Huo Jin looked at Nianzu, befuddled, thinking why it happened. Zhilao Mi was also confused, thinking about what went wrong. How did Jian Guozhi find out that she lied? Did Huo Jin tell them about her already!? How could he do this to her? He told her that he would protect her.
"Brother Jian, let me handle the investigation. You shall rest in your chamber. It has been a hectic day for Brother Jian," Nianzu advised him. Jian Guozhi looked at Commander Guo and told him to take away Zhilao Mi.
"Jian Ge, please listen to me once," Zhilao Mi pleaded with him, who glanced at her with disappointment and left the prison house. Commander Guo took her to the next cell, leaving Nianzu and the other soldiers there.
Nianzu handed the rod to the soldier and ordered them to leave. "Your highness, if you think that I will tell you-"
"Who said I will ask about Tan Gengxin?" Nianzu cut his words in the middle, confusing Huo Jin. "You love Lady Mi, but she sees you as a mere servant. Strange! And because she is your master's daughter, you are saving her. Why? Because you think your end is near when it is not true," Nianzu affirmed. Huo Jin could not get how Nianzu found out those things about him. Maybe his great observational skills.
"You found out many things about the Han. You are useful to us, that is why I will protect you till the end." Huo Jin lifted his eyes, befuddled about Prince Nianzu's words.
"I do not wish to live more. If his highness wants, then he can save Lady Mi. Please spare her life. Earlier Lady Mi told you all about me and she was right," Huo Jin affirmed.
"She cannot be spared. The Crown Princess herself found out about her. We have evidence against her. Lady Mi might not know but Su Feng and his allies got caught because of her. Foolish, isn't she?" Nianzu laughed scornfully. "And Brother Jian will also urge for her punishment. She betrayed him after all. You tried to prevent her in every possible way, but she did not care about that. You are far-sighted and already saw the end of your master. You did not attack the Crown Princess when you knew about the secret route. You stayed in the Capital instead of running away just because you thought Lady Mi would run away with you."
Huo Jin's eyes flickered like a lamp. He had no idea how Nianzu found out all this. "Do not put so much stress in your mind. Your eyes are enough to tell all this. Running away was the only way to save her. But, she refused, so you dropped her to the Palace," Nianzu narrated everything to him and went towards the table. "You are not loyal to Tan Gengxin but you are loyal to your love," he remarked.
Huo Jin had nothing to say except asking for the death sentence.
"Do not be loyal to that love which will go wrong even in the future. Your father was a servant to Tan Gengxin. Somewhere, he might have been beaten by his master. That's the grudge inside you for him but for his daughter, you forgot that." Huo Jin peered at Nianzu, wondering how he found out. Was he a mind-reader?
Nianzu pointed towards the table on which his cloth bag was put. "I found a letter from your father in which he mentioned remaining loyal to your master. But how could a son do that?" Nianzu muttered.
"I cannot see her dying," Huo Jin pronounced.
"But when you dropped her to the Palace, didn't this thought come to your mind?" Nianzu questioned him.
"I thought she would not be caught," Huo Jin replied.
"Do not act foolish, Huo Jin. You shall consider yourself lucky that I am investigating you today." Huo Jin agreed with him. "Life is giving you a second chance. Accept it. I never let the person get punished, whom I investigate because I believe if I cannot give life to anyone, then I have no right to take it away. But this applies to only those whose crimes are not heinous," Nianzu proclaimed.
"This entire night is yours to think about. Do not think that you will betray your loyalty towards Lady Mi. Think of it as you are stopping bloodshed from occurring. Lady Mi is not a gentle lady. She planned to kill the Crown Princess, who was always good to her. She is ready to sacrifice you for her goal. Don't let it happen," Nianzu asserted. He tried his best to get across him. He turned and walked out of the cell.
~~~~~
"My spy informed me that there is an Underground exit. I think he could not get to see those things which we saw," Sheng Li said, looking at Wan Ju.
"I think so," Wan Ju drank the remaining tea in the cup.
"Have you ever gone inside the Palace?"
"We are not allowed. Only special people can go there, mostly soldiers and his generals," Wan Ju replied.
"His Generals? How many does he have?"
"I do not know about that. Forgive me," replied Wan Ju. Sheng Li nodded. Hu Jingguo found that Wan Ju was informal with Sheng Li, yet he did not get angry at him unlike him. So, he asked Sheng Li about the reason.
"You lied to Lili and me that you do not have any close friends," Hu Jingguo squinted his eyes at him.
"I did not remember about Wan Ju. I mean we met seven years ago, so there was no possibility that I would meet him," Sheng Li told him. "It seems this world is small," he then smiled.
"Indeed it was unexpected," Wan Ju stated and passed a tiny smile to them.
"So, did you marry?" Sheng Li asked him.
"No, I did not. Who would marry me when I carry such a scar on my face?" Wan Ju pointed towards his face. While conversing with him Sheng Li did not even notice that scar. "I will find a nice girl for you when we reach Luoyang," Sheng Li said with a smile.
"Don't be a matchmaker. I might not go as I love this place," Wan Ju answered.
"What? It's an order of the Crown Prince," Sheng Li pronounced.
"Pardon me?" Wan Ju scoffed. "You are showing off your power. This is bad, Sheng Li."
The Crown Prince passed a scornful laugh. "You shall be happy that I am offering you all this. Instead, you are taunting me. What kind of friend you are!" Sheng Li chuckled.
"I cannot rely on you. Just turn everything good here. Do your duty as the Crown Prince," Wan Ju proclaimed.
Sheng Li recalled Lili upon hearing the statement of Wan Ju. The smile on his lips faded. "What happened? Ahh, do not take my words to your heart," Wan Ju mumbled.
"He is not. He is probably missing his wife," Hu Jingguo informed Wan Ju.
"Oh, I almost forgot that you are married. I heard from people in my village that the Crown Princess is a beauty with brains. When I came to Luoyang, I heard this there as well. It is good to see you missing someone," Wan Ju stated. He recalled the time when they were 16 years old. Sheng Li hardly cared for people, though he was good to Wan Ju. A few words never occurred in his dictionary.
"I miss her every minute.. Hope she is well," Sheng Li said in a low voice.