The Prodigal Son

In the afternoon, Qin Yu brought Nan Que'er and Luo Qingyi to the Ministry of Justice prison.

Led by the jailer, they met Jiang Ci.

After a few months apart, Jiang Ci has changed a lot.

Gone was his former radiance; he wore filthy prison clothes, his hair was disheveled, and his eyes had become vacant.

Jiang Ci's eyes lit up again when she saw Qin Yu, but quickly dimmed again. She turned away hastily and haphazardly tidied her messy hair.

She didn't want the man she had loved to see her in such a vulnerable state.

Even now, she still hopes to show her beautiful side to Qin Yu.

However, her hair hadn't been washed in a long time, and her face was sallow.

No matter how she tries to take care of herself, she can never return to her original radiant appearance.

After a long while, Jiang Ci slowly turned around and gave Qin Yu a bitter smile through the prison door, "Greetings, Marquis Qin."

"Alright, it's already this late, no need for such formalities."

Qin Yuchong nodded slightly to her, then ordered the jailer, "Open the cell door!"

The jailer hesitated for a moment, but then obediently opened the cell door.

Qin Yu waved his hand again, and the jailer wisely withdrew.

Qin Yu looked Jiang Ci up and down and said indifferently, "You don't seem to be the Jiang Ci I know."

Jiang Ci was slightly taken aback, her heart filled with bitterness. "Perhaps I was never the Jiang Ci that Lord Qin knew! I couldn't be myself in front of Lord Qin before, and now that I can be myself in front of Lord Qin, I'm no longer myself..."

"It's good to be yourself."

As Qin Yu spoke, he smiled and asked, "I heard you wanted to see me?"

"yes!"

Jiang Ci nodded gently, a pleading look on her face: "I want to ask Lord Qin to plead for my family. They don't know anything about what I did. They are innocent! I did something wrong, and I accept whatever punishment is offered."

"That's a bit naive of you!"

Qin Yu smiled calmly, "This is treason. According to the laws of the court, even the earthworms in your house would be dug up and cut in two."

Hearing Qin Yu's words, Jiang Ci's face twitched involuntarily.

I want to laugh, but I just can't.

After a moment, Jiang Ci slowly knelt down: "Then I humbly request Lord Qin..."

Get up!

Qin Yu walked straight into the cell and pulled Jiang Ci up. "Don't beg me yet. Answer a few questions first."

Jiang Ci looked at Qin Yu with a complicated expression and said bitterly, "I've told you everything I needed to tell you."

She has already been interrogated.

She really didn't want to be interrogated anymore.

I especially don't want to be interrogated by Qin Yu!

"It's alright, let's just chat casually!"

Qin Yu smiled casually. "I'm curious, why did you send someone to inform the Baojing Division that the Northern Qi spies intended to burn down the Jiangzhou granary? You should know that once those people are caught, you'll be exposed too! Aren't you just courting death?"

"Perhaps I was just hoping for the best!"

Jiang Ci's face was filled with self-mockery. "I thought that since they failed to burn the supplies, they might commit suicide to avoid exposing everyone on the line. But I never imagined that you all already knew about Qu Da and my identities..."

She knew how much Qu Da and his gang hated her.

If their mission fails, those people will choose to commit suicide whenever they have the chance, in order to avoid exposing their secrets.

As long as those people commit suicide, the imperial court will naturally not trace it back to her, and she will not be exposed.

"This is not the answer I'm looking for."

Qin Yu gently shook his head, "You don't know that we already know your identity. You can pretend you don't know anything."

"Although I don't understand military strategy, I know the importance of supplies. I don't want you to suffer defeat because of supply problems." Jiang Ci lowered her eyes, a deep self-mockery on her face. "I guess I'm too greedy, wanting everything..."

To be precise, she simply didn't want Qin Yu to suffer a defeat due to food shortages, and even less did she want him to die in battle because of them.

However, she is not qualified to say these things in front of Qin Yu right now.

She was indeed too greedy.

She neither wanted Qu Da and his men to succeed, nor did she want them to be captured alive.

Therefore, she could only take a gamble.

Actually, when she learned that Qu Da and his people had been secretly monitored by the Baojing Division, she felt somewhat relieved.

Fortunately, she chose to tell the people of Baojingsi about this.

She felt that, thanks to this, and the fact that her family was completely unaware, she might be able to save her family's lives.

However, when she heard Qin Yu say that he was going to dig up all the earthworms in the Jiang family and cut them in two, she was completely desperate.

Looking at Jiang Ci's gloomy expression, Qin Yu couldn't help but shake his head slightly: "If you ask me, you seem smart, but you're actually quite stupid."

"I... am indeed quite stupid."

Jiang Ci lowered her head even further, "You all knew my identity a long time ago, and I was still foolish enough to think I was hiding it well..."

That's not what I meant.

Qin Yu smiled and said, "If I were you, I would choose to be a double agent! That way, I wouldn't have to worry about my identity being exposed, and I'd have an extra way out!"

She did have a choice!

She had a choice!

Jiang Ci was slightly taken aback, then smiled wryly: "Now that you mention it, I am indeed quite stupid."

Her actions were tantamount to being a double agent!

If she had revealed her identity to the people of Baojingsi or Qin Yu earlier, and had been willing to provide intelligence to Da Ning, perhaps the outcome would have been different.

They did the same thing, but the results were completely different.

However, upon closer reflection, I realized I didn't seem to have the courage to reveal my identity to them.

Having come this far, I can only blame myself.

"She does seem to be quite stupid."

Nan Que'er playfully nudged Luo Qingyi.

"really!"

Luo Qingyi nodded and smiled.

Jiang Ci probably thought Qin Yu was making fun of her.

Little did she know that Qin Yu's words had essentially sealed the fate of her situation.

Double agent!

Barring any unforeseen circumstances, Jiang Ci's life should be saved.

Hearing the two women's words, Jiang Ci felt a deep sense of despair and could only try her best to hold back her tears.

Qin Yu looked at Jiang Ci calmly: "Considering our acquaintance, I will have someone send you three feet of white silk and a set of fine clothes so you can dress up nicely before you go. Then I will find a beautiful place to bury you!"

"Thank you, Lord Qin!"

Jiang Ci raised her head again and forced a smile.

Isn't it a kind of luck to be able to walk beautifully?

"Ha ha……"

Seeing Jiang Ci's appearance, Qin Yu finally couldn't help but burst into laughter.

"Pfft..."

His smile made Nan Que'er and Luo Qingyi laugh along with him.

Jiang Ci tried her best to maintain a smile, but that smile was filled with sorrow.

Am I just a tool for their amusement?

"Alright, alright, I won't scare you anymore!"

Qin Yu's smile faded. "Considering you still have a conscience and haven't foolishly gone down a dark path, I will plead for you before His Majesty! But I can't guarantee His Majesty will grant you a way out!"

"real?"

Jiang Ci looked at Qin Yu with a face full of surprise, seemingly still somewhat incredulous.

Was he just... trying to scare himself?

"Of course it's true!"

Qin Yu stopped teasing her and nodded seriously.

"Thank you, Lord Qin!"

Jiang Ci knelt down with a "thud," and tears finally flowed uncontrollably from her eyes.

"Thank yourself!"

Qin Yu helped Jiang Ci up. "Although I had already guessed that it was you who secretly warned me to be careful of the assassination attempt by Bei Qi, if you hadn't made the right choice when you learned that the Bei Qi spies wanted to burn down the Jiangzhou granary, I certainly wouldn't have pleaded for you. At most, I would have let you leave with dignity, as I just said."

Jiang Ci's eyes welled up with tears, and she felt incredibly fortunate...