AMLFS Chapter 73
by VolareOn the fifth day the Song family was imprisoned, Song Huaixi finally saw Song Zigen and the others.
It was unknown what means Deputy General Sun had used, but the Ministry of Punishments actually agreed to let Song Huaixi visit them in prison.
Song Huaixi felt extremely oppressed as he walked through the dark and narrow prison passage. The prison of the Ministry of Punishments was not as spacious as people imagined.
The passage was narrow, only wide enough for two people to walk side by side. On both sides of the passage were narrow prison cells.
The eyes of the prisoners behind the iron bars peeked out from their dirty hair, with not a single spark of light in them.
They were as numb as the living dead.
When Song Huaixi, who was curiously observing, met their gazes, his body trembled, and he felt a chill down his spine.
He withdrew his gaze, not daring to look any further, and followed closely beside Deputy General Sun.
Besides the jailer leading the way, there was also a fair-faced servant boy beside Deputy General Sun.
The servant boy moved anxiously, his eyes constantly scanning each prison cell.
His pace quickened, and Song Huaixi followed suit.
Finally, the group stopped deep within the prison. Deputy General Sun looked at the people inside and said to the jailer leading the way, “Open the door!”
Song Huaixi saw the people inside through the iron window, and his eyes immediately turned red. He grabbed the iron bars and said, “Father! Mother! Brother!”
Once inside the prison cell, Song Huaixi could clearly see the appearance of the three. Song Zigen, Lin Rugui, and Song Lianyu were huddled together in the narrow corner.
Inside the cell, there was only a wooden plank covered with a straw mat, on which Song Zigen lay with his eyes closed.
Lin Rugui and Song Lianyu were guarding him. Hearing the sound, the two of them looked up at the same time.
Seeing that it was Song Huaixi, their eyes were filled with surprise and panic: “Huaixi?! How did you get here!”
Song Huaixi immediately ran towards the two of them.
Lin Rugui was wearing a thin prison uniform.
Her hair was disheveled, and her dignified and elegant face was now stained with dirt and haggard. Many white hairs had grown on her head.
She seemed to have aged several years overnight, but fortunately, there were no wounds on her body.
As for Song Lianyu beside her, his thin prison uniform was tattered.
Fresh blood seeped out, staining the holes red. His originally handsome appearance as a refined young gentleman had also been tortured into a miserable state.
Turning his gaze to Song Zigen lying behind them, the tears that Song Huaixi had been holding back finally burst forth like a dam breaking, rushing out of his eyes.
“Father!”
Song Huaixi suddenly threw himself beside the bloodied figure on the bed, his heart feeling as if it had been squeezed and crushed.
Immense grief instantly overwhelmed him.
Trembling, Song Huaixi didn’t dare to touch the person on the bed. He felt both heartache and anger.
“It must hurt so much! So much blood! It hurts so much! Why did you beat Father! Wuwuwu…. Why did you beat Father!.”
Song Lianyu and Lin Rugui couldn’t help but shed tears when they saw him like this.
Their Song family had truly suffered an undeserved disaster.
Suddenly, the servant boy who had been standing there couldn’t help but cry when he saw Song Zigen’s miserable state.
Song Lianyu looked at him suspiciously.
The look in his eyes changed, and he immediately became alert, looking towards the outside of the prison cell.
The jailer was gone.
Getting up and walking to the servant boy’s side, Song Lianyu whispered, “Zhao Qiongwan?”
Zhao Qiongwan raised her head, her eyes filled with tears as she looked at the wounded Song Lianyu and sobbed, “Lianyu….”
When Song Lianyu saw that it was indeed her, his heart jumped. The guards must be looking for her now. Coming here was simply throwing herself into a trap.
Song Lianyu became agitated: “Why did you come? You shouldn’t have come! You should have escaped far away, why did you come here!”
Hearing his words, Zhao Qiongwan gave a cold laugh: “Escape? What’s the point of me living alone in this world? If we’re going to die, we’ll die together!”
The entire small prison cell fell into silence because of her words.
Song Huaixi silently shed tears, holding Song Zigen’s hand, watching his beloved father lying on the bed with his life hanging by a thread.
Song Huaixi felt helpless in his heart, not knowing what to do.
