Heaven’s Prison was imposing with towering walls and deep iron fortifications. Around the high walls were deep trenches several zhang wide, filled with “heavy water” that could turn a living person into white bones in an instant. Four watchtowers stood at the corners, and atop these towers, facing east, south, west, and north, were permanently mounted Xiliang’s most formidable and advanced “Wind-Chasing Crossbows”—modified from the “Wind and Rain Divine Crossbows” of the founding empress’s sect. The entire wall structure and inner prison were equipped with countless mechanisms, defended by three thousand heavily armored soldiers day and night, with lights and footsteps that never ceased.

Most peculiar of all, this prison had no doors.

To say it had no doors wasn’t entirely accurate—the entrances were mobile, hidden within the high walls on four sides. Each day the mechanism arrangements differed, and the door locations changed accordingly. Only when the three highest commanders of Heaven’s Prison arrived simultaneously and each operated their portion of the mechanisms could the entrance be opened—this too was designed and modified by the ingenious, strategically brilliant, cunning and unfathomable founding empress herself, built upon the foundation of no previous prison.

This was the highest-level prison within the prison, housing major criminals involved in military state affairs and imperial family matters. Basically, according to historical records, over hundreds of years very few had entered this prison dubbed “Iron Hell”—averaging one guest every fifty years—but no one had ever come out alive. The criminals who had stayed in this purgatory were at minimum of royal rank, including the infamous Prince Yong Yuan Wei, who had stirred up a bloody case due to clan suspicions, failed to commit regicide but killed tens of thousands, built his palace with mountains of white bones, was finally stabbed to death by relatives, and posthumously granted the title “Owl”—he was one of this prison’s most notorious residents.

To be listed alongside these historically infamous villains, becoming a member written in vermillion on Heaven’s Prison’s prisoner roster, Qin Chang Ge felt that as the palace maid Ming Shuang, it was truly an honor, but as her true identity Ruiyi—forget it, that was really embarrassing.

A thread of moonlight leaked down from the small window at the prison top—no bigger than Baozi’s bottom—painting a layer of dim pale gray on the equally iron floor. Qin Chang Ge looked at the window made of Red River bright iron, then at the purely iron-constructed cell where even digging a hole would be impossible, and cursed the designer for being thick-skinned and shameless—she had forgotten again that this prison’s modifications were her own handiwork.

Well… having everything made of iron had one advantage—absolutely no rats.

Not only no rats, but absolutely no sounds either.

Qin Chang Ge was extremely malicious—of course this had been emphasized many times and needed no elaboration. She had known since her previous previous life that absolute silence had incredibly powerful destructive force on human mental willpower. Except for deaf people already accustomed to soundlessness, normal people in completely dark and silent environments beyond a certain time would produce many strange hallucinations, ultimately likely causing mental problems. So she had decreed that no one was allowed near the prison cells, no sounds were to be made, maintaining absolute silence until the prisoners were driven insane—this was truly bringing disaster upon oneself.

Actually, if Xiao Chen weren’t in a hurry, he only needed to have someone close the window overhead. In at most a week, even though Qin Chang Ge’s mental strength was relatively strong, in her current state without abundant inner power to protect her heart meridians, she would probably inevitably develop mental problems as he wished.

Hmm… perhaps someone would come close the window soon.

The surroundings were very quiet, quiet like deep water, cold abysses, graveyards—the kind of quiet that easily made one think of white bones, fresh blood, wandering souls, silently drifting ghost fires, and unwanted memories from the past that one thought had been forgotten.

…In the absolute silence, knocking sounds suddenly came faintly from the distance.

Monotonous, tedious, yet strange. First there was a certain rhythm, then it became chaotic and disorderly. After being chaotic for a while, rhythmic knocking began again. The frequency was very peculiar, floating ethereally in this extreme silence like gossamer and floating clouds, elusive. Though clearly just ordinary knocking sounds, to ears listening in the oppressive dark confusion, it seemed like the cries of obsessive thoughts in one’s heart, like a loving mother calling for her wandering child to return, or perhaps a woman’s delicate sobbing and a man’s sighs, echoing in the empty, cold, desolate night wind, real yet illusory, seeming true yet false… making one unable to help pricking up their ears to listen carefully.

