Cannot Escape

After confirming that Tang Wanxin, lying on the ground, had no breath, Xiao Jingyuan let out a cold snort and said, "A vixen is always a vixen."

Then, he couldn't help but look back at Xiao Yukang's corpse.

With the Prince dead, the Capital City would inevitably send people to offer condolences and inquire about the cause of his death.

They might even send people to examine the body.

It would be impossible for them to believe that the cause of death was illness.

Therefore, it could only be an assassination. As for the murderer, he had already decided.

Tang Wanxin and Jiang Yun, imprisoned in the dungeon, would make excellent scapegoats.

Xiao Jingyuan took a deep breath, tears rolling down his eyes. He pushed open the door and shouted, "Father is dead."

Upon hearing this, the Princess Consort, the concubines, the stewards, and the advisors in the courtyard, as if they had been waiting for this moment, let out the tears they had been holding back for a long time.

Listening to the wailing filling the courtyard, Xiao Jingyuan slowly clenched his fists.

He was already the Crown Prince. With all his brothers dead, it was only natural for him to become the Prince.

Now, he needed to arrange the subsequent matters.

A guard in the courtyard seemed to have something to report.

He hurried forward.

Xiao Jingyuan said in a low voice, "Kill Jiang Yun in the dungeon immediately."

The guard's voice trembled as he said, "Y-Your Highness, he escaped."

"Escaped?" Xiao Jingyuan was stunned, but his eyes lit up with joy. It was good that he escaped!

Xiao Jingyuan shouted, "The Prince was assassinated, and the murderer has now fled!"

"Notify the Prefect and seal the city! Arrest him!"

"The murderer is Jiang Yun!"

In the Heavenly Chamber room of the South Man Residence, Xu Suwen sat anxiously, waiting.

Beside her, Xu Xiaogang nonchalantly ate an orange and said, "Sister, did you send a letter home?"

"To save Jiang Yun?"

Xu Suwen shook her head and slowly said, "That letter wasn't for home."

Xu Xiaogang was taken aback and asked in a low voice, "Are you reporting to the higher-ups that the Prince's Mansion is colluding with evil people?"

"Not that either."

Listening to Xu Suwen, Xu Xiaogang couldn't help but glance at the adjacent room.

Jiang Qiaoqiao was in there.

Xu Xiaogang muttered to himself and couldn't help but ask, "You're helping Jiang Yun and protecting his sister. Could it be that you really like him?"

"If you ask me, it's not good to fall out with Prince Su's Mansion for Jiang Yun."

"Although Prince Su's Mansion's influence in the Capital City is diminishing, they are still royalty."

"They are closely related to His Majesty."

"With our identities, getting into a conflict with them..."

"Of course, if you really like Jiang Yun, then I, your younger brother, will storm Prince Su's Mansion and help you bring him out."

"You brat." Xu Suwen glared at Xu Xiaogang, then reminded him, "Twenty years ago, Tianqing Temple."

"Tianqing Temple?" Xu Xiaogang shook his head. "Twenty years ago, I had just been born. How could I..."

Suddenly, the orange in Xu Xiaogang's hand dropped to the floor. His pupils contracted slightly, and he asked in disbelief, "Sister, are you talking about that Third-Rank Grand Celestial Master from Tianqing Temple?"

How could Xu Xiaogang not know about this? It had caused a huge stir throughout the Capital City back then.

Tianqing Temple, one of the only three remaining Daoist temples, had a Third-Rank Grand Celestial Master.

It was said that the Celestial Master grew up in the temple and had extraordinary cultivation.

However, he had been unable to break through his realm for a long time.

So, he chose to reincarnate, to be reborn into the mortal world.

He also vowed to seal his memories and descend in the south.

Once he recovered his memories, he would return to the Capital City.

At that time, the Daoist sect would revive, all things would flourish, evil spirits would be eradicated, and the Dao would be widely spread.

Xu Suwen nodded slightly and slowly said, "Jiang Yun was originally just a scholar, but overnight, he learned Daoist magic."

"Hiss." Xu Xiaogang gasped and asked, "Then your carrier pigeon...?"

"It went to Tianqing Temple."

Xu Xiaogang's pupils trembled. He knew that the First Rank and Second Rank realms only existed in legends.

In all the land, the Great Zhou Dynasty's strongest were those in the Third-Rank realm.

A Third-Rank Grand Celestial Master was the most powerful person in the Daoist sect.

"The people from Tianqing Temple will go crazy when they get this news," Xu Xiaogang swallowed.

Xu Suwen nodded slightly and reminded, "This matter is of great importance, you absolutely cannot mention it to anyone else."

"I understand."

Just then, hurried footsteps could be heard from the corridor outside.

Jiang Yun pushed the door open, panting heavily. He had just returned to his own small courtyard.

Finding Jiang Qiaoqiao and Xu Suwen gone, he guessed they might have come to Nanmanju Inn.

"Miss Xu, Xu..."

"Brother-in-law!" Xu Xiaogang's eyes lit up with surprise as he shouted, "Why did you come out? Let me see, are you injured?"

Xu Xiaogang, enthusiastic as fire, circled Jiang Yun.

Jiang Yun was a bit confused by his demeanor and couldn't help but examine him, "You are...?"

"Sis— Brother-in-law is fine."

Xu Suwen kicked him in the backside, "Don't talk nonsense."

Jiang Yun rubbed his backside and stepped aside.

Seeing Jiang Qiaoqiao safe and sound in the next room, Jiang Yun finally breathed a sigh of relief and said in a deep voice, "Something has happened at Prince Su's Mansion."

Soon, Jiang Yun recounted his experience in the Dungeon in detail.

After listening, Xu Suwen frowned and said coldly, "Prince Su is Royalty, after all. He wouldn't possibly do something like making a relative swap hearts."

"If it's true,"

Xu Suwen paused and said, "His Majesty would likely be furious."

Xu Xiaogang snorted, "Prince Su was a heroic figure in his youth, leading troops to expand the territory for His Majesty and resist the Northern Barbarians."

"I didn't expect him to be so afraid of death in his old age."

Just then, suddenly, a commotion arose from the street below.

Numerous constables galloped past on horseback.

The leader was Qian Bochou.

"The Prefect has ordered all city gates to be sealed. No one is allowed to enter or leave."

"Search thoroughly, you must find Jiang Yun."

"Alive or dead, I don't care!"

"Yes."

The constables quickly fanned out.

Qian Bochou dismounted and hurried towards the third floor of Nanmanju Inn.

"Minister Xu, something has happened..."

Arriving on the third floor and pushing open the door, Qian Bochou saw Jiang Yun and breathed a heavy sigh of relief. "Brother Jiang, you are indeed here. Something big has happened, Prince Su is dead."

Jiang Yun frowned and nodded, "I know."

"The Prince's Mansion claims you assassinated him. Now they're sealing all city gates to find you."

"Hurry and come with me. If you're found, you won't survive."

"The south gate is guarded by my constables. I'll find a way to get you out of the city."

As he spoke, Qian Bochou produced a wanted poster. It depicted a burly man with unusually thick lips. "This is your wanted picture."

"I drew it myself. Anyone who doesn't know you won't recognize you."

Jiang Yun frowned. Looking at the situation, he indeed needed to leave the city to avoid trouble.

If he were found by people from Prince Su's Mansion, it would be a dead end.

But to his surprise, Xu Suwen beside him said sternly, "You cannot flee."

"If you hide outside the city, the accusation of killing the Prince will be confirmed."