If it were an ordinary family visiting the prison, not only would the items brought in be inspected, but the visitors themselves would also be searched. Otherwise, if something went wrong with the prisoner inside, the warden would find it hard to explain. However, since the visitors were female members of Jing Guogong Residence, such measures were naturally not applied.

Xu Nian’an, carrying a bundle by herself, followed the prison guard into the cell.

The air was filled with an indescribable stench, making it hard to breathe the moment one stepped inside. Those held here were either serious offenders or people like Zhao Huanxi, whose background was far from ordinary. The prison was relatively quiet, unlike typical noisy jails.

Xu Nian’an followed the prison guard to the very end of the corridor before spotting Zhao Huanxi in a small solitary cell on the right. He was sitting on the stone-built bed.

The prison guard, unlocking the cell door, said to Xu Nian’an, “You have only fifteen minutes for the visit. Speak quickly.”

“Thank you,” Xu Nian’an replied, discreetly slipping a silver ingot to the guard.

The guard quietly accepted it, opened the cell door, waited for Xu Nian’an to enter, then locked the door again and walked away.

“Dong Jiejie.” Zhao Huanxi, who had already moved to the door when they arrived, immediately rushed over and hugged her as soon as Xu Nian’an stepped inside.

Xu Nian’an, carrying the bundle with one hand, used the other to embrace him and asked, “Are you okay? Did they do anything to you?”

“No, they just brought me here and locked me up, nothing else,” Zhao Huanxi replied, his cheek brushing against her hair as he greedily inhaled the familiar scent.

Xu Nian’an gently pushed him away, looking him up and down. Seeing that he was indeed unharmed, she pulled him toward the simple stone bed in the cell. Examining it, she found that although the bedding was worn, it didn’t appear to be overly filthy.

“These days will be tough for you, but bear with it for now. The family is working on uncovering the truth…” Xu Nian’an spoke softly as she prepared to sit down on the edge of the bed.

Zhao Huanxi quickly grabbed her arm and said, “Wait a moment.”

He took the bundle Xu Nian’an had brought, placed it on the bed, and opened it. From inside, he pulled out a brocade robe of his, laid it over the edge of the bed, and then pulled Xu Nian’an over, letting her sit on the robe he had carefully spread out.

Xu Nian’an looked at him, momentarily forgetting what she was about to say.

Zhao Huanxi sat down beside her and asked, “How are my mother and sister? Are they terribly worried?”

Xu Nian’an snapped out of her daze and replied, “Mother, San Jie, and Xuan Jie’er are here. They’re waiting outside because the warden said only one person is allowed to visit. They’re fine, just worried about you.”

Xu Nian’an spoke as she took out two pieces of pea cake wrapped in a handkerchief from her chest and handed them to him. “The prison doesn’t allow food to be brought in for fear it might cause trouble if something goes wrong. I managed to sneak in two pieces of the pea cake you like. Have a bite first, then we can talk.”

Zhao Huanxi hadn’t had lunch and was already starving, but he held Xu Nian’an’s hand and said, “With only fifteen minutes to spend with you, I don’t want to waste it eating.”

Xu Nian’an lowered her voice and said, “I slipped him some silver. He’ll give us more time. Now eat quickly.”

“Oh.” Zhao Huanxi chuckled and then stuffed an entire piece of pea cake into his mouth.

Xu Nian’an stared at him in shock and lightly punched him, saying, “Eat slower, or you’ll choke.”

Zhao Huanxi, cheeks puffed out, grinned and dodged her, but in the end, he quickly finished both pieces of pea cake.

Xu Nian’an sighed helplessly. She poured him half a bowl of water from the table, then pulled a small silver leaf from her sleeve and dipped its tip into the water. Seeing that it didn’t change colour, she handed the bowl to him.

Watching her actions, Zhao Huanxi softly asked, “Dong Jiejie, is someone in this prison trying to harm me?”

In historical settings, silver items like jewellery or other things were sometimes used in this manner because silver could change colour when exposed to certain substances, such as poisons. Silver leaf might be an accessory or a form of silver currency in the form of a leaf.

