As soon as they got home, before Madam Chen could ask, the little one eagerly recounted everything that had happened today.

The whole family gathered in a circle—some reading books, some polishing swords—each busy with their own task.

In truth, their attention was entirely focused on Jiang Yuanxi.

[“The palace is so scary! The princess tried to frame me! Home is still the best. Mother’s embrace is so warm.”]

Saying this, she snuggled into Madam Chen’s arms.

Madam Chen gently stroked her daughter’s head, feeling a pang of worry.

Was it truly a blessing or a curse for Yuanxi to become a princess?

[“But the palace food was so good! The braised pork knuckle was amazing! And the big pig head too—it was delicious!”]

[“Strange… why doesn’t the imperial kitchen serve whole pig heads?”]

Madam Chen frowned slightly. Did the emperor and empress also eat pig heads?

..

The next day, Jiang Yuansheng carried his sister straight to the Ministry of Justice’s dungeon.

Yan Song had already been locked up for three days.

By the time the siblings arrived, Yan Song’s lips were dry and cracked, his face exhausted, looking half-dead.

Jiang Yuansheng was startled. “What happened to him?” he asked the guards.

The guards stood far away, not daring to approach.

“My lord, we don’t know either. No one has dared to go near him these past two days.”

Jiang Yuanxi blinked. “Did you not give him food?”

The guard hesitated. “A demon… needs food?”

Jiang Yuansheng finally understood—Yan Song was starving.

“He’s just someone who knows a bit of sorcery. If he doesn’t eat, he’ll die.”

The guard suddenly realized why the prisoner’s cries had been getting weaker each day.

“I’ll go get food immediately.”

Soon, the guard returned with two steamed buns and a water flask, tossing them into the cell from afar.

Jiang Yuanxi pointed at the cell door.

“Open it.”

The guard shook his head repeatedly. “Princess, we can’t. Everyone locked in here is dangerous.”

Jiang Yuansheng spoke coldly, “Open it. Yuanxi is investigating under imperial orders.”

The guard quickly unlocked the door and ran off.

Once Yan Song had eaten and drank, his face finally regained some life.

Jiang Yuanxi crouched before him. “Are you going to confess, or should I help you?”

Yan Song lifted his head, only to see a tiny girl with pigtails staring at him.

He snorted disdainfully. “I don’t know anything.”

He then discreetly glanced past Jiang Yuansheng toward the open cell door.

If he could just grab the little one in front of him, he might be able to escape.

Jiang Yuansheng noticed his gaze and stepped forward, shielding his sister.

If this man dared to lay a finger on her, he would kill him on the spot.

Jiang Yuanxi, feeling tired from squatting, stood up and rummaged in her sleeves before pulling out a piece of dried meat.

She had been using it to ease the itch of her growing teeth.

Yan Song’s eyes gleamed coldly.

Seizing the moment, he lunged and grabbed Jiang Yuanxi, locking his hands around her neck.

“Move aside! Or I’ll strangle her!”

Jiang Yuansheng wasn’t a trained martial artist and was a second too slow.

He looked at his sister—she was still calmly chewing on her dried meat.

His initial panic subsided, and he silently lit a candle for Yan Song in his heart.

Jiang Yuansheng casually stepped aside and extended his hand.

A clear gesture—go ahead and leave.

Yan Song was in disbelief.

Was it really this easy to escape?

Slowly, he shuffled toward the door.

The moment he stepped out of the cell, he felt the suppressing spell around him vanish.

A flicker of hope ignited in his heart. I can escape!

Just then, Jiang Yuanxi finally stopped feeling the itch in her gums.

Calmly, she tucked the remaining dried meat back into her sleeve.

Then, from that same sleeve, she pulled out a yellow talisman paper.

She spat twice onto it, quickly drew a symbol, and effortlessly slapped it onto Yan Song’s bared teeth.

Yan Song’s triumphant grin froze.

He couldn’t move.

Jiang Yuanxi, still in his arms, wiggled a little but found herself trapped as well.

“Brother, carry me.” She reached for Jiang Yuansheng.

Jiang Yuansheng rescued his sister and realized Yan Song was completely immobilized.

And the paper stuck to his mouth… looked awfully familiar.

Jiang Yuanxi sneakily glanced at Jiang Yuansheng.

[“Big brother won’t think I’m a monster, right? How should I explain that I can draw talismans?”]

Jiang Yuansheng immediately turned his gaze to the dungeon ceiling.

He saw nothing.

Absolutely nothing.

Jiang Yuanxi beamed in satisfaction.

She looked at Yan Song and sighed, “I told you to confess. Now look, you can’t even move.”

She gave him a light kick.

Then, while Jiang Yuansheng was distracted, she quickly slapped another talisman onto Yan Song’s body.

“Tell me, who is your master?”

Another kick.

Still dazed over his sudden paralysis, Yan Song found his lips moving against his will.

“It’s… His Highness.”

Realizing what he had just said, his expression twisted in horror.

“You—you dare?!”

Jiang Yuanxi pressed on. “Which Highness?”

“His Highness is… His Highness.”

Jiang Yuansheng immediately asked, “Where is he?”

“He’s in… I can’t… say… Shengjing…”

The next second, something fell from Yan Song’s mouth.

He had bitten off his own tongue!

Jiang Yuansheng quickly lifted his sister away to avoid the blood splatter.

Jiang Yuanxi clapped her hands excitedly. “See, Brother? Beating him worked! He told the truth!”

Jiang Yuansheng: …Well.

He decided to pretend he hadn’t seen the two bright yellow talismans on Yan Song’s body.

There wasn’t much more they could get out of him now, but the information they had was enough.

“Guards!”

Three guards entered.

“Take him back inside.”

They obeyed without question.

As they carried Yan Song, they noticed the wet talisman stuck to his mouth.

They felt queasy but hurriedly locked the cell door and left.

..

Just as they stepped out of the Ministry of Justice, a carriage stopped before them.

A moment later, a man in a wheelchair was lifted down.

Jiang Yuansheng immediately bowed.

“This subject greets His Highness, the First Prince.”

[“Oh! It’s him—the guy who smacked my butt at the restaurant!”]

Jiang Yuanxi recognized him instantly.

Even after all these days, she hadn’t forgotten that face.

Jiang Yuansheng was puzzled. When did Yuanxi meet the First Prince?

And why was he here today?

Was he here to cause trouble?

The prince’s servant pushed the wheelchair forward until they were right in front of the siblings.

The prince’s face was cold. “Turn around, all of you.”

That included Jiang Yuansheng.

The First Prince, Jun Moye, slid off his wheelchair and dropped to his knees.

“Little ancestor, please spare me!”

Jiang Yuanxi blinked in confusion.

Jiang Yuansheng couldn’t help but turn back—only to see the feared First Prince kneeling before his sister.

His always calm and indifferent face twitched.

What in the world…

Everyone discreetly took a step to the side.

Jun Moye clutched Jiang Yuanxi’s pant leg.

“I shouldn’t have hit you at the restaurant. Please, lift the curse you put on me!”

For days, he had been living in misery—birds pooped on him, boneless fish nearly choked him, and worst of all, the woman he loved… was forgetting him.

He suddenly recalled Jiang Yuanxi’s words that day in the restaurant.

“I was wrong! I was terribly wrong!”

The wooden braces on his legs scraped against the ground with a sharp screech.