527 Messenger Bird (2/2)

Li Xueyue squinted her eyes and to her surprise, it was a door. That led underground? Her eyes centered upon the two guards who stood guard in front of the cold steel door with a small rectangular window with bars that let in air. There were soldiers armed with weapons everywhere.

”The prison cells?” she spoke out upon realizing what this place was.

”Indeed,” Yu Zhen said with a nod.

At the sight of the Crown Prince, everyone parted for him like the Red Sea. There was not a single person who dared to block his path, for the consequences were dire. No one could afford to offend him.

Li Xueyue squeezed his hand and tried to keep her face in control. She had lost her composure too quickly yesterday. It was a regret that she did not divulge. Had she kept her expression cool and controlled, Marquis Qin might've not recognized her. But it had been too late, for the servants and everyone had heard the name 'Bai Xueyue.'

She glanced to her side, where Xiao Hua was standing.

”Wait out here,” she instructed her servants. They stepped back and bowed their heads. It would be best for them not to soil their eyes with the gruesome prison cells.

She made a mental note to ask Xiao Hua for her intel about the servants' opinion of the name 'Bai Xueyue.' It would be best to get rid of any doubts before it spread like wildfire.

Li Xueyue wondered if Yu Zhen had wiped out all records of the Bai Family. Her grip on his hand tightened. It must've caught his attention, for he glanced down.

”What's wrong, Sunshine?” he asked. ”Scared?”

Li Xueyue instantly shook her head. ”Did you wipe the records of the Bai Family?” she whispered to him so that no one could hear.

”I got rid of their estate in Wuyi and anything else I could get my hands on. Though the town had doubts about their disappearance, I've made sure to speak to the town mayor who will keep everyone in check.”

Li Xueyue slowly nodded at his words.

”The rest of the records are kept in the Imperial Palace in Wuyi. You have to inform your parents to go through them.”

Li Xueyue made sure to write about that in a letter to her parents. Or perhaps, she could find a way to train a messenger bird to travel to Wuyi and back to Hanjian.

Her attention snapped to Yu Zhen when he tugged her hand. ”It will be fine. The only people who know about your true identity here are just me and you.”

Yu Zhen stroked her cheek, soft and supple. ”The merchant has suffered too much that he can't even tell left from right.” His voice was low and amused. There was not an ounce of remorse.

She shivered at his words, knowing exactly what he meant. She did not doubt him, not even one bit. When it came to cruelty, Yu Zhen knew it best.

Li Xueyue was glad their morning meal was light and simple. The stench of the prison was beginning to seep through the unopened door. She had to prepare her stomach for this, knowing everything would be unpleasant and gruesome.

”Would you like to see?” he offered despite the fact that they had come so far.

”Y-yes,” she managed to say.

He did this for her. The least she could do was lay eyes on his masterpiece. Besides, this was the closure she needed. Especially after hearing him call out her name for the final time yesterday.