Chapter 513: I Have It, You Don't

Xiao Yin suddenly realized that the disaster uncle in front of him was getting increasingly over the line.

He recalled that back in Yangzhou, Gu Kang had told him that this time Gu Kang would no longer hunt him, nor fulfill the mission Emperor Longqing had given him.

But there was a condition: he had to give him five million taels of silver. So the five million taels of silver would be spent on this?

Xiao Yin smiled, returned to his seat, then suddenly looked up and shouted loudly, "Help!"

Xiao Yin's reputation in Shang Jing was not good; he was always a person who repaid every slight, and anyone who offended him would later be ground down to near death.

The prison wardens of the Grand Justice Temple were not foolish; they had to attend to this lord carefully.

Sometimes these wardens were puzzled, wondering exactly who was in prison.

It seemed better for them to go inside and kick these two people out.

The informed warden hurried, trembling, ran up to Xiao Yin, bowed and said, "Prince, what are your orders?"

Xiao Yin coldly said, "I also want a clean bed, a desk on which I can write, three meals a day with meat, and, oh, I also want a comfortable quilt; this licorice makes sleep uncomfortable."

Xiao Yin said slowly, "I also know the rules here, the silver…"

Xiao Yin raised his finger toward the neighboring Gu Kang and said, "Ask you, Lord Gu, for it."

The wardens were instantly dumbfounded, wondering what that meant, and all turned to Gu Kang.

Since Lord Gu became the chief of the Grand Justice Temple, his internal control has been strict, and the wardens are somewhat afraid of this masked Iron‑faced Yama.

They were serving him kindly, but Lord Gu also apparently came into a windfall; his tips to them were often hundreds of taels of silver, equivalent to a regular clerk's annual income.

This Prince Rui demanded so many things, yet specifically required Gu Kang to pay the silver; did he really think the Grand Justice Temple's prison had become what?

However, these demands of Prince Rui could not be left unmet; the Emperor ordered these two men imprisoned but gave no further instructions. If they offended these two lords in the prison, the lives of their entire families would not be worth playing with.

The wardens all turned to Gu Kang, unable to say a word.

Gu Kang on the other side let out a light laugh, pulled a silver note from his bosom, tossed it out of the cell, and it floated lightly to the ground.

The denomination was not low; the wardens' eyes lit up a bit, as they were all people who dealt with matters for money.

Moreover, everyone inside and outside this prison were people placed there by Lord Gu, and they dared not be out of step with him.

Moreover, money can get things done; why not?

One warden hurriedly, with a forced smile, picked up the silver note from the ground, turned back and bowed to Xiao Yin, saying, "Prince, please be patient; wait a moment. We'll arrange it for you shortly, and when we change shifts we'll have it ready for you."

Xiao Yin slowly lay down on the mound of grass; though damp and emitting a foul stench, Xiao Yin's mood was quite good, and he even hummed a few short tunes.

Guo Kang inside smiled faintly, "Brother‑in‑law, are you now confident?"

"Otherwise?" Xiao Yin snorted a light laugh, saying no more.

Gu Kang, being imprisoned, didn't know how Xiao Yin managed to escape, but seeing him so confident gave him a sigh of relief.

He and Xiao Yin belonged to different camps, yet unless absolutely necessary, he would never challenge this person's bottom line.

This person was both righteous and wicked, not a good companion.

So Gu Kang ate and drank well, and settled into the prison.

The next day, Gu Jiu Ling brought people to visit the prison, and Xiao Yin hurriedly got up and approached.

Gu Jiu Ling had been extremely worried, but upon seeing Xiao Yin lying on a soft bed, writing on the table, and even some military strategies delivered to his desk, Gu Jiu Ling instantly breathed a sigh of relief.

He glanced again at Gu Kang next door; Gu Kang nodded at her, and Gu Jiu Ling couldn't help but smile inwardly, wondering whether these two were here to be imprisoned or on vacation.

"Prince," Gu Jiu Ling said to Xiao Yin, lowering her voice, "Jing Cheng is under martial law; the Emperor's Yulin Guard has completely surrounded Huangjue Si."

"Now the search range has expanded to all of Shang Jing, even the outlying villages, searching inch by inch; now everyone in Shang Jing lives in constant dread."

Gu Jiu Ling inhaled, steadied herself, stepped up to him, and whispered, "Prince, have you hidden those people?"

Gu Jiu Ling truly admired Xiao Yin now; she could only hide one or two people with her space, yet Xiao Yin managed to hide a dozen living people in an instant, nowhere to be found.

Gu Jiu Ling guessed it was a game between Xiao Yin and Emperor Longqing, but the more they played, the more Gu Jiu Ling feared.

If Emperor Longqing, in Ren Ao Nu Xu, were to pull Xiao Yin out and behead him, what then?

Xiao Yin gently squeezed Gu Jiu Ling's hand and whispered, "Given the current situation, you don't need to flee the city; just stay at home."

"In less than three days, he will release me."

"Then… what if they force a confession?"

Gu Jiu Ling was most worried about this; she believed this time truly pushed Xiao Yin to the brink, threatening almost all of Emperor Longqing's princes.

Xiao Yin slowly shook his head and laughed softly, "It won't happen; I've survived countless battles on the battlefield, and ordinary criminal law cannot force me."

Moreover, exchanging my single life for all his descendants, I think he'll consider it, since ending a line is not a pleasant matter.

Gu Jiu Ling took a bag containing the snacks she had made, along with candy and even sun‑dried beef jerky, stuffed it into Xiao Yin's arms, and gave another bag to Gu Kang on the other side.

He gave a few reminders, then slowly left Xiao Yin, opened his own parcel, and found that it also contained socks personally sewn by Gu Jiu Ling.

His hand froze slightly, and looking at the lively stitches on the socks—clearly Gu Jiu Ling's masterful handiwork—he felt a warm current seep into his heart.

Xiao Yin, holding the socks, looked toward Gu Kang next door.

He waved his hand, shaking the socks, feeling as if they were a victory flag.

Gu Kang was tasting the snacks his elder sister had brought, but when he saw his own foolish brother‑in‑law waving a pair of plain socks at him, he was stunned.

"Lord Gu, do you see? Your elder sister still has feelings for me, right?"

Gu Kang looked at his ecstatic expression, sneered, turned his face away slowly, not wanting to see the fool any longer.

These comfortable days passed one after another, and Xiao Yin felt he might rot away here.

Probably these days were the most comfortable for Xiao Yin, with no worries about those troublesome matters.

Suddenly, hurried footsteps sounded from afar, and then Commander Xiao arrived with the Yulin Guard, ordering the warden to remove the chain from Xiao Yin.

Commander Xiao's eyes flickered, and he shouted, "Prince! The Emperor summons you!"