Chapter 147 She lifted her foot and stepped on it.
Yue Yining paused.
She turned around and looked at the cell next door. The speaker was an old man with white hair, long eyebrows and a long beard, and his eyes were not clearly visible. Judging from his prison clothes, he seemed to have been in this prison for some time.
Yue Yining became interested. She withdrew her hand, squatted down in front of the iron fence, and asked, "Grandpa, what do you mean by that?"
The white-haired old man didn't answer for a moment. He squinted at her for a while, his gaze tracing her features and faint smile, a thoughtful expression appearing on his wrinkled face.
"It seems I've been meddling in other people's business," the old man said. "You already noticed that the rice in that bowl was poisoned, didn't you?"
Yue Yining's interest deepened. It was lunchtime, and the jailer who delivered the food had just left. She sat down, her inquiry undisguised: "Although I noticed, I still appreciate you reminding me."
"I'm very curious, how did the old man figure it out? He was so far away, he couldn't possibly see anything clearly."
The old man said, "When judging people and things, why do you need to be right in front of them? What I observe is their 'qi' (vital energy) and their 'appearance' (physical features). The soldier who delivered the food today has a very different complexion and demeanor than usual; the ominous sign is clearly written on his face."
"Oh?" Yue Yining looked all ears. "I'd like to hear more details."
"First, look at the glabella. The glabella is where the life palace is located, and it governs good and bad fortune. In the past, when this person delivered food, although he was humble and lowly, his glabella was still relatively smooth, and his complexion was sallow, indicating a life of toil and mediocrity." The old man paused, as if recalling that brief glimpse, "But today, his glabella has a faint bluish-black aura, dark and unclear, and there are faint vertical lines hanging down to the root of his nose."
"This is a very bad omen, indicating that the person is harboring evil intentions, about to face danger, and will suffer bloodshed."
Yue Yining praised, "The old man truly has discerning eyes."
The old man was silent for a moment, then chuckled: "I've been in this prison for two months now, and I've long since recognized and memorized all the guards who come and go. This guy doesn't usually act so awkward and stiff; he's obviously up to no good. With his level of skill, I can tell what's going on without even looking at his face."
"I see."
The old man's cloudy gaze seemed to pierce through the darkness as he carefully traced the contours of Yue Yining's face once more. This time, his eyes held not only scrutiny but also an unfathomable depth.
He said slowly, “Girl, you’re no ordinary person either, why are you flattering me like this? You look to be at most twenty-five years old. I’ve never seen another celestial master at this age who can set up the Ten Directions Connection Formation and the Earthly Branches Six Harmonies Formation.”
The old man had already noticed Yue Yining on her very first day.
Ordinary prisoners either slumped against the wall like rag dolls or were as agitated as caged beasts. But this woman was unusually quiet, with a peaceful and composed demeanor. She squatted on the ground, fiddling with the straw, as if passing the time.
The old man initially thought so too, but starting the next day, the grass on the ground gradually took shape, and his gaze as he observed the neighboring cell changed from casual to focused, and finally turned into deep astonishment.
It wasn't just a casual arrangement to pass the time; it was a grand double hexagram diagram, composed of two extremely complex hexagram arrays: the Ten Directions Connection Array and the Earthly Branches Six Harmonies Formation. The Ten Directions Connection Array used grass stems to simulate the stars in the sky, using the movement of sunlight and shadows to calculate the general trend of the heavens; the Earthly Branches Six Harmonies Formation used grass nodes to mark directions, combining the time of day to deduce human relationships and potential opportunities.
It can be said that this is the top-level divination array that can predict life and death without consuming one's lifespan; there is no other like it.
To set up this formation, both talent and ability are indispensable.
Yue Yining manipulated these blades of grass with an almost instinctive and precise grasp of the energy of heaven and earth and the flow of hexagrams. She seemed to be able to see the subtle resonance between each blade of grass, in its specific position and angle, and the faint sunlight passing through the iron window, the death energy of the prison itself, and even the invisible lines between heaven and earth in the more distant future.
Even more incredibly, Yue Yining used ordinary thatch, not yarrow.
He had lived most of his life and had never seen such an arrangement. It was both incredibly brilliant and contrary to the natural order, utterly rebellious.
A genius born for the Five Arts, yet recklessly eccentric.
He cherished talent and didn't want such a rare and outstanding celestial master to perish here, which is why he spoke up to stop Yue Yining when he noticed something was wrong with the prison food. Celestial masters like him, who are proficient in both physiognomy and divination, are extremely rare. Most celestial masters only learn one of the five arts in their lifetime, spending decades to master it. Even top geniuses often specialize in only one art, with only a slight understanding of the others.
