The rain had stopped on the horizon.
The first rays of dawn filtered through the tiny skylight of the dungeon, casting a thin beam of light.
Song Yinghuai saw the fat wolf stuck in the skylight again. A glimmer of hope flashed in his eyes as he struggled to his feet.
This time, A Ye didn't struggle to jump down.
It only opened its mouth, spat out the stone it was carrying, and then backed out of the window and left.
The stone landed in the weed pile almost silently.
Song Yinghuai's pupils were like stars obscured by dark clouds, losing their luster.
He picked up the stone engraved with a lotus flower. As if all the strength had been drained from his body, he slumped against the uneven wall.
Only the sharp pain on his back could remind him that things were not over yet.
He lifted the stone in his hand with difficulty, facing the single ray of sunlight from the skylight.
The blinding light made his eyes sting and his eye sockets moisten.
"Yuer... Can't I even get a chance with my death?"
In the late autumn and early winter of the second year of Xuanwen in the Great Ye Dynasty.
Li Muge's original plan to set off in five days was unexpectedly postponed for ten days for some unknown reason.
Hearing that it was about to snow in Jiaodong, Li Muge, a southerner who was afraid of the cold, finally set off lazily.
Fortunately, during these days, he didn't cause any trouble for Song Yinghuai.
After Caiyu learned the news that Song Yinghuai would be escorted back to the capital tomorrow, she sent Lan Guifan and A Ye out of Jizhou overnight.
"Go to Qin Land and find Eldest Sister and Lord Xiao. They will protect you."
Lan Guifan hugged her luggage reluctantly. "Third Sister, aren't you coming with us?"
Caiyu shook her head, a determined look on her face. "I'm going to follow behind the prince's prison cart and wait for an opportunity."
The guards in Jizhou City were so strict that she couldn't act for the second time.
But there would be many more variables on the way of the escort. Moreover, the prince had so many followers. Maybe there would be an opportunity along the way.
Even if there wasn't, she could try to persuade Song Yinghuai to escape!
Today, the north wind was blowing, and gloomy clouds hung low.
A prison cart stopped outside the Jizhou Prefecture Yamen.
The bluestone street was filled with a noisy crowd, all squeezing here to watch the excitement.
Caiyu secretly followed behind Li Muge and his group, quickly slipped out of the door, and hid in the noisy crowd.
Just one glance almost made her lungs explode.
The prison cart was very small, only half a person's height. There was a hole in the middle just big enough for a head to stick out.
Once a person got into the prison cart, they could only kneel all the way.
It was a journey of thousands of miles. Wasn't this Li Muge deliberately humiliating people?
The on - looking common people were also discussing this specially made prison cart.
"This is too humiliating!"
"Prince Yan is, after all, a royal relative. How can he be subjected to such humiliation?"
"Exactly. I heard he was framed as a rebel... But he guarded the border for so long. I only saw him protecting the people of the Great Ye. I never saw any intention of rebellion in him."
"In my opinion, Prince Yan is the most suitable monarch for the Great Ye."
Li Muge seemed completely oblivious to the surrounding discussions, even turning a deaf ear to the voices discussing the monarchy and politics.
At this moment, his eyes were wandering. He was holding an ivory - carved tobacco pipe that few people had ever seen, taking a puff from it like a precious treasure from time to time.
Caiyu hid in the crowd, wearing a veil. She watched Li Muge's absent - minded appearance coldly and listened to the indignant discussions of the common people. Her eyes kept flashing.
The gates of the Jizhou Prefecture Yamen opened. As soon as Song Yinghuai appeared, the public outrage boiled over.
Some common people started shoving with the soldiers, while the women, the elderly, and the weak were shouting and trying to get closer to the prison cart.
When Song Yinghuai's figure with fetters on his hands appeared, Tan Xiong and others hiding in the crowd couldn't help but gasp.
In just half a month, the man had lost a lot of weight.
But that wasn't the most important thing.
The most important thing was that at a glance, the man looked desolate. His once - sharp eyes were dull, clearly showing that he was heart - broken and had the will to die.
Caiyu's fingers on the veil froze as she stared directly at the man.
The man was wearing a white prison uniform. Since Li Muge was busy smoking opium and didn't have the energy to cause trouble for him, his body was clean.
Presumably, the flesh wounds on his back had started to heal.
