Two minutes later, several more batches of soldiers who went to support arrived. Feng Yi then emerged from behind a screen by the wall and darted behind a guard, knocking him unconscious with a chop to the neck.
Following the route marked by Sayu, they descended and soon reached their destination.
"Hmph, you thought your little schemes could fool us? Don't think we'll just let you off by locking you up. Whether you suffer fewer blows depends on whether you know what's good for you..."
In a gloomy prison cell, two Shogunate soldiers were using wooden sticks, padded with cork, to privately torture Master Masakatsu.
"Cough... cough cough... I, I don't understand what you're talking about..."
Master Masakatsu felt his ribs were broken and gasped for breath.
"Heh heh, still trying to quibble? Old man, you must have made a lot of money crafting fake Vision s all this time, right? Be smart, hand over the money, and my brother and I can let you suffer a little less. Otherwise, for defying the decree of Her Excellency the Raiden Shogun, being beaten to death would be no exaggeration..."
One soldier, holding a wooden stick, exchanged a glance with his companion, indicating that if Master Masakatsu didn't confess, they should continue the beating.
Extracting some ill-gotten gains from the prisoners was one of the few pleasures for these jailers.
As long as their superiors didn't find out, the money they gained would be enough for them to squander.
As for how to avoid their superiors discovering their private torture, it was simple: by soaking tree bark and making cork pads to place on the prisoner's chest. When striking with the wooden sticks, it both reduced the pain and made it difficult to detect bruises.
"Cough... I have no money. Many of the fake Vision s were given away..."
"Still stubborn, it seems you won't understand until I show you a thing or two!"
Judging by the sounds coming from the cell, there should only be three people inside. Feng Yi was confident he could knock out the two soldiers without them making a sound.
"What are you guys doing?"
Just as Feng Yi was about to make his move, Kujou Sara's voice suddenly echoed from the other end of the corridor.
Feng Yi decided to wait and proceed after Kujou Sara left.
This was the safest option.
Moreover, with Kujou Sara present, Master Masakatsu would likely no longer be subjected to private torture.
"Kujou... Lord Kujou Sara!"
Upon hearing the authoritative voice, the two soldiers immediately panicked. They hadn't expected Lord Kujou Sara to be here at this time.
"We... we were just... giving him a little, a little lesson..."
Maeda, the prison worker, quickly dropped his wooden stick, flustered.
"Isn't private torture strictly forbidden by the Shogun? Do you know that?"
Kujou Sara frowned, looking at the other prison worker who still held the cork pad used for private torture.
"Y-yes..."
Prison worker Kinoshita, seeing Kujou Sara's stern gaze on him, quickly dropped the cork pad.
"If you feel no shame for what you have done, then you are not fit to serve under the Tenryou Commission..."
Kujou Sara's gaze swept over the two men, and she spoke with disappointment.
"My Lord, the others also..."
"I admit my guilt, my Lord!"
Kinoshita tried to say something more, attempting to make Kujou Sara lenient towards everyone.
But he was immediately stopped by Maeda.
Maeda: If you want to die, don't take me with you! I haven't lived enough yet!
"You two, knowingly breaking the law, go find your superior and accept your punishment. If I see this again, I will have you stripped of your armor and sent home. The Tenryou Commission cannot afford such disgrace!"
Kujou Sara sighed.
She knew that private torture was not an isolated incident and that to eradicate it, they needed to start from the top.
"Yes! Thank you for your mercy, my Lord!"
The two prison workers were relieved and quickly bowed before leaving.
"The one by the wall, come out. Don't hide!"
After the two prison workers left, Kujou Sara slowly spoke towards Feng Yi's location, her voice filled with certainty.
"I didn't think I was hidden so well, yet you still found me!"
"Have we met somewhere before? I remember now, you're the boss who hired Arataki Itto!"
"Hi, Kujou Sara, we meet again!"
Feng Yi greeted awkwardly, surprised that he had been recognized even with his mask.
"Boss Feng Yi, why are you in the Shogunate prison instead of running your milk tea shop?"
Hearing the commotion from the west, Kujou Sara immediately realized someone intended to break Master Masakatsu out. The two jailers engaged in private torture were merely an incidental discovery.
"Oh my, I was just taking a stroll in the street, and I got lost, and somehow ended up here... Alright, I admit it, I came to rescue Master Masakatsu..."
Faced with Kujou Sara's perceptive gaze, Feng Yi had no choice but to tell the truth.
"This is a one-time exception. He is severely injured, take him out to treat his wounds. However, once he is healed, I will still bring him back!"
Kujou Sara moved aside, offering an apology for the transgressions of her subordinates.
Furthermore, given Feng Yi's undisclosed close relationship with Her Excellency the Guuji of the Grand Narukami Shrine, she couldn't possibly do anything to him.
"Little Sara, I didn't realize you were quite so decent. You're alright! If there's an opportunity, I'll put in a good word for you with Ei!"
Feng Yi chuckled. If he had known it would be this easy, why would he have gone through the trouble of sneaking in?
"Hmph, show some respect. My name is Kujou Sara. And don't think your good relationship with Her Excellency the Guuji gives you the right to be disrespectful to Her Excellency the Shogun. If you anger Her Excellency the Shogun, even Her Excellency the Guuji might not be able to protect you!"
Kujou Sara's brow furrowed as she reprimanded him upon hearing Feng Yi's overly informal address.
"Master Masakatsu, Yoimiya asked me to save you. Let's get out of here quickly!"
Feng Yi ignored Kujou Sara's warning.
Perhaps the Raiden Shogun might draw her blade against him, but Feng Yi was confident that Ei certainly wouldn't.
"Yes, is it Yoimiya?"
With Feng Yi's help, Master Masakatsu was freed from the restraints. Hearing Yoimiya's name, he quickly let down his guard towards Feng Yi.
"By the way, Little Sara, since you've been relatively decent, let me give you a piece of advice. You'd best clarify your stance. Are you the General of the Tenryou Commission? Or are you the Shogun's General?"
As Feng Yi helped Master Masakatsu leave, he paused and said this.
"The Tenryou Commission serves Her Excellency the Shogun. Is there any difference between the two?"
Kujou Sara asked, confused.
Feng Yi did not reply. He trusted that with Kujou Sara's intelligence, she would soon figure it out.