…In the thread of dim light, Qin Chang Ge’s eyes glittered brilliantly like night-pearls.

She suddenly gave a cold laugh.

Climbing up, she groped her way crookedly to the wall and tested it. Indeed, this cast iron surface was uneven—one scratch left a white mark.

Qin Chang Ge sharpened her fingernails against the wall corner into a pointed shape and very seriously carved:

“Idiot Ming Shuang was here.”

After thinking, she continued carving:

“Super idiot Xiao Yincheng who doesn’t even recognize his own wife, I curse you to visit here sooner or later.”

Yincheng was Xiao Jue’s courtesy name.

Tilting her head to think, Qin Chang Ge frowned and murmured: “Super idiot, why do I feel something’s not right? What game are you playing?”

Shaking her head—forget it, too lazy to bother with him.

Thinking again, she carved:

“Little brother-in-law, the following passage is written for you. I think you’ll see it sooner or later. Even if you don’t want to see it, I’ll definitely make you see it. Oh right, can you understand vernacular? You’re so smart, it’s a small matter—I won’t translate it into classical style. I still need to save some energy to deal with your assassination later—Little brother-in-law, was the frost on the stone bridge that year very cold? Was it beautiful when your brother danced with his sword that year? You’ve kept it in your heart all these years—why do you bother? You think your brother must remember too, right? Let’s not lie—your brother does remember, but his remembering and your remembering are completely different things. Why do you torment yourself? Hasn’t anyone told you that brothers may deceive each other, but sister-in-law cannot be bullied?”

“You provoked me,” Qin Chang Ge wrote enthusiastically, continuing, “I didn’t want to provoke you, but you provoked me—it was like this in the past, and it’s like this now. Actually we both know in our hearts that you weren’t the one who actually acted. You’re at most peripheral personnel. When I petitioned the emperor, I only wanted to force your master to give some clues. You should know I’ve never liked doing things conventionally. Must revenge be solved by imperial petition? Can my revenge be solved by imperial petition? Please! —But I don’t know if it’s your unwillingness to accept loss or if you have some unspeakable difficulties? You’d rather kill innocents than speak up—what are you hiding? Little brother-in-law, do you know about trying to cover up only makes things more obvious? Do you know about hidden swords and curtained lamps? Do you know that when it comes to conspiracies and schemes, if your sister-in-law modestly claims second place, no one dares claim first? You’ll regret it, really. Your sister-in-law doesn’t speak big words. Don’t look at how I’m now in Heaven’s Prison while you’re in your wealthy prince’s mansion (actually I think you’re not at the mansion now either—you’re busy, you have to arrange how to kill people silently and solve me, you’re busier than me, such hard work—but I dare bet a dollar you’re busy for nothing), but sooner or later I’ll make you change places—though you don’t feel sorry for me, I feel sorry for you. It’s too cold here. If you freeze to death, your brother will have nightmares for the rest of his life. I’ve decided—you should go to Anping Palace, the cold palace specially for confining princes. Welcome to becoming the first glorious guest of Xiliang royal family at Anping Palace.”

Painfully withdrawing her finger, Qin Chang Ge looked mournfully at her delicate ten fingers now ground into bald flat surfaces, greatly regretting, and added: “The fingernails I worked so hard to grow were all ground away for you. You should compensate your sister-in-law with all your princely mansion assets. Also, your nephew’s birthday is coming up—send him a villa, will you? Thanks.”

Calculating the time and listening again, Qin Chang Ge switched hands and continued writing, this time memorizing poetry while courteously noting the sources:

“When potatoes are cooked, add beef—no need to fart!” (Chairman Mao)

“Those who offend the mighty Han, though far, must be punished! Those who offend Ruiyi, though fierce, must be crushed!” (Emperor Wu, Ruiyi)

“If you ask how much sorrow I have, it’s like a group of eunuchs going to a brothel.” (Li Yu original, internet genius adaptation)

“If heaven had feelings, heaven too would age—I only fear you won’t live to see it.” (Li He original, internet genius adaptation)

“Since ancient times beauties have many husbands, constantly making heroes’ tears wet their robes.” (Du Fu original, internet genius adaptation)

“The door for people to enter is tightly locked, the hole for dogs to crawl out is also locked—a voice shouts loudly: Damn it, everything’s locked?”

