He stood up steadily, in the prison, staring at the man in white standing at the door, a man both unrestrained and restrained.
Although his face was exceedingly ordinary, his clear, cold eyes, frigid and bloodthirsty, struck an icy fear into people’s hearts, preventing any slightest carelessness. Just a glance from him was enough to intimidate those beside him.
This was still the aura of an emperor. He had seen this gaze for the second time. The first time he saw him, he felt a sense of familiarity. It turned out he was the Crown Prince.
But then, who was the one who had usurped the Crown Prince’s throne?
Yun Mo was stunned. With a little thought, he knew who it was. His heart was filled with such rage that he wished he could tear through the walls and rush to the Ye residence. This traitor who deceived the ruler and acted outrageously deserved a thousand cuts and ten thousand slices. He had deceived the late emperor all along and even plotted against the Crown Prince.
Now that he knew, he would certainly not stand by and do nothing.
Yun Xiao, seeing that her father had learned of Mu Rong’s identity, finally felt relieved. Holding the iron bars, she said calmly, "Father, rest assured. We will find a way to rescue you tomorrow."
"Good."
Yun Mo nodded, no longer resisting. He had many things to do next. He must expose Ye Qing Tian, that scoundrel, and deal with the Empress Dowager, that old woman.
The late emperor had always loved her and tolerated her actions. He never expected her to become so audacious and escalate her misdeeds. It was truly infuriating. He would not let her go unpunished, allowing the late emperor to be disgraced his entire life.
The surroundings fell silent. Light footsteps sounded, and Liu Xing and Zhui Yue flashed over.
"They're coming in."
"Understood." Yun Xiao responded, glancing back at the man in the prison. Yun Mo waved his hand and said with affection, "Xiao'er, go. Your father will be fine. Your father will wait for you."
"Mm."
Yun Xiao raised her hand, and several people quietly slipped away.
In the prison cell, Yun Mo's pupils flashed with a relieved smile. At least, in the final moments, he knew the Crown Prince was still alive and acting wisely and shrewdly.
He was not lacking in the shrewdness of an emperor. Heaven bestowed great responsibility upon those destined for it; they must first be tormented in their minds, strained in their sinews, and starved in their bodies.
The Crown Prince would become a wise and benevolent ruler. Yun Mo sighed. Although his heart was heavy, he clearly saw the light ahead, which was much better than his own despair. Moreover, he saw that the Crown Prince loved Xiao'er dearly, which was another thing that made him happy.
The dim, hazy lamplight shone on the face of the man in the prison. His resolute features, with slightly raised eyebrows and slanted eyes, were filled with joy, as if being imprisoned was also an extremely enjoyable experience.
As Mu Rong Chong, Yun Xiao, and the others walked along the outer passage, they heard the sound of iron locks falling. The door creaked open, and the moonlight, cool and misty, spilled in.
A squad of men, escorting Ye Si Yuan, walked in. This time, his head hung to one side, his fingers dripping blood, and half of his face was swollen. He was weakly supported by two young soldiers.
As they passed the outer prison cells, they heard the terrified cries of the Ye family women. Cries, curses, and a cacophony of noise erupted, while the escorting soldiers occasionally shouted coldly.
The scene was chaotic. Lan Qing Lun lagged a bit behind, while Mu Rong Chong and Yun Xiao and the others quietly fell back.
Everything was done flawlessly, without anyone noticing.
The group exited the prison. They quietly surveyed the layout outside the prison. The moonlight was clear, and the structure of the Ministry of Justice’s prison and the distribution of personnel were all clearly visible at a glance.
Although there were many personnel, there were still gaps that could be exploited. As long as they were determined to rescue him, there was nothing in this world they could not achieve.
Mu Rong Chong and Yun Xiao followed behind Lan Qing Lun’s carriage out of the Ministry of Justice’s prison and returned to the Lan residence.
In the study.
Lan Qing Lun nervously inquired, "Is the heavily guarded prison inside holding His Highness?"
They had not yet received any imperial decree from the Emperor to try Yun Mo, or to try anyone, so he was unsure who was inside.
He also did not know, but he had casually inquired with the Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Justice. There was indeed such a person. He did not reveal more about who it was, which was why he was asking.
Yun Xiao nodded heavily. Although she knew her father would be safe for a short time.
However, him being imprisoned still caused worry. If Shang Guan Yao were to get wind of it, it was possible he would secretly execute her father. Therefore, what they needed to do was to finalize their plan quickly and break into the prison.
"I didn't expect this to be true. What do we do next?"
Lan Qing Lun lowered his voice, looking at his master. In the candlelight, the three of them sat around the desk.
"We will break into the prison. You will draw up a chart of the personnel deployment for us."
Mu Rong Chong spoke slowly. He had put on a mask and resumed his previous cold and stern appearance.
Lan Qing Lun was much more accustomed to him in this state. He had felt very uncomfortable before. Ever since he was saved by his master, he had always faced his domineering and powerful side.
As for that insignificant appearance, easily lost in a crowd, it made him feel unaccustomed.
"Alright."
Lan Qing Lun responded and reached for the brush on the desk to start drawing, marking the personnel. He was very familiar with the Ministry of Justice’s prison, having frequented it often recently for the Ye family case.
Mu Rong Chong also lowered his head and began to lay out his plan on paper. Yun Xiao glanced at it and automatically went to the side to make tea for them.
The study was very quiet.
The steaming hot tea was served, and the two men’s blueprints were completed.
Yun Xiao took them to look. Mu Rong and Lan Qing Lun drank tea until Yun Xiao nodded in agreement, "Good, let's go back and inform everyone about this. Otherwise, everyone will surely be anxious."
"Good."
Mu Rong Chong responded, putting down the blue and white porcelain cup. His tall figure stood in the room, his shadow in the candlelight almost covering the entire study.
Yun Xiao put away the two diagrams and turned to follow Mu Rong Chong out. Lan Qing Lun stood in the candlelight and called out, "Don't you need my help?"
Mu Rong Chong didn't even turn his head, only throwing back a sentence, "Just do your part well."
The study door slammed shut with a clang. Lan Qing Lun blinked his slender, well-shaped eyes, a slight smile appearing. It seemed their actions needed to be expedited.
Mu Rong Chong and Yun Xiao, along with Liu Xing and Zhui Yue, applied their qinggong and rushed towards the city gate.
The night was deep, the city gates were closed, and the sound of the clepsydra striking echoed from afar in the night.
The tall city gate was dozens of meters high, with smooth walls on both sides, offering no footholds. Therefore, even for those with exceptional qinggong, it was rarely possible to get out. However, Mu Rong Chong and the others had already discovered a damaged section not far from the north city gate.
It seemed to have been blown up by gunpowder or something similar during the war between the old and new dynasties. Although it was later repaired with blue bricks, it was not as smooth as before, making it a perfect foothold. They had entered and exited from here many times.
Under the moonlight, several graceful shadows, light as water, stepped on the moonlight, their toes lightly brushing, and in a blink of an eye, they were out of the high walls and heading straight for the outskirts of the city…