At 100 years old, he joined the army in place of his granddaughter, and became a national war god.

The Imperial Prison, located deep underground within the Forbidden City, is perpetually shrouded in darkness and dampness, with a constant chill in the air.

This is a forbidden area in the Great Qian Dynasty where serious criminals and disgraced officials are imprisoned.

High walls and strong locks, copper and iron cages, layers of imperial guards rotating day and night, the security was extremely tight.

Those who enter this prison mostly never see the light of day again, and rarely have a chance of survival.

Inside the pitch-black, deathly silent cell, the stench of decay and mold mingled with the foul smell of blood, permeating every inch of air and creating a suffocating oppressive atmosphere.

Li Yuan, the prime minister who once held immense power, commanded the six ministries, and was second only to the emperor, has long lost his former elegance and high spirits.

Months of imprisonment tormented this high-ranking official, leaving him emaciated and in a wretched state.

His clothes were tattered and stained, his hair was disheveled and gray, his face was pale and haggard, and his eyes were bloodshot. He looked every bit the downtrodden prisoner.

He huddled in the cold, damp corner of the cell, his back pressed tightly against the cold, hard stone wall, his whole body shivering, and he remained motionless.

The huge cell was pitch black, with only a faint ray of sunlight piercing through the narrow ventilation hole above the cell door, barely breaking through the boundless darkness and landing on a corner of the ground, becoming the only light in this deathly silent prison.

Li Yuan's cloudy eyes were fixed on that tiny ray of light, his eyes churning with endless despair, resentment, and regret.

At the beginning of his imprisonment, he still had confidence in himself, firmly believing that the Crown Prince would do everything in his power to save him, and that he had cultivated deep roots in the court for decades and would never end up dying in prison.

But day after day, month after month, hope was gradually worn away by the dark and cold prison.

Although the Crown Prince had the will, he was constrained by the political situation at court and suppressed by Su Mu and the Third Prince's faction, making him powerless to intervene in the affairs of the Heavenly Prison.

All the officials and former subordinates in the court, knowing how to protect themselves, avoided him like the plague, and not one dared to utter a single word of pleading for him.

A prolonged period of despair enveloped him, gradually plunging him into a state of utter desolation.

"Could it be... that I, Li Yuan, am truly destined to perish here?"

His throat was dry, and he murmured to himself in a low voice, hoarse and weak, filled with endless sorrow.

"I've spent half my life navigating the treacherous waters of officialdom, assisting emperors, holding a stable position as prime minister, wielding power over the land... and in the end, I'm destined to die imprisoned in this dark and hopeless dungeon, meeting a tragic end of sudden death and utter disgrace?"

"Damn Su Mu, all of this is thanks to you."

"When I escape from prison one day, I will definitely take my revenge."

Li Yuan became increasingly unwilling to accept his fate and simply wait to die.

However, a mysterious man in black who appeared several months ago told him that he could escape from prison when the time was right.

Now, his only hope is that the man in black will come to his rescue.

However, how easy is it to rescue someone from the heavily guarded imperial prison?

He racked his brains but still couldn't figure out how the man in black would rescue him.

As he thought about it, Li Yuan clenched his fists, his nails digging deep into his palms. The piercing pain couldn't suppress the overwhelming resentment in his heart.

He was still unwilling to accept it!

Unwilling to see his life's work destroyed in an instant, unwilling to be defeated by Su Mu, a mere military officer, unwilling to see his painstaking efforts in supporting the crown prince and his lifelong planning for the court go to waste!

Despair and stubbornness intertwined and surged wildly in his heart, making him unwilling to completely accept his fate even when he was trapped in a desperate situation.

Just as Li Yuan was sinking into despair and deep in contemplation!

In the silent, eerie depths of the prison corridor, a silent, dark shadow suddenly flashed by.

There were no footsteps, no breathing sounds; it was as if a ghost was moving in the night, silently appearing in the shadows outside the prison door.

A sinister, cold, and deep voice slowly pierced the darkness, precisely reaching Li Yuan's ears:

"Lord Li, it's been a long time! How are you?"

"Now, your time has come."

Upon hearing the sound, my lifeless mind suddenly shattered!

Li Yuan shuddered violently, his pupils contracted sharply, all his despair vanished instantly, and an unbelievable glint appeared in his eyes!

He almost staggered as he sprang to his feet, ignoring the numbness in his limbs and his disheveled appearance. He rushed to the heavy iron bars of the prison door, gripping the cold bars tightly with both hands. His nerves were on edge, and his breathing became rapid and heavy.

He stared intently at the deep darkness outside the door, his voice trembling with excitement and urgency: "It's you? It really is you!"

Although he never saw the man in black in person, he remembered the voice vividly!

Months ago, this mysterious man in black sneaked into the prison late at night, appeared quietly, and told him that a benefactor had made a plan, and when the time came, someone would do everything in their power to rescue him and ensure his safe release from prison.

That was the only glimmer of hope he grasped when he was in dire straits!

did not expect!

Unexpectedly, this person actually reappeared after several months!

Li Yuan's gaze was fixed on the depths of darkness as he urgently pressed, "Is what you say true? Is the time really right? Do you really have a way to get me out of here?"

"This is the Imperial Prison, heavily guarded by the Imperial Guards, a fortress of iron and watertight defenses. How can you possibly free me?"

In the shadows outside the prison, the figure in black concealed himself, revealing no trace of his face, only letting out a cold, indifferent laugh, full of certainty and mystery.

"No need to ask any more questions, just wait."

"Don't worry, you'll soon see the light of day again."

The sentence is brief and concise, without any unnecessary elaboration.

The moment the voice faded, the dark figure flickered, like a ghost merging into the darkness, vanishing without a trace, as if it had never existed.

The prison corridor fell silent once more, with only the howling wind blowing through it, leaving it empty and desolate.

But these two short sentences were like wildfire, instantly igniting all the hope that had long been extinguished in Li Yuan's heart!

He stood frozen before the cell door, his hands still gripping the cold iron bars, his gaze fixed on the dark direction where the man in black had disappeared, not moving an inch for a long time, his heart churning with turbulent emotions.

He was filled with shock and curiosity.

Who exactly is this person?

With unpredictable skills and elusive movements, he was able to freely enter and exit the heavily guarded imperial prison, coming and going without anyone noticing!

What's even more terrifying is that this person seems to have already seen through the trends in the court and the emperor's thoughts, and foresaw today's change of events, promising him a chance to survive in advance!

Such extraordinary methods and astonishing plans are beyond the reach of ordinary martial arts forces or court officials!

Li Yuan was filled with doubts, and countless guesses swirled in his mind, but he couldn't come up with a single clue.

Half an hour passed in the blink of an eye.

Just as Li Yuan was filled with anxiety and waiting, the sound of orderly footsteps suddenly came from the end of the deep passage of the prison, approaching from afar, strong and powerful.

Then, small sparks of light slowly spread, dispelling the layers of darkness.

There really are people outside!