Staying steadfast in prison, never abandoning each other.

The prison cells of Dali Temple were as deep as icy pools, with damp stone walls seeping icy water droplets, mixed with the smells of mold and rust, making it hard to breathe. Shen Qingci gently placed Su Yunqing on the pile of straw, his gaze sweeping over the surroundings—cobwebs covered the corners, pebbles and withered grass were scattered on the ground, and the only light came from a small vent high up, letting in a few dim rays of skylight.

"Yunqing, your wound can't be delayed any longer." Shen Qingci tore off a piece of his shirt and carefully bandaged the knife wound on her arm. The wound was deep enough to expose the bone, and the bloodstains had already soaked through her plain clothes, a shocking sight. Su Yunqing was in so much pain that sweat beaded on her forehead, but she bit her lip and didn't utter a sound. She simply reached out and touched his wrist, which was red from being rubbed by the iron chains: "You've suffered too."

The chains bound Shen Qingci's hands and feet, each movement causing excruciating friction pain, yet looking at Su Yunqing's pale face, he felt only greater heartache. "It's all my fault. If I hadn't insisted on returning to the capital, you wouldn't have suffered like this," he said hoarsely, filled with self-reproach.

"What nonsense are you talking about?" Su Yunqing shook her head, her eyes shining with determination. "We are husband and wife, and we should share joys and sorrows. Li Linfu's conspiracy will be exposed sooner or later. As long as we stay true to ourselves and persevere, there will surely be a day when our injustice is redressed." She took out a small packet of herbs she had prepared beforehand from her bosom. These were hemostatic and anti-inflammatory medicines that she had hastily gathered when she left the military camp. "This is Panax notoginseng powder. Please apply it to me, and I will be better soon."

Shen Qingci changed her dressing as instructed, her movements as gentle as if she were afraid of breaking a precious treasure. Conditions in prison were harsh; the daily meals consisted of moldy coarse rice and murky soup, barely edible. Shen Qingci would always first pick out the few clean grains of rice from her own bowl and give them to Su Yunqing, while she herself would gnaw on the hard, moldy rice and drink cold water to stave off hunger.

Su Yunqing saw this and felt a pang of heartache. She excused herself, saying she had no appetite, and pushed the food back to him, saying, "I really can't eat anymore. You should eat more so you'll have the strength to deal with the subsequent interrogations." Shen Qingci knew she was just putting on a brave face, but he didn't want to disappoint her. He could only silently accept the food, secretly vowing to take her away from this hell on earth as soon as possible.

A few days later, Shen Yanzhi and Su Mingyuan finally managed to pull some strings and were allowed to visit their children in prison. Seeing their children's haggard appearance through the cold iron bars, the two elderly people were heartbroken and tears streamed down their faces. "Qingci, Yunqing, it's our fault for not protecting you," Shen Yanzhi said, his voice choked with emotion, as he handed them a package. "Here are clean clothes, medicine, and some dry food. Use them sparingly."

"Father, Mother, don't worry." Shen Qingci took the package, his eyes filled with gratitude. "Yunqing and I are fine; it's just that you've been wronged." He lowered his voice, "Do you have any leads on the evidence that Li Linfu framed me?"

Su Mingyuan nodded, his expression grave: "We found the clerk who forged the letters for Li Linfu back then, and he is willing to testify in court. However, Li Linfu is extremely powerful, and the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review has long been bribed by him. Overturning the case is as difficult as climbing to heaven."

"No matter how difficult it is, we will not give up," Su Yunqing said firmly. "Brother Qingci has been wronged, and we must bring the truth to light."

The prison visit passed quickly, and Shen Yanzhi and Su Mingyuan left reluctantly, leaving Shen Qingci and Su Yunqing to support each other in prison. Every night, Shen Qingci would use the dim light to sort through the evidence of Li Linfu's crimes on the stone wall, while Su Yunqing would grind the ink for him (using only the available water and broken porcelain shards), occasionally offering her own insights.

The coldness of the chains, the coarseness of the food, and the harshness of the environment could not extinguish the hope in their hearts. They knew that as long as they were together, as long as their faith remained, they would surely endure this long darkness and see the light of day again. This ordeal in prison also deepened their bond, making them stand tall and proud like plum blossoms in the face of adversity.