"My Lord?"
Before the words were out, a chill swept past him and moved straight ahead. Qi Xuan's eyelids twitched.
Confirmed, things were indeed not good.
He hesitated for a moment, then decisively chose to retreat. Unexpectedly, as he passed the ornate gate, he ran into his own Lord returning, his face visibly ashen.
"I ordered you to seal up Lanqing Courtyard, why haven't you acted yet?"
"Qi Xuan, you're doing your job better and better, you dare to treat my words as if they were unheard!"
Qi Xuan's dog-like head trembled, indicating he wouldn't dare.
"My Lord..."
"No need for further words. If this courtyard gate isn't sealed before lunch, you don't need to stay in the Prince's manor."
Qi Xuan was sure his Lord was truly enraged.
He hesitated, then, enduring the pressure, spoke, "Your Lord's orders, this subordinate dare not disobey. It's just that the Princess Consort..."
"Princess Consort?"
Ye Tinglan's expression turned cold, his dark eyes frosty. "From now on, there is no Princess Consort in Mo Prince's manor."
"Achoo—"
Feng Yinwan had intended to take a short nap while the ointment absorbed, but she ended up falling asleep leaning on the small couch.
Before Yu Ping could call her, she woke up with a sneeze.
Opening her eyes, she met Yu Ping's concerned gaze. Feng Yinwan rubbed her nose, but another sneeze escaped her lips.
Yu Ping frowned. "Miss, did you catch a chill from the window being open earlier?"
It was already June, and one would be trying to avoid the heat, how could she catch a chill.
Feng Yinwan frowned, waving her hand. "It's nothing."
Her waist felt dry. The ointment applied earlier had been completely absorbed. Feng Yinwan nodded, adjusted her dress, and stood up.
Seeing her fiddle with the hairpin in her hair, looking as if she was about to leave, Yu Ping quickly pulled her back.
"Miss, lunch will be served soon. Where are you going?"
"I'm going to the Jingzhao Prefecture again."
"Jingzhao Prefecture?"
Yu Ping was slightly surprised. "Isn't everything settled? Why does Miss still need to go?"
After all, it was an official government office; she privately felt that going there too often wasn't a good thing.
Feng Yinwan shook her head. "There's one thing, it's very important."
When the two arrived at the Jingzhao Prefecture, Zhao Yong was just about to finish his work. Unexpectedly, as he stepped out of the main hall, he saw Feng Yinwan returning and immediately stopped.
He was momentarily stunned, then with a fawning smile, he stepped forward. "Mo... Princess Consort Mo, why have you returned?"
Please don't tell me there's another problem!
Feng Yinwan glanced at him indifferently and stopped walking.
"There's something this Princess Consort forgot to ask earlier. I remembered it after returning to the manor and specifically came to ask Lord Zhao for guidance."
The word "guidance" almost crushed Zhao Yong.
"I dare not, I dare not. Please speak freely if the Princess Consort has any instructions. This subordinate will surely tell you everything, without any reservation!"
At least he knows the rules.
Feng Yinwan smiled, flicked her fingertip, and spoke nonchalantly.
"According to the laws of our dynasty, theft of goods exceeding one hundred gold pieces is punishable by caning and three years imprisonment. Lord Zhao, am I correct?"
Suddenly asked about this, Zhao Yong was a bit taken aback. "What the Princess Consort said is exactly right."
He intended to offer more flattery, but his mouth opened only to meet Feng Yinwan's suddenly sharp gaze.
"Since that is the case, why was Feng Yiyi only caned and then released back to her manor?"
"As an official of the capital, holding an important position yet disregarding the law, is this how you normally handle cases, Lord Zhao?"
Zhao Yong's face changed drastically, scared and breaking out in a cold sweat.
"This... this... Princess Consort, please enlighten me, how could I dare!"
"Dare not? Then did Feng Yiyi escape from prison with this Princess Consort's help?"
