Nine dragons fight for the throne, I don't want to sit on this throne

In the deepest part of the dark and damp sky prison, the air was filled with the smell of decay and blood.

The torches on the wall flickered with dim light, making the human figures look distorted and strange.

Prince Chu Ning walked with heavy steps, guided by the jailer through the iron bars. His brocade boots made a dull echo on the waterlogged stone slabs.

"Your Highness, the cell ahead is where Marquis Pingyuan is imprisoned." The warden bowed, a hint of fear in his voice.

Chu Ning nodded slightly, his eyes as sharp as a knife.

He deliberately changed into a black brocade robe, and the dragon-patterned jade pendant hanging on the jade belt around his waist swayed gently with his steps, emitting a cold luster in the dim light.

When the last iron door was opened, Chu Ning's pupils shrank slightly.

In the corner of the cell, a blood-soaked figure was chained to the wall. His once gorgeous brocade robe had long been tattered, revealing the hideous whip marks and charred marks left by the branding iron.

"Marquis of Pingyuan Lu Mengran." Chu Ning spoke coldly, his voice echoing off the stone walls.

The man slowly raised his head, revealing a face as pale as paper among his messy hair.

Pingyuan Hou Lu Mengran, once a high-ranking official in the court, now looked haggard. His lips were cracked and bleeding, but his eyes were still as cold as ice.

"Your Highness the Crown Prince has finally...come in person...to visit this old minister." Lu Mengran's voice was hoarse and broken, but it contained a chilling sarcasm.

Chu Ning stood with his hands behind his back, the cloud pattern embroidered with gold thread on the cuffs of his brocade robe faintly visible in the firelight.

He stared at the former trusted minister in front of him, with complicated emotions surging in his heart.

"As the Marquis of Pingyuan, I believe I have treated you well."

Chu Ning's voice was low and restrained: "Even if your son was killed by Shen Zhengqing, you shouldn't collude with the Scorpion Tribe and sell food. This is tantamount to treason!"

"Hahaha--"

Lu Mengran suddenly burst into a shrill laugh, and the chains rattled with his movements.

"My son is dead! Do you understand, Chu Ning?"

He called the prince by his name, with terrifying hatred smoldering in his eyes.

"That was the son I carefully nurtured for twenty years! He was proficient in music, chess, calligraphy, painting, military tactics, and everything in between! Now he's dead, killed by your favored Shen Zhengqing!"

Chu Ning frowned slightly, and the fingers in his sleeves tightened unconsciously.

He remembered that young man - Lu Mingyuan, the son of the Lu family, who was indeed a talented young man.

Two years ago during the spring hunt, he had praised the other party's archery skills.

"If you hadn't blindly indulged Shen Zhengqing and even promoted him to the position of commander of the city defense battalion, how could things have come to this?"

Lu Mengran's voice suddenly rose, and his hoarse voice echoed in the cell.

"What crime did my son commit? He just went to that brothel, and was brutally murdered by the remnants of the Zhao Kingdom under Shen Zhengqing!"

Chu Ning was silent.

He remembered that case. Shen Zhengqing had indeed gone too far, and he had personally supervised the execution of the other party.

At this time, Zhao Yu, who was standing behind Chu Ning, snorted coldly and put his hand on the hilt of the sword:

"Marquis Pingyuan, every wrong has its perpetrator, your son was killed by Shen Zhengqing, and this debt should not be placed on the head of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince."

"Shen Zhengqing is dead!"

Lu Mengran suddenly jumped up, the iron chain was stretched straight, and his wrists were rubbed bloody by the shackles.

"That beast was chopped into pulp by me! But if Chu Ning isn't held responsible for this, who else should be held responsible?!"

"How dare you!" Zhao Yu shouted angrily, and his long sword was unsheathed three inches.

"How dare you address His Highness by his name!"

Chu Ning raised his hand to stop Zhao Yu's actions.

He walked slowly forward and stopped three steps away from Lu Mengran.

This distance was enough for him to see the deep hatred in the other person's eyes, and also enough for him to retreat in time in an emergency.

"Okay, I'm not here to quarrel." Chu Ning's voice returned to calm, but a sharp light flashed in his eyes.

The purpose of his trip was clear - to find out the identity of the last masked man.

He would not be at peace until he found the masked man.

Now that Lu Xiuwen, Liu Feng and Li Shaoyuan have been ruled out as suspects, the only clue lies with Lu Mengran.

Chu Ning leaned forward slightly, lowering his voice to a very low voice: "Lu Mengran, your affairs have been exposed. If you don't want to implicate your family, reveal the identity of the last masked man, otherwise..."

He paused deliberately, watching the other person's pupils suddenly shrink.

"Your whole family will die because of you."

Everyone has weaknesses.

The fact that Lu Mengran cares so much about his son shows that he cares very much about his family.

Although it was not very decent to threaten his family's lives, Chu Ning did not want to argue with someone who had betrayed him.

Just be able to achieve the goal.

"you!"

Lu Mengran's eyes were bloodshot and he rushed forward, but was pulled back by the iron chain.

He was gasping for breath, blood oozing from the corner of his mouth.

"The dignified Crown Prince... actually resorted to such despicable means!"

At this moment, a flash of anger and helplessness appeared in Lu's eyes.

He knew Chu Ning's methods, and he also knew that the other party could do what he said!

Chu Ning straightened up, a sneer curled up at the corner of his mouth: "When facing those who collude with foreigners, I don't care what means I use."

He turned around and made to leave. "Now, you only have two choices—either reveal the identity of the last masked man, or I will order the execution of your entire family."

The cell fell into deathly silence, with only the crackling of burning torches and Lu Mengran's heavy breathing.

Chu Ning had his back to him, but he could feel his gaze stabbing at his back like a knife.

After a long while, Lu Mengran suddenly let out a bitter laugh that was almost like collapse:

"Good...very good...Chun Ning, you win."

His voice suddenly became unusually calm: "The last masked man is..."

At this critical moment, there was a sudden commotion outside the cell.

Chu Ning turned around suddenly and saw a black shadow passing by like a ghost, with a cold light heading straight for Lu Mengran's throat!

"Protect His Highness!" Zhao Yu shouted and drew his sword.

But it was too late, a flying knife had already penetrated deeply into Lu Mengran's throat.

Blood gushed out, splattering on the mottled stone wall.

Lu Mengran widened his eyes and moved his lips as if he wanted to say something, but in the end he only spat out a mouthful of blood foam and his head drooped weakly.

Chu Ning's face turned pale and he shouted sternly, "Chase!"

Zhao Yu immediately led his men out.

Chu Ning stood there, staring at Lu Mengran's gradually cold body, his fists clenched white.

Almost...just so close he'd get that name!

Who is this masked man at the end, and how could he have the ability to enter the Heavenly Prison at this moment?

This is the Heavenly Prison, and there are many jailers outside. Plus, he brought white horse cavalry with him this time. How did they get in?

"Collect his body and send it back to the Lu family!"

Chu Ning gave some instructions, then stood up and rushed out.

He wants to catch the assassin himself!