Wanyan Chongjie was stunned for a moment before instinctively asking, “What do you mean by ‘worse than a beast’?”

Originally, Song Qingshu had intended to say “wishing for death but unable to find it,” but somehow, those words had slipped out instead. Hearing Chongjie’s question, he deliberately put on a stern face. “In your hearts, Wanyan Liang is already a beast, right? Well, I’ll be even worse than him.”

Pucha Alihu coughed lightly beside them, her cheeks slightly flushed.

Wanyan Chongjie finally caught his meaning and snapped angrily, “You shameless scoundrel!”

Song Qingshu replied calmly, “As long as you protect Gebi properly, nothing shameless will happen.”

“Hmph!” Chongjie stomped her foot and turned away, leaving only her back facing him while silently cursing in her heart: ‘This b*stard is utterly shameless! How dare he even think such things! I wish I could bite him to death…’

“I need to return to the imperial prison. Let’s part ways here.” Feeling somewhat awkward himself, Song Qingshu hurriedly bid farewell and left.

Once he was gone, Chongjie couldn’t help but run over and cling to her mother’s arm. “Mother, that b*stard is no good man. We must be careful around him from now on.”

Pucha Alihu shook her head with a faint smile. “He was just teasing you. With his martial arts and the skills he displayed in the prison, if he truly wanted to… ‘do’ such things to us, it would be as easy as turning his hand. Why would he need empty threats? What I’m sighing over now is how fortunate Gebi is to have met him in her most helpless moment…”

Hearing the wistfulness in her mother’s voice, Wanyan Chongjie also fell silent. After a long pause, she sighed. “If only he had appeared before us, an orphaned girl and a widowed mother, back when Grandfather and Father were wrongfully executed.”

“Indeed…” Pucha Alihu sighed as well.

*****

Meanwhile, Gebi—the object of their envy—was kneeling in the Hall of Benevolent Governance, pleading desperately with her own brother.

Yet Emperor Xizong remained unmoved. Eventually, irritated by her persistence, he snapped, “It’s just a mere Tang Kuo Bian! Even if he dies, I can always find you another consort. What’s the point of all this weeping and wailing?”

Gebi bit her lip, her eyes red. “Your sister and her consort share deep affection. I will not remarry! The reason he ruled Prince Changsheng innocent was largely because I pleaded for mercy. So if Your Majesty insists on punishment, punish me as well!”

Emperor Xizong’s eyes narrowed dangerously. “So you’re siding with Wanyan Yuan now.”

Gebi raised her head defiantly. “I’m not siding with anyone. But Father only had a few children. Now that Prince Wei has passed away prematurely, if even Prince Changsheng is gone, won’t the empire Father left behind fall into the hands of outsiders?”

Emperor Xizong was most sensitive about the topic of the throne. Deep down, he would rather the throne pass to an outsider than to Prince Changsheng. But such thoughts could never be spoken aloud. Hearing Gebi seemingly advocating for Prince Changsheng, he flew into a rage. “You and I are siblings by blood, yet even you would betray me? Get out! Get out of my sight! From now on, you are forbidden from entering the palace without my decree!”

Gebi panicked. She hadn’t yet secured a pardon for Song Qingshu—how could she leave now? “Brother—”

Wanyan waved impatiently. “Escort Princess Daiguo out!”

The eunuchs and palace maids hurried forward, blocking Gebi’s path as they coldly intoned, “Your Highness, please!”

Gebi knew her brother’s temperament all too well. If he had spoken thus, there was truly no room for negotiation. As the servants barred her way, she looked toward the figure seated on the distant dragon throne—but he had never seemed more like a stranger.

Witnessing this scene from outside the hall, Wanyan Ping turned and left. She, too, had come to plead for Tang Kuo Bian’s pardon. But with Gebi’s failure as a precedent, she knew her own entreaties would be futile—perhaps even worsen her brother’s anger and endanger her brother-in-law further. Having worked in the Laundry Courtyard for years, she had long since developed a decisive nature. Seeing that begging would achieve nothing, she left the palace without a word and headed straight for the imperial prison.

*****

Song Qingshu had already returned to his cell. While meditating and circulating his Qi, he suddenly sensed something and opened his eyes.

A deliberately suppressed scream echoed from nearby, followed by the heavy thud of a body collapsing.

‘Could someone be trying to eliminate me ahead of schedule?’ Suspicion flickered in Song Qingshu’s mind as he quietly prepared himself. So when Wanyan Ping burst into his cell, he was momentarily stunned. “Why… is it you?”

“No time to explain!” Wanyan Ping slashed through the cell’s lock with her sword and grabbed his hand. “Come with me!”

But Song Qingshu remained rooted in place, glancing at the bloodstains on her blade. “You’re planning a prison break?”

“There’s no other way! My brother is growing increasingly unhinged—he plans to execute both you and Prince Changsheng. I had no choice but to resort to this.” Wanyan Ping sighed inwardly. Using her authority as the Laundry Courtyard’s chief, she had infiltrated the prison. If she could rescue Tang Kuo Bian before the guards reacted, that alone would be a miracle. As for Prince Changsheng… she could only apologize.

Song Qingshu shook his head. “No. The risk to you is too great.”

Wanyan Ping urged desperately, “No matter what, I’m still his sister—I can at least keep my life. But you? He’s already making arrangements to find a new consort for my sister!”

Song Qingshu’s gaze sharpened. ‘This Emperor Xizong is oblivious to the precariousness of his own situation, yet he still seeks his own destruction. Truly, he deserves no sympathy.’

“Ping’er, listen to me. I have my own way to survive this safely. What you need to do now is protect your sister.” Though he didn’t need her help, Song Qingshu was deeply moved by her actions—risking everything to break him out alone, even at the cost of her own ruin.

Yet the thought that all her affection was directed at Tang Kuo Bian filled him with a twinge of guilt.

“What way could you possibly have?!” Wanyan Ping stamped her foot in frustration. By now, the prison guards had finally reacted. A flood of soldiers poured into the corridor, and upon seeing the two, they roared, “Princess Qi, how dare you attempt a prison break?!”

Wanyan Ping’s face paled. Against so many guards, there was no way she could fight her way out. But so be it—if she had to die alongside her brother-in-law, it wouldn’t be an unacceptable end.

Still, her nature was unyielding. Until the last moment, she refused to give up. Gripping Song Qingshu’s hand with one hand and raising her sword with the other, she declared, “Brother-in-law, let’s fight our way out together!”

Song Qingshu pulled her back gently, gazing at her with pity. “Ping’er, why must you be so foolish?” Then he turned to the guards, his voice resonating like a divine decree:

“Nothing happened here. You saw nothing. Return to your posts.”

Wanyan Ping stood frozen. She had assumed it was more likely for her brother-in-law to be t0rtured to death in the prison. But why were the guards listening to his orders?

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by Aunomay Read