42 It Was

I made some changes to the last chapter(Chapter 41), specifically the few last parts(paragraphs). If you didn't read it yet, please look over it for me, if you would. Thank you for reading.

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After passing through filthy cells, they arrived at the leader's cell. In the corner, a man could be seen; he was sitting on the dirty ground, one leg bent while the other left lying. His back was slightly curved as he leaned on the wall. Arms were on both sides looked wimpy without any strength. His head slightly bowed, but the man's face was weary and fatigued. It looked like all the life and essence were drained out of his body.

"What has happened to him?" Song Hui Yao's indolent gaze went to the prison warder.

The prison warder faintly pursed his lips, "He wouldn't do anything, no eating, no drinking, no yelling, nothing." He opened the cell's door, "We couldn't do anything but to leave him like that."

They went into the cell, some other guards set out a chair for them.

Eyeing the lethargic man, Zhu Xiao Wan knew that she would not get anything out of this man's mouth. He was not a coward nor was he a person who feared death and agony. But unless...

"Wake him up," said Zhu Xiao Wan.

The prison warder looked at Song Hui Yao and saw his nod, he walked towards the man and pulled him up from the ground before throwing him back down 5 feet away from Song Hui Yao.

The man's eyes slowly opened and he raised his head gruellingly. Looking at the two people in front of him coldly, he said, "You won't get anything even if you were to torture me."

That sentence made Song Hui Yao's brows raised slightly. So confident?

"You seem to very confident in yourself," the smile on his face tilted to one side, "such a loyal dog."

The man stayed silent, waiting for whatever Song Hui Yao had in his mind to come. Song Hui Yao was about to signal the prison warder when Zhu Xiao Wan interrupted.

"Why are you so loyal?" She looked at the haggard man who had been in this horrible place for a month. "Do you know what is happening outside? Your master is celebrating his victory for getting rid of the Ning Familly. Taking all the credits from your works. But of course, he's your master and you're his dog. Whatever the dog does, the master is the one receiving the rewards."

Tilted his head slightly, Song Hui Yao looked at Zhu Xiao Wan's side profile. She was talking more than usual, and the person sitting on his laps was somehow different. Although he wanted to use torture, she used words instead. 'Since she wants a pawn, this man is a good one.'

"But as a master, shouldn't he be responsible for your safety? He must have forgotten about you." From being a master herself previously, she knew the ways she treated her underlings, how others treated their underlings. And how these obvious, or more unreal and silly lies can be like for a subordinate like him, who was in a dire circumstance.

Not many of them were a good master; their subordinates were nothing but tools. When a tool could be used, they would squeeze everything from it; once it became rusty and worthless, they would throw it away without any care. "I'm sure you don't mind being his tool, but why must you sacrifice yourself?"

The man stared at Zhu Xiao Wan. He was staring at her, but at the same time, he was not. Master Lu had bought him from a slave market, saving him from that terrifying place. Master Lu didn't treat him like an animal, a filthy brute, and gave him a new life.

But now listening to Zhu Xiao Wan's speech, he found that Master Lu really didn't treat him like an animal - but a tool. A tool that he could throw away whenever he wanted. He remembered as the clouds in his head dissolved, the life he had since then...was worse than when he was in the slave market.

Did Master Lu ever give him anything...?

He opened his mouth and a beat later, he said with a hoarse voice, "Why are you saying this?"

Locking eyes with the man, she said, "I want to have a subordinate, who could fight."

"Subordinate? Why don't you just say a damn tool?"

"...I don't see why I shouldn't, be my tool. I can guarantee that my tools would never become rusty and corrode." Tugging her lips upward, "Getting new tools is not easy, I rather take care of them so I don't need to go through so many troubles to get another one as capable."

The man uttered a tired laugh. "There was another person with Lu Shan, my master...former master when they discussed on killing you. I don't exactly know who, but I suspect it was..."

-----

"How many days had it been!?" Tang Tian roared, "What a useless bunch of trash!"

The people he had sent still did not find Ning Xiao Wan's whereabouts.

"Your Majesty, please calm your anger," a soft voice of a woman sounded. "It's almost your birthday, let's not talk about those things."

Tang Tian turned around and looked lovingly at the woman, "My beloved concubine..."

"Let's us talk about your birthday's banquet." Noble Concubine You, Princess You Yan's birth mother smiled.