Chapter 354 When does your emperor retire from court?

"Your subject takes his leave."

Once there was no one else in the hall, Zhao Mingyan rubbed his throbbing temples.

Aside from lifting Yuan Heng up tonight, he recalled when was the last time he held Yuan Heng in his arms.

It was during the time when Yuan Heng was still an infant in swaddling clothes, crying incessantly.

This little guy is just like his mother, not in appearance, but in temperament; he's a timid little crybaby.

He also loves to cling to people. If you treat him kindly, he will hold your arm and won't let go. He will hug and coax you wherever you go.

But he was a prince, and the last thing he should have was weakness.

*

Ji Qingwu took "Chang Lu" to the Prince Yong's mansion.

She planned to follow the plan of the person behind her and see what tricks he was up to.

The lights at Jinmo Residence have never gone out since Prince Yong left.

The news that Prince Yong had been imprisoned in the imperial prison had just arrived from the palace when Ji Qingwu arrived at the mansion.

Tao Wanyin went up to him and took Ji Qingwu's hand.

He asked anxiously, "Qingwu, do you know what mistake the prince made? Why was he imprisoned for no reason?"

Half an hour ago, Prince Yong was summoned away by the palace eunuchs, who said it was an urgent matter. Little did they know that something serious had happened.

Ji Qingwu led her to a seat and said, "Your Highness, please sit down first. Don't rush, listen to me."

Tao Wanyin was ignorant of politics, but she knew that the Imperial Prison was a place where serious criminals were detained. Just imagining that scene made her feel suffocated and terrified.

"I can't help but be anxious. That imperial prison is no place for a human being. What if they torture the prince...?"

Ji Qingwu pressed her down into a chair and said, "Prince Yong was in charge of the trial of Su Fengyue's case. He was ruthless towards him and almost killed Su Fengyue. But before the confession could be verified, the Emperor was so angry that he also imprisoned Prince Yong."

Tao Wanyin was stunned, not understanding why Prince Yong hated Prime Minister Su so much.

She asked, "Qingwu, where did you hear this news? Is it true?"

Ji Qingwu said, "It should be true. This is what Eunuch Chang Lu told me."

Seeing "Chang Lu" behind her nod in agreement, Tao Wanyin's last shred of hope vanished completely.

Tao Wanyin has no family, and now the only person she can rely on, Prince Yong, has run into trouble. She is terrified, and only when she sees Ji Qingwu does her mood improve a little.

As Ji Qingwu spoke, she looked around at the servants in the room but didn't see anyone acting strangely. Just as she was about to go to the door to take a look, Tao Wanyin grabbed her sleeve.

"Qingwu, can you stay with me for a while? I'm terribly scared."

Ji Qingwu nodded; that was her intention as well.

For the next two hours, Tao Wanyin couldn't sleep lying down, and felt anxious sitting up; she was tormented by this.

Ji Qingwu and "Chang Lu" exchanged a glance. He went outside to check on the situation at the Yongwang Mansion, while she dozed off for a while.

As dawn broke.

Ji Qingwu had just woken up when he saw Tao Wanyin looking restless, and he sighed.

Tao Wanyin said with red eyes, "I'm still worried. I want to submit a petition to the palace to see if I can go. Qingwu, can you come with me?"

Ji Qingwu did not refuse and readily agreed.

Seeing how readily she agreed, Tao Wanyin hesitated for a moment, then said, "I... actually, I have my own selfish motives..."

"Regarding Su Fengyue's condition, I think you might be able to help Your Highness."

If Su Fengyue really doesn't make it through, Prince Yong will suffer as a result.

Ji Qingwu clenched his fingers, lowering his eyes in thought.

The man led her to the Prince Yong's residence not to do anything to her there, but to have her treat Su Fengyue.

*

Because of Ji Qingwu's special status, she disguised herself as a maidservant of the Princess Consort of Yong, and together with Chang Lu, she accompanied Tao Wanyin into the palace.

The group was stopped at the entrance of the imperial prison.

Even though Princess Yong was a member of the royal family, she could not enter the imperial prison to visit anyone; she had to obtain an imperial token.

Tao Wanyin's hopes were dashed. She asked the guards at the gate about Prince Yong, but they were tight-lipped and refused to reveal anything.

Ji Qingwu said, "Your Highness, please wait here. I'm going out for a bit."

Tao Wanyin asked worriedly, "Qingwu, do you have a solution?"

Ji Qingwu shook his head and said, "I don't have any good ideas either. I'm going to try my luck."

"Try your luck?"

Ji Qingwu smiled reassuringly at her, "Yes, let's see if we can find any tokens."

Her touch led her all the way to the entrance of the Hall of Diligent Governance.

Emperor Wusu had gone to the morning court and had not yet returned. Emperor Li Yuzong was also not there; only Xiao Dongzi was guarding the door.

Upon seeing the woman in the pink dress appear before him, he mistook her for a maid from some palace who didn't know her way around, and brandished his whisk, ready to yell at her and drive her away.

"Who's this blind fool! Can't you see where you are?!"

"Oh, my dear Miss Ji!" Xiao Dongzi's expression instantly changed, and he asked with a grin, "What brings you here?"

After asking, he realized what he was talking about, slapped the back of his head, and said, "Are you here to pick up your child?"

Ji Qingwu said, "How come you have a louder voice than Eunuch Li? Keep your voice down, I'm going into the palace secretly."

She covered her lips with her hand and asked softly, "When does your emperor retire from court?"

"So you were looking for the Emperor," Xiao Dongzi corrected with a grin.

"It is our Emperor."

He continued, "Today is the first morning court session after the Emperor woke up, so it will probably take a while. Why don't you go in first and wait? I'll be the first to go in and inform you when the Emperor's court session is over."

Upon receiving news that Emperor Wusu would not be returning for the time being, Ji Qingwu felt more at ease.

She didn't have time to beat around the bush anymore and asked directly, "Is there any way to get into the imperial prison?"

Xiao Dongzi said in surprise, "You mustn't go into that place, it will offend your eyes."

Ji Qingwu said, "I came here with Princess Yong. She was really worried about Prince Yong being imprisoned and wanted to go in to see him. She is pregnant, and if something really happens to him, it will be a royal heir."

Xiao Dongzi glanced around and whispered, "Miss Ji, Prince Yong will be fine in prison. Tell Princess Yong to go back home with peace of mind. I can't tell you more about what's going on here."

Ji Qingwu's eyes flickered, and he said, "What if I wanted to go in and take a look?"

Xiao Dongzi asked, "Do you really want to go in?"

Ji Qingwu leaned closer and asked, "That's right, is there any good way?"

The two seemed to be huddled together, plotting something.

Xiao Dongzi said with difficulty, "...The person in charge of the case now is Duan Shisi, and he does have the right to go in."

Ji Qingwu patted Xiao Dongzi on the shoulder and said, "Understood, I'll go find Lord Duan."

Who should we go to?

"Looking for Duan Mingfeng..." Ji Qingwu said, only then realizing that the way she was asking her was wrong.

The voice was cold and deep, unlike the eunuch's sharp voice, and it came from behind her.

Ji Qingwu's hand was still on Xiao Dongzi's shoulder, and he did not pull it away.