Blooming Flowers, Silent Sorrow

Translator: Silvery Butterfly
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Qi Xiaobin carefully scrutinized Xiao Bao from head to toe, shaking his head and letting out a strange laugh, “Young Master Jin, Young Master Jin,” he seemed to be speaking to Xiao Bao, but more like he was indulging in his own reverie. “How long have I waited for this day? Every day, every single day, I imagined you falling into my hands, kneeling at my feet and begging for mercy. I have a thousand ways to make you wish for death yet be unable to die.”dUqKIbNaztDmvrVgmdZtIqemlXlewO

Xiao Bao pressed his lips tightly together, his body instinctively shrinking back, but he could only press against the damp, rough wall.YLdKlwlvEdTGhLBTDyfPcWrJPJUdJg

“This day has come quite quickly, much faster than I anticipated, but it’s not perfect,” Qi Xiaobin shook his head in feigned regret. “Not perfect at all, you know? You are so valuable. My father and I expended so much effort just to get two hours with you, just two hours! And I can’t leave any visible marks on your body. Isn’t that unfair to me? Hehehe.”EetVVNPtEmXyAGwyQwapOQLtefUmhs

“I was just thinking, in such a short time, how can I make you experience the pain I’ve endured these four years? And I must continue to suffer while you live. How can I, in just two short hours, leave no visible injuries but make sure you live in agony for the rest of your days? Guess what? I figured it out. Aren’t you curious? Aren’t you curious? Hahahahaha!” Qi Xiaobin threw back his head and laughed, then waved his hand sharply towards his men, commanding, “Strip him of his clothes.”gQKYtwCOtEINwCLjQPBbMiOYXhQepi

Two men rushed up and within moments had torn all the clothes off Xiao Bao, leaving his bare skin exposed to the cold, damp air. Xiao Bao felt as if the chill had seeped deep into his bones, leaving him frozen to the core.gvykfuCaojabJKIezsqaoIyNvPzDuy

“Tsk tsk, Young Master Jin really has such tender skin. I wonder if you’ll be able to bear what’s coming next? I’ve imagined this countless times before, fantasizing about you lying at my feet like a slab of pale, dead pork. Though this opportunity isn’t exactly ideal, I’m not that hard to satisfy. The most important thing is that I’ll make this an experience you’ll never forget.”XluvZPtuHfDPxakgFgAmWFlJJlwTHu

It was already autumn, and the weather was turning cold. The damp prison cell let in no sunlight, making it even more chilling. Xiao Bao clenched his fists tightly, desperately trying to curl his body inward. But no matter how humiliated or scared he was, his limbs were securely bound, making him like a dead pig on a butcher’s block, helpless to resist. He gritted his teeth and asked, “What exactly… do you want to do?”rADIIoXNlihHCfvvPaiFhdXMvYihAy

“Heh heh, Young Master Jin, that’s a good question. I was thinking of letting you guess, but time is short. Every extra word I say is less time spent with you, which would be a terrible waste. So…” He waved his hand. “Bring it over.”ZlmCZhPOnEawMODutSSCOvCLenYSuF

A scrawny old man beside him unstrapped a large box from his back, set it on the ground, and opened it. From inside, he took out a velvet brocade box, four fingers wide and half a foot long, and respectfully handed it to Qi Xiaobin.EfkSVxIuVyqjCblwVsaXAoWoGFoqkf

Qi Xiaobin took the brocade box, stroking it carefully twice before turning the box towards Xiao Bao and slowly opening it.lQfmZwJybrXwMYAYcaDdkYzZoCtAHj

Xiao Bao saw a sudden flash of cold silver light. Looking closer, he realized it was a dense cluster of needles, each as long as an index finger and slightly thinner than embroidery needles. These needles didn’t seem to be made of silver; they weren’t as bright as silver utensils, instead appearing somewhat dull and gray, which only made them look even more eerie and terrifying. Xiao Bao felt a chill run through his scalp, a stifling fear lodging in his throat, ready to burst out at any moment.nsWvfvRDPOmamGlSzTnBaHhVcxkoqc

“Young Master Jin, look, just this little box of items, still a semi-finished product, costs ten thousand taels of silver. I hesitated but eventually decided to buy it. So, what do you think? Does it match your worth? No grievances, right?”ARBcKBJPSvdKTAzAezlmdKECdyshPO

“This little thing is not to be underestimated. Don’t be fooled by how thin these needles are; they’re incredibly tough. Do you know what they’re made of? Meteoric iron. The border regions offer tributes of this every year, and it adds up to only a few dozen catties. Even then, it’s not always available. Forging a weapon from meteoric iron can easily cost tens of thousands of taels of gold. This set of needles is called ‘Ten Thousand Bones Cold.’ Listen to me and you’ll understand why it’s named that. These needles have to be made from meteoric iron. If you used silver or copper, the needles would bend before they even reached the bone, likely at the tendons, rendering them ineffective.gWVBugLLAeftSmnxTOQLtKWRtqZAjr

Forging such fine needles is a meticulous job, and once they’re made, they must be soaked in a poison brewed from eighty-one medicinal herbs and then sealed in an ice cellar for at least three years. The longer they’re left, the stronger the poison becomes. Unfortunately, I was in a hurry, so these needles have only been sealed for just under two years. Naturally, their potency is somewhat reduced, but it’ll still be enough for you to handle. Oh, you don’t know how they’re used yet? It’s quite simple, really. These needles will be inserted into all your joints, and the cold poison will remain in your body. The insertion is, of course, excruciatingly painful, but that’s not the worst part. From then on, every time the weather turns cloudy or cold, the joints throughout your body will feel as if they’re being gnawed by thousands of ants, making you wish you could tear every piece of your body apart, making you wish you’d never been born. Hahahahahaha!WFcXLwJcRXeGomkrEPIQvyBNWbvSCr

That’s the most distinctive feature of ‘Ten Thousand Bones Cold.’ It won’t kill you, and even if the needles are removed, only tiny, barely visible pinholes will be left on your skin, disappearing in a day or two. But the pain will haunt you for the rest of your life. You’ll be a cripple, tormented every rainy day, and during autumn and winter, you’ll be in so much pain that you’ll lose consciousness. As the cold poison erodes your body over time, within a few years, you’ll gradually become paralyzed. But I doubt you’ll make it that long; you’ll probably end your life yourself long before that happens. Hahahahahaha!”dBWODPofDwTRdAqqrPaVEbzpwwvvlp

Before he could finish speaking, Xiao Bao couldn’t bear it any longer and screamed, “No!!! No!!! Aaaah!!! Qi Xiaobin!!!! How dare you!!!! No!!!! Aaaaaaaaaaah——-”awWSdAYZcMeARPXgouAVmunvMxnRYT

“Hahahahahahaha! Are you scared? Of course you’re scared. The pampered eldest son of the Jin family, when have you ever suffered? Did you ever think you’d pay a price for what you’ve done? Hahahahahahaha! My time for revenge has finally come!! Finally!!! Hahahahaha!!!” Qi Xiaobin looked maliciously at the struggling and screaming Xiao Bao, then turned and gave the old man a look, handing the box back to him.wBMkLfTsjoTpZlRVVUkTwuFQVxOcab

The old man took the box and carefully picked up one of the cold needles.WoLkPXVtOOMjnNYQPbTbVegqbimxFC

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