48: Chapter 48 Ning Hongxiu is beckoning! (Part 1)

Zhao Zilong pinched Ning Hongxiu's cheek, studying her intently.

The texture of her cheek was excellent—soft and smooth.

Ning Hongxiu was feeling very panicked at this moment; if Zhao Zilong were to truly violate her like a beast, she dared not imagine it.

However, she was currently bound by iron chains and completely unable to resist; if Zhao Zilong wanted to violate her, she had no way to stop him.

Ning Hongxiu stared at Zhao Zilong with eyes filled with intense killing intent.

She didn't want to say a single word right now; perhaps this was her fate.

She accepted it.

Gazing into Ning Hongxiu's murderous eyes, Zhao Zilong unexpectedly saw a trace of sorrow within them.

He couldn't help but feel a twinge of sympathy.

He sighed softly and released his hand from Ning Hongxiu's cheek. However, Ning Hongxiu was truly beautiful, and Zhao Zilong couldn't resist gently flicking her nose.

As her nose was flicked, Ning Hongxiu's body couldn't help but tremble.

The killing intent in her eyes grew even stronger.

That beast Zhao Zilong was actually humiliating her like this.

Furthermore, she knew that what she would face next would be even more severe humiliation.

Her chastity was about to be ruined at the hands of this beast, Zhao Zilong.

However, just as Ning Hongxiu was thinking this, she heard Zhao Zilong let out a soft sigh.

"Miss Ning, there is no need to be nervous. Although I wish to learn more about the people of the Former Dynasty from you, I am not a beast who would stoop to violating you."

Hearing Zhao Zilong say this, Ning Hongxiu noticed that his expression had changed; the lecherous look from before was gone, and he now appeared quite righteous and awe-inspiring.

She didn't know if Zhao Zilong was playing some kind of trick again, so she did not let her guard down.

Zhao Zilong said, "It seems Miss Ning does not believe me? That is fine; it is normal for you not to trust me. I only wish to tell you, Miss Ning, that although I am a Banner Master of the Fuzheng Division and my primary task is to capture you people of the Former Dynasty, when I interrogate cases, I do not use torture on your people. I am not a cruel official."

"Of course, it is even less possible that I would do anything to violate you."

"Next, I will have a proper discussion with you, Miss Ning. I hope you will choose to confess voluntarily."

Ning Hongxiu merely stared at Zhao Zilong, with no intention of speaking.

Asking her to confess voluntarily—was that even possible?

Zhao Zilong was daydreaming.

Zhao Zilong said, "Miss Ning's identity should be that of a Princess of the Former Dynasty, is that correct?"

"Since Miss Ning is not speaking, I shall assume you are tacitly admitting to it."

"Then, let us get to the main point."

"I suppose I should address you as Princess Ning now."

Zhao Zilong acted as if he didn't care whether Ning Hongxiu spoke or not, continuing as if he were talking to himself.

"Princess Ning infiltrated Qingyang County for the sake of the Princess of Daye. I believe it was for an assassination. Of course, that is not very important; what is important is that you must have brought people with you, Princess Ning."

"Just now, when I got close to you, Princess Ning, I smelled the scent of pine resin on your body."

"And as far as I know, there is only one place in all of Qingyang County that produces pine resin."

"I believe you must have been there, Princess Ning, otherwise the scent of pine resin on you would not be so strong. Your accomplices must be hiding within that pine resin workshop, perhaps even disguised as workers."

"I only need to send men to capture everyone at the workshop, and I will certainly be able to get some answers."

"Whether you confess or not, Princess Ning, it makes no difference."

"Banner Master Zhao, I am a woman. Isn't it normal to use some pine resin to add fragrance to my body? Isn't your judgment a bit too arbitrary and presumptuous?"

Ning Hongxiu finally spoke, her tone seemingly filled with deep disdain for Zhao Zilong.

