After a moment of silence, Jiang Ruan finally said, “Have you been here for a long time?”

Seeing that Jiang Ruan was willing to speak, the woman, who had probably been stifled for too long in this place, immediately began talking like beans spilling from a bamboo tube: “I’ve been here for almost a year. No one has been brought in for more than half a year. Little girl, what did you do to get locked up in here?”

Jiang Ruan smiled faintly. “I didn’t do anything.”

“Then how…” The woman was stunned and was about to speak when she seemed to understand something: “Could it be that you were also wrongly accused? But I can see that you look like a young lady from a wealthy family. How dare they…”

Jiang Ruan looked at her. “What do you mean?”

The woman dodged somewhat. “Nothing, nothing.”

Jiang Ruan sighed softly. This sigh contained helplessness, as if she had experienced some great pain in life, pressing heavily on one’s heart and making people feel heartbroken along with her. The woman secretly observed Jiang Ruan through the hair covering her eyes. Jiang Ruan looked over with a smile, and those upturned alluring eyes were full of strength and warmth, seeming trustworthy. Although the other party was clearly just a girl of about ten years old, her eyes were filled with convincing power, seemingly also carrying a bit of bewitching charm that made people unable to resist pouring out everything in their hearts.

The woman swallowed. “Since you just arrived, you don’t know that getting out of here requires silver. I was originally just a small woman. After being married for one year, my husband encountered bandits while doing business at sea and couldn’t return. Only my eighty-year-old mother-in-law and I lived together. Who knew that brother-in-law… he coveted the money my husband left behind and actually strangled my mother-in-law to death when I was out, then framed me for it. The prefect here is a corrupt official who took my brother-in-law’s silver and arrested me without a word, forcing me to confess under torture. Although I wasn’t sentenced to execution, I could only live in this prison for a long, long time.” When the woman spoke of her grief, her voice was already hoarse, but she surprisingly didn’t shed tears. It seemed that in this year in prison, her tears had long since dried up. Although her heart was pierced with pain, she could only accept her fate.

Seeing Jiang Ruan remain silent, the woman paused and said, “But little girl, I can see that you’re different from me. Although the clothes you’re wearing don’t look very good, I understand that you certainly aren’t the daughter of an ordinary family. How did you also fall to this state?”

Jiang Ruan smiled slightly. “Even humble households are so complicated; how could wealthy families have any less scheming and intrigue?”

Hearing this, the woman also found it reasonable, but her gaze toward Jiang Ruan became even more pitying: “Little girl, inside this prison is different from outside. I’ve stayed here for a year – this isn’t a place for people to live. Since you and I are both unfortunate people, we’d better take care of each other in our daily lives. I’m called Shufen; call me Sister Fen.”

Jiang Ruan nodded. “Sister Fen.” She looked around. “Are all the people locked up here wrongly accused?”

Shufen shook her head. “Not all, but most are. Some people here have encounters like mine, and there are others who truly committed crimes but don’t have enough silver to buy their freedom. Anyone who committed an offense but has silver, Qian Wanli lets them all out.”

Qian Wanli was the prefect here. Jiang Ruan remembered clearly that this person was extremely greedy for wealth – the type who would pluck feathers even from a passing wild goose. Over these years, he had profited considerably here. This time, he must have also taken Chen Zhao’s silver, but Qian Wanli thought more than Chen Zhao. Knowing her identity yet still imprisoning her, he wanted to extract another sum from Jiang Quan.

This transaction, Jiang Quan would definitely make, and Jiang Susu and her daughter would be delighted as well. But she wouldn’t let these people have their way. Qian Wanli wanted to grow fat in one bite – she didn’t mind letting him taste what it was like to be stuffed to death.

“If there were a chance to declare your innocence, would you be willing to cry out your grievances?” Jiang Ruan said to Shufen.

Shufen was stunned and looked at her inquiringly. “How could there be a chance to declare innocence? I’ve stayed here for a year and have seen clearly that there’s no fairness or justice to speak of here. If you’re thinking of crying out grievances, that would be a grave mistake. Sister advises you – it’s best not to do that, otherwise you’ll have suffering to endure.”

Jiang Ruan smiled slightly. “Sister Fen, don’t forget that my father isn’t an ordinary person. He knows I’m here and will certainly do everything to rescue me and restore my innocence. When I get this opportunity, I certainly won’t forget you.”

Hearing Jiang Ruan mention her father, Shufen’s expression showed some hesitation. “Does your father really have such ability?”

Jiang Ruan nodded.

“If that’s the case, it couldn’t be better.” A trace of hope suddenly rose in Shufen’s eyes, but she quickly doubted again: “If your father cares for you so much, how could he let you fall into such a situation?”

Jiang Ruan lowered her head. A small ray of sunlight shot down from the dark window of the prison cell, illuminating her fair neck. Her slightly lowered eyelashes concealed the emotions in her eyes, only making people feel that those frail shoulders were so fragile, her posture unconsciously arousing pity.

Shufen sighed. “Forget it, I won’t ask about your family matters. But… will your father really come to save you?”

“Yes, the maid beside me has already gone back to deliver the message. Soon father will send someone to fetch me.” Jiang Ruan blinked.

“When?” Shufen still had some doubts.

“Tomorrow.” Jiang Ruan smiled. “I think tomorrow there will be a chance to cry out grievances. Sister Fen, when that time comes, not just you, but all the prisoners in this entire jail must seize this opportunity and cry out your grievances with all your might. You must remember – the louder you cry, the greater the possibility of you being released.” The more miserable Qian Wanli’s death would be.

Shufen, having gained this opportunity, naturally nodded repeatedly and immediately raised her voice to tell the entire prison about this matter.

One night quickly passed. On the tenth day, the sun was completely hidden behind thick clouds, and heavy snow began falling from the sky. Even their breath contained large chunks of snow particles. The prison cell was dark and damp, with ice forming in several places. Shufen gathered some straw from her side and gave it to Jiang Ruan, having her lay it under herself to make it warmer.

Jiang Ruan gently shook her head. This prison cell here, compared to the heavenly prison she had stayed in during her previous life, was simply paradise on earth. At that time, she bore the crime of being a calamitous enchantress and was arranged in the most terrifying and dark water dungeon. With most of the pool filled with water, her entire body was soaked in the wet and cold water. There were even fat rats in the water that came to gnaw at her body. The water flow impacted her body, making her cold from her entire body to her heart. Even if another such heavy snowfall came, it wouldn’t compare to one thousandth of that place.

Now it seemed like a recreation of that scene – she was once again locked in prison. But this time, she wouldn’t be as helpless and miserable as in her previous life, unable to resist being tortured by others at will. Now she was still here, but debts must be repaid. The suffering she endured now, along with the pain from her previous life, must be returned in full from those people’s hands! When that time comes, let’s see who ends up more miserable than whom!