Xu Nian’an sat back down beside him and said, “Better safe than sorry.” She tucked the silver leaf into his hand and instructed, “From now on, every time you eat or drink, you must test it with the silver leaf before consuming it.”

Zhao Huanxi nodded, raising his eyes to look at her. A faint sense of guilt lingered in his gaze as he said, “Dong Jiejie, it’s all my fault for being so foolish, falling so easily into someone else’s trap.”

“If something similar happens again, what will you do?” Xu Nian’an asked him.

Zhao Huanxi thought for a moment, his expression a mix of despondency and determination. “I’d still go. I’m afraid something might really happen to you.”

“That’s it. You’re not foolish, you were just worried about me. If the positions were reversed, I would make the same mistake as you,” Xu Nian’an said. “We don’t have much time, so let’s not dwell on this. Tell me, when you arrived at that house, what was it like inside? How did Zhu Zhifu die?”

Zhao Huanxi recalled, “It was a dead-end alley, and there was just that one house. It looked like no one had lived there for a long time, with weeds and pests everywhere. Only the main door was open. I walked over and saw a man with his hands tied behind his back, face down, collapsed on the floor of the main hall. When I turned him over, I realized it was Zhu Zhifu. He wasn’t wearing his outer robe, and his undergarment had several rips and bloodstains, but I didn’t see any knife wounds or stab marks, nor did I see any large pools of blood. His cheek had marks from being slapped. Oh, and there was a strangulation mark on his neck, right here,” he gestured to the area just above his Adam’s apple.

Xu Nian’an thought for a moment and said, “From what you’ve described, Zhu Zhifu must have been strangled. However, we don’t know exactly how long he had been dead when you arrived. If the coroner can determine the time of death, perhaps it could clear your name.”

Zhao Huanxi shook his head and replied, “I think he probably died not long before I arrived. When I touched his neck, his skin was still warm, so I checked for a heartbeat to see if he was really dead or still alive.”

“What time was it when you arrived?” Xu Nian’an asked quickly.

Zhao Huanxi estimated, “I left Shang Xiansheng’s house around the early part of Si hour (si hour is around 9-11 a.m.). By the time I got to the house in the north of the city, it was probably around the middle of the hour of Si hour.”

When Xu Nian’an heard this, she understood that her guess was correct. Zhao Huanxi wasn’t the one who had killed Zhu Zhifu. After all, Zhu Zhifu was the heir of Cheng Guogong, and killing him would lead to huge problems. Given Lao Taitai’s decisiveness, it was likely that she had someone pose as one of Huanxi’s subordinates, abducting Zhu Zhifu to a remote house where he would be beaten and tortured for several days. Afterward, they would move him, then bring Huanxi to that house, all while calling the authorities. Zhu Zhifu had said insulting things about her before being captured, so no one would not doubt that this was Huanxi’s deliberate revenge. In that moment, Zhu Zhifu would firmly claim that Huanxi had sent people to kidnap and beat him, and when the officials arrived and found Huanxi on the scene, it would be nearly impossible for him to explain himself.

However, Lao Taitai hadn’t anticipated that the Second Branch had already seen through her plan and interfered, killing Zhu Zhifu. Huanxi was directly arrested as the murderer and thrown into prison. Without evidence to prove his innocence, it would be hard for him to get out. Cheng Guogong Residence was eager for revenge, and if they secretly caused his death in prison, the Second Branch could then release Fifth Branch’s people they had detained, claiming that it was the Fifth Branch’s doing and that Huanxi was innocent… But wait, the Fifth Branch’s people only kidnapped Zhu Zhifu, they didn’t kill him. How would the Second Branch prove that Fifth Branch not only kidnapped him but also murdered him?

Xu Nian’an’s mind was racing when she suddenly heard a rustling sound.

Zhao Huanxi reacted much faster than she did and immediately turned his head to look.

Xu Nian’an followed his gaze and saw a mouse climbing up and down the small vent window on the north wall of the cell before it scurried out again.

Zhao Huanxi watched the whole thing without moving.

Xu Nian’an looked at him and asked, “Aren’t you afraid?”

