"The core alchemists of the Privy Council?" Li was a little surprised, "Shouldn't they attend the enthronement ceremony?"
"It's indeed a bit strange." Xia Fan mused, "For this historic moment from behind the scenes to the stage, all the core members should be present."
The ideal situation is for the other party to walk around and leave without staying in jail. The most undesirable situation is that the second prince temporarily strengthens the defense of the prison, and a head-on confrontation will be inevitable.
This prison is located in Dongcheng District, co-located with the government prison. Regardless of its structure and layout, it is much more formal than the basement-converted dungeons in Jinxia City. If you want to enter, the first thing you have to break through is the gate of the courtyard wall. There are two watchtowers at the entrance, which can sound the alarm immediately. Further inside are four stone bungalows. The southernmost one is the prison dedicated to the Privy Council, and is usually guarded by three to four alchemists. However, considering that this is a hard job, the level of the alchemists assigned here is basically not high, and it is considered good to be at the level of the fifth-grade trial leader.
There is also a small barracks to the north of the prison for garrison soldiers. Judging from the size, it can only be filled with about one or two hundred people. Generally speaking, these manpower are definitely more than enough to deal with prison escapes or suppressing prisoners, and there is no need for the Privy Council to waste precious manpower here. After all, Shangyuan City is the capital of Qi State, and few enemies can break through the hinterland to threaten this place. This "blind spot" in the imagination is exactly what Xia Fan can take advantage of.
But if there is an additional high-level alchemist, it will undoubtedly add many variables to the action.
"The plan...should be suspended?" Li asked after hesitation.
"It won't change for the time being." Xia Fan slowly shook his head, "The enthronement ceremony is our best opportunity. If we don't act today, the risk will only be greater in the future."
Da da.
Luo Qingqing suddenly knocked on the window edge, "There's something new."
"Call back later." Xia Fan ended the communication and looked in the direction of the prison again. I saw another double-coiled carriage coming along the street and slowly stopping next to the main entrance of the prison.
The color scheme of this carriage is much more brilliant, with a gold top, purple carriage, and light blue clouds and swimming dragons embroidered around it. People who can use this kind of carriage are basically related to the royal family.
"What's going on? Someone from the palace even came to visit the prison?" Xia Fan frowned, "What kind of wind is blowing today?"
After the horses stopped, the servant immediately brought a low stool and placed it in front of the carriage.
The door opened, and a man in a brocade robe and fine clothes slowly stepped out of the carriage.
"Who is this person?"
"I guess... he's probably a descendant of a certain royal family, right?" Fang Yanni whispered, "Only those princes and princesses can wear this kind of crimson auspicious cloud brocade robe."
"Neither the crown prince nor the second prince, but a man..." Xia Fan pondered, "could it be the fourth prince Ning Chunan?"
As soon as he said the words, he felt a wave of air rolling toward him like a wave from his side.
Fang Yanni even shivered and retracted her body - her insight into Qi was not as keen as Xia Fan's, but she still noticed a hint of chill.
Although Luo Qingqing's expression remained unchanged, the turbulent and exciting atmosphere around her already indicated her mood at the moment.
"What does he look like?"
"Thin, pale complexion, thin eyebrows and narrow eyes, and a jade pendant hanging from his ear."
"It's probably him." Luo tilted his head slightly and said, "Xia Fan..."
The latter gave me a look of affirmation, "If you are really the fourth prince, you can do what you want."
…
The prison of the Privy Council was damp and cold, and the burning torches on the walls could not dispel the chill in the air. The firelight swayed back and forth in the darkness, casting long shadows behind the chains and cages.
Compared to the hustle and bustle outside, this place seems to be another world. The only things that can be heard occasionally are the crisp sound of the whip falling on the body and the low screams.
Yu Linglong doesn't like this kind of place.
Even if the shadow will always be with her.
Passing through the iron gates, she came to the cell where Yan Qing was held.
"Open the door." Yu Linglong said to the jailer, "Then go out."
"S-Sir... I'm afraid this is a bit against the rules..."
"Yes, this is against the rules at all," the shadow emerged from the ground and said in a deep voice through Yu Linglong's mouth, "but that's better than you falling silently in the gutter one day."
The jailer swallowed and quickly took out the key.
"Sir, I will be standing guard at the entrance of the passage. If you have any request, you can call me at any time."
After the other party retreated, Yu Linglong stepped into the cell.
Yan Qing raised his head when he heard the noise.
At this moment, she had her hands spread out and was tied to a wooden frame. The chains as weapons were removed and replaced with strong shackles.
Through the prison clothes, you can see the blood marks on her body. At the same time, her fingers also swollen, and the joints showed a dark color; most of the nails were missing from the exposed feet, and blood dripped along the fingers, seeping into the cold stone slabs little by little.
Apparently she had been tortured.
"So it's you." Yan Qing glanced at Yu Linglong and closed her eyes again, "If you don't go to the ceremony, what are you doing here?"
"The enthronement ceremony does not require everyone to be present. It is the result, not the process." Yu Linglong took a step forward, "As for you, why do you want to hide His Highness the Second Prince?"
Yan Qing responded with silence.
"I know that you secretly sent news to Xia Fan, and even helped him escape from Shangyuan. This is nothing... At most, it will only expel you from the inner circle. But why are you insisting on not letting go? Xia Fan and the others have already left. Even if you give a full account, you will not endanger their lives, and if you continue to hold on like this... His Highness Ning will not give up easily."
"Be careful what you say." The shadow came closer. "Although I know that you are a traitor, others don't know. If your advice is heard by someone who is interested, it will obviously leave hidden dangers."
"If someone hears it, don't you just shoot him?"
"To put it simply, this is a prison!" Shadow protested, "Besides, everyone is destined to die, so why do you have to stick to yourself. Now that the aristocratic family has completely collapsed, all the scholars in the world have fallen into the hands of the Privy Council. In the future, no matter how talented you are, There will definitely be no shortage of partners, either as a leader or as a fighting partner. I suggest you just pretend that she doesn’t exist anymore.”
"Noisy, I won't listen."
"Hey, that's a sweet thing to say, traitor!"
Yan Qing couldn't hear these conversations. She smiled nonchalantly and said, "I have made up my mind, you don't need to persuade me. This injury is nothing to me."
"It's nothing now, but what happens next?" Yu Linglong clenched her fists, "You know what the Privy Council does - there is no bottom line for such torture!"
Ning Qianshi is obviously also giving Yan Qing a chance to repent, but this chance will not be given forever, and the torture methods will gradually increase, just like what was done to Olina. When ordinary interrogation methods are exhausted and magic is added, the pain is definitely not something that ordinary people can bear.
Yu Linglong didn't doubt Yan Qing's will at all.
As Qing Jian, a senior member of the Privy Council, there is no doubt about her strong character, and it can be imagined that she did not relent even to the end. But that wouldn't change anything. The more she persisted, the more torture she suffered. Even if the pain couldn't destroy her will, it was enough to destroy her body.
She would eventually die in a cage.