“This guy is always up to no good. Let’s take him down first; it’ll make things easier,” Ling Feng said.

Fourth Master nodded, signaling Ling Feng to go and help push open the door to the secret room.

Fourth Master and Ling Feng worked together to push the door to the left, revealing a dark entrance inside.

“It’s inside, Your Highness. This servant will go and get a candlestick,” Hu Song said.

The three of them walked through the door, and it was pitch black inside.

"Qin'er!" Fourth Master couldn't help but call out inside. The little woman was in such a dark place, which really pained Fourth Master.

But there was no answer to his calls! Was he asleep?

Fourth Master, holding a candlestick, eagerly walked into the secret room. Ling Feng followed closely behind him and went in as well.

When the two of them went inside, they found a cell made of iron, with three people sitting along the wall inside.

"Qin'er!" Fourth Master finally saw Lanqin. She was sitting on the ground, asleep next to Sihua.

Su Peisheng was sitting in another direction, also asleep, probably to avoid suspicion.

"Your Highness!" Su Peisheng woke up and saw Fourth Master and Ling Feng outside the iron prison, holding candlesticks.

"Is the concubine alright?" the Fourth Prince asked.

"Master? Master, Master has come to save us." Si Hua also woke up and quickly nudged Lan Qin beside her.

Lanqin had already fallen asleep, but Sihua nudged her and she woke up rubbing her eyes.

"Qin'er!" Fourth Master couldn't help but chuckle as he looked at the little woman sleeping so soundly.

"Master?" Lanqin finally woke up from her daze and called out to the Fourth Master outside the iron gate.

"How do we open this iron gate? Do we need a key?" Fourth Master immediately asked Hu Song behind him.

"The key is right here, here you go!" Hu Song said with unusual cooperation. Then, he took a key out of his pocket.

Ling Feng immediately took the key from his hand and quickly handed it to Fourth Master.

Fourth Master inserted the key into the lock, turned it a few times, and the large iron lock finally opened.

Fourth Master couldn't wait to open the door. He went inside, rushed to Lanqin's side, and pulled the little woman up from the ground.

Si Hua quickly retreated to Su Peisheng's side.

"How dare you be so bold as to meddle in this matter? Why didn't you wait for me to return?" Fourth Master said. Although he was very worried, Lanqin had inadvertently uncovered such a crucial matter. Wang Huiling, a mere fifth-rank official, dared to intercept tribute from the imperial court; he must have connections in the capital, otherwise he would be courting death!

"My lord, I never imagined that the magistrate was also involved in the case!" Lanqin said. That day, they were waiting in that study when they drank that cup of tea and were poisoned by the sleeping potion, falling unconscious. When the three of them woke up, they were already here.

Clang!

oops!

Si Hua cried out because she saw Ling Feng outside the cell being hit from behind by Hu Song, and when she looked at what was in his hand, it was a porcelain bottle.

Before Fourth Master could react, two black figures suddenly appeared behind Hu Song and rushed to the prison door, locking the iron chain lock again.

Si Hua and Su Peisheng stared in horror at this sudden turn of events, unsure of what to do.

Fourth Master and Lanqin quietly looked at the three people outside, and said, "You are actually the head manager here!"

"Haha, Your Highness is indeed astute, but it's a pity you still fell into the trap of a villain!" Hu Song said.

"You deliberately said that the person outside was the brother-in-law of the Third Concubine, so that the master would lower his guard against your surrender!" Fourth Master said.

“That’s right, actually I’m the third concubine’s brother-in-law! If I switched identities with that fat man outside, everything else I said would be true,” Hu Song said. “Now, the master should really value me!”

“You did very well this time, the master will remember it!” said the man in black.

"Yes, what do we do now?" Hu Song immediately asked obsequiously.

"Lock this one up first!" another man in black said.

"Yes, Hu Song, keep a close eye on these four men, and we also need to go out and deal with that coachman!" the man in black said.

“Alright, they won’t be able to fly out of here. I’ll personally deliver their food,” Hu Song said.

"Let's go!" the man in black said.

They carried Ling Feng, who was lying on the ground with blood still flowing from the back of his head, away.

The door was closed again. Because Fourth Master had brought a candlestick, the cell wasn't completely dark yet.

"My lord, I never expected this person to be so cunning! But from what you just said, it's clear you suspect him," Lanqin asked.

"You still found out!" Fourth Master said. "I deliberately fell for his trick!"

Si Hua and Su Peisheng looked at Fourth Master in surprise, neither of them understanding why he would deliberately fall for their trick!

"Master, please sit down over there!" Lanqin said.

The group walked to the corner and sat down cross-legged, one in charge and one in charge.

“This matter must be related to someone in the capital! If you only take down Wang Hui, it's just like cutting off one of his arms and legs. He can find other ways to do it!” Fourth Master said.

"Does Master intend to use himself to lure out the person behind him?" Lanqin asked.

“That’s right, Magistrate Wang wouldn’t dare to do anything to you, sir. He will definitely consult that person, and that person might even show up!” Fourth Master said.

"Master, what if he doesn't show up? Aren't you taking too much risk by doing this?" Lanqin said.

"Risk and reward are always directly proportional!" Fourth Master said.

Looking at Fourth Master's face, Lanqin knew he must have made proper arrangements, so she was no longer worried.

"I'm just worried about Ling Feng and Gesang right now. I wonder how they are doing outside?" Fourth Master said.

Su Peisheng then understood and said to the Fourth Master, "Master, they have all followed you for many years, they will definitely be fine."

Seeing that things had come to this point, Lanqin also said, "They shouldn't dare to kill your people so easily!"

"Qin'er, come here, I'll keep you company!" Fourth Master said.

Si Hua and Su Peisheng immediately retreated to another corner.

Fourth Master and Lanqin sat in the dark cell, a situation neither of them had expected!

"My lord, I never imagined that one day I would be locked in a secret room with you," Lanqin said.

"I never expected this, Qin'er. I've put you in danger. You won't blame me, will you?" Fourth Master said.

“How could that be? I took care of this matter myself, and it even caused you to be locked up. How could I blame you!” Lanqin said.

"To find out who's behind this, I'm going to take this gamble. Let's see who's got the audacity to do this!" Fourth Master said.

“My lord, isn’t the matter of tributes a matter for the Imperial Household Department?” Lanqin said. “Who has ever worked in the Imperial Household Department?”

Fourth Master said, "Eighth Brother!"

“If it’s the Eighth Prince, he’s gone a bit too far this time. Father Emperor won’t let him off easily this time,” Lanqin said.