Denghuangtai

In the twenty-first year of Jianyuan, in the last month of winter, on the first day of the month.

Li Ji, the Chief Justice of the Court of Justice, was waiting at the entrance of the Imperial Prison early in the morning.

The sky was overcast and snow was falling heavily. Although Li Ji was wearing a sheepskin coat, he was still shivering from the cold.

"Damn it," Li Ji cursed inwardly. He pulled his clothes tighter, moved his feet which were almost numb from the cold, and then stood respectfully in place, not daring to relax in the slightest.

His attendants were all red-faced and icy cold, but they all stood still in tacit agreement.

There was no other way; they feared the person who would greet them later more than the harsh wind and snow. The wind and snow were only temporary, but if they neglected that person… they feared they would never see the warmth of spring again.

"My lord, they've arrived."

Li Ji's confidant quietly reminded him, and Li Ji looked in the direction his confidant was looking.

Not far away, a procession of carriages slowly approached, with a tall carriage in the middle and guards with swords in front and behind.

Li Ji rubbed his face, which was stiff from the cold, forced a smile, and stepped forward.

"Greetings, Grand Minister of Works." Li Ji bowed respectfully to the carriage.

The carriage sped past Li Ji and stopped in front of the imperial prison gate.

The car door opened, and Yun Zheng slowly stepped out with the help of his guards, who stood in two rows behind him.

Li Ji stepped forward, his smile becoming even more obsequious. "My lord."

Yun Zheng's expression was arrogant, and he merely glanced at him with his narrow eyes. His light gaze, however, struck Li Ji like a cold glint, causing Li Ji's already hunched body to bend even lower.

Yun Zheng didn't say anything more and strode towards the imperial prison.

The Imperial Prison held criminals wanted by the court. Usually, when someone passed by, these people would rush to the railing and plead for justice. But today, as Yun Zheng walked by, everyone tacitly shrank into the corner, not daring to even raise their heads.

Deep inside the imperial prison, Pei Qingyan huddled on a cold straw mat, her eyes closed, her head spinning, her consciousness swirling in endless darkness and excruciating pain. Besides her own heavy, labored breathing, all she could hear were screams coming from the direction of the interrogation hall.

"It'll be soon," Pei Qingyan thought to himself.

She arrived in the capital yesterday, and I imagine someone will come to interrogate her soon. The methods of the Court of Justice and the Imperial Prison are always ruthless; I wonder how many rounds she can withstand from them in her current state.

Pei Qingyan opened her eyes and tried to sit up. The Pei family had led troops for generations and were all brave and upright men. Even though she was imprisoned, she could not lose the Pei family's integrity.

Her injuries were too severe; even the slightest movement caused excruciating pain. She tried several times, but the strength she had managed to muster was completely exhausted, and she remained lying in the same spot. Beads of sweat slid down her hair, her vision grew increasingly blurry, her consciousness almost faded, and all her vitality seemed to be draining away with her blood.

Perhaps soon, she will follow her father and brothers in death...

Just before Pei Qingyan was about to lose consciousness, a scene suddenly appeared in his mind.

Linhe Yixiantian was surrounded by cliffs and precipices. Countless corpses lay in the middle of the canyon. Pei Qingyan stumbled and searched through the mountain of corpses and sea of ​​blood, his hands and body covered in blood.

"A spy, there's a spy."

Pei Qingyan's ankle was gripped by a blood-soaked hand. The man, as if grasping at a straw, kept repeating the same phrase. Pei Qingyan recognized him; he was a personal guard under her father. She crouched down, wanting to ask for more details, but the man had already collapsed from exhaustion, like the others lying in the canyon, lifeless.

Pei Qingyan's breathing suddenly became rapid. She, who had been on the verge of collapse, was rekindled by her will to live. She couldn't die. The 30,000 soldiers of Linhe had died under mysterious circumstances; she had to seek justice for them. She couldn't die. If she died, the court would truly place all the blame for the defeat on her father and brothers.

The Pei family has been heroes for generations, and she cannot allow her father and brothers to be unjustly accused after their deaths.

She has to live!

