"Your Highness." Zhong Li stood at the entrance of the prison cell, gazing at the man sleeping on the stone bed inside. It was nearing evening, and he still seemed drowsy.
Lu Wuxie heard someone calling him from outside. His body stirred, but he showed no intention of getting up.
Xu Qing, who followed Zhong Li and held the prison keys, snorted with a smile. "It seems Miss Zhong has trusted the wrong person. His Highness is broad-minded and must have anticipated the Prince Xian's mansion coming to fetch him. He's still sleeping soundly after all this time. What with pavilions, towers, and the fragrance of a lady's chambers, how could we ordinary folk possibly enjoy such things?"
Zhong Li glanced at Xu Qing, offering no reply. She simply took the key from his hand and unlocked the cell door.
With the sound of the heavy lock falling to the ground, the person on the bed finally stirred.
Lu Wuxie slowly pushed himself up, his eyes still half-closed. He glanced at the cell door and then asked, "What is it? Can I go?"
Xu Qing's smile widened as he said sarcastically, "Your Highness, the Princess of Xian's mansion is here to pick you up." With that, he turned and walked out of the cell.
Zhong Li picked up the padlock from the ground and hung it on the cell door. She cast a glance at the man's retreating back, ahead of her, and the narrow corridor. Silently, she followed.
After only a few steps, she felt a shadow fall before her. The next moment she realized, Lu Wuxie had stopped moving and was waiting for her to catch up.
"If I recall correctly, the last time you entered the Chen secret passage with Li'er, you seemed a bit scared," Lu Wuxie said nonchalantly. The pleasant scent of dragon's saliva slowly enveloped her.
Zhong Li was taken aback. She did suffer from claustrophobia, though she could usually control it. She wondered how Lu Wuxie had noticed.
"Let's go." Lu Wuxie gave her no time for further thought, slowing his pace and calling out to her.
Zhong Li lowered her gaze and followed closely behind him.
The prison cells at Dali Temple were not as large as those at the Ministry of Justice, but perhaps because they walked slowly, Zhong Li felt as though a long time had passed before they saw an exit.
"Was it Xie Yunxi who came to pick me up?" Lu Wuxie suddenly asked Zhong Li as they walked.
Zhong Li nodded in response.
"Given Lan Heng's personality, it's unlikely," he mused for a moment. "Was there someone who helped pressure Dali Temple?"
Zhong Li knew that Lu Wuxie, despite his outwardly dissolute demeanor, was a shrewd strategist. She hadn't expected him to have anticipated this matter so accurately, as if... as if he possessed foresight.
"Yes, when Lord Lan called out to that person, they addressed her as Miss Zipei," Zhong Li said.
Zipei.
Upon hearing the name, Lu Wuxie narrowed his eyes.
-------------------------------------
Deep in the night, within the imperial palace.
A woman in a brocade phoenix robe sat before her vanity. She gazed at her elegant reflection in the bronze mirror and casually removed a hairpin from her hair, placing it on the table.
As she meticulously examined the lines around her eyes, her expression growing impatient, the palace door behind her was pushed open, and a figure clad in green gracefully entered.
"Your Highness." Zipei bowed before Shen Nong.
Shen Nong turned her head, as if annoyed by the disturbance to her thoughts, her expression growing even more displeased.
Zipei flinched and quickly knelt on the ground.
Shen Nong cast a sharp glance at Zipei and said, "Have no discretion."
Zipei swallowed several times, enduring her fear, and said, "Your Highness, the matter you entrusted to this servant has been completed."
"Was the message delivered?" Shen Nong asked.
"Replying to Your Highness, it was delivered."
"What did the Princess of Xian's mansion say?" Shen Nong inquired.
"The Princess of Xian's mansion did not speak. When I left, she was still waiting at the entrance of Dali Temple to pick up His Highness," Zipei replied truthfully.
Hearing this, Shen Nong took a deep breath and murmured, "The Xie family produces beautiful women, but their minds are not entirely sharp. Either they endure in silence, believing themselves to be virtuous and demure, or they are simply foolish. Since she wishes to stir up trouble, let her stir. This palace can even lend a helping hand."
