“Greetings, Your Highness.”

People encountered along the way paid their respects one after another.

Wei Han strode on the bluestone road covered with thin snow and soon entered the heavily guarded prison.

The prison was filled with damp, decaying air that made breathing feel oppressive.

Wei Han’s steps slowed slightly, and he thought of Luo Sheng again.

When she went to the prison to see the Grand Commander, she also had to walk such a path.

Thinking this, Wei Han couldn’t help but quicken his pace.

“Your Highness.” Seeing Wei Han approach, the jailer hurriedly greeted him.

Perhaps due to the wind and snow along the way, his face was like cold jade, his voice like an icy spring: “Open the door. I will see the prisoner.”

“Your Highness, this—”

The jailer’s hesitation turned to trepidation after seeing the token Wei Han revealed, and he hurriedly opened the prison door.

The cell holding such an important criminal as the guard from Prince Zhennan’s residence was different from ordinary cells—it was an almost sealed stone chamber with rows of various torture instruments inside. Once the heavy stone door was closed, not a sound could be heard from outside.

Wei Han walked in expressionlessly, thinking to himself that the token bestowed by His Majesty was indeed useful—wanting to see prisoners had become much more straightforward.

In the cell was a man whose hands and feet were locked in iron chains.

His long hair hung disheveled, obscuring his face. His clothes were stained with blood, revealing torn and mangled flesh.

Judging by his build, he seemed to be a young man in his early twenties.

Hearing the commotion, the man didn’t lift his drooping head and said weakly: “How many times have I said it—back then the Grand Commander let me and the young prince go. What more do you want to ask? Can’t you just give me a quick death?”

Silence filled the cell.

The silence lasted until the man slightly raised his head to look at the visitor.

It was a very young man, at most twenty years old or so, with eyes that seemed to contain the cold night—clear, transparent, and bright black.

Wei Han also managed to make out the prisoner’s appearance with difficulty.

He said “with difficulty” because the prisoner’s face was covered with bloody wounds that obscured some of his features.

This was a man in his early thirties.

“If I gave you a quick death, have you thought about your family?” Wei Han spoke.

The man sensed something wrong. His eyes contracted slightly as he demanded: “Who are you?”

He thought the other wouldn’t give an answer, but unexpectedly the cold-looking youth said: “I am Prince Kaiyang.”

“Prince Kaiyang?” The man murmured, his expression both confused and shocked.

He had hidden his identity and lived in a remote town, but he had heard of Prince Kaiyang’s great name.

People of Great Zhou always spoke with relish about the ever-victorious general who fought against foreign tribes.

Why would Prince Kaiyang come to see him? What did mentioning his family mean?

Wei Han had no intention of keeping him in suspense.

He had been away for several days and felt uncomfortable. Now that he had finally returned, he naturally didn’t want to waste too much time here.

If he hurried, he could still make a trip to A Certain Tavern and eat a pot of mutton soup.

“Your wife and child have both been controlled by someone, correct?”

The man’s eyes suddenly contracted. His previous weakness transformed into stern severity: “What do you mean?”

Wei Han looked at him and said calmly: “I rescued them.”

He spoke so lightly that the man thought he had misheard: “You… what did you say?”

Wei Han’s expression became even more indifferent: “Which is to say, they’re now in my hands.”

“What do you want?” In his agitation, the man struggled, and the chains rang with clanging sounds.

Fortunately, this commotion was all blocked by the heavy stone door within this narrow, bloody little world.

Wei Han’s lips curved slightly as he said in a low voice: “What I want depends on what you will do.”

The man froze at once, staring fixedly at Wei Han, trying to figure out his intentions.

Wei Han frowned.

He had already spoken so clearly, yet this person still didn’t understand.

Delaying his meal.

Slightly displeased, Wei Han sighed: “You’ve become a blade in those people’s hands. You don’t really think they’ll protect your family, do you?”

“I—” The man opened his mouth but couldn’t speak.

He wasn’t naive enough to believe, but held onto a thread of hope, willing himself to believe.

People always needed to leave themselves a bit of hope. Otherwise, thinking about how his wife and child suffered because of him, he couldn’t rest peacefully even in death.

“They won’t.” Wei Han’s tone was cold and hard, shattering the man’s unrealistic hopes. “They’ll eliminate all threats, not leave themselves troublesome hidden dangers.”

“Don’t say anymore, don’t say anymore!” The man locked in chains was like a trapped beast. Even as the chains cut into his flesh with his struggles, he didn’t care.

Wei Han seemed unable to see the other’s pain and said indifferently: “I will.”

Just two short words, yet they made the man’s struggles come to an abrupt halt.

“You… you…” The man was like a drowning person—even breathing was difficult.

This was the disbelief of suddenly hearing hope after despair.

“I have the ability to protect them, and I never break my promises.”

The man stared fixedly at the youth close at hand.

His expression was cold, his tone was cold, even his gaze was cold.

But somehow, looking at those cold black eyes, he couldn’t help but want to believe.

Perhaps it was the impression left by the stories he’d heard about Prince Kaiyang, or perhaps it was this person actually standing before him—those eyes were too clear.

After staring at Wei Han for a long while, the man revealed a bitter smile.

He knew the real reason in his heart.

He had no other choice. Between Prince Kaiyang and those people, he would of course choose the former.

After a suffocating silence, the man asked softly: “What should I do?”

Prince Kaiyang suddenly coming to see him and saying these things couldn’t possibly be just out of kindness.

“You only need to tell the truth—that’s enough.” Wei Han said indifferently.

“Tell the truth?” The man’s expression changed as he formed a speculation.

Prince Kaiyang and those people should be in opposition. Those people wanted to destroy the Grand Commander, so he wanted to protect the Grand Commander.

Court struggles, yet they had drawn him in when he longed to pass the rest of his life peacefully.

“Fine, I’ll tell the truth.” The man quickly made up his mind and asked in a low voice: “But how can I believe my wife and child are in your hands?”

If the claim that his family was in Prince Kaiyang’s hands was a lie to deceive him, then complying would undoubtedly become his family’s death warrant.

Wei Han retrieved something from inside his robe and handed it over.

It was a small bamboo whistle that his son never left his side.

“The child said this was what Father made for him last year on his birthday, and asked me to bring it to you.”

The man stared at the small bamboo whistle, tears streaming from his tiger-like eyes.

His gentle and virtuous wife, his obedient and lovable son—he would never see them again in this life.

No matter whose blade he became, he wouldn’t survive.

Walking out of the prison, the sky hadn’t yet darkened. Looking out, everything was a hazy white.

The filth between heaven and earth seemed to all be covered by this sudden snow, becoming clean and flawless.

Wei Han had no time to appreciate the snow scenery. Stepping on the accumulated snow, he hurriedly made his way to Green Apricot Street.

The snow continued falling, drifting from sky to earth.

Green Apricot Street was almost devoid of pedestrians.

The black cloak swept across the snowy ground, and soon he approached the moisture-dampened blue wine banner.

“Miss, Prince Kaiyang has arrived!” Hong Dou caught sight of the man walking toward the entrance and excitedly called out to Luo Sheng.