Chapter 659: Can Be Pretended as Not Seen

Tuan Tuan tilted her head: "Isn't he the Prefect of Jingzhao Prefecture? Why did he go to that… whatever temple?"

Zhou Jinhua said: "The Prefect of Jingzhao Prefecture oversees order in the capital; it's a position of great importance. After the Prince of Chen and the Prince of Qing entered the capital, they had their own people take over."

"Li Jing has achievements and a good reputation, so he was assigned to the Dali Temple and appointed as its Minister."

"However, the two Vice Ministers of the Dali Temple are also men of the two princes, so Li Jing is merely holding an empty title."

Tuan Tuan asked: "Then did Li Jing get promoted?"

Zhou Jinhua shook his head: "In name a promotion, in reality a demotion—he holds no actual authority."

Tuan Tuan pursed her lips: "Li Jing is truly pitiful."

Xiao Er recalled Li Jing's former imposing presence at the Jingzhao Prefecture office, sighed: "Yes, Li Jing enforced the law impartially, never deviating—who would have thought he'd end up like this?"

Xiao Ningyuan asked: "In that case, we have no use for his position as Minister of the Dali Temple."

Zhou Jinhua pondered for a moment, then asked: "So, Eldest Young Master, how do you plan to rescue the person?"

Xiao Ningyuan hesitated a moment, then spoke frankly: "I know nothing about the Dali Temple, and I've never been to the heavenly prison."

He countered: "I don't know, Marquis, do you have any clever plan?"

Zhou Jinhua laughed: "The commander of the guards in my manor, Wei Ming, is a fellow townsman with someone in the heavenly prison; they've been friends for years and have sworn brotherhood."

"I, the Marquis, believe that since the Ninth Prince is the bait, it's best to rescue him silently, rather than make a big show."

"Those with high offices might actually find it harder to intervene—what do you think, Eldest Young Master?"

"What the Marquis says is quite right!" Xiao Ningyuan's eyes lit up: "May we invite this Wei Ming to come here for a meeting?"

Zhou Jinhua rose, pushed open the door and went out: "Wei Ming!"

Moments later, Wei Ming came before him, bowed, and said: "Your subordinate is here."

"Follow me."

Wei Ming followed Zhou Jinhua into the room, seeing everyone startled for a moment.

Xiao Er stood up and moved a chair for him: "Please have a seat."

Wei Ming looked toward Zhou Jinhua.

Zhou Jinhua nodded, and then Wei Ming sat down.

Zhou Jinhua said: "Wei Ming, what does your sworn brother do in prison nowadays?"

"Zhao Hu?" Wei Ming hadn't expected that being summoned would be about this; he paused, then said: "A few days ago, when we were drinking together, he mentioned it."

"He is now the chief warden of the heavenly prison, with over a dozen jailers under him."

Xiao Ningyuan's face lit up with joy: "Excellent!"

Wei Ming's face showed utter bewilderment: "Excellent? Excellent what?"

Zhou Jinhua pointed: "These two are the Eldest Young Master of the Ning Prince's mansion and Princess Jiayou."

Wei Ming exclaimed in surprise: "People from the Ning Prince's mansion?"

"The Ning Prince has always been a formidable rival of our marquis's mansion! When did he become an honored guest?"

Tuan Tuan looked at him: "Exactly! Uncle, could you help us rescue Ninth Brother?"

"Once he's out, I'll have him treat you to a meal at Suijin Pavilion."

Wei Ming blinked: "Rescue whom? And invite me to eat?"

Zhou Jinhua said: "The news about the Young Master came from them."

Wei Ming suddenly realized: "So it was a secret letter sent to the marquis by the Ning Prince's mansion?"

Zhou Jinhua patted his shoulder: "Princess Jiayou has already promised to protect our marquis before His Majesty, so I have decided to join forces with them."

Wei Ming fully understood: "So the marquis means for me to go find Zhao Hu and get the Ninth… oh no! the Ninth Prince released?"

Zhou Jinhua nodded.

Wei Ming's face showed distress; after hesitating a long time, he rose to his feet, then fell to his knees with a thud: "Marquis, if I am able to do this, at your command I would sacrifice my life without hesitation."

"But Zhao Hu is my sworn brother; I cannot, for my own sake, leave him to fend for himself."

"His family all reside in the capital; a capital offense like this would bring disaster upon his entire household."

He knocked his head to the ground: "I cannot obey this order, Marquis; please forgive my transgression!"

