Chapter Sixty-One: Nightly Conversation in the Prison Cell (1)

To everyone’s astonishment, Kong Sheng had actually gotten into a fierce confrontation with Yang Qi right inside Yang Qi’s own study. Rumors of the incident spread like wildfire throughout the Yang residence, and it wasn’t long before the news reached Yang Xueruo.

Shocked beyond belief, Yang Xueruo hurried over with Hongmian to her parents’ quarters, but she was too late. By the time she arrived, Kong Sheng had already been thrown into the dungeon by Yang Qi for the grave offense of outrageous disrespect. Many servants in the Yang household had watched as Kong Sheng, calm and composed, was escorted away by two constables.

How could this have happened?

Yang Xueruo, anxious and distraught, was about to rush into the study to confront her father or plead for mercy, but her mother, Lady Zheng, caught her by the arm and held her back, lowering her voice, “Daughter, don’t be reckless! Your father is furious, I dare not go in myself!”

“Mother, why? Why did Father send Kong Sheng to the dungeon without cause? What could he possibly have done wrong? Tell me!” Yang Xueruo’s face was pale with worry, her eyes brimming with tears.

Lady Zheng shook her head gravely, “I do not know, child. Go back for now; we’ll discuss this after things have settled. Someone, escort Miss back to her quarters!”

With a wave of her hand, Lady Zheng exercised her authority as the mistress of the house. Servants and maids, ignoring Yang Xueruo’s protests and struggles, escorted her back to her own courtyard and placed Hongmian and the others on strict watch, forbidding her from leaving.

In truth, Lady Zheng herself had no idea why Yang Qi had erupted in such fury. The violent rage and twisted expression on his face were things she, his wife, had never seen before—she was deeply shaken. Therefore, without understanding the situation, she would by no means allow her daughter to barge into the study and run headlong into Yang Qi’s wrath. Lady Zheng knew her husband well: when he was enraged, his heart was like iron. Even his own flesh and blood would suffer bitterly if they angered him.

...

These past few days in Jiangning County had seemed like a dream—startling news constantly emerged, and affairs that turned from heaven to hell in a single thought, from favor to ruin in a single gesture, left everyone dumbfounded. Take Kong Sheng, for instance: just as the city’s gentry were buzzing about his impending marriage into the Yang family, word spread from the Yang residence that he’d been thrown into prison, stunning all who heard.

Just what exactly were Yang Qi and the Yang family up to?

It wasn’t just outsiders who were baffled—even Liu Pingshan, the county magistrate, was deeply surprised. To find the truth, Liu Pingshan personally visited the Yang residence, only to be turned away at the door. He then sought confirmation from the officials at the Office of Disciplinary Affairs, who verified the news.

With this confirmation, Liu Nian and his circle of idle young lords threw a raucous banquet to celebrate. Meanwhile, the Zhou family, returning to their base in Yixing, heard the news on the road and, overjoyed, turned back to Jiangning at once.

Yang Xueruo, confined to her quarters by her mother’s strict orders for two days, was tormented by worry for Kong Sheng’s safety and could neither eat nor sleep. On the third night, when the guards fell drowsy, she seized her chance, slipped out of the rear gate with Hongmian, and headed straight for the jail to visit Kong Sheng.

The temporary jail set up by the Office of Disciplinary Affairs was not far from the Yang estate—just across a narrow alley. Cloaked and with Hongmian by her side, Yang Xueruo hurried through the night, halting outside the prison gate, breathless. When the two night guards saw someone arriving so late, they were about to shout, but, recognizing the only daughter of Magistrate Yang, they broke into wide smiles and bowed, “Your humble servants greet Miss Yang!”

Yang Xueruo forced a faint smile and said softly, “Gentlemen, I wish to see Kong Sheng. Might I trouble you to allow it?”

The two guards shook their heads in unison, “Miss Yang, we cannot. The magistrate has strictly forbidden anyone from visiting Kong Sheng. Please forgive us, but we dare not defy his orders.”

Yang Xueruo exchanged a glance with Hongmian.

With a playful smile, Hongmian stepped forward and discreetly slipped a string of copper coins into one of the guard’s hands, lowering her voice, “Good sirs, we are hardly outsiders—we’re from the magistrate’s own household! My lady is betrothed to Young Master Kong. If she wishes to see him, even if the magistrate were to blame someone, he would blame her, not you.”

She added, with a hint of threat, “Think carefully—if you offend Miss Yang, she only has to say a word, and who knows if you’ll be able to keep your jobs.” With a girlish laugh, she retreated to Yang Xueruo’s side.

It had to be said, Hongmian was rather clever. She understood the mindset of lower servants: offer them a little incentive, make a veiled threat, and they’d be swayed in no time.

The two guards exchanged glances, each thinking: That’s right, she is the magistrate’s only daughter, and she’s engaged to the fellow inside. The magistrate locked him up without explanation—who’s to say he won’t change his mind and release him? He could still become the Yang family’s son-in-law. This is just a family quarrel; why should outsiders like us play the villain?

Besides, if Miss Yang complained to the magistrate about us, we wouldn’t survive the consequences.

With this in mind, they lowered their heads, opened the cell door, and stepped aside. Yang Xueruo and Hongmian said no more—they hurried inside. Having visited Liu Xinru here before, they knew the way, and soon reached the cell at the end of the corridor where Kong Sheng was held.

A single lamp burned in the cell. In its dim glow, Yang Xueruo saw Kong Sheng seated cross-legged on a pile of straw, eyes closed in meditation, as if practicing internal cultivation. His clothes were neat, his expression calm, showing no signs of torture. At last, Yang Xueruo felt a great weight lifted from her heart. She exhaled deeply, tears rolling down her cheeks.

“Kong Sheng!” Startled, Kong Sheng opened his eyes, ending his meditation, and rose to his feet.

“My dearest, you have suffered,” Yang Xueruo said tearfully as she approached, the two of them separated by the cell’s iron bars.

Kong Sheng sighed softly, “Xueruo, you shouldn’t come here so late at night. Don’t worry about me—I’ll be fine.”

A shadow passed over Yang Xueruo’s face. “Kong Sheng, I came to ask you—why? Why did you confront my father so recklessly? No matter what, he’s your elder. Couldn’t you have lowered your head a little?”

Kong Sheng fell silent.

The root of the confrontation between Kong Sheng and Yang Qi was known only to the two involved. Now, as Yang Xueruo pressed for answers in the dead of night, Kong Sheng found himself unable to reply. He didn’t know how to explain it to her—if he spoke, it would touch upon Yang Qi’s ambitions, a matter of earth-shaking consequence. He wasn’t sure a young woman like Yang Xueruo could bear such knowledge.

Yang Xueruo waited quietly for his answer, her clear, limpid gaze fixed on his face. Sensing his hesitation, she knew he was holding something back.

After a long moment of reflection, Kong Sheng decided to be honest with her.

He drew a deep breath and waved his hand, saying, “Hongmian, please leave us for a moment. I have something to say to your lady in private.”

Hongmian immediately pouted and glared, stamping her foot in dissatisfaction. Yang Xueruo glanced at her and murmured, “Hongmian, wait outside for me. Go now!”

Muttering in annoyance, Hongmian turned and left in a huff, disappearing in a flash.