Half an hour later, Song Xiaoshuang was brought before Ning Chen.

She was covered in wounds. She'd plainly been tortured.

Pan Yucheng came out of the Inspectorate, and his interrogation methods were better than even Ning Chen's. On top of that, she'd planted the gu in Ning Chen, so naturally Pan Yucheng wasn't going to take pity on a pretty face.

"Song Xiaoshuang... Oh, no, that's wrong. It should be Song Ruyi."

Song Xiaoshuang's head snapped up, and she stared at Ning Chen in shock.

Ning Chen gave a cold laugh. "Surprised this prince knows? No harm in telling you. This prince caught a man named Mu Yuanxin."

Song Ruyi's face changed.

Ning Chen asked offhandedly, "Song Ruyi, you very nearly became my sister-in-law... I really did underestimate you. You actually made me take a hard fall.

But at this point, there's no sense in hiding it or holding it back. Why don't you tell me what you know?

You must have looked into this prince. You know this prince isn't the softhearted type. If you don't cooperate, that's fine too... This prince will order Mu Yuanxin given the death of a thousand cuts right now."

Song Ruyi stared at Ning Chen and gave a cold laugh, full of contempt.

Ning Chen frowned slightly. "Are you provoking this prince?"

Song Ruyi sneered. "And if I am?"

"You're really not afraid of this prince ordering Mu Yuanxin given a thousand cuts?"

Song Ruyi let out a strange laugh. "Ning Chen, if you can give Mu Yuanxin a thousand cuts, I'll thank you for it!"

Ning Chen's eyes narrowed sharply. "He's your father."

Song Ruyi's face was full of hatred, and her voice was shrill. "He's an animal. He forced himself on my mother, got her pregnant, and she died giving birth... And then he left me outside for twenty years without a word or a care, for anyone to bully and abuse. What right does he have to be my father?

Ning Chen, I hear you've got a father who's worse than an animal too... Would you sell out the one…