After hearing Jiang Yuanchao’s words, Qiao Zhao’s thoughts stirred slightly.

This reason seemed plausible, yet it wasn’t enough to convince her.

Thinking of what she had learned from Prince Gong of Xijiang’s mouth today, Qiao Zhao seemed to understand something: could it be that Jiang Yuanchao knew about the dancer incident?

In that case, was he reminding her by telling her these things?

“I understand. Thank you, Lord Jiang.” Qiao Zhao slightly bent her knees, her tone flat. “I would like to see Marquis Guanjun. Please grant me this convenience, Lord Jiang.”

Jiang Yuanchao stared at Qiao Zhao’s curtseying motion, sighing inwardly.

That day, when he saw the dancer who resembled Miss Qiao, the sky was dim and the distance considerable. It was precisely by that curtseying gesture that he immediately realized it wasn’t Miss Qiao.

Now, seeing the same curtseying motion performed by Miss Qiao herself, carrying a restraint and casual indifference that flowed from her very bones, he still wouldn’t mistake her identity.

He thought that even if the person before him changed her appearance multiple times, he would always recognize her.

“Follow me.”

Jiang Yuanchao nodded slightly and took the lead, walking toward the prison entrance. Stopping there, he instructed his subordinate: “Lead Miss Li inside, then bring Miss Li out safely. If anything goes wrong, you alone will be held responsible!”

Qiao Zhao glanced at Jiang Yuanchao, nodded slightly in thanks, and followed the Jinlin Guard into the prison.

The weather had begun to warm, yet the prison remained cold and damp. Here, it seemed there was no spring or summer, only the eternally oppressive depths of winter.

Living in such a place for long would make even healthy people fall ill. Qiao Zhao thought of how Shao Mingyuan’s cold poison had been expelled earlier, but because his body had grown accustomed to that state, he would accept cold qi faster than ordinary people when encountering it, making him more susceptible to cold evil entering his body. She couldn’t help but begin to worry.

“Lord Marquis, Miss Li has come to see you.” The Jinlin Guard called out. Thinking of Jiang Yuanchao’s special treatment of Qiao Zhao, he added a measure of courtesy and tactfully waited at a distance.

Shao Mingyuan turned around, looked at Qiao Zhao from afar, but didn’t immediately approach.

Qiao Zhao found this amusing and called out “Tingquan.”

The young woman’s voice was gentle and sweet. Shao Mingyuan immediately quickened his pace to the iron bars, his handsome brows and eyes appearing even more striking in the dim lamplight: “Zhaozhao.”

“Extend your hand.”

Shao Mingyuan was stunned for a moment.

Qiao Zhao had already reached her hand through the bars, chiding: “What are you standing there dumbfounded for?”

Shao Mingyuan extended his hand, then suddenly remembered something, quickly withdrew it to wipe it on his clothes, then extended it again.

The young woman’s slender, pale hand landed on his wrist.

The young general was immediately embarrassed.

It wasn’t the hand-holding he had expected…

“Not bad.” After taking Shao Mingyuan’s pulse, Qiao Zhao felt relieved.

Shao Mingyuan grasped her hand in return, smiling: “I’ve been taking my medicine on time. Why did you come to see me today?”

When Marquis Jing’an had originally told Shao Mingyuan his true identity, the two had already anticipated this imprisonment. Due to their speculation that the mastermind behind the scenes might be Jiang Yuanchao, they had agreed that Qiao Zhao should avoid coming here to prevent additional complications.

“I was afraid you’d worry.” Qiao Zhao said frankly.

Shao Mingyuan’s eyes flashed: “You found out?”

Qiao Zhao nodded with a smile: “I found out. Today, Prince Rui invited me to treat Prince Gong of Xijiang…”

Shao Mingyuan tightened his grip on Qiao Zhao’s hand, his face showing guilt: “I’m in here and can’t protect you anymore.”

“Tingquan, don’t think of yourself as an omnipotent immortal. That would be too exhausting.”

