The whole family of villains listens to my heart, the Regent Prince treats me dearly.

Li Yan hesitated for a moment.

"General, was it too deliberate for me to go there now? What if the county princess becomes suspicious..."

Before he could finish speaking, Fucha Xiangming interrupted him.

"What's there to doubt? If you don't go, she won't need to doubt anything tomorrow; the evidence will be irrefutable!"

"Besides," he reassured, "you are a military officer, and with General Lu not around, you naturally have the obligation to look after the prisoners."

Fucha Xiangming scoffed inwardly.

The magistrate of Yongning County summoned them eagerly, only saying that there was a mastermind behind it all, but without revealing who it was. She even deliberately transferred General Lu away, perhaps planning to trap them like turtles in a jar, hoping they would go to the prison to silence them, and then catch them red-handed!

But Zhao Xiaofeng had no choice but to be killed.

Even if the county magistrate really had such intentions, he would still have to push someone out to take the fall for him!

Li Yan thought about it and agreed that it made sense, so he cupped his hands and said, "Yes! I will take care of it right away!"

Fucha Xiangming instructed, "Remember, if you can't confirm whether Zhao Xiaofeng has defected, then just kill him..."

He gave Li Yan a murderous look, and Li Yan immediately understood.

"Don't worry, General, I will act according to the circumstances."

After he finished speaking, he started to walk towards the prison.

"Wait a minute." Fucha Xiangming called out to Li Yan, pondered for a moment, and said, "You send the letter over first."

At this moment, in the military camp prison.

Zhao Xiaofeng huddled in a corner of the cell. When he saw Li Yan, his dejected eyes instantly lit up. "General Li! General Li, save me!"

He crawled over and knelt before Li Yan, his thin body trembling. He reached out to grab Li Yan's robe. "I have done as the adjutant said. I accept this. Adjutant Li said before that he would protect me!"

"Protect you?" Li Yan looked at him with some disgust and snatched the robe from his hand. "You've already confessed to the county magistrate that you were the mastermind, you're practically writing my name on that statement. You still expect me to protect you? You have quite the nerve!"

Zhao Xiaofeng stared at him blankly: "I...I have no idea."

"General, please understand! I really didn't say anything!" He knelt on the ground and kowtowed several times. "My mother is still in your hands, how could I possibly betray you? I would never dare! You must believe me, General!"

No other options?

Li Yan raised his eyebrows, his face instantly turning ashen.

Oh no! It was a scheme devised by the magistrate of Yongning County!

He turned to leave, but the image of Zhai Rong blowing talismans suddenly flashed into his mind. With a hardened heart, he drew his sword and killed Zhao Xiaofeng.

Zhao Xiaofeng lay on the ground, blood gushing from his neck, his eyes wide open.

Li Yan didn't even look at him. He grabbed Zhao Xiaofeng's robe, wiped his knife clean, and then hurriedly walked out of the cell. But before he even reached the prison gate, he was blocked by Zhai Rongyu.

"General Li, where are we headed?"

Li Yan stopped in his tracks, then suddenly feigned panic and cupped his hands, saying, "Your Highness! Something terrible has happened! I just saw thieves break into the prison. I thought General Lu was out having dinner and wouldn't be in the prison, so I followed them in a moment of panic."

"But to everyone's surprise, Zhao Xiaofeng was found dead in prison!"

"Your subordinate was just about to capture that thief! Unfortunately, he was a step too late!"

Zhai Rongyu looked at him with a calm and composed expression.

[Keep making things up.]

I bet even the storytellers under that bridge aren't as smooth-talking as you.

She had changed into a light dress, the pale green hem of which peeked out from under her snow-white cloak as she moved, like a touch of life blooming in winter.

Li Yan lowered his head, his forehead and back covered in cold sweat.

He looked at the hem of the skirt that had stopped in front of him and felt that his death was imminent.

Zhai Rongyu suddenly chuckled softly.

"So, I should thank Lieutenant General Li?"

Li Yan lowered his head even further: "This is all within my duty! Princess, there's no need for thanks."

Zhai Rongyu couldn't help but smile.

"Although Lieutenant General Li is conscientious in his duties, his eyesight is not very good." She glanced at Li Yan's sword intentionally or unintentionally.

Li Yan was taken aback. "What does the county princess mean by this?"

Zhai Rongyu pointed his index finger at the area behind him. "Look, isn't Zhao Xiaofeng alive and well? Why did Lieutenant General Li say he was dead?"

Li Yan felt a chill run through his body instantly.

He turned his head in disbelief and saw that Zhao Xiaofeng was indeed standing there unharmed, without a single wound on his neck, but his eyes were fixed on him with a sinister look.

Li Yan exclaimed in surprise, taking a few steps back in fright.

"This...this is impossible..."

"I...I clearly..."

"What do you mean, 'clearly'?" Zhai Rongyu looked at him with a hint of pity.

Sigh, I'm still too sinful.

Don't use paper figures to fool people next time.

Look how frightened this burly, muscular boy is!

Li Yan stumbled into the cell and was shocked to find it empty and devoid of blood. His eyes widened in disbelief.

How can it be……

How can this be……

He clearly killed someone with his own hands!

But how come there isn't even a trace?!

If Zhai Rongyu hadn't been there, Li Yan would have really wanted to draw his knife and examine it closely.

Zhao Xiaofeng, being escorted by General Lu, saw Li Yan staring blankly at the prison cell and sneered, "General Li, it's strange. You clearly killed me, so why am I still standing here?"

If the county magistrate hadn't replaced him with a paper effigy, I'm afraid I would be the one dead under Li Yan's blade right now.

Zhao Xiaofeng looked at Zhai Rongyu.

Given the county princess's abilities, it's likely that her earlier promise to rescue and heal her mother is indeed true.

With that in mind, I have nothing left to worry about.

Upon hearing Zhao Xiaofeng's words, Li Yan was immediately horrified: "What nonsense are you spouting! When did I kill you! Someone else clearly killed you, don't make false accusations!"

In desperation, he knelt before Zhai Rongyu to argue.

"Princess! It must be that Zhao Xiaofeng colluded with that villain to frame me!"

"Perhaps they are the real spies from Nansang! Now they just need to find someone to take the blame!"

Zhai Rongyu raised an eyebrow and said, "So, Lieutenant General Li, you mean they're all bad guys, and you're just an innocent, unlucky guy?"

Li Yan choked for a moment, but still forced himself to say, "This subordinate is indeed unlucky."

How could he not be unlucky?

Li Yan glanced at Zhao Xiaofeng again and rubbed his eyes.

It's not an illusion.

He's really starting to question the meaning of life!

Did I really come to the prison cell, and did I really kill Zhao Xiaofeng...?

"Take them all back to the camp." Zhai Rongyu waved to General Lu and walked back to his own camp.

She had to pry the information about Fucha Xiangming out of Li Yan.

We still have to listen to their nonsense.

[It would be better to return to the camp and sit down to listen.]

The group quickly arrived at the camp.

Zhai Rongyu sat in a chair, holding a hand warmer, and said to Li Yan, "Are you now doubting whether you actually laid a hand on someone?"

Li Yan looked extremely nervous. He forced a smile and said, "Your Highness is joking. I still maintain that I am innocent!"

"I ask General Fucha to be my witness!" he suddenly changed the subject, "I saw that thief enter the prison cell with General Fucha!"

"Yes! He saw it too!"