"Your Highness is wise," Zipei said, flattering her.
Shen Nong gave Zipei a faint look, as if accustomed to such compliments. She waved her hand, signaling her to withdraw. Lazily, she rose, preparing to walk towards the bed.
As Zipei was just stepping towards the door, An Sheng ran in quickly.
"Your servant greets the Empress."
Shen Nong was already feeling weary today. Having been disturbed by two people consecutively, the anger that hadn't dissipated moments ago surged upwards.
She gave Eunuch An Sheng a cold glare. Before she could utter stern words, a gentle male voice came from the doorway, "Has Mother Consort retired?"
Upon hearing the voice, Shen Nong's angry expression instantly vanished, replaced by one of delight. "Hong'er, why have you come?"
Lu Yuanhong entered the inner chamber and bowed to Shen Nong.
Shen Nong grabbed his arm and pulled him onto a stool beside the golden nanmu wood table. "Mother Consort heard from someone that you would still have a day or two before returning from Shu Rong. Why..."
She spoke with a touch of emotion, her eyes becoming slightly red. Lu Yuanhong was her only offspring and the heir to the Southern Yue kingdom. In her eyes, he was more precious than her own life.
"The matter His Majesty assigned me was handled smoothly. Furthermore, your son missed Mother Consort dearly, which is why I rushed back without delay," Lu Yuanhong said, his gaze subtly shifting to the man beside him.
The man was dressed in the official attire of a eunuch, yet he bore none of the陰氣 associated with eunuchs. Instead, his handsome features gave him an almost ethereal air.
Following Lu Yuanhong's gaze, Shen Nong glanced at the man and said, "It seems you weren't in a hurry to visit this palace, but someone in Jincheng urged you to return."
"Not at all!" Lu Yuanhong said, a slight smile on his lips. "Eunuch Yun has been with your son for many years; he is like a foster father to me. Your son must heed his foster father's advice, especially regarding spending more time with Mother Consort."
"You have such a sweet tongue!" Shen Nong said, lightly poking Lu Yuanhong's forehead with her delicate finger.
Lu Yuanhong's smile widened.
When the two had finished their pleasantries, Lu Yuanhong's expression turned slightly serious as he looked at Shen Nong. "Mother Consort, your son has something he wishes to ask you."
Shen Nong did not answer immediately. Instead, she first glanced at Eunuch Yun behind Lu Yuanhong before asking, "What is it?"
"I heard that the heir of Prince Xian's mansion has been arrested and taken to Dali Temple?" Lu Yuanhong asked.
"You mean Lu Wuxie," Shen Nong said with a sudden smile. She nodded. "Someone died in Huanxi Tower, and Dali Temple suspects Lu Wuxie is the murderer."
"How is that possible!" Lu Yuanhong exclaimed, standing up in agitation.
Eunuch Yun, standing behind him, looked at him and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Your Highness the Crown Prince."
Lu Yuanhong came back to his senses and slowly sat back down.
He stabilized his emotions and said, "Mother Consort, Wuxie grew up with me. Although his personality changed drastically several years ago, becoming what he is today, we are still blood relatives. I believe Wuxie would never kill anyone."
Hearing this, Shen Nong glanced at Eunuch Yun, then took Lu Yuanhong's hand. "My son, rest assured. Mother Consort has already sent Zipei to Dali Temple to request his release. Wuxie has likely returned to Prince Xian's mansion today."
At this moment, in Lu Wuxie's study at Prince Xian's mansion.
A single candle illuminated the dimly lit room.
The man leaned his chin on his hand, gazing at the moonlight outside the window. The weather was not good today, and dark clouds obscured the moonlit night, making it hazy and deep.
"Master." A voice sounded from behind him.
Lu Wuxie turned his head, and a piece of paper was handed to him.
"This is from Miss Xing'er. She said Master should be careful."
Lu Wuxie opened the note, quickly scanned its contents, and then casually tossed it into the candlelight, murmuring, "The fox's tail is finally starting to show."