In this capital, he wasn’t the Northern Expedition General wielding great power. Life and death depended entirely on that Son of Heaven’s whims. People like Lan Shan, Jiang Yuanchao, and even Eastern Depot Director Wei Wuxie—if they wanted to cause him trouble, it wouldn’t be easy to handle. After all, military generals didn’t have the same convenience as those people when it came to seeing the Emperor.

Shao Mingyuan gave a self-deprecating laugh: “Right, what immortal squats in prison?”

Qiao Zhao fell silent for a moment, then lowered her voice to ask: “Tingquan, about how much longer—”

Shao Mingyuan squeezed her hand, sighing softly: “About half a month, there will be news.”

“Then you must take good care of yourself here, don’t worry about me.” Qiao Zhao said this with a charming smile, revealing some of a young girl’s sweet innocence. “So far, when others have opposed me, it seems they’re usually the ones who suffer more.”

Shao Mingyuan couldn’t help but laugh: “Then you must continue to maintain that.”

“I know.”

“Zhaozhao—”

“Mm?”

“When I get out of prison, shall we get married?”

The world was unpredictable. Living in this era of supreme imperial power, with turbulent times approaching, no one knew what tomorrow would bring or when unexpected events might arrive.

Rather than worry about these uncontrollable things, he hoped to grasp the present.

His greatest wishes in life were two: first, to beat the barbarians so they would never dare invade Great Liang’s territory; second, to marry Zhaozhao and grow old together with her.

“Good.” Qiao Zhao answered without hesitation.

If she had initially felt reluctant, those struggles and anxieties had long disappeared during their time together.

Marrying him wouldn’t mean losing her freedom—rather, with his support, she would have even greater freedom.

Shao Mingyuan was stunned: “What?”

He secretly pinched his thigh.

Zhaozhao had agreed so readily—he must be hearing things, right?

Hiss, it hurt—

Seeing Shao Mingyuan’s expression contorted after she agreed, Qiao Zhao was also confused.

He was the one who had proposed to her, and now that she’d agreed, what was with that expression?

“I might need to reconsider.” Miss Qiao frowned.

“Don’t, don’t reconsider!” General Shao gripped his fiancée’s hand tightly, his face breaking into a foolish grin. “I’ve already pinched my thigh black and blue. If you reconsider now, wouldn’t that pinching be for nothing?”

Qiao Zhao gave him a look: “Alright, I should go.”

Shao Mingyuan hesitated for a moment.

“Something else?”

“Zhaozhao, my father is getting old. I don’t know if his body can withstand being in prison. Please go see him for me.”

Whether to ruler or people, he had no cause for shame. Only toward his father, who had risked his life to raise him, and his wife, whom he had lost and found again, did he feel the greatest debt.

Qiao Zhao silently nodded in agreement, quietly said “take care,” and left with the Jinlin Guard.

Shao Mingyuan stared at the doorway where the young woman had disappeared, spacing out for a while, then squatted in the corner of his cell, covering his face and grinning foolishly.

Squatting in prison for a while had earned him a wife—he’d struck it rich.

The Marquis Jing’an’s family was housed at the other end of the prison, with Marquis Jing’an and Shao Jingyuan sharing a cell.

When Qiao Zhao saw the father and son, she found them sitting at opposite ends of the cell, and the atmosphere was somewhat strange.

Hearing that someone had come to visit, Shao Jingyuan’s eyes lit up. But seeing it was Qiao Zhao, his face immediately darkened, and he asked coldly: “What are you doing here?”

Ever since Shao Mingyuan had gotten engaged to the Li family’s daughter, the marquis residence had suffered one misfortune after another—she was truly a harbinger of doom!

“Unfilial son, how dare you speak like that?” Marquis Jing’an glared fiercely at Shao Jingyuan. As soon as he finished speaking, he began coughing violently.

Shao Jingyuan’s face showed not a trace of concern. He curled his lips and turned to walk toward the inner part of the cell.