Zhao Tuo and his party have arrived in Chudi.
Although the Chu land is full of water and mountains, it has finally been developed and has major roads, which are much better and more walkable than those in the south.
But Zhao Tuo deliberately slowed down, waiting for the messenger to come back.
These days, Dungjin and the messenger did not suffer much. You should eat and drink as you should every day, but you just can't move freely.
Dung Jin has a broad heart, and gradually felt relieved when he saw that Zhao Tuo did not torture him.
He felt that this was a misunderstanding and that the misunderstanding would be resolved soon.
But the messenger was worried all day long and looked around from time to time to see if there was any chance of escape.
The messenger is a craftsman from Shangjun Courtyard, and Shangjun Courtyard has always been at the forefront of the storm in Xianyang City.
In the intrigues in Xianyang City, how much has the messenger experienced and how much has he seen? I have been on alert for a long time.
He had a feeling that the current peace was just an illusion. Just like a summer afternoon, the sky is covered with dark clouds, there is no breeze underground, and the heat is unbearable.
But in another hour or three, there will definitely be a thunder, lightning and thunder, and strong winds and heavy rain will fall.
When the messenger was sighing, Dungjin smiled at him: "You have come all the way to see me, and I don't even know your name."
The messenger said helplessly: "Whether he can survive or not is still unknown. What's the use of knowing his name?"
Dungjin said: "You are the person next to the banished immortal, how could you die?"
The messenger smiled bitterly.
If he were in Xianyang City, he would have this confidence. But now that the sky is high and the emperor is far away, if one day Zhao Tuo has any evil intentions, then there is nothing he can do.
At this time, Dung Jin said again: "My name is Dung Jin, what is your name?"
The messenger said helplessly: "My name is Niu Jiao."
Shi Jin groaned, and then he said: "I heard from people that there is a very famous person in Shangjun's courtyard, named Niu Dao. He specializes in guarding the gate for the banished immortal."
Niujiao was a little proud: "That's my cousin."
Dung Jin looked adoring.
Now that the conversation has come to this, Niujiao couldn't help but tell some stories about Shangjun's villa.
Dung Jin was filled with envy when he heard this.
Niujiao said to Dungjin: "Now your father has arrived at Shangjun's courtyard. I left in a hurry. I don't know if the banished immortal asked him to be a craftsman."
"However, Ji Nu is a very good person. Your father traveled thousands of miles to join him, and he will never abandon you. There is absolutely no problem in providing you with adequate food and clothing. This time you come back to Xianyang City with me, so you don't have to live like this again. It’s been a hard time.”
Dung Jin said with a smile: "A few days ago, I was suffering in South Vietnam, and I didn't know when I lost my life. I didn't expect that in the blink of an eye, I would go to Xianyang City to enjoy the blessings. Oops, it's like a dream."
"Brother Niu, am I really so lucky? Is there something unexpected that happened in the middle?"
Niu Jiao's mood had just improved. After hearing this, he immediately grinned: Why do this guy's words sound so unlucky?
Changes...but don't let any changes happen.
At this time, there was suddenly a rush of horse hooves in front.
There was a thump in Niujiao's heart, and he subconsciously felt that the sound of the horse's hooves had something to do with him. The sound of horse hooves seemed to have brought about some unfortunate incident.
He strained his ears and listened carefully to the sound of hooves in front of him.
Suddenly, the sound of hooves stopped and stopped in front of the army.
Ushikaku sighed and closed his eyes.
Immediately afterwards, there was a heavy stomping sound. The knight jumped off the horse.
Then there was a man's voice: "General, there is news in Xianyang City."
Niujiao's heart was beating loudly. He pricked up his ears and tried hard to listen to the sounds in front of him.
I only heard Zhao Tuo ask: "How do you say it?"
The man said: "Master Tingwei said that Dung Jin and the traitor must be interrogated in detail, and we must find out what their intentions are."
Then came Zhao Tuo's voice: "Okay, I understand."
Niujiao opened his eyes helplessly and looked at Dungjin next to him: "Have you ever been beaten?"
Dung Jin said: "Of course I got through it.'
Niujiao said again: "Have you been beaten a lot?"
Dungjin said: "It's not much."
Niujiao sighed: "Get ready, we are going to be tortured."
Dungjin smiled: "I heard what you said just now. The messenger was talking about detailed interrogation, not severe torture."
Niujiao chuckled: "You don't understand. This detailed interrogation is actually torture."
Dung Jin's heart suddenly tightened.
The torture came quickly. It was obvious that Zhao Tuo had been waiting for this day for a long time.
The dung gold and ox horns were pressed to the ground, and then two Qin soldiers whipped them respectively.
