Chapter 22 Imperial Prison: He said I was a spy, but does Eunuch An believe me? ...

Zhao Liangxu stopped and asked, "Why did Eunuch An bring me to the imperial prison? He didn't explain it clearly during the day."

An He smiled slyly: "Princess Zhao, do you really not know what I've been doing these past few days? Why did I bring you to the imperial prison? Guess why?"

He deliberately steered Zhao Liangxu toward a terrifying scenario in order to frighten her.

No matter how strong a person is, their legs will tremble when they first enter the imperial prison.

The prison is full of torture instruments and scenes that everyone knows are terrifying.

Zhao Liangxu claimed that she was not Princess Zhao. Although she was cautious, she seemed to have never experienced imprisonment.

The scene in the imperial prison must have been unbearable for Zhao Liangxu.

"How could I possibly know? I've always been a law-abiding citizen and a good resident of the capital."

They're like a newborn calf that's not afraid of a tiger.

Anhe narrowed his eyes: "You really don't know? You'll know perfectly well once you go in."

Anhe spoke cryptically, but an ordinary person would certainly feel that they would be tortured if they went in.

An He wanted to laugh at the thought of Zhao Liangxu being so frightened that she would turn pale and stiff after entering the room, but he found that he was not as happy as he had imagined.

He even felt somewhat uneasy about the possible scenarios that might occur.

Standing at the gate of the imperial prison, thinking of Zhao Liangxu's terrified appearance, he felt a little... reluctant to do it.

An He was secretly alarmed, but then he heard Zhao Liangxu's voice: "Then let's go in."

At this moment, Zhao Liangxu acted as if nothing had happened, as if she couldn't understand the threat in An He's words, and regarded the imperial prison as something completely ordinary.

"Then you should stay with our family."

An He ordered the guards at the gate to open it and led Zhao Liangxu inside.

As soon as Zhao Liangxu stepped into the prison, she was hit by a strong, damp, and musty smell.

This place is perpetually shrouded in darkness, where shade-loving fungi thrive in the blood-soaked soil.

The screams that could be faintly heard just moments ago have now become clear and distinct, surrounding Zhao Liangxu's ears.

Zhao Liangxu's breathing became lighter.

She wasn't afraid.

She understood that Anhe wouldn't let her appear here as a prisoner; at most, he would just intimidate her.

We can't let him have his way.

The strange fondness that had arisen during the day was now under scrutiny.

Does she really like someone who is so calculating?

Zhao Liangxu clenched her fist.

She shouldn't be a masochist.

In the oppressive atmosphere of the imperial prison, Zhao Liangxu's mind became clearer and more focused than ever before, and she began to observe everything around her.

She and Anhe walked through cell after cell, from which came intermittent groans of pain.

Anhe kept his eyes straight ahead, unaffected by the sounds.

He didn't turn around; a voice came from ahead: "Do you sympathize with them?"

Zhao Liangxu did not answer.

“Few of those who were imprisoned by the imperial court were innocent.”

"It's not a matter of sympathy; only those who are safe and out of danger have the energy to care about others."

Zhao Liangxu's voice was chilled by the bloody wind that swept through the hall.

"You do have a good sense of self-awareness."

The two walked to the end of the cell, where the execution would take place.

A bloodied figure hung on the rack, his hair disheveled, stained with dried blood, and dripping with fresh blood.

Sensing someone approaching, the person on the rack struggled to raise their head.

Did he confess?

Anhe asked the minor official who was guarding the area.

"He hasn't confessed yet. He's very stubborn. Your Highness, you haven't been here for two days, and he's been talking the same old thing. It's obvious he's hiding something."

With great interest, Anhe picked up a thin stick from the side and used it to lift the blood-covered man's chin.

"You assassin, open your eyes and see who's standing next to us!"

The assassin was extremely weak and tried his best to turn his eyes toward Zhao Liangxu.

The moment he saw Zhao Liangxu, his blood-covered eyelids seemed to widen slightly.

"Fourth...Fourth Princess."

He managed to squeeze out a few words.

Anhe shifted her gaze to Zhao Liangxu.

She's been a bit more lively these past few days, and sometimes she bickers with him. While she can't be described as having a bright and cheerful personality, she's certainly quite energetic.

Now that she's in this prison and has met the assassin she didn't see that day, she seems to have become the same person he first met.

All I could see was indifference.

It also carried a hint of mockery.

There was no panic or tears as he had foreseen, which inexplicably eased his mind.

The assassin managed to utter, "Your Highness, you have indeed done exactly what His Highness the Crown Prince asked of you."

Your Highness the Crown Prince.

The Crown Prince he referred to was Zhao Chengxin.

A fugitive descendant of the Northern Zhou imperial family.

What did she accomplish?

She actually had connections with Zhao Chengxin?

Is she really in contact with Zhao Chengxin?

Anhe admitted that for a moment, he felt that Zhao Liangxu had completely deceived him.

He was swayed by a remark made by the assassin.

But he soon realized that a single sentence could hardly prove anything.

But it can stir up some trouble.

His opinion of Zhao Chengxin was refreshed, but he still couldn't help but scrutinize Zhao Liangxu.

A minor official picked up the instruments of torture and began to interrogate him fiercely.

One sentence he uttered contained information that they had been unable to extract in the past few days.

The assassin continued, "So what if I was sent by His Highness the Crown Prince? You know that... So what? The Northern Zhou has fallen, but does that mean your Southern Zhou... is completely unscathed?"

