"You're a fatuous Emperor who persecutes loyal officials. You're too barefaced to rule the country!" said Bai Shuangshuang who stared at Chushi Youtian with her teeth gritted.

Then, Chushi Youtian exerted all his strength to slap her and said, "Nonsense!"

"Ah―" Bai Shuangshuang fell and sat on the floor because of that slap.

"Nonsense? You know better about yourself than we do, don't you?" Bai Shuangshuang turned her head and continued with a smile despite the pain and the blood around the corner of her mouth.

Seeing that, Chushi Youtian walked forward and squatted to lift her by grabbing her by the collar. Staring at her, he asked, "I've heard that you know Weiyang?"

"Yes, I do, and we're close!" Bai Shuangshuang looked back at him and answered fearlessly.

Her reply made Chushi Youtian raise his hand again.

But Bai Shuangshuang kept staring at him.

Then, he stood up, turned his back to her, and shouted, "Guards!"

Lan Ruojing who guarded the door all the time quickly walked in.

"Put her in prison. No one can visit her without my permission!" Chushi Youtian ordered.

Hearing that, Lan Ruojing cupped his hands and responded, "Yes, Your Majesty!"

Later, he yanked Bai Shuangshuang, who was knocked flat to her feet. And he was about to leave.

Then, Chushi Youtian ordered again, "Wait! Spread the news that Bai Shuangshuang has been put in prison. Let's wait and see how long they can stand taking no action!"

"Yes, Your Majesty!" Lan Ruojing answered and then escorted Bai Shuangshuang to the prison.

Walking back to sit down on his seat, Chushi Youtian called Eunuch Li.

"Your Majesty, what can I do for you?" asked Eunuch Li who bent down a bit and looked at Chushi Youtian.

The latter ordered, "Bring Weiyang here!"

"Yes, I will do it right now!" Eunuch Li responded and then walked out of the room.

In the meantime, Chushi Weiyang just came back and hadn't arrived at his palace yet!

However, Eunuch Li had arrived at Chushi Weiyang’s palace.

Having not found Chushi Weiyang, Eunuch Li started to scold servants and maids working in his palace.

From a distance, Chushi Weiyang saw a row of people lining up. Then he knew his father had sent people to look for him.

He had expected this, but it happened way faster than he thought!

He strode into his palace. Hearing Eunuch Li scolding his servants, Chushi Weiyang quickly greeted him by calling his name, “Eunuch Li!”

"Ho, Your Highness, you finally come back. His Majesty wants you to meet him. Let's go, or His Majesty will wait for you for too long." Eunuch Li turned around after hearing the greeting and said with a smile while looking at Chushi Weiyang.

Chushi Weiyang raised his eyebrow and said, "Alright, let's go!"

But just when they took a few steps, Eunuch Li stopped to look up and down at Chushi Weiyang.

"What's wrong?" Seeing Eunuch Li like this, Chushi Weiyang asked.

Eunuch Li looked at him and said with a smile, "Your Highness, are you sure you want to wear this to see His Majesty?"

To avoid trouble, Chushi Weiyang left the palace in casual wear. On ordinary days, he couldn't wear this to see his father.

But things were different now. Lan Ruojing must have told his father something. So if he got changed on purpose, his father would doubt that he was hiding something.

Chushi Weiyang shook his head and answered, "It's fine. Let's go."

Hearing that, Eunuch Li nodded and didn't say anything.

Then, they headed to the Imperial Study.

At the same time, Imperial Concubine Xiao had heard that the Lan Family was in close touch with His Majesty these days.

She was afraid that something would go wrong, so she asked people to spy on the Emperor.

At this time, Qingzhi, Imperial Concubine Xiao's maid, walked in.

"Your Grace," Qingzhi curtsied and greeted her.

Imperial Concubine Xiao opened her eyes and asked, "What's wrong?"

"Your Grace, it's reported that Lan Ruojing has come to see His Majesty in the Imperial Study again." Qingzhi continued.

Hearing that, Imperial Concubine Xiao sat up and asked, "Why?"

"I haven't found it out, but Young Master Lan went to the Imperial Study with a woman who was tied up." Qingzhi shook her head and explained.

Her words made Imperial Concubine Xiao alert. What were they plotting?

Then she posed another question, "Then what happened?"

"He put that woman in prison!" Qingzhi answered.

Hearing that, Imperial Concubine Xiao was confused. Put a woman in prison? She couldn't figure out why the Emperor did so.

