Diário de Demissão Terminal de um Cão de Guarda da Corte

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“There are eighty-one forms of punishment under the Pacification Office.”

“Does the top scholar wish to experience each one personally?”

As the words fell, a bucket of icy water mixed with shards of ice was hurled over the man’s head.

The biting cold instantly snapped the young man on the torture rack from his daze back to reality. His coarse blue robe was soaked through, clinging to his wounds. The bone-chilling cold and searing pain struck like thunder, spreading from the crown of his head to every limb and joint.

This young scholar undergoing punishment was named Cheng Ruoyi. Though not a noble, he was far from obscure.

He was the newly crowned top scholar of the Great Chu.

This young champion had just endured flogging, his wrists tightly bound to the rack with fishing line. At the sudden splash of icy water, even the slightest struggle sent the fishing line cutting deeper into his flesh.

Gradually regaining consciousness, Cheng Ruoyi knew all too well that once inside the imperial prison, there was no hope of leaving intact.

He clenched his teeth, trembling uncontrollably. Ice crystals clung to his long lashes, melting and dripping with each breath. The beleaguered scholar finally managed to speak, though his mind was still foggy, hastily responding to the questioner.

“Stop... stop... I confess everything...”

Half-opening his eyes, Cheng Ruoyi’s gaze passed through the continuous cascade of water droplets to the iron token hanging at the waist of the man before him—emblazoned boldly with the w