Zhao Huanxi gave a bitter smile, lowering his eyelashes as he replied, “I used to be afraid. But the more I go through, the less I fear these things. Compared to that rat, people are far more terrifying.”

Xu Nian’an had always found him immature in the past, but now, as she saw him clearly becoming more mature and understanding, she couldn’t help but feel a sense of melancholy, as though something was slipping away.

She reached out and cupped his face in her hand.

Zhao Huanxi looked up at her with his bright, clear eyes.

“Sanlang, life isn’t always like this. Right now, things are difficult because we have those who bring us down around us. Once you let go of them, you’ll see that most people are kind and upright,” Xu Nian’an said softly.

“Dong Jiejie,” Zhao Huanxi reached out and embraced her, his face pressing against her ear. His voice trembled with emotion, “Today, Zufu came to visit me in prison, and I suddenly realized just how old he’s become. My father is unreliable, and though I want to improve myself, I still haven’t achieved anything. I used to love hearing you say that things would be fine as long as I took my time, but now, I’m so afraid there won’t be time for me to take it slowly. I’m afraid that if something big happens, I won’t have the ability to support you and my mother and hold up this family.”

Xu Nian’an felt a tightness in her chest as she held him, saying, “Don’t worry, you will have time to take it slowly. Zufu is just getting old, even without Jing Guogong Residence, you still have your mother, me, your sisters, your mentors, your classmates, and your friends. We will all give you time to take it slowly.”

Zhao Huanxi struggled to hold back the emotions swirling in his chest, forcing the tears back. He wiped his eyes with his sleeve, released Xu Nian’an, and with his eyelashes dampened, nodded silently.

“I brought you a few books, they’re in the bundle. You can read them when you’re bored. There’s also some rat poison that Mother specially prepared for you to get rid of the mice. Remember to sprinkle it in the corners later. Even if you’re not afraid, it’s still uncomfortable having mice crawling around,” Xu Nian’an reminded him.

Zhao Huanxi nodded, then said to Xu Nian’an, “Go out and tell Mother and San Jie that I’m fine, don’t worry about me.”

Xu Nian’an nodded, noticing how weak he seemed, and leaned in to kiss him on the lips.

Zhao Huanxi hadn’t expected such a gesture in this environment and froze, staring at her in confusion.

Xu Nian’an smiled and said, “I promised you this morning that I’d make it up to you tonight. Since I’m not going to be here later, I’ll make it up now. I keep my word, and you should keep yours too. You said you’d enter the court and take me with you to leave the capital and live carefree.”

Zhao Huanxi looked at her smiling face, and a sudden surge of strength rose within him. His eyes sparkled, and he smiled, nodding vigorously.

The sound of approaching footsteps from the corridor reached them, and Xu Nian’an stood up.

Zhao Huanxi reluctantly grabbed her hand.

“Don’t worry, you’ll be home soon. If they question you tomorrow, just tell the truth,” Xu Nian’an reassured him.

Seeing the guard unlocking the door, Zhao Huanxi let go of Xu Nian’an’s hand and said, “Tell my family not to visit me again. This is no place for them. I’ll take care of myself.”

“En, next time, we’ll come to take you home,” Xu Nian’an replied.

The young couple reluctantly said their goodbyes.

Xu Nian’an arrived outside the Imperial Court of Judicial Review, where Yin Furen, Zhao Jiazhen, and all others waiting outside, immediately gathered around to hear about Zhao Huanxi’s condition.

“Sanlang isn’t suffering. The prison is clean, as far as I can see. Let’s go home first, and we can talk on the carriage,” Xu Nian’an said.

The four of them got into the carriage, accompanied by their maidservants and attendants, and headed back to the Jing Guogong Residence.

“I’ve asked Sanlang in detail about the situation inside that house. Now, we can be fairly certain that the people from the Fifth Branch who are now detained by the Ning Family are not the ones who killed Zhu Zhifu. Zhu Zhifu was strangled to death in that house this morning. When Sanlang arrived, the body was still warm. Tomorrow, we’ll send people to thoroughly investigate the area. Murderers left traces, and perhaps someone unknowingly saw something. Once we catch the real culprit, Sanlang can be cleared of suspicion,” Xu Nian’an said to Yin Furen and Zhao Jiazhen in the carriage.

