Chapter 1914: Unintentional Meeting
When he saw how firm she was in her decision, Zu An couldn't say much else. Jiang Luofu was a strong cultivator and even an academy teacher. She was full of combat experience, so there was indeed no need for him to feel worried about her.
The group quickly went in the direction of the Imperial Prison. The carriage moved quickly, but perhaps because the people inside were thinking about how their family members were suffering in the Imperial Prison, the mood was no longer as lighthearted and cheerful. All of them had grave expressions.
Soon after, they arrived outside the Imperial Prison. The group decided to visit the Murong clan’s people first. After all, Murong Qinghe was all alone, so they had to care for her a bit more.
Some patrolling guards quickly came to ask where the carriage was from, and Jiang Luofu left the carriage to negotiate with them. She was the daughter of the Commandant of Attendants, and she was also an influential teacher from the academy’s rear mountain, so there weren’t too many issues with bringing the group into the Imperial Prison.
The people in the carriage sized up the scenery outside the window. Chu Huanzhao couldn't help but mutter, “Men are all so perverted. Those jailers’ eyes are all fixed on Principal Jiang’s legs.”
“Forget about men, even women would give them more looks. Principal Jiang’s legs are too beautiful, and they’re even covered in black stockings,” Qin Wanru said. Even she was a bit tempted.
Should I find a set for myself to try out sometime?
However, she quickly rejected that thought. She was already a mother who had three daughters, and she was even a duchess! Her reputation would be done for if others saw her dressing so provocatively and talked about it behind her back.
Chu Huanzhao nodded, saying, “Principal Jiang’s legs are really pretty. I’ve never seen anyone with prettier legs.”
Chu Youzhao couldn't help but reply, “How many pairs of legs have you even seen anyway? Our Qinghe over here isn’t any inferior to her.”
“Big brother Chu…” Murong Qinghe said, immediately blushing. She knew her own limitations. Even though her legs were long and slender, perhaps it was because she was still too young, but they lacked the sense of softness and fullness Jiang Luofu's legs had. She felt that she was still lacking a bit of maturity. However, she still couldn't help but feel happy when she heard her sweetheart praise her.
Chu Huanzhao was stunned. She exclaimed, “Have you two already reached that level? Let me have a look too, then!”
After saying that, she reached out to examine Murong Qinghe’s legs. Unfortunately, Murong Qinghe was wearing pants as part of her disguise, so it was hard for her to compare them.
Chu Youzhao smacked her hands away and moved protectively in front of Murong Qinghe, saying, “Keep your hands to yourself.”
Chu Huanzhao didn’t seem to mind that much, retorting, “I’m a girl, so what’s the big deal? It’s not as if brother-in-law is touching them.”
Zu An was speechless.
How did I get dragged into this?
Murong Qinghe’s little face heated up a bit, but she was a bit envious of their family’s warm atmosphere. Comparatively speaking, the Murong clan’s education was stricter. She had always grown up in a rough and tough environment, so it was hard for her to imagine her parents and siblings playing around with her like this.
The clear sound of high heels filled the air. Then, the carriage curtains were moved aside, and Jiang Luofu showed those inside a smile, saying, “Alright, you all can follow me inside now.”
Qin Wanru and the young ladies were happy to hear that. They quickly got off the carriage and went inside the prison. However, Yue Shan and the other guards were stopped outside and weren’t allowed to enter. After all, they were clearly armed and quite strong. Qin Wanru understood the reasoning and ordered for them to wait for them outside. Then, she raised the edges of her dress before entering the prison.
It was rare for those on the Imperial Prison’s side to see so many beauties together. There was a mature, beautiful madam, youthful and lively young ladies, and a gorgeous big sis with stunning legs in black stockings. The jailers’ eyes all widened; they stared until their eyes burned.
Qin Wanru couldn't help but tighten up her collar. A bit of worry flashed across her face as she quietly asked, “They won’t do anything bad to us, right?”
Places like the Imperial Prison were where vicious and ferocious people gathered. If the doors were closed behind them, and the jailers wanted to act against them, it wouldn’t do a thing even if the women screamed!
