Han Yan held her forehead, the successive blows almost completely scrambling her mind, yet there was nothing she could do. Zhuo Qi noticed Han Yan’s expression was off and frowned: “What’s wrong with you?”

“Nothing.” Han Yan gritted her teeth: “Zhuo Qi, can I ask you for one more favor?”

Han Yan used the word “ask” which made Zhuo Qi feel very uncomfortable, but he still nodded: “Go ahead.”

“Can you take me to the prison once,” Han Yan said, “without being discovered?”

Secretly exploring the prison? Zhuo Qi looked at Han Yan with some scrutiny. Why did she seem to have received a major blow after hearing this news? Although Zhuo Qi was also very curious about what had happened to Han Yan, seeing her current lost and dispirited appearance, Zhuo Qi actually hoped it would be better if Han Yan knew nothing at all.

Inside the Imperial Palace.

The Empress Dowager quietly looked at the old cat curled up beside her, smiling faintly: “What’s wrong?”

The lady beside her said in a low voice: “Prince Xuanqing is dying.”

The last time the Emperor sent imperial guards to assassinate Han Yan, they ultimately died at Fu Yunxi’s hands, but Fu Yunxi had also taken a blade for Han Yan. This blade might not have been a serious injury in the past, but falling on him now was adding frost to snow – Fu Yunxi’s body could no longer withstand such torment.

“The Emperor will only push all the blame onto Zhuang Han Yan, and Fu Yunxi will only resent the Emperor. Let them continue hating each other like this.” The Empress Dowager stroked the old cat’s smooth fur: “Imperial family affection – I’ve seen too much of it. It can never overcome the word ‘selfishness.'”

The lady said: “Then Princess Xirong… if she really cures him…”

“She’s just brainless,” the Empress Dowager waved her hand: “If she could really cure him, she would have done so long ago. That prince has a stubborn nature. I’ve watched him grow up since childhood – he won’t accept it.”

“Your Majesty, then what should we do now…” The lady still seemed somewhat worried.

The Empress Dowager smiled slightly: “Now? We can only let them all fall into the trap, and this matter will be finished. Our great dynasty should also change.” Speaking of this, her expression suddenly became ferocious, her eyes turning cruel. The old cat shrieked and clawed at the Empress Dowager’s hand, immediately leaving a long red mark.

The Empress Dowager wasn’t angry, but instead gently called “Mimi” to coax it. The cat’s arched back gradually curled down, hesitated for a moment, and finally approached the Empress Dowager, raising its face to nuzzle against her hand. With one look from the Empress Dowager, a palace maid who had been watching with fear quickly came over to hold the cat.

“Kill it.” The woman in bright yellow robes commanded without a trace of emotion, showing none of the gentle demeanor she had just displayed when calling the cat.

“Yes.” The palace maid trembled almost imperceptibly, quickly carrying the cat out.

The Empress Dowager caressed the red mark on her hand, a cold smile escaping her lips. Anyone who dared hurt her would inevitably pay the price. It was so ten years ago, and it remained so ten years later.

Speaking of tonight’s prison, the jailer guarding the entrance was sleeping deeply to one side. No one knew what had happened – there wasn’t even a sound. Han Yan looked at Zhuo Qi dressed in black and felt rather helpless: “Why did you knock them all unconscious?” This would actually arouse more suspicion.

Zhuo Qi said innocently: “If I don’t knock them all unconscious, how can I guarantee foolproof success? See how powerful our Xirong incense is – they won’t wake up for three hours.”

Three hours would mean daybreak, and by the next day, news would spread throughout the capital that someone had secretly explored the prison at night. But there was no time to worry about that now. Han Yan jumped down from above: “Let’s find the person first.”

With everyone in the prison knocked unconscious, finding someone was particularly difficult – they couldn’t very well call out a person’s name and expect them to answer. Zhuo Qi walked ahead while Han Yan carefully examined each person until Zhuo Qi called out: “Is this the one?”

Han Yan frowned and quickly walked forward to look. There was a person with disheveled hair lying flat on the ground, face covered in grime. Han Yan carefully identified her, recognizing the familiar clothes, though they were torn and tattered, there were still some telltale signs.

That person was none other than Concubine Mei.

After a year’s time, Concubine Mei in prison had become so destitute. Though she knew the prison was no place for humans, seeing a woman who once possessed considerable beauty now completely unrecognizable, no different from beggars on the street, and remembering Concubine Mei’s former glamorous appearance, the contrast was like heaven and earth, stirring feelings in her heart. But feelings aside, she ultimately felt no sympathy.

“You could recognize her even in this state – good eyesight.” Han Yan said to Zhuo Qi.

Zhuo Qi smiled proudly: “Women’s bodies – I’m most familiar with them. There are quite a few prisoners in this jail, but the one with a figure still worth savoring is only this woman. She must be your concubine.”

Han Yan glared at him and signaled Zhuo Qi to act. Zhuo Qi then took out a small bottle from his chest, reached one hand through the bars to drag Concubine Mei’s body over, and with the other hand waved the bottle under Concubine Mei’s nose. Only hearing Concubine Mei moan, she slowly came to consciousness.

When Concubine Mei opened her eyes and saw two black-clothed people standing beside her, she immediately screamed in terror: “Don’t kill me, help! Help!”

Most criminals imprisoned in the dungeon had committed unforgivable crimes or offended court officials, sentenced to lifelong imprisonment here, living lives worse than death. But there were also those who became scapegoats, and these people often died mysteriously in prison. Rather than mysterious deaths, it was more accurate to say they were silenced by those behind the scenes. Concubine Mei must have witnessed many such incidents, which is why she feared that these suddenly appearing black-clothed people had come to silence her.

“Shut up,” Zhuo Qi said coldly: “Scream again and I’ll kill you with one sword.”

Concubine Mei was still pleading pitifully. Perhaps seeing that there was no movement around her, she realized that in this prison, only these two people before her could move. She kowtowed heavily: “Don’t kill me, don’t kill me, as long as you don’t kill me.” After speaking, she suddenly tore open her clothes. She didn’t even have an undergarment, exposing her skin. Though Concubine Mei was filthy, her skin was still relatively smooth, just covered with mottled red marks and kiss marks, indicating how much abuse this body had endured. In prison, women could be bullied at will, and Concubine Mei was presumably no exception.

Han Yan remembered Concubine Mei’s former arrogant appearance. She was seductive and charming, possessing an allure that could make all men fall for her. She treated men as playthings – even Zhuang Shiyang, when Concubine Mei was young, was just one of her admirers, and she had always been somewhat disdainful. But now, she begged, lived miserably, where was there even a trace of her former graceful charm?

The saying “Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river” was not wrong. Han Yan sighed and pulled down her face covering: “It’s me, Concubine Mei.”