“Don’t worry about having no enemies ahead, only fear having love rivals behind.”

“Love country, love family, love Baozi; guard against fire, guard against theft, guard against little brother-in-law.” (Ruiyi original)

…

Writing while laughing heartily, Qin Chang Ge was proudly getting carried away when suddenly there was a crash overhead. The dim light darkened, like sparks jumping for an instant then returning to silence. The entire small iron prison immediately sank into extreme darkness and quiet.

Qin Chang Ge’s smile faded, her previous proud and manic state already gone.

The sudden sound in the extreme silence had immediately raised her alert. Though subtle, the sound was strange and entrancing. After hearing just a few sounds, Qin Chang Ge realized this was the “Sound Kill” technique that controlled people’s minds!

“Sound Kill” was one of the strange martial techniques in martial arts history. Legend had it that it was first created by the “Sound Demon” Wanyan Qinlin. After Wanyan Qinlin’s death, this technique gradually became unknown, but Qin Chang Ge knew that there were still several sects in the world who knew this ultimate skill. These sects were mostly descendants of that reincarnated romantic Sound Demon’s lovers and concubines. Of course, Thousand Absolute Sect wasn’t one of them.

Sound Kill had several methods of killing—some induced madness, some lured out inner darkness, some made people sever their own heart meridians. These were the most effective methods against highly skilled martial artists. The least known, which even Qin Chang Ge had never witnessed, was “Group Kill” that used external assistance to kill large numbers of people.

Using extreme darkness and silence as assistance to induce hallucinations in people without martial arts, making them seek their own death.

For example, tonight’s strange sounds suddenly coming from outside Heaven’s Prison, which should have been supremely quiet.

Tonight, all those imprisoned in Heaven’s Prison were people without martial arts.

The enemy was truly formidable. So formidable that even Qin Chang Ge had to admire them a second time—in such a short time, they had actually found the optimal killing method, actually found someone who knew this almost lost killing technique, and could eliminate this batch of prisoners without a trace or obvious action.

It would just look like the prisoners couldn’t bear the pressure and killed themselves.

There wouldn’t even be suspicion, because Student Ruiyi’s prison design was originally meant to let people enter but never leave, with the function of making you die from depression or madness.

The enemy was just cleverly using this function, advancing the timeline a little bit, going with the flow.

This flawless, traceless killing method would succeed in a matter of minutes.

Unfortunately, the enemy didn’t know the main culprit was Qin Chang Ge, that sinister, vicious, knowledgeable, stronger when facing strength, weaker when facing weakness, black-hearted and cunning character.

Almost the moment she recognized the Sound Kill technique, Qin Chang Ge knew she absolutely couldn’t rest quietly in the darkness anymore. At this time, to listen quietly would be to be enveloped by the killing net woven by darkness and silence, step by step guided into the death trap.

She had to find something to do, had to think, distract herself, using the divergence of her own thoughts to reject external interference.

Writing on the wall to expose Xiao Chen was thinking, clarifying the doubts and thoughts in her heart; talking nonsense was to trigger her memories of past lives—information-rich past experiences had many things that could be slowly chewed over.

Sound Kill? Get lost.

The only pity was that Student Ruiyi was too vicious, setting up the prison cells in a tooth-shaped formation where each cell was soundproofed and distanced from others, so sounds couldn’t get out. Otherwise, Qin Chang Ge could have knocked on the iron walls to create interference and saved the other innocent witnesses.

They… were all probably dead…

Qin Chang Ge sighed softly. Hmm… after getting out, she’d have to allocate some silver to take care of their wives, sons, concubines, lovers, silver, and estates…

Her laughing and writing funny poetry on the wall earlier had surely fallen into observant eyes.

