son, don't mess around

In the side courtyard of the Prince Lin’s Palace, Chen Hongsheng was imprisoned.

The courtyard was quiet and cold.

Although he was detained in name, Lin Jiangnian did not restrict Chen Hongsheng's personal freedom too much. Three meals a day were delivered by servants, and except for the lack of maids to serve him, Chen Hongsheng's treatment in Lin Wangfu was not much worse than that in Chenfu.

Chen Hongsheng, who lives here, doesn’t look like a prisoner!

As long as he stays in this side courtyard, his personal freedom will not be restricted.

Although this side courtyard is not big, it has everything needed and has beautiful scenery. It is more like a sanctuary for retirement.

After all, Chen Hongsheng is the head of the Chen family. Although he has been "invited" to the Linwang Mansion, his status is not low. The outside world is now in an uproar, and before the government has convicted him. If something happens to Chen Hongsheng in the Linwang Mansion, it may not be a good thing for the palace.

For Lin Jiangnian, he was not targeting only Chen Hongsheng. There was no personal grudge between him and Chen Hongsheng, and there was no need to disgust him.

Therefore, Chen Hongsheng lived a relatively peaceful life in this courtyard. Three meals a day were provided on time. Except that he could not leave the courtyard and could not get news from the outside world, his life had hardly changed.

At this moment, in the cold and quiet yard.

Chen Hongsheng stood in the yard, his slightly weathered face expressionless and his brows furrowed.

These days, he couldn't calm down!

Although he was captured and brought to the Prince Lin's Palace, the Prince Lin had not done anything to him. However, the more this was the case, the more uneasy Chen Hongsheng felt.

Before Lin Jiangnian left last time, he had almost made the threat clear!
There aren't many choices before him!
The real purpose of the Prince Lin is to control their Chen family and make them puppets of the Prince Lin's Mansion!
This can also be used to intimidate and warn other families!
I have to say that Lin Jiangnian has made a good plan!

From the beginning, his purpose was to target the Chen family, and Chen Junru's incident was just a fuse. Even if Chen Junru hadn't been there, the Lin Wang Mansion would definitely have taken action against the Chen family!
But Chen Hongsheng couldn't make up his mind!
No matter what choice he made, it would be an unacceptable outcome for him.

He couldn't bear to watch the Chen family's decades-long foundation destroyed in his hands, and he was even more unwilling to watch his only son sacrifice himself!
Lin Jiangnian hasn't come to see him since they met a few days ago.

But the more this happened, the more Chen Hongsheng's brows furrowed, and the uneasy feeling in his heart became stronger!

He was sure that Lin Jiangnian would not give up!
Now, both he and Junru have fallen into Lin Jiangnian's hands, and the other party will definitely make a big fuss about this.

Thinking of this, Chen Hongsheng frowned and his expression became colder.

During the days he was trapped in the Lin Wang Mansion, he had no way of knowing what was happening outside. But he was sure that it must be very noisy outside!

Those noble families will not just watch him fall into the hands of the Lin Wang Mansion, they will definitely take action. And whether they can have an impact on the Lin Wang Mansion is crucial!
And more importantly...

Just as Chen Hongsheng was pondering, the sound of footsteps outside the yard interrupted his thoughts.

Chen Hongsheng looked up at the gate of the yard. The gate was being pushed open and a figure in black clothes walked into the yard.

"Chen Hongsheng, come with us."

A cool and upright tone came.

Chen Hongsheng looked quietly at the woman in front of him with a calm and frank look. She had an elegant temperament and sharp eyes.

He straightened his clothes and walked out of the yard.

Lin Qingqing didn't seem to expect that Chen Hongsheng would be so cooperative. She looked at him a few more times and then looked away.

Outside the courtyard, several fully armed guards had been waiting for a long time. Chen Hongsheng looked calm and glanced at Lin Qingqing who was walking out of the courtyard: "Where are you going?"

"Official Office!"

When Chen Hongsheng heard the word "government office", he understood.

He glanced at Lin Qingqing: "Where's my son?"

Lin Qingqing said: "He is still alive."

Chen Hongsheng was silent for a moment: "I want to see him."

Lin Qingqing refused: "He is already on death row, you can't see him."

Chen Hongsheng said calmly: "Go and tell your Highness, he will let me see him."

Lin Qingqing frowned, stared at Chen Hongsheng for a while, and finally said expressionlessly: "I need to ask His Highness for instructions!"

……

Linjiang City, government office.

prison.

