Jiang Shuyue withdrew her hand from taking the pulse and said calmly, "His Majesty's low-grade fever has subsided. I will leave two days' worth of medicine for him, and I will go to the palace again on the third day to help His Majesty with a follow-up examination."

Xiao Jingzhao pursed his thin lips and looked at Lin Miaoshou.

Lin Miaoshou said with some concern, "Yue'er, for the sake of His Majesty's health, I think it would be safer for you to stay in the palace and observe for a day."

"Yes, yes, what Chief Lin said is absolutely right. With you here, I can finally put my mind at ease."

Judging from appearances, most of the poison in the emperor's body has been neutralized. This poison was too cunning, and Jiang Shuyue couldn't guarantee whether the subsequent detoxification process would go smoothly.

She nodded. "Alright, I'll stay and observe for a day, then leave the palace tomorrow."

Having received confirmation that Jiang Shuyue was willing to stay, Eunuch Ma beamed with joy and respectfully welcomed her and Qiuju to the side hall for accommodation.

When Lin Miaoshou heard Jiang Shuyue say she was willing to stay, she felt reassured and returned to the Imperial Hospital with Xu An.

After everyone left, Xiang Song and Xiang Yang immediately moved closer to the dragon bed.

"Master, are you still feeling unwell?"

"When have I ever lied?"

Xiao Jingzhao threw off the brocade quilt, glared at Xiang Yang, and nimbly stood up from the dragon bed.

Seeing the Emperor move freely, without the slightest hint of stiffness, one could see that he was moving with ease.

Xiangyang was both surprised and delighted, and said repeatedly, "It's good that Master is alright, it's good that he's alright."

Xiang Song rolled his eyes at Xiang Yang, "Who said the master is alright? Didn't you see that the master's movements were much slower when getting out of bed? You're really blind."

Xiang Yang: "..."

Well, I guess I was blind.

Fu Gui watched quietly without saying a word. In the past, the emperor was served by palace maids in his bedchamber, so he had no idea whether the emperor was able to get out of bed easily.

"Change your clothes and go to the jail."

"Master, it's probably not appropriate to go at this time."

Xiang Song glared at Xiang Yang again, "Why are you asking so many questions? If the master says to go, then we'll go."

As Xiang Song spoke, he opened the wardrobe, deftly took out a set of casual clothes, and skillfully helped Xiao Jingzhao change.

Fu Gui watched the three leave through the side door, then scratched the back of his head and muttered softly, "Even the Emperor lies."

The palace prison was located in a remote area, and you could smell an unpleasant odor even before you entered.

"Master, shall I bring the person to the front?" Xiang Song noticed that Xiao Jingzhao frowned slightly.

Xiao Jingzhao waved his hand, "No need, I'll go in and ask two questions and then leave."

The purpose of the messenger sent by the third prince of Liang, Mo Ziyan, has been investigated. He wants to know how Mo Ziyan learned of the secret letter he wrote to the King of Liang.

At this point, Emperor Liang probably had no idea that his trusted confidant had betrayed him.

He needs to find out the truth, otherwise that guy will have a very difficult time returning to China.

Stepping into the prison, the air was thick with a damp and decaying smell.

As you go further in, the smell of blood becomes stronger and stronger.

It was dark and cold inside, and rats scurried across the ground from time to time.

The only source of light was a ray of sunlight streaming in through a narrow window in the wall.

When the guards in charge of the prison saw the two commanders of the Embroidered Uniform Guard accompanying the emperor in, they quickly brought candles and lit them.

After the candle was lit, the sound of shackles clanking could be heard not far away.

Xiao Jingzhao approached and, through the crack in the cell door, saw the person in front of him covered in blood, lying on the wooden bed, barely alive.

The people in the cell next door had all been tortured, and now they were all lying silently inside.

The entire prison was filled with the aura of death.

Xiao Jingzhao raised his hand, and the guards quickly stepped forward to open the wooden door of the first cell.

The person on the wooden board slowly opened their eyes, their bloodshot eyes filled with despair.

"We've said everything we should and shouldn't have said, please... please give me a quick death." The prisoner was barely breathing, and after finishing his sentence, he suddenly coughed.

After coughing, a stream of blood gushed from the corner of his mouth.

The prisoner's gaze toward Xiao Jingzhao seemed unfocused.

Xiao Jingzhao said to the guards, "Summon the imperial physician; these people cannot die."

"I'll go right away."

After the guards left, Xiao Jingzhao stepped forward and looked down at the man on the wooden bed.

"How did your master learn that your eldest prince was in Wanling?"

"Cough cough..."

"We don't know. We only follow our master's orders and know nothing else."

The man gasped for breath after saying just one sentence.

Xiao Jingzhao glanced at the man.

The man was covered in wounds and his face was as pale as paper; if he were tortured any further, he would surely die.

Xiang Song and Xiang Yang understood that the two of them, standing on either side of Xiao Jingzhao, had no intention of attacking the man.

Xiao Jingzhao was not about to be dismissed by the man's words.

He smiled slightly, staring intently into the man's eyes.

He said casually, "If I were to send you all back to Liang, do you think your master, Mo Ziyan, would protect you, or would he say he was unaware of it?"

The man's pupils contracted.

Xiao Jingzhao's lips curled slightly. "Scared?"

He then added, "If you name the person who leaked the information, I guarantee you'll be safe."

"No, don't say it. We're going to die anyway, we can't implicate our families."

The man in the next cell suddenly lunged forward, grabbing the bars with both hands and shouting at the man lying on the wooden bed through the three-inch gap.

"Shut up if you want to live!" Xiang Yang shot him a sharp look.

The man shivered, his body slid down, and he knelt down with a thud.

Xiao Jingzhao was about to ask another question when the man pressed his forehead against the fence and began to sob.

While crying, he said, "Please kill me. Even if you send us back, we are all doomed. If we die here, at least we can save our wives, children and elderly parents."

The man pleaded desperately, looking utterly pitiful.

These people were merely following orders, each serving their own master.

If it were up to him to order his men to kill someone, they would obey.

Perhaps it was because he had distanced himself from killing, or perhaps it was because of the passing years, but Xiao Jingzhao had lost the ruthlessness he once possessed.

He looked at the man and said, "If I have a way to protect your family and prevent Mo Ziyan from silencing you, what will you do?"

The man's desperate eyes suddenly lit up. "Really?"

"My words are law."

“I said,” the two men said almost in unison.

...

at this time.

At Bai Zhou's residence, Su Jin, Bai Zhou, Xie Yunchen, and a few others were enjoying tea and chatting in the warm pavilion.

"Brother Su, Brother Lin has disappeared without a word for more than half a month. Should we try to find him?" Bai Zhou said with some concern.

Su Jin said, "He's unwell, so he must have gone back to Yannan. Should we go to Yannan to find him?"

“Brother Su once lived in Yannan. Give me his home address and I will send a message to the local government office, asking them to pass on our message and urge him to return to the capital as soon as possible.”

Xie Yunchen thought that since he was working as the Prefect of the Capital, it would be easy for him to find someone.

Bai Zhou chimed in, "Brother Xie is right. Any correspondence between Yan Nan and the capital would pass through his hands; it's just a matter of smuggling in a letter."