Chapter 64 Chapter 64 Bird in a Cage.
When Xue Yuanyin woke up, she opened her eyes and saw an asphalt-colored wall above her head. It was dark, damp, and mottled.
She turned her neck with difficulty and found herself lying on an old mattress. In front of her was an iron railing, outside of which was a dim walkway. The lampposts on the side of the road were burning dimly. It was obviously a prison.
The walls on both sides of the cell were the same asphalt color as the ceiling, mixed with mottled gray. The cell was dim, with only a narrow window on the top of the wall next to the bed. The window was also covered with iron bars, but it was too high for her to reach and see the scene outside the window clearly.
Xue Yuanyin's head split with pain, and she barely remembered that she had been arrested at night. She raised her eyes and saw light shining through the narrow window at the top, illuminating the dust floating in the air.
It was daytime now, and I wondered how long she had been unconscious.
She could even smell a faint smell of mildew and rust in the prison, a feeling of being long-decayed.
It was quiet and silent, as if there was no one there.
Where is this?
Was she alone in the cell? Was she isolated from others? Or was she held in solitary confinement?
Xue Yuanyin felt sore all over, and the wounds left last night were aching. She then noticed that her blood-stained jacket and skirt had been replaced with a plain quilted dress.
She propped herself up and sat up from the mattress, and heard a rustling sound on her body.
Only then did she realize that all four of her limbs were bound with chains, one of which was attached to an iron chain at her ankle. It was probably to make it easier for her to change clothes; it was a slip-on buckle, allowing her to put clothes on and take them off. However, she didn't have the key, and she didn't know if there was a trick to open it.
The chain tied around her ankles was very strong. The extended chain was very long and thick, winding like a snake on the ground, and the end was connected to the asphalt-colored stone wall.
Xue Yuanyin lowered her head and looked at the chain.
The chain was strong, but long enough for her to move around the room.
She was just about to stand up and go to the gate to see what was going on when the iron bars were opened and a strange little maid came in. When she saw her, she smiled and said,
"Are you awake?"
Xue Yuanyin nodded and looked at the little maid. She had messy bangs, a round face, and a pair of childish eyes like black grapes. She was not tall and thin. She looked only fourteen or fifteen years old. She was wearing ordinary clothes, the kind commonly seen in servants in the capital.
She couldn't figure out what it was, so she asked, "Who are you?"
Upon hearing this, the maidservant said honestly, "My name is Ah Zhen. I'm guarding outside this prison. If you have anything, you can summon me."
Xue Yuanyin asked calmly, "Where is this place?"
The little maid shook her head helplessly and said sincerely, "The master has instructed me not to tell."
Xue Yuanyin asked again: "Which adult?"
The little maid shook her head and still couldn't say anything.
Xue Yuanyin thought for a moment and then asked, "Where are the other prisoners?"
The maid shook her head again, thought for a moment, and revealed a little information: "They were imprisoned separately."
I see. She's a prisoner, and I don't know where she's being held.
From what she said, Xue Yuanyin had a rough idea. This was a little maid who had been given instructions and could reveal very little.
Probably because she was a woman, it would be inconvenient for other servants to enter and exit the prison, so they made some concessions and sent a little maid.
Unable to find out anything, Xue Yuanyin lost interest in asking further questions and kept silent.
Ah Zhen said, "Girl, go to sleep. I'll clean your wound."
When Ah Zhen was brought to see this girl, she was covered in blood and wounds, which scared Ah Zhen.
Xue Yuanyin was sleeping on a rush bed, and the chains rattled as she moved.
Suddenly remembering something, she lay down and asked, "Did you change clean clothes for me?"
Ah Zhen put down the bottles and gauze in her hands, sat on the small stool beside the bed, nodded, and said in a soft and gentle voice with lingering fear:
"The girl's jacket, skirt, and inner garment are all covered in blood."
Xue Yuanyin hummed and said, "Thank you for your help."
Ah Zhen said it was not a problem, and took off her clothes. She also said that it might hurt to wipe the wound, and asked her to bear with it.
Xue Yuanyin shook her head: "It's okay."
She waited patiently at Xihua Gate until midnight, and the pain from being beaten by her opponent was more than just this.
After applying medicine on her wound, Ah Zhen brought her a lunch box.
Xue Yuanyin didn't know how long it had been since she had a meal. Her stomach was empty and she was starving. She opened the lunch box and stuffed the food into her mouth. As soon as she took a bite, she was surprised to find that the food tasted quite good.
