INARTICULATION (MLM/MxM/M4M ORIGINAL)

12: Read Me My Rights, Please!

Mercy is something Xun Jie never once craved. He knew it would not be served, and what's more, he never had a taste of it in the first place. How can one crave something they have never once tasted?

MEMENTO MORI

Wen Jingyi had never thought the day would come when he would be arrested. In his case, he had no idea what exactly he had done to earn himself a cell in the depths below Dong Nan Palace and a personal meeting with Shang Hou.

While he looked up at her through the iron bars, he felt her glaring down with cold eyes.

"What the fuck is with this whole switch? What have I done?"

Shang Hou continued to stare at him, her eyebrows knitted, and her arms crossed.

"You know exactly what you've done. You reek of demonic qi. Does that mean that this is your true form? Are you a demon who managed to slip away with Xun Jie during the battle with Heng'e?"

Wen Jingyi was stunned. His disguise was still active, meaning that his body was spewing with demonic energies. It would be normal for any inexperienced being to mistake him for a demon, but this accusation coming from Shang Hou was a real shocker.

"What are you even saying? I'm not even from this world! Why the fuck would I be a demon?! What is your problem? Is the king spewing more shit into your head?"

She was quick to grab Wen Jingyi by the collar of his robes and dragged him closer, his face pressing against the cool prison bars uncomfortably.

"You best know your place, bastard. You either tell the truth about your identity or I will be given the right to make a story of my own. I can tell my king that you are either a demon or a shameless human carrying the essence of the Tiger of Jiao Xiang Palace. Which one would you prefer?"

Neither! What the fuck were these options?!

Shang Hou only tried to pull him closer the longer her question went unanswered, nearly tearing the fabric of his borrowed robes. When she heard the slightest tear, she looked down at them and sneered.

"I see that one of those statements would be true. Those aren't even yours, are they?"

As she said this, she moved her hand to hold Wen Jingyi by his throat, feeling her nails dig into his skin. It was a swift movement; soundless, but still carried strength that sent shivers down Wen Jingyi's spine as she squeezed to keep his head against the iron bars of his cell.

"What the fuck are you talking about?" Wen Jingyi choked out; tears welled in his eyes as breathing became difficult. "I haven't done a thing to or with anyone! Keep your accusations to your fucking self!"

Shang Hou only tightened her grip and moved another hand to completely constrict Wen Jingyi's windpipe. This way, he could neither choke trying to breathe in nor cough trying to breathe out.

"Watch your tongue, or should I cut it out for you?"

Wen Jingyi could form no response to this other than struggle against her hands and the cold bars of the cellar as tears rolled down his cheeks. Shang Hou saw this and was pleased, letting go of her grip and watching him fall to his knees on the ground a teary, quivering mess.

She fixed her robes and ran a hand through her bangs before turning to walk away. "Next time I won't be so gentle."

Wen Jingyi knew that there was no telling just how merciless she would be the next time they crossed paths. He could only begin to wonder why things had gotten so rough between the two of them. Why was she so upset to see that he was wearing one of Xun Jie's older robes? Why was she taking things to the extreme and making such wild accusations?

Wen Jingyi massaged his neck, choking on nothing while soothing the flesh that had now been bruised with handprints and cut from fingernails.

"Show her some respect and you may receive some in turn," a disembodied voice echoed through the underground prison. Judging by the obnoxious tone, it couldn't have belonged to anyone other than Fu Qianqiu. Though that was the tone he always spoke in, Wen Jingyi knew that he hadn't meant for it to come out that way.

Wen Jingyi saw him walk around the corner from the direction that Shang Hou had left. He held a bowl of a mysterious cuisine, appearing much less edible the more he saw dribble down the sides of the dish and splotch onto the floor.

"I brought you food."

Wen Jingyi would have much preferred to be on death row eating his last meal than to have to eat that monstrosity.

"No thanks, I think I'll pass."

"A mortal such as yourself cannot go a day longer without food. Don't worry, it's only a bowl of congee."

It sure as hell didn't look like just a bowl of congee! Wen Jingyi couldn't recall making the prison food so toxic in the novel, so why now was it that it looked to be alive?!

"Please just eat it. Her Highness would be upset if I returned with a full bowl."

Now he had no choice but to eat it, or the next time they crossed paths wouldn't be so pleasant.