Jingrong was inherently a stubborn person. Even if he died, he would never admit to it.

He also understood very clearly that even if he pushed Old General Li forward, Jing Yi wouldn’t believe it, because what Jing Yi wanted was his death.

The demon in Jing Yi’s heart swelled more and more, and the whip in his hand became increasingly merciless, each lash striking Jingrong’s body with deadly force.

Until—

He finally stopped after more than twenty lashes!

Jingrong’s body was covered with bloody welts, his flesh torn open—utterly tragic. His head hung low, blood flowing from his mouth, his hair having fallen loose to cover his pale face.

Seeing this, Jing Yi used the handle of the whip to lift his head, forcing those powerless, drooping eyes to meet his own.

“Why suffer like this? If you sign the confession, you can still walk out of the Great Inner Prison safe and sound.”

“…”

“Jingrong, don’t blame me for disregarding brotherly affection. You tried to kill Father Emperor—you should have anticipated this moment. But if I were you, I wouldn’t stubbornly refuse to admit it. Today, I won’t kill you. Think it over carefully, then answer me. Life or death—you choose.”

Jingrong’s mouth gasped for breath as his blood-stained lips split into a chillingly cold smile.

He said word by word: “What you’ve done today, in the future, I will repay you a thousand, ten thousand times over.”

“Repay me? That depends on whether you’ll have that chance!” Having said this, Jing Yi threw the blood-stained whip to the ground and ordered the guards: “Take Prince Rong down. Tomorrow, this prince will interrogate him again.”

“Yes!”

The guards unbound Jingrong from the wooden stake where he hung on the verge of death and dragged him to the prison cell.

Jing Yi looked at the bloody whip on the ground, pondering the words Jingrong had just spoken…

Prince Rong’s Manor

A night had passed. Ji Yinshu had been anxiously restless the entire time. Now, Lang Bo hurriedly brought Muruo over.

“I was only drunk for one night—how did such a major incident happen?” Muruo asked before even entering.

Ji Yinshu explained the entire sequence of events to Muruo.

Muruo slammed the table: “That old fox actually went so far as to commit regicide!” He continued: “Since that old fox did it, we can simply report it truthfully to His Majesty. How can we let Jingrong bear this charge?”

“It’s not that I haven’t thought of it.” Ji Yinshu had concerns: “That batch of problematic lanterns has already been destroyed. Moreover, Jingrong did indeed have contact with that batch of lanterns. The evidence is gone, and there’s also that Lord Zhang from the Palace Service Department as a witness. Tell me, would His Majesty believe it was Jingrong’s doing? Or believe it was done by a three-dynasty senior official who once held military power?”

Of course he would believe it was Jingrong’s doing!

Muruo’s drunkenness hadn’t yet cleared. He clenched his fist and slammed the table hard again.

At this moment, a young maid suddenly entered from outside, her face extremely anxious. She ran up to Ji Yinshu, slightly out of breath, and took out a letter from her sleeve to hand to her.

She said: “Master Ji, this is from Princess Huiwen who ordered this servant to bring out of the palace to you, saying it must be personally delivered into your hands.”

Princess Huiwen?

That would be Kong Yu!

Ji Yinshu didn’t ask questions but hurriedly opened the letter. Her hands trembled, nearly shaking it loose. Muruo took the letter from her hands, looked at it, his face grave and worried.

“Prince Yi actually went to the Great Inner Prison to interrogate Jingrong? What right does he have?” Muruo was indignant.

Ji Yinshu: “His Majesty has already awakened and also saw Prince Yi. Presumably he received His Majesty’s orders—otherwise he wouldn’t have such audacity.”

“You mean His Majesty truly believes this matter is related to Jingrong?”

“I don’t know.” Ji Yinshu shook her head, then turned to Lang Bo and said: “Brother Lang, could you get me into the Great Inner Prison?”

Lang Bo was shocked: “Master Ji, that’s the Great Inner Prison, not the Ministry of Justice prison. Without His Majesty’s orders, no one can enter.”

“I can!” The one who spoke was Muruo, who continued: “The Mu family has received His Majesty’s permission to enter the palace at any time. The Great Inner Prison is within the palace, so it’s also within the allowed scope.”

Putting it that way, it really was true!

…

That very day, Muruo took Ji Yinshu to the imperial palace.

Ji Yinshu specifically wore a black cloak, pulled down her hat, and covered her face.

Arriving at the entrance to the Great Inner Prison, guards stopped the two of them.

Muruo wore a stern expression and glanced at the guard: “Are you blind? Don’t you recognize this young master?”

The guard said: “Young Master Mu, of course I recognize you.”

“Then step aside if you recognize me!”

“But this is the Great Inner Prison. Without His Majesty’s decree, no one can enter.” The guard’s attitude was extremely firm.

Muruo was as cold as a nail. He took out the jade token from his person and held it before the guard.

“Look carefully. This is the jade His Majesty bestowed upon my Mu family. As long as we have this jade, anyone from the Mu family can go to any place within the imperial palace—the Great Inner Prison included.”

“This…”

“Anyone who dares to obstruct is defying the imperial decree. Can you bear such responsibility?”

It must be said, Muruo’s intimidation skills were quite good. The guard’s eyes flickered, and his body involuntarily shuddered as he bowed: “Young Master Mu, please enter.”

Muruo smiled at the corners of his mouth, put away the jade pendant, and prepared to enter with Ji Yinshu.

The next moment, the guard stopped Ji Yinshu: “And this person is?”

Muruo immediately pulled Ji Yinshu behind him and replied with a stern face: “A young servant from my Mu family.”

Using the Mu family name, the guard naturally didn’t dare to stop them.

After entering the prison, the foul stench and bloody smell grew increasingly intense. Ji Yinshu’s heart trembled with increasing pain.

She never imagined that Jingrong, a prince no less, would be confined in such a place.

When they reached the cell where Jingrong was imprisoned, Ji Yinshu’s body shook, her eyes instantly reddening.

In the cell, Jingrong still leaned against the cold wall, his head hanging powerlessly low. His body bore wound after wound, the bloodstains already dried, but the bloody smell still reached her nose.

She gripped the wooden stakes with both hands, her body slowly crouching down as she removed the hood from her head. Eyes reddened, she called out:

“Jingrong.”

Her pale, slender hands gripped the wooden stakes tightly, her fingernails seeming to dig deep into the wood.

After a long while, Jingrong finally lifted his head. Those bloodshot eyes, beneath disheveled hair, gathered a soft light as they looked toward Ji Yinshu.

A moment later, he smiled warmly, his tone weak as he said: “This prince knew it—you, this vexing little enchantress, would definitely come.”

Ji Yinshu’s tears immediately fell as her words caught in her throat, unable to speak.

Jingrong struggled to prop up his body, his unsteady frame walking toward Ji Yinshu. His legs buckled as he crouched down, reaching out his hand to gently touch Ji Yinshu’s face, still carrying a tender smile.

“Yunshu, don’t worry. This prince will be fine.”

Ji Yinshu bit her lip hard, her heart aching intensely as she grasped the hand Jingrong had placed on her face.

“The wounds on your body—do they hurt?”