“There's no need to worry. These people have been stationed here for a long time and can only interact with criminals, so it’s normal for their expressions to become like this when they finally see women. That's before considering the fact that all of you are beautiful, so it would be stranger if they didn’t stare,” Jiang Luofu explained with a calm expression.
The others raised their brows when they heard thiat.
How are you able to speak about this so casually? If we really think about it, there are more eyes aimed at those black stocking-covered legs of yours.
As if sensing their confusion, Jiang Luofu said with a calm smile, “My field of specialty is the law, and the Imperial Prison is naturally a crucial part of that. In the past, I even wrote several papers on the mental health of Imperial Prison workers. If you're interested, you can feel free to read them at the academy.”
Qin Wanru was speechless.
I’ve really disturbed her needlessly… This woman is too tough; she’s not the same as us.
When she saw the other women's apprehensive expressions, Jiang Luofu added, “Don’t worry. This isn't the ending phase of a dynasty, so the court still has good control over these departments. The situation you're all worried about won’t come up. Besides, I'm here, so ensuring your safety isn’t too difficult. On top of that, Ah Zu is here too, and he’s been to all kinds of dragon nests and tiger dens.”
Qin Wanru gave Zu An a look of surprise.
Why is Jiang Luofu’s evaluation of him so high? Is he really that formidable?
Even though Zu An had already brought her enough shocking news, when she thought about that youngster who had once been unbearably weak, it really was difficult for her to think of them as the same person.
Chu Huanzhao grabbed Zu An’s arm, saying, “Then I’ll stay a bit closer to my brother-in-law so he can protect me.”
Chu Youzhao raised her eyebrows when she saw that, saying, “Second sis, men and women should keep their distance, you know? That’s inappropriate.”
Murong Qinghe couldn't help but give her a look.
Weren’t you always grabbing onto him like that in the past too?
Chu Huanzhao didn’t care at all, retorting, “What men and women keeping distance? Brother-in-law and I are one family and our relationship is great! Why would I have to worry about that stuff? I’m more worried about you; what are you even thinking about all day in that head of yours? If you’re jealous, then you can come over here too.”
Qin Wanru was getting a huge headache. Her second and third daughter were both really obedient to their biggest sister, but they always argued with each other.
One doesn’t cherish and take care of her little sister, while the other doesn’t respect her older sister. They’re always like enemies whenever they meet.
Also, why is Huanzhao telling Youzhao to hug her brother-in-law too? Just what are you saying? You’ve already sold yourself out, but you’re giving out your big sister too?
Am I really going to serve all three sisters to Zu An in the same pot?!
Fortunately, in front of her mother and big sister, Chu Youzhao didn't dare to be as affectionate with her brother-in-law as she usually was. After all, they knew she was actually a woman, and weren’t like Murong Qinghe who was too easily fooled. When she saw her second sister cling to her brother-in-law, she could only grit her teeth. After Huanzhao caught her looking, she hugged him even closer as if to provoke her.
Ahhh! I’m so angry! I’ll definitely tell on her the next time I see eldest sis!
…
Under the lead of a jailer, the group had unwittingly already entered a prison cell. There were several people locked up in each room, and they all had dispirited expressions as they leaned against the corner. There were signs of torture on their bodies too.
When she saw that, Murong Qinghe’s eyes immediately became red. However, she still understood the severity of the situation and did her best to not show it.
Jiang Luofu patted her hand to console her. Then, she fished out a tael of gold and tossed it to the jailer.
The jailer tucked the gold away into his sleeves with a big smile, saying, “You guys can slowly chat with each other, I’ll stand guard outside.” Then, he tactfully left to give them some space.
Murong Qinghe could no longer hold herself back. She jumped straight into one of the rooms, calling out, “Dad…”
The half-unconscious people in the cell all gradually woke up. Among them, an impressive-looking middle-aged man’s voice shook as he asked, “Is it you, Qinghe?”
He was Murong Qinghe’s father, Murong Zhan. He had been a minister under the Imperial Secretariat.
Murong Qinghe removed the mask covering her face. She couldn't hold back her tears, saying, “Dad, it’s me.”
Murong Zhan was shocked and happy, crying out, “Qinghe!” He noticed Qin Wanru who was standing off to the side, continuing, “Wanru, is that you? This must be Huanzhao! You’ve grown so big now. Youzhao is still as handsome and heroic as before.”
