At 100 years old, he joined the army in place of his granddaughter, and became a national war god.

In the capital of the Great Qian Dynasty, in the imperial prison.

Consort Xu was walking step by step into the depths of the prison cell.

A maid followed behind her, carrying a food box containing several plates of exquisite dishes and a small pot of warm wine.

The maidservant lowered her head, not daring to look at the dark prison cells on both sides, her steps trembling slightly.

"We've arrived, Your Majesty."

The jailer stopped and pointed to the cell in front of him.

"Lord Xu is inside."

Consort Xu took a deep breath, took the food box from the maid, and waved her hand, saying, "You may leave."

The maidservant felt as if she had been granted a pardon and quickly turned and left.

Consort Xu carried a food box and walked to the prison gate.

In the prison cell, Xu Shigui, disheveled and dressed in rags, huddled on a pile of hay in the corner.

He was skin and bones, his hair was disheveled, and he looked utterly wretched.

"Brother." Consort Xu's voice choked with emotion.

Xu Shigui did not move.

He had his back to the cell door, huddled in the corner, like a walking corpse.

Consort Xu squatted down, placed the food box on the ground, and opened the lid.

Sweet and sour carp, braised pork, and a pot of warm wine filled the damp prison cell with their aroma.

"Brother, I brought you your favorite sweet and sour carp."

"Eat it while it's hot, don't let it get cold."

Xu Shigui remained unmoved.

"Brother, please eat something. I heard from the jailer that you haven't eaten for several days. How can your body take this?"

Consort Xu's eyes reddened, and her voice trembled with tears.

From the other side of the cell came the clanging of chains.

Prime Minister Li Yuan leaned against the bars of the cell next door, his hair disheveled, his face pale, and a mocking smile on his lips.

"Your Highness, there's no need to persuade me anymore."

"He couldn't eat anymore."

"With his two sons' deaths still unresolved, how could he possibly have the appetite to eat?"

Consort Xu's face darkened, and she turned her head sharply, glaring at him fiercely.

"Li Yuan, shut up!"

Li Yuan didn't take it seriously, sneered, leaned against the wall, and closed his eyes.

Xu Shigui finally turned around slowly.

His eyes were cloudy, his eye sockets were sunken, and his face was completely bloodless.

He looked at his sister's haggard face, at the plate of steaming sweet and sour carp in her hand, and forced a smile that looked more like a grimace.

Consort Xu hurriedly pushed the food box into the prison door, her voice urgent.

"Brother, eat something. Look how thin you've become!"

Xu Shigui shook his head and slowly stood up, leaning against the wall.

He walked to the cell door, gripped the iron bars with both hands, and stared straight at Xu Meimei.

"Sister, tell me, how is Su Mu now? Has His Majesty bestowed any honors upon him?"

Consort Xu frowned sharply.

"Brother, how did you know Su Mu would be rewarded?"

Xu Shigui did not answer, but simply tilted his head towards the next cell.

"It was the Prime Minister who told me. He was locked up last night, and we talked through the wall for half the night."

Consort Xu turned her head and glanced at Li Yuan.

At this moment, Xu Shigui gave a bitter smile.

"Hahaha!"

"Su Mu is a man who can put even a prime minister in jail; his methods are truly remarkable."

"Now that the Prime Minister is in prison, His Majesty will surely recognize his merits and reward him accordingly."

He paused, letting out a dry sigh.

"Sister, tell your brother quickly, how did His Majesty reward Su Mu?"

Consort Xu remained silent for a moment, then sighed and said:

"To enfeoff...to enfeoff Su Mu as Duke of Zhenbei."

"The Duke of Zhenbei..."

Xu Shigui murmured these three words repeatedly, then suddenly burst into laughter.

"Hahaha! Hahaha!"

The laughter was shrill and echoed through the empty prison cell, sending chills down one's spine.

"Fate! It's all fate!"

"I, Xu Shigui, should never have provoked that devil Su Mu in the first place!"

"This shouldn't be!"

He suddenly grabbed the iron bars and shook them violently, the chains rattling loudly.