They certainly couldn’t figure out whether she had truly gone mad or was still in a lucid state. At least now that she wasn’t dead yet, the enemy would never give up.

Closing the window would be the next assassination plan, right?

What would happen next?

In the darkness, Qin Chang Ge’s eyes, usually like spring water, flashed with the cunning and mysterious light of a black fox.

The long and deep secret passage, ingeniously designed with hidden ventilation openings that prevented stuffiness despite infrequent use.

The black corridor was paved with solid bluestone slabs. Footsteps on them were amplified countless times, echoing through the passage.

Where footsteps rang out, several human figures gradually emerged from the pitch black. The one in front was small and round.

Naturally, Crown Prince Xiao had arrived, following Mulian’s example to save his mother.

Baozi marched aggressively at the front, walking heroically and spiritedly on the secret passage toward the imperial palace.

This time he had very obediently tied a red ribbon around his head—stolen from Qi Heng’s recently replaced rouge-red sweat cloth, probably a gift from some admirer. Baozi thought the color was nice and could express his current grief and indignation, so he had casually taken it.

He was really angry, very angry, because Foster Father told him someone was impersonating him to deceive people, and Mother went to expose them and got locked up. How outrageous! How could the world be so upside down? Were knockoffs this arrogant too? He was such a jade tree facing the wind, spirited and radiant, with spring colors filling the city that couldn’t be contained, like a pear tree blooming over begonias. Though it was inevitable that people who admired him would imitate him, imitating to the point of bullying his mother—was there some mistake? Didn’t they know to respect the original?

He walked angrily and viciously, wishing he could step a hole with each step—stepping on the knockoff.

Qi Fan pushed Chu Feihuan’s wheelchair, following with Phoenix Alliance subordinates. When he had seen the secret passage under Zhanду Bridge earlier, he suddenly understood how Chu Feihuan had escaped to heaven three years ago, and couldn’t help feeling slightly annoyed—such an important secret passage, why had the former empress never told them about it?

Glancing around, he saw Chu Feihuan staring blankly at the peach grove beside the bridge, his expression carrying a different kind of coolness, deep clouds between his brows, faint starlight, yet with a sense of people being far while heaven was near, like bright moon shining on an empty bed.

…That year on Zhanду Bridge, under the late peach blossoms, the secret we shared would ultimately be broken by more people’s chaotic footsteps.

I keep losing things… but I hope you can gain from this.

Letting out a soft sigh, after entering the secret passage, Chu Feihuan’s expression had already calmed down. According to Qi Fan’s plan, they would leave some people to escort them to see Xiao Jue, while others would go save Qin Chang Ge, because Xiao Chen would never spare her.

After a long silence, Chu Feihuan said quietly: “She can’t be saved.”

Qi Fan was startled, looking at him in surprise: “You mean we shouldn’t try to save her?”

Chu Feihuan remained silent… she was unharmed now… but… he didn’t know about what came next.

He had already missed once, and didn’t dare gamble her life and safety again on the accuracy of his inexplicable intuition.

But… the setup of Heaven’s Prison—she had only mentioned it to him once very briefly back then. Though he remembered, there was no possibility of implementing it now.

Back then she had told him how to solve the door problem without keys—two people with supreme martial arts were needed, one with yin inner power and one with yang, minds connected, using hands, elbows, knees, and toes to simultaneously open the hidden locks. Every part of the body that could exert force had to move like flowing water. She had said then that in the whole world, probably only she and he working together could infiltrate Heaven’s Prison. Now, after all their tribulations, one was inside the prison having lost her martial arts, the other had disabled limbs and severe injuries—what could they do?

Chang Ge… hold on a little longer… wait for me.

He took a breath and looked up, as if trying to see through the secret passage ceiling that showed no trace of sky or sun, to see the scene inside Heaven’s Prison, to see the person his heart constantly worried about.

But in the end, he only said resolutely: “Yes, don’t save her.”

Pursing his lips, Qi Fan’s eyes flashed with slight anger and confusion, then after thinking, he finally sighed helplessly.

“Fine—we’ll do our utmost to help you infiltrate Dragon Chapter Palace.”