Looking at the family members in the prison cell. Everyone’s faces were filled with despair.
His heart was enveloped by endless fear, and the tears on their faces never stopped.
He said blankly, “What to do….. what to do…. Mother… I’m scared…..”
Lin Rugui’s heart was like a knife twisting, not understanding how the Song family had fallen to this point.
She pulled him into her arms, her eyes red and swollen. She still tried to comfort him: “Huaixi, don’t be afraid, Mother is here. Don’t be afraid, don’t be afraid.”
Leaning in her arms, Song Huaixi felt very lost and helpless in his heart.
He didn’t understand why things had suddenly turned out this way.
Everything was fine before he went out.
Why did going out to play turn into this? Would all of this not have happened if he hadn’t gone out?
Song Huaixi cried until he choked: “Mother…. I… won’t… be greedy for fun anymore… wuwu I don’t want you to stay here….”
Everyone’s faces showed a mixture of resentment, unwillingness, and helplessness.
To condemn someone, one can always find a pretext. It was just a normal afternoon, an unfounded charge.
The original harmonious and peaceful life was shattered like this.
Lin Rugui was about to tell Song Huaixi something.
The jailer next to them started banging the iron bars with a stick: “Time’s up!! What are you dawdling for! Get out now!!”
Deputy General Sun sent him a sharp glare, and the saber at his waist was drawn, emitting a cold light.
The jailer immediately stopped his movements, silenced for a moment, and then looked at the people inside: “Ning Wang Consort, you see, I’m just doing things according to the rules. Please don’t make things difficult for a subordinate like me. Come out quickly.”
When Song Huaixi saw that he wanted to drive him away, he immediately grabbed Lin Rugui’s hand: “I’m not leaving, I want to stay here with Father, Mother, and Brother.”
Hearing this, the jailer said with a mocking tone: “Oh, what are you saying? Ning Wang Consort, you have a noble status. How can you stay with these rebels. Come out quickly.”
“No… not rebels! You’re talking nonsense!!” Song Huaixi reached out to wipe the tears from his face, his eyes firm.
His stance indeed looked like he was going to stay here.
How could Song Lianyu let him stay here? He immediately put on a stern face and scolded, “Don’t be ridiculous! Huaixi!”
Turning his head to Zhao Qiongwan, who was dressed as a servant boy, he said, “How are you serving the Wang Consort? Why don’t you quickly take the Wang Consort out!”
After speaking, he pried Song Huaixi’s hand, which was tightly grabbing Lin Rugui’s clothes, and pushed him to Zhao Qiongwan’s side: “What are you still standing there for? Let’s go!”
Song Huaixi was scolded, his eyes still blank.
He didn’t understand why his brother was suddenly being fierce with him. Tears flowed even more fiercely: “Brother…. not leaving… not leaving! … Let’s go together…”
Song Lianyu endured the emotions in his heart, got up, and pushed the two of them out of the prison cell: “Go! Go quickly!”
They were already trapped, and being able to protect one was one less to worry about.
Song Huaixi didn’t know how he returned to the Ning Wang Mansion, and he fainted directly on the way.
The imperial physician prescribed a calming medicine before he fell into a deep sleep.
In his dream, he dreamed of Zhao Fangye. Zhao Fangye stood in front of him, his gaze gentle and firm as he stared at him.
Song Huaixi immediately stepped forward, grabbed his hand, and looked at him with tears in his eyes.
His eyes were full of pleading: “Zhao Fangye…. Zhao Fangye, you’re so powerful, can you bring my father, mother, and brother out?”
“It’s so cold there, so much blood! I’m so scared! Zhao Fangye! When are you coming back…. I miss you so much…..”
In his dream, tears were still falling from the corners of Song Huaixi’s eyes.
His face was full of pain.
Zhao Fangye sat on the edge of the bed, looking down at his tightly clenched hand.
His heart seemed to crack into pieces along with him.
Holding Song Huaixi’s hand and lightly kissing it at his lips, Zhao Fangye’s brows and eyes were filled with the exhaustion of travel.
Looking at the person who was still in pain in his dream, his tone was grave: “I’m sorry, Huaixi. Those who are by my side are always stained with misfortune.”