The horns are clenched and the teeth are clenched.
When he was at Shangjun Courtyard, he participated in the selection of guards. Although he was not selected, his courage and perseverance are much higher than ordinary people.
Therefore Niujiao felt that he could survive several rounds of torture.
What he was really worried about was that Dung Jin would say something unfavorable to the Immortal.
This guy Dung Jin is just an ordinary servant. It is easy for such a person to confess if he has never seen the world and has never been tortured.
The round of torture was over and the horns came through. Then he was tied to a tree.
He took a deep breath, endured the severe pain all over his body, turned his head and looked at Dung Jin who was not far away, and found that Dung Jin's face was as usual, looking completely fine.
Niujiao was greatly surprised and asked secretly: "Are you okay?"
Dung Jin was also tied to the tree. He looked at the horns with the same surprise: "What's wrong with you?"
Niujiao was greatly admired: "Could this be what banished immortals often say, what... the masters are among the people? I didn't expect that this dung gold looks so ordinary, but it can be so durable."
"I have been beaten to a pulp and almost fainted several times. How can he not do anything? This kind of ability can only be matched by Ji Ming in the palace, right?"
That night, Dungjin and Niujiao did not get supper. They were tied to a tree all night.
After dinner the next day, there was another round of torture.
There were a few times when the horns almost gave way.
These punishments are specially designed to deal with prisoners, and ordinary people's willpower cannot bear them. Even a trained person like Ushikaku has already exceeded his limits.
But Dung Jin next to him never said anything. Niujiao didn't want to be embarrassed, so he tried his best to hold it back.
After the torture was over, the two of them were let go of their feet, their hands were tied, and they were dragged behind the horse.
The others were marching on horseback, and the two of them staggered behind.
The horns from the back to the buttocks had been beaten to a bloody pulp. He stumbled every step he took, grimacing in pain. Dung Jin next to him had a normal expression, as if he didn't take it seriously.
Niujiao looked in admiration and couldn't help but said: "To tell you the truth, when I first met you, I felt a little contemptuous. I thought you were just an ordinary poor man, what ability could you have?" ?”
"But now I'm really convinced. Just because you're so strong and strong, you're considered a man. It's not worth my while to come all the way to find you."
Dungjin looked at the horns with a puzzled look on his face and whispered: "Isn't this...Brother Niu praised him too much? This little punishment is nothing."
Horns: "..."
Alas, this guy is good at everything, but he's just a bit pretentious. Is this still a small punishment? It's almost life-threatening, okay?
That night, after setting up camp, they began to be tortured again.
Zhao Tuo's purpose was not to get them to confess. He had little interest in false confessions either.
He just wanted to beat Dung Jin and Niu Horns, and inflict the humiliation that Li Shui had given him on He and the two of them. By the way, he let Li Si know that he had also helped him vent his anger.
After Zhao Tuo had eaten, he walked slowly to Dungjin and Niujiao, admiring their suffering.
But looking at it, Zhao Tuo felt a little strange. Why is this cow's horn so painful that it cries for father and mother, and this dung gold is always so bland?
Zhao Tuo waved his hand and shouted: "Wait a minute."
The two Qin soldiers responsible for the execution stopped panting.
Zhao Tuo bent down, touched Dung Jin's body, and then took out two pieces of cowhide from under his clothes.
The cowhide was very thick, one on the front and one on the front. No wonder he didn't cry out in pain.
The Qin Bing who beat Dung Jin so hard turned green in the face: I am so tired every day that my back hurts, and I am actually beating cowhide?
Niujiao also stared at Dungjin in shock: "You have this?"
Dung Jin also looked at the horns strangely: "You don't have one?"
Zhao Tuo threw the cowhide to the ground, stepped on Dungjin's back, and asked sternly: "Who gave it to you?"
Dungjin said with a grimace, "I don't know. One day I was tied up tightly, and someone covered my eyes and stuffed them in. I didn't see that person's face."
Zhao Tuo said to Qin Bing: "Beat him until he speaks out. Take off his clothes and beat him."
So Qin soldiers began to fight for dung gold.
A few seconds later, a howl like a slaughtering pig came from the camp.
Niujiao let out a long sigh of relief and thought: This is normal.
Dung Jin was beaten for a long time and called several names, but these people all had alibis. It seems that Dung Jin really doesn’t know who stuffed him with cowhide.
This is normal. Dung Jin is very popular in the military camp. It is completely reasonable for someone to help him secretly.
What makes Niujiao depressed is that when these people help the dung gold, can't they also help themselves? Is it difficult to prepare two more cowhide sheets?
