In the early morning, a horse carriage madly rushed towards the doorway of the tightly closed imperial palace gate. Superior Wu who had been standing in the city gate tower on the night duty saw the mark on the carriage, he immediately walked down from the gate tower and approached the horse carriage.
“Superior Wu, we want to see His Majesty and the Eastern special forces soldiers of the Empress Dowager!” Qu Ling Ao stepped down from the horse carriage, seeing Superior Wu for the second time tonight, he spoke with an unyielding tone of voice.
Superior Wu just looked at the time, then shook his head persistently “Hou Ye, I know you are anxious, but, the palace gate is still closed at this time, please wait a moment.”
Facing Qu Ling Ao, Superior Wu always maintained his admiration towards him, after all, it was hard to find a just and honest person like him among the members of the royal court. This made Superior Wu treated this Hou Ye with due respect, this person who had the Empress Dowager as his supporter, yet still remained humble.
“Ling Ao!” At this time, Gu Lao Tai Jun's voice echoed from inside the horse carriage.
Hearing his own mother calling out for him, Qu Ling Ao slightly nodded his head towards Superior Wu then he turned around and approached the horse carriage. Yet at that time Gu Lao Tai Jun had already lifted up the curtains of the carriage, stretching out one arm, giving the thing in her hand to Qu Ling Ao, who was standing outside the carriage.
Qu Ling Ao took the thing from Gu Lao Tai Jun's hand, by means of the moonlight and the candle flames he looked at it and suddenly he became pleased. Then he lifted it high in front of Superior Wu and spoke “Superior Wu, with this, we should be able to enter the palace now, right?”
Superior Wu had not expected for Fu Guo Gong Fu to possess a thing that belonged to Chu Wang. This was the jade medal awarded to Chu Wang by the late emperor permitting him to enter and exit the imperial palace with ease. There was only one among the entire world, but now it was in the possession of Fu Guo Gong Fu's Gu Lao Tai Jun this time. It was truly astonishing.
But, even though his heart was moved emotionally, Superior Wu still maintained a calm expression on his face, carefully observed the authenticity of the jade medal. He immediately allowed the imperial guards to open the corner gate, and Qu Ling Ao immediately sat inside the horse carriage, returning back the jade medal to Gu Lao Tai Jun.
Following which the horse carriage gradually proceeded inside the imperial palace, Qu Ling Ao couldn't help but asked “Mother, why do you have Chu Wang Ye's jade medal?”
Gu Lao Tai Jun carefully kept away the jade medal, her face remained as calm as water, then she sighed “Meng'er gave it to me a while ago.”
As it turned out, at the same time when Gu Lao Tai Jun gave the oiled paper wrap to Yun Qian Meng, Yun Qian Meng also handed over to Gu Lao Tai Jun the jade medal given to her by Chu Fei Yang.
This was originally something that Chu Fei Yang had given Yun Qian Meng for her own protection, but now that Yun Qian Meng was already detained inside the prison, it will just be wishful thinking if she wanted to enter the palace. It would be better for her to give the jade medal to Gu Lao Tai Jun, perhaps it will serve its purpose.
Hearing Gu Lao Tai Jun's words, the feeling of pitiness flashed through Qu Ling Ao's eyes “It must be really tough for Meng'er. Only she alone, will be able to think through these things under such circumstances.”
“It is exactly because of this child's pure and limpid thoughtfulness, that I definitely wouldn't allow anybody to treat her unjustly!” And during this time, Gu Lao Tai Jun spoke in vigorous resounding words, Qu Ling Ao lifted his eyes to look at his own mother, Gu Lao Tai Jun shot out a strict expression in her eyes, her face remained more stern, this made Qu Ling Ao's heart tensed up, under the impression that something huge was going to happen this time after entering the palace.
While speaking, the horse carriage had reached the doorway of the inner palace, the two of them immediately climbed over to the soft palanquins, directly proceeding to the Empress Dowager's Feng Xiang Gong.
When the palanquins arrived at Feng Xiang Gong, it was already early hours in the morning, although the sky color had not suffused with white light, but they could already hear the chirping sounds of the birds, apparently the night time had already ended.
And during this time, Lan Gu Gu was standing outside of Feng Xiang Gong, probably during the time when the horse carriage had reached the gates of the imperial palace, the Empress Dowager had already received the news.