Zhao Zilong said, "That is possible, Princess Ning. However, the scent is simply too strong. Perhaps others might not be able to tell the difference, but my family sells medicine, and I was trained by my father from a young age. I possess some ability to discern the scents and concentrations of medicinal ingredients."

"The scent of pine resin on you, Princess Ning, is a bit too heavy."

"Furthermore, no woman would douse her entire body in the scent of pine resin to smell nice. That is not normal."

"Of course, you may find other excuses, Princess Ning. However, if I send my men to the pine resin workshop to make arrests now, we will soon know if everything is as I have deduced."

Ning Hongxiu stared intently at Zhao Zilong, feeling very nervous inside.

She had to admit that Zhao Zilong's deduction was correct.

Her people were indeed hiding disguised as workers at the pine resin workshop.

Furthermore, she knew clearly that her people did not believe she would betray them, so they would not leave.

If Zhao Zilong really sent men over, even if not all of her people were captured, at least some would be caught.

Ning Hongxiu did not want such a thing to happen.

She did not want her people to meet with trouble like this; otherwise, she would not have chosen to outwit Princess Zhu Yunxi but would have chosen to charge directly into the Princesss Residence instead.

Since waking up and realizing she had fallen into Zhao Zilong's hands, Ning Hongxiu had cast aside her contempt for him; a person who would personally enter the game was truly terrifying.

Now that Zhao Zilong had deduced the hiding place of her people based solely on the fact that the scent of pine resin on her was a bit heavy, she knew that the opponent before her was extremely difficult to deal with.

She could refuse to admit it, but if Zhao Zilong really sent men over, nothing could be hidden.

Furthermore, even if Zhao Zilong's deduction were wrong, it wouldn't matter; Zhao Zilong had the margin for error, but she did not.

Moreover, Zhao Zilong was right.

"Banner Master Zhao, do you truly intend to wipe out all of us from the Former Dynasty, without leaving any room for mercy, without giving us any way to survive?"

By asking this, Ning Hongxiu was effectively admitting to Zhao Zilong's deduction.

Zhao Zilong said, "Princess Ning, that is a bit unfair to me. If I truly wanted to leave no way for you people of the Former Dynasty to survive, I would have already sent men to make arrests; there would be no need for me to waste my breath here with you, Princess Ning."

"What do you want?"

Ning Hongxiu asked, staring intently at Zhao Zilong.

Zhao Zilong said, "I want you, Princess Ning, to tell me everything you know about the Former Dynasty, including who truly holds the power behind the scenes."

"That is impossible."

Although Ning Hongxiu did not want her subordinates to meet with trouble, she would not sacrifice even more people for the sake of just these few.

She could not do that.

If she spoke, then even more people would die.

She had to prioritize the bigger picture.

"Banner Master Zhao, do you think I would put even more people in danger for the sake of a few? Your threats are useless."

Zhao Zilong said, "Princess Ning, do you think it is worth it to risk your life for your Former Dynasty organization?"

Ning Hongxiu said, "The Daye Imperial Court gives us no way to survive, so we can only unite and resist. There is no question of whether it is worth it; we want to survive."

Zhao Zilong said, "When has the Daye Imperial Court ever forced you? When has it ever refused to give you a way to survive?"

Upon hearing Zhao Zilong say this, Ning Hongxiu couldn't help but offer a mocking laugh. "How else does the Daye Imperial Court need to force us? How many of our people from the Former Dynasty have chosen to live normal lives, but what was the final outcome? They were captured and killed by your Fuzheng Division."

"If not for that, why would we oppose Daye? At the very least, many people just wanted to live ordinary lives."

"Do you think I don't want that? Do you think I am willing to live a life of fighting and killing? But is that even possible?"

Zhao Zilong could tell that Ning Hongxiu was speaking the truth. He sighed softly, then gazed at Ning Hongxiu and said, "What if I were to tell you, Princess Ning, that none of this was done by the Daye Imperial Court?"

"What do you mean?"

Ning Hongxiu's beautiful eyes widened slightly, filled with astonishment.