Dragon Chapter Palace was shrouded in tense and anxious atmosphere.

After court dismissal today, His Majesty had personally carried a woman into the sleeping chamber, with a crying child following behind, repeatedly calling for imperial physicians. When eunuchs and palace maids rushed to assist, His Majesty wouldn’t let them take over, personally settling the woman on the dragon bed. When a palace maid came forward to serve tea and water, she glimpsed the woman’s face and was so frightened she dropped the tea cup, immediately getting kicked out by His Majesty.

All the eunuchs from the Imperial Medical Academy who were on duty were stumblingly dragged in by Yu Hai. The head physician didn’t even have time to kowtow before being grabbed by Xiao Jue and pulled to the imperial couch. The imperial physician knelt beside the couch to take the woman’s pulse, inadvertently saw her face, and his hand trembled, nearly sliding off her wrist. Fortunately he was shrewd enough to quickly pretend to be pondering to cover it up.

Then the imperial physician, stared at intensely by Xiao Jue’s burning gaze, finally began to break out in cold sweat.

What kind of condition was this?

Normal pulse… but weak qi mechanism—how could such a condition occur?

Each one took turns examining her, all looking at each other in confusion, their faces stiff, not daring to speak.

Xiao Jue’s gaze swept around once, having already seen the clues from their expressions, and angrily said: “What are you all staring blankly for? Write prescriptions!”

“Yes, yes, yes…” A crowd of people squeezed and bumped their way to the outer room, biting their brushes in deep thought. After a long while, prescriptions were submitted. Xiao Jue hurriedly read through them and immediately turned iron-blue—some dispersing, some concentrating, some warming and tonifying, some driving out cold, some lifting, some attacking… they were actually contradictory, not a single one the same, all bullshit randomly written prescriptions!

Seeing his expression, the child cried even more sadly. Hearing this, Xiao Jue became irritated and slapped his hand down, turning the thick stack of prescriptions to powder.

“Get out! All of you get out!”

The group immediately scattered like birds and beasts, even the attending palace servants, swept up by that tornado-like fury, couldn’t stand steady and hurriedly left the sleeping chamber with lowered heads.

In the great hall, only the “family of three”—one unconscious, one crying, one angry—remained.

His anger not yet subsided, Xiao Jue sat heavily beside the couch and, by the flickering candlelight, carefully examined the pale woman on the bed. Under the bright yellow silk curtains, that woman’s simple waist was like green clouds, her jade-thin and fragrant-rich posture not diminishing her charm even in this weak and unconscious state… Looking like this, graceful shadows floated in his mind, and gradually he felt his heartbeat quicken. Vaguely he thought that Chang Ge, after several years of separation, had less of her former cold pride and her charm had indeed become even better…

The long night with curtains hanging low, deep in the vermillion balustrade with dim bright candles, outside the curtains the wind had stilled the fallen flowers. It was probably another scene of embracing red and piling snow. Someone in a small side hall was brewing tea, that fragrance rich and deep, seemingly present yet absent, soul-stirring and heart-pulling, like facing the beloved one he had yearned for for years…

Without knowing when, the child’s crying had disappeared, and Dragon Chapter Palace was shrouded in silence.

Candle shadows swayed red, making everything seem like a dream. Xiao Jue also felt this all didn’t seem real—probably truly was a dream… Such silent departure, then such sudden appearance in my moment of despair… Besides a dream, besides heaven sensing my day-and-night yearning and calling and giving me a gorgeously complete dream, what better explanation could there be?

You and I have been separated too long, too long…

Under candlelight the person was before his eyes, so real, with such a peaceful expression, as if announcing an encounter not to be missed.

Black hair falling, his gaze full of myriad thoughts, Xiao Jue’s hand slowly and tenderly reached to caress her face…

“Report!”

An urgent male voice broke this moment of indescribable feelings.

Xiao Jue turned around, his long eyebrows slightly furrowed: “What is it?”

“Reporting to Your Majesty, assassins infiltrated Cuiwei Palace earlier. The Imperial Forest Army and Inner Palace Guards have rushed there. This subject specially leads a team to protect Your Majesty.”