She couldn't help but wonder, "Is it the prison of the Ministry of Justice or the Dali Temple? The food is so good."
Ah Zhen pursed her lips and didn't answer.
After Xue Yuanyin finished her meal, Ah Zhen took the empty box and went out. She walked around the small cell idly, but with every step she took, the chains on her body rattled, which seemed very noisy in the silent prison and caused pain all over her body, making her restless and irritable.
She simply lay back on the bed and closed her eyes to rest.
After a while, there was a sound of footsteps outside the door, neither fast nor slow, with a faint echo in the quiet prison corridor. She opened her eyes, sat up from the mattress, and looked at the iron bars.
Finally someone came looking for her.
Who was it? The Dali Temple? The Ministry of Justice? Or perhaps the Crown Prince?
However, it is unlikely to be the crown prince. He is the regent and is busy with all kinds of affairs. He has too many memorials to deal with alone, and he probably also has to capture Xue Chang. He probably has no time to visit a small character like her.
So what awaits her?
Torture? Or execution? Or being forced into slavery in the Jiaofangsi?
Xue Yuanyin stared at the door until a familiar figure holding a torch appeared in front of the door. He was noble and gentle, pure as jade, and even his gaze seemed to be noble and unparalleled, without any dust.
There was a hint of surprise between her eyebrows and eyes, and she said calmly:
"Isn't this Mr. Zhang?"
How could he be here? How could he have such authority to enter the prison?
Zhang Jingxuan gestured to the jailer outside the door, and Xue Yuanyin saw that there were jailers guarding on both sides of the iron bars. The jailer opened the door and Zhang Jingxuan walked in, with a winter chill on his body. He stopped at a position not too far away and looked down.
Their eyes met and there was a moment of silence.
Xue Yuanyin looked dull and felt bored. She didn't understand why he came here at this time. Could he be here to make sarcastic remarks?
But there was a hint of darkness in Zhang Jingxuan's eyes. Finally, he looked at her and said:
"I came to see you."
Xue Yuanyin looked at him, who was dressed neatly and had a dignified and elegant appearance. She was being looked down upon by him, and she felt a sense of resistance and disgust for no reason.
It seemed like this was the third time this had happened. Every time her relationship with him reached a freezing point, they would always be like this when they met: she was plain and disheveled, while he was noble and wealthy, looking superior.
What kind of person does he think of her?
Xue Yuanyin lowered her eyes and replied indifferently, "Thank you, Master Zhang, for remembering to come and visit me, a prisoner."
Zhang Jingxuan was silent for a few seconds. Perhaps he sensed her resistance, but he didn't move closer. Instead, he found a wooden stool and sat down.
This feeling of looking at each other straight ahead made Xue Yuanyin feel more comfortable, and she raised her eyes slightly.
Zhang Jingxuan then spoke:
"It's already the afternoon of the next day, and you've slept most of the day. Let me tell you about the outcome of last night's coup."
Xue Yuanyin raised her eyebrows, not expecting Zhang Jingxuan to actually send a message. She was glad he had a conscience and hadn't forgotten their past friendship. But she also knew it wouldn't be a good outcome, so she quickly calmed down and said,
"Go ahead."
Zhang Jingxuan looked at her and said slowly:
"His Royal Highness the Prince of Yu hid in the palace last night and finally forced his way out of the Donghua Gate, but he was surrounded by pursuers and is in a critical situation. He will be captured soon. Once apprehended, he will be immediately imprisoned. Gao Zhan died in Fengtian Palace. Gao Songlin was seriously injured while trying to protect His Royal Highness the Prince of Yu's escape and was apprehended by the Imperial Guards. Xue Chang's whereabouts are currently unknown. The capital's guards have sealed off all the entrances and exits. Qin Fang and the Imperial Guards are conducting a comprehensive search for him throughout the capital."
Xue Yuanyin twitched the corner of his lip. There really wasn't any good news. Oh, except for Xue Chang. He held the secret agent left by Prince Yu in the capital. It would be better to escape early than to leave behind a green mountain.
Not wanting to continue the conversation, she asked, "Where is this? Does Master Zhang have the authority to tell me this?"
Zhang Jingxuan said, "It's a private prison in the imperial city."
Private prison?
Xue Yuanyin's doubts were immediately resolved. No wonder it was so quiet. It turned out that this was not the prison of the Dali Temple or the Ministry of Justice.
