She remarried a cold-faced, powerful man, and the scumbag regretted it and cried his heart out.

Shen Jingshu stood behind the desk, her fingertips lightly twirling the spread-out plan, pondering it carefully. After a while, she looked up at Jiang Jin'an, who was sitting calmly in the armchair, and asked, "How much of Bi Yi's information do you think we can trust?"

Jiang Jin'an raised his eyes, his gaze falling on Shen Jingshu's face, calm and composed, "She's afraid of death."

Those three short words were powerful and resounding.

They valued their lives but also feared the methods used in the imperial prison.

Moreover, she has no direct connection with Prince Jing and is merely following orders. Now that Xie Wanqing is a useless pawn, she has no choice but to cooperate if she wants to live.

Shen Jingshu raised an eyebrow slightly. She had also carefully read Bi Yi's testimony. It was logical, well-organized, and not a fabrication.

However, human nature is unpredictable, and even though she had her own judgment, she dared not let her guard down.

"Those who are afraid of death are also the most likely to resort to any means to survive."

Jiang Jin'an stood up and walked behind her, covering her with his warm hand, with a soothing tone, "She had no choice. No one wants to experience the taste of the imperial prison a second time."

Shen Jingshu took his hand in return, her unease subsiding slightly. "I still feel a bit uncertain."

“Your intuition has always been sharp.” Jiang Jin’an turned his head, his gaze softening, and squeezed Shen Jingshu’s hand. “I’ve already made arrangements for the teahouse, so you don’t need to worry.”

With a light tap of his slender fingertips on the plan on the table, he said, "The officers of the Commandery are all in ambush, just waiting for the fish to take the bait."

The wind outside the window grew stronger, and a light rain began to fall, pattering until dawn broke.

Biyi took a deep breath, trying to calm her wildly beating heart, and stepped into the teahouse. The familiar noise sounded somewhat jarring at this moment.

The tea drinkers continued their lively conversation, but Biyi felt that their smiles were somewhat stiff and their conversations seemed a bit deliberate.

She walked casually to the counter, where the shopkeeper was standing, fiddling with the abacus beads, his usual kind smile on his face.

"Good morning, shopkeeper."

The shopkeeper looked up and saw it was Bi Yi. His smile faded slightly. "Oh, it's Miss Bi Yi. What brings you to my teahouse today?"

Bi Yi forced a slightly flustered smile, leaned closer to the shopkeeper, and lowered her voice, saying, "Shopkeeper, I have something I want to tell you."

Everyone knows that Xie Wanqing has been expelled from the Pingyang Marquis's mansion and has been forbidden by imperial decree from ever setting foot in the capital again; she can barely protect herself. What important matter could this maid, Biyi, possibly have to discuss with him at this time?

This is definitely not a good thing!

The shopkeeper lowered his eyes again, his fingers continuing to move the abacus beads, and said in a calm tone, "Tell me about it."

Bi Yi's eyes flickered uncertainly, and she lowered her voice even further, almost whispering in the shopkeeper's ear, "Shopkeeper, something's happened, Prince Jing... something's happened to Prince Jing."

The shopkeeper paused, his previously kind face freezing instantly upon hearing the words "Prince Jing." His smile froze on his face, replaced by a scrutinizing and suspicious expression.

Something happened to Prince Jing? How come he hasn't heard about it?

Bi Yi felt a chill run down her spine, her heart pounding like a drum, almost leaping out of her throat. She grabbed the shopkeeper's sleeve, "My lord said it, this servant dares not utter a single falsehood!"

I would rather trust it to have it than to trust it to have nothing.

Prince Jing was already under house arrest; could it be that His Majesty has discovered something else?

The shopkeeper's expression shifted between anger and uncertainty. He suddenly stood up, grabbed Bi Yi's arm, and asked, "Is what you're saying true? What else did your lord say?"

Biyi felt a sharp pain from his grip, but she knew she had to play her part. She feigned panic, broke free from the shopkeeper's hand, took several steps back, and shook her head. "You'd better think of something quickly, or we'll all suffer!"

The shopkeeper, no longer caring whether Bi Yi's words were true or false, turned and rushed to the back room, frantically rummaging through a hidden compartment to find some account books and letters, stuffing them into his arms, and then running out again a moment later.

Outside the teahouse, Jiang Jin'an had already led his troops from the Commandery to lie in ambush.

They were dressed in plain clothes and scattered throughout Xiushui Street.

Jiang Jin'an, hidden in the shadows, saw the shopkeeper rush out of the teahouse in a panic. His eyes flashed, and he waved his hand. The officers of the Duwei Division, who were lying in ambush, immediately rushed into the teahouse and surrounded it completely.

Holding a ring-pommel sword, Tong Qingyun shouted, "The Commandery is handling a case! All bystanders, get out of the way!"

Jiang Jin'an stepped into the teahouse, glanced at the panicked manager and waiter, raised his chin, and parted his thin lips slightly, "Take it."

Before the shopkeeper could react, he was pinned to the ground by several captains of the military command and unable to move.

"What are you doing? I'm a law-abiding citizen! You can't arrest me!"

"A law-abiding citizen?" Jiang Jin'an scoffed, walked to the bench and sat down indifferently. He watched Lin Yu being searched, tapped the table lightly, and said with a mocking tone, "I've never seen a 'law-abiding citizen' like you before."

Lin Yu searched the shopkeeper's pocket and found a list. When he unfolded it, he saw that it was filled with names, and each name was marked with the faction and official position it belonged to. It was an extremely detailed list of personnel!

Lin Yu immediately became excited and quickly handed it to Jiang Jin'an.

Jiang Jin'an took the list, quickly glanced at it, and after confirming that it was correct, handed it back to Lin Yu. "Everyone listed on this list shall be arrested and brought to justice immediately, without exception!"

"Yes!" Lin Yu responded and immediately led his men to arrest the people on the list.

The shopkeeper shuddered, realizing that all was lost.

The teahouse was in chaos, but it was quickly quelled by the officers of the Commandery.

The teahouse owner, whose real name was Chen Kangnian, was bound hand and foot and dragged into the imperial prison like a dead dog.

Tong Qingyun held the ring-pommel sword, its tip pressed against Chen Kangnian's palm, and plunged it down without hesitation. Chen Kangnian felt the pain and his whole body convulsed, but because he was tightly bound, he could only let out a painful howl.

Jiang Jin'an sat in the torture chamber, his face cold and stern, radiating a chilling aura. Looking at Chen Kangnian struggling in pain, he asked, "Speak, who ordered you to do all this?"

After recovering, Chen Kangnian lowered his head and said directly, "Prince Jing."

"Just Prince Jing?"

Chen Kangnian did not understand the meaning behind his words, "It is His Highness Prince Jing, please, Your Excellency, understand!"

Jiang Jin'an revealed a cryptic smile, "In that case, I was overthinking it."

In the short time it takes to drink a cup of tea, Chen Kangnian's confession was so quick and his attitude so cooperative that it far exceeded the expectations of the officers of the Commandery.

He confessed everything without holding back, after only being pricked on the palm and before any torture methods could be used.

Disappointment filled their eyes. They'd confessed everything already?

They thought the teahouse owner would be a tough nut to crack and had prepared many methods of torture, but they didn't expect it to end so easily, which was quite surprising.

Is Prince Jing, Wen Huaiqing, really so easily defeated?