“Please to meet you, Lao Tai Jun, Hou Ye!” Looking Lao Tai Jun's serious face, Lan Gu Gu was slightly startled, then she immediately went ahead and saluted.
“Is the Empress Dowager up already?” Lai Tai Jun asked as she glanced coldly at Lan Gu Gu in front of her.
“Yes, Lao Tai Jun, the Empress Dowager is already up, she is already waiting for both of you in the main hall.” With her response, she led the two of them inside the main hall of Feng Xiang Gong, as expected they saw the Empress Dowager already sitting uprightly at the top.
“Our utmost respects to the Empress Dowager!” Then two of them immediately saluted upon seeing the Empress Dowager's bland face.
“Mother and younger brother, please sit down!” The Empress Dowager's voice slowly echoed, one wouldn't be able to hear out the condition of her current mood.
After Gu Lao Tai Jun and Qu Ling Ao sat down on their seats, the Empress Dowager made a hand gesture allowing Lan Gu Gu to retreat out of the hall together with the few other servants. After the palace door had been closed, she spoke again “Mother and brother, what brings you here today to my Feng Xiang Gong?”
“Empress Dowager, since you are able to dispatch all your people in the palace, I presume you already know what I came here for!” Gu Lao Tai Jun didn't have the mood to have idle talks with the Empress Dowager, moreover Yun Qian Meng was still inside the prison at this moment, they had no time to waste!
Having heard what was said, the Empress Dowager simply smiled, then she shook her head and slowly remarked “If it is concerning the matters of Yun xiangfu, I really am powerless.”
With one statement, it had made Gu Lao Tai Jun and Qu Ling Ao lose all their hopes.
“Big sister, Meng'er is our family!” Qu Ling Ao felt distressed as he looked at the Empress Dowager who was now becoming increasingly unfamiliar to him, only hoping that she would consider the situation based on their close relative's point of view.
“I'm also part of your family!” The Empress Dowager got enraged by Qu Ling Ao's words, causing all her emotions to stir up.
But, after a while, Empress Dowager regained her calm composure, then with a bitter smile she said “I've already guarded her well before she grew up to be an adult, but my son had already been killed by the other people! Mother, I also feel tired! Watching Ruo Li's child all grown up reaching the marriageable age, yet my son had already became a pile of dried up bones! Have you considered about my feelings?”
Gu Lao Tai Jun looked at the Empress Dowager who suddenly turned low spirited, her eyes blinked disapprovingly, the steadiness of her expression didn't loosen up because of it, then she spoke again “Empress Dowager, are you planning not to interfere with this matter?”
Watching Gu Lao Tai Jun who remained unmoved, Empress Dowager regained her sad expression, then she sneered as she spoke “Don't you forget, Mother, this is part of the royal court's affair, the harem must not meddle with the politics, I am the Empress Dowager, how can I break the rules? Please do not meddle in other people's business, Mother and Brother, so as to avoid getting your fingers burnt, destroying the foundation of the Qu family!”
“Great, great, great! I shall remember your instructions, Empress Dowager! Ling Ao, let's go!” Hearing the Empress Dowager's words, Gu Lao Tai Jun suddenly laughed out loud, after which she said the word 'great' three times, then she leaned on her walking stick to stand up, straightening up her back as she walked towards the direction of the doorway of the Feng Xiang Gong.
And Qu Ling Ao frowned as he took a glance at Empress Dowager with an extremely cold face, afterwhich he followed after Gu Lao Tai Jun, as they left Feng Xiang Gong.
Inside the prison cell, it was completely different from their lives in xiangfu with three meals a day, besides their midnight snacks.
From last night when they got frightened, all the people were already hungry as their stomachs rumbled with hunger, waiting desperately for the arrival of their meals for lunch at noon time.
But, the wooden cask that was in front of them with a rancid smelling food inside not knowing whether it contained vegetables or rice, caused all the people to retch before they could attempt to eat the food.
“Hey, how do you want us to eat that? It doesn't come with bowls or chopsticks!” This time, a first-rank servant girl of xiangfu spoke boldly.
But her words had made a few cooks burst into laughters. Using an extremely sarcastic expression they looked at the first-rank servant girl who was wearing the high quality clothing, having a delicate pretty face, making their lustful desires rise. While harboring evil intentions, a few of them approached that girl, a few fat hands started grope that girl.
