In the dungeon, Han Xichen looked at the woman hanging up and sighed, "Miss Fengyi, you have been starved for two days. Have you thought about what good news you will tell me later? If you make me happy, perhaps I can have someone let you down."
Fengyi raised her eyelids and looked at Han Xichen. She had not had a drop of water or a bite of food for two days and two nights. She lifted her dry, cracked lips, feeling a slight pain.
"I wonder what kind of news Your Highness considers good news."
Han Xichen chuckled lowly, leaned forward, and said, "For example, as a Xue Wei of Xue Jingyun, you must know if Xue Jingyun has arrived in Zhaoping."
Although Fengyi was a little surprised in her heart, her expression did not change in the slightest. "Your Highness, this servant does not know what Xue Wei of Xue Jingyun you are talking about, nor does she know who Xue Jingyun is?"
"Heh..." Han Xichen sneered. "It seems Miss Fengyi refuses a toast only to be forced to drink a forfeit."
"Your Highness, this servant prefers to be toasted rather than forced to drink."
Han Xichen's face changed slightly, and his tone became sinister. "I am reluctant to use force on you out of pity, but you are ungrateful. Then I have no choice but to do so. Guards, bring the torture instruments."
Fengyi bit her lower lip and said, "Your Highness, if you bully this servant, Young Master Shen will not let you off."
Upon hearing this, Han Xichen sneered, "He is merely a dog I keep. I can abandon him at any time."
Xue Zining, upon hearing that Han Xichen was torturing Fengyi, looked at the figure standing outside the window. She knew that at this moment, Yan Zhao's heart was even more distressed than hers.
She stood up, walked over, and came to his side, saying, "Although they are all trained, they are only flesh and blood. They cannot achieve enlightenment instantly. Yan Zhao, go and save her. She must be waiting for you to save her."
"ANing, if we save her now, all our arrangements might be in vain."
"Yan Zhao, Han Xichen probably already knows Fengyi's true identity..."
"I know. We are just a little closer to finding the secret Han Xichen left in Zhaoping."
"Yan Zhao, I have a way to use his plan against him and find Han Xichen's secret," she said, looking at him word by word.
After a long while, he suddenly sighed, "Alright. You must protect yourself and not get hurt."
After Yan Zhao agreed, Xue Zining went directly to Shen Yunlan's room. Shen Yunlan was about to rest when he saw the woman rush into his room, startling him and making him retreat a few steps. "You... what are you doing?"
Upon recognizing the woman as his third brother's beloved, he frowned and said coldly, "Miss Ning An, what is this you are doing?"
"Miss Fengyi of Feng Hua Xue Yue has been taken away, and her whereabouts are unknown."
Shen Yunlan looked at her and said coldly, "How do you know Fengyi?"
"Someone from Feng Hua Xue Yue has been knocking at the door, saying they want to see Young Master Shen."
Xue Zining moved aside. The young girl behind her stepped forward and knelt on the ground with a thud. "Young Master, please save Sister Fengyi. Mama was killed, and Sister Fengyi was taken away."
Shen Yunlan recognized the girl kneeling on the ground as Xiaotao, the maid who served Fengyi.
"Xiaotao, tell me exactly what happened," Shen Yunlan asked, very anxious. Fengyi was carrying his child.
Xiaotao cried, "Young Master, you don't know how fierce that person was. He tightly grabbed Sister Fengyi's hair and even stomped fiercely on Sister Fengyi's stomach. Sister Fengyi bled a lot."
Shen Yunlan trembled all over. That was his and Fengyi's child. He stepped forward and grabbed Xiaotao's collar, asking frantically, "What did that person look like?"
Xiaotao was so frightened that she couldn't speak for a long time. Shen Yunlan roared, "Speak, speak..."
Xue Zining stepped forward to interrupt Shen Yunlan and said coldly, "If you ask like that, you will scare her."
Freed from Shen Yunlan's grip, Xiaotao gasped for air. Shen Yunlan became somewhat deranged, "The child, the child..."
"He called himself 'this king'..."
Shen Yunlan suddenly came to his senses and roared, "Han Xichen, I will kill you..."
Saying that, he was about to rush out, but Xue Zining stopped him and asked, "Is Young Master Shen planning to go out like this? Straight to his death?"
"Otherwise? Fengyi is in his hands." Others might not understand Han Xichen, but having worked with him for these past few days, how could he not know that Han Xichen was a ruthless person.
"But can you rescue Miss Fengyi single-handedly?" Xue Zining asked.
Shen Yunlan had sobered up a bit now and did not look as crazy as before. He looked at her and asked, "It seems Miss Ning An has a good plan?"
"Take me with you. You attract Han Xichen's attention, and I will rescue Fengyi."
"You?" Shen Yunlan expressed his distrust.
Xue Zining said, "Do you have any other way besides trusting me now?"
Shen Yunlan, hearing this, knew she was right. He looked at her for a long time before saying, "Miss Ning An, why are you helping me so effortlessly? Don't tell me you also know Fengyi?"
"I just want the Shen family to return to peace, and for Yunxuan and me to be together properly." Xue Zining said.
Shen Yunlan sneered, "I don't care who you are, I only want Fengyi."
"Deal," Xue Zining said.
Xue Zining disguised herself as Xiaotao and got into the carriage with Shen Yunlan.
"Aren't you afraid?" Shen Yunlan asked suddenly after the carriage had traveled for about half an hour.
Xue Zining looked up at Shen Yunlan. "Young Master Shen has the leisure to care about me, so why not care about himself? Can he really rescue Fengyi from Han Xichen?"
Shen Yunlan did not answer. Did he have confidence? He didn't know.
Xue Zining gazed at the scenery outside. She was not afraid because she knew Yan Zhao was protecting her nearby.
She didn't want to wait any longer; she wanted to deal with Han Xichen as soon as possible.
The carriage finally stopped. Xue Zining got out of the carriage after Shen Yunlan. This was a manor in the southernmost part of Zhaoping, very remote.
Shen Yunlan did not go up. Instead, he turned to her and asked, "Aren't you curious why I know where Han Xichen is?"
Xue Zining chuckled lowly and looked up, her eyes now icy. "Isn't it tiring to plot with a tiger?"
"One mountain cannot accommodate two tigers. I am merely surviving in the cracks. What else can I do?" Shen Yunlan said with a wry smile, though the smile held a hint of bitterness.
"Life is nothing more than choices. If you follow the right path, it is right; if you follow the wrong path, you will be doomed forever. Young Master Shen, it is time to choose." Xue Zining said to Shen Yunlan calmly.
Shen Yunlan smiled. "Actually, you already know my identity, don't you?"
"Yes," Xue Zining replied.
"Then you must also know my relationship with Han Xichen."
"Yes."
"If I help you, will my sentence be lighter?"
Hearing this, Xue Zining looked up at Shen Yunlan and said calmly, "That depends on how Young Master Shen presents me with a satisfactory pledge of allegiance."
Shen Yunlan smiled and did not continue the topic. Instead, he walked forward and knocked on the door.
Soon, the door was opened by someone inside. Although it was just the person opening the door, Xue Zining could feel the aura emanating from him. He was a martial arts expert.
"Shen Yunlan seeks an audience with Your Highness," Shen Yunlan said, cupping his hands.
The person glanced at Shen Yunlan and said, "Young Master Shen, His Highness has been waiting for you for a long time."
Shen Yunlan was slightly taken aback. "His Highness has been waiting for me for a long time? Then this is my fault."