Chapter 362: Alright, No! Don’t Even Think About It
Tao Wanxin’s back went rigid, the fine hairs on her body standing on end.
"Who are you calling, you old bastard!"
Zhao Minghong’s harsh voice rang out as well.
Su Fengyue’s eyes opened, staring intently at her back.
"Little Tao is here. Why not... say hello... to me... before you leave."
Su Fengyue’s voice was intermittent as he said, "This unworthy old man... is the Princess Consort’s... the one the resourceful Prince Yong... begged to marry..."
"...first... man... Haha... Hahaha."
He gasped out the words, then laughed until he was breathless, a wild and unrestrained sound.
The people from the Prison Department were still at the door, and they all heard the secret that should have been buried with Su Fengyue after his execution.
Zhao Minghong kicked the bars of the cell fiercely a few times, roaring with uncontrollable rage, "What nonsense are you spouting, you old bastard! You’re dreaming!"
He looked at Tao Wanxin’s back and said, "Wanyin, don’t listen to that old lunatic. He’s just trying to get revenge on me. Nothing he says is true. If you believe him, you’ll fall for his trap!"
Tao Wanxin began to waver, unsure of who was telling the truth.
Her head and eyes began to throb with pressure, feeling as if they were about to burst.
"A man on the verge of death... Who do you think... is lying...? Little Tao... you’ve been clever since you were a child... You must know."
Su Fengyue’s gaze was like that of a vengeful ghost from the underworld, trying to drag her down to hell with him before he died.
"After I die... these things will no longer... be secret. Everyone in the Imperial City... will know... that before you married Prince Yong... you lost your virginity... that you were impure."
"When that time comes... the child in your belly... will be ashamed of you too."
Su Fengyue sighed. "Wouldn’t it be better... to just find release now."
Tao Wanxin could barely stand. Once this news spread through every street and alley, even if she stayed in the Prince Mansion forever and never stepped outside, her child couldn’t, and neither could Prince Yong.
Zhao Minghong cursed furiously, "You son of a bitch! Why didn’t I just cut you down with one strike, instead of leaving you with your miserable life!"
His voice was a little hoarse from shouting. "Wanyin, don’t listen to him."
Tao Wanxin stood dazed for a moment. She couldn’t turn back to face the man in the cell.
She was afraid of both of them.
Her body felt like rootless duckweed as she walked away on unsteady feet.
But she didn’t make it out. The Prison Director, dressed in deep red robes, suddenly produced a dagger and held it to her neck.
Zhao Minghong noticed almost the instant he made his move and roared, "Ma Kai! What are you doing! Do you have a death wish?!"
In the blink of an eye, the blade was pressed against Tao Wanxin’s neck.
Even if she hadn’t been in a daze, she couldn’t have defended against his agile movements.
Several prison guards from the Prison Department acted as if they hadn’t seen a thing. They even closed the door for him and all retreated outside.
Zhao Minghong understood at once. "So even you have betrayed Beili?"
"You’re mistaken, Prince. They haven’t betrayed Beili, and neither have I."
The "Prison Director" chuckled lightly. "Because I was never one of you Beili people to begin with."
Holding Princess Yong hostage, he walked to Su Fengyue’s cell.
Prince Yong, his eyes looking as if they would pop from their sockets, roared, "Let her go!"
The "Prison Director" scoffed. "Quiet down, Prince. You wouldn’t want to startle me into letting my hand slip and cutting your beloved Princess Consort."
Tao Wanxin was forced to get a clear look at Su Fengyue’s current state. Memories overlapped in her mind, and her head ached so badly she nearly fainted. A pain began to throb in her lower abdomen as well.
As expected, Zhao Minghong didn’t dare speak loudly again, merely glaring at him with eyes like daggers.
The "Prison Director" said, "Prime Minister Su, do you ever regret it? You could have stayed in Xijin and been a capable minister, instead of ending up in this state."
Su Fengyue struggled up from the floor, leaning against the side of his straw bed.
His breathing eased a little. "For Yue’er, I’d do anything willingly. If not for me, would Xijin have gained any advantage in the border wars all these years?"
"In your current state, neither human nor ghost, you’re not worthy of even mentioning her name."
The "Prison Director" continued, "Hand over that thing, and I’ll get you out of here."
Before Su Fengyue could speak, the main door to the prison block was opened once more.
A soft, pleasant voice drifted into everyone’s ears, carried by the breeze from the wide-open iron door.
"Hand what over? And who are you planning to take?"
The prison guards were all lying on the ground. Duan Mingfeng knelt, saying, "They all have a Spider Gu behind their ears."
Ji Qingwu nodded. Her gaze first swept over the corner behind the main door before turning to the "Prison Director."
"Are you also someone controlled by Xijin?"
When the "Prison Director" saw her, a peculiar light flickered in his eyes. "You’re here."
Ji Qingwu stepped inside, a brow slightly raised. "Isn’t this what you wanted, to lure me here? I’m here. Now, release Princess Yong first."
Tao Wanxin’s pale face was covered in a fine sweat. Her eyes were vacant, and she was already in a half-faint state.
The "Prison Director" said, "You want me to release her? Fine. You’ll have to take her place as the hostage."
"Alright."
Ji Qingwu didn’t hesitate at all, her gaze calm and steady as she looked at him.
Two other voices rang out at the same time.
Duan Mingfeng said grimly, "Don’t even think about it!"
Prince Yong was a half-second slower: "No!"
Given Ji Qingwu’s importance in Emperor Wu Su’s eyes, if she were captured by Xijin’s people, it would cause a massive uproar.
Duan Mingfeng was not a man of many words; he preferred to act.
"My apologies, Princess Consort."
He drew the Soft Sword wrapped around his waist and charged forward, seemingly with no regard for whether Tao Wanxin lived or died.
Prince Yong’s face was pressed against the bars as he cursed loudly.
The Soft Sword flew straight for the "Prison Director’s" throat. He used Princess Yong as a shield, but the flexible sword shifted its course, striking at his side.
Seeing that holding Tao Wanxin was useless, he flung her aside.
Zhao Minghong let out a howl. He could see her but couldn’t catch her, and he bent the Mystic Iron bars of his cell out of shape in his desperation.
Quick as a flash, Ji Qingwu caught Princess Yong before she hit the ground, wrapping her arms around her waist from behind to protect her stomach.
But the force of the throw was too great, and her back slammed into the iron door with a loud CLANG.
Ji Qingwu fell to the ground with Tao Wanxin in her arms. Her back ached from the impact, and so did her ankle, which she seemed to have twisted.
She first checked on the person in front of her, asking, "Princess Consort, are you alright?"
Tao Wanxin’s eyes were squeezed shut, her hands shielding her lower abdomen. The expected pain didn’t come. Instead... the person holding her from behind was soft, and their sweet, clean scent was reassuring.
She opened her eyes and met Ji Qingwu’s, which were filled with concern.
Tao Wanxin’s voice trembled. "Qingwu... I’m so scared... The baby seems..."
Ji Qingwu placed a hand on her wrist and frowned. "Just hold on a little longer. Everything will be alright soon."
But after such a great shock, even her effective nourishing pills couldn’t hold up.
Ji Qingwu’s gaze fell to the hem of Princess Yong’s skirt, where a faint red stain was visible.