Unexpectedly, the young woman in front of him turned out to be the biggest exception he had ever seen in his life.
Yue Yining followed his gaze, glanced lightly at the straw she had laid out on the ground over the past few days, seemingly unconcerned, then raised her eyes to look at the white-haired old man and smiled, "So you are a senior, I am truly sorry for my disrespect."
"Why were you imprisoned, senior?" Yue Yining asked kindly. "Please forgive my overly familiar manner. I hit it off with you at first sight and felt like we had met before."
The old man blew on his beard, his expression seemingly displeased. "I've always been upright and honest. If I hadn't accidentally offended a petty person, how could I have been falsely accused and imprisoned here? That shameless bastard even wants to keep me locked up for another six months. Bah! He can only dream about it!"
"I have connections in Yanjing, and I'll be able to leave this godforsaken place in less than two months!"
It seems that he was trying to divine for powerful figures in the capital, but instead offended them, which is why he was thrown into prison as a lesson.
Yue Yining chimed in, "That would be great."
"But judging from what you're saying, it seems you're not a native of the capital?"
"Of course. I was born in Jinling, and I am a native of Jinling. If you ask around around Jinling, I will know that what I say is true. The name of Zhang Wangyuan, the Celestial Master of Jinling City, is not just a name that resounds throughout the land!"
Jinling. The moment this familiar place name appeared, Yue Yining's fingers, which had been calculating, paused, as if the previously shrouded scene had suddenly become clear.
She looked at the white-haired old man in front of her again. Compared with the first time she bumped into him on the street corner, Zhang Wangyuan's hair and beard had grown much longer, and his once clean black robe had become a dirty prison uniform. No wonder she didn't recognize him at first glance.
However, Yue Yining had already remembered who this person was and understood why he looked familiar.
Yue Yining narrowed her eyes: "So it was you."
The old Celestial Master Zhang Wangyuan was a little taken aback when she suddenly interrupted him: "What do you mean by 'you'?"
Yue Yining looked at him: "Old man, do you remember a year ago, you told the fortune of a passing male slave in Jinling?"
This Zhang Wangyuan was the fortune teller that Ayu met in Jinling City.
Looking back now, this matter is clearly very strange. The old master did not find out Xie Qingyu's birth date, but he accurately predicted that Xie Qingyu, who was still an amnesiac servant at the time, would return to the capital, regain his official position, and become a noble young master again. He even predicted that he would support the seventh prince and then break with her, who openly supported the third prince.
Xie Qingyu's fate should have ended at that time, so how did he foresee these events?
This old master is definitely not simple!
“Jinling… male slaves…?” Zhang Wangyuan stroked his beard in thought. He was initially a little confused, but after hearing Yue Yining’s description, a look of sudden realization appeared in his eyes. “Oh! I remember now, it is indeed true!”
Zhang Wangyuan liked to wander around Jinling City dressed simply. As a renowned old master in the area, he was not short of money. Unless some very wealthy or powerful people or officials came to see him, he would have stopped setting up his fortune-telling stall long ago.
He likes to sit on busy streets, choosing faces that interest him and offering free fortune telling. While he calls it fortune telling, he really just wants to use his fame to test the accuracy of his initial intuitive judgments.
The reason he could immediately think of Ayu was because this person's divination results were quite unusual among all the people he had consulted.
Zhang Wangyuan looked at Yue Yining suspiciously: "But how did you know?"
He remembered that the male slave was alone at the time, without any relatives or friends by his side.
Yue Yining: "I am his master. I was not far away at the time. After you called him, I watched you from the corner."
As soon as she finished speaking, the old man's gaze changed instantly. Seeing this, Yue Yining added calmly, "I heard everything, your verdict."
"You said he would betray me in the future, and we would go our separate ways and become strangers."
After a moment of silence, the old man coughed a few times: "I see... uh, but I just did a quick calculation at the time, so it might not be accurate..."
Yue Yining said, "No, you're right. He did deceive me and hide a lot from me, and now our relationship is not what it used to be."
The old man visibly froze, probably not expecting this turn of events.
An awkward silence fell over the air.
Zhang Wangyuan observed her expression and tentatively asked, "Could it be that your imprisonment was also caused by you, my male slave?"
Yue Yining smiled faintly, "No, that has nothing to do with him."
However, Zhang Wangyuan's words did remind her of Xie Qingyu.
He's probably already heard that she's been imprisoned in Taiwan, awaiting her fate. I wonder what his reaction will be. She put a lot of effort into fabricating that evidence; will he believe it? Or will he feel indignant on her behalf?