"I regret it! But it's too late!"

"Su Mu! You won! You won!"

"I, Xu Shigui, have lost completely!"

His chest heaved violently, and the light in his eyes gradually faded.

"puff!"

Suddenly, a mouthful of blood gushed from his mouth and splattered on the cell door.

A few drops of blood from the rebound landed on Consort Xu's face.

Then, Xu Shigui's body suddenly stiffened and he collapsed to the ground.

"elder brother!"

Consort Xu screamed and rushed to the prison door, reaching through the bars with both hands to desperately reach Xu Shigui's body, but her hands could only reach the hem of his clothes.

Xu Shigui lay on the cold stone ground, his eyes half-open, a trace of blood still clinging to the corner of his mouth, before finally taking his last breath.

"Go and call the jailer! Quickly!" Consort Xu shouted to her maid.

The maid stumbled and ran to find the jailer.

Before long, the jailer came running with the key, hurriedly opened the cell door, came to Xu Shigui's side, checked his breathing, and felt his pulse.

The jailer stood up, cupped his hands in greeting, and said:

"Your Highness, Lord Xu... is dead."

Consort Xu's body jolted violently, her legs went weak, and she collapsed to the ground.

Her tears finally welled up, silently sliding down her cheeks and dripping onto the cold stone ground.

"elder brother……"

In the next cell, Li Yuan opened his eyes and stared at Xu Shigui's corpse lying in a pool of blood. His pupils constricted, and a chill ran down his spine.

He recalled that he was now in the same situation as Xu Shigui, imprisoned in the dungeon, awaiting interrogation.

What awaits him?

Is it exile? Or beheading?

Or will he die a tragic death in prison like Xu Shigui?

Consort Xu stood up, wiped away her tears, turned around, and looked coldly at Li Yuan.

Li Yuan saw hatred in her eyes.

"Your Highness, it seems your pillow talk isn't working anymore," Li Yuan said with a half-smile, his words laced with sarcasm.

"If Your Majesty had listened to you, your two nephews would not have died in vain."

"Your brother wouldn't have died in this prison."

"Li Yuan, what do you mean by this?" Consort Xu gritted her teeth.

Li Yuan smiled and continued:

"This is just a reminder to the Imperial Concubine. Having been in the palace for so many years, you should know better than me that the most unreliable thing in this world is the emperor's affection."

Consort Xu stared at Li Yuan for a long time before letting out a cold snort.

"Li Yuan, you should worry about yourself."

After saying that, she turned around and strode out of the cell.

Behind her, the maid followed closely, head bowed, not daring to breathe.

Xu Shigui's body lay on the cold stone ground, his eyes half-open.

Don't rest your eyes!

……

Outside the prison gates, the night wind howled.

Consort Xu stood on the steps, gazing at the distant palace, her eyes filled with hatred.

"Su Mu..."

"You killed my nephew, harmed my brother, and destroyed my Xu family."

"I'll remember this grudge. One day, I'll make you pay the price."

"Xiao Jinghuan, if you are heartless to me, don't blame me for being ruthless to you."

……

At the entrance of the prison, two guards on duty yawned and chatted idly.

"Another one died."

A jailer shook his head and sighed.

"In this world, officials fight and fight, but in the end, few of them have a good ending."

"Tell me, who exactly is this Su Mu? How did a centenarian become a Duke and even manage to put the Prime Minister in jail? He's really something."

"Shh! Keep your voice down. How dare you say such things? Are you out of your mind?"

"Just do your job well. If you make random comments about the court, you'll lose your head."

The two quickly fell silent and continued their post in the cold wind.

……

In the cell, Li Yuan leaned against the wall, staring at Xu Shigui's body, which had not yet been carried away, for a long time without looking away.

He took a deep breath.

"Xu Shigui lost!"

"But I, Li Yuan, haven't lost yet."

"Su Mu, you just wait. I refuse to believe that I, the Prime Minister, with thirty years of official experience, am no match for you!"

"Your Highness, you will definitely rescue me."

"You'll see then!"