The fierce fear the ruthless, and the ruthless fear those who kill. The prison guard felt a pain in his chest and his vision blurred. He hurriedly said, “Spare me, General! I… I suddenly remember, that Chai Weiming… it seems he didn’t die from falling.”

“Oh?” Bending down slightly, Feng Ming narrowed his eyes: “Then how did he die?”

Eyes darting around, the guard looked guilty: “General, I want to tell the truth, but I still need to make a living under them. I can tell you, but you can’t use me as a witness, and you can’t say it came from me. Otherwise, I won’t survive after going back!”

Feng Ming looked at Feng Yue, who nodded: “Agreed.”

“Speak.” Removing his foot, Feng Ming crossed his arms while watching him, his expression clearly saying “Lie to me and I’ll kill you with one strike.”

The guard clutched his chest as he sat up, carefully saying: “How Chai Weiming died… actually, everyone in our unit knows. He learned something he shouldn’t have known and was silenced by those above. Our head jailer wanted to protect him somewhat since he was a good person – honest, reliable, and hardworking – but couldn’t save him.”

The guards’ superior was the head jailer. And the head jailer’s superior was naturally the Imperial Censor.

Feng Yue narrowed her eyes: “With so many witnesses in the Imperial Prison, isn’t he afraid someone might report him and make him pay for his murder?”

Hearing this, the guard laughed: “Young lady, you make it sound so simple. Is it that easy to file such a complaint? Since ancient times, commoners don’t fight officials, and subordinates don’t fight superiors. They hold the power of judgment – what do you think would happen if you reported them? Not only would the complaint fail, but it would bring disaster upon yourself. Anyone with half a brain wouldn’t do such a thing.”

This was why there had been no explanation for Chai Weiming’s death for over half a year.

Nodding, Feng Yue smiled: “Indeed, this matter can’t be resolved through proper channels. General Feng, please send him back, no need to say anything.”

Feng Ming raised an eyebrow: “That’s it?”

Aren’t you going to ask about General Guan?

“It’s enough.” Feng Yue nodded: “I’ve learned what I needed to know. The rest doesn’t need asking.”

“Alright.” Feng Ming agreed, tied up the man, and handed him to his attendants. When he returned, he saw Feng Yue with a calm expression, emanating Buddhist-like compassion while writing something.

Buddhist scriptures? He curiously peered over, only to see a map on the table, with Feng Yue using a cinnabar brush to mark red dots.

“What’s this?”

“A map of the Prime Minister’s residence.” Without hiding anything, she pointed it out to him, smiling: “This is where they’ll hold the ancestral ceremony. There are four exit routes around it, and these red dots show their guard positions.”

Staring in amazement, Feng Ming frowned: “How do you know such details?”

Logically, official residence maps should be confidential.

“Haven’t you heard about the new Menghui House in Lidu?” Smiling with curved eyes, Feng Yue said: “The courtesans there are enchanting and accomplished in all the arts, attracting Lidu’s nobility in droves.”

Is that so? Feng Ming frowned, then looking at her expression, suddenly realized: “Don’t tell me someone from the Prime Minister’s residence visited, and Menghui House sold you the information?”

“…You could say that.”

Feng Ming was stunned, clapping his hands: “The women’s army is formidable indeed! I’ve always told my father not to underestimate women, but he wouldn’t believe me! Hey, does the house have a map of the Marquis’s residence? I’ll buy one to scare the old man!”

…Is he treating Menghui House like a market? Feng Yue covered her face: “Don’t be ridiculous. If you have that much energy, why not help me instead? When it’s done, I’ll treat you to a meal.”

“Good, what help do you need?”

“Help us kidnap Shi Youxin and take him out of the city.” Pointing to the main gate position on the Prime Minister’s residence map, Feng Yue’s expression turned serious: “There are ten guards here. Anyone without sufficient martial arts skills couldn’t escape while carrying someone. Only you can do it.”

Kidnapping? Feng Ming got excited, completely disregarding the fact that the target was a court official, and clapped his hands saying: “Fine, but what if we fail?”

“I’ve already thought of that.” Smiling slightly, Feng Yue looked at him: “If we fail, we’ll say you were playing a joke on Imperial Censor Shi. Given your status, he can’t do anything to you. But for anyone else, that would be a different story.”

“Good.” Nodding without hesitation, Feng Ming said: “I’ll follow your lead. Whatever you say, I’ll do.”

Looking at him gratefully, Feng Yue gathered the others and carefully went over the plan one more time.

Yin Gezhi had been waiting, thinking that before the fifteenth of next month, Feng Yue would surely come to him for help. After all, with just their people, it would be difficult to do anything to Shi Youxin during the Shi family’s ancestral ceremony.

However, he waited and waited until the day of the Shi family’s ceremony, and no one came to the Prince’s mansion with any message.

Unable to sit still, Yin Gezhi turned to ask Guanzhi: “What’s the situation?”

Guanzhi blinked, scratching his head: “Nothing much. General Feng went to the courtyard early this morning, don’t know what he’s doing now.”

Face darkening, Yin Gezhi pressed his lips together.

How could he forget about Feng Ming? But even with Feng Ming, wouldn’t it be more reliable to ask for his help? Is she that unwilling to come to ask him?