“Ah…… What are you doing, get out, bastard……” The servant girl had not expect that with the slip of the tongue, she would cause such disaster.
'Tear……' The ear-piercing sound of clothes being ripped apart echoed inside the prison cell, as the servant girl was being pressed down by a fat cook. She rigidly struggled to fight back, opening her both eyes widely asking for help from the people all around. But inside the prison cell were only women, seeing the few cooks having tall and sturdy figures, they were already scared witless. How could they have the guts to go ahead and help her. One by one they curled up their bodies not daring to look at the savage act in front of them.
“Yuan Dong!” Yun Qian Meng looked at the cook who was firmly choking the servant girl's throat, not permitting her to produce any sound. Maybe in less than ten seconds, the servant girl will surely die, then she spoke in a lowered voice.
Having heard what was said, Yuan Dong slightly nodded her head, with two or three strikes she kicked the cook away from that servant girl, after which she quickly undertook her task, kicking the few cooks onto the ground…...
“Bitch, do you want to die……” The mess cook was concentrating in his play and was disturbed by Yuan Dong, suddenly he flew into rage out of anger, for a moment he forgot that the doorway was protected by Chen Wang's guards. He roared loudly, then quickly got up, as he was about to throw himself at Yuan Dong, both of his eyes slightly popped out. The cook's expression went rigid and then he directly fell down to the ground. In this moment a long sword could be seen sticking inside of his back…...
“Ah…... “ Having seen a dead person, those servant girls and old women started to screech loudly.
Ning Feng walked inside the prison cell at this time. He pulled out his sword from that messy cook's body and then he glanced at Yun Qian Meng. Seeing her perfectly safe and sound, he loosened up a bit then his gaze immediately swept through the few messy cooks. Waving his hand he permitted the subordinates behind him to take the few persons out, while he walked out of the prison cell feeling relieved.
After he left, Yun Qian Meng got up then walked towards the one and only small window, facing the sky above that window, she sent a secret signal…...
An hour after that incident had happened, another group of persons arrived again inside the prison. This time they were some middle aged women, all of them were holding clean beddings and other daily necessities , yet they only walked separately inside the two empty prison cells. After that they started cleaning the prison cells, they also wrapped some pink silk fabrics all around the wooden pillars, in order to block off other people's sight.
After everything had been tidied up, those few old women called out for female jailers and instructed them to open the door of the prison cell. An old woman leading the group walked inside the prison cell and asked “Who is Miss Yun?”
All the people had already seen the two prison cells being tidied up utterly cozy, Yun Yi Yi who had already woken up suddenly spoke “It's me!”
That old woman glanced at Yun Yi Yi who looked somewhat soft and immature, then suspicion emerged in her eyes, then she spoke again “Which one is Miss Yun Qian Meng? And which one is Miss Yun Ruo Xue?”
Hearing the old woman mentioned her name, it immediately became clear to Yun Ruo Xue, for a moment she excitedly stood up, then spoke “I am Yun Ruo Xue!”
And Yun Qian Meng just sneered, lifting her eyes she coldly said “What's the matter?”
That old woman looked at the two of them with entirely different reactions, although her heart was puzzled, yet she still went ahead and said “I would like to request the two ladies to follow me.”
While speaking, she was about to lead Yun Qian Meng and Yun Ruo Xue out of the prison cell, but, Yun Yi Yi had obstructed their path.
“For what reason do you need to lead the two of them out? They are Yun xiaojie, I am also Yun xiaojie, you shameless thing, you are actually flattering your superiors but trampling on the juniors!” Judging by Yun Yi Yi's current behavior, all the people ware aware that she diverting all her hatred for Yun Qian Meng to this old woman when she vented out all her anger.
But that old woman was not Yun Yi Yi's servant, watching this deliberately provocative person, she lifted up her arm and instantly brushed Yun Yi Yi away, making her fell down on the ground. Afterwards she asked another old woman behind her to invite Yun Qian Meng to come.
Seeing the few old women ware harboring bad intentions, Yuan Dong was about to take a protective stance in front of Yun Qian Meng, yet she was stopped by Yun Qian Meng.After that Yun Qian Meng gave Yuan Dong a reassuring and a meaningful glance. Then she stood up, and followed after the old woman as she walked out of the prison cell.
