Chapter 80 Provides Clues

Song Yiqiu looked up and met Xiao Yongjing's amused gaze.

He chuckled softly, his warm breath brushing against her ear, causing her face to flush slightly.

"General Song's vigilance is indeed extraordinary. It's a pity... he always seems to be just one step behind me."

Song Yiqiu froze for a second, the strange feeling vanished instantly, and she twitched her lips speechlessly before forcefully breaking free from his grasp:

"If Your Highness were to appear openly and honestly, the outcome would be uncertain."

She confirmed her suspicions and pretended not to know.

"Your Highness, staying up so late at night, summoned me to this dark prison. Surely it wasn't just to admire this... moon-obscured night view?"

Xiao Yongjing raised an eyebrow and released his grip, while Mo Yu also sheathed his sword.

Bai Mei was so angry that she turned around and punched Mo Yu on the shoulder:

"Hey! Are we that close? You're already resorting to knives and guns on our first meeting!"

Upon hearing this, Xiao Yongjing quipped:

"The maidservant beside General Song is just like him... incredibly brave. Like master, like servant."

Song Yiqiu ignored him, glancing at Mo Yu who was watching the scene with his arms crossed, and deliberately said:

"This guard is indeed exceptionally handsome and has an outstanding demeanor. Standing next to Your Highness, if I did not know Your Highness's identity, I would probably have to tell you apart for a moment."

These words were a veiled compliment, implying that the crown prince was not as outstanding as his own guards.

Mo Yu was taken aback by the sudden praise. When he noticed his master's face darken instantly, he couldn't help but chuckle and quickly covered it up with a cough.

When has my master ever suffered a loss in a verbal battle? Yet, when he encounters General Song, he never gains the upper hand.

Xiao Yongjing waved his hand, and Mo Yu tactfully disappeared into the darkness.

"General Song is indeed... quick-witted."

Xiao Yongjing ground his back teeth and got to the point.

"There has been progress on what I promised you."

"Father has ordered a temporary halt to the punishment of the Wang family, but this is merely a delaying tactic and will not last long."

"There's no faster way to break this deadlock than to ask the people involved directly. Let's go."

After saying that, he turned and left.

Song Yiqiu and Bai Mei followed behind Xiao Yongjing and walked towards the gate of the government office.

Upon seeing the Crown Prince, the guards at the gate immediately bowed respectfully and made way for him without any questioning, allowing the group to enter openly.

Bai Mei followed behind and whispered to Song Yiqiu:

"Miss, this Crown Prince is quite capable. Look at those guards, they're so scared they don't dare to breathe."

Song Yiqiu shook her head slightly and said in a low voice:

"Those in positions of power should fulfill their duties. They are simply doing their jobs faithfully; there is no need for them to risk their lives for questioning the crown prince."

The interior of the dark prison was cold and damp, and dimly lit, with only a few torches on the walls flickering with light.

They went straight to the innermost cell.

The guards outside the prison were even more apprehensive when they saw the Crown Prince, and they quickly bowed.

"Open."

Xiao Yongjing's voice was particularly noticeable in the empty prison.

The guards dared not delay and immediately took out their keys to unlock the heavy iron lock.

Song Yiqiu's gaze swept into the prison.

Wang Feiran curled up in the corner, leaning against a woman who looked six or seven parts like her.

In just ten days, Wang Feiran's arrogance and sharpness had vanished, leaving only a haggard look on her face.

Upon seeing the Crown Prince, Vice Minister Wang immediately rushed to the fence and hastily offered his explanation:

"Your Highness! Your Highness! I am innocent! My royal family has been loyal and virtuous for generations, and has never harbored any disloyal intentions!"

Song Yiqiu's gaze fell on Wang Feiran, and she called out softly:

"Feiran?"

Wang Feiran, who was leaning against the woman's chest, slowly opened his eyes upon hearing the sound.

When she saw that Song Yiqiu and the Crown Prince were standing outside the prison, a complex light flashed in her eyes. She struggled to get up, but was gently pressed down by the woman beside her.

The gentle woman rose first and bowed gracefully to the Crown Prince and Song Yiqiu:

"My lady Wang Rusu greets Your Highness the Crown Prince and General Song. My younger sister has been suffering from mental and physical distress recently. If she has been disrespectful in any way, I hope Your Highness and General will forgive her."

She was well-mannered and maintained the demeanor of a well-bred lady even when imprisoned, which was completely different from Wang Feiran's stubbornness.

This must be the elder sister Wang Feiran mentioned who treated her so well.

Xiao Yongjing politely offered a helping hand, his tone calm:

"No need for formalities. General Song and I have come here today because we believe in Minister Wang's loyalty to the country. This case is full of doubts. Although Father has temporarily suspended the proceedings, we need to find evidence as soon as possible to prove his innocence."

“I have sent some daily necessities on behalf of the court, and I would also like to hear your opinions on this matter, which may help me find a breakthrough.”

Upon hearing this, Wang Feiran abruptly raised her head, her eyes blazing with anger, and burst into laughter:

"Opinion? Haha... My Wang family is full of loyal martyrs, and countless ancestors have sacrificed their lives for the country. How could we have ended up like this? Our unwavering loyalty has only resulted in the calamity of having our family property confiscated and being exterminated!"

"Is such a court, such a foolish emperor, worthy of our loyalty? It would be better... better to just die!"

She was emotional and started saying very disrespectful things.

"Fair! Don't speak nonsense!"

Wang Rusu quickly grabbed her sister's hand, covered her mouth to stop her from saying anything more, and then apologized to Xiao Yongjing.

"Your Highness, my sister acted impulsively and spoke without thinking; she had no intention of offending us! Please..."

Song Yiqiu stepped forward, interrupting Wang Rusu, and looked at Wang Feiran with a firm gaze:

"Feiran, now is not the time to act rashly. I believe in Minister Wang's innocence, and I believe in you. But belief alone is not enough; we need evidence!"

"If you truly wish to clear the Wang family's name, calm down and think carefully! Before and after the incident, was there anything unusual in the mansion? Did Vice Minister Wang have any grudges against anyone? Or, have you discovered anything unusual or heard anything unusual?"

Wang Rusu also gently advised:

“Yes, Feiran, General Song is right. Now that His Highness the Crown Prince and General Song are willing to help, we, the Wang family, have only hope. You always love to discuss your experiences with your father, think it over carefully…”

Looking at her sister's pleading eyes, and then at Song Yiqiu, Wang Feiran's grief and indignation were gradually overwhelmed by her desire to survive.

She closed her eyes tightly, took several deep breaths of the cold air, and forced herself to calm down.

A moment later, she opened her eyes and slowly spoke:

"My father's study seemed to have been disturbed in those few days, but no valuables were stolen. A few days before the incident, a minor official I didn't know had entered the study under the pretext of checking old files from the Ministry of War and stayed there for a long time. As for the rest... I don't know anything else."

After speaking, Wang Rusu suddenly seemed to remember something and added:

"By the way, those letters of treason, although the handwriting is similar, the ink used seems to be slightly different from the Huizhou ink that Father usually uses, and the smell is a bit turbid."

"And there's a list of military equipment in the warehouse that's about to be shipped to the frontier, it looks like it's been altered..."