Zhao Tuo didn't find the person who stuffed the cowhide, and he was very annoyed. So he ordered all the soldiers in the battalion to take turns flogging Dung Jin. As long as someone is not whipped hard enough, he is Dungjin's accomplice and will be beaten together with him.
Zhao Tuo is a little confused now. He always feels that the people around him have taken refuge in Huaiguzi and are helping Huaiguzi deal with him and playing tricks on him.
So he seeks out all potential opponents and gives them a whipping.
Because of the constant torture, the army's march became slower and slower, and it took three days to cover five miles.
More and more soldiers were beaten, accounting for one-tenth of the entire army.
The confidants were worried and said to Zhao Tuo: "We can no longer implicate others. If the number of people continues to increase, it will easily lead to mutiny. These soldiers are resentful. Once someone shouts, I am afraid they will rebel."
Zhao Tuo gradually calmed down after being reminded by his confidants.
He breathed a long sigh of relief and called over the ten Qin soldiers who had accused Dungjin that day.
Zhao Tuo said to them: "From today on, Dung Jin and the messenger will be under your care. I don't care what you ask, just don't let them live too comfortably."
The ten Qin soldiers all responded.
One of them asked cautiously: "It's hot and humid in the south. We are all from the north. We are not accustomed to the climate and are prone to illness. I torture them all day long. This... in case I beat them to death."
Zhao Tuo chuckled: "When a large army goes out on an expedition, what's so strange about a lot of people dying? What's more, these two people violated our military discipline first, so what's the problem if they die? Even if the trouble comes to the political hall, I will have something to say. Ting. Mr. Wei will also uphold justice."
When the ten Qin soldiers heard this, they immediately understood.
Zhao Tuo had no intention of letting them survive.
Next, Zhao Tuo marched as usual, while these ten men took care of the dung gold and horns.
Now Dungjin and Niujiao are really suffering. The old wounds on their bodies have not healed yet, and new ones have been added.
Every day when I opened my eyes, I was beaten and tortured until I closed my eyes.
In just a few days, both of them lost several pounds.
However, during the process of such torture, the two became more and more familiar with each other. Because of the common hardships, their relationship became very strong.
Every time he was beaten by the horns, he would yell: "Dung Jin, you are such a pest. If I hadn't come to find you, how could I have received this punishment?"
Dung Jin next to him was not to be outdone and said loudly: "Niujiao, I was doing well in the army, but you came here to cause trouble for me. If it weren't for you, how could I have been beaten?"
It seems that complaining about the other person can relieve their pain.
When being beaten, they scolded each other bloody, but after being put down, they smiled bitterly at each other.
As for the ten people who tortured them, they also tried their best.
Among these ten people, five of them were not familiar with Dung Jin. They beat Dung Jin entirely out of Zhao Tuo's instructions, hoping to be appreciated by Zhao Tuo and earn an official position in the army.
The remaining five people have received more or less favors from Dung Money.
At the beginning, they felt very guilty for punishing people with dung money.
But as time went by, they became extremely ashamed and resentful.
It seems that the more ruthless they are, the less they have anything to do with dung money.
It seems that as long as they kill Dungjin, they no longer have to feel guilty and can let their consciences settle down.
Therefore, they are also the ones who torture Dung Jin the most.
As for the other people in the military camp, they were just sighing when they saw Dungjin and Niujiao being beaten every day.
They simply don't have the courage to save people. I just hope that the dung gold and horns can last until they return to Xianyang City.
One night, Dung Jin was sleeping drowsily. Suddenly he was shaken awake.
Dungjin opened his eyes and saw Oxhorn lying next to him.
Niujiao whispered: "I don't think Zhao Tuo will let us return to Xianyang alive."
Dung Jin's eyes widened in surprise.
Niu Jiao whispered: "He deliberately slandered us as rebels. If we are beaten to death without any evidence, he will find a few courtiers to help him cover it up. At the worst, he will say that he is eager to catch thieves and mistakenly identifies good people. That's it." I muddled through.”
"It's even possible that we don't need to say that at all, and it's possible that we just insist that we are rebels."
"If we live, he will be in trouble. So, I think we have to escape."
Dung Jin smiled bitterly: "In the past few days, the injuries on my body have become more and more serious. How can I still have the strength to escape?"
The horns fell silent.
That's right, the injuries on his body are getting worse and worse. Let alone escaping, it's hard to breathe.
Niujiao let out a long sigh and thought to himself: Going north, it seems that we are reaching Peixian County. There is only one official road in Peixian County, and there seem to be some villages and towns along the way. It would be great if I could find a messenger in this village and town to send a message to the banished immortal.