“I don’t need your protection,” Xiao Jue impatiently waved his hand. “Where there are assassins is where you should go. Dragon Chapter Palace has tight security—why worry! Take another group of guards and personally investigate!”

“Your Majesty, with assassins infiltrating the palace, it’s inadvisable to withdraw more guards from Dragon Chapter Palace—”

“This is an imperial decree!”

Hearing his resolute tone, the guard commander outside the curtain dared not say more, kowtowed and withdrew.

Interrupted like this, the previous hazy, dreamy confusion in Xiao Jue’s heart faded somewhat. Seeing the child standing timidly in a corner of the hall looking at him, his heart moved slightly. Without leaving the dragon couch, he sat in a chair in the outer hall and beckoned the child over.

The child no longer had his previous cheerful and generous manner, approaching shyly with bashful eyes. Xiao Jue took his hand and examined him carefully with gentle eyes. After a long while, he sighed: “He does resemble me…” and couldn’t help but reach to stroke his tender little face.

“What are you touching!”

A thunderbolt from clear skies!

A fierce shout.

Then the curtains rustled and swayed chaotically, the precious pearl curtain being yanked until pearls rolled all over the floor, someone stepping on the pearls without care and charging in majestically.

Glowering with eyebrows raised, red ribbon flying.

Before Xiao Jue could react, Crown Prince Xiao pointed at the fake goods and asked Chu Feihuan, who had entered behind him: “Is it him?”

Guards swarmed out from behind, staring in amazement at these two people who had appeared from nowhere. After the surprise, remembering their duties, they hurried to capture the two, but were intercepted by a group of black-clothed people who had suddenly appeared silently.

Against the background of clashing swords with cold light flashing and shouts of battle, Chu Feihuan nodded indifferently: “Yes, that’s him.”

Baozi rolled up his sleeves, stepped forward, and grabbed the child.

“Go to hell!” He pushed him viciously: “With your crooked nose and slanted eyes, you’re imitating me? You’re too embarrassing for me to bear. Go back to your fox den and cultivate for another three hundred years before coming back!”

Pushing the child to the ground, still not satisfied, he used his boot to rub on his face, laughing triumphantly while looking up at the sky.

“Kicked you down, then wiped my boots on your face… Mother was right that satisfying things are indeed satisfying!”

After rubbing for a while until the child cried loudly, Baozi contemptuously withdrew his foot and looked at Xiao Jue, who had been silently staring at him thoughtfully. He rummaged in his small pouch for a long time, pulling out a wrinkled banknote and spreading his hand.

“Emperor sir, I’ll trade you sweet cake money—give me back my mother!”

…

Staring at that banknote, Xiao Jue suddenly smiled.

Without taking it, he looked toward Chu Feihuan and after a long while said with emotion: “You came… Three years ago, she disappeared and you vanished. Three years later, you appear beside another. When I learned of your existence, I already began to suspect… Now, can I confirm what I think in my heart?”

Slowly raising his eyelashes, his gaze shot toward Xiao Jue. The two men, one sitting and one standing, seemed to spark fire when their gazes met. Chu Feihuan’s eyes flashed with anger, then he answered lightly: “As you wish.”

How helpless… If his martial arts were still intact, why would it be limited to this? Why need this?

Why, knowing the outcome would likely be this, still not dare take the risk of sending Rong’er into the palace to facilitate their family reunion?

Past embraces, wedding clothes for others…

…Very well, in his current state, what could he give her? Rather, this man’s authority was growing daily, and his mentality had matured somewhat—he could barely match her now.

How much longer could his protection last?

A trace of desolation passed over Chu Feihuan like distant mountains, while Xiao Jue laughed heartily.

After laughing, he showed deep desolation and sadness, staring blankly for a long while and murmuring: “I’m about to shed tears… but except for your red ribbons and green sleeves, I don’t want anyone else’s.”

He sighed with both joy and sorrow, leaned back and sat on the couch, stretching his arms toward Baozi.

“Son, come, call me Father Emperor!”