De’an hurriedly rushed into the Imperial Study Room, and upon entering, he found the Eldest Prince holding the Emperor, while the Emperor’s eyes were tightly shut, as if he had fainted.
"What happened here? Xiao Quanzi, quickly summon the Imperial Physician." De’an panicked and shouted towards the outside of the Imperial Study Room.
Hu Maoshen returned to the study in his mansion and carefully examined the token in his hand.
This token was not much different from the one he initially acquired, only with so slight distinctions. It had always been kept in the hidden compartnt of the study, known only to himself. Who exactly swapped the token?
"Master! You called for ?" Hui An entered the study and greeted Hu Maoshen.
"Hmm! Take a look at this." Hu Maoshen tossed the token onto the desk in front of Hui An.
Hui An found it a bit strange, and upon closer inspection, he realized this was the sa token that his master had previously acquired.
He looked at Hu Maoshen with confusion, then picked up the token for closer examination.
"Huh? Master, this token isn’t right!" Hui An, having seen the token before, noticed the discrepancies with just a glance.
Hu Maoshen scrutinized Hui An’s puzzled and shocked expressions, and seeing they did not seem feigned, he felt at ease.
He, in fact, did not wish to suspect Hui An, given Hui An’s unwavering loyalty. He nearly lost his life during the night raid on the Eldest Prince’s separate residence, and it was Gu Chengyu who saved him in the end.
"This ti, it’s unlikely to bring down the Eldest Prince. We’ve missed a rare opportunity."
Hu Maoshen knew that simply framing a high-ranking official would only lead to minor punishnt for the Eldest Prince.
The principle that ’the Emperor is subject to the sa laws as commoners’ is rely rhetoric. This kingdom is the Zhao family’s realm, and to ensure accountability to the people, the Eldest Prince would at most be confined for two years.
Perhaps under so pretext, the Eldest Prince might be made to atone for his actions, thus avoiding any punishnt altogether.
He noticed that during today’s court session, the Emperor didn’t want him to bring up the bandit case. Moreover, there was no ntion of punishing the Eldest Prince, showing blatant favoritism.
He couldn’t believe that the Second Prince was unaffected, being a legitimate son, yet consistently overshadowed by an elder illegitimate brother.
Traditionally, the Crown Prince was chosen from legitimate sons, not eldest. Yet, the Emperor hesitated to establish a Crown Prince. Surprisingly, the Second Prince remained patient and calm.
Hu Maoshen recalled his colleagues’ assessnts of the Second Prince, who was gentle and sincere, albeit overly soft.
The Emperor was not young anymore; it was ti for Hu Maoshen to make his considerations. The path of the Pure Minister was challenging—with a new Emperor, the court may change, and the old ministers might not be favored.
With the Fourth Prince eliminated, the Third Prince being impulsive, and the Eldest Prince already crossed, the Second Prince seed viable. Hu Maoshen sighed again, contemplating whether to observe the situation further.
The next morning at dawn, Gu Chengyu stared at the crossbeam of the cell ceiling. He hadn’t slept all night, not due to worry, but because the rats in the cell were trendously noisy, scurrying around like they were moving house.
Opposite him, Min Feng hadn’t slept well either. Despite his humble origins, he couldn’t endure such a filthy environnt even for a mont. He glanced at the dilapidated quilt with bloodstains, so worn that the cotton had spilled out.
Unable to bear the coldness in the middle of the night, he touched it, finding it stiff. Ultimately, he had to endure until morning.
"Achoo!" This was Min Feng’s third sneeze. Still in March, the nights were quite chilly, forcing him to pace the cell to stay warm.
Gu Chengyu heard the sneeze and chuckled inwardly, thankful for his Inner Strength. Otherwise, he would also suffer. Being locked in this cell for just two or three days, even without torture, would result in a severe illness, as many who left here succumbed to sickness.
Two prison guards stood watch outside the cell, this being an ordinary cell, not guarded as strictly as the Heavenly Prison. The guards were engaged in conversation.
"Hey? What do you think Lord Kuang ant by urgently locking up these scholars without any interrogation?" One of them expressed his puzzlent.
"Don’t you know? These scholars might be released today." The other guard teased, speaking mysteriously.
"You’re well connected with those in power, always knowing critical news, please share."
"Cough! This matter isn’t sothing you should be privy to. Are we to discuss affairs concerning high-ranking officials? Hey? Look, there’s a beauty approaching!"
Outside the cell, a woman draped in a crimson cape and carrying a food box on her arm made her way towards them. Despite her cloak, her graceful figure was unmistakable. She approached quickly, soon reaching the guards.
"I humbly greet the two chiefs!" Up close, the guards saw her face was fair and delicate; her brows were like willow leaves, her eyes like apricots. Her gentle bow echoed like an oriole’s chirp, clear and lodious. Her eyes, with a hint of allure, captured attention.
"What brings you here, young lady?" Surprised by her youth, the guards softened their deanor; on a normal day, they would reprimand her first.
"My master was arrested here the day before yesterday, and I’ve co to bring him so food," she replied, taking two silver ingots from her sleeve and handing them over.
Seeing the two ten-tael ingots, the guards were tempted.
One guard hesitated; those inside were detained by Lord Kuang himself, and any mishap could spell trouble for them.
The other pulled him aside, advising, "It’s twenty taels of silver! We take it and let her in briefly, and no one will be the wiser. Besides, it’s our shift, and no one has tended to these scholars since yesterday. They might be released today."
"Is your information accurate? We can’t risk our lives for twenty taels," the hesitant guard warned, yet he was enticed by the silver and unsure.
Seeing their deliberation, the woman grew anxious. The twenty taels were all her savings, with nothing left to offer. She decided to remove a silver hairpin from her head.
"Please have rcy, sirs. I’ll only say a few words before leaving."
The guards turned back, seeing the hairpin added to the offer. One accepted the silver and hairpin reluctantly, "You have only half an incense stick’s worth of ti, then you must co out. Otherwise, we’ll all be in trouble."
The woman expressed her gratitude profusely and prepared to enter the cell.
"Wait! What’s inside the food box? Open it for inspection," one guard demanded, blocking the way until the contents were revealed.
The woman lifted the cover, "Just two boxes of pastries and side dishes."
The guard fetched a wrapped handkerchief from his pocket, unwrapping it to reveal a silver needle. He tested the food to ensure the needle didn’t change color, then allowed her entry.
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