AMLFS Chapter 72
by VolareZhao Qiongwan’s entire body went limp upon hearing the response, and she slid down, clutching the carriage wall for support.
“Sister-in-law…”
Song Huaixi was about to call out to her when Vice General Sun interrupted.
“The Princess Consort is tired, immediately drive the carriage back to the mansion!”
The carriage immediately turned around and sped towards the Ning Wang Mansion.
The emperor had ordered the entire Song family to be imprisoned in the Ministry of Punishments, and they were likely searching for Zhao Qiongwan’s whereabouts at that very moment.
Her identity could not be exposed.
Although Song Huaixi was a member of the Song family, he was first and foremost the Ning Wang’s Princess Consort.
They wouldn’t dare to act presumptuously.
The carriage left the Song residence.
“Sister-in-law, what’s wrong? Father… what happened to them?”
Inside the carriage, Song Huaixi leaned against Zhao Qiongwan, vaguely sensing danger.
But he didn’t understand what the officials were saying, why they wanted to arrest his family.
A look of resentment appeared on Zhao Qiongwan’s face, her fists clenched so tightly that her nails dug into her palms, turning them red.
Her body trembled.
How could the Song family be guilty of treason? Song Zigen was upright and incorruptible; this was absolutely absurd.
The emperor must have believed the slander of wicked people.
Their Zhao family had suffered such injustice back then, and the case remained unresolved to this day.
Now the Song family was suffering the same fate, how could she not hate it.
Such a foolish emperor, such a corrupt court, what need was there for it to exist!
Song Huaixi had never seen Zhao Qiongwan with such an expression; she had always been gentle and dignified.
“Sister-in-law…”
Hearing his call, she turned her head to look at Song Huaixi’s worried face, reached out and took his hand, her eyes filled with hatred.
“Huaixi, father, mother, and Lianyu have all been thrown into prison. It’s all the emperor’s fault, you must remember that.”
Upon hearing about prison, Song Huaixi’s face immediately turned pale.
He grabbed her hand, panicked and flustered: “No! Don’t go to prison, prison is dangerous! Sister-in-law, let’s quickly bring father, mother and brother out.”
He had vaguely heard people mention that prisons were terrifying. People who went in would suffer greatly and even die.
In his mind, it was not a good place at all.
Hearing his urgent words, a look of despair appeared on Zhao Qiongwan’s face.
The Ministry of Punishments, that was a place that devoured people without leaving a trace.
What could they do, a fugitive and a foolish Princess Consort, to bring people out?
Back then, the Zhao family had tried every means to seek justice, but still ended up with the men exiled and the women forced into prostitution.
If she hadn’t been lucky enough to meet Song Lianyu, she would have already killed herself in the brothel.
“It’s no use, Huaixi.”
Zhao Qiongwan shook her head, a bitter smile appearing on her face. She had already lost hope and was prepared to die.
Seeing her like this, Song Huaixi was extremely frightened.
His voice trembled as he shook his head repeatedly: “No no no… we have to go!”
Just as he was feeling completely helpless, Song Huaixi suddenly thought of something, and a glimmer of hope ignited in his heart as he anxiously called out: “Zhao Fangye! I want to find Zhao Fangye!”
“He will definitely be able to bring father, mother, and brother out. He’s very powerful, Sister-in-law, let’s go find Zhao Fangye!”
Zhao Fangye was so powerful, he definitely could do it.
Song Huaixi had never wanted to see Zhao Fangye so urgently as he did at this moment.
In times of crisis, Zhao Fangye could always protect him. Almost instinctively, Song Huaixi wanted to rely on him.
A light flashed in Zhao Qiongwan’s eyes, but it quickly died down.
Prince Zhao of the Ning district was currently in Hanzhou, and even at full gallop, it would take dozens of days to return.
By that time, the Ministry of Punishments would probably have already used torture to force a confession.
“Vice General Sun! We’re going to find Zhao Fangye!” Song Huaixi leaned his head out of the carriage and anxiously shouted towards Vice General Sun on horseback.
“Princess Consort, don’t worry, this subordinate has already sent a message to the Prince.”
