Chapter 180: Blood Letter

Chen Traces didn't wait for the iron door to open before he squeezed into the inner prison from the side. He walked down the narrow stairs, casually asking, "Did White Dragon arrive this morning with Prince Jing, the World Son, and the County Princess and put them in here?"

The jailer following him said, "Reporting to sir, Prince Jing is imprisoned in cell number one, character Jia. The World Son and County Princess are imprisoned in cell number seven, character Jia, nearby. Sir, White Dragon specifically instructed that no one is allowed to speak with them privately. Please don't make things difficult for this humble one."

Chen Traces stopped on the stone steps and calmly turned his head to look at the jailer. The jailer lowered his head, not daring to meet his gaze. After a long time, he said, "But White Dragon isn't here right now. Saying a few words with them shouldn't be a problem."

Chen Traces continued forward.

There were many people from Prince Jing's mansion imprisoned here. Along the way, Chun Hua, Chun Rong, Xi Bing... when they saw Chen Traces, they cried out injustices and pleaded for help.

As he walked through the passageway between the cells, the cold, damp, and foul smell from inside the cells assaulted his nose.

Passing by cell number seven, character Jia, Chen Traces looked inside the cell in disbelief. The World Son's hair was disheveled, and Bai Li wore a white outfit covered in dust, like a bright pearl covered in grime.

How could you be locked in a place like this?

However, Chen Traces didn't say anything. He just calmly turned his head away and didn't stop. When the World Son saw Chen Traces pass by, he frantically tried to rush to the edge of the cage, but Bai Li tightly pulled him back.

She lowered her head, hiding her expression in her scattered hair, and softly said, "Don't go. Brother, I beg you, don't involve him."

The World Son turned his head and saw his own sister's tears falling one by one onto the straw on the ground. He slowly relaxed his body and sat back on the ground dejectedly, watching with wide eyes as Chen Traces passed the door and disappeared.

Chen Traces arrived at the door of cell number one, character Jia, and looked at Prince Jing, who was sitting at a desk, quietly flipping through a book.

He turned to the jailer and said, "I'll say a few words with Prince Jing, is that okay?" The jailer looked troubled.

Chen Traces took out a ten tael silver ingot from his sleeve. "Either take the silver ingot, or wait for death." The jailer quickly pocketed the silver and retreated to a distance to stand guard for Prince Jing and Chen Traces.

At this moment, Prince Jing saw Chen Traces arrive and stood up with a smile, going to the edge of the cage. "How did you come?"

Chen Traces saw that Prince Jing's face was gaunt, already looking like a lamp that was about to run out of oil. "Your Highness, was it worth it?"

Prince Jing smiled, not directly answering the question. "Chen Traces, do you know, the Ning Dynasty is about to fall."

"Hmm?"

Prince Jing held the book scroll in his hand, his gaze going over Chen Traces and towards the end of the long passageway. "In the winter of the eleventh year of Jianing, I led troops to suppress the rebellion, but in the end, the troops were trapped in Liuzhou. Everyone said they were bandits, but they were actually raised by the Yang family. If A Yi hadn't begged her father-in-law to go to the Yang family to mediate, I would truly have died there."

"When His Majesty first ascended the throne, he once sent an imperial envoy to Liangjiang to inspect the salt trade. But the people he sent either colluded with the Xu family or the Yang family, or died in a house fire, or fell into the water and drowned on a boat. In two years, the court sent thirteen imperial envoys, and seven died. The upright and honest official, Master Hai, who carried a coffin to pay his respects to His Majesty, came to Yuzhou to measure fields and demanded that the Liu family return the fields to the people. In the end, he could only sneak away dejectedly."

"Chen Traces, do you know that the soldiers on the border haven't received grain and pay for three years? How many more three-year periods can they wait? If the world cannot be remade, the people of the Ning Dynasty will be plunged into suffering."

Chen Traces calmly said, "So, Your Highness and His Majesty conspired to use extreme measures to drag the Liu family into the grave together?"

