Chapter 40 The Price For Love

Cao Yanmei was sitting in her room. Suddenly, the door swung open and Cao Wenyan walked to her angrily. Looking at Cao Wenyan's face and adding that today is the anniversary of the death of Mu Dishi, she knew that Cao Wenyan had taken the bait.

Cao Wenyan smashed his hand on the table, "Why are you stealing a seven colors pill?"

Cao Yanmei, "I thought I could get rid of some people for you."

Cao Wenyan, "Who do you feed?"

Cao Yanmei, "Xue Horan." She stood up and looked at Cao Wenyan's expression. "Or da ge didn't plan to kill him in the first place?" She looked at Cao Wenyan. "Oh, I see. Since he looks a lot like Mu Dishi, da ge decided to keep him as a toy?"

Cao Wenyan, "Nonsense."

Cao Yanmei, "Da ge, you didn't tell me a head of time. I have given him the pill already. Since father is not here and there is no antidote, Xue Horan definitely die." She gently patted Cao Wenyan's back. "I'm sorry da ge, but man can be replace."

Cao Wenyan was about to leave when a servant came in and said, "Young master, furen, went mad again." He picked up a small bottle and put it on the table. "I'm going to see mother. Give him this." He rushed out with his servant.

Cao Yanmei quickly picked up the antidote and walked out of her room, but met Red Mice at the door. Cao Yanmei asked, "What are you doing here?"

Red Mice, "Young master wants me to accompany you to see through this matter, and then report to him."

Cao Yanmei, "Alright, geez... follow me."

When Cao Yanmei and Red Mice came to the room, where Xue Horan was held imprisoned. She looked at Red Mice and said, "Hold him."

Xue Horan asked, "What are you doing?"

Red Mice walked behind Xue Horan. He grabbed Xue Horan's left hand with his left hand. He held Xue Horan's chin tightly with his right hand.

Cao Yanmei poured out one single red pill. She approached Xue Horan and said, "Remember what I said to you. You are lucky. You look like Mu Dishi the person my da ge yarning for, otherwise you would be dead now. If I were you, I will give myself to him." She forced the pill into Xue Horan's mouth.

Red Mice quickly let go of Xue Horan. Xue Horan said, "Cao guniang, you going to kill my da shixiong, please let me see him for the last time."

Red Mice said, "A softhearted person, shouldn't see him at this stage."

Cao Yanmei smiled and said, "Very good. I like to see a soft-hearted person fainting when facing terror. You two will drag this soft-hearted person to the East Prison."

Red Mice said, "Should we ask young master first?"

Cao Yanmei, "What are you afraid of? This person." She pointed at Xue Horan. "His skill is not strong, if he dares to run, we will kill Rao Zhengsheng." She raised her voice to Xue Horan. "Did you hear...? If you try to run away, I will kill Rao Zhengsheng."

There is only one entrance to the underground cell. Cao Yanmei led the way, and Red Mice follow behind Xue Horan. Xue Horan looked at both sides of the small aisle, and there were some people hanging from the ceiling, soaked with blood.

Cao Yanmei said, "Those who tried to kill my father but failed, they just hang there until they die. Every day they have new wounds. After the cut, the guards will sprinkle salt on the fresh wounds."

Xue Huoran looked at these sixty-four people, with theirs hands tied tightly, hanging high enough, and the tip of theirs toes only touched the floor.

Cao Yanmei stopped and turned to look at Xue Horan. She said, "Prepare your soft heart." She stepped aside.

Xue Horan looked at Rao Zhengsheng and was stunned. Rao Zhengsheng is covered in blood. His head is down, it looks like he is dead, his head hung dangling down with no motion. Xue Horan hurried to Rao Zhengsheng's side and was about to hug him, but was stopped by Cao Yanmei.

Xue Horan pushed Cao Yanmei aside, but Cao Yanmei said, "Hug him, the salt and pepper will penetrate deeper into his flesh and make him more painful."

Xue Horan shouted at Cao Yanmei, "You are not human, why don't you kill him?"

Red Mice said, "This is the whole point of torture. We don't want him to die too soon."

Rao Zhengsheng raised his face and murmured, "Hao'er…"

Xue Horan turned around and walked to Rao Zhengsheng's side. He did not recognize Rao Zhengsheng's face. Rao Zhengsheng's body was swollen, black and blue with blood everywhere. His lower lip was cracked.

Xue Horan cried and stretched out his hand to raise Rao Zhengsheng's face, "Da shixiong…"

Rao Zhengsheng asked weakly, "Horan, did they hurt you?"

Xue Horan cried, "No…"

Rao Zhengsheng, "That's good…At least that dog Wang Wenyan still has some humanity in him."

Xue Horan pulled Rao Zhengsheng's face to him and kissed Rao Zhengsheng. He slid the pill he hid under his tongue into Rao Zhengsheng's mouth. After they parted their lips, he could taste the blood on his lips. He murmured, "Swallow it."

Red Mice yanked Xue Horan away. Red Mice said angrily, "You are not allowed to approach him."

Red Mice grabbed the whip and began to beat Rao Zhengsheng. Xue Horan cries and pleads fall on deaf ears. After Red Mice hit Rao Zhengsheng ten times, he grabbed the wooden pitcher and threw salt water at Rao Zhengsheng. Rao Zhengsheng fainted because of the pain.

Cao Yanmei and Red Mice dragged Xue Horan from the prison cell back into his imprisonment room, and shackled his hand back to the chain.

Xue Horan sat on the bed step and cried all night, until morning. He couldn't fall asleep because of the horror he had witnessed inside the prison cell. He couldn't imagine that there are still such cruel and inhumane people in this world. Then the front door swung open.