She never deliberately thought of him, but once she did, her thoughts would grow like a tall tree, its branches and leaves flourishing until it reached the sky.
“I’m very curious how you calculated it, senior,” Yue Yining said slowly. “The slave I bought has a very unusual background, but I can’t calculate his fate. I noticed that you used a copper plate and bamboo slips, which are divination tools. I can use them too, so I think your divination method is from the same source as mine, but I can’t tell what kind of divination technique you used.”
At the mention of this, the old man's expression changed completely. His white beard twitched as he said smugly, "Of course. This is a unique divination technique passed down through generations of my sect. It can ignore the obstruction and illusion of 'objects' and 'forms' and directly calculate a person's fortune. Although the key situations are not clear, it is still a powerful technique."
"Such profound and unorthodox divination techniques are naturally incomprehensible to outsiders."
"Really?" Yue Yining said, "Then teach me."
The old man, who was still stroking his beard with self-satisfaction, was stunned.
He stared wide-eyed, unable to believe how she could so naturally utter such shameless words. He looked at Yue Yining, who was staring intently at him through the iron fence, trying to find a trace of joking on her face, but he failed.
"You!" The old man was so angry that he glared at him. "Didn't you hear me say that this is a unique divination technique? Unique, unique, meaning it's an exclusive secret technique that will never be passed on to outsiders! You just open your mouth and say a few words, and I'm supposed to teach you? You have quite the nerve! Even if you wanted to take advantage, you wouldn't do it this way!"
"Of course I won't let you teach me for nothing." Yue Yining's face was full of kindness and friendliness. "To be honest, senior, I am an official in the capital, and my master is the current emperor's third prince and eldest princess."
"My imprisonment is a temporary measure, and I will be leaving here in less than half a month. When I get out, I will ask my lord on your behalf to get you out ahead of time. You will not need to go through the trouble of pulling strings and begging for help, nor will you need to stay in this prison for another two months. Surely the powerful figures you have offended cannot be more than these two, right?"
The old man's eyes widened again, clearly not expecting her to be someone of such importance, and that she had actually offered him conditions he could hardly refuse.
Seeing the person's reaction, Yue Yining understood. Although Zhang Wangyuan was a highly accomplished Celestial Master, he was still limited by the power of a Celestial Master. He couldn't discern her true strength just by looking at her face, which meant that his strength was inferior to hers.
She wasn't surprised. Her master was the most powerful celestial master in the world, and she was second only to him—she was confident enough in that regard.
Seeing that Zhang Wangyuan was already wavering, Yue Yining calmly continued to add more chips, "In addition, I can also guarantee that the powerful person who manipulated power to murder you for personal gain will pay the price he deserves."
“There are few truly clean officials in the capital, and those who are completely incorruptible are few and far between. I only need to use my connections to thoroughly investigate him, and I can naturally expose all his secrets. I can also make those who back him treat him as a pawn to be discarded. At that time, all the evil deeds he committed against his predecessor will come back to haunt him,” Yue Yining said. “There may be people who can get your predecessor out of prison, but there must be very few like me who can both get you out of prison and help you avenge your wrongs.”
Not just a handful, there were none.
Both of them knew perfectly well that after hearing these words, Zhang Wangyuan's heart was indeed shamefully tipped.
The old man sat upright, deep in thought, his eyes darting around beneath his white eyebrows, clearly considering her suggestion seriously.
"...You make it sound very nice, but I can't easily believe you," Zhang Wangyuan said slowly. "Unless you can give me a token that proves its power. Moreover, I can only teach you this technique after I'm successfully released from prison."
"Deal." Yue Yining agreed without hesitation.
“However, before I went to prison, the Imperial Guards searched my body and took away any items that could prove my identity. If you want a token…” Yue Yining thought for a long time and then took the only hairpin that held her long hair in place from her hair.
Her long, flowing black hair cascaded down her shoulders like mist and clouds, making her appear even more slender and graceful.
Yue Yining handed the carved phoenix jade hairpin to Zhang Wangyuan and gave him a few words of advice, "This hairpin was given to me by Her Highness the Princess. It has the imperial seal on it. When you are released from prison, just take this to her and ask for an audience."
“Within seven days, I may be transferred to the Ministry of Justice prison. There are many people and many eyes there. I may be able to contact my informant, but I can’t say for sure when I will be able to get out.” Yue Yining lowered her eyes and focused, then looked up at him again. “In case anything changes, I’ll tell you something.”
"When you go to see the Princess, repeat these words to her verbatim, and she will definitely believe that you are one of my people."
The moment of her transfer from the prison came sooner than she had expected.
As the first month of the lunar calendar draws to a close, the coldest days have passed, but spring is still a long way off.