Somewhat irritated, he stood up, brooding for a while before saying in a deep voice: “Let’s go see the commotion.”

Guanzhi agreed, hitched up a carriage, and drove him toward the Prime Minister’s residence.

The Shi family was considered a great clan, after all, with two important officials among the Three Excellencies and Nine Ministers bearing the surname Shi. The ancestral ceremony was naturally grand, with people arriving early in carriages and sedan chairs at the Prime Minister’s residence, dismounting at the gate, and exchanging greetings.

Shi Youxin’s carriage arrived late, most people had already entered, leaving only servants and drivers outside chatting quietly.

“Whoa—” Still some distance from the main gate, the driver looked around and pulled the reins, turning back to address the carriage: “Sir, there are many sedan chairs and carriages ahead, I’m afraid of damaging our carriage. Perhaps you should alight here.”

Though Shi Youxin had recovered over half a month, with ghosts constantly haunting the courtyard, while his illness had healed, his spirit was completely gone. Hearing this, he didn’t complain, just got out with dark circles under his eyes.

However, as soon as his foot touched the ground before he could take the ceremonial hat from his servant’s hands, Shi Youxin felt someone grab him and the world spun!

“Sir!” The guards by the carriage shouted, immediately drawing their swords: “Stop, thief!”

By the time these words were shouted, the masked person had already run several steps. When the eight guards by the carriage tried to give chase, the driver suddenly cracked his whip, making the carriage swerve and knock down four of them. The other four who tried to pursue were blocked by approaching sedan chairs and carriages.

“Help! Imperial Censor Shi has been kidnapped!” The guards shouted urgently. The guards at the Prime Minister’s gate heard and rushed down the steps, but were delayed by the drivers and servants chatting at the entrance. By the time they got through the crowd, they could only see the thief’s coattails turning left at the street corner.

“After them!”

As he ran, Feng Ming thought that fortunately, it was the frail Shi Youxin – if it had been Zhao Xu from before, he definitely couldn’t have carried him!

Hearing guards pursuing behind, Feng Ming gritted his teeth and, following Feng Yue’s plan ran straight into Snow Moon Street.

“Hey, today’s our Menghui House celebration! Our girls have prepared wonderful performances for all of you gentlemen, please come in!”

On Snow Moon Street, the newly established Menghui House had Madam Jin shouting in her characteristic loud voice, leading a group of courtesans to attract customers in front of the building. Doing business in broad daylight was considered quite respectable, making Snow Moon Street extremely crowded.

Feng Ming puzzledly rushed into the crowd, expecting to have difficulty running, but surprisingly the courtesans automatically made way for him, then blocked the path again after he passed.

At the end of Snow Moon Street around the corner, a water cart was waiting. Without a word, Feng Ming knocked Shi Youxin unconscious and stuffed him into an empty barrel on the cart. According to plan, his task was now complete. He stuffed his mask and outer robe into the water barrel, watched the cart head toward the city gate, and then casually walked back wearing his blue embroidered brocade clothes.

The guards who had pursued from the Prime Minister’s residence were still blocked by the group of courtesans. When someone tried to rebuke them, they found themselves with an armful of fragrant softness as the courtesans cast flirtatious glances, saying coyly: “Such a fierce young man, you’ve frightened me!”

“Indeed, we’re preparing for a celebration here. Being so fierce, are you trying to ruin it?”

“Why not come in for a drink? We have wine that’s more intoxicating than beauties.”

Feng Ming watched the entanglement dumbfounded. By the time the guards finally broke through the encirclement, the thief had long vanished.

The water cart left the city. Lian Heng looked it over, personally inspected it, and then let it pass without comment.

Watching the cart creaking its way toward Shadow Reflection Mountain, Lian Heng sighed and faced the city wall, reflecting on himself.

This was his first time neglecting his duty and bending the law, but why did it feel somewhat satisfying?

Feng Yue waited at a farmhouse at the foot of Shadow Reflection Mountain. When the cargo arrived, she cheerfully had people carry it into the prepared iron cage.

“This one was really hard to catch!” Luo Hao wiped his sweat: “Fortunately we were well-prepared, otherwise even General Feng might not have escaped.”

“Hard to catch or not, we caught him.” Crouching in front of the cage, Feng Yue scooped up a ladle of cold water, narrowed her eyes looked at the unconscious Shi Youxin for a while, and then suddenly splashed the water on him!

“Ah!” Shi Youxin woke with a start, looking around in terror before finally asking: “Where is this?”

“The eighteenth level of hell.” Smiling sinisterly, Feng Yue brought over a candle, illuminating a small area of the tightly shut room, making her face appear even more terrifying.

Seeing her face, Shi Youxin’s eyes nearly popped out: “Guan… Guan…”

“I’m a turtledove too, you people, why are your reactions to seeing me all so unoriginal?” Rolling her eyes, Feng Yue smiled: “Imperial Censor Shi, long time no see?”

“Ah—” Trembling all over, Shi Youxin let out a scream, his voice quivering, accompanied by the smell of urine, causing everyone in the room to step back in disgust.

“Already wetting yourself?” Sneering, Feng Yue said: “When you had people cut my hand tendons, you seemed much braver?”