Second imprisonment

Today was the day she was supposed to pick up the goods from the blacksmith shop, and Xu Lanxin left home early.

She passed by a teahouse and it seemed someone was calling her.

"Sister-in-law, look here, look up."

Xu Lanxin looked up at the source of the sound and saw that it was none other than that kid from Yan'an.

"Sister-in-law, come up quickly and have a cup of tea before you leave."

Lanxin did not refuse and turned to enter the teahouse.

The layout of the teahouses is generally similar, with neatly arranged mahogany tables in the main hall surrounding a viewing platform.

A table with upturned corners was set up on the stands, with a gavel, folding fan, and handkerchief neatly arranged.

It was still early, and there weren't many people drinking tea. Following the waiter's lead, we passed through the main hall and went up the hidden staircase.

The first one is "Lan Ya Ge".

Besides Yan An, there were three other men sitting in the private room, who looked to be about the same age as him.

"Sister-in-law, come and sit down!"

Who are these people?

Yan'an put away his folding fan and introduced with a smile: "Liu Jin, the second son of the Duke of Junguo; Yang Xuanzhi, the son of the Vice Minister of Revenue; and Lan Shuhe, the son of the Vice Minister of Works."

Lan Xin smiled awkwardly, then turned her head and stared wide-eyed at Yan'an.

Pulling him down by the corner of the table, I forced a smile and said in a low voice:

"Hey kid, aren't these the guys who bullied us at school? Believe me or not, I'll tell Cen Yan."

After saying that, he turned back to look at the three people, nodded, and gave an awkward smile.

Yan'an tugged at her sleeve and whispered in her ear:

"Don't worry, sister-in-law, they all got a beating from me when they got back, and I even told them it was you who saved them."

The sound grew louder and louder, and he even sat up straight, opened his folding fan, and put it away.

"This is Miss Xu who saved you. Didn't you say you wanted to thank her? She's right here, so hurry up and do it!"

Die in Yan'an, is this really necessary? Good riddance.

The three of them immediately stood up, picked up their teacups, and bowed.

"Thank you for your help, Miss Xu. Please have some tea!"

Xu Lanxin could only smile awkwardly and accept the teacup.

After the three of them lined up to offer tea, they sat down and started their "questioning baby" mode.

"Miss Xu, I heard from Yan'an that you're quite skilled at autopsies."

"Miss Xu, how did you come to the conclusion that the problem lies with that rope?"

"Miss Xu, who did you learn your skills from?"

Xu Lanxin answered the questions one by one, but when she couldn't take it anymore, she gave a look to Yan'an, the instigator.

The fabrication began in Yan'an, and the three men actually listened to it, their faces filled with admiration.

"Sister-in-law, look, I was the only fan before, but now there are three more. How about that?"

Yan'an is like a child, always seeking praise.

"Wow, that's amazing, you've almost built a fan club for me."

The folding fan snapped shut.

"Sister-in-law, how many people are in the fan club?"

This question stumped her, as she doesn't follow entertainment news.

"About a hundred people!"

"That's easy, sister-in-law. Soon the fan club will have a hundred people!"

"Why don't we choose a name first?"

Xu Lanxin gave an awkward, speechless laugh.

Haha, whatever makes you happy!

A loud "snap" sounded downstairs, and the entire teahouse fell silent instantly.

The storyteller struck his gavel again.

"The strangest thing that has happened in the past twenty-five years was the day of the execution at the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion. A fierce wind blew so hard that the person on the execution platform and the onlookers couldn't even open their eyes."

The storyteller had expressive features, exaggerated gestures, and spoke fluently and eloquently.

"The Duke of Zhenguo was sentenced to beheading of his entire clan for treason, and even his eldest grandson, who was still an infant, died on the way to exile."

"But the strangest thing wasn't the eerie wind that was causing all the trouble."

*Snap!* The storyteller slapped his fan shut.

"Dear readers, would you like to know?"

"What's the strangest thing about it? Tell me quickly!"

With a sharp "snap," the storyteller opened his fan and fanned himself twice in a deliberately profound manner.

"Dear readers, please listen to my explanation. The strangest thing is that after the beheading, the heavens rained down red rain for three days and three nights."

The common people often saw headless ghosts wandering the streets at night, which terrified them so much that they dared not go out for days and nights. In the end, the emperor invited a high-ranking monk to perform rituals and chant scriptures, and only then did the red rain stop.

"Men, surround him and arrest the storyteller!"

What's going on? A lot of Imperial Guards have come down.

They were all dressed in black uniforms, carrying swords, and their footsteps were synchronized and uniform.

The leading man had a cold expression, a coldness quite different from Cen Yan's; it was sinister and chilling.

“Arrest everyone here and give them ten strokes of the cane as a warning to others.”

Cries filled the hall as the people cried out for the man to be spared.

"Who is this person? So arrogant, arresting people without warning."

Lanxin looked at the person and asked what was on her mind.

As if hearing this, the person looked over, their eyes like those of a swamp—they wouldn't die immediately, but the more they struggled, the more deadly it would become.

"Xiao Muhan is a monster, don't mess with him, we'll just fine him a little money later," Yan An replied in a low voice.

Xu Lanxin and the others were led downstairs by the Imperial City Guard, where they were intercepted by that person.

“The Crown Prince of Yan’an,” he gave a chilling laugh, as if a venomous snake had crawled over him, sending shivers down one’s spine.

He walked past them one by one, his gaze sweeping over the other three before finally settling on Lan Xin.

Brother, look at other places. You're making me uneasy.

Xu Lanxin was determined not to provoke this person and would just accept her punishment and move on.

