose the sensation of pain. Therefore, this punishment would be too mild for her.”

Xie Qingzhi looked at another executioner with some confusion and asked, “Is the lady right?”

The executioner’s forehead was covered in cold sweat, afraid that if his answer was inappropriate, the Duke would make him try it himself.

He cautiously replied, “My lord, from what I’ve observed, the pain for the person being tortured is unbearable in the early stages. As it progresses, their voice and reactions diminish, indicating numbness to the pain.”

Xie Qingzhi nodded, seemingly satisfied with the executioner’s response. He then turned to Tang Qing, looking pensive, and inquired, “What other methods do you suggest for punishing her?”

The maid, sensing a glimmer of hope, looked at Tang Qing with a mix of fear and anticipation.

Taking a deep breath, Tang Qing continued, “I feel that simply torturing her body is too merciful. We should torture her soul directly, torment her mind, crush her beliefs in being human, make her wish for death, like a walking corpse.”

Xie Qingzhi kept his gaze on Tang Qing, encouraging him to speak further.

Encouraged, Tang Qing continued in a calm voice, “I see she not only enjoys looking at beautiful people but also likes dressing up. At her young age of seventeen or eighteen, she must be a girl who loves beauty dearly.”

“So, why not make her clean the toilets directly?”

The steward, male servants, and others present gasped in shock. Making a young, beautiful girl of seventeen or eighteen clean toilets, especially at an age when she cares about her appearance, seemed too harsh, didn’t it?

Compared to being sliced a thousand times, cleaning toilets seemed like child’s play. Would Xie Qingzhi agree to this?

Tang Qing looked at the silent Xie Qingzhi, afraid he wouldn’t approve. Adding more fuel to the fire, he continued with a malicious tone, “Not only should she clean the toilets, but she should also scoop out the large feces without gloves or masks. Let her clean her originally clean body in the accumulated filth, making her smell as foul as feces. Despite spraying on all the perfume she wants, she won’t be able to mask the stench of excrement on her body.”

“Hahaha, good,” Xie Qingzhi seemed pleased with the vivid description provided by Tang Qing and turned to Steward Li, saying, “Do as the madam suggests.”

Finally, the maid was released from the execution frame by Steward Li.

Before leaving, she expressed gratitude towards Tang Qing, mixed with a hint of resentment.

Tang Qing breathed a sigh of relief.

He realized his back was drenched in cold sweat.

In Xie Qingzhi’s ducal residence, as a Duchess with little actual power, there wasn’t much he could do, but at least he managed to save the girl’s life.

Xie Qingzhi glanced at Tang Qing and changed the subject casually, “But I’ve been neglecting my practice lately. I fear my skills may have rusted.”

After speaking, he looked at Tang Qing with a smile and said, “Why don’t you take her place and try my skills, Madam?”

Tang Qing’s eyelashes trembled slightly, almost losing control of himself, wanting to cover his ears. He glanced at Xie Qingzhi and quickly looked away, his palms sweating nervously.

Seeing Tang Qing, who had maintained his composure, looking pale with a hint of fear flickering in his amber eyes, Xie Qingzhi’s gaze deepened slightly.

He affectionately touched Tang Qing’s pale, bloodless face and said, “Just kidding. How could I bear to have Madam’s beautiful skin and flesh be sliced a thousand times?”

“This beautiful body belongs to me alone. You, Madam, must take good care of it for me.”

Tang Qing managed to force a smile.

Once again, he silently thanked his mother for making him so beautiful.

The group finally left the dungeon, and it was almost noon. The warm sun shone down on them, and Tang Qing squinted his eyes, feeling as if he had narrowly escaped a disaster.

Seemingly not yet satisfied, Xie Qingzhi wandered off somewhere alone.

Tang Qing mechanically finished his breakfast, feeling relieved, and then calmly entered his room, closing the door behind him.

He undressed, neatly folded his clothes, and set them aside.

Afterwards, a fluffy, long-haired cat appeared on the bed.

Actually, Tang Qing had been quite scared in the dungeon, almost losing control of his cat ears.

He knew that transforming into a cat in the Duke’s residence was very dangerous, but he couldn’t suppress his instincts and wanted to fully transform into a cat, curl up in the blankets, and relax.

Although escapism was shameful and ineffective, it was comforting.

The large Maine Coon cat curled up into a ball, its big, soft ears twitching slightly. The cat extended its pink tongue, licking the long fur on its back. The Maine Coon’s fur was beautiful and magnificent, long and fluffy, with a light, clear silver-blue color. Its tail was large and long, looking very elegant.

Xie Qingzhi was truly a pervert. He had only been the Duchess for less than a day, yet he was experiencing frequent heart palpitations and cold sweats all over. If he continued like this, he would probably end up licking himself bald due to the immense stress.

He watched a few strands of silver fur floating in the air. In his beautiful amber eyes, there was a hint of faint sadness.

Regardless, the fur was still enough for now. He could lick a few more times and worry about bald spots later.

…

“Madam, why did you lock the door?”

After some time passed, Xie Qingzhi’s knocking was heard from outside the door.

In a panic, Tang Qing reverted back to his human form, naked, and sat up.

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