The dark cell was filled with a strong, nauseating stench. Dried blood and black, smelly substances could be seen on the walls. The environment was dirty and messy, especially the dim, dark light, which made it so oppressive that it made people breathless.

At this moment, in the dark and smelly cell.

Chen Junru sat blankly in the cell, his eyes blank, like a walking corpse.

There was no light in his eyes, and his body was in a state of disgrace, dirty, tattered, and his hair was like dead grass. He had lost half of his former spirit, and even those who knew him well might not recognize him now.

The once dignified eldest son of the Chen family has fallen to his current state!

He just stared blankly at the dark wall, falling from heaven to hell, then from hell back to heaven, and back to hell again...After experiencing so many times, Chen Junru had already become numb!
There is no more excitement from this morning!
After an unknown amount of time, footsteps were heard outside the cell. In the pitch-black environment, Chen Junru was too lazy to even raise his head.

Outside the cell, the sound of the iron door opening was heard.

until……

came a voice.

"Junru!"

Suddenly, a familiar low voice was heard in the silent cell. Chen Junru, who was originally numb, seemed to have heard some incredible sound. He suddenly raised his head and looked at the door of the cell.

Then, he saw a familiar face, a little haggard, with complicated eyes.

"Father, father..."

Chen Junru's voice was full of shock, disbelief, and...surprise suddenly burst out in his eyes!
It was like a dying person who suddenly gained new life, and his originally numb eyes regained their brilliance.

"Dad, Dad, why are you here?!"

Chen Junru's voice was hoarse and excited, even with a hint of tears in it.

That was... a feeling of surprise and grievance.

"Junru..."

In the cell, Chen Hongsheng looked at the handsome man in front of him and saw what he had become now, and he felt sad.

“Junru, you’ve suffered!”

Chen Hongsheng said in a heavy tone, "Dad, Dad, please save me..."

Chen Junru's voice was full of sorrow, and he felt aggrieved like a child. He struggled to get up and crawled to Chen Hongsheng's side: "Dad, Dad, I was caught by them again... You, you must find a way to save me..."

"Junru, don't worry, Dad will definitely find a way to save you!"

Chen Hongsheng calmed Chen Junru down, then lowered his head and said, "Dad has something to ask you."

"Dad, Dad, please ask..."

"How did you get caught this time?!"

Chen Hongsheng questioned in a low voice.

"I, I don't know..."

Chen Junru was at a loss. "That day, Dad, didn't you come to see me? Didn't you want to send me away from Linjiang City to Xuzhou? But, but... not long after dawn, your people escorted us to the northern trail, but who would have thought..."

"On the way, I was suddenly chased by people from Prince Lin's Mansion..."

At this point, Chen Junru gritted his teeth, but there was a hint of fear in his eyes: "He, they came in large numbers, and they captured all of my father's people. I, I was also captured by them..."

Chen Hongsheng had a gloomy expression as he listened to Chen Junru's intermittent description without saying a word.

Junru was found by people from Prince Lin's Mansion, which was the last thing he expected.

He did this matter extremely secretly, and very few people knew about it. Junru's hiding place was also extremely secretive, and he had long avoided the eyes of the Lin Wang Mansion.

But why was it suddenly exposed?
Chen Hongsheng already had a guess in his mind... there was a traitor!

Now, after hearing Chen Junru's description, his judgment was further strengthened.

But who could be the traitor? !
Chen Hongsheng had a vague guess in his mind.

Over the years, the Chen family has never been a solid block, with internal fighting and intrigue. As the head of the Chen family, he has never been able to sit in a stable position.

Now that the Chen family is facing such a crisis, it is not surprising that there is a traitor in the family.

Chen Hongsheng's eyes were slightly cold!
What he hates most is traitors!
"Dad, Dad, you must save me..."

Chen Junru grabbed Chen Hongsheng's arm. The only person he could rely on now was his father, who was his only hope of survival.

He doesn't want to die!

Even though he has become a eunuch now!

He doesn't want to die either!
It is difficult for people who have not experienced life and death to understand this desperate desire to survive.

"Don't worry, Dad won't let you die."

Chen Hongsheng's eyes were slightly cold. He looked at his son who looked neither human nor ghost, and his anger grew stronger. He suppressed his emotions and said in a serious tone, "Dad has something to tell you. You must remember it..."

"..."

In Linjiang City.

On this day, after the news was released in the Linwang Palace, ordering the government to publicly try Chen Hongsheng in the case of robbing the execution ground, it caused an uproar among the people.