"The Southern Zhou Dynasty was nothing more than a sieve."

It has a hidden meaning, but the direction is unclear.

But the most likely explanation is that it points to Zhao Liangxu.

Zhao Liangxu had remained silent since the assassin began speaking, but then she suddenly said, "Which idiot taught you to say that?"

Upon hearing this, the assassin struggled against his chains, becoming agitated.

But the injuries on his body and the shouting he had been doing for several days left him speechless.

"Did I hit a nerve? You're his bodyguard, aren't you? You act on your own initiative and don't really follow your master's orders."

Zhao Liangxu's words helped her extricate herself from the other party's trap.

She clearly remembered that the original owner's memories contained no hint of "collusion" as implied by the assassin's terminology.

The assassin deliberately steered her identity towards that of a "spy." Whether it was true or not, as long as An He was persuaded, she would be forced to come to Zhao Chengxin's side.

"Does Eunuch An believe what he says?"

Zhao Liangxu turned to ask him.

Anhe remained silent, but gestured for her to continue.

"In that case, I won't stand on ceremony."

Zhao Liangxu turned back to look at the assassin. She had seen this bodyguard in her memories and had also seen many fragments of the original owner's memories when she returned to Northern Zhou.

"The master you serve is very incompetent and can't control your actions. He's not only incompetent, he's also disgusting."

The assassin's body trembled violently.

"Do you think Zhao Chengxin is the youngest and most promising prince in the history of Northern Zhou? He is tactful and considerate in everything he does. Do you think that with his leadership, Northern Zhou will surely recover its strength and rise again?"

The assassin replied haltingly, "Of course, Fourth Prince, didn't you agree before?"

He is still trying to lure him.

"Do you know that Zhao Chengxin, whom you serve, covets his own sister? He may seem upright and righteous, but in reality, he disregards human ethics, violates morality, and destroys morality."

Zhao Liangxu strode forward, spreading her hands in undisguised sarcasm: "What kind of leader do you want to be loyal to? Someone like him? If he succeeds, he will probably only add another sensational chapter to the history books of the already destroyed Northern Zhou."

An He crossed his arms and looked at Zhao Liangxu, a hint of appreciation in his eyes that he himself was unaware of.

He frowned almost imperceptibly when he heard "coveting his own sister".

"In the end, the fact that you were able to come up with such a treacherous scheme shows that you and Zhao Chengxin are birds of a feather. It's no wonder you've been his subordinate for over a decade."

Zhao Liangxu turned around, ignoring the agitated assassin.

She glanced up at An He and said, "So this is why Eunuch An brought me here. Now that you've achieved your goal, may you continue the interrogation?"

After saying that, she turned to leave.

"At this hour, do you really want to leave the palace? You'd probably walk until your legs break and still not get back to your residence."

"Then what do you suggest, Eunuch An?"

Anhe called someone to follow Zhao Liangxu: "Naturally, we'll stay temporarily in the Dowager Consort's palace. Aren't you on very good terms with the Dowager Consort?"

He waved his hand, signaling Zhao Liangxu to leave.

When Zhao Liangxu arrived at the Empress Dowager's palace, it was already late at night. The person following behind her must have been sent by An He to protect her safety. She didn't feel the discomfort of being constantly watched like before.

He quietly left once he arrived at the Empress Dowager's palace.

Xiao Qing was eagerly waiting at the door early in the morning. When she saw Zhao Liangxu, she waved excitedly: "Come quickly! Her Majesty has been waiting for you for a long time!"

Xiao Qing picked up Zhao Liangxu and couldn't stop chattering, "Her Majesty has been missing you so much these past few days. We maids are so envious."

She suddenly lowered her voice and looked around. Although it didn't do much good, it still gave her some psychological comfort. She continued to whisper, "Besides, you had just left with His Highness that day, and you never expected to be assassinated! Her Majesty only found out about it the next day. She wanted to go see you, but His Highness sent someone to say that you had already left the palace."

Her eyes showed some worry: "Is everything alright? Otherwise, Her Majesty will be heartbroken."

As they were talking, Xu Huayue came out of the hall and greeted Zhao Liangxu. She looked Zhao Liangxu up and down, took her hand, and said with a hint of reproach, "You child, your hands are still so cold. I wonder if you've taken your medicine properly."

She sighed and then asked about the assassin.

Zhao Liangxu smiled and comforted her, explaining the situation. Only then did Xu Huayue let go of Zhao Liangxu and talk about An He: "Eunuch An sent someone to inform me a long time ago that you were going to stay in the palace tonight. What were you doing there? Why are you only coming now?"

To avoid worrying Xu Huayue again, Zhao Liangxu quietly said that she had simply been staying with His Majesty for too long.

Mentioning Li Ying reminded Zhao Liangxu of Li Ying's strange behavior during the day.

She hesitated for a moment, then thought that Xu Huayue might not understand either, so she swallowed her question.

Seeing that it was getting late, Xu Huayue urged Zhao Liangxu to go to sleep.

"You look pale; you probably haven't been sleeping well these past few days. Let's talk about it tomorrow. Go to sleep."

Zhao Liangxu felt quite at ease staying in the Empress Dowager's palace, and she was able to get a good night's sleep, which was a rare treat.

She got up and thought of Li Ying again. Knowing that Li Ying had seemed hesitant to speak yesterday, she probably wouldn't feel at ease without saying what she wanted to say. So she made up an excuse and went to find Li Ying.

On her way to the Qianqing Palace, she encountered someone she didn't want to see.