“This is arranged by Superior Su, permitting the two young ladies to rest well.” After speaking, she allowed Yun Qian Meng and Yun Ruo Xue to stay separately inside each of the two prison cells which were already being tidied up.
Looking at the prison cell which contained enough products for daily usage, Yun Qian Meng knew very well that this must be Chen Wang's order.
But the fresh flowers, jewelry box, and books on the table were extremely ironical.
Was Chen Wang thinking that by doing this, she will just forget the current situation she was at the moment?
Such kind of deceiving act, was truly ridiculous!
“Sister, Sister, please talk to them, allowed me to stay with you in one prison cell! Big sister, it is Yi Yi who doesn't know anything, I've said too many stupid words, please do consider my ignorance and help me with this. Big sister, I beg you……” And during the time when the door of prison cell was about to be shut close, Yun Yi Yi suddenly held on to the wooden door tightly , facing Yun Qian Meng's prison cell which was diagonally opposite to hers as she yelled out.
Yun Ruo Xue was already sitting down on the clean bed and sneering at Yun Yi Yi who acted recklessly. Yesterday she had insulted Yun Qian Meng. She must really considered Yun Qian Meng to be a woman with a little aspiration. How could she treat a person well with a big heart after being insulted by that same person? Is Yun Yi Yi out of her mind? She was being so stupid up to such degree! But, watching other person struggle with death, Yun Ruo Xue felt incomparably happy and delighted.
Yun Qian Meng turned around, and watched Yun Yi Yi's eyes full of hope Her eyes could not help but turned towards Yun Yan and Liu Han Yu inside the prison cell, then she spoke facing the old woman “My sister is still very young, please allow her to come over here.”
Having heard what was said, Yun Ruo Xue suddenly dropped her mocking expression, and Yun Yi Yi smiled happily as she ran towards Yun Qian Meng's side. Without waiting she laid down on that soft bed and wrapped herself around the quilt as she secretly laughed.
But as compared to Yi Yi's excitement, Yun Qian Meng seemed strangely calm, she didn't feel happy because of the clean and cozy surrounding, but instead her mood became increasingly serious.
During the next few days, all the things seemed to be back to normal, all the people had stayed quietly inside the prison and nobody was ever summoned for a trial. There was also no secondary imperial decree being issued. Such strange situation brought confusion. Not mentioning others, even Yun Qian Meng's heart was full of suspicions, as she could not help but secretly think that, it was that she had guessed wrong before and the person behind all these had no intentions of taking Yun Xuan Zhi's life, but was instead trying to gain something else with the help of Yun Xuan Zhi's assistance? Or else with Emperor Yu Qian's consecutive orders and imperial decrees, how would he allow five or six days to pass by without any sound of action?
And during this period of time, Gu Lao Tai Jun and the others had continuously came to visit Yun Qian Meng for a few consecutive days, yet they were all being firmly obstructed by Ning Feng and Su Yuan.
Yun Qian Meng had roughly estimated that since the day they were sent to prison, they had already stayed inside the prison of the Ministry of Justice for exactly eight days. Now that the cold twelfth month of the lunar calendar had arrived, and the first day they were sent to prison was the day that Chu Fei Yang had made his experiment. After the long period had already passed, what had happen to Chu Fei Yang?
Although during that day when she had sent a signal to tell Xi Lin that he could assign his spy inside the kitchen, she had been maintaining her communications with Xi Lin everyday,.ut as for the news regarding Chu Fei Yang, even Xi Lin seemed to have been disconnected from him as he had not received any news from him. This made Yun Qian Meng to gradually feel worried and despite her tranquil expression on the surface, she became more anxious about Chu Fei Yang's health than her own situation.
While analyzing the reason of all the matters, the light sound of footsteps resonated from within the prison. In a blink of an eye, she saw Su Qian Yue, wearing luxurious clothes while being escorted by the servant girls and old women, arriving outside the door of Yun Qian Meng's prison cell. Looking at Yun Qian Meng who was not able to adorn herself during these past few days, Su Qian Yue seemed to feel delighted.
But, after seeing Yun Qian Meng's prison cell being decorated elegantly, she was reminded about about Chen Wang's feelings for Yun Qian Meng, which were r accidentally blurted out by her father. he delightment inside of Su Qian Yue's eyes suddenly turned into hate out of jealousy. She then immediately yelled at the female jailer who was bowing and scraping beside her “Open up the door for me!”