As soon as something happened to the Song family, Vice General Sun immediately sent a message to Zhao Fangye with the details.
Hanzhou was so far away; even with carrier pigeons, it would take at least two or three days at the earliest.
At this moment, Zhao Fangye, far away in Hanzhou, knew nothing about what was happening in the capital.
With Ouyang Tongji’s help, the epidemic in Hanzhou was relatively easy to deal with. The disaster victims took Ouyang Tongji’s medicine. The condition has been basically controlled.
However, although the people accepted Zhao Fangye’s arrangements, they were still very hostile to the imperial court at heart.
Under the instigation of the rebels, they had gradually developed dissatisfaction with the court’s rule.
Zhao Fangye had been wanting to meet the leader of the rebels for the past few days, but he had always refused to show his face.
It was as if he was secretly observing Zhao Fangye and his party.
Zhao Fangye’s patience was gradually running out, and he ordered his men, deciding to personally go to Hanzhou City tomorrow to meet this rebel leader.
At the same time, in the prison of the Ministry of Punishments.
Song Zigen was imprisoned in a cell, and soon a jailer led him out.
Song Zigen’s hands and feet were shackled. He was wearing thin prison clothes, and his original illness, which was almost cured, now showed signs of relapse.
Although he was a prisoner, there was no sign of dejection on Song Zigen’s face; instead, he looked upright.
He had never done anything to collude with the enemy and betray the country. His conscience was clear.
Originally, he had planned to go to court today to ask the emperor to resign, and from then on, he would no longer participate in court disputes. But before he could speak, the Imperial Censor jumped out and accused him.
He said that he had captured several spies from the Northern Kingdom and found evidence of his collusion with them. He accused Song Zigen and requested the emperor to search the Song family’s residence.
Song Zigen had never done such a thing, so how could he admit it. He immediately asked the emperor to search the residence to prove his innocence.
But unexpectedly, this was a trap set against the Song family.
Officials led troops to turn the Song family’s residence upside down and found evidence of collusion with spies from the Northern Kingdom in Song Zigen’s study.
The emperor was furious and ordered the entire Song family to be arrested and imprisoned in the Ministry of Punishments.
In the prison cell, whips were constantly lashing at Song Zigen’s body, making crisp sounds.
Each strike brought out a string of blood. Song Zigen gritted his teeth and didn’t utter a single sound.
“Hurry up and confess, who ordered you and the spies from the Northern Kingdom!” The interrogating official shouted angrily.
Song Zigen endured the pain, but his eyes were firm: “I have nothing to do with the Northern Kingdom, these so-called evidence are all fabricated!”
The pain kept him awake. Song Zigen realized that this was not just a slander against the Song family; their real target was Prince Zhao of the Ning district.
“Good, so you’re going to be stubborn, huh!” The interrogating official smiled sinisterly when he saw this.
“Alright, since you refuse to confess, then don’t blame this official for using torture! Someone, beat him!”
As the whipping intensified, Song Zigen’s consciousness gradually blurred, but he still refused to reveal a single word.
He knew that if he confessed to this unfounded crime, not only would the entire Song family bear a bad name, but it would also implicate Prince Zhao of the Ning district.
No matter what, he must persevere…
Even if they couldn’t escape, at least they could protect Huaixi.
In Hanzhou City, Prince Zhao of the Ning district led his troops to confront the rebel army in the city.
The two sides were in a stalemate, and the opposing side were all civilians. Zhao Fangye did not want to use force to suppress them, but wanted to recruit this rebel army.
But Zhao Fangye did not want to delay any longer, it was the same to capture the person first and then talk about recruitment.
Just as he was about to give the order, his subordinate handed him a secret letter: “Your Highness, a carrier pigeon message from Vice General Sun.”
Upon hearing that it was from the capital, Zhao Fangye’s eyes narrowed, and he took it and opened it.
As he looked at the contents of the note, Zhao Fangye’s expression became increasingly cold and stern, and the aura around him was terrifying.
He immediately turned his horse around: “Return to camp!”
Leaving the opposing rebels looking at each other, at a loss.