Chapter 254: Convicted and Imprisoned (2)

But before that, they could only stay in the prison.

Qing Ling didn't show much fear, and Qingfeng also had a face full of stubbornness. Instead, it was Lou Xiyan whose eyes flashed with a trace of worry.

"Your subject implores Your Majesty to allow Qing Ling to return to my mansion with me and be kept under surveillance there. Before verifying whether what she said is true, I will not let her take a single step out of the Prime Minister's mansion." The Heavenly Prison was a place that anyone who had stayed in would never forget for the rest of their lives; even if they came out later, they would no longer be the same person.

Lou Xiyan remained calm and composed, with few ripples on his face, but as he continued to plead, Yan Hongtian's gaze toward him became increasingly cold and frozen.

She really hadn't misjudged him; Lou Xiyan was definitely not as gentle and soft as he appeared on the surface. If he was sincere toward her sister, he would definitely be someone she could rely on. But? Qingfeng looked hesitantly at the terrifying man in the high seat; Lou Xiyan was taking too much of a risk this time.

Fortunately, Yan Hongtian didn't fly into a rage immediately. He just coldly withdrew his gaze and called out in a low voice, "Gao Jin."

Gao Jin, who had been guarding outside the hall and was already covered in sweat, replied, "This servant is here."

"Take them outside the hall to wait. I have something to discuss with the Prime Minister."

"Yes." Gao Jin hurriedly opened the door, chased the two of them out, and then hurriedly closed the hall door.

It was nearly midnight, and the moon was hazy. Without the magnificent and noisy banquet, even the inner palace could not resist the erosion of the night. The desolate moonlight, covered by precious trees, remained only as mottled traces. The cold night wind was a bit chilly, but it was just enough to clear one's mind.

In front of the inner hall, two women with similar figures and appearances looked at each other. One was emotionally agitated, her eyes full of sadness, while the other appeared somewhat awkward.

"Sister, do you really not remember me?" Looking at her sister, whom she hadn't seen for half a month, Qingfeng's heart felt like it was being twisted. The eyes looking back at her were clear and calm; she could no longer see the faint doting and warm affection of the past. Had her eldest sister really lost her memory?

"I?" She was Zhuo Qing, from another time and space, not her sister Qing Ling. As a forensic doctor, she had always been a materialist. The inexplicable time travel had overturned her life. Occupying someone else's body was not her wish, but it was an unchangeable fact. Zhuo Qing opened her mouth to say something, but in the end, it could only turn into three words, "I'm sorry."

"It is I who am sorry to you. If it weren't for my insistence on committing suicide, I wouldn't have caused you to not even remember who you are." Her sister's indifference toward her was the result of her own sins. Just thinking about the confusion and helplessness her sister felt when she woke up, Qingfeng felt another wave of self-reproach. Having lost her memory, how terrified she must have been.

Zhuo Qing came back to her senses. The woman in front of her no longer had the stubbornness and cold pride she had in the hall. The constant self-reproach was something Zhuo Qing couldn't bear to watch, so she comforted her softly, "Don't blame yourself too much. What's done is done. The important thing is that I am still alive and well, aren't I?" Although she was no longer the original person.

Qingfeng still kept her head down. Thinking of the foolish thing she had done by committing suicide, Zhuo Qing reminded her again, "But you must never do something like suicide again. Only the weak choose to escape and surrender. You shouldn't be that kind of person."

Only the weak choose to escape by committing suicide, is that so? So the integrity and backbone she had always pursued were actually manifestations of cowardice.

Slowly raising her head, Qingfeng stared at the direction of the inner hall and replied coldly, "Don't worry, I won't commit suicide again, because it's not us who deserve to die." It was the foolish emperor who caused their parents' death in Haoyue, and the culprit inside!

The hatred shooting from Qingfeng's bright eyes was very piercing. The hostility on her body made Zhuo Qing very uneasy. Fortunately, it was only for a very short moment before she returned to normal.

"Is our younger sister still alive?" Qingfeng asked cautiously.

"Yes, at the General's mansion." She heard from Lou Xiyan that Qing Mo had been sent to the General's mansion. Although there had been no news, she should still be alive.

Qingfeng's hanging heart finally let go. She let out a long sigh of relief and asked, "Then have you seen our younger sister?"

"No." Before traveling through time, she and her good friend Gu Yun were studying evidence for a case—the Golden Bagua Disk. A flash of red light passed, and she fainted. When she woke up, she had entered another person's body and appeared in this strange world. At that time, Yun was also by her side, so she suspected that Yun had also traveled through time. If Yun had changed bodies like her, it would be very difficult to find her. Zhuo Qing could only start looking from Qing Ling's sisters. Qingfeng was definitely not Yun. If Qing Mo wasn't Yun either, she would have to think of other ways.

Somewhat disappointed and worried, Qingfeng sighed, "That General Su doesn't look like a good person either. I'm worried that our younger sister will be bullied by him. She's still so young." In the main hall, she could only see Su Ling's back. He had been almost silent all night, and she couldn't guess what kind of person he was. But someone who had been fighting on the battlefield for years was definitely no saint.

"Don't worry. As a general, it's normal for Su Ling to be cold and silent in personality. Although he can't be counted as a scholar-general, he is not a brute either." From their brief interaction in the hall, Zhuo Qing actually felt that Su Ling was quite good. He had the spirit of a military officer without losing the demeanor of a civil official. He didn't speak much, but he was attentive to everything. Such a man would not, and would disdain to, make things difficult for a woman.