She looked at him and asked, "Which private prison is this? Why am I the only one locked up in it?"
Zhang Jingxuan looked at her calmly.
"Well, if I can't tell you, that's fine."
Xue Yuanyin lowered her head, and the loose hair on her cheeks covered her eyebrows, making it impossible to see her expression.
The air was a little quiet, no one spoke, and it was almost like a long stagnation.
Xue Yuanyin stared at the plain white prison uniform on his body. His eyes, which were usually bright and lively, seemed a little empty. He said:
"Zhang Jingxuan, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince will be the regent, and your future ascension to the throne is a foregone conclusion. You must be a very popular figure in the court, right? Are there many officials trying to establish a relationship with you? Are there many ladies and daughters visiting the Zhang residence? Since you are so noble and can even be imprisoned, you must also know some inside information. I just want to ask one question: Can you tell me what will happen to me?"
For a long while, no one answered, and the prison was eerily quiet.
Xue Yuanyin felt Zhang Jingxuan's gaze pressing on her, as if it were real, making her back feel heavy and she couldn't help but turn her face away.
In the silence, she heard his low, cold sneer:
"Afraid? That's strange. Seeing you so calm, I thought Miss Xue really didn't care and wasn't afraid of death at all."
Xue Yuanyin's calm mood, which had been maintained for a long time, was ignited by his words. She suddenly looked up at him, her eyes filled with surging despair and sharp pain:
"So? I failed, and you're happy? You have to see me end up like this to satisfy you, right?"
Zhang Jingxuan was angered by her words, his forehead muscles bulged slightly, and he suppressed his anger and said:
"Why should I be happy? Why should I be satisfied? Is that how you assume I am?!"
Xue Yuanyin looked back at him, a sneer on his lips:
"You're such a hypocrite, what are you trying to accomplish by coming here to mock me? Could it be that Master Zhang is here to tell me that you're willing to sacrifice yourself to get me out of jail?"
After a slight pause, she relaxed her expression and said:
"I know you've always wanted to strip me of all my thorns so you could control me. You never like me to confront you, and you can't stand losing, so you can only control me when I can no longer resist. Now you finally get what you want, right?"
"Xue Yuanyin!"
Zhang Jingxuan suddenly stood up, suppressing the anger swirling in his eyes, and said, "I went through so much trouble to come to the prison to see you, not to quarrel with you!"
Xue Yuanyin was also annoyed. She suddenly raised her head and struggled with the chains on her wrists, making them rattle.
"Don't act like I enjoy quarreling! Since you think coming to visit me is a waste of effort, then I sincerely advise you to pursue your own path to success and never come here again! I will accept death or torture, or even enslave you, but don't try to use this kind of alms to coerce or hold me hostage!"
There was anger in Zhang Jingxuan's eyes, and his chest rose and fell slightly as he suppressed his anger.
Xue Yuanyin didn't like the look in his eyes. To be exact, she had hated his temper for a long time, and now she was just venting it suddenly.
She stopped looking at him, lowered her head, and began to fiddle with the bandages on her wounds.
Zhang Jingxuan kept his eyes on her. He suppressed his anger and sat down for a long time without saying a word. After a while, he stood up again and said in a low voice, "Have a good rest." Without saying another word, he turned around, pushed the door open and left, locking it again.
He walked to the entrance of the dungeon and looked back at the dark iron bars behind him. After a while, he looked at the jailers on both sides, and his gentle voice was calm and indifferent:
"Guard her well. Don't deprive her of food, clothing, and other necessities, and don't let her go without permission. If she escapes, I will definitely hold you accountable."
The two jailers knew his name and that he was a favorite of the prince, so they agreed immediately.
Zhang Jingxuan turned and walked towards the iron gate at the end of the dungeon. His footsteps echoed in the empty dungeon, gradually fading away, and finally his back disappeared.
In the prison cell, a dim light streamed in from the skylight. It was almost evening, and the room became increasingly darker, especially since Zhang Jingxuan took away the torch when he left. The room was almost like night.
Xue Yuanyin lowered his eyes expressionlessly and kicked the chain on his ankle, making a rattling sound.
She finally pulled the corner of her lip in self-mockery, endured the pain from wounds all over her body, and lay back on the bed tiredly.
-
Zhang Jingxuan left the prison, entered the vermilion palace gate, and walked on the vast and majestic palace road.