"Does Lord Zhao want this Princess Consort to report this to the Emperor and the Empress Dowager, and confront you before the imperial presence?!"
This wasn't a confrontation, this was clearly a death sentence!
Zhao Yong fell to his knees with a thud. "Princess Consort, spare me. This... this subordinate is insignificant and powerless, and it was out of desperation!"
For a fourth-rank official to utter the words "insignificant and powerless," the person behind him must be no simple figure.
Feng Yinwan lowered her eyelashes, the coldness in her eyes intensifying. "Desperate? Lord Zhao, please explain how you were desperate."
"This..."
He stammered, unable to provide a coherent explanation for a long while. Feng Yinwan's beautiful eyes chilled, and she swept a cold glance over him.
"What, does Lord Zhao have some difficulty?"
"This subordinate dares not..."
Zhao Yong wiped the sweat from his forehead, lowered his voice, and cautiously glanced at her. "Princess Consort, may I have a word in private?"
Feng Yinwan nodded silently and moved aside.
Only when they reached the corner and saw no one around did Zhao Yong cautiously speak again.
"Princess Consort, if this subordinate tells you this matter, you must not tell anyone else!"
He couldn't stop her, he only hoped Feng Yinwan would leave him a way out.
"Rest assured, as long as what Lord Zhao says is true, this Princess Consort will not easily reveal it."
Zhao Yong's heart settled somewhat. "Princess Consort, it was the Second Prince."
Ye Tingyan?
Feng Yinwan's brows furrowed unconsciously.
She hadn't heard any good news related to this name in recent times.
Ye Tingyan had always been a loner, appearing and disappearing mysteriously. How could Feng Yiyi be involved with him?
Frowning, she instinctively recalled the conversation she had overheard at the restaurant that day, and her forehead twitched.
Zhao Yong was still worried about himself.
"This subordinate also finds it very puzzling. Princess Consort, the Second Prince's methods have always been ruthless. Please do not tell anyone about this!"
Feng Yinwan raised her eyes, her expression returning to normal.
"This Princess Consort wishes to see Feng Yiyi."
With a creak, the iron prison door was heavily pushed open, and a smell of mold immediately wafted out.
"Your Excellency."
The yamen runner waited for further instructions, but Zhao Yong frowned and waved his hand, turning directly to Feng Yinwan beside him.
"Princess Consort, the person is locked up inside. However, a place like a prison is very dark... Do you truly wish to enter?"
Feng Yinwan was, after all, a pampered Princess Consort. If she were to be frightened and suffer some mishap...
He was still pondering how to phrase his words when a gust of fragrance flashed beside him, and Feng Yinwan had already stepped directly through the iron gate.
Seeing this, Zhao Yong's eyelids twitched. He quickly hurried after her.
There were quite a few prisoners detained in the Jingzhao Prefecture. Feng Yinwan, led by a yamen runner, took a long time to reach Feng Yiyi's cell.
Because Ye Tinglan himself had appeared this time, the Prefect of Jingzhao dared not harbor her further and simply locked Feng Yiyi in a common cell.
Feng Yiyi had been unconscious since being dragged there in the morning. After being thrown into the cell, the outer robe she was wearing had fallen off, revealing glimpses of her body, which stirred the men in the cell.
Zhao Yong hurried to catch up and heard Feng Yinwan coldly order.
"Wake her up with water."
"Yes."
Upon hearing this, the yamen runner immediately went to fetch a bucket.
Zhao Yong frowned at the sight, pacing back and forth in a rush of anger.
Feng Yinwan glanced at him indifferently. "Lord Zhao, are the tiles in this prison too hot for your feet?"
Zhao Yong stared blankly, then leaned forward. "What did the Princess Consort say?"
Feng Yinwan rolled her eyes in exasperation. The yamen runner had already returned with the bucket.
Turning her gaze to Feng Yiyi on the ground, she coldly curled her lips. "Pour."