Chapter 87: Visiting the Prison

“Did Yun Chu say anything?”

Li Yunli had just thrown Marquis Yongcheng into the Dali Temple, and immediately afterward, she ordered the head of Dali Temple to interrogate him for treason.

The case at the city gates was still being handled by the Ministry of Justice, and now there was another treason case. The head of Dali Temple felt overwhelmed, wanting to argue that this wasn’t his jurisdiction, but with the Princess Royal present, he had no choice but to proceed according to protocol.

Li Yunli tossed forward two scouts captured outside the city yesterday. “Interrogate these two as well. Since Marquis Yongcheng cannot be subjected to torture due to his noble status, use them instead.”

With a way out presented so conveniently, the head of Dali Temple naturally took it without hesitation. He nodded eagerly and had the two men taken away.

In less than an hour, their identities were revealed—they were patrol soldiers under Prince Changling.

Li Yunli nodded in satisfaction at their confessions, but the head of Dali Temple was bewildered. “How does Prince Changling have his own patrol force?”

“You’re asking me?” Li Yunli glanced at him sideways. “Now that the case is clear, what will you do next?”

The head of Dali Temple wiped the sweat off his brow. “If a case involves significant misconduct by an official, it must be presented to His Majesty.”

“Then why aren’t you doing it?”

The head of Dali Temple patted his chest. “Understood.”

Marquis Yongcheng’s case was still unresolved, and now it had dragged in Prince Changling.

Poor head of Dali Temple—he had no idea he had become a sharp weapon in the hands of the Princess Royal, executing her will tirelessly. Urged by her, he immediately went to report to the emperor.

Less than a quarter of an hour later, an imperial decree was issued from the palace. Under the pretext of eliminating traitorous factions, Xiao Linjia was ordered to lead the capital’s outskirts garrison to purge the remaining rebels.

Xiao Linjia received his orders and left the city before mid-morning.

With all arrangements in place, it was only in the afternoon that Li Yunli finally completed her strategic setup and rode back home.

Just as she arrived at her mansion’s gate, she ran into Ji Wenxun, who had come to visit.

Ji Wenxun was carrying two jars of wine. “I wasn’t planning to drink with you, but after today’s spectacle, how about a drink?”

Li Yunli had a good alcohol tolerance, and after days of exhaustion, she was looking for a drink.

She dismounted and handed the reins to Shiliu. “Alright, I have time today. Tomorrow is another battle—let’s drink until we’re drunk!”

With that, she put an arm around Ji Wenxun and headed inside.

After three cups, Ji Wenxun, slightly tipsy, said, “I can guess that one of the pigeons you sent yesterday was for General Xiao. You never fight an unprepared battle. You had him prepare the troops in advance, but the letter to Yongzhou—I can’t figure that one out.”

Li Yunli’s smile was faint. Mentioning Yongzhou inevitably brought up Yun Chu. “Lord Yun had a White Tiger Token, which could command the remaining forces of Wei. When he left Yongzhou, he lost it to Zheng Siyian, so at first, I thought the city gate rebellion was Zheng Siyian forcing Yun Chu to oppose Chu.”

“But I also had doubts. Could a single token really gather so many Wei soldiers in such a short time and enforce strict discipline? That seems too much.”

Ji Wenxun nodded, her voice slightly slurred. “It does seem excessive. Even the Northern Frontier military token in your hands isn’t that powerful. Wei has been gone for two years!”

Li Yunli chuckled. “Two years is enough for many to lay down their arms, return to farming, marry, and have children.”

More importantly, in her restored memories, Yun Chu’s initial rebellion never saw him command so many soldiers.

The southern regions were the heart of the empire, with fewer troops than the borderlands, which had once given the past Yun Chu a natural advantage.

But the capital? With the Imperial Guards inside and the outskirts garrison outside, why would anyone start a rebellion here?

That was the first doubt.

The second was the appearance of the so-called Wei army.

In her memory, the southern Wei remnants had hidden in underground tunnels or among civilians, with no uniform dress. But the soldiers at the city gate all wore proper armor. How could a fallen nation’s army be so well-equipped?

And third, the idea of “laying down arms.”

She suddenly thought of someone—the one most likely to prevent the old forces from returning, the one who most wanted the former Wei soldiers to retire and settle down.

“Gongliang Chong.”

Ji Wenxun raised her cup.

Li Yunli smiled. “Yes, him. The former Left Minister of Wei, who fought against the Right Minister all his life, never admitting defeat. I wrote to him to verify this suspicion. If the troops causing chaos at the city gate weren’t really Wei’s army, then it means someone else was pulling the strings.”

“Ohh, so you used Marquis Yongcheng as a distraction today, making the head of Dali Temple interrogate those scouts!”

Li Yunli said, “I couldn’t wait for Gongliang Chong’s reply. Yongzhou is too far, and even carrier pigeons take two days. Speed is key in war—I had to seize the initiative. Otherwise, I feel like something is waiting for me, and I’m too anxious to sit still.”

Ji Wenxun, less tolerant of alcohol than Li Yunli, was already quite drunk.

She propped up her head, looking into Li Yunli’s eyes as if searching for something.

Then, she suddenly laughed.

Li Yunli frowned. “What?”

“You’re not anxious—you’re worried.”

Li Yunli’s brows furrowed. In that instant, she understood who Ji Wenxun was talking about, but she still feigned ignorance. “Worried about what?”

“Why don’t you go see him? It’s been two days. Do you think he can endure such torture?”

“I won’t go.”

Li Yunli poured herself another drink.

“Stop pretending. You’ve always been stubborn.”

Li Yunli’s smile was cold. “I told you, he is not innocent.”

Ji Wenxun sighed, clearly drunk, yet her eyes remained bright. “You know, I still remember what you said two years ago before you took him out of the imperial prison.”

Li Yunli’s expression turned pensive. “What did I say?”

“You said…” Ji Wenxun grinned, “‘Sister Ji, I’m not afraid of raising a wolf. I’m just afraid that if I miss this chance, there won’t be another. I don’t want to do something I’ll regret.’”

She mimicked Li Yunli’s tone, albeit poorly.

But as the words came out, Li Yunli’s heart trembled.

That… was indeed something she had said.

She had been fearless in her youth, never hesitating, daring and free.

Now, she was more experienced, more mature—but also more calculating.

She tilted her head back and drank the entire cup.

She had once lost all her ambition in Yongzhou.

Now… if she hesitated again, would she lose even her courage?

Ji Wenxun had already passed out drunk.

Li Yunli’s face burned. She stood up and looked at the moon.

Full, unbroken.

She—only she—was the author of her own story.

She set down her cup, grabbed a small wine flask, and rode out into the night.

---

Deep in the Ministry of Justice’s prison, a second visitor arrived that night.

Li Yunli reached the prison gates, where Song Tunan immediately spotted her.

“Your Highness!”

Song Tunan rushed forward to support her.

Li Yunli dismounted, still clutching her silver wine flask.

She raised her eyes. “Where is Yun Chu?”

Song Tunan lowered his head. “Please follow me, Your Highness.”