Countless people swarmed and gathered outside the government office, hoping to witness this grand and historic moment!
In fact, the event was no less spectacular than the one that caused when Chen Junru was about to be beheaded.

Countless people are looking forward to it and are extremely excited!

After all, the person being interrogated was the patriarch of the Chen family! In the past, such an important figure would have to be treated with great respect, let alone interrogation, even if the prefect came.

Which of these noble family heads is not extremely powerful? The noble family has a complex network of connections and influence all over the world. It is difficult for a small prefect to even meet him!
What about interrogation?

The government office was also on high alert.

After the news was released, they had already anticipated such a sensation. The government office had already deployed a large number of personnel to maintain order, and also deployed the city defense forces to cooperate.

In addition to the lesson learned from the last prisoner hijack, this time the Prince Lin’s Palace sent out many secret agents, who hid and ambushed in corners of the city, paying close attention to and monitoring everything to prevent any further accidents.

Inside the government office and in the lobby, the atmosphere was also solemn at this moment.

A middle-aged man in the official robes of a prefect was pacing back and forth in the lobby, looking worried, tense and solemn.

This man's name was Ouyang Zhen. He was originally the deputy of Yu Feng, the prefect of Linjiang City. After Yu Feng was captured and imprisoned by the Linwang Palace some time ago, he was promoted to the position of temporary prefect.

For Ouyang Zhen, this was undoubtedly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that had fallen on his head!
Originally, with Yu Feng around, he had almost no hope of promotion in his life. Yu Feng not only had many connections in Linjiang City, but also had a close relationship with the Linwang Mansion.

But who would have thought that Yu Feng actually had ulterior motives, secretly colluded with the noble families, and treated human lives as nothing. He was arrested and imprisoned by the Lin Wang Mansion with solid evidence.

After hearing the news, Ouyang Zhen was so ecstatic that he couldn't help laughing secretly even when hiding in bed at night!
Once Yu Feng fell, all the wealth and honor fell upon him.

Linzhou is the territory of Linwang Mansion, and all official appointments and dismissals are under the jurisdiction of Linwang Mansion to some extent. Ouyang Zhen is currently acting as the prefect, but if nothing unexpected happens, he will be the next prefect.

Therefore, while Ouyang Zhen was ecstatic, he was also extremely cautious, fearing that any mistakes would be made.

He knew very well that the Linwang Mansion still had the final say in Linjiang City. No matter how violent the outside world was, the Linwang Mansion would still stand firm. The only one who could decide the life and death of a small figure like him was the Linwang Mansion.

And now he is just a puppet supported by the Lin Wang Mansion!
Ouyang Zhen is very self-aware. The reason why he was favored by the Crown Prince is simply because he has little influence and no power background, so he is easy to control!

Ouyang Zhen himself was willing to be such a puppet, rather than live a life of mediocrity, being oppressed by his superiors, being looked down upon by the people, and living at the bottom of society all his life.

Might as well give it a try...it's just a puppet!
How many people want to be the Crown Prince's puppet but don't have the qualifications?

And now, it is time to test him... As the prefect of the government office, he will interrogate Chen Hongsheng in public, in front of countless people in Linjiang City, about the case of robbing the execution ground!
When Ouyang Zhen heard the news, he couldn't sleep for several days! He was nervous and excited, and at the same time, he was in a very solemn mood!

He knew that this was a test from the Lin Wang Mansion! Whether he could seize this opportunity depended on him!
On the other hand, the person being interrogated was the patriarch of the Chen family after all, so Ouyang Zhen still felt somewhat apprehensive and frightened.

You know, the status of the head of the Chen family is not ordinary, and the power behind him is extremely terrifying. Interrogating Chen Hongsheng is tantamount to offending the entire Chen family and the power behind them. If anything unexpected happens, his fate is self-evident.

Ouyang Zhen, who was only the deputy prefect in the past, didn't even have the chance to look at the Chen family's patriarch. In front of the Chen family's patriarch, he was respectful like a lackey, and the Chen family's patriarch didn't even look at him!
In this case, how could Ouyang Zhen not be worried?

He kept pacing back and forth in the lobby, thinking for a long time.

Finally, he stopped suddenly, a determined look appeared on his face, and he gritted his teeth and made up his mind!

This is his only chance, he must seize it!
If he doesn't try hard, he will never succeed!

Just as he made up his mind, the voice of the yamen runners was heard outside the door.

"Master Ouyang, Commander Lin is here!"

Hearing this, Ouyang Zhen was immediately shocked and hurried out to meet him! (End of this chapter)