Chapter 49: Prison Visit

After coughing a few times, Xia Tong covered her throat and looked at the man, then turned her head away and cried silently without saying a word.

Gu Qin remained silent, staring at her for a moment before striding out of the room with a stern expression. It was the first time in his life he felt utterly helpless against a woman.

Once the prince left, Fang Yu quickly entered, noticing her master’s unusual demeanor. She gently tried to comfort her, saying, “The prince usually responds better to softness than to toughness. If you can just go along with him a bit, things might turn out differently.”

Xia Tong didn’t respond. She hugged her knees and sat quietly, her eyes still red. Regret washed over her. In her impulsiveness, she realized she should have approached him more softly. The villain was undoubtedly furious, or else he wouldn’t have just tried to kill her.

“I want to drink some porridge.” She suddenly took a deep breath and said.

Upon hearing this, Fang Yu immediately smiled and left to get it. As long as her master was willing to eat, that was a good sign.

After calming down, Xia Tong felt it was better to adopt a patient approach. Impulsiveness was a devil; she shouldn’t oppose the villain outright. An argument might feel good in the moment, but it could lead to disaster later. Perhaps the villain had some plans of his own. She needed to gauge the situation before taking action, rather than anxiously flailing about.

After eating a little, Xia Tong went to sleep, deciding she would try to reconcile with him the next day. She couldn’t afford to anger him now. Otherwise, her parents would be beyond saving.

However, the next morning, she received word that Xia Ning was looking for her, likely about the current crisis. At a time like this, they had to set aside past grievances and unite.

Xia Ning looked somewhat haggard, clearly anxious. When she arrived with the butler, she spoke urgently, “I was delayed on my journey back from Shanxi due to some matters and missed grandmother’s birthday celebration. I never expected such a catastrophe to occur. Now there are only you and me left in the family. We must ensure that Grandmother and the others stay safe!”

Traveling from Shanxi back to the capital was no small feat, and seeing Xia Ning like this, she must have rushed here without rest, especially with her own parents imprisoned; no one could remain calm in such a situation.

“This matter can’t be explained in just a few words. What does the Duke’s residence say?” Xia Tong glanced at Fang Yu, signaling her to guard outside.

Xia Ning didn’t even have time to sip her tea, her face filled with worry as she said, “The Duke’s heir wants to take action, but my mother is reluctant. As you know, Lin Qin is now the crown princess, and with the crown prince poisoned and in a precarious condition, my mother is very worried. She hasn’t looked kindly on me since I returned.”

Since marrying into the Duke’s residence, her mother-in-law had never been fond of her, especially since she was originally supposed to marry her cousin. Even the heir treated her with indifference, though he still maintained a semblance of respect.

At this point, she couldn’t help but look at Xia Tong with a hint of envy in her eyes, quickly hiding it and instead expressing concern, “What kind of place is the Ministry of Justice? How can our grandmother, at her age, endure those tortures? If the Third Prince finds evidence and charges are brought, the entire Xiahou family will be ruined.”

Though her words sounded noble, she was really worried that if the Xiahou family fell, her status in the Duke’s family would diminish even further. Xia Tong remained silent in response.

“This matter concerns the Crown Prince’s life; it’s not a trivial matter. We can only wait for His Highness to wake up.” Her brows were furrowed with worry.

After hearing this, Xia Ning fell silent. She glanced around and suddenly leaned closer, asking, “I wonder how Grandmother and the others are doing. Don’t you want to go see them?”

Upon hearing this, Xia Tong felt a stir of emotion. To be honest, she was eager to know how her parents were faring, but…

“Fang Yu.”

She suddenly called out to the outside, and in the next moment, the door swung open. Fang Yu walked in, looking puzzled.

Xia Tong waved her hand and whispered a few words into Fang Yu’s ear. Fang Yu’s expression turned a bit strange, but she nodded in agreement.

*

The study was silent. Suddenly, the door was pushed open from the outside. Xifeng walked in hesitantly. He glanced at the master in front of the desk and suddenly lowered his head and said, “Master, the princess just sent someone over… She said she wanted to go to the prison to take a look.”

