The yamen runners, under the mockery of the prefect and the princess, truly beat him to death. Each strike on his arm was painful, and eventually, four men took turns beating his arms.
Every time he fainted, Zhao Jiaqi had people splash cold water on him to wake him up, only to continue the beating. After a few rounds, Dong Hao dared not faint anymore.
His head was icy, and his backside burned with pain. Under this double punishment, he truly had the urge to die.
Unfortunately, Zhao Jiaqi gave him no such opportunity. However, she could tell that even if Dong Hao survived, he would be crippled.
As soon as the planks were put down, the four men, panting, thought about how they would go out for a hearty meal soon and then find a doctor to massage their arms.
Before they could even catch their breath, a group of men in black arrived outside, with their leader barging into the prison with an imposing presence.
Liu Qingfeng was stunned. This… this… were they here to break him out of prison?
He felt his heart tremble and his scalp tingle. What was happening to him today? What bad luck had he encountered, what had he stepped on, or had he stirred up a crow's nest?
“Your Highness, your subordinate arrives late. Please punish me, Your Highness!”
The chief executive, seeing the prince, knelt on the ground like a beggar begging for food, chiding himself.
Your Highness?
Everyone present dared not look at the suspect with confidence. Liu Qingfeng was so terrified that he fell to his knees, his head touching the ground.
Although the prince wasn't particularly handsome, he didn't look like this. He would have died before he imagined that he had arrested a prince.
No wonder the princess came to the prison. It turned out… If he had realized this earlier, if he had seen clearly, he wouldn't have…
He regretted even more who the scoundrel was who had brought the prince here, making him bear such a heavy burden.
The chief executive untied the ropes on Fan Zehao's hands, and he finally had time to sort things out.
Zhao Jiaqi had been sitting there all morning and really didn't have time to waste. She got up and handed him the cup of poisoned water she was holding.
“Someone wants you dead. I suspect this cup is full of poison!”
At this, everyone present was shocked. Only a few had a look of despair. Fan Zehao took it from her hand, glanced at the kneeling crowd, and gritted his teeth, saying, “Very good.”
“One more reminder, the person who claimed he was going to soil himself knows who poisoned you and whose orders he followed to do so!”
Zhao Jiaqi smiled, patted his shoulder, and yawned, “Alright, I’ve cleared your name. The chief executive is here too. Handle the rest of the matters. I’m going back to sleep; I’m tired!”
She was truly tired. She hadn't slept all night worrying, and now that she had waited for the chief executive to arrive, and there were people and status present, she really needed to go back and get some sleep, and have a good meal to calm her nerves!
Fan Zehao watched his wife swagger out of the prison, completely leaving him behind. This would never have happened before.
He sighed helplessly. When would his wife’s lost memory of him recover?
The chief executive, seeing the prince looking at the princess with a dazed expression, immediately said, “Your Highness, your subordinate has sent people to follow the princess and protect her secretly. The princess will be safe!”
“It must be absolutely certain!” not a possibility, or words like "it won't happen."
The chief executive understood the prince’s meaning, but as a subordinate, he dared not make such bold claims. He would just send more people to protect the princess next time and ensure it was thorough.
Zhao Jiaqi, who was walking outside basking in the sun, had no idea what was happening in the prison. But what was on her mind now was how to deal with her restaurant.
When she returned to the inn, she saw her luggage on the counter. The innkeeper, with a solemn expression, told her, “Esteemed guest, our inn is small. We don’t like to get involved in trouble, and we can’t afford to. Please find another inn to stay in!”
Zhao Jiaqi: Was she being kicked out?
Looking at her meager belongings, it was clear she was. Zhao Jiaqi said nothing. She could understand the ways of the world; not causing trouble was the path to self-preservation.
Carrying the boxes filled with small items, she walked down the road with her carriage and casually found another inn. But when she reached for her purse… she had no money.
It was only then that she remembered that her so-called "dirty money" was still in the prison. She didn't have a single copper coin on her.
Now, she was either going to sleep on the streets or wait for Fan Zehao to come back and pay for her.
This was not the life she aspired to. A woman must be economically independent, so she absolutely would not become dejected just because she was penniless.
Looking around, she found a restaurant that wasn't too popular. She knew how to cook; it was just about the dishes.
The special forces secretly protecting the princess, who had intended to give her their monthly pay, were surprised when the princess directly headed for a restaurant.
He wondered if the princess intended to eat for free. But it didn't matter; he had money, and he would pay after the princess finished eating.
After waiting and waiting, what he saw was the innkeeper personally inviting the princess to a table, bowing and scraping. Not only did he offer the princess a meal, but he also gave her a silver note and some loose silver. A rough estimate suggested it was worth about one or two taels.
As she left, the princess smiled and bid farewell to the innkeeper, which truly confused the special forces soldier.
Zhao Jiaqi hummed a tune as she walked. She saw the Binyue Inn. Staying at this establishment wouldn't cost money, but it would expose them.
Of course, the area of Hexinzhou would be investigated, but she didn't want anyone to disturb her, so she chose an inconspicuous inn.
This time, with money in hand, she certainly wanted to stay somewhere better.
“Innkeeper, I want a superior room and some hot water to wash up!”
The innkeeper saw a big customer. Her clothes were ordinary, but the tael of silver in her hand was genuine. So, he smiled and nodded, “Yes, yes, yes, madam, please come this way!”
Indeed, with money, you were treated like royalty everywhere. Zhao Jiaqi was taken care of by the innkeeper all the way.
At one moment, he was ensuring she didn't trip on the steps, the next he was offering tea and hot water, and even thoughtfully prepared a bathtub for her. The service was absolutely top-notch.
“Innkeeper, someone will come looking for me tonight; that will be my husband. You can let him up then!”
“All right, madam, don’t worry, I’ll keep an eye on this!”
As he left, the innkeeper thoughtfully closed the door for her, and his footsteps downstairs were very light, as if afraid of disturbing the noble guest.
She took a comfortable bath in the room. At that time, news had spread throughout the streets and alleys that the prince had imprisoned the prefect in the dungeon. There were many theories as to why, and no one knew which was true and which was false.
However, they had personally witnessed a group of men in black leading soldiers to raid the prefect’s house. Many valuable items were found, and even the boxes were filled with silver, along with countless jewels and ornaments.
Fan Zehao sat in the yamen, looking at the search list, and let out a cold laugh: “Three years as an upright prefect, ten thousand taels of silver!”
He weighed the thick list in his hand and sarcastically chided himself for having eyes but not seeing. What started as a cold laugh turned into an angry face the next moment: “Search thoroughly! Even if you have to tear down the house, make sure you search it completely!”
The prince was enraged, and his subordinates dared not disobey. They immediately returned and, working together, began to dismantle the house piece by piece. They actually found quite a lot of gold!
A lot of gold was hidden within the walls. When Fan Zehao heard this news, he almost spat blood.
He immediately ordered the chief executive to investigate the matter. How could a prefect have so many good things? There must be many secrets hidden within!