Chapter 135: Breaking Out of Prison

Since the three of them first met, everything Jiang Chen had done was for the sake of others.

He had left Guanshan Town with Old Wu’s family originally because Old Wu needed to settle a grudge that had been festering in his heart for twenty years. Along the road from Ziyang to Longjiang, and then to Qishan, Jiang Chen had always acted for the sake of Old Wu, Wu Yue, and Wu Qingshan—the three people he regarded as his closest kin. Now that they had arrived at the royal capital, Jinyang, Jiang Chen was still exhausting every effort for Han Yuyang. He could have easily avoided doing so, but he treated these matters as if they were his own.

Duanmu Qing, curious about when Jiang Chen would finally plan for his own future, asked him about his ambitions. Jiang Chen was taken aback for a moment, not having expected such a question. He then answered earnestly, "Of course. I spent twenty years in the deep mountains, and that was not to spend my whole life clutching old scrolls. A man born between heaven and earth should naturally accomplish great, earth-shaking deeds; only then is a life of a hundred years truly worthwhile."

Duanmu Qing’s eyes sparkled as she said, "Jiang Chen, would you be willing to join Qishan? I feel you are a person of Qishan, destined to be so from the moment you were born."

Han Yuyang grew excited as well. He reached out to Jiang Chen, inviting him, "She’s right. Why didn't I think of this sooner? Jiang Chen, you should join us. Together, we can protect the people of the Great Qian, and we must never let the wolfish ambitions of Northern Yan succeed!"

Since it had come to this, Jiang Chen did not hide his thoughts. He replied gladly, "In truth, I have long stood on the same side as you. Formally joining is merely a formality. Every son of Qishan is a man of courage and integrity; I, Jiang Chen, am honored to fight alongside people like you!"

Jiang Chen and Han Yuyang clasped hands firmly, while Duanmu Qing looked on with a satisfied smile. In this treacherous royal capital, the profound bond they had forged through shared trials and tribulations was incredibly precious. It wasn't just the three of them, either; there was also Wu Yue, who was always making her own quiet contributions. At that moment, she arrived with a tray of delicious food for everyone.

"The chef at the Yu residence is from the Eastern Sea; we really couldn't get used to his cooking. Thank you, Miss Wu, for taking care of us these past few days. We feel as if we’ve come home." Duanmu Qing took Wu Yue’s hand, the two of them as close as sisters.

Late the following night, several figures emerged from the dense shadows of the trees behind a small hill called Gushan. They quickly split into two groups and continued on in different directions. Their movements were swift and stealthy; even "Cat Shadow," the most skilled tracker of the Night Enforcement Division, would find herself in trouble if she were to pursue them here. She faced the difficult dilemma of being unable to be in two places at once, unsure which path to follow. This would buy Jiang Chen and his companions as much time as possible to escape.

Directly beneath Gushan stood a quiet, grand structure. Though it appeared to be the private residence of a wealthy family, it was actually a secret dungeon of the Great Qian Ministry of Justice, housing high-profile prisoners. No one could have imagined that this heavily guarded, well-hidden water pavilion prison would one day be the site of a jailbreak.

"No, this was absolutely no accident." Shen Xueying, presiding over the dungeon’s command center, reached this conclusion with certainty after hearing her subordinates' reports. There were no signs of the prison being breached from the inside, and the cells of Geng Ji and Ji Bei had not been opened from within. Such a bizarre occurrence should have been impossible.

If Geng Ji and Ji Bei had conspired to escape, how had they managed to slip away right under the eyes of the guards without a sound? Finding faint scratches on the exterior of the reinforced iron cell doors, Shen Xueying suspected that someone had rescued these two major criminals, though she had yet to discover the method used. Regardless, the means were sophisticated enough to manipulate the guards and even evade the notice of the Night Enforcement Division, proving that their adversary was no mere amateur.

"Go and investigate the relationship between Geng Ji and this Ji Bei. There is surely a situation behind this that we were not aware of."

"Yes!"

"You lot, spread the word immediately. Have our colleagues stationed in Jinyang move quickly, especially to watch the city gates. Do not let a single suspicious person leave!" Shen Xueying surmised that after escaping the water pavilion, the next step for Geng Ji and Ji Bei would be to find a way out of Jinyang. She was determined not to let that happen.

In the dense forest of Gushan, Jiang Chen looked back, and after a moment, his entire demeanor relaxed. He turned to Geng Ji, who stood beside him, and said, "It is time to part ways. I have already arranged for others to take Lan Hui away secretly; you will be reunited before long."

Geng Ji asked, "Where should I go now?"

"Qishan."

Jiang Chen gave the answer as a matter of course. For Geng Ji, who had targeted Qishan time and again, going there was no different from walking into a death trap. "I know what you are worried about, but you must realize that the Xuan Yan Prefecture has already branded you a traitor. Once they learn you have escaped, they will certainly send men to hunt you down to the last. You should know their methods better than I do."

"Under the vast heavens, only Qishan can protect you. There, Lan Hui can give birth to your child in peace, and you can begin your life anew. However, you must confess everything you did at the Xuan Yan Prefecture to help Qishan clear its name with the Imperial Court. With your testimony and that of Ji Bei, I trust the Court will have no excuse to make things difficult for Qishan."

Jiang Chen did not force Geng Ji; this remained a transaction. Geng Ji would gain shelter for himself and Lan Hui, while Qishan would gain the innocence they desired most. It was a mutually beneficial arrangement and the best choice under the current circumstances.

Watching Geng Ji’s hesitation, Jiang Chen continued, "You should realize that I could have easily chosen not to save you, as my purpose in coming was to rescue Ji Bei. I did this because I believe you are still a man of your word. Of course, I cannot deny that I need your testimony to help Qishan."

Jiang Chen was always straightforward; he did not hide his intentions, which made a suspicious man like Geng Ji all the more willing to trust him.

"Fine. I will listen to you and go to Qishan."

There was no time to lose. Jiang Chen and Geng Ji parted ways, heading in opposite directions away from Gushan. The consequences of this night’s jailbreak were already beginning to ferment; by tomorrow, it would surely stir up a massive storm.