So she ordered, "Ask people to fish for information about that woman."

"Yes!" Qingzhi responded and then left.

After she walked out, Imperial Concubine Xiao knitted her eyebrows. Prime Minister Lan was just a figurehead now, so he wasn't supposed to be a threat. But what his family did these days made her so confused!

The only thing she could do was to send people to find out their plan!

In the meantime, Chushi Weiyang arrived at the Imperial Study. Eunuch Li stopped and said, "Your Highness, please. I'll wait here to leave you and His Majesty alone."

Chushi Weiyang nodded, pushed the door open, and walked in.

"Close the door!" ordered Chushi Youtian who raised his head after hearing the sound.

Chushi Weiyang responded and closed the door.

Later, he stepped forward and curtsied to his father with hands cupped. "Father!"

"Judging from what you wear, I assume you left the palace before, right?" Chushi Youtian asked without even looking at Chushi Weiyang.

Now that he had been exposed, he wouldn't lie anymore. So Chushi Weiyang answered, "Father, I didn't want to lie to you. I indeed had left the palace."

"Oh, I didn't expect that you would tell me the truth." Chushi Youtian looked at Chushi Weiyang and said.

The latter continued, "I know you don't like me. But I've always taken your feelings into consideration."

"Really? But today, I heard that you had a good talk with our enemy's daughter!" Chushi Youtian stared at his son and continued.

Hearing his question, Chushi Weiyang cupped his hands and answered, "Father, you got me wrong. I didn't mean to make friends with her. Before today, I only met her once."

"Really?" After listening to Chushi Weiyang, Chushi Youtian eyed him coldly and asked.

Chushi Weiyang quickly knelt and confessed, "Yes. Father, I didn't lie to you. When I sneaked out last time, her wallet was stolen, so I lent her some coins. Then she promised to repay me in three days, which was why I sneaked out today..."

While confessing, Chushi Weiyang glanced at Chushi Youtian. He knew his father wouldn't suspect him as long as he told him the truth. Moreover, he indeed didn't know who Bai Shuangshuang was!

As expected, Chushi Youtian didn't haggle over that question and switched to another topic, "If so, I'd like to assign a task to you. What do you think?"

"What task?" Chushi Weiyang pretended to be surprised and asked.

Chushi Youtian lifted the corner of his mouth and continued, "Given that you two know each other, I want you to sound her out!"

"Father, I... I'm afraid I am not competent enough to do this!" Chushi Weiyang looked away and said.

But after a moment, he agreed. In fact, he could directly refuse his father, but this was his only opportunity to get close to Bai Shuangshuang and help her escape.

He was not sure whether his father had hidden anything from him. But Shuo Ling was out of town now, so it would be better for him to offer Bai Shuangshuang some help!

Taking the job, Chushi Weiyang directly headed to the prison.

In front of the prison gate, he was stopped by guards there. "Your Highness, please stop. Prisoners here all matter a lot, so you can't get in without His Majesty's permission."

Having a look at them, Chushi Weiyang took out a golden token.

At the sight of the token, the two guards bent and said with hands cupped, "Your Highness, this way please!"

One of them was leading the way!

Then, Chushi Weiyang walked in.

Right when he stepped in, a chill stole over him. Taking a few more steps, he smelt blood in the air. It was airless in the prison, so the smell of blood would make people sick after they stayed there for a long time.

At this time, the guard who led Chushi Weiyang into the prison asked, "Your Highness, who do you want to see?"

"Bai Shuangshuang. She was put in prison today." Chushi Weiyang answered.

The guard nodded, "I see. Your Highness, this way please."

Then, he walked farther.

Chushi Weiyang could hear cries and the clear whipping sounds.

Merely these sounds made Chushi Weiyang feel painful. Nearly no prisoners here could leave alive.

At this moment, the guard stopped before a cell and pointed at it, "Your Highness, here we are. She was just flogged."

While speaking, he walked forward to unlock the door.

Seeing Bai Shuangshuang lying on the ground and covered with blood, Chushi Weiyang somehow felt heartbroken.

Then he waved his hand to the guard, telling him to leave them alone.

The guard understood and walked away after cupping his hands.

When he left, Chushi Weiyang quickly walked to Bai Shuangshuang and squatted to ask, "Miss Shuangshuang, are you alright?"

"You hypocrites, get out!" Bai Shuangshuang glared at him with hatred and said. She looked pale, with blood lingering around the corner of her mouth and her body.