After Gu Zhixing came out of the palace, he hurriedly went to find Shen Jintang, but the reply he received was that Shen Jintang had already left the palace.

"It's happening again." Gu Zhixing frowned, a hint of anxiety flashing in his eyes.

Don't tell him anything!

Make all the decisions yourself!

But this time, it was different; he wouldn't indulge her like that anymore.

"Double Ninth Festival!"

Gu Zhixing slightly beckoned with his finger and whispered a few words in his ear.

Chongyang immediately accepted the order and hurried off in a flash.

Dark prison.

In the damp cell, the light was as dim as a dying candle, barely illuminating the surroundings.

Mottled moss spread along the stone wall, like eerie green veins growing from the cracks in the bricks, exuding a sinister aura.

The murky, stagnant water gleamed with a rusty sheen, and a layer of oily mold floated on its surface. A man was half-submerged in the blackened water, his wrists tightly bound by chains that left purplish-red marks—a shocking sight.

His shadow was cast on the fungal-covered wall, distorted and deformed by the swaying of the water.

Spiderwebs hung from the rusty shackles, swaying gently in the cold wind like a hanged man's shroud. The musty smell mixed with the stench of blood condensed in the air, making people unconsciously pinch their noses, wanting to avoid this nauseating odor.

When Shen Jintang stepped into the water dungeon, the damp, musty smell mixed with the stench of blood hit her. She frowned slightly, her fingertips subtly adjusting the silver-embroidered fabric on her sleeves, her expression cold and composed.

Xinghui stepped forward and whispered, "Master, he still won't speak."

In the murky water dungeon, Wang Mian was suspended by iron chains, kneeling in the sewage. His tattered clothes revealed whip marks, the bloodstains on the wounds had dried, but they were still shocking to see.

Hearing the noise, he raised his head, a sinister smile spreading across his cracked lips, his voice hoarse and mocking: "Lord Siyan, is your presence here to see me off?"

Shen Jintang stepped forward slowly, her embroidered shoes making a soft, crisp sound on the damp stone steps, each step sounding steady and powerful.

She looked down at him, her eyes as cold as ice, her voice as clear as frost, carrying an unquestionable authority: "Tell me, where is the silver hidden in your Ministry of Revenue? Tell me, and I'll give you a quick death."

"Ha! You won't get a single word out of me!" Wang Mian suddenly sprang up, the iron chains rattling and making a piercing sound.

The murky water splashed everywhere, landing on Shen Jintang's skirt and leaving dark water stains.

He grinned maliciously, his voice tinged with madness, "Lord Siyan, you might as well kill me now, otherwise..."

"Otherwise what?" Shen Jintang gently brushed the water stains off her sleeves, her movements elegant and composed.

She took a dagger as thin as a cicada's wing from Xing Hui's hand; the blade gleamed coldly in the dim light.

"You'd better think this through. I have a hundred ways to make you wish you were dead."

Just as the blade was about to touch Wang Mian's throat, a series of hurried footsteps suddenly came from outside the dungeon, breaking the tense standoff.

Xinghui turned around alertly and walked out.

A short while later, she returned and whispered, "My lady, the Crown Prince has arrived."

Gu Zhixing?

Shen Jintang narrowed his eyes, gently rubbed the hilt of the short sword with his fingertips, and finally slowly put the sword down.

Just as she was about to step out, a series of steady footsteps came from the stone steps at the entrance of the dungeon, unhurried yet carrying an undeniable air of authority.

Gu Zhixing wore a dark brocade robe with silver patterns embroidered on the cuffs, which were faintly visible in the dim firelight, making him appear mysterious and noble.

He toyed with a white jade thumb ring between his fingers, a faint smile playing on his lips, but his gaze was fixed on Shen Jintang's face, as if trying to see through her every expression.

Shen Jintang keenly noticed that Gu Zhixing had changed his clothes and seemed to be in a bad mood.

Are you angry?

But what could he possibly be angry about?

He's riding high right now!

However, none of these things are very important, and Shen Jintang doesn't really want to get involved in his affairs.

How did you find this place?

Shen Jintang’s voice was slightly cold as he asked, his eyes filled with a hint of inquiry.

This was a secret room that Xinghui had specially set up for her. She bought it again after returning to Kyoto, just to prevent others from finding this place.

How did Gu Zhixing find out?

And they found this place so precisely.

Gu Zhixing chuckled softly, slowly approaching, his voice deep and lazy, carrying a hint of nonchalance: "If you can find my informant, why can't I know where you're hiding?"

As he spoke, he casually glanced around, his gaze sweeping over the damp walls and rusty chains before finally settling on Wang Mian, who was suspended in the center of the water dungeon.

Wang Mian looked up and met his gaze for a moment, a barely perceptible hint of fear flashing in his eyes, but he quickly returned to his previous unyielding demeanor.

Shen Jintang subtly stepped aside, cleverly placing herself between Gu Zhixing and Wang Mian, her tone cold and distant: "You go back first, I'll leave after I've dealt with things here..."

Gu Zhixing tilted his head slightly, his gaze passing over her shoulder and looking directly at Wang Mian. The smile on his lips deepened, as if hiding a hint of something unfathomable: "You handle your business, just pretend I don't exist. I'm just here to watch the show."

Shen Jintang narrowed her eyes, but before she could speak, Gu Zhixing had already stepped forward and stood beside her.

He lowered his head slightly, his voice extremely low, carrying a hint of ambiguity, as if he were talking about something very private: "But it seems that Lord Siyan has encountered a tough nut to crack. Do you need any help?"

She glanced at him sideways, her eyes scrutinizing him, her tone slightly barbed: "Since when did the young master become interested in torture?"

Gu Zhixing chuckled softly, tapping the fan ribs lightly with his fingertips, making a crisp sound. His tone was casual, as if he were talking about a trivial matter: "Coincidentally, the transfer order for my post at the Dali Temple came down today, and the Baiyin case is the first task I've taken on since I took office."

He paused, his gaze fixed intently on her, his eyes sparkling like stars. "Lady Siyan, shall we cooperate?"

"What tricks are you playing?" Shen Jintang frowned, feeling that Gu Zhixing was acting strangely. His eyes and tone were different from usual, revealing a meaning that she couldn't figure out.

That's strange.

It's really strange.

It's as if he's become a completely different person.

Shen Jintang couldn't quite figure him out.

“I wasn’t playing any tricks.” Gu Zhixing stopped smiling, lowered his head to look at Shen Jintang, his eyes serious and firm, as if to express a kind of determination. “I just don’t want you to treat me like a fool who doesn’t know anything anymore. I can help you.”

Shen Jintang remained silent for a moment, her gaze sweeping back and forth across Gu Zhixing's face several times, as if weighing something.

Finally, she nodded slightly, her voice still cold, but with a hint of barely perceptible softening: "Then you interrogate her, I'll be watching."

She's watching from here; no matter what Gu Zhixing does, nothing serious will happen.