"Who are you?"

This person even dragged out the last syllable of their name with great enthusiasm.

Xu Lanxin

He gave a knowing smile, said nothing more, and turned to look at Yan'an.

"Does the Prince of Yan'an intend to pay a fine to avoid punishment today?"

He gave a mocking smile: "That won't do! Let's go, I have some free time today, I'll keep an eye on things myself."

"After paying the fine, the three of them, including Liu Langjun, may leave."

"As for this Miss Xu, she will accompany the Prince of Yan'an and suffer the punishment together."

After saying that, he turned and left.

What? Xu Lanxin's eyes widened in disbelief.

Where did this mentally ill person come from? They were released without taking their medication.

She was about to speak in rebuttal when Yan'an grabbed her sleeve, but he shook his head.

“We await your arrival to save us.”

Good heavens, is she cursed with bad luck? It's only been a short time, and she's already been imprisoned twice.

Fortunately, Qingyu took the opportunity to escape during the search; hopefully, he can make it here soon.

After entering the prison, Xiao Muhan gave his subordinates a look, and Yan'an was assigned to another side, while she followed behind him.

What's wrong with this person? Didn't he have a grudge against Yan'an? Why is he taking her with him?

Although it was summer, the chilly atmosphere inside the prison sent shivers down her spine.

A damp, putrid smell filled the air, and the flickering oil lamps on either side gradually instilled a sense of dread.

"Tie her up."

Xu Lanxin was tied to the rack by the two men.

No, this guy is serious.

"Lord Xiao, do you and I know each other before?"

The man just smiled and didn't say anything.

"Master Xiao, do you think there might be some misunderstanding between us?"

The man's smile remained unchanged. The light was too dim to see clearly what was in his eyes, but he beckoned with his finger behind him.

One by one, people brought whips, wooden buckets, braziers, and iron tongs that were already red-hot.

"Crack!" At his prompting, a subordinate lashed out with a whip, striking nothing.

Xiao Muhan sat casually in front, a cold smile on his face.

“Xu Lanxin, Cen Yan is your fiancé.”

Lan Xin was somewhat confused; this wasn't common knowledge.

"How about you exchange one of Cen Yan's secrets for exemption from punishment?"

It turns out he had a grudge against Cen Yan.

“Lord Xiao, Lord Cen and I have only been engaged for a few days. How could I possibly know about his private affairs?”

The man curled his lips into a smile and winked at his subordinates behind him.

A black whip came hurtling through the air, the only sound being the whistling of the whip.

A sharp pain shot through her back, causing her to groan.

"Tell me?"

Lan Xin glanced at him and gave a mocking laugh.

"Crack! Crack!" Two whips rang out, and the pain seemed to penetrate her bone marrow, causing her to break out in a cold sweat.

The man walked towards her, his large, iron-like hand grabbing her face and forcing Lanxin to look at him.

"What, you still won't tell me?"

After saying that, he leaned close to her ear and whispered:

"How about we try to see how many lashes you can withstand before he comes to rescue you?"

Lan Xin retorted, "Are you sick? If you are, go take your medicine."

These words seemed to have angered him, and his anger flared up, making her heart skip a beat and causing her to feel a brief moment of oxygen deprivation.

He flung her face away, took the whip, and began to lash her with it.

Xu Lanxin let out a muffled groan, her brows furrowed, biting her lip to endure it.

A streak of silver light flashed past, whistling past her ear.

The black whip was driven into the wall by the sword with a clang, demonstrating the profound inner strength of the newcomer.

With her head bowed, Lan Xin noticed the crimson hem of her dress at the corner of her eye. Her gaze wandered, and she struggled to lift her head. Seeing the familiar face, her tense heart finally calmed down.

His eyes were a mixture of heartache, anger, and guilt, like a palette of emotions.

"Lord Xiao, if you do not give me an explanation for this matter, do not blame me for being impolite."

Cen Yan suppressed his anger, his words brimming with rage.

The sound of slaps rang out, a defiant provocation from the man:

"Oh, how does Lord Cen intend to be so impolite? I'm looking forward to it!"

Cen Yan handed Xu Lanxin to Qingyun, who was standing to the side.

With a "clang," he drew the sword from the person beside him, but his sleeve was tightly gripped by a delicate, fair hand. Cen Yan pulled the hem of his sleeve away from her hand, ignoring the worry in her eyes.

A flash of sword light, and a crimson figure followed, and the two began to fight.

The two swords clashed repeatedly with a clang, sparks flying.

"Sir, the young lady has fainted."

The scarlet figure was forced back a few steps due to the disturbance, but the person did not stop and continued to attack fiercely.

Enraged, Cen Yan struck the man in the chest with a palm strike. Before the man could react, the silver sword was already upon him, pressed against Xiao Muhan's throat.

With a "snap," Cen Yan threw the sword in his hand to the ground and scooped up the unconscious Xu Lanxin in his arms.

"Lord Xiao, I will report the truth to His Majesty and ask him to make a decision."

After saying that, she turned and left without looking at him.

Xiao Mohan, however, was not angry. He wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and chuckled softly.

Cen Yan carried Xu Lanxin back to Qingzhu Garden, where the physician was already waiting.

Inside the courtyard, Qingyu knelt to one side, but he didn't even glance at her before walking past her into the house.

"Qingyun, take her down to receive her punishment."

"Such dereliction of duty means he will not be retained and will be sent to Black Cliff immediately afterward."

Qingyu raised her head in alarm, as if to plead, but Qingyun stopped her with a look.

As Qingyun disappeared into Qingzhu Garden.