“Nothing more, just repeatedly nagging about these things. Every time she nagged, Second Brother and I grew more annoyed, thinking this old woman really didn’t know her place. Later…”

Ji Lingchuan caught his breath.

“Later, after Second Brother and I harshly suppressed her once or twice with our words, she didn’t dare say more. After that, she moved to the bamboo courtyard.”

Ji Lingchuan remembered very clearly.

At the time, he let out a long breath of relief and told Second Brother, “Finally don’t have to listen to that old woman’s nonsense.”

Yan Sanhe decisively released her grip, followed by a long silence.

Due to the candlelight, her features were surrounded by a faint reddish glow, but her expression was unprecedentedly grave and cold.

“Miss Yan, are you…”

“Shut up!”

Yan Sanhe unceremoniously cut him off.

“I’ll ask you again—do you know the full story of General Zheng’s case, including some of the details?”

“This…”

Cold sweat seeped from Ji Lingchuan’s palms.

“Speak!”

Yan Sanhe vented her anger by heavily striking the bars once, shouting, “Tell the truth!”

Ji Lingchuan thrust his hands into his hair, gripping hard, then suddenly raised his head. “I heard about it at the Zhang family.”

“Did you ever tell the Old Madam?”

Ji Lingchuan shook his head.

“If!”

Yan Sanhe looked at him. “I’m saying if—if the Old Madam wanted to inquire about the Zheng family case because of Wu Guanyue, what method do you think she would use?”

Ji Lingchuan’s eyes stopped moving, staring fixedly at Yan Sanhe for a long while, then slapped his thigh.

“That’s simple. Though I wouldn’t tell the Old Madam, I would tell my wife.”

“Did you discuss the Zheng family case with your wife?”

Ji Lingchuan nodded. “Such a huge case—who wouldn’t be curious? I told her privately.”

“Including that not even the Zheng family’s dogs survived?”

“How do you know?” Ji Lingchuan looked at Yan Sanhe in terror.

“Not only do I know that, I also know…”

Yan Sanhe suddenly shifted direction.

“Wu Guanyue’s ancestors were saved by a dog. The Wu family had an ancestral rule not to kill dogs. The Old Madam knew this too.”

“What do you mean?”

Ji Lingchuan was confused for a moment, then his body trembled violently, his eyes going blank. “You, you, you mean…”

“Ji Lingchuan.”

Yan Sanhe suppressed the anger in her voice, slowly standing up from the ground, then looking down at him.

“I’ve found the other half of the Old Madam’s demonic obsession.”

“Found it, really found it.”

Ji Lingchuan crawled up from the ground using both hands and feet, gripping the bars with both hands.

“What is it? Tell me quickly! Is the Ji family saved? Is my son saved? Tell me!”

Yan Sanhe sneered once, turned around, and left without looking back.

“Yan Sanhe, Yan Sanhe… come back… come back!”

Ji Lingchuan reached his hands through the bars, completely losing control, jumping and leaping like a madman.

“Come back, I beg you to come back. There’s still half an hour, only half an hour left…”

Yan Sanhe’s footsteps paused, and she immediately turned back.

“What do you mean ‘half an hour’?”

“My Twelve has half an hour left. They’re going to act. I didn’t reveal the Zhang family, I didn’t say anything. Save him, I beg you to save him…”

Ji Lingchuan slowly knelt on the ground, tears and snot flowing down.

For some reason, Yan Sanhe couldn’t summon even half a bit of sympathy for this man. She only said coldly:

“Ji Lingchuan, you too have this day!”

…

In another prison cell.

Zhao Yishi sat in a grand armchair, his expression dark as he looked at the barely breathing Master Ji Twelve behind the bars.

Beside him, Xu Lai bowed with twelve thousand parts caution.

“Your Highness, the case has dragged on too long. This humble official had no choice but to resort to this desperate measure.”

Zhao Yishi suppressed his anger, speaking calmly and quietly. “What a fine ‘no choice,’ Lord Xu.”

Xu Lai fell to his knees with a thud, trembling as he spoke.

“Your Highness, this man is Ji Lingchuan’s beloved son. When brought to prison, he only had half a life left. Even though Imperial Physician Pei comes every ten days, this humble official can see there’s no saving him.

A dying man should die for a purpose. If we can use him to pressure Ji Lingchuan, perhaps this case can be concluded and comfort His Majesty’s heart.”

Zhao Yishi was shocked and furious to the extreme.

Bringing up Imperial Physician Pei was essentially saying: Your actions as Crown Prince—everyone turns a blind eye. So please, Crown Prince, also turn a blind eye to my actions.

Who wins, who loses—each relies on their own abilities, each accepts heaven’s will.

Bringing up the Emperor was essentially saying: Everything I, Xu Lai, do is proper and justified. I’m serving the Emperor!

Zhao Yishi’s hands hidden in his sleeves trembled slightly.

“Lord Xu’s loyalty to the sovereign and love of country is truly laborious.”

“Your Highness’s words make this humble official ashamed beyond measure.”

Xu Lai quickly prostrated himself, his attitude increasingly respectful.

Zhao Yishi observed him coldly for a long while, then bent down to personally help him up, speaking gently. “I merely felt compassion seeing his young age.”

Xu Lai’s face showed emotion. “Your Highness is truly benevolent and righteous!”

Zhao Yishi smiled lightly. “Since you praise my benevolence and righteousness, I should at least see Master Ji Twelve off on his final journey. Will Lord Xu accompany me?”

“…”

Xu Lai nearly bit his tongue off in regret.

The Crown Prince planned to personally guard Master Ji Twelve here!

What tricks could he still pull?

How could he pry open Ji Lingchuan’s mouth?

Xu Lai’s heart itched with hatred, but his face showed complete respect. “This humble official obeys your command.”

…

Yan Sanhe pushed open the iron door, her heart slightly startled.

In the vast courtyard, she saw only Shen Chong conversing in low voices with the brocade-clad guard, but Zhao Yishi was nowhere to be seen.

Seeing her emerge, Shen Chong nodded to the brocade-clad guard and strode over.

“Miss Yan, how did it go?”

Yan Sanhe nodded. “Where’s His Highness?”

Shen Chong: “His Highness had urgent business. But before leaving, he asked me to relay a message to you.”

Yan Sanhe: “Speak!”

Shen Chong: “Whatever you wish to do, just do it. If anything happens, he’ll take responsibility.”

Yan Sanhe didn’t hesitate for a moment.

“I need to get Ji Lingchuan out of prison for bathing and changing clothes.

Then find a secluded courtyard with an altar, three plates of fruit offerings, two candlesticks, and one incense burner.

Quickly—Master Ji Twelve is running out of time.”

Shen Chong’s expression was more painful than if he’d been struck by lightning.

Miss Yan, this is the Northern Bureau prison! Where could he possibly get all these things? Let alone getting Ji Lingchuan out?

Seeing his expression, Yan Sanhe knew things were going wrong. “Summon His Highness.”

Shen Chong gritted his teeth. “Miss Yan, His Highness cannot be summoned now. He’s with Criminal Vice Minister Xu Lai…”

Speaking to this point, Shen Chong raised his hand to half-cover his mouth. “If Xu Lai is alerted, things will be even harder.”

What to do?

Yan Sanhe anxiously grabbed her hair hard with both hands. After finally finding the Old Madam’s other half of demonic obsession, yet…

Suddenly, her expression changed.

“I’ve thought of someone who should be able to help!”