Chapter 361 Don't interfere in men's affairs
Inside the imperial prison.
The environment was dark, and even with lights on, not every corner of the prison could be illuminated.
Tao Wanyin was waiting at the door when she happened to run into Duan Mingfeng, who was on his way to handle the case. She knew that the Emperor had transferred the power to try the case to him.
She asked without much hope, but to her surprise, Duan Mingfeng agreed.
When did this cold-blooded Lord Duan become so understanding?
Tao Wanyin, her face filled with shock, led Chang Lu through the main gate, and together with the wardens, followed behind Duan Mingfeng.
She looked carefully at every prison cell she passed along the way, and turned pale with fright at the sight of the half-crippled, dying prisoners inside.
Because in her mind, the faces of these people all resembled those of Prince Yong.
Tao Wanyin asked in a trembling voice, "Lord Duan, where is the Prince?"
Duan Mingfeng's tone was as chilling as the prison itself, as he said, "The prince is at the very back."
Tao Wanyin heard that those who committed serious crimes would be imprisoned in deeper positions.
The further they went in, the louder the wailing and hoarse pleas for mercy became. Tao Wanyin stumbled because her legs went weak, but the warden beside her helped her up.
Duan Mingfeng didn't stop walking, nor did he even turn his head.
Finally, he stopped at the innermost part of the prison.
Tao Wanyin followed, and in front of her was a black iron gate with a lot of rust.
After Duan Mingfeng stopped, he asked, "The key?"
The warden quickly handed over a bunch of brass keys that were clipped to his waist.
Duan Mingfeng glanced at him and commanded, "Open it."
The jailer below, sensing the danger, took the lock and unlocked the door.
Upon entering, Tao Wanyin saw a prison cell, which was empty except for a narrow straw mat for one person to lie on, with scraps of coarse food on the ground.
The person inside wasn't on the straw mat, but lying on the ground, groaning in pain.
Even standing here, Tao Wanyin could smell the putrid stench mixed with the medicine.
Duan Mingfeng said grimly, "Princess Yong, please."
Tao Wanyin stared at the person lying on the dirty cement floor, covering her mouth in disbelief. Why had Prince Yong become like this? Her ears were ringing, and she bit her thumb to stimulate herself with pain to prevent herself from fainting.
But she couldn't hold back her sobs and murmured softly, "Your Highness."
Duan Mingfeng didn't even notice the faint sound, but someone who was sound asleep heard it.
He looked at the doorway in confusion. The main door of the prison cell had been opened at some point, and there stood the person he had been holding in his arms in his dream.
"Wanyin?"
Someone was calling her; it was the voice of Prince Yong.
Tao Wanyin lowered her finger and stared intently at the prisoner facing her. He lay motionless on the ground, showing no sign of speaking.
"Wanyin?! What brings you here?!"
The voice was much louder, and the person was very excited.
Duan Mingfeng pointed to her left.
Tao Wanyin's gaze then turned to the innermost part of the prison, a brightly lit place that she had subconsciously overlooked, which didn't seem like a prison at all.
Although it was a prison cell, this one had soft bedding and pillows, and the square table was laden with food and drinks, making it seem more like an inn.
Zhao Minghong jumped off the bed, his eyes brighter than the luminous pearl beside his pillow.
"Wanyin, come here."
Tao Wanyin disregarded her composure and ran over.
Seeing her start to run, Zhao Minghong shouted, "Don't run! Be careful, what's the rush!"
Even though the interior layout didn't resemble a prison, the two were still blocked by the cold bars outside.
Tao Wanyin looked him up and down, from head to toe.
"Your Highness... are you alright?"
Zhao Minghong briefly looked away from her and turned his gaze to the person standing at the door.
"I would like to ask Lord Duan of the Imperial City Envoy to excuse us for a moment. My husband and I have some private matters to discuss, which are not suitable for outsiders to hear."
Duan Mingfeng glanced at Prince Yong without any emotion, then turned and left.
The jailer's men remained at the entrance to continue guarding it.
Zhao Minghong turned his head and gave Princess Yong a completely different look, his smile warmer than candlelight.
"Okay, very good, look, it has everything inside."
Once inside the prison, his anxiety subsided. Emperor Wusu had shown him leniency; the detention was merely a show for outsiders.
Prince Yong showed no sense of crisis about being in the imperial prison. He scratched the back of his head and said with a smile, "It's just not good that I can't see you."
Tao Wanyin's eyes grew redder and redder. Zhao Minghong wanted to cheer her up, so he said, "No, no, now that I've seen you, everything feels better."
After the fright, seeing that he was safe, Tao Wanyin relaxed and tears instantly streamed down her face.
"Don't cry, Wanyin."
Zhao Minghong panicked and tried to reach out to wipe away her tears.
But the gaps in the railing were too small; with the size of his hand bones, there was no way he could get through.
Tao Wanyin lowered her head, held back her tears, took out her handkerchief to wipe them away, and then pretended to be nonchalant. When she looked up, she had regained her composure, and at least outwardly, nothing seemed amiss.
"Even if Your Highness doesn't care about others, you should at least care about yourself. I heard that the Empress Dowager fainted from worry when she learned that Your Highness was imprisoned in the Imperial Prison."
"My mother..."
Zhao Minghong said, "I will go to pay my respects after I leave. You do not need to go to Cining Palace."
The Empress Dowager wouldn't give her daughter-in-law a good look, and Prince Yong didn't want her to go.
Tao Wanyin said, "I won't go anywhere. I'm going back to the Prince's Mansion now."
Zhao Minghong readily agreed: "Go back quickly, this prison is not a place for you."
Tao Wanyin didn't move, staring at his face, and asked, "When will Your Highness return?"
Zhao Minghong glanced at the cell on the right and frowned, saying, "That old man's life is spared. Once my brother's anger subsides, I can go back."
The person lying on the ground is... Su Fengyue.
Prince Yong was imprisoned because of excessive torture. Tao Wanyin asked, "Why...why did Your Highness treat Prime Minister Su so cruelly?"
Zhao Minghong replied, "I just don't like him. He's an old scoundrel who dares to try and steal my Zhao family's empire. He's guilty of a heinous crime!"
"But... but we can't..."
Tao Wanyin recalled what Chang Lu had said and felt that Prince Yong was too ruthless.
The use of slow slicing in castration was a cruel punishment unheard of in historical records, and it was applied to a former prime minister.
This is the kind of person who will be your bedmate.
Zhao Minghong can accept anything now, except for the slight disdain on Tao Wanyin's face.
Even the slightest touch pierced his heart with pain.
Zhao Minghong stopped laughing and shooed her away.
"What do you mean, 'can't'? Don't concern yourself with men's affairs. Go back to the Prince's mansion immediately."
Tao Wanyin was taken aback by his fierce tone, and slowly turned and left.
But before they even reached the door, the person lying in the cell suddenly made a sound—a dry, hoarse laugh that was particularly eerie in the prison.
"Little Tao..."
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