Qingfeng was not as optimistic as her eldest sister. Her younger sister was timid by nature, and they usually protected her and helped her make decisions. Now that she was alone, what should she do? Why was their fate always controlled by others?

Taking a deep breath, afraid that her eldest sister would worry, Qingfeng suppressed the raging anger in her heart and said as calmly as possible, "Later, if Prime Minister Lou can persuade the Emperor to take you away, follow him immediately. It's better than both of us being locked up. Also, don't come into the palace to see me again in the future."

"Why?" She wasn't Qing Ling, and she hadn't intended to come into the palace again anyway, but because Qingfeng specifically instructed her, Zhuo Qing felt something was wrong.

Did her sister see something? Telling herself to be calm, she shook her head gently. Qingfeng deliberately explained in a casual tone, "Yan Hongtian has evil intentions toward you. If you get out, it's better not to come back and throw yourself into the net. You don't need to worry about me; I will take care of myself. If your body recovers, just have someone send me a message."

"Qingfeng, remember to think twice before doing anything. Acting on impulse never has any benefits." The steady and sharp voice seemed to go straight into the heart. Her eldest sister's keenness surprised Qingfeng. Was this person really her sister? Could amnesia really change a person so much? Was this change good or bad?

Qingfeng was still puzzled when, inside the hall, that alarming male voice rang out again, "Someone, bring them both in."

Gao Jin looked at them, and the two did not make things difficult for him, obediently walking toward the inner hall.

Entering the hall, Qingfeng immediately noticed that the atmosphere was a bit off.

Yan Hongtian's face was no longer dark, and there was even a suspicious hint of a smile between his brows. Lou Xiyan's expression remained indifferent, but his brows seemed to be full of worries. What exactly had they talked about? Qingfeng was still pondering when Yan Hongtian had already said loudly, "Qing sisters, I will naturally give you a conclusion after I have clearly investigated the matter of your identity swap. Given that Qing Ling may have amnesia, there is an excuse for this matter. I allow the Prime Minister to take you back to the Prime Minister's mansion for surveillance. Before the truth is clear, you are not allowed to leave the mansion."

Yan Hongtian agreed to let her eldest sister and Lou Xiyan return to the mansion. Qingfeng was secretly happy, but at the same time, she became a little worried. Yan Hongtian's mind was deep and unpredictable. If he was willing to let people go, wouldn't there be some conspiracy?

Looking at Qingfeng, Yan Hongtian snorted coldly, "As for Qingfeng, even if it was truly a mistake by the Haoyue officials who sent the wrong person, you are clear-headed, and you still impersonated someone after entering the palace. You have already committed the crime of deceiving the sovereign. From this moment on, you are to be thrown into the Heavenly Prison, and you will be sentenced together after the truth of the matter is clearly investigated."

Qingfeng had been prepared for this. She took a deep breath and still stood proudly, neither begging for mercy nor crying or making a scene.

The Heavenly Prison was definitely not a good place. Qingfeng gave Lou Xiyan a look. Lou Xiyan stared at her with calm eyes for a while, withdrew his gaze, bowed to Yan Hongtian, and said, "Your Majesty is wise, your subject takes his leave."

"Hmm." Waving his hand lightly, Yan Hongtian did not make things difficult for them.

"Let's go." Lou Xiyan took her eldest sister's hand and walked toward the outside of the hall. Qingfeng looked longingly at the thin, beautiful figure leaving. After this parting, they might never have a chance to meet again. Suddenly, her eldest sister also turned back to look at her. The expression in her eyes was not as fervent as before, but she could still feel a faint worry. Amnesia was fine; perhaps this was God's pity for her eldest sister, and also a punishment for herself.

Smiling lightly at that beautiful figure, Qingfeng turned her head away resolutely, no longer looking at her. For what was to come, she needed to bear it alone.

After Lou Xiyan and Zhuo Qing left, Yan Hongtian's slightly raised black eyes coldly swept over the woman standing quietly by the door. The moonlight shone from behind her, stretching her thin figure very long. Unlike the hatred and sorrow when they first met, and unlike the panic and caution just now, she stood there silently, her eyes full of indifference. Yan Hongtian hated this kind of look. She should be afraid, she should be confused, she should be terrified, not so indifferent.

"Gao Jin."

Gao Jin, who had been waiting by the door, replied respectfully, "Present."

"Send someone to Haoyue to investigate this matter clearly. If there is even a hint of falsehood in what she said, execute her immediately!" The words spoken in a cold voice were cruel and ruthless. Unfortunately, Yan Hongtian still failed to see a trace of panic on that plain face as he had hoped.

"Yes." Gao Jin hurriedly said to Ming Ze, who was waiting outside the hall, "Send her to the Heavenly Prison!"

Ming Ze hesitated slightly for a moment, and the guard beside him answered loudly, "Yes."

With her waist held stubbornly straight, Qingfeng turned and strode out of the hall, not even leaving a direct look for Yan Hongtian, leaving him only with a proud and lonely back. A faint smile flashed in Yan Hongtian's deep black eyes; the Qing sisters were both quite interesting.

(End of Chapter) ===== CHAPTER 255 =====