The Dungeon of the Jinyiwei (Embroidered Uniform Guard) was located beneath their headquarters.
It was constructed jointly by the Mohist School and the Gongshu Clan, consuming a vast amount of the Wu Kingdom’s resources, all to ensure it matched the prestige of the Jinyiwei.
This prison was filled with intricate chanisms and formations, representing the combined craftsmanship of both factions. If anyone were imprisoned here, attempting a jailbreak would be near impossible—even a cultivator at the Jade Purity Realm would find it a one-way trip.
As for cultivators of the Immortal Realm or above, if they dared to break in, the royal palace’s enshrined experts would personally intervene.
But in this world, how many Immortal Realm cultivators could there even be? Let alone those who had reached the Ascension Realm.
For those at the Upper Five Realms, there were specially designed prison cells, ensuring that escape was virtually impossible.
Yet, despite the “luxurious” nature of the Jinyiwei’s dungeon, it currently housed only two prisoners—Zheng Qiu and Mo Yuanshan.
“Masters of the Jinyiwei, I swear I won’t do it again! Please, I beg you, let go! I was wrong! I’ll be a good person from now on, I’ll abide by the law! As for your injured comrades, I will compensate them handsoly, I swear!”
Inside the dark prison, Zheng Qiu, dressed in a prisoner’s uniform and shackled with heavy chains, wailed in despair.
His cries echoed through the prison, but there was no one to respond.
At first, Zheng Qiu had been quite defiant. He believed his father would surely co to his rescue, that the Jinyiwei wouldn’t dare lay a finger on him.
When he was first thrown into the dungeon, he had still been arrogant, but after a few lashes from the guards, his confidence crumbled.
The searing pain of his torn flesh forced him to face reality—these people truly didn’t care who his father was.
Like most spoiled noble brats, he had been quick to act tough but even quicker to surrender.
It hadn’t even been two hours since his imprisonnt, yet his psychological defenses had completely collapsed, leaving him utterly spineless.
The dimly lit prison, devoid of sunlight, only illuminated by flickering torches, filled with the eerie squeaks of rats, had sent an overwhelming fear creeping into his heart.
Just then—
CLANG.
The heavy iron door creaked open.
Zheng Qiu’s pleas intensified.
“Masters, I was wrong! I swear I was wrong! Let go, my father will surely—Eh? Father!”
As he continued his desperate cries, he suddenly saw his father walking toward him.
Zheng Qiu rubbed his eyes, unsure if he was hallucinating.
“Father, why are you here?”
When he realized he wasn’t mistaken, joy flooded his face. His father had really co for him!
I knew it! My father wouldn’t abandon ! The Jinyiwei wasn’t that terrifying after all—they still had to show my father so respect!
“You wretched son!” Zheng Liu strode up to him, trembling with rage. “Why are you even in the capital?!”
“Huh?” Zheng Qiu was dumbfounded. “Didn’t you summon ?”
Zheng Liu’s anger surged. “When the hell did I ever summon you?! In a few years, I’ll be retiring and returning ho! Why would I want you here?!”
Zheng Qiu’s face twisted with grievance. “But I received a letter saying you missed , so I ca…”
“You—” Zheng Liu exhaled sharply, waving a hand. “Forget it. Then tell , how did you end up in that teahouse? And you even set your sights on so girl? Was she really so beautiful that you had to try and forcefully take her?! Do you even know where you are?! Do you think you can act recklessly here? Even I have to tread carefully in the streets, lest I bump into the wrong person!”
“Father, I really didn’t!” Zheng Qiu grew even more aggrieved. “I never tried to forcefully take anyone!”
“You—” Zheng Liu was trembling with fury. “If you didn’t do it, then why the hell are you locked up here?! Do you think I’d be here if you were innocent?! Never mind the girl—do you even know who kicked you?!”
“Who was it?” Zheng Qiu’s eyes lit up.
Although he had suffered terribly, that girl was truly stunning!
“That person was none other than the Eldest Princess of the Chu Kingdom! She’s been visiting Wu Capital for a while, and as luck would have it, she happened to witness your so-called ‘forcible abduction’—and even gave you a beating herself! She’s the eyewitness!”
“Father, I swear it wasn’t like that!” Zheng Qiu was on the verge of tears. “I did it all for you!”
“You did it for ?! What nonsense are you spouting?!” Zheng Liu felt his head spinning.
“When I first arrived in Wu Capital, I attended a banquet. The guests were all sons of high-ranking court officials.”
Zheng Qiu explained in a sullen tone.
“During the banquet, soone ntioned you, Father. They said you were miserable these days, all because of that newly established Jinyiwei agency.
Ever since its formation, Jinyiwei has stripped away much of the authority from both the Jingzhao Bureau and the Dali Court (Court of Judicial Review). Those people were even mocking you, saying you were powerless, forced to live under the shadow of Jinyiwei.
I couldn’t stand it! I argued with them, nearly got into a fight.
Then, soone gave an idea. They said that if I truly wanted to stand up for you, if I wasn’t a coward, I should go to a teahouse where a storyteller’s granddaughter—said to be a stunning beauty—often appeared.
They told to harass her on purpose.
They claid that doing so would definitely attract the attention of the Jingzhao constables and even Jinyiwei. When that happened, I could use it as an opportunity to humiliate them publicly.
They said the Jinyiwei were nothing but paper tigers—that no matter what I did, they wouldn’t dare lay a finger on …”
Zheng Liu looked at his foolish son and asked, “So you just went ahead and did it?”
“Of course!” Zheng Qiu nodded as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. “I made the promise right in front of all those noble sons—if I backed out, I’d be ostracized from Wu Capital’s social circles!”
“You… you… you…”
Zheng Liu was so furious he could barely speak. In the end, all he could do was curse, “Idiot!”
Zheng Qiu shrank his neck, feeling deeply wronged.
“Father, scold all you want, but please get out of here! This place is not fit for human beings! And those damned Jinyiwei—they actually had the audacity to whip ! Do you understand?!
When they whipped , they weren’t just whipping —they were whipping your dignity as well!”
Zheng Qiu gripped his father’s hand tightly through the iron bars.
Zheng Liu let out a long sigh.
“It won’t be that easy to get you out.”
“Huh?” Zheng Qiu felt a chill run down his spine. “Father, what do you an?”
“I an…” Zheng Liu looked at his son with an unreadable expression.
“Unless sothing unexpected happens… you’re probably going to be locked up for a few years.”
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