The next day
Hannah got ready early, carefully applying light makeup, then went to wait at the Gu residence.
The maid saw her and, following the butler's orders, invited her to the side hall.
After waiting for a while without seeing Gabriel come out, Hannah stopped a nearby maid and asked,
"Where is the master?"
"He is still inside the inner hall."
Hannah pressed her lips together, "Is there something urgent?"
The maid stepped back, "Sorry, Miss Hannah, I dare not ask about the master's matters."
Hannah watched the maid's flawless attitude. She suppressed her slight anger and kept a gentle expression.
Deep down, she began to think. What could be more important than news about that person?
Gabriel once postponed meetings at the Marshal's Mansion just for her news.
Now... could there really be something more important than the Marshal's Mansion?
...
Gu residence dungeon
Gabriel sat behind his desk, looking at the letter in his hand.
"The man was caught, master, but he is a dead soldier and very stubborn."
The butler appeared from the dungeon's shadows with several servants. They dragged a plainclothes man who did not look like a dead soldier toward Gabriel.
The man's mouth was full of blood. His tongue, cut out to stop him from killing himself, hung lifeless.
"Stubborn?"
Gabriel looked up at the man, then slowly stood and walked deeper into the dungeon.
"Bring him here. I will interrogate him myself."
The butler hesitated slightly, showing some pity for the man, then pushed him toward the dungeon's depths.
Half an hour later
Gabriel wiped the blood from his fingertips and slowly walked out of the dungeon's depths.
The man inside was now little more than a pile of broken flesh. He could no longer move. The butler left someone to watch him and followed Gabriel.
But as they reached the dungeon door, the clerk taking notes began to shake and could not even stand.
The butler cursed quietly, thinking it useless to be scared by the master's interrogation method after spending so much time in the dungeon.
Though the scene was terrifying, it was ridiculous to be so frightened.
The butler turned back and roughly took the notes from the clerk's hand. The handwriting was shaky but still readable.
Knowing the master was pressed for time, the butler did not copy the notes again but took them directly out of the dungeon.
Outside the cell, Gabriel sat back in his chair, perfectly dressed and without a trace of blood or even a wrinkle from the interrogation.
The butler handed over the notes.
Gabriel glanced at the crooked handwriting, his brow slightly furrowed, but said nothing. The butler relaxed a little.
"Master, the Hong family has really gone too far lately. They dared to attack the madam this time. Should we send more people to protect her?"
Gabriel placed the notes on the desk. His slender finger tapped several locations on the paper.
"Send people to watch these places. Also, have Qingying personally watch the old Jiang family estate. Make me a list of everyone who recently entered Anhai City."
Jiang family? The butler was puzzled. The dead soldier only mentioned the Hong family. Why was the master focused on the Jiang family estate?
Hadn't the Jiang family been wiped out ten years ago?
Despite many questions, the professional butler suppressed his doubts and bowed, "Yes."
If the master hadn't thought of it, the butler surely would have.
He would follow the master's lead quietly.
"Does she have any plans recently?"
The butler paused briefly, then realized the master meant the madam and quickly replied,
"Yesterday, the madam received a poetry gathering invitation from the eldest son of the Mo family and replied. She should be going to the Mo family today."
Gabriel raised his hand and tapped his temple lightly.
"Send Gu Yi to guard her."
Gu Yi was a male attendant who had traveled with Gabriel for years. Among all guards trained by the Gu family, he had the highest overall rating. He was one of the few attendants with status equal to the butler during Gabriel's long travels.
"Yes." The butler agreed and glanced at the dark dungeon.
"That dead soldier still has some breath left. What will the master do?"
"Skin him alive."
The butler was shocked but listened to Gabriel's cold voice continue,
"Skin him and hang him at the city gate so all of Anhai City can see."
The butler looked at Gabriel's indifferent side profile. He hesitated but said,
"Master, the Jiang family is currently promoting benevolent conduct. Doing this may cause trouble with them and public opinion..."
"No need to care."
The butler sighed silently, "Yes."
He did not know if the master's harsh move, which offended even the Jiang family, was to warn the Hong family or for the madam's sake.
He shook his head again.
If it was for the madam, why was the master's relationship with her so tense?
Besides, Miss Hannah was still sitting in the side hall.
Ah, everything is so chaotic.