“Things can’t be this simple.” Jingrong had a premonition.

His brow was tightly locked.

Ji Yunshu: “Why do you say that?”

“Has His Majesty already gone to Mount Ji?”

“He left the city early this morning. By now… he should have already arrived at Mount Ji.”

Upon hearing this, Jingrong’s expression became even more worried and tense.

Seeing their prince like this, Lu Jiang asked, “Your Highness, have you thought of something?” He took two steps, slapping one hand on the pillar, his expression grave. While analyzing, he said, “If Duke Yuguo truly wants revenge, his target shouldn’t be me, but should be His Majesty. During these fifteen years he never showed himself, yet he chose this moment now, which means he must have made complete preparations. But… what kind of preparations would give him the confidence to take revenge?”

Eh!

What preparations indeed?

Ji Yunshu carefully thought over his words and was startled.

“The annual memorial ceremony?” “Exactly! It’s the annual memorial ceremony,” Jingrong said. “He conspired with Prince Xian to have me imprisoned for opening the coffin. Then I’ll be detained in prison, unable to go to Mount Ji. Similarly, Commander Xiao, who’s related to this matter, will also be implicated. Then Commander Xiao’s men will naturally all be withdrawn from Mount Ji, and finally new guards will be arranged to watch over the mausoleum. And those guards have likely already been replaced with his spies. What he wants is to eliminate the people around Father Emperor one by one, to bring the entire Mount Ji under his control. Only this way would he have sufficient preparation and confidence!”

Old fox!

Truly an old fox!

People born into the imperial family are too terrifying!

Ji Yunshu was shocked!

She should have thought of it earlier!

“It seems… Mount Ji will have a great massacre!”

The case from fifteen years ago would finally see the light of day.

Lu Jiang urgently said: “Then should we immediately gather troops and go to Mount Ji to rescue His Majesty?”

“I’m afraid it won’t be that easy!” Jingrong pondered, his heart weighing the options, muttering, “There isn’t much time. I can only take this risk.”

Hm?

His heart hardened. He reached out and drew Lu Jiang’s sword.

Then—

He aimed at the lock on the door and struck it fiercely.

“Clang!”

The lock was severed, the chain fell.

The cell door opened.

Jingrong quickly emerged from the cell, pulling Ji Yunshu straight toward the other end of the prison.

They happened to pass by where the jailers rested.

When they saw him, the two jailers were dumbfounded!

“Prince Rong?”

“How did you get out?”

Just as they were about to give chase, Lu Jiang blocked them and warned, “You’d best not have seen anything.”

“This…”

Although Jingrong was currently bearing guilt, his influence in court hadn’t diminished.

Moreover, who knew—once the annual memorial ceremony ended, if His Majesty was happy, he might not hold his crimes against him and release him. Then in the future, he might well become Crown Prince.

So the two jailers pondered this in their hearts and didn’t dare to be bold.

In the end, they acted as if they hadn’t seen anything!

Turning a blind eye!

Jingrong arrived outside Commander Xiao and Lang Bo’s cells.

Those imprisoned in the cells were all shocked, coming forward to the wooden bars.

Lang Bo rose from the ground, astonished, “Your Highness, this?”

Thinking his eyes were deceiving him!

Without a word, Jingrong used his sword to sever the locks on each cell one by one.

He released Lang Bo and Commander Xiao.

As soon as Commander Xiao emerged, he asked in shock, “Your Highness, what’s going on?”

“We’ll talk after we get out.”

He pulled Ji Yunshu toward the prison exit.

Lang Bo and Commander Xiao still had doubts in their hearts, but they followed closely behind.

But—

Just as they exited the prison, they were surrounded by a group of people.

The leader was Lord Liu from the Ministry of Justice!

Serving as Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice!

Also a graduate of Mingshan Academy.

Rumored to be an iron rooster.

He stepped forward, outwardly courteous as he performed a bow, “Prince Rong, without His Majesty’s order, no one can release you. Escaping like this is prison break, a serious crime. You should know this.”

A reminder!

Jingrong swept his gaze over everyone.

Each person carried killing intent!

Jingrong said: “Lord Liu, it’s better to mind less than to mind more.”

But Lord Liu gave a cold laugh, “For Your Highness to leave prison, you must obtain His Majesty’s decree. Otherwise, this official’s duty requires that I obstruct you. So please don’t make things difficult for this official, or injure yourself.”

How courteous!

Jingrong’s cold eyes: “What if this prince insists on breaking through?”

Lord Liu spread both hands, pointing to his own men, with a sinister smile, saying, “Your Highness can see for yourself—with the current situation, how can you escape? To avoid casualties, Your Highness had better stay obediently in prison.”

Heh heh!

A running dog!

Jingrong had already seen through everything clearly.

He said, “It seems when Prince Xian left the city, he had already made arrangements, worried this prince would escape prison, so he had you wait here.”

“Prince Xian was just being cautious.”

“What if this prince hadn’t come out?”

“Prince Xian ordered that on the day of the annual memorial ceremony, it shall be Your Highness’s death day!” Lord Liu’s voice rang like a great bell, his face full of killing intent.

What a ruthless heart!

Prince Xian, oh Prince Xian, to you, brotherly affection and father-son relationship are truly as thin as ice.

Jingrong pulled Ji Yunshu behind him, turning his head to instruct, “Stay by my side.”

She nodded heavily!

While Lang Bo lowered his voice in worry, saying, “Your Highness, I fear we’ll have difficulty breaking through!”

“I know.” He looked toward Lord Liu, “Lord Liu, this prince doesn’t want to harm the innocent. If you withdraw with your men now, there’s still time! This prince can spare your life.”

“I must respectfully decline.”

Finished speaking, he raised his hand, signaling his men to prepare for a “hunt”!

Killing intent soared!

Commander Xiao and Lang Bo had no weapons and could only fight barehanded.

But—

They were outnumbered!

Just as a massacre seemed imminent, suddenly dozens of people in official robes rushed out from the surroundings, surrounding Lord Liu and his men.

Eh?

Lord Liu immediately panicked.

“This?”

“Lord Liu, quite a surprise, isn’t it?”

The voice rose high!

Looking toward the sound, they saw Jing Zhaoyin and Minister Yu Dali emerge from the crowd.

Beside them were Muruo and Shi Ziran!

Lord Liu’s face filled with panic, his eyes darting left and right.

Knowing his situation was unfavorable, his life hanging by a thread!

Jing Zhaoyin said, “Daring to issue a kill order against His Highness, it seems you’ve eaten the heart of a bear and the gall of a leopard.”

“…”

“Nothing to say?”

Lord Liu quickly knelt down, begging for mercy, “Your Highness, this official was only following orders. Please, Your Highness, show mercy.”

Jingrong’s sharp gaze fell upon him.

Suddenly, Shi Ziran stepped forward and kicked him viciously in the shoulder.

“Running dog, today I’ll kill you and use your blood to make offerings to Zijin first.”

He drew his sword, about to strike this person down!

But Muruo stopped him, reminding him, “The person you should kill is not him.”

It was Prince Xian and Duke Yuguo!

Shi Ziran’s face flushed red, forcefully restraining that fury. Finally, raising his sword, he slashed viciously at Lord Liu’s body.

Fresh blood immediately gushed out.

Staining the ground red.

The pain made the man cry out.

His men all surrendered their weapons, not making a dying struggle.

Seeing this, Jing Zhaoyin immediately ordered his men to take all those traitors away and imprison them in the Ministry of Justice prison!