Even women who travel through time can become prime ministers and nobles.

Shi Wanxia's face was filled with pain and injustice, and her tears flowed like a burst dam. The whip lashed her hard, leaving a shocking bloody welt.

"Innocent! Your Honor, we really didn't kill your son!" Shi Wanxia cried out hoarsely, her voice filled with despair and helplessness. She kept explaining, trying to convince Chen Shi of their innocence.

However, Chen Shi's face remained unmoved; his eyes were cold and resolute, as if he hadn't heard Shi Wanxia's explanation at all. He simply stood there quietly, gripping the whip tightly in his hand, seemingly ready to strike again at any moment.

Shi Wanxia's body trembled uncontrollably, her voice hoarse with pain. She knew her explanations were utterly futile in front of Chen Shi, but she still refused to give up. She wanted these vile women to pay for her son's death. Even if they weren't the ones who killed him, she wouldn't let those江湖人 (jianghu people) go unpunished.

The people around watched this scene in silence, and no one dared to step forward to plead for her. They all knew Chen Shi's temper and were afraid of getting into trouble.

In this moment of despair, Shi Wanxia's heart was filled with grief and helplessness. She didn't know what else she could do to convince Chen Shi of their innocence. She could only silently pray that heaven would bless them and that the truth would come to light soon. In ancient times, officials only had a mouth; how could she fight them? In modern society, there were countless surveillance cameras. Yes, surveillance cameras; so many people saw it.

Shi Wanxia lay on the cold ground, her whole body wracked with pain, every inch of her skin feeling as if it were being burned. Her voice was hoarse, but she still managed to speak with difficulty: "Stop! Lord City Lord, do you think that torturing a few unrelated, weak women into confessions is avenging your son?"

Her voice was weak yet firm, and her eyes shone with an indomitable light. Though her body was suffering greatly, her will remained strong.

Hearing her words, the thugs around her stopped what they were doing and looked at the city lord. The city lord's face was grim. He looked coldly at Shi Wanxia and said, "You vile women, you killed my son and you still dare to talk back! I'll make you wish you were dead!"

Shi Wanxia gritted her teeth and said, "Lord City Lord, your son's death has nothing to do with us. We were just passing through this place, but you arrested us and tortured us for no reason. Doing this will only make more people disappointed and angry with you."

The city lord sneered, "Hmph, I won't believe a single word you vile scumbags say. I've found evidence proving you killed my son. You can all just wait to die!"

Shi Wanxia knew that the city lord was blinded by hatred, and no matter what she said, he wouldn't believe her. She closed her eyes in despair, awaiting her fate. But thinking of Li Qinglan and the others still being beaten, she gritted her teeth, sat up, and gave a sarcastic smile.

"Is this how you, as the city lord, handle cases? You don't dare to arrest the murderer who killed your son. So many people saw it. Why don't you arrest the real murderer and instead make things difficult for us weak women? If we had killed your son, we would have run away long ago. Why are we still stuck here being caught by you? Is this how you act as an official, oppressing the people and bullying the locals?"

Shi Wanxia stood in the center of the cell, her eyes revealing an uncontrollable rage. The prison guards around her all lowered their heads, not daring to meet her gaze, and not even daring to breathe.

The jailers exchanged bewildered glances, inwardly groaning. They knew the city lord was a formidable figure; the city lord of Licheng wielded absolute power within the city.

"That woman's gone mad!" a jailer muttered under his breath.

"Shh!" Another jailer quickly stopped him, and Chen Shi's sharp eyes swept over.

The jailers were so frightened that they quickly retreated and dared not say another word.

A cold, sinister glint flashed in Chen Shi's eyes as he gripped the whip tightly and lashed it at Shi Wanxia again. The blow carried immense force, as if it would tear her body apart.

Shi Wanxia screamed in agony, her body trembling uncontrollably as she tried to dodge the cruel blow. However, Chen Shi showed no mercy; his whip rained down, leaving deep wounds on her body.

Blood gushed from Shi Wanxia's wound, staining her clothes crimson. Her face was as pale as paper, but her eyes still shone with unwavering determination. She would not give in easily; she would use her own strength to fight against this endless pain and torment.