Prince Jing smiled and said, "The maternal relatives, the Liu family, the Jin Party's Hu family, the Xu Party's Xu family and Yang family, your Donglin Chen family, the Qi Party's censors and supervisors, they usually fight endlessly. But once faced with imperial power, they will suddenly find common ground, and no one can move. Without using this extraordinary means, the Liu family cannot be removed..."

Chen Traces interrupted Prince Jing, speaking earnestly and sincerely. "Your Highness, I don't understand what you all want to do, and I don't care what you all want to do. I just feel that the World Son and Bai Li shouldn't die with you; they are innocent. Your Highness, they are your children. Find a way for them to live."

Prince Jing stood silently in the cell. He slowly said, "His Majesty once promised me that he would let Yun Xi inherit my position as Prince Jing."

Chen Traces suddenly burst out laughing. He grabbed the cast-iron bars of the cage and stared directly at Prince Jing. "Your Highness, are you a person who is so easily deceived? Do you believe yourself? You clearly are not the type to surrender, but you were so easily locked into the inner prison. You clearly already entrusted the orphan to me, meaning you knew early on that there would be this day! At this moment, who are you still scheming against? Your Highness, don't wait any longer. If you wait further, Bai Li will die with you!"

Prince Jing carefully examined Chen Traces. He bit his finger and wrote a blood letter on the book. "Take this letter to the Qian Nian Army and give it to General Wang. Report the secret code 'mountains and rivers safe,' and he will lead his troops to come here to break into the prison. From now on, are you willing to take Bai Li into the jianghu, conceal her name and identity, and fully protect her?"

As he spoke, he tore the page from the book and handed it out.

Chen Traces reached out, but Prince Jing withdrew his hand. "You still haven't answered me."

Chen Traces took a deep breath. "Willing."

He took the page of paper from Prince Jing's hand, stuffed it into his chest, and turned to leave. Prince Jing suddenly said behind him, "Chen Traces, I'm sorry."

Chen Traces was slightly startled. He turned his head and looked. "What matter is Your Highness referring to?" Prince Jing smiled but didn't answer, waving his hand to signal him to leave quickly.

Chen Traces touched his chest, feeling the hidden blood letter as heavy as a thousand jun. If he wanted to save the World Son and the County Princess, relying on himself alone was absolutely impossible. He needed the assistance of the Qian Nian Army.

In the dim passageway of the inner prison, he stopped again when he passed cell number seven, character Jia, and silently looked inside.

Bai Li, who had been lowering her head, heard the lingering footsteps and finally couldn't help but lift her head to meet Chen Traces' eyes.

Chen Traces' gaze shifted slightly. "Don't be afraid, nothing will happen."

Before Bai Li could respond, he heard the iron door in front creak open, and White Dragon's muffled voice, wearing a mask, came. "Go to the Ying Xian Building at noon and order a table of food and drink. Although Prince Jing is imprisoned here, he is after all a powerful vassal king of our dynasty. Do not neglect his diet and daily life..."

Chen Traces quickly left the front of Bai Li's cell.

In the narrow passageway, he saw White Dragon and Cloud Sheep coming face to face. Chen Traces had no way to avoid them.

White Dragon looked him up and down. "Come to visit Prince Jing and the County Princess?" Chen Traces didn't speak.

White Dragon said with interest, "No need to worry. Visiting friends is a common human emotion. If you could steel your heart not to come, I would find it strange. Our dynasty's laws also state that relatives concealing each other may not be punished."

Chen Traces softly said, "White Dragon's magnanimity, this humble one admires."

White Dragon's tone changed. "But young man, you need to understand, first, you and they are only friends, not relatives; second, the grave crime of rebellion is not covered by the law of relatives concealing each other. If you harbor rebels, regardless of whether they are relatives or friends, the crime is the same."

Chen Traces hurriedly cupped his fists. "This humble one understands."

White Dragon laughed heartily. "In my secret spy department, you need to understand that emotion is emotion, and duty is duty. You are a smart person, and I believe you can distinguish clearly. Now Cloud Concubine is still on the run. If you all cannot find her, none of you will have good days. Go now."

Chen Traces cupped his fists. "This humble one understands."

He lowered his head and quickly passed by White Dragon. However, Cloud Sheep suddenly pulled his arm. "Wait."