He hesitated to convey this message. Ever since the master returned from the princess’s side last night, he had never been this angry, indicating that the princess must have provoked him. Even today, the master’s expression was not good, and it was bold of the princess to make such a request.

Upon hearing this, the man at the desk only slightly moved his eyes. He snapped his brush in anger, causing it to roll off the table.

The room fell silent, and a heavy atmosphere began to permeate the air. Xifeng lowered his head, realizing he understood his master’s intentions. The princess still didn’t grasp her position.

After waiting for a moment, Xia Tong finally saw Xi Feng. To her surprise, he was still willing to help her despite being so furious yesterday.

Feeling a little guilty, he climbed into the carriage, and Xifeng suddenly remarked, “I don’t understand what the princess is worried about. The Ministry of Justice is always under the Master’s control. What could happen to Lord Xia?”

As the carriage swayed, Xia Tong remained silent inside, while Xia Ning beside her let out a sigh of relief. This meant her parents wouldn’t suffer any more punishment inside.

The dungeons were heavily guarded, to the point where even a fly couldn’t escape. People usually avoided this place. When Xia Tong and the others arrived at the dungeon entrance, the guards rushed over to open the door as soon as they saw Xifeng, without any hesitation.

For some reason, Xia Tong suddenly recalled her first encounter with Xifeng, where he had pointed a sword at her throat. That memory had been a nightmare for her.

The dungeon’s structure was complex, with flickering flames lighting the damp and cold hallways. As they walked, patrolling soldiers passed by, and there were many torture rooms, where some prisoners were shackled to crosses, enduring floggings and hangings in succession.

Xia Tong took only a quick glance before she saw a jailer brandishing a red-hot iron, pressing it mercilessly onto a prisoner’s chest, the sizzling sound echoing even from afar.

“The Master is never lenient with others, except for the Princess,” Xifeng remarked meaningfully, leading the way ahead.

Xia Tong dared not look around, her back soaked with cold sweat, yet she maintained a façade of calm. Meanwhile, Xia Ning’s face was pale as she clutched Xia Tong’s hand, having never witnessed such brutality before.

As they reached the inner sanctum, the guards were even more intimidating, and she could vaguely see members of the Xiahou family imprisoned in the cells.

“Fourth Young Lady, please save me!” The prisoners cried out in desperation upon seeing her, as if she were a beacon of hope.

All one hundred and thirteen members of the Xiahou family were imprisoned, but though they looked disheveled, they did not appear to be physically harmed. Xia Tong couldn’t help but wonder about her parents’ condition.

They hurried along, and when Xifeng halted, the guard outside quickly opened the cell door. Xia Tong finally spotted those imprisoned inside.

“Father!” Xia Tong rushed in, and Xia Ning followed closely behind. Inside, they saw Xia Zhian and others. Fortunately, none of them seemed injured, just somewhat worn out.

Seeing his daughter, Xia Zhian’s face lit up with joy. He quickly stood up and examined her from head to toe, saying, “As long as you’re safe, that’s all that matters. You have no idea how worried I’ve been.”

Seeing her father was unharmed, Xia Tong felt a rush of warmth in her eyes. She hastily set down the snacks she had brought, saying, “I came in such a hurry and didn’t prepare much. You must have suffered here. I will definitely find a way to rescue you!”

Seeing the food, Xia Lin and the others immediately gathered around. Although they hadn’t endured much hardship, the dungeon’s conditions were undoubtedly unbearable.

“By the way, where is my mother?” Xia Tong suddenly turned her gaze to Xifeng.

In response, he slowly replied, “The Madam and Elder Madam Xia are on the other side. They’re fine.”

Hearing that the others were safe, Xia Zhian sighed in relief. He was still wearing a white prisoner’s outfit and didn’t eat, but instead, he looked seriously at Xia Tong and said, “Just take care of yourself. Don’t put yourself in danger.”

Noticing that the father and daughter had more to say, Xifeng gestured for the others to step back.

However, Xia Lin and the others disagreed, looking at Xia Tong with hopeful eyes. “The only one who can save the Xiahou family now is the regent. Otherwise, our family’s foundation of hundreds of years will be destroyed. Do you understand?”