Looking into Shi Wanxia's stubborn eyes, Chen Shi's anger burned even brighter. He continued to lash out with his whip, trying to force her into submission. But Shi Wanxia remained clenched in her teeth, refusing to utter a single plea for mercy.

In this fierce struggle, Shi Wanxia's body gradually weakened, but her will grew stronger. She knew that only by persevering could she have a chance to escape this terrible predicament.

Silence fell over the prison. Chen Shi tossed aside his whip, and the moment it hit the ground, it seemed to suck away the last vestiges of noise in the air. He ordered his men to escort the prisoner back to his cell and said sternly, "No one is allowed to visit!" His resolute tone was like an unbreakable city wall.

Still seething with anger, Chen Shi strode heavily out of the cell. His footsteps echoed in the narrow corridor, like a sigh of history. Each step was filled with rage and confusion; he couldn't understand why things had become so complicated.

Back in his study, Chen Shi's heart remained unsettled. The room was filled with the lingering scent of ink and a faint melancholy. He sat at his desk, his fingers lightly tapping the surface, his thoughts a jumbled mess. Who should he send to investigate what had happened today? This question swirled in his mind.

Just then, a soft footstep sounded outside the door. Chen Shi looked up and saw his most trusted subordinate standing in the doorway. "Sir, what are your orders?" the subordinate's voice was steady and respectful.

Chen Shi frowned slightly and said, "There must be something fishy about what happened in the prison today. Go and find out who is behind this." The subordinate obeyed and left, and the study returned to silence.

Chen Shi leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. The scene in the prison flashed through his mind: the girl's stubborn gaze, and the other women who looked like ordinary, naive girls. Their bodies were delicate, showing no signs of martial arts, yet even today's severe torture hadn't made them confess. "Who killed my son? If I catch them, I will have them skinned alive!"

Time passed slowly in silence, and Chen Shi's mood gradually calmed down. Night fell, and a solitary lamp was lit in the study. Chen Shi sat at his desk, waiting for his subordinates to return.

When Shen Yanchu and Cui Yu'an returned to the inn after dark, they discovered that the inn's guests seemed to be discussing how the city lord's son had been murdered in the street, and that it was done by a few weak women. Unfortunately, the city lord had captured them and said that they would be executed the next day.

The two didn't think much of it, but it was so late, they wondered why the girl hadn't returned yet. As soon as they returned to their room, they saw Li Changyu, covered in blood and looking disheveled, sitting at the table applying medicine. He immediately informed them upon seeing them.

"Young Master Shen, Young Master Cui, Miss Shi and the others have been imprisoned in Licheng Prison. Please think of a way to save them. The city lord of Licheng is going to execute them tomorrow. He says they killed the young master of Licheng, but the young master was clearly killed by the Xiaoyao Sect. I tried to stall them so that Miss Shi and the others could escape first, but I failed."

Even with his superior skills, Li Changyu was no match for a crowd! He thought they were safe before he left, but he never expected the city lord of Licheng to be so cunning and vicious. He wondered what had become of them.

Shen Yanchu stood there, his brows furrowed, utterly astonished upon hearing the news. His mind was filled with doubt; in his view, these women were clearly ordinary women—how could they possibly be capable of murder? Even soldiers could see their frailty at a glance, let alone the many eyewitnesses present.

Cui Yu'an was filled with anxiety. Those girls were delicate and frail, never having suffered hardship, yet now they were facing imprisonment for no reason. He knew he couldn't stay here any longer; the city lord of Licheng was only focused on venting his anger and wouldn't listen to anything. Only by leaving the city ahead of time might they find a glimmer of hope.

Cui Yu'an quickly walked to Shen Yanchu's side and said in a low voice, "Brother Yanchu, this matter is strange. Those women could not possibly be the murderers. The best we can do now is to get them out of here as soon as possible." Shen Yanchu nodded slightly, his eyes revealing determination and courage.

The three quickly discussed their plan to leave the city. They decided to take advantage of the darkness and quietly leave Licheng. However, they also knew that this would not be easy. Licheng was heavily guarded, and to leave the city unnoticed would require careful planning.