His footsteps halted!

“Where exactly is the young heir?” Zhao Huai continued pressing.

Seeing this, Muruo wanted to rush forward to “fight,” but was suddenly stopped by Jingrong’s outstretched hand.

Signaling him not to act impulsively.

Jingrong: “Zhao Huai, if you kill this prince, you can forget about ever knowing who the real young heir is! And you two… will also lose your lives here.”

Zhao Huai’s fury blazed to the heavens: “If you don’t speak, I’ll kill you right now.”

Having said this, he exerted force with his wrist, raising the sword a few inches.

Jingrong was forced to lift his chin slightly.

The sharp blade needed only a light slash to slit his throat open.

But—

In the next moment, Wen Xian grasped Zhao Huai’s wrist. “Put down the sword!”

“What did you say?”

“If you kill him, we’ll never know the young heir’s whereabouts.” Wen Xian was relatively clear-headed.

Zhao Huai gritted his teeth, his hand gripping the sword tighter and tighter. Though he had lost one arm, his ferocity was no less diminished. However, though he was a rough man, he ultimately wasn’t an excessively reckless person. After deeply considering the consequences, he still withdrew the sword, staring at Jingrong and rebuking him: “You’ve deceived us from the Imperial Manor until now. If not for the young heir, dying a thousand or ten thousand deaths wouldn’t be enough for you.”

Jingrong listened coldly.

Wen Xian said, “We don’t want your life, but we need to know where the real young heir is now.”

“I can tell you.”

“Speak.”

“However… the person who knows where the young heir is isn’t me.”

“Who?”

“Master Ji.”

Wen Xian and Zhao Huai exchanged glances.

Jingrong continued, “If you want to know, you might as well go ask her personally. She will tell you everything.”

However, Zhao Huai immediately said, “Your Great Lin Emperor has ordered her execution. We can’t enter the Ministry of Justice prison at all. Are you still trying to deceive us now? From the Imperial Manor to the capital, it was because of that jade piece that Master Ji deceived all of us. If not for that, you, Your Highness, would have already lost your life at the Imperial Manor.”

Ha!

Jingrong didn’t make a big fuss over these words, only saying, “You also know the Ministry of Justice prison is impenetrable. So if she dies, you’ll never know news of the young heir.”

A threat!

A naked threat!

Wen Xian: “What exactly do you mean?”

“If you want to know the truth, right now, you can only cooperate with me.”

Wen Xian and Zhao Huai were skeptical.

“Will she truly tell us the truth?”

“Do you think you have any choice other than to believe?”

No!

There was no choice at all.

The two deliberated for a long time.

Finally nodding, “Alright, speak.”

Jingrong took a deep breath and glanced back at Muruo.

He explained everything one by one.

…

On the other side, Jingyi went to the Ministry of Justice prison.

Although the Emperor had previously ordered that no one was permitted to visit, the Minister of Justice still dared not stop him.

Who didn’t know he was a fearsome force!

At this moment, Ji Yunshu sat cross-legged in the prison cell, her back against the cold wall.

Because the silver clasp had fallen in the Emperor’s Fuyang Hall when it was removed, her long hair now hung loose over her shoulders.

In her hand, she played with a long piece of straw, sweeping it back and forth on the ground with interest.

Knowing she was to be executed, yet not worried in the slightest!

Jingyi arrived and knocked on the wooden post with his hand.

Hearing the sound, she raised her head, her deep and bright eyes fixing on Jingyi’s gaze filled with desire for power.

Then she also noticed the person beside Jingyi—Lin Shu.

This was the first time seeing him since parting at Mingshan Academy.

It must be said that after the young man became an official, shedding his scholar’s robes for a set of fine brocade, his entire spirit had improved considerably.

Following beside the arrogant and haughty Jingyi, he could simply be described as imposing and dignified!

Lin Shu seemed somewhat uncomfortable under her scrutinizing gaze and simply shifted his eyes away.

Ji Yunshu secretly smiled!

That smile was just caught by Jingyi. He curved his lips and commanded the jailer to open the cell door.

He walked inside.

Looking down at Ji Yunshu from above, “I never expected Master Ji… oh, that’s not right—I should call you Miss Ji!”

“As long as Prince Yi is pleased.”

“The renowned Master Ji of the capital has now become a prisoner—truly ridiculous.”

She smiled. “Prince Yi came here surely not just to look at me?”

“Not only that.” Jingyi’s lips curved with sinister energy. He slowly bent down, grasped her chin with one hand, made several “tsk tsk tsk” sounds, and said, “Master Ji, your face is truly beautiful! But… what a pity. Look at you—now a prisoner, your former glory gone. Yet your so-called lifeline, Prince Rong, has done nothing. He watched as you entered prison with open eyes, and watched with open eyes as you’re about to be executed. If you hadn’t followed the wrong master back then, it wouldn’t have come to this.”

Bah!

Ji Yunshu scoffed: “I’m neither a servant nor a slave—why would I have followed the wrong master? Moreover, life and death are fated—what do I have to worry about?”

“You can still say such things now!”

“I’m already a person about to die—why must Prince Yi sow discord before me?”

“This prince isn’t sowing discord but wants you to see the facts clearly. Back then, if you had kept your promise and stayed by this prince’s side, today, the person locked in prison… wouldn’t be you.” Jingyi’s fingertips exerted force, flinging her chin aside.

She turned her head, lowered her gaze, and continued playing with interest with the straw in her hand, stirring the filthy ground.

A smile impossible to read slowly spread across her lips.

“Actually… winning doesn’t necessarily mean truly winning!”

Jingyi straightened up. “Right now, there’s only one day left until tomorrow. Whether Jingrong can come to rescue you is still unknown. No matter what, the one who wins will be this prince.”

Ji Yunshu couldn’t be bothered with him and continued playing with her things.

Jingyi displayed his victorious certainty, swept his large sleeve, and prepared to leave.

Just as he left the cell—

Ji Yunshu suddenly called out to him, “Prince Yi.”

“What? Have you come to your senses and want to beg this prince to spare your life?”

“Prince Yi misunderstands. However, there is indeed one matter I must ask of you.”

“Speak.”

“Since I’m a person about to die, I wonder if I might be allowed to leave a few last words?”

“Last words?” Jingyi found this extremely interesting.

Ji Yunshu: “Does Prince Yi refuse to satisfy even this request of mine?”

“Of course I can.”

She glanced at Lin Shu and curved her lips. “This person should be Compiler Lin from the Hanlin Academy, correct? Top-ranked on the imperial examination, possessing brilliant literary talent—surely the characters he writes are also very neat? I wonder if before I die, I might have the opportunity to have Director Lin take up the brush and write a final letter for me?”

However, Lin Shu looked toward Jingyi with an inquiring expression.

Jingyi thought about it, nodded at him, and said, “Since Miss Ji has a request before death, then Director Lin, please help with this.”

“Yes!” Lin Shu acknowledged the order.

Jingyi then led his people away from the prison.