Zhou Jinhua glanced at Xiao Ningyuan, then remained silent.

Xiao Ningyuan handed Tuan Tuan to Xiao Er, rose, and helped Wei Ming to his feet: "Please, rise quickly."

He looked solemn: "Wei Ming, brother, your refusal to involve your sworn brother in the marquis's affairs for personal gain is righteousness; I, Xiao, admire you."

Wei Ming was taken aback by these words, never expecting the Eldest Young Master to speak thus.

Xiao Ningyuan said: "Please rest assured, Wei Ming brother; whether we succeed or fail, we will certainly not implicate your sworn brother Zhao Hu."

"All I, Xiao, seek is to ask you, Wei Ming brother, to meet with Zhao Hu and help us find out the Ninth Prince's current situation in the heavenly prison."

"And also, how many guards are there inside and outside the heavenly prison, when do the prisoners wake up, when do they eat, and when do they rest?"

"If Warden Zhao is unwilling, I will certainly not press him."

Wei Ming let out a breath of relief, clasped his fists: "Eldest Young Master, having put it this way, if I were to decline further, I would be ungrateful."

"Tomorrow, when Zhao Hu comes out, I will invite him for a drink and speak frankly with him."

"If he is willing to speak, I will inform the Eldest Young Master; if he is not, I also ask the Eldest Young Master not to hold it against me."

Xiao Ningyuan clasped his fists: "Many thanks, Wei Ming brother."

Tuan Tuan said: "Thank you, uncle!"

Wei Ming hastily bowed: "I dare not accept a single word of thanks from the princess; I will do my utmost."

Xiao Ningyuan nodded: "Thank you for your trouble, Wei Ming brother; then we shall come again tomorrow night."

"Marquis, farewell."

Everyone rose and left the Marquis Jinghai's mansion.

The next evening, everyone gathered again.

Zhou Jinhua actually also bought quite a few pastries and placed them on the table: "Princess, please try a taste; I, the Marquis, specially prepared this for you."

Tuan Tuan picked up a piece, took a small bite, and smiled: "Thank you! You're so good!"

Zhou Jinhua froze instantly: "......"

Wei Ming stared wide-eyed: "Really good? Even the old marquis never spoke to the marquis like that back then!"

Xiao Ningyuan smiled and asked: "Brother Wei, how is it?"

Wei Ming came to his senses: "Eldest Young Master and Princess, there's no need to worry; the Ninth Prince, being a prince, is not being treated in prison like an ordinary criminal."

"He gets two meals a day, with clear water and hot food never lacking; the Ninth Prince has not suffered any hardship."

"However, he is being held alone in the deepest part of the heavenly prison. Zhao Hu says the Ninth Prince is safe and sound."

"Great!" Tuan Tuan patted her little chest: "Big brother, Ninth Brother is fine!"

Xiao Ningyuan smiled and rubbed her little head.

Wei Ming wore a faint smile: "I laid everything out before him, hiding nothing; he said he is willing to help."

Xiao Ningyuan overjoyed: "Really?"

Wei Ming nodded: "My brother admires Prince Ning for his battlefield campaigns that keep the people at peace, and second, if His Majesty truly returns to Jingcheng to kill, he also wants to leave himself a way out."

He took out a bundle: "Inside are several sets of jailer's clothes; he asked me to hand them to you."

Tuan Tuan was overjoyed: "Great! Uncle, if he can help me rescue Ninth Brother, I will surely tell Imperial Uncle to promote him!"

Wei Ming smiled: "Thank you, Princess."

He looked at Xiao Ningyuan: "Originally there were only fifty Imperial Guard outside the prison, divided into two shifts, day and night; after the Ninth Prince was arrested, their numbers increased severalfold."

"Now it has risen to three hundred, divided into three shifts, with extremely strict patrols."

Lu Qi snorted: "That many?"

Xiao Er frowned: "It's obvious they're targeting us; what about inside the prison, Brother Wei?"

"If there is no interrogation at night, the wardens and clerks are not in the prison."

"Only sixteen jailers guard it; they and the Imperial Guard each have their own duties and do not interfere."

"After rising at dawn to eat, and once the locks are fastened at the hour of the rooster, there are no candles in the cells, and speaking is forbidden."

"Any whisper or unusual sound is punished as plotting rebellion."

"If you move to rescue someone, Zhao Hu cannot openly let them go, but he can pretend not to see."

Xiao Ningyuan nodded: "Understood, thank you, Brother Wei."