Chapter Seventy-Nine: Night Raid on the Secret Prison

The album features birds drawn with delicate brushstrokes, their feathers vibrant and their forms fierce. Many of them are fighting cocks from exotic breeds, and each is accompanied by a brief description.

Song Yiqiu winked mischievously:

"This stuff holds no appeal for us, but for my brother, who's obsessed with cockfighting..."

Bai Mei quickly added, "The young master is to him what a martial arts manual is to a martial arts master, or what gold and silver are to a miser."

She chuckled, put down her pen, and explained:

"We didn't plead for him in the ancestral hall just now, so he must be resentful towards us. To avoid this resentment affecting our subsequent plans, it's best to offer him a small favor to appease him."

Bai Mei suddenly realized, gave a thumbs-up, and exclaimed dramatically:

"Miss! This catalog only arrived a few days ago. Did you already foresee this back then...?"

She didn't finish her sentence, but the meaning was clear.

Song Yiqiu interrupted her:

"Preparation is the key to success, and lack of preparation leads to failure."

She then asked,

"Any new developments outside regarding the affairs of Vice Minister Wang's residence?"

Qingzhu quickly replied, her expression grave:

“Miss, as you instructed, I have sent people to stake out and inquire at several well-informed teahouses in the capital these past few days.”

"But very little information has been obtained. The most widespread rumor is that Vice Minister Wang has contracted a serious illness and is recuperating in seclusion. There have been no rumors about him colluding with the enemy or betraying the country. Presumably... someone has deliberately blocked the news, and the methods are extremely sophisticated."

Song Yiqiu nodded, her gaze falling on the calligraphy scroll slightly stained by a drop of ink, her eyes growing cold:

"This matter is too suspicious. If it is true, as the Crown Prince said, that it is aimed at my succession to the title, then we can no longer sit idly by and wait for our doom."

Qingzhu added:

"There is another matter. Recently, the Second Miss has been getting very close to the He family's Miss and the eldest Miss Ruan's Miss. I have seen them appear together at Feizhi Pavilion several times, laughing and talking. I'm afraid they are plotting something, which must be related to the autumn hunt."

Bai Mei pouted:

"Since the eldest young master can't go to the autumn hunt now, why is the eldest daughter of the Ruan family still so eager to curry favor with the second young lady? Could it be... that she's shifted her focus and taken a liking to the third young master?"

These words reminded Song Yiqiu, and her eyes flashed as she asked:

"Has Ying'er been behaving herself lately?"

Mentioning Ying'er, Qingzhu couldn't help but cover her mouth and chuckle softly:

"Ever since you gave her some pointers, Miss, she's been like a leech, sticking to the Third Young Master every step of the way."

"The Third Young Master is so bothered by this that he's been going to the academy less and less. He's either suffering from a headache one day or feeling unwell the next. I heard that we haven't seen him at the academy for almost half a month."

Song Yiqiu chuckled softly as well:

"She's a woman of action. With her so dedicated, I feel at ease."

Her tone was firm.

"Third Brother, I'm afraid we won't be able to go on the autumn hunt either."

Bai Mei, however, had some concerns:

“But Miss, the autumn hunt is a royal decree. Master will definitely bring several young masters along to show his importance. The third young master, he…”

Song Yiqiu picked up her brush and drew a large X on the calligraphy copybook:

"That's not necessarily true. There will always be people... who are even more restless than us."

Just then, a long arrow unexpectedly shot in through the window and embedded itself in the bed beam on the inside of the room; the fletching was still trembling.

"An assassin!"

Bai Mei reacted extremely quickly, drawing her soft sword instantly and flashing to protect Song Yiqiu.

Qingzhu was also shocked and turned pale. She quickly blew out the candle on the table, plunging the room into darkness. Only the dim moonlight could barely make out people's figures.

Song Yiqiu put down her pen, unusually calm, and stared at the yellow silk tied to the arrow shaft.

Bai Mei, with her sharp eyes, whispered:

"Miss, it looks like there's something tied to that arrow!"

Qingzhu composed herself, stepped forward and forcefully pulled out the long arrow that was deeply embedded in the bed beam, carefully untied the roll of silk, and handed it to Song Yiqiu.

Song Yiqiu took the silk, and felt a delicate touch on her fingertips, which made her heart skip a beat.

This is a special silk used in the palace to transmit secret messages. Its special material will burn quickly when exposed to open flame, leaving no trace.

The palace… a figure instantly flashed into her mind.

She slowly unfurled the silk scroll, on which lay only a single line of simple, small characters:

"At three-quarters past midnight, outside the gates of the dark prison. I wait here alone."

At the bottom of the signature is a discreet personal seal.

"Dark Prison?"

Bai Mei gasped.

"Isn't this the secret cell where serious criminals are held? Miss, who...who sent this? What is their purpose?"

Song Yiqiu's gaze was calm as she brought the silk close to the candlelight, watching it instantly turn into wisps of smoke.

“I know who it is. It seems I have no choice but to go this time.”

Qingzhu was deeply worried:

"Miss, are we really going? We haven't even seen the messenger. What if it's an elaborate trap?"

Song Yiqiu shook her head:

“It’s precisely because I know who it is that I must go. Qingzhu, you stay here, Baimei and I will go. If we haven’t returned by Yin time…”

She stared intently at the green bamboo.

"You should try to find Ruan Tianxin and tell her what's going on."

Qingzhu's eyes instantly reddened, and she grabbed Song Yiqiu's sleeve:

"Miss... let me go with you. It'll be good to have more people to help you!"

Song Yiqiu grasped her cold hand tightly in return, comforting her:

“Qingzhu, being partners doesn’t mean you have to brave dangers together. Your staying here to guard our escape route is equally important. You are Bai Mei’s and my last line of defense.”

Bai Mei grinned and patted Qingzhu on the shoulder:

"Don't worry, Qingzhu, with me, Bai Mei, here, I'll protect you. Our future is in your hands!"

Qingzhu forcefully wiped away her tears and nodded heavily:

"Yes! You must be careful! Go and come back quickly!"

Recalling the guidance on the silk, Song Yiqiu and Bai Mei arrived at the dark prison located in a remote corner of the capital.

This is not the imperial prison within the palace, but a secret prison specifically for detaining prisoners who are not suitable for public interrogation.

From the outside, it was just an inconspicuous government office building. If Song Yiqiu hadn't heard her grandmother mention it by chance years ago, she might not have been able to find this place.

The two remained hidden in the shadows, observing for nearly half an hour, but the surroundings remained completely silent.

Bai Mei was a little restless, idly chewing on a blade of grass:

"Miss, we've been waiting for almost half an hour, and we haven't seen a single ghost. Could it be that the messenger isn't coming? Or is this all a trap?"

Song Yiqiu scanned the surrounding darkness, not daring to be negligent in the slightest:

"Whether it's a trap or something else entirely, we'll have to wait and see..."

Before she finished speaking, a delicate fragrance suddenly wafted out from behind her.

Song Yiqiu was startled and subconsciously held her breath. Just as she was about to retreat, a strong arm wrapped around her waist from behind and pulled her into a gentle embrace.

"!!!"

Bai Mei was shocked. Just as she was about to move, a cold longsword was silently placed against her neck. The swordsman was Mo Yu, the Crown Prince's secret guard.