She just didn't know if the tendons on his shoulder blades had been treated and repaired.
But in any case, he shouldn't look so dejected!
As the public outrage rose, Tan Xiong, squeezed in the crowd, roared angrily: "Prince Yan was framed by the treacherous officials in the court! The prince had already voluntarily resigned as the regent and returned the military power of the capital army. He just wanted to return to Yan and be a vassal prince again. It's the young emperor who is fatuous and immoral! Treacherous officials are in power! Just like Marquis Yongchang back then! Deliberately framing others!"
As soon as Tan Xiong's words were out, Li Muge finally put down the tobacco pipe in his hand. He opened his eyes angrily and shouted:
"Who! Who is publicly insulting His Majesty? Come! Arrest him!"
However, Tan Xiong's words further fueled the public outrage. People were crowded together, not allowing the southern army to have a chance to find the person who had just spoken.
There were even more voices scolding Li Muge in the crowd.
"Treacherous official!"
"Using the power of others to bully people!"
"Abusing power!"
"Worse than a eunuch dog!"
The Hu cavalry led by Duo Yong just watched coldly and ignored everything.
Unable to find the person, Li Muge took his anger out on Song Yinghuai.
He looked at Song Yinghuai sinisterly. "Your Highness, Prince Yan, you're really capable. You led the army to attack the city, but instead of resenting you, the people of Jizhou City are speaking up for you. I think you must have used some kind of witchcraft to disrupt Jizhou!"
Song Yinghuai finally raised his eyes and glanced at him. "The hearts of the people are what they are, and the general trend is irresistible."
Jiaodong had been suffering from maritime disasters all year round. Not only was it often attacked by tsunamis, but there had also been Japanese pirates running amok for more than a decade.
Jiaodong was not far from Yanjing, and many people often migrated there. So the two places had always had close exchanges.
The people of Jiaodong had heard so much about Prince Yan that his reputation was even greater than that of the emperor in the capital.
Li Muge's jaw tightened, and his expression was ferocious. "Such a good saying about the hearts of the people and the general trend. It's a pity that your death is approaching. It's useless to be so stubborn!"
He pointed at the humiliating prison cart. "Your Highness, the noble Prince Yan, this was specially made by me to match your status. Please get on the prison cart!"
Caiyu's heart started pounding violently. Regardless of everything, she shouted sharply:
"Treacherous official! His Highness, Prince Yan, has not been convicted yet. How dare you take this opportunity to humiliate a royal relative!"
Li Muge almost jumped up!
"Who? Who is spouting such rebellious words?"
As soon as Caiyu's voice was out, Song Yinghuai's once - lifeless eyes suddenly lit up.
No matter how turbulent the crowd was, he could immediately recognize that girl's voice.
His eyes quickly locked onto the veiled face hiding in the crowd, and the corner of his lips twitched slightly.
Finally, he could see her one more time.
Caiyu shuttled through the crowd. While avoiding Li Muge's gaze, she continued to stir up the public anger:
"Folks! The city of Jizhou was besieged by the Yan army for many days, but they never hurt any of our innocent people! Li Muge forced the collection of food and soldiers everywhere in Jizhou during the half - month of defending the city. When we escaped from the city, the Yan army didn't arrest anyone. Instead, they let our children leave freely!"
"Li Muge, you bastard! In order to suppress the public opinion, you arrested the people who resisted conscription in the city and executed their whole families! You're heartless!"
As soon as these words were said, the crowd became even more agitated, and the tide of condemnation began to rise.
Tan Xiong and others looked at each other in surprise.
That voice... sounded a bit familiar!
Zhang Ce whispered in a low voice. "Shall we take the opportunity to rescue the prince?"
Tan Xiong immediately pressed on his eager shoulder and shook his head. "No, follow the prince's plan before he left."
Zhang Ce gasped. "So we're just here to see the prince?"
"Yes, just to see. Make sure he's okay. Since the army's morale is stable, we can carry out the next step."
Li Muge impatiently urged his men to search for the person.
Caiyu received a signal from Tan Xiong and others. The Yan soldiers who were disguised and hiding in the crowd quietly approached and protected her on both sides without a trace.
Caiyu didn't notice at all. She only wanted Song Yinghuai to get out of this humiliating prison cart. It would be best if a commotion could be caused so that someone might take the opportunity to rescue the prisoner!