Yue Yining was not required to change her prison clothes. She was wearing quite a few clothes, and even though the chill in the cell was bone-deep, she could barely bear it.
Just two days after agreeing with Zhang Wangyuan, one morning, Yue Yining was leaning against the wall with her eyes closed, resting when the heavy door at the end of the prison was suddenly opened. The loud noise woke her up, shattering her tranquility.
Immediately afterwards, a squad of officers and soldiers, fully armed with armor and knives, strode in, the clanging of metal echoing through the narrow yet spacious cell.
Yue Yining opened her eyes as if sensing something, just as the footsteps approached from afar and stopped right in front of her door.
Standing before her was a squad of neatly dressed soldiers, the leader of whom was ordering the jailer to come and open the door for them. The jailer, clutching the key, scurried over, the peeling paint on the iron door rubbing against the metal chains binding it, the door swaying back and forth with a sharp, piercing sound as he opened it.
The officers finally opened the door. The leader, with a stern face, stepped inside and said in a deep voice, "You criminal, Yue Yining, the court is now transferring you from the Censorate prison to the Ministry of Justice prison. The entire journey will be by carriage, and our Ministry of Justice guards will be responsible for escorting you. Get up and come with us."
Upon hearing the soldiers' voices, Yue Yining slowly stood up, leaning against the wall.
For the past two days, she has been fasting and abstaining from water because the food and water that were brought to her were poisoned. She realized this but did not intend to eat or reveal it, so she could only go hungry for the time being.
She had experienced famine, so three days of fasting was nothing to her, but not drinking water did have some effect on her.
Yue Yining spoke in a dry, hoarse voice: "...I need to see the transfer order stamped with the imperial seal, otherwise I will not go with you."
Outside the cell, a soldier frowned, a hint of impatience and contempt flashing in his eyes: "Yue Yining! You are now awaiting punishment, yet you dare to make so many demands? We are acting under orders, how can we allow you to make excuses!"
His expression was fierce and his voice was loud, but Yue Yining did not back down and said in a calm tone: "According to the laws of our dynasty, transferring serious offenders to prison is no small matter."
"Those detained in the Censorate prison cannot be transferred without an imperial edict or a formal transfer document approved by the three provinces. Even if there is an order, the transfer documents must be verified to be complete. They must bear the official seal of the Ministry of Justice, the official seal of the Censorate, and the signature of the specific official in charge. All three are indispensable. This is the law of the court. I am merely acting in accordance with the rules. Do you not have the documents?"
Her firm stance ignited the temper of the hot-tempered soldier outside the cell. He cursed and was about to step forward when the leading guard turned around and glared at him sternly and warningly.
The soldier's arrogance vanished before it could even ignite; he pursed his lips and stepped aside.
The leading guard was tall and imposing. He looked down at Yue Yining and actually pulled out a document from his pocket. His voice was deep and heavy: "The transfer order you requested. Take a good look at it."
Yue Yining composed herself, took the document, carefully checked the seals and contents, and felt reassured after confirming that everything was correct.
She handed it back without further delay or struggle, obediently reaching out her hands. She was then bound with chains and shackles and slowly walked out of the damp, cold cell.
It was snowing heavily outside.
The world was a vast expanse of pure white, with delicate, ethereal feathers fluttering everywhere.
After many days, Yue Yining stepped into the snow again and found herself filled with a strange sense of novelty.
She subtly crushed the snow with her toes, the soft, white snow wetting her shoes with a soft, rhythmic sound. With this gentle, light sound, her tense mood began to relax.
Yue Yining was an important court official whose conviction was pending, and it was not appropriate for him to appear in public. He was transported in a tightly sealed carriage by the Ministry of Justice guards through the east gate to the Ministry of Justice prison. The wind and snow were heavy, and the carriage moved slowly through the snow. After only a few meters, it could only be seen as a blurry silhouette.
With her hands bound, Yue Yining sat in the carriage, while the guards on either side of her stood silently with their hands on their swords, their faces grim.
She remained silent, sitting quietly with her gaze lowered to her knees.
I don't know how long the carriage had been traveling, but even the sounds of passing carriages, horses, and people had become very rare.
Suddenly, something unexpected happened.
The coachman suddenly tightened the reins, and a long neigh came from the horse ahead. Yue Yining was still thinking about what to do after arriving at the Ministry of Justice prison when her body was lurched forward due to inertia. She quickly steadied herself against the side of the carriage and looked up at the sound.
Immediately following was a sudden roar and shouts of battle outside the car, mixed with the piercing sounds of clashing weapons, completely shattering the original tranquility.
