Chapter 292 Transaction
"The Fifth Prince." The soldiers guarding the prison door were shocked when they saw Xiao Tian.
"I want to see Minister Shen."
The officers and soldiers looked at each other in embarrassment. "Please forgive me, Fifth Prince. It is not us who are trying to stop us. The higher-ups have already issued a notice regarding Minister Shen's matter. No one is allowed to visit him, especially... you."
Xiao Tian pulled his lips coldly, and suddenly pulled out a long knife from the waist of a soldier beside him, pointing it at several people, "I'll say it again, I want to see Minister Shen, get out of my way."
The officer's face changed slightly, but he didn't move his feet at all. "Fifth Prince, the emperor has ordered that you are not allowed to visit. Breaking in is violating the imperial decree."
Xiao Tian said no more, and swung the long sword in his hand and stabbed towards the speaking soldier.
The man also reacted very quickly. He dodged sideways quickly. Seeing that Xiao Tian was not giving up, he also started fighting with him. "Fifth Prince, the emperor has instructed that if anyone breaks in by force, they can be dealt with directly, regardless of life or death, no matter who it is. Please don't force me."
How could Xiao Tian's mediocre kung fu be a match for that soldier? Moreover, that man was neither humble nor arrogant, and spoke with reason and logic, not like a mere gatekeeper at all.
Xiao Tian stabbed the soldier in the face with the tip of his knife. The soldier frowned slightly and showed no mercy. He flashed at an extremely fast speed and punched Xiao Tian on the wrist.
The long sword in Xiao Tian's hand fell to the ground with a clang.
"Fifth Prince, you cannot enter this cell today, please go back."
How could Xiao Tian be willing to accept this? Just as he took a few steps forward, he was hit on the chest by the scabbard of the sword in the soldier's hand. He retreated several steps and rolled down the stairs.
His body had long been soaked and turned white by the rain, and was very fragile. After the fall, his whole body was in great pain, and the palms of his hands were bruised and bloody from being scratched by the stones. His body and face were covered with dust.
The officers and soldiers were still standing at the door, not moving an inch, looking down at him from above.
Xiao Tian bent his body slightly, prostrated on the ground and laughed softly. After the laugh, he let out a heart-wrenching cry.
The prince, a dignified prince, could not even enter the prison door of the Dali Temple and was beaten out by officers and soldiers. He and his elder brother were working so hard to get the position of prince, but it was so ridiculous! !
He stood up slowly and staggered away.
The morning court is over.
In the Fifth Prince's Mansion, Xiao Tian sat in the study, ignoring his miserable injuries. He stared at the ground with a gloomy look.
"Fifth Prince." The servant pushed the door open and entered the room, pursing his lips tightly. "Lord Zheng said that things are busy at home, so he will come to visit again in a few days."
"Fifth Prince." Another servant came in. "Master Chen's concubine is giving birth today and cannot come here."
"Fifth Prince, Lord Li's mother is seriously ill and cannot come to see you."
"Fifth Prince..."
"Fifth Prince..."
Listening to the reports one after another, Xiao Tian's expression gradually became cold and distorted.
The ministers who used to follow their big brother closely, dared not even show their heads at this critical moment. How ridiculous is the so-called following.
"A bunch of fence-sitters." Xiao Tian lowered his head, curled his lips slightly, and said this in an extremely calm manner.
The servants all lowered their heads, not daring to breathe.
The sun slowly moved from the window lattice to the desk, and the light suddenly stung Xiao Tian's eyes.
He seemed to have thought of something, quickly stood up and ran out of the mansion.
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"Fifth Prince, how did you become like this?" The steward of the Fourth Prince's Mansion was shocked when he saw Xiao Tian's appearance, and hurriedly ordered someone to bring a handkerchief and hot water.
Xiao Tian lowered his eyes to look at the things the maid brought up, and the smiling housekeeper who blocked the door and refused to let him in. His eyes were deep, "I have something important to discuss with the Fourth Prince and his wife. Please let them know."
Hearing his address, the butler raised his eyebrows slightly, but did not make any move to give way. "Fifth Prince, please forgive me. My master and the princess just went out a quarter of an hour ago and have not returned yet. How about you go back to the mansion first and wait for my master and the princess to come back. I will report to you in person."
Xiao Tian's clenched fists trembled slightly. "I have something important to do. As long as they are willing to help me, I will agree to any conditions."
He pushed the butler aside and tried to go inside. The butler frowned and used a little force to neutralize his force. "Fifth Prince, I have said that my master and the princess are really not here. This is not an excuse."
"Where did they go?"
The butler paused and shook his head, "It is not for me to ask about the master's affairs."
Xiao Tian stared at the butler for a long while. He had a proper smile on his face without any trace of lying. "Okay, I'll wait here."
The housekeeper smiled and nodded without changing his expression, and ordered the maid to bring a chair to Xiao Tian.
As the sun moved further westward, Xiao Tian's heart unexpectedly slowly became silent, as if the last glimmer of hope had been extinguished and the only ray of hope had completely disappeared.
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Dali Temple prison gate.
"Fourth Prince, Fourth Prince's Consort, please come this way." The officers and soldiers respectfully led the two to the door of a cell.
