After Xiao Xuan left, Ning Yin's panicked heartbeat calmed down a little. She wiped the remaining saliva from the corner of her mouth and hurriedly tried to push the door open, only to find a palace maid guarding the door.
"My lord, where are you going? His Highness the Crown Prince has instructed that due to the heavy snow tonight, you should stay overnight at Zhaoyang Palace."
Ningyin looked up at the heavy snow, which was like goose feathers. Last time, it took her a long time to travel by carriage from the East Palace back to the Imperial Hospital.
On this snowy night, I might not be able to find the direction of the Imperial Hospital if I go back alone.
But thinking of Li Chengyan, whom she had just seen, made her thoughts even more unsettled.
Li Xuan told her that it was his down-on-his-luck cousin. Today, seeing Li Chengyan and the Crown Prince so familiar with each other, without any of the so-called etiquette between ruler and subject, it was as if Li Xuan and his cousin were so close.
Even if there are many coincidences in the world, it is impossible for two people to look so alike at the same time.
Thinking about it, Ningyin still wanted to find out the truth.
"Let me go. I'm not a master, I'm just a lowly imperial physician."
"Master, please don't make things difficult for me. Besides, it's a snowy night, and the roads aren't safe. If anything happens to you, even if I had nine lives, it wouldn't be enough for His Highness the Crown Prince to chop off my head."
The palace maid Ziyuan shivered and pulled her sleeves tighter; the weather was indeed unbearably cold.
Chief Steward Chen just instructed her that she must stay outside Master Ning's room until she falls asleep, only then can she go to hide in the side room next door.
She could only hide away for a while; sleeping was not allowed. If her master gave any orders, she had to respond quickly.
Looking at Zi Yuan's purplish lips, Ning Yin also felt a little sorry for her.
If His Highness the Crown Prince wanted to keep her here, it would be a piece of cake. Even if she left Zhaoyang Palace, she wouldn't be able to escape the Qingyu Guards patrolling around the East Palace gate.
Fine, she'll have to get to the bottom of this when she sees the Crown Prince tomorrow.
Ning Yin made her decision and reached out to touch Zi Yuan's bright red fingertips.
"Then you go back and rest, I'm not leaving."
"Master, please get some rest. I'll be in the next room. Just call me if you need anything."
"good."
Ning Yin turned around, bolted the door, and returned to the expensive huanghuali wood bed.
There was no sign that anyone had lived here, and the bedding was all brand new.
This further confirms that the rumors that His Highness the Crown Prince is not interested in women and that there have never been any women in the palace are indeed true.
But why was he treating her so differently? Ning Yin pondered for a while and came to a conclusion: Li Xuan and Xiao Xuan were very likely twin brothers or even the same person.
Although this idea sounds absurd...
Tomorrow, she'll deliberately call out "Jingyuan" in front of Xiao Xuan to see if he reacts; then the truth will be revealed.
Thinking it over, Ningyin threw off the covers and lay down without taking off her clothes.
She was afraid that if the crown prince suddenly visited in the middle of the night, at least she would have some extra protection.
At this moment, the dungeon was filled with howls and wailing, the smell of rust mixed with the stench of blood, making the already foul space even more unbearable.
A few dim candlelight flickered and swayed in the cold wind that seeped in through the cracks.
Xiao Xuan took off his outer cloak, leaving him in only a black brocade robe. The Qingyu Guards quickly brought over a chair.
The man's posture was languid, exuding the innate authority of a superior. With just a glance, he made the ministers inside shrink back.
This is the dungeon of the Eastern Palace, heavily guarded and where the punishments are cruel. I originally thought it was just a rumor, but the minister who just insulted the Crown Prince has had his tongue ripped out.
Now he was limp on the ground, bleeding profusely. With the first person being made an example of, the others also shut their mouths.
Who wants to speak first?
His voice was low and somber. Xiao Xuan's cold and handsome face was devoid of any emotion, and his features, once the mask was removed, were even more chilling.
Suddenly, three or five ministers in the prison cell collapsed to their knees.
"Your Highness, I truly had no intention of rebelling. It was Xiao Ling who coerced me by threatening my family. I was forced into it."
"Your Highness, I was also forced into it."
"Please, Your Highness, spare me! I have elderly parents and young children at home; I cannot afford to have anything happen to me."
Several people knelt on the ground, weeping bitterly. Xiao Xuan snorted coldly and then waved his hand.
Li Chengyan, who was standing nearby, hurriedly handed over a roll of names.
"Two names are still missing from this list. Whoever completes the list can be the first to leave."
His voice remained flat and emotionless as he casually tossed the list over.
The list rolled a few times on the ground and landed next to the cage. Several people hurriedly crawled forward and reached out to snatch it.
The Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice, Zhang, was the first to pick it up. He opened it and carefully examined it by the dim candlelight. His name was the second one listed.
The remaining people were all registered as well. Seeing their bright red names written on the paper, each of them broke out in a cold sweat.
Minister Zhang knew perfectly well that Xiao Xuan simply wanted to extract the two most deeply hidden henchmen from their mouths.
But the lives of his family members were all in Xiao Ling's hands. If he really betrayed him, his fate would not be any better than dying in this dungeon.
Thinking of this, Minister Zhang hesitated for a moment, and the scroll was snatched away by Minister Li behind him. The others were also eager to show off, but Minister Li held the scroll tightly to his chest and even made a fierce expression.
“If you won’t look, I will. I don’t want to die here. My daughter-in-law is going to give birth to a grandson for our Li family after the New Year. I have to get out of here alive.”
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