Yue Yining looked on in astonishment and asked, "What happened? What's going on outside—"
A large hand came over my face.
Yue Yining's eyes widened instantly. Her mouth and nose were suddenly covered, and she tried to struggle, but the handkerchief in the person's hand was obviously soaked in a drug that would make her faint. She only smelled a pungent, bitter smell, and then the things in front of her began to shake violently, overlap, and separate.
Even though she resisted with all her might, she eventually gave up and slowly closed her eyes.
......
Snow presses down on the eaves at dusk, and icicles hang from the mountainside.
The snow was bright and clear. Deep inside the Princess's residence, no candles were lit. The warm floor heating dispelled the last chill of winter, and a silent current flowed through the air.
In the main seat, Princess Wei Yihua sat upright, dressed in a dark gold and black patterned robe, her phoenix eyes lowered. The three female officials below her, Zhou Congyi, Shen Liude, and Qiu Yuebai, surrounded a huge rosewood desk, on which were piled thick scrolls, secret letters, and maps. The air was filled with the scent of ink and a tense excitement.
Outside the window, the snow fell silently, but inside the pavilion, there were only the occasional crackling of the brazier, the rustling of turning pages, and the low hum of the water in the copper kettle that was about to boil.
“Your Highness,” Zhou Congyi said in a steady voice, with a hint of barely perceptible excitement, as she presented a clearly copied secret report, “Wang Huan, the chief clerk of the Ministry of War’s Warehouse Department, secretly met with Liu Sheng, a retainer of the Fourth Prince’s residence, at Mansheng Tower last night. The two spoke cautiously, but Wang Huan, after getting drunk, became carried away and mentioned that ‘the batch of pig iron from Yanmen Pass has finally found a place to go’ and that ‘the compensation money has also been completely cleared.’”
"They also said, 'Once Yue Yining dies, everything will be over.'"
"Liu Sheng was alert and immediately rebuked them, but his words were clearly heard by those nearby. We bribed the maids who served the banquet in the building that day, and they have agreed to sign and testify."
Wei Yihua nodded, and Shen Liude immediately added, pointing to another copy of the account book: "As soon as Lord Yue entered prison, the Ministry of War's Armory and Censorate immediately made a move. Our people had been lying in wait in the Ministry of War, but they were too cautious, and we couldn't get our hands on the account books and physical evidence. Now that they've heard the news, they're in a hurry to destroy the stolen goods, and we've seized the opportunity."
"Look at these accounts. The amount of lost military equipment written off at just one checkpoint last month has increased more than three times compared to the same period last year. Even a fool could see that there was something wrong. No wonder they have been hiding the real account books so tightly. We have obtained the list of officials and the account books involved, and ordered people to make copies. The inferior military equipment obtained privately has also been sealed and put into the warehouse. This is irrefutable evidence."
Qiu Yuebai, who was helping to report on the progress of the investigation and organize physical evidence and clues, was also beaming with joy: "Great! With these things, they can at least not clear their names!"
Zhou Congyi couldn't help but sigh, "Just a few days ago we were at a loss, but overnight it has brought such a big turnaround."
Shen Liude nodded: "This is all thanks to the Yue people, we owe her a great deal."
Wei Yihua's gaze swept over the documents and evidence in front of her, a sharp glint flashing in her eyes.
Yue Yining's risky move actually pried open a corner of that seemingly impenetrable fortress, allowing the stalled case to progress and break through.
The secret letter that had been delivered to the palace by the chief eunuch a few days earlier flashed through her mind. The beautifully handwritten letter was placed in her hands; she read it with suspicion, only to be left with shock and rage.
In the letter, Yue Yining said that the Fourth Prince and the Ministry of War had already decided to kill her. Rather than passively defending herself, she should proactively create a weakness and turn the tables on them. She planned to forge evidence of treason that would land her in the Censorate prison and deliberately have her spies infiltrate the Princess's residence steal it.
In this way, her adversaries, thinking she has lost power, will lower their guard and rush to frame her with real evidence of her crimes, in order to completely eliminate her as their biggest threat.
Wei Yihua and his associates could then take this opportunity to open a gap in the Ministry of War, which was lax in its defenses and busy with collusion and transferring evidence, and fully mobilize the hidden agents they had already laid to strike at the heart of the matter!
"I have already placed the fabricated evidence in my bedchamber. This is the most feasible and easiest plan I can think of. Your Highness must stand by and watch Yining go to prison, and use me as bait."
How could Wei Yihua not know how brilliant this plan was? Yet she was so angry at the time that she almost sent someone to arrest her immediately!
This scheme was so dangerous that it almost put Yue Yining in grave danger.