Yin Furen said with concern, “I’m afraid that by tomorrow, the murderer may have already escaped the city and disappeared without a trace.”

“It won’t be like that. The murderer won’t have run away,” Xu Nian’an replied, careful not to mention her suspicions about the Second Branch’s involvement, since Xuan Jie’er was present. She doesn’t want to influence the young girl with such thoughts.

But Xuan Jie’er, with a serious expression, asked, “Xiao Jiumu, are you sure that the heir of Cheng Guogong was strangled with a rope this morning?”

Xu Nian’an replied, “Based on what your Xiao Jiu described, it’s practically certain. Why do you ask?”

Xuan Jie’er said, “This morning, when Ah Cheng and I caught the big man who injured the jade craftsman and Fu Biao Jiu, I noticed that his palm had marks that looked like they’d been made by a hemp rope. Could he be the murderer?”

The three women in the carriage turned their attention to her.

“The one who caught the person who injured the jade craftsman, are you and Guocheng?” Yin Furen asked.

Xuan Jie’er: “…..” Did she care too much about Xiao Jiu and accidentally let their secret slip?

Xu Nian’an came to her rescue and said, “This makes sense now. The man went to Linglong Street in broad daylight to rob Craftsman Jin, injured him but didn’t kill him. That man was deliberately caught. Now that the real killer is in prison, and even if we search the entire capital, we would never find the murderer. When Sanlang is released from prison and something happens, that side (the people from Fifth Branch that has been caught by Second Branch) will confess to being instructed to commit the murder… One stone, two birds, truly remarkable.”

“If that’s the case, wouldn’t the man have to be prepared to die in order to give false testimony for the Second Branch? How could the Second Branch have such power, to make someone willingly die for them?” Yin Furen asked incredulously.

“Those who are willing to sacrifice their lives for others either value emotion, loyalty, or filial piety. As long as we figure out which category he belongs to and seize his lifeline, getting him to confess shouldn’t be too difficult. The key is not to let the Second Branch realize that we’ve already uncovered this clue. Otherwise, if they act first and cut off the source, we’ll truly be helpless,” Xu Nian’an said.

“How can we act without the Second Branch noticing?” Yin Furen pondered.

Zhao Jiazhen said, “Since Huanxi’s incident happens, Er Jie and Si Mei will surely return to the residence to inquire about the situation. At that time, we can ask Si Mei to go back and ask her father-in-law for help. As the assistant judge of Shuntian Prefecture, Wu Daren can easily find out the details of the prisoners in the jail. All we need to do is act anxious and confuse the Second Branch.”

Yin Furen hadn’t thought of this initially, but after hearing Zhao Jiazhen’s suggestion, she felt it was a very feasible plan.

She smiled and looked at Zhao Jiazhen, saying, “You all are becoming more and more clever.”

Zhao Jiazhen sighed and replied, “With a strong enemy nearby, how could we dare to remain foolish?”

Yin Furen seemed to lose her focus for a moment, as if thinking of something, and fell silent.

Upon returning to the Jing Guogong Residence, many people were waiting for them.

Zhao Jiashan, Zhao Jiaxian, Lu Feng, Nie Guocheng, Xu Moxiu, Yin Luocheng, and Fu Yunjin were all present.

Yin Furen led them to Jiaxiang House, where she shared Huanxi’s situation with them and expressed her gratitude for their concern. Afterward, Lu Feng, Xu Moxiu, and the others left to return home, leaving Zhao Jiashan and Zhao Jiaxian behind.

Yin Furen then detailed the matter of entrusting Wu Dechun with the investigation to Zhao Jiaxian. Zhao Jiaxian, though surprised, held back her anxiety and returned home with a calm expression.

At night, in Dunyi Hall, Xiangzhong hurriedly entered Guogong Yé’s study.

“Guogong Yé, the people sent to Xiahe Village have returned. They reported that eight farmers left Xiahe Village five days ago, and they have yet to return.”