If you force me to take the blame, I'll spend a day in jail and gain a year's worth of spi

Inside the prison, Zhang Heng hurriedly entered with Qin Xuehua, Zhang Wanning, Zhang Qingyue, and others.

They had just witnessed the retreat of Prince Jing's army outside, and were filled with doubt and uncertainty, but could not obtain any information.

The royal family has issued a gag order; anyone who dares to speak out is asking for trouble.

Since they couldn't find out anything, Zhang Heng and the others didn't want to waste any more time, since it was none of their business anyway.

As they entered Zhang Yu's cell, the first thing they saw was Xiao Yun, the heir of Prince Rui, kneeling to the side, unable to move.

"what?"

"This is……?"

Zhang Heng was stunned for a moment.

Zhang Qingyue's eyes flickered slightly as she calmly analyzed the situation:

"Could it be that Zhang Yu and Prince Jing's son are up to something again?"

Last time they put on a show with "Chairman Du's personal appearance," and this time they actually found someone who...looks quite a bit like Prince Rui's son, Xiao Yun, to act in the play?

She didn't suspect it was a real person at all, assuming it was just an actor Zhang Yu had hired to attract attention.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Wanning immediately became interested.

He stepped forward and, without any hesitation, twisted Xiao Yun's head, forcing him to look up.

Xiao Yun was immobilized by the power of the formation and could only let her do as she pleased. His eyes were filled with humiliation and anger, but he dared not speak out.

He was afraid of Zhang Yu, so he didn't dare offend even Zhang Yu's family and could only silently endure it.

Little did he know that he had misinterpreted his feelings.

Zhang Yu was more than happy for the Zhang family to suffer.

"Yo."

When Zhang Wanning saw Xiao Yun's face clearly, she was first stunned, and then burst out laughing.

His tone was full of sarcasm and mockery:

"Zhang Yu, you're really something."

But I must say, the actor you found actually looks quite like him.

That expression, that humiliated look in his eyes, he acted really well. How much did they pay him?

She completely regarded Xiao Yun as an "actor" hired by Zhang Yu to perform, and her words were extremely insulting.

Qin Xuehua also stepped forward, frowned and glanced at Xiao Yun kneeling on the ground, her face showing disgust and displeasure.

She shouted at Zhang Yu inside the cell:

"Zhang Yu, what kind of trick are you up to now?"

Last time you brought in a fake Chairman Du, and this time you've brought in a fake heir kneeling here. Don't you think our Marquis's mansion has lost enough face?

Do we really want to invite the entire capital to come and make a fool of ourselves?

In their eyes, Zhang Yu was just a clown who threw tantrums to gain attention and even tried to extort money from the Marquis's mansion.

His hiring of actors perfectly aligns with his consistent persona of "impotent rage" and "malicious intent."

Inside the prison cell, Xiao Sheng was so angry upon hearing this that he almost burst out laughing.

Looking at this group of blind Zhang family members, he felt an overwhelming sense of absurdity rush to his head.

A fake heir?

acting?

These people have such wild imaginations.

"presumptuous."

Xiao Sheng couldn't help but rebuke them, pointing at Zhang Wanning and Qin Xuehua, "You ignorant women, how dare you be disrespectful to the Prince Rui's heir? Are you trying to make enemies of the royal family?"

He knew that Zhang Yu had a very bad relationship with his family, so he scolded him without any mercy.

"Alright, Your Highness."

Qin Xuehua interrupted him directly, adopting the posture of an elder lecturing a younger person:

"I know you and Zhang Yu have a good relationship, but you can't let him do whatever he wants."

What kind of decorum is it to have a fake prince kneeling here?

If the real Prince Rui's heir finds out, will our Marquis's mansion even be able to survive?

"Get him up right now, stop acting."

She didn't believe at all that the "Xiao Yun" in front of her was real; she only thought that Xiao Sheng was acting in cooperation with Zhang Yu.

Xiao Sheng was so choked by Qin Xuehua's words that he almost fainted. Pointing at Qin Xuehua, his fingers trembled, "You...you people...you are simply unreasonable and utterly foolish."

He was so angry he didn't want to talk anymore.

This group of people is beyond saving.

They had no idea what they were facing.

Ignoring Xiao Sheng's anger, Zhang Wanning turned to Zhang Yu in the cell and sternly rebuked him:

"Zhang Yu, you still have the mind to put on this messy show?"

Do you even know how much trouble that Chen Dongpeng you hired has caused to Dingshengfang?

"The earth fire array of Dingshengfang is now completely out of control, and the alchemy furnaces have been destroyed one after another, resulting in heavy losses."

Do you know how much money we'll have to lose to avoid delivering a large number of orders?

"This is all a mess you left behind, and you have to take full responsibility."

Zhang Heng immediately stepped forward, his face filled with "heartache" and "righteous indignation," echoing:

"Brother, I know you're angry, but you can't do this to the Marquis's mansion."

Dingshengfang is the pillar industry of the Marquis's mansion, but now it is almost paralyzed because of the people you hired.

How are we supposed to live from now on?

You must find a solution, otherwise, I will never forgive you.