The Censorate Prison is no safe place. The Fourth Prince and the Ministry of War will surely try every means to kill her in prison. Poisoning, torture, assassination... any of these can take a life in an instant. Even if she has extraordinary abilities, if she is imprisoned and encounters danger, how can she, a weak woman with no power to even kill a chicken, protect herself?
It was too late. The letter arrived at noon, and by 11 PM the imperial decree had been issued. By the time Wei Yihua learned of it, the Imperial Guards had already gone to the capital to arrest Yue Yining.
Yue Yining timed things so precisely that she didn't even have a chance to object.
In the short span of less than seven days, Wei Yihua was on tenterhooks day and night. She had to subtly mobilize all her forces according to her plan to create the illusion of panic and helplessness in the Princess's residence, thus lulling the enemy into a false sense of security. At the same time, she had to secretly send more people to do everything she could to ensure that Yue Yining, who was in the Censorate prison, was safe and sound.
Two days ago, the Minister of War petitioned to transfer Yue Yining to the Ministry of Justice prison. Wei Yihua did not object in court because she had already bribed several important officials in the Ministry of Justice prison. She believed that no matter how the Ministry of War tried to do something in secret, they would not be able to frame Yue Yining.
With a breakthrough in the case of the border army's reform, Wei Yihua's long-tense nerves were finally able to relax a little.
Now it seems... she was right.
If Yue Yining hadn't willingly jumped into this den of dragons and tigers, the Ministry of War would never have been so smug, much less hastily mobilized and fabricated those core pieces of evidence that were originally hidden deep within, just to solidify her death sentence.
Every move these people made was within her calculations.
They were initially like blind men feeling an elephant, constantly hampered; now, breakthroughs have emerged like a spider web.
Once the time is right, we can take a two-pronged approach. First, with lightning speed, we can expose the loopholes in the false evidence used to frame Yue Yining and imprison her, clear her name, and help her regain her original position safely. Second, we can use this newly acquired irrefutable evidence as a weapon to directly point out in court the collusion between the Ministry of War and several high-ranking officials from humble backgrounds, exposing their serious crimes of embezzlement, smuggling military funds, and undermining border defenses under the guise of reform!
Wei Yihua's mind was in turmoil, but her face remained calm.
She picked up the map marked by Qiu Yuebai, her fingertips tracing the border of Bingzhou: "In that case, Lord Shen will be responsible for categorizing and organizing the suspicious points in the armory accounts and the evidence of smuggling at the border markets. Lord Zhou will be responsible for contacting our people in the Censorate. We're just waiting for Yining's side..."
Before she could finish speaking—
"Bang!"
The heavy, carved wooden door was suddenly pushed open, bringing in a biting gust of cold wind, and swirling snowflakes filled the air.
A maidservant stumbled into the hall, her face pale and her voice shrill, shattering the tranquility of the place.
"Your Highness! Your Highness! Something terrible has happened!"
"On the way to the Ministry of Justice prison, on the way to the Ministry of Justice prison, her car was hijacked in a secluded spot on the East Gate Road leading to the Ministry of Justice office!"
"The Ministry of Justice guards escorting the prisoners... suffered heavy casualties! The carriage was destroyed! Lady Yue... Lady Yue... her whereabouts are unknown!"
"What?!"
"Clang!"
Wei Yihua suddenly stood up from her chair, knocking over the exquisite celadon teacup on the table, which rolled to the ground and shattered.
The scalding tea splashed everywhere, staining her skirt, but she was completely unaware.
His face, which always maintained royal dignity and composure, instantly lost all color, leaving only disbelief, astonishment, and a sudden, overwhelming panic.
"What did you say? Carjacking? Missing?" Wei Yihua murmured, repeating the words over and over, her voice hoarse and strained, as if each word drew out a vein of blood. "...Say it again, who was it?"
Her eyes were bloodshot, her face ghostly. The maid had never seen anything like it before; her voice was filled with terrified and helpless sobs.
"Your Highness, it is...it is Lord Yue...it is Lord Yue Yining!"
Just moments before, I was confident and in control, but this sudden and devastating news shattered everything.
A deathly silence fell over the hall. The maidservants knelt on the ground, heads bowed, trembling. The silver screen reflected the equally shocked and pale faces of three female officials.
Outside the window, the snow was falling in a vast expanse.
When Yue Yining woke up again, the first thing she felt was the warm water waves that swept over her body, and the faint scent of pine resin in the mist that lingered around her nose.
She slowly opened her eyes, and what came into view was a screen of emerald gold and brocade, inlaid with jade carved into pine and cypress trees. Around her were swaying sleeves and shadows of hair, and several pairs of soft hands reached out and moved in the water.