"The higher-ups are keeping a close eye on it, so it's time to set off soon."
Shen Anan nodded slightly to the officers and soldiers, "I understand. Thank you for your help."
"I dare not, I dare not." The man bowed repeatedly and retreated.
There was only Shen Yunbai imprisoned in an entire cell, but the Imperial Guards were deployed to guard him. The emperor really valued Shen Yunbai.
In the dark and damp cell, a man covered in blood was sitting on the ground, leaning against the wall, his eyes fixed on the cell wall. Even if he heard any noise, he would not even glance sideways.
Accompanied by Xiao Yuan, Shen Anan opened the door and walked in, finally standing in front of Shen Yunbai.
Shen Yunbai finally responded, raised his eyes slightly, and said in a hoarse voice as if it had been rubbed by stones, "Where's Tian'er? How is he?"
"I heard that he knelt in the imperial study for a night, and was beaten and driven out by the soldiers guarding the cell. I don't know where he is now." Shen Anan's voice was clear, but it instantly pierced through Shen Yunbai's calmness.
He folded his five fingers together, digging a lot of dirt into his nails, "You are here to laugh at me, your defeated general, right?"
"Of course not, we are not that free." Shen Anan left Xiao Yuan's arms around her, slowly walked forward and squatted, staring at Shen Yunbai's face.
"What do you want to do?"
"Your face is 70% similar to the portrait Wen Yin gave me, and very much like your father. I have always wondered how the emperor feels every time he sees your face. He must be very displeased and disgusted, and wish he could get rid of you as soon as possible."
She smiled softly, "Sure enough, if there is even the slightest sign, he will be unable to contain his jealousy and will execute you without even giving you a chance to turn the tables."
"In order to ensure that you would not be alive, the soldiers outside were replaced by the Imperial Guards, who ambushed layer after layer of secret guards. Shen Yunbai, your position in his mind is really extraordinary."
Shen Yunbai looked at Shen Anan quietly for a long time with calm eyes, and asked in a hoarse voice, "Hua Sheng, is she still there?"
Shen Anan seemed to have never expected him to ask this question. She was stunned for a moment, then her face darkened. "What do you think?"
"I don't know," Shen Yunbai suddenly became a little excited, "Is that person yesterday her? Tell me, is she still alive and is she hidden by you?"
"She's dead."
Shen Anan spoke calmly, staring at Shen Yunbai, repeating word for word, "Hua Sheng, she is dead. She died from your arrow. She didn't even make it that night."
Shen Yunbai seemed to be hit by something, his pupils contracted a few times, and that ray of hope slowly turned into dead silence, staring blankly at Shen Anan.
"Hua Sheng is a very beautiful girl, gentle, quiet, and kind-hearted. How could you have the heart to do that to her?"
"I didn't mean to do that." Shen Yunbai shook his head, holding his face with both hands, his shoulders trembling slightly, "I didn't know it was her. If I had known that she was the one who saved me, I would never have shot that arrow."
His voice was very low, but Shen Anan still heard his whispers, her almond eyes sullen, "So the reason you were able to survive in Jiangnan was because Hua Sheng saved you, and the first thing you did after surviving was to kill her?"
Shen Yunbai slowly calmed down under Shen Anan's questioning. His eyes no longer fluctuated, but he stared fixedly at a certain place, and his voice was cold.
“I lost.”
Shen Anan stared at him, and the anger in his heart because of Hua Sheng's death reached its peak.
"People like you will do anything to achieve your goals, even killing your benefactor. How can you possibly win?"
Shen Yunbai stepped back and leaned slightly against the wall. "If you came here to ridicule and laugh at me, then you have done it. You can leave now."
He is willing to accept defeat, and even if he loses, he will not embarrass himself by getting hysterical.
Shen Anan also stood up slowly, looking down at him condescendingly, "I came here because I want to know something. What is the relationship between you and your father and the mastermind behind the assassination of Qi Jinping at Langyue Lake when he went to the border?"
"Do you think I could tell you?"
Shen Anan narrowed his eyes and uttered only two words, "Chen Tian."
Shen Yunbai's expression changed slightly.
"You have become a prisoner. How long do you think Chen Tian can hold on?"
That was Shen Yunbai's only weakness. He clenched his fist tightly and said, "The emperor won't let you touch him."
"Really? But he begged hard last night, and the emperor told him to kneel and die outside the palace. Today he broke into the cell without permission, and the imperial guards received an order that if anyone breaks in by force, they will be killed regardless of life or death!"
Shen An quietly watched Shen Yunbai's face slowly change color, and her voice remained unhurried, "Tell me, if the emperor knew that he was not his son, would he still protect him? Would he be so angry that he would be tortured to death?"
Shen Anan stared at Shen Yunbai closely, not leaving his gaze.
"Tian'er, he is the emperor's son," Shen Yunbai looked at her and said calmly, "No matter what means you use or how you try, you can't change this fact."
Shen Anan's expression paused, and he nodded slowly, "Okay, in that case, you should protect him well, and hope he can live longer."
"Let's go." She took Xiao Yuan's hand and walked out of the cell.
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