Luo Sheng wore a plain cloak today with a hood trimmed with a circle of snow fox fur, and two fluffy pom-poms dangling down, looking quite playful.

Whenever Yun Dong saw Luo Sheng, his scalp began to tingle—he didn’t find the young woman before him playful at all.

“Why has Third Miss come?”

Luo Sheng glanced at the tightly closed prison door. “To see if my second sister will be deceived by Pingli.”

Yun Dong’s expression stiffened somewhat. “Does Third Miss want to go inside?”

Wouldn’t that be somewhat inappropriate?

Although he deeply detested Pingli and couldn’t understand why Second Miss still harbored feelings for someone who had harmed their adoptive father, he understood that since their adoptive father had allowed Second Miss to come, he was tacitly giving her an opportunity to speak privately with Pingli for a few moments.

Luo Sheng glanced at Yun Dong, her tone surprised. “I’m not a gossip—why would I go inside?”

Yun Dong: “…” Just as he thought—he should keep his distance from Third Miss.

Thinking this, Yun Dong silently shuffled aside.

Luo Sheng held her hand warmer decorated with plum blossom patterns, looking completely at ease.

Inside the cell, seeing Pingli in such a disheveled state, Luo Qing couldn’t help but redden her eyes.

The eldest brother she had always known was gentle as jade, noble and dignified. When had she ever seen him like this?

Hearing movement, Pingli slowly looked over, his voice still gentle. “Second Sister, why have you come? This place is cold and damp—it’s not where you should be.”

Tears instantly rolled down from the corners of Luo Qing’s eyes.

After a brief silence, she bit her lip and asked, “Eldest Brother, why did you try to harm Father?”

An expression of hurt appeared on Pingli’s face as he murmured, “Did Adoptive Father say this?”

Seeing him like this, a thread of hope uncontrollably rose in Luo Qing’s heart.

Could Eldest Brother have been wrongly accused?

After the five adoptive brothers grew up, the other adoptive brothers were all sent to various places, yet Father alone kept Eldest Brother in the capital.

Father valued Eldest Brother so highly and trusted him so much—what reason would Eldest Brother have to harm Father?

Pingli smiled bitterly and looked at Luo Qing. “Does Second Sister also think this?”

“I—” Luo Qing opened her mouth.

Pingli smiled bitterly. “Second Sister, I have no reason to harm Adoptive Father. If others don’t believe me, do you not believe me either?”

“I… I believe you…”

She wanted to believe.

“It was Yun Dong who schemed against me. Right now, Adoptive Father will only listen to Yun Dong’s words.” Pingli coughed once, sorrow seeming to overflow from his eyes. “Second Sister, this will probably be our last meeting. After you leave here, just forget about me.”

Luo Qing grasped the ice-cold bars, tears streaming down continuously. “Eldest Brother, I don’t want anything to happen to you… Tell me what to do—how can I make Father believe you?”

Pingli shook his head, his expression bleak. “It’s useless. Yesterday, Adoptive Father flew into a rage and locked me in here, which shows he already harbors killing intent toward me. He won’t spare me just because you plead for me.”

“Is there truly no way?” Across the iron bars, Luo Qing tightly grasped Pingli’s hand and asked through her tears.

“Second Sister, go back. Be good.”

“No, I won’t go back.” Luo Qing shook her head wildly, clutching that hand that was so close yet separated by cold bars, as if clutching her entire world.

This was the person she had been devoted to since her youth. She had countless times envisioned growing old with him—how could she accept that this parting would be a final farewell in death?

“Eldest Brother, is there truly no other way? Think about it—I beg you to think carefully. As long as I can do it, I’ll definitely do it…”

Pingli’s eyes flickered. “Second Sister, you’re truly willing to do anything to help me?”

Luo Qing nodded.

The cell suddenly fell into silence.

A moment later, a sharp scream rang out.

Yun Dong, who had been guarding outside the door, immediately rushed inside.