Yue Yining, who was still somewhat dazed and sleepy, suddenly woke up.
She suddenly sat up straight, sending flower petals and hot water flying everywhere. The three or four maids who were washing her were startled by her sudden movement and almost let go of her. Fortunately, Yue Yining managed to grab the edge of the tub herself.
"Who...who are you all?" Yue Yining was completely confused. She stared at them in shock. "How did I get here? Where is this?"
As her thoughts and memories returned, Yue Yining realized that she had been robbed on her way to the Ministry of Justice prison. She had been drugged and knocked unconscious.
But even if she was kidnapped, she shouldn't be in this place, and she shouldn't be stripped naked and bathed!
The maids serving her were all prostrate on the ground, and apart from saying, "This servant is ordered to wash the body of the Lord of Yue, please calm your anger," they did not say anything else.
"...I'm not washing anymore." Yue Yining took a deep breath and emphasized, "I'm not washing anymore, I want to get out, give me my clothes!"
The maids dared not disobey her and surrounded her, wanting to help her wipe her face and dress her, but Yue Yining dismissed them all, only telling them to give her the prepared clothes and not to do anything else, but to wait behind the screen.
Yue Yining put on her clothes herself. The official robe she was originally wearing had disappeared, and the maid had prepared a set of silk brocade robes lined with goose down for her. The snow-white fabric with its subtle embroidery was warm to the touch, and even someone like her who didn't know much about fine things could tell that it was extremely valuable.
She only noticed the oddity after she had fastened her belt.
The dress fits her perfectly. The size, sleeve length, and hem are all just right, conforming to her height and limbs, not an inch too long or too short. Logically speaking, it would be almost impossible for a dress used as a temporary substitute to fit so well.
This outfit looks as if someone knew her body measurements and tailored it to her body in advance.
As Yue Yining finished dressing and walked around the screen to leave, she looked around.
Clearly, she was currently in a mansion, and this was the guest room. Although the interior was not particularly luxurious, a closer look at the details revealed the owner's meticulous and elegant design.
Against the wall stood a rosewood display cabinet and a small table, inside which were arranged several elegant porcelain vases, jade mountain carvings, and small bronze items. A thick, soft white fox fur quilt was laid on the mahogany couch, and beside the couch stood an exquisite gold incense burner, from which wafted a clear and refreshing scent of pine resin, which was very pleasant.
Yue Yining noticed that several more maids had appeared out of nowhere in the room. She paused, but the dozen or so maids immediately curtsied and bowed to her, saying, "Greetings, Lady Yue."
The head maid stepped forward and said respectfully, "Please rest on the couch, Your Majesty. We have already sent someone to the Frost Spray Courtyard, and our young master is on his way."
Yue Yining paused for a moment, then caught a few familiar words.
"...Your eldest son?"
As soon as the words were spoken, light and steady footsteps came from outside the corridor, accompanied by the softly falling snow and the deep stillness, slowly approaching the door.
The maid pushed open the door. Yue Yining looked up at the sound and saw Xie Qingyu, dressed in a black robe with a white plum blossom pattern, slowly taking off her cloak and handing it to a servant.
Behind him stretched an endless expanse of snow. Surrounded by the snow's glow, his skin was as white as jade, almost rivaling the brilliance of the precious stones. Standing tall and slender under the eaves, he resembled a solitary pine tree covered in frost. Only his eyes, gazing directly at her, were like flowing water and peach blossoms, dazzling and captivating.
Yue Yining was completely stunned and hadn't realized what had happened. It wasn't until Xie Qingyu waved away the servants in the room and then approached her that she snapped out of her shock and slowly came to her senses.
She sat on the edge of the couch, and Xie Qingyu did not stand, but knelt on one knee in front of her, his robes spreading out on the ground like a grove of white plum blossoms blooming in the dark night.
Her eyes, which were always shimmering and gentle with a smile, were now clear and flawless, reflecting only her image.
Yue Yining looked at him with mixed feelings and spoke first: "Did you hijack the Ministry of Justice's prison car?"
"But how did you do that? Did you kill someone randomly again? No, the people who drugged me in the car weren't assassins, but guards from the Ministry of Justice prison. Did you bribe them beforehand? Or were those guards actually your people all along—"
Xie Qingyu carefully examined her face, but instead of answering, he said in a low voice, "Miss has lost weight."
"It's only been five days, and your cheeks have gotten so thin." His voice was slightly hoarse. "Why have you lost so much weight?"
Yue Yining's words remained unspoken. She was stunned, and didn't pull away when Xie Qingyu reached out and grasped her hands resting on her knees.