The ministers who had been discussing court affairs for a whole day had just adjourned the meeting and were discussing in groups of three or four.
The conversation kept revolving around the failed coup by Prince Yu, the Crown Prince acting as regent, Xue Chang on the run, and the looming war with the Western Qiang...
People in the capital were in panic, and the atmosphere was tense.
Zhang Jingxuan walked into the imperial study with an upright figure. The Crown Prince, wearing a yellow robe, was watching the last few ministers leave with a tired look on his face. When he saw him coming, his eyes lit up with joy and satisfaction. Without waiting for him to salute, he said:
"No need to be so polite, just get up."
After saying this, deep worry appeared between his eyebrows and he sighed:
"Although Prince Yu quickly tracked him down, Xue Chang escaped and his whereabouts remain unknown. I'm constantly worried about rescuing Prince Yu... Jing Xuan, you must keep an eye on the eldest daughter of the Xue family. As you said, keep her in solitary confinement and see if you can pry out any useful information. You can use torture if necessary."
Zhang Jingxuan paused for a moment, then bowed and reported today's official business one by one. Finally, he said calmly:
"I will not allow the Marquis of Qing'an to escape. I have sealed off the checkpoints in the capital. If he wishes to escape, he will surely reveal himself. If he does not, I will mobilize the remaining spies. Whether we capture Xue Chang or eliminate the spies in the capital, Your Highness will not lose out."
"That makes sense!"
A look of determination flashed across His Royal Highness's face. "Prince Yu has been laying ambush for years, and those hidden agents are extremely well hidden. They cannot be underestimated. This time, I will definitely eradicate them completely! However, this is no easy task. Do you have a good way to force Xue Chang out?"
"There is one way, we can take a risk and try it - put ourselves in the game, and there's no need to worry about him not showing up."
Zhang Jingxuan raised his head, his expression calm and composed. "Your Highness, just spread the word. You've already secured the support of the court officials, and I will completely refute the opposition voices of the Yu Wang clique officials, focusing all public attention on me. Xue Chang, hiding in the shadows, will surely be anxious. He won't stand by and watch us dominate the court. Then, we'll use this rumor to force him to reveal his plan."
The coup failed, but it is impossible that Prince Yu and Xue Chang did nothing about it.
In order to prevent them from making a comeback, this time we must take a risk and lure them into action from the dark, thus completely killing Prince Yu and Xue Chang.
"good!"
The prince invited him to dinner and then sent him out of the palace. He looked at the vast twilight and couldn't help sighing:
"The Western Qiang border has begun to unrest again, and they are looking to go to war. The people of Great Zhou are in turmoil, and it is almost spreading to the capital. I wonder what kind of alarmist rhetoric will be caused by that. It is truly a turbulent time..."
-
Late at night, when the jailer was most exhausted, Xue Yuanyin opened his eyes with a clear expression and gently got up from the bed.
She hit the back of the necks of the two jailers with gravel, forcing them to fall asleep. She stretched her arms and legs, and carefully examined the chains. After a moment, she clenched her fists and, regardless of the rupture of the wounds, struck hard at the chains extending from the wall.
She tried again and again, and tried to use her inner strength to shatter it, but failed. She then tried to climb up the wall and the window, trying to open it, but finally came down panting.
The pain from old wounds all over her body was unbearable, her palms were red and almost bleeding, her heart was broken, and she was finally forced to accept reality.
These are special chains and special windows, and there are not even any inmates who can communicate with each other.
This was definitely not the prince's idea, but Zhang Jingxuan's strategy.
Xue Yuanyin looked around the asphalt-colored prison cell, feeling a bit self-deprecating.
He blocked all the roads leading to her, left, and right, and trapped her in this world. She couldn't get any help from heaven or earth, and she couldn't get out or escape. It was a perfect cage.
It's so special, maybe it's a private prison with the key in his hands?
Xue Yuanyin clutched the cold iron bars and finally accepted the fact that she was imprisoned. The powerlessness and confusion in the cold and lonely night gradually swept over her, almost breaking her heart.
She wanted to earn some dignity and a future for herself, but she didn't expect to lose so miserably and eventually become a caged bird in his hands, unable to fly away.
She had killed so many soldiers and her crime was proven. She saw almost no chance of survival.
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The author has something to say: It's over 300,000 words! It's time to return the nutrient solution! So, can everyone else's nutrient solution... (crazy hint) [Please][Please]
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