Luo Sheng followed close behind and clearly saw the situation inside.

Luo Qing’s entire body was pressed against the iron bars, with a large hand reaching around from the back of her neck, tightly gripping her throat.

It was Pingli’s hand.

“Release Second Miss!” Yun Dong’s expression turned ice-cold as he walked forward.

Pingli’s face twisted viciously. “Take one more step forward, and I’ll snap Second Miss’s neck!”

The hand lying across Luo Qing’s neck tightened, and Luo Qing began struggling painfully.

Yun Dong had no choice but to stop, saying coldly, “Pingli, this is your dying struggle. If you dare harm Second Miss, death is your only path.”

Pingli sneered coldly. “Yun Dong, you needn’t try to frighten me. All that’s left for me is the path of death anyway—what do I have to fear?”

He knew all too well what kind of person Adoptive Father was. Having locked him in here, he would never let him leave alive.

Moreover, there were those people who at this moment probably wanted him dead even more than Adoptive Father did.

He was at the end of his rope with nowhere to turn, able only to use Luo Qing as leverage to fight for a thread of survival.

At worst, he would merely lose this life—no matter how one looked at it, it was a profitable trade.

Thinking this, Pingli’s expression grew increasingly vicious.

“What do you want then?” Yun Dong asked.

“Don’t come closer. Have someone open the cell door and prepare a horse for me.”

Yun Dong flatly refused Pingli’s demands. “Impossible!”

“Won’t agree?” Pingli tightened the hand at Luo Qing’s neck and said ice-coldly, “Then I’ll just have Second Miss accompany me in death. The Yellow Springs are lonely—it would be good to have someone keep me company.”

Yun Dong’s expression grew colder and colder.

He could see the utter ruthlessness in Pingli’s eyes.

If he didn’t agree to the other’s demands, the other would probably truly be capable of following through.

Pingli stared at Yun Dong, insane flames surging in his eyes. Detecting the other’s wavering, he smiled with raised lips.

He had won half the gamble.

At this moment, whoever had a heart ruthless enough would have the upper hand.

If Yun Dong didn’t agree, he would snap Luo Qing’s neck without hesitation.

Since all that awaited him was death anyway, what couldn’t he do?

Killing Luo Qing under these circumstances—even if Adoptive Father didn’t blame him verbally, how could his heart not hold some resentment? The accumulated resentment from his daughter’s death might someday cause Yun Dong to follow in his footsteps.

Even in death, he wouldn’t let Yun Dong have peace.

As for Luo Qing, this was her willing choice to begin with—she couldn’t blame anyone else.

That hand tightened more and more. Luo Qing’s face turned blue-white, and she called out to Yun Dong with difficulty, “Fifth… Fifth Brother… save me…”

Yun Dong’s expression changed repeatedly before he gritted his teeth. “Someone come!”

The corners of Pingli’s lips lifted slightly.

Soon, a Jinlin Guard walked over.

Yun Dong pointed at the cell door. “Open it.”

The Jinlin Guard hesitated momentarily, then picked up the key and silently opened the door.

Pingli switched his hands, always maintaining one hand on Luo Qing’s neck. Pressed against the iron bars, he pulled Luo Qing out of the cell and positioned her in front of him.

“Prepare a horse for me immediately!” Having exited the cell, Pingli kept his back against the wall and dragged Luo Qing toward the exit.

Yun Dong’s tone grew even colder. “Prepare a horse for him.”

Luo Sheng, who had been silent all along, spoke up. “Pingli, you’re taking my second sister with you?”

Pingli didn’t dare let his attention waver in the slightest. Every step was taken with extreme caution. Only after seeing the light ahead did he coldly reply with a single word: “Yes.”

The light ahead marked the dungeon exit.

Snow was still falling, and the cold wind outside cut to the bone, yet Pingli felt his breathing become smooth.

That was the air of freedom.

He was still young—he absolutely refused to die in the Jinlin Guard’s dungeon!