When King Huai himself was building the Xiaozhao Prison in his palace.

I never imagined that one day I would end up being thrown into the Zhenzhao Prison.

He frowned as he looked at the dark, damp cell in front of him, which was filled with the smell of blood.

—This is a prison reserved for members of the royal family and is much quieter than ordinary prisons.

King Huai once again reprimanded the jailer in a fit of impatience.

"Where is that good-for-nothing Qin merchant? Why hasn't he come to pay his respects yet?"

Although he is currently in the Zhaoyu Prison.

But it's just a temporary setback.

He was the God of War of the Great Yan Dynasty, and the battlefield of Southern Chu could not do without him. His father was always proud of his military achievements.

Locking him up was just for show.

He'll have to go out sooner or later.

However, even if it's just for a few days, this filthy place is far too unworthy of His Highness Prince Huai's status.

"Stop your nonsense! Bring in that good-for-nothing Qin Shang. I have something to say to him."

Outside the cell, the dim light of an oil lamp flickered.

Footsteps came from where the light did not reach.

Soon, a figure wearing a cloak stopped outside King Huai's prison.

"Qin merchants—"

King Huai glared at him coldly.

"Is your leg lame? Even if you crawled here, it wouldn't have taken you this long, would it? I don't want to stay here, I want to change rooms!"

The man in the cloak outside the cell took off his hood.

He revealed a stern and indifferent face.

"Your Highness, you have mistaken me for someone else."

The voice was clear and cold, like a piece of jade that carried a chill.

King Huai frowned and stared at him for a moment.

"Yun Zheng?" he asked incredulously.

How did you get here?

The person outside the cell had a pair of dark, abyss-like eyes that quietly gazed at him.

"Naturally, we've come to visit Your Highness."

King Huai: "This is the Zhaoyu Prison, how dare you enter?"

Then he saw those dark eyes reveal a cold smile.

The man said softly:

"Your Highness seems to have some misunderstandings about me."

King Huai sneered.

"I understand now. You and that good-for-nothing Qin Shang were actually in cahoots all along."

Yun Wuyi: "It's not just Qin merchants. If we're going to go by what Your Highness says, I've colluded with many people."

His eyes were so cold.

The voice was too quiet.

It gave people a vague sense of unease.

King Huai: "You came to Zhaoyu Prison in the middle of the night just to tell me this?"

Yun Wuyi: "Your Highness should know why I came here in the middle of the night."

King Huai stroked his chin and glanced at him sideways.

"Could it be—it's because of your new wife?"

Yun Wuyi didn't speak, but silently gazed at him.

King Huai sensed a hint of murderous intent in that silence.

His expression was strange, and then he couldn't help but burst into wild laughter.

"You, you... hahaha..."

"Yun Zheng, Zen Master Dao Ci! I never thought that after you left the secular world, you would become such a romantic?"

"For a woman..."

"For a woman, you came to the Imperial Prison in the middle of the night to confront me... Hahaha..."

He was laughing wildly as he rolled around on the ground and kept pounding the ground in a frenzy.

Yun Wuyi stood quietly outside the cell.

Listen quietly to his unrestrained laughter.

The black stone prayer beads were wrapped around his wrist, exuding a somber and serene aura.

After an unknown amount of time, King Huai finally finished laughing.

She raised her hand to wipe away the tears that had welled up in her eyes from laughing.

He lay sprawled on the ground, glaring at Yun Wuyi outside.

He provocatively said:

"Yes, I did bully your wife and even tried to kill her in the street. What do you intend to do about it?"

Yun Wuyi responded coldly.

"Not so. I intended to repay Your Highness according to plan, but Your Highness is clearly impatient. In that case, Your Highness, may you descend into hell as soon as possible."

Falling into hell early?

King Huai seemed to have heard something utterly absurd.

"You? This is the Zhaoyu Prison. Are you still asleep, Zen Master Daoci?"

Another voice came from the shadows not far away.

"I'm a little sleepy."

"Your Highness, please hurry up and continue our old friendship. I have to attend court early tomorrow and need to get some sleep."

The smile on King Huai's face faded.

He recognized that voice.

It was Qin Shang, the embroidered-robed envoy and palace attendant whom he had repeatedly insulted before.

Standing in front of the cell, Yun Wuyi put his hood back on.

He said it casually.

"Let's get started."

The Qin merchants finally emerged from the shadows.

He had been leaning against the wall. Now, his smiling eyes were looking at Prince Huai in the prison cell.

It was like looking at a dead person.

"How does His Highness the Prince of Qishan intend for him to fall into hell?"

The man in the cloak had already left the prison gate.

The air currents created by walking stirred the oil lamps on the wall.

Flames flickered and danced, casting mottled shadows all around.

"Those who do evil will reap what they sow." His voice echoed from afar.

Qin Shang laughed.

"Understood."

He turned his gaze to Prince Huai, "Well then, Your Highness, it's getting late. You should prepare to set off soon. Don't keep me from sleeping."

King Huai stopped laughing.

He stared coldly at Qin Shang with a stern face.

"Do you know what you're saying? His Majesty has only imprisoned me in the Imperial Prison; he hasn't even held a joint trial yet."

Qin Shang laughed and said, "I know, I know. Your Highness need not worry. I will make arrangements for the joint trial."

As he spoke, he took out a long, thin silver needle from his sleeve.

King Huai roared, "How dare you touch me?"

Qin Shang put his index finger to his lips and shushed him.

"It's just a life, Your Highness, why be so stingy?"

"Everything in the world is available for trade. I must thank Your Highness for giving me this opportunity."

…

Deep within the Zhao prison, the candlelight flickered dimly.

Qin Shang, the envoy before the palace, yawned and walked out of the prison.

"What time is it?" he asked the servant holding the lamp outside.

The constable replied, "It's almost midnight."

Ah, it's really getting late.

Time to go to sleep.

.

Qi Su woke up in the middle of the night.

I felt a familiar presence encircling me in my arms.

"Where did you go?" she asked groggily.

He felt cool all over.

It looks like they just came back from outside.

The man didn't answer, but simply reached out and pulled her into his arms.

Qi Su also reached out and hugged him.

He gently patted his back and mumbled:

"Good boy/girl."

Yun Wuyi laughed silently.

He rested his chin on her soft, downy hair.

Good boy.

.

The weather has been bad these past few days.

There is always a layer of dark clouds floating on the horizon.

It was supposed to rain, but it didn't. It's been gloomy and overcast ever since.

With King Huai imprisoned in Zhaoyu Prison awaiting trial, the previously sensational case of blocking the carriage on Zhuque Street gradually subsided.

Princess Qishan was frightened and recuperated at home.

He received daily consultations from the imperial physicians and never went out again.

Afternoon passed and the clouds looked even thicker.

Under the eaves, the wind rustled through the tender green leaves of the trees.

Qi Su changed into a servant's clothes, which were drab and unremarkable.

"Your Highness?" the female official Song called out uncertainly.

Qi Su turned around and smiled at her.

Song, the female official: "Where is Your Highness going?"

Qi Su: "Um, I'm going out to take care of some personal business."

She rubbed her fingers together and made a decision.

"Here's what we'll do: call your mistresses over and come out with me."