Chen Traces slowly turned his head. "Does Cloud Sheep have any instructions?"

Cloud Sheep smiled and said, "I heard that the promotion decrees for you and Xi Feng have already arrived. Let me congratulate you in advance."

Chen Traces was startled. "Many thanks, Cloud Sheep. This humble one will go handle matters first."

He struggled free from Cloud Sheep's hand and went straight towards the outside of the inner prison. It wasn't until he was out of the inner prison and smelled the fresh air that he let out a long breath.

Chen Traces, carrying the blood letter in his chest, urgently whipped his horse. The Qian Nian Army camp was located eighty li south of Luocheng. By the time he rushed to the front of the camp, the warhorse beneath him was dripping with sweat and spitting white foam.

Time waits for no one.

Someone on the camp's arrow tower shouted loudly, "Stop, intruder! Any further, and you will be shot with random arrows!"

Chen Traces pulled the reins. The warhorse paced tiredly back and forth in front of the camp gate. He shouted loudly, "Mountains and rivers safe! I have an important matter to see General Wang!"

When the soldier on the arrow tower heard "mountains and rivers safe," he immediately raised a black command flag and waved it towards the depths of the camp.

A moment later, the camp gate was pulled open, and General Wang strode out alone. He looked at Chen Traces' warhorse and frowned. "It's you. Where did you come from, and why did you urge your warhorse like this?"

Chen Traces dismounted and took out the blood letter from his chest, handing it to the other person. "This is a blood letter written by His Highness. Please, General Wang, open it yourself."

General Wang took the letter and unfolded it. His face changed. "His Highness has already been locked into the inner prison by the eunuch faction?"

"Correct."

General Wang frowned for a long time, then lifted his eyes to look at Chen Traces. "Now the south gate of Luocheng is heavily guarded by soldiers. We need to change into civilian clothes and sneak into the city in batches using the identity of tenant farmers. Young man, you go back first. Wait at the gate of Tuolu Temple at midnight for the rendezvous and lead us to the inner prison!"

Chen Traces stared directly at General Wang. "No, I will go with the Qian Nian Army. If I don't personally see the Qian Nian Army deploy troops, I will not be at ease."

General Wang thought for a moment. "Alright then. You go to the central army camp tent to rest for a bit. I will summon the generals now!" Chen Traces shook his head. "I will wait here. I'm not going anywhere."

"Young man is indeed cautious," General Wang said helplessly. He could only whistle loudly to gather the soldiers. In the time it takes an incense stick to burn, the sound of footsteps in the Qian Nian Army camp was like thunder, surging forward. Over a thousand soldiers crossed paths on the drill ground, forming a majestic military formation.

Only at this moment did Chen Traces' heart slightly settle.

He moved to the side to avoid occupying the military formation's position. However, just as he turned his head, General Wang beside him had already disappeared without a trace.

Chen Traces was startled. He pulled a deputy general. "Where is your General Wang?"

The deputy general frowned. "General Wang went to attend to his own matters. Who are you, and why are you in our Qian Nian Army camp?"

Chen Traces said angrily, "I ask you, do you know why General Wang summoned you all?"

The deputy general said, "The command flag instruction is for us to perform a routine drill. It didn't say anything else." Chen Traces' heart sank little by little into the abyss. He turned his head and saw General Wang's retreating figure on a fast horse, galloping out of the camp alone!

No wonder White Dragon hadn't searched his body just now. It turned out the other party simply didn't care. Even if Prince Jing really sent some message outside, this message would simply go around and return to White Dragon's hands.

Chen Traces, grabbing the deputy general, roared angrily, "Prince Jing is imprisoned in the inner prison right now! I brought his blood letter to request General Wang for rescue, but General Wang has run off alone!"

The deputy general was somewhat surprised. "His Highness's blood letter? Where is the blood letter?"

"Naturally, it's in General Wang's hands!" Chen Traces said fiercely, "Now he's taking the blood letter and I don't know where he's going. All of you, quickly follow me to Luocheng."

The deputy general slowly calmed down and stepped back. "Guards! This person is a remnant of the Liu family. Take him down!"

A chill went down Chen Traces' back.