Pei Qingyan bit her tongue, the intense pain mixed with the taste of blood between her lips and teeth. She forcefully tore a hole in the chaos, and her consciousness returned.

The distant wails seemed to have subsided somewhat, and with the creaking sound of the iron gate opening, a series of footsteps approached from afar.

"Grand Commander... he's right inside, watch your step."

A fawning voice rang out.

Grand Minister of Works...

Upon hearing this title, an extremely handsome face flashed through Pei Qingyan's mind. Five years ago, she left the capital in haste, thinking she would never cross paths with this person again in her life, but she never expected to meet him again in this way.

Pei Qingyan forced a self-deprecating smile. The unwillingness in her heart gave her strength again after she was exhausted. She struggled to sit up from the ground, leaning against the cold stone wall of the prison. Even as the pain struck, her back remained straight.

She couldn't lose the integrity of the Pei family, and she certainly couldn't make a fool of herself in front of that person.

Several bright copper lamps pierced the darkness of the imperial prison. Pei Qingyan, who had been trapped in darkness for a long time, squinted at the light. She raised her hand to shield her eyes, and the sound of footsteps stopped not far away.

"Open the door."

Yun Zheng's voice rang out, like a jade chime falling on ice, cold and clear, carrying an undeniable pressure.

The sound of the brass lock being opened rang out, and Pei Qingyan, her eyes now adjusted to the light, slowly lowered her hand. Several years had passed since they last met, and Yun Zheng seemed even taller than she remembered, with a handsome figure. His fox fur cloak was draped with layers of gold thread, exuding nobility and majesty.

Yun Zheng stood in the doorway with his back to the light, his brows furrowed and his gaze coldly fixed on her.

"General Pei, it's been five years. How have you been?" Yun Zheng's tone was flat, his seemingly concerned words full of sarcasm.

Pei Qingyan's dry, chapped lips moved slightly. She wanted to maintain her composure, but the corners of her lips pulled at the hideous wounds on her face, causing her to frown.

Yun Zheng stepped in, his spotless black embroidered boots landing on the filthy ground.

He looked down at Pei Qingyan. The imperial prison was shrouded in darkness; even the copper lamps provided only limited light. Therefore, he didn't notice anything amiss until Pei Qingyan let out a muffled groan of pain…

Yun Zheng turned around, snatched the bronze lantern from Li Ji's hand, and held it in front of Pei Qingyan. The next moment, the hatred that had been deliberately condensed in his eyes suddenly froze.

His once fair face was now covered in mud and blood, a gruesome wound running from below his eye to the corner of his lip. The prison was cold and gloomy, yet Pei Qingyan's clothes were pitifully thin, stained with black and red blood. His hands and feet were bound with leather ropes twisted with wire, the wrists so tightly that bone was visible.

Yun Zheng's pupils suddenly darkened, and his eyes surged with emotions: shock, anger, and a heartache that had been forcibly suppressed but was about to burst forth.

He closed his eyes briefly, then opened them again, all his emotions concealed by an even deeper gloom.

"Were you tortured?" Yun Zheng asked calmly, but his knuckles were white as he gripped the bronze lamp.

Li Ji, who was standing nearby, hurriedly stepped forward and replied, "Your Excellency, the torture has not yet been administered."

Yun Zheng lifted his eyelids and glanced at him casually. Li Ji immediately knelt on the ground, defending himself, "My lord, it's not that I was negligent, but this person is seriously injured, and I dare not take the risk."

"wounded?"

"Yes." Li Ji nodded. "When the Court of Justice was ordered to arrest her, she was still leading her remaining troops to fight against the Xiongnu. The wounds on her body were sustained while fighting the Xiongnu."

Li Ji paused for a moment, but ultimately couldn't hold back and began to plead for Pei Qingyan.

"My lord, even if the Pei family is guilty, please consider the deaths of Pei father and son in battle, and General Pei's valiant resistance against the enemy..."

Before Li Ji could finish speaking, Pei Qingyan's voice rang out.

"The Pei family...is innocent!"

"The Pei family denies guilt!"

Pei Qingyan's voice grew louder with each shout, echoing throughout the prison.