Report to the Empress and the Eldest Princess: They're using the system to poach your men.

Chapter 193 Consort Lan Discovered at Prince Ming's Residence

Shen Sangwan fought a fierce battle against the main system, but it ended with her being tortured half to death and begging for mercy.

My lord, why are you doing this to yourself?

Xiao Tong, who was making sarcastic remarks from the side, unsurprisingly received two big kicks.

He was jumping around, grimacing and covering his butt.

Ugh—he shouldn't have grown a mouth.

Shen Sangwan, who had been resting against a pillar, took a long time to catch her breath.

Now that the system has issued the mission, the battle report from Qinzhou should be arriving in the capital soon. I need to go see the young emperor.

【My lord, I think you should go and investigate the Prince Ming's residence first.】

At this point, Xiaotong stopped hinting and instead directly and openly asked her to go. If she refused again, it would seem like she was being ungrateful