Alone in the Prison

Wan Zhenshan secretly broke out in a cold sweat. This junior martial uncle was not old, not much older than Gui'er, yet his experience in the martial world was so profound. However, he had already prepared his explanation: "The three of us martial brothers were at the banquet with our master at the time, but unfortunately, our martial arts were too weak to save him. After Ling Tuis murdered our master, he thought we might know the secret of the Liancheng Jue, so he kept us alive. He then spread rumors in the martial world, saying that we three martial brothers had killed our master and stolen the Liancheng Jue, causing people in the martial world to constantly trouble us. He has been hiding behind the scenes, waiting to reap the benefits."

Wu Liuqi found his explanation reasonable, and coupled with the fact that matricide was too outrageous in the martial world, he subconsciously believed Wan Zhenshan about seventy to eighty percent. He snorted coldly, "Don't let today's events leak out. Whether what you said is true or false, I will personally go to the prefect's yamen to find out." With that, he stood up and left directly.

Watching his retreating back, Wan Zhenshan revealed a cold smile. "Jingzhou City has a hundred thousand armored soldiers. As the prefect, Ling Tuis's mansion is not a place that can be easily entered. I'm afraid if you enter, you won't be able to come out."

"Is that person the great hero Wu Liuqi that Uncle mentioned before?" Madam Hu asked curiously.

"Mmm~" Song Qingshu pondered to himself. Wu Liuqi had clearly been fooled by the old fox Wan Zhenshan. However, exposing him now would not benefit him. He probably needed to borrow Wu Liuqi's strength to deal with Ling Tuis.

The next morning, at a roadside food stall, Madam Hu suddenly said to Song Qingshu, "Uncle, we've been thinking about breaking into the prison to rescue the person, and we've been completely clueless. Now I've realized, since force won't work, can we try a softer approach?"

"How do we try a softer approach?" Song Qingshu felt a flash of inspiration, but couldn't grasp the specific idea.

"According to what Uncle said, there's a prisoner in the jail who knows the Divine Illumination Skill. We just need to be able to contact him. Why do we need to rescue him?" Madam Hu smiled faintly.

Song Qingshu was suddenly enlightened, wishing he could embrace the beauty before him and kiss her. "Sister-in-law, you truly are a Zhuge Liang among women." That's right, just because he can't get out doesn't mean I can't get in.

The more he thought about it, the more excited he became. The two of them went to a secluded spot and continuously refined their plan.

At noon that day, a handsome young gentleman arrived in front of the prefect's yamen and presented his calling card, requesting an audience with Ling Tuis. The gatekeeper, seeing the man's distinguished appearance and influenced by some silver, turned and went inside to announce him.

Before long, Song Qingshu was welcomed inside.

"Young Master Song, what business do you have with this official?" Ling Tuis glanced at Song Qingshu with some annoyance. He couldn't help but be annoyed; the war situation at the Xiangyang front was unfavorable, and as the official in charge of the rear, his pressure was immense. Furthermore, the person in prison still refused to reveal the secret of the Liancheng Jue...

"I have come to resolve a matter that has been weighing on your mind, my lord," Song Qingshu said with a profound smile.

These scholars always pulled these tricks, Ling Tuis thought with immediate displeasure. If he hadn't almost finished processing his official documents for the day, he would have already thrown this person out. Hearing Song Qingshu's words, Ling Tuis merely gave a faint "Oh~," neither agreeing nor disagreeing.

"My lord must be thinking, what capability does a poor scholar like me have to resolve your troubles?" Song Qingshu smiled slightly. "Indeed, if it concerns the current affairs of the nation, I am powerless. However, if it is merely your personal matter..." Song Qingshu trailed off.

Ling Tuis's heart skipped a beat. He scrutinized Song Qingshu carefully. "May I ask what matter you are referring to, young sir?"

Song Qingshu smiled faintly. "I have no other skills, but I am most adept at prying open the mouths of stubborn prisoners..."

A flicker of green flashed across Ling Tuis's face. He asked fiercely, "How much do you know about the Liancheng Jue?"

Song Qingshu was startled but forced himself to remain calm. "Not much, not little. I have a way to make the person in prison speak. However, I require a fifty-fifty split of whatever is obtained afterward."

"Young man, what a large appetite," Ling Tuis scoffed with a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "I'm afraid you'll upset your stomach." Inwardly, he was filled with surprise and uncertainty. How did this person know so much?

"I'm young, so I have a good appetite," Song Qingshu chuckled. "After all these years, my lord, do you think you can get him to talk?"

Ling Tuis thought to himself that after years of torture, he had gained nothing. Ding Dian would probably never speak even until death, and he couldn't actually kill him. Recently, his patience had been wearing thin. In the quiet of the night, he had even conceived of an extremely cruel plan, but he wasn't sure if it would work. If it failed, the clue of Ding Dian would be lost, so he had been hesitating.

"Can you really make him reveal the secret of the Liancheng Jue?" Ling Tuis looked at him suspiciously.

"Let me try, my lord. You have nothing to lose. If it doesn't work, I will submit to whatever punishment you deem fit," Song Qingshu said confidently.

"Good," Ling Tuis said with great delight. "If you can truly make him reveal the secret and we find the treasure, I'll give you thirty percent. Young man, don't be too greedy." He thought to himself, once the treasure was found, would he really spare this person's life? Saying this was merely to lower the other party's guard, making him think that he was genuinely willing to share the spoils.

Song Qingshu showed a struggling expression, then finally let out a long sigh. "Very well, thirty percent is enough. However, this operation must be entirely under my command, and it may take some time, half a month at the shortest, a month at the longest. Otherwise, if that person notices anything amiss, our scheme will be for naught."

"Agreed!" Ling Tuis hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "I won't interfere with how you question him, and I can have the relevant personnel cooperate with you fully. However, if you manage to get the information and then try to keep it all for yourself, hehe..."

Song Qingshu bowed and said with a wry smile, "I don't want to suffer the same fate as that person, being severely tortured in prison by you for years."

Ling Tuis's men secretly monitored Song Qingshu. During this time, although he had freedom of movement within the mansion, he absolutely could not leave.

Song Qingshu didn't mind. He went straight to the outside of the prison cell where Ding Dian was held, brought a stool, and sat far away. He didn't speak, just quietly watched the two pitiable figures inside the cell.

Di Yun had been beaten into submission by Ding Dian and was now quietly hiding in a corner, not making a sound. Ding Dian saw a stranger sitting opposite him, staring at him without a word, and roared, "Looking at me, old man? Look!"

"I'm looking at two pathetic worms," Song Qingshu replied calmly, smiling.

Ding Dian didn't react much, but Di Yun was reminded of his sorrows by his words and burst into loud sobs. "What are you crying for!" Ding Dian immediately gave him a severe beating. Di Yun had already learned his lesson; the more pitifully he cried, the harder the other beat him, so he could only grit his teeth and endure.

"Stop hitting him, he's not a spy," Song Qingshu said with amusement, watching the two who would become good brothers in the future.

"If you say he's not, then he definitely isn't. I'll beat him to death," Ding Dian intensified his blows.