Chapter 4

Chapter 4

I returned to death row.

Huang Prison Officer opened the red-lacquered food box; it was already empty.

“The lord bumped into me when he arrived.”

The porcelain shards I had retrieved could be washed with water multiple times, leaving nothing to be found.

Huang Prison Officer picked up a shard.

“My sleeves were stained, so I scooped up some water to wash them.”

Wet and then wrung dry, my sleeves were now covered in wrinkles.

Huang Prison Officer gripped the porcelain shard tightly, staring at me searchingly for a long time before finally looking toward Yuan Mu’s corpse.

The jailer who had locked the door for me seemed to remember something.

“I remember when Cook Chao left, the prisoner was still sitting there perfectly fine. When I locked the door, he even told me he wanted to take a nap after eating his fill.”

Zhao Jailer asked with concern, “Then do you remember if he looked like he was in pain? Was there anything unusual about his voice?”

The jailer shook his head quickly, his voice firm.

“He said it to me with a smile. When he lay down, he even stretched. He didn’t look poisoned at all.”

I remained silent.

Yuan Mu’s performance had already cleared me of suspicion.

The cramped cell suddenly fell quiet.

Old Guo looked at me from time to time.

I could only look back and give him a slight shake of my head.

I must not confess.

Huang Prison Officer’s brow was knit like a tangled mess, and his breathing was erratic; he couldn’t calm himself down.

“How do I report this? How do I report this? How on earth do I report this?”

Just then, a clerk from the chief official’s side entered death row.

He walked around and found our group, all standing with solemn expressions, crowded into a single cell, completely shielding the prisoner behind them.

Above the left side of the cell door hung a wooden nameplate: Yuan Mu.

“Oh my, it seems the Prison Officer is better informed! You’ve all come to pay your respects to Lord Yuan! I’ve fallen behind!”

Huang Prison Officer feigned composure and exchanged greetings with him. “Lord Zhou, is there something the matter?”

Clerk Zhou ignored him, standing on his tiptoes to peer inside.

“Lord Yuan!”

Zhao Jailer and the other jailers suddenly pressed closer together, not letting him see a thing.

Clerk Zhou tried to push his way in. “Lord Yuan, I have a matter to report!”

I secretly took two steps back, propped up Yuan Mu’s corpse, and turned his face toward the wall.

As for me, I lowered my head.

“What is it? I am not in a fit state to be seen. Speak plainly.”

In my spare time, I had learned ventriloquism and could mimic the voices of others.

Only then did Clerk Zhou stop and report, “Lord Yuan, the chief official specifically sent me to inform you that the Empress Dowager has granted you a pardon on her deathbed. In one hour, Grand Princess Anding will personally come to escort you out of prison. Please…”

My hand slipped for a moment, and Yuan Mu fell from my shoulder onto the k’ang bed with a significant thud.

“Lord Yuan, what happened?”

Clerk Zhou still wanted to look inside, jumping up to see.

The others all stood on their tiptoes at once, firmly blocking his line of sight.

I struggled to pull Yuan Mu up again.

“I am fine.”

“Lord Yuan, why don’t we settle you elsewhere so you can bathe and change?”

The attendants behind Clerk Zhou held up trays.

“No need. Just leave the clothes and shoes. You may leave now.”

Clerk Zhou was still unwilling to go.

“Death row is filthy and wretched. It has insulted you for so long; how could the Elder Princess set foot here?”

I saw that this kind of social climber could not be dismissed with kind words.

I moved directly in front of the corpse, draped Yuan Mu’s hands over my shoulders, and propped him up from the inside.

It looked as if he had stood up with his back to the crowd.

“It has been over a month, and only now do you realize it is an insult? Isn’t it a bit late?”

Clerk Zhou fell silent, set the items down, and left quietly.

The crowd turned around one after another.

Huang Prison Officer, in particular, had a glint of hope in his eyes.

They all hoped that Yuan Mu had truly returned to life, but what appeared before them was me and a corpse.

“In another hour, the Elder Princess is coming to get him!”

“Rumor has it that the Elder Princess was very close to him. If she finds him dead on the spot, I’m afraid we’ll all be buried with him!”

“Maybe the rumors are true and this was her lover, dead on the turf of us nobodies…”

I gently set Yuan Mu down, glanced at the Prison Officer, and walked out of the cell.

Huang Prison Officer followed me out.

I knew he was a smart man, so there was no need to beat around the bush. I spoke to him directly.

“This matter is no secret. Before my family fell into ruin, Yuan Mu and I were betrothed for several years. I am extremely familiar with him.”

He lowered his head and leaned in half a step, signaling me to continue.

“Three years ago, I went to the west of the city to watch a play and saw a performer who looked similar to him. His voice can also be imitated.”

Huang Prison Officer understood. “How similar?”

“My standards are harsh, but even I would say seventy percent.”

Huang Prison Officer fell silent again.

“Why don’t I secretly bring the man here, and you can see if he can pass?”

Huang Prison Officer sighed dejectedly, remaining silent.

I knew what he was considering.

“Lord Huang, there is only one hour left. Rather than sitting here waiting for death, why not give it a try? Even if something goes wrong, you’ll live a few days longer.”

I patted him on the shoulder.

“At the very least, your parents and wife could travel far away during these few days.”

Having put it so plainly, Huang Prison Officer made up his mind.

“Go and fetch him.”