The Murong clan and Qin clan were related by marriage to begin with, so they were both close. He had naturally met Qin Wanru in the past, but after so many years, she had become much more mature, so things seemed to have become a bit different in that time.
“It is me,” Qin Wanru said, rubbing away tears. “You've all really suffered.”
They could see that the prisoners had been tortured even through the prison bars, leaving them in poor condition.
Chu Huanzhao and Chu Youzhao also greeted Murong Zhan respectfully. Their eyes were a bit red.
“What do you mean, suffering? Compared to the battlefield’s vile situations, it’s far from that…” Murong Zhan said, but even he started to sound a bit dispirited. Even though he had suffered more severe wounds on the battlefield and stayed in worse conditions, he'd still had faith and hope back then. But now, the Murong clan had become criminals. What hope was there left for them?
When he realized that, his expression suddenly changed. He quickly warned his daughter, “Why did you come here? It’s too dangerous here! If your identity is exposed, they’ll catch you too! Hurry and get out of here!”
Just then, Zu An spoke up. “Don't worry. Little sister Qinghe is fine now. I can ensure her safety. Also, you guys just need to hold on here for a few more days. The different sides are scheming against each other in the court right now, but I'll also try to find a way to clear the Murong clan's name.”
Strictly speaking, the Murong clan was without fault to begin with. Rather, they were the perfect example of citizens loyal to the state. He couldn't allow such a devoted clan to suffer such an unjust fate.
Murong Zhan recognized him. When he heard that, he kneeled at Zu An's and greeted him with respect. “So it was Sir Zu! The Murong clan will remember Sir Zu’s grace for as long as we exist!”
The others in the Murong clan were also incredibly moved. They had already gotten used to the thought of others abandoning them, and yet there was actually someone who had come to offer a helping hand!
Murong Qinghe was even more moved. She had already felt extremely grateful when Zu An protected her before, but she had never expected him to actually even earnestly save the Murong clan! She also couldn't help but kneel too.
“Sir Murong, there's no need for that. The Murong clan was unjustly blamed to begin with. You shouldn’t have had to go through all of this,” Zu An said, quickly trying to help them back up. A gentle force supported all of them, preventing them from kneeling down.
With that, everyone from the Murong clan ended up brimming with tears.
Jiang Luofu’s expression changed. She also supported all of them up.
This kid’s cultivation is even higher than I thought.
He clearly doesn’t have any ki fluctuations coming from his body, but he’s full of mysteries.
There was something else everyone from the Murong clan just couldn't understand as well. They had always been faithful patriots of the empire, so how had they ended up being blamed and cursed wherever they went?
Just then, the elder furthest inside opened his eyes. He released a deep sigh, saying, “Sir Zu, we used to be political enemies. Why would you help us?”
Murong Tong had been pretending to be sleeping from the start precisely because he didn’t want to meet Zu An in such a situation.
Zu An said with an earnest expression, “All I seek is nothing more than a clear conscience. No decent person would be able to watch with folded arms in this kind of situation.”
“Very admirable!” Murong Tong exclaimed; his eyes shone brilliantly. “It seems I misunderstood you before.”
“We merely had different perspectives and can't really be considered political enemies," Zu An said with a chuckle. Then, he gave their wounds a look, asking, “Why have you suffered such vicious interrogations?”
Jiang Luofu also frowned, saying, “That’s right. I clearly assigned some people to watch over you.”
“We must thank Lady Jiang. At first, there were many people who were secretly watching over us,” Murong Tong said with a deep sigh. “but a few days ago, King Jin paid a visit and placed the blame of his majesty’s death on us. He gave the order to have all of us tortured, so the others didn’t dare to refuse his order.”
“That King Jin really is laughable. What does his majesty’s accident have to do with the Murong clan?” Jiang Luofu remarked, feeling upset.
Chu Huanzhao wanted to tell them that her brother-in-law had already killed King Jin when the door was suddenly pushed open. The jailer from earlier rushed in and said in a panic, “You all need to leave as quickly as possible; someone is here to interrogate the criminals! Ah, no, there’s no time. All of you need to hurry and hide!”
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