His large hands enveloped her, but they weren't warm; his palms were rather cool. Logically, she should have resisted, but Yue Yining found that she didn't actually want to pull her hand away from his.
Xie Qingyu tightened her grip on her hand, her expression turning cold: "The guards said that when they rescued you, your hair was disheveled, and the hairpin that held your hair back was gone. Did those Ministry of Justice prison guards shove you, or did someone steal your things?"
Yue Yining pursed her lips, composed herself, and said, "Thank you, Qingyu."
"Stop asking questions, just answer my question first."
He was scolded by her, and even though she thought her voice was very soft and she didn't get angry, the light in Xie Qingyu's eyes softened instantly. He said in a low voice, "I'm sorry, it was me."
“I arranged for the guards of the Ministry of Justice prison to create the illusion of chaos, and then took advantage of the chaos to take you away and send you to the Xie residence.”
Yue Yining finally felt relieved. Having understood the situation, she breathed a sigh of relief, but was still puzzled. "But why did you hijack the carriage? I'm a serious criminal, and now that I'm missing, the Ministry of War and the Ministry of Justice won't let this go easily. They'll eventually find you. What will you do then?"
She thought Xie Qingyu would do this for her sake.
But Xie Qingyu looked at her quietly and said, "I know that Miss and Her Highness the Princess are investigating the border army reform case."
Yue Yining paused for a moment, then heard Xie Qingyu continue, “This case involves many people, and I cannot explain everything to you, Miss. I care about your safety, so I did not want to see you put yourself in danger. That is why I took advantage of the Ministry of Justice’s prison transfer opportunity to rescue you. But I am also a strategist for the Seventh Prince. The Third Prince and the Fourth Prince are fighting like the snipe and the clam, and he wants to be the one who benefits from the fisherman’s struggle.”
"Therefore, until this case is closed, I will not let Miss leave the Xie residence, nor will I let the outside world know that Miss is still alive."
Since he's said that, what could Yue Yining possibly not understand?
This means she will be placed under house arrest.
Yue Yining was first surprised, then felt it was absurd, and then a nameless anger suddenly rose in her heart.
Looking at Xie Qingyu kneeling before her, seemingly humble but actually trapping her in front of him, she gained a new understanding of this man's despicable shamelessness.
She laughed angrily: "You are quite frank, but I didn't know that the eldest son of the Xie family is upright and honest in public, but does such a despicable thing in private. Does he deserve to be called a 'gentleman of snow and moon'?"
Xie Qingyu knew that saying these words would anger her, so he simply knelt down on both knees and bent his fragile neck in front of her.
He said, "If you want to vent your anger, just hit or scold me. I will obediently accept it. You can treat me however you want, punish me or torture me."
There was no one else in the room, only the two of them facing each other, and the warm, lingering scent in the air.
Anger fueled malice. Yue Yining stared intently at Xie Qingyu kneeling before her, at this man who remained composed even while kneeling. Even though he had long since reclaimed his status as a young master from a prominent family, he acted with perfect ease and composure in such servile behavior.
If you want to make someone feel humiliated, the usual methods used to insult people are completely ineffective.
Thinking of this, Yue Yining narrowed her eyes.
She did something that no one expected.
She lifted her foot and stepped on that spot.
Xie Qingyu's expression changed drastically. He felt her toes pressing against him and moving, and he reacted instantly.
Yue Yining stomped on him hard for a while, using considerable force, because she was punishing him, not making him feel good. She lowered her eyes and watched as the shoulders covered by the brocade robe began to tremble, the slanting plum branches swayed gently, and white plum blossoms fell like rain.
Yue Yining chuckled, and then realized that he had raised his hand and grabbed her calf.
She looked down and saw the veins bulging on the back of his hand that was holding her calf, but she couldn't feel any pain, which meant he wasn't using much force, yet his hand was trembling.
Following her instincts, Yue Yining continued to exert force, when suddenly she heard him let out a startled gasp.
Seeing his neck turn bright red instantly, Yue Yining said in a tone that was both breathy and mocking, "Why are you grabbing me? You said you'd endure anything I did to you."
"Is it okay to treat you like this?"
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Author's Note: Please remember to refresh! I was in a rush when I posted this, and a section was not copied when I first posted it. This chapter has more than 11,000 words!
I finally got to this point!!! I've wanted to write this part since around chapter 40 [clasped hands] I'm so happy! [clasped hands]
Whether it's punishment or reward, I won't say [doge emoji]. From this day forward, a new era begins, and the young couple embarks on a new phase [starry-eyed emoji].
This is basically adding yesterday's update to today's! I'm begging for some nutrient solution to water my plants! [Let me see]
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