Qin Xuehua chimed in, her tone icy:

"Zhang Yu, it was one thing for you to act recklessly before, but this time you've caused such a huge mess, you must give the Marquis's mansion an explanation."

Otherwise, even if you die in this prison, I will never forgive you.

The three of them, working together, arrogantly and unreasonably shifted all the responsibility and losses of Dingshengfang onto Zhang Yu's shoulders.

It was as if Zhang Yu was the culprit, while they were the innocent victims.

Inside the cell, Zhang Yu calmly swept his gaze over the group of shameless "family members" before him, a cold smile playing on his lips.

"Oh."

He uttered a single word softly, his voice not loud, yet it carried clearly throughout the entire prison area, carrying a chilling indifference.

"I had Chen Dongpeng modify the formation of Dingshengfang, but it was you, Zhang Heng, who dismissed him, not me, Zhang Yu."

"It's your own foolishness and incompetence that led you to misjudge people, treating a truly knowledgeable array master as a 'handyman' and driving him away. Who can you blame for that?"

"It was you, Zhang Heng, who was impatient for quick success and instant benefits, and stubborn and self-willed. In order to establish your so-called 'authority,' you personally destroyed the foundation of Dingshengfang."

"Now that a problem has arisen, instead of thinking about how to solve it, the first thing they do is try to shift the blame onto me?"

"It's... utterly ridiculous."

Zhang Yu's gaze was like a knife, piercing straight at Zhang Heng, his tone filled with undisguised contempt and mockery.

Zhang Yu paused, his gaze sweeping over Qin Xuehua, Zhang Wanning, and Zhang Qingyue before finally settling back on Zhang Heng. His tone was calm, yet every word was piercing:

"I've said it before, without me, the Marquis's manor is nothing. This is just the beginning."

"Do you think that by driving me out and Chen Dongpeng out, you can seize power and enjoy wealth and luxury?"

"dream."

"Just wait, the collapse of Dingshengfang is only the first step. More 'surprises' await you."

"I'd like to see how long you bunch of good-for-nothings... who are good for nothing but backstabbing and shirking responsibility, can hold out!"

Zhang Yu's words were like cold daggers, piercing the hearts of the Zhang family members one by one, stripping away their hypocritical masks and shameless excuses.

Zhang Heng was scolded until his face turned ashen and he trembled all over. He pointed at Zhang Yu, but couldn't say a word.

Qin Xuehua turned pale with anger, her lips trembling:

"You...you unfilial son, how dare you curse the Marquis's mansion like this! How could I have given birth to such an ungrateful wretch?"

Zhang Wanning screamed even louder:

"Zhang Yu, you're being insolent."

You're useless yourself, yet you're here cursing us.

who do you think You Are?

"Without you, the Marquis's mansion will only be better off. Zhang Heng is a thousand times, ten thousand times better than you."

Only Zhang Qingyue, pale-faced, moved her lips but ultimately remained silent.

She had a vague feeling that Zhang Yu's words might not have been entirely said in anger.

The problems at Dingshengfang are indeed strange and serious, and it seems... that they are not accidental.

Meanwhile, Xiao Yun, kneeling on the ground, and Xiao Sheng, in the prison cell, watched this scene with utter absurdity and... tragedy.

Xiao Sheng shook his head and muttered to himself:

"They're insane... These people are truly insane... They have no idea who they've offended..."

They had no idea what terrifying power and energy the person they despised and insulted possessed...?

Xiao Yun also lay on the ground, his heart filled with complex emotions.

He both hated Zhang Yu for humiliating him and was shocked by the stupidity and shamelessness of the Zhang family.

They actually treated such a peerless powerhouse, whom even the royal family feared and whose ancestors could not do anything about, as trash, insulting and criticizing him.

This is simply... courting death!

He even felt some sympathy for Zhang Yu.

Possessing such extraordinary abilities, yet treated this way by such a group of family members.

"That's enough!"

Just then, Zhang Qingyue, who had been silent all along, finally spoke.

Her voice was tired and hoarse.

"Stop arguing, the most important thing now is to solve the problem."

"Brother... Zhang Yu, no matter what, do you... have a way to solve the problem at Dingshengfang?"

Her gaze toward Zhang Yu carried a complex mix of emotions and... a faint, almost imperceptible, expectation.

Zhang Yu glanced at her; this third sister was the only one in the Zhang family who still had some brains.

But he had long since lost all hope in the Marquis's mansion, so why would he offer any help?

"way?"

Zhang Yu chuckled lightly, his tone as cold as ice.

"have."

"But why should I help you?"

"Isn't it... interesting to watch you walk step by step into the abyss, to watch you pay the price for your choices?"

After saying that, Zhang Yu ignored the pale-faced members of the Zhang family and closed his eyes again, as if they were just a bunch of annoying flies, not worth his attention.

The Zhang family members stood frozen in place, their faces alternating between pale and flushed, filled with anger, resentment, unwillingness, and a hint of... indescribable fear spreading through their hearts.

They finally realized that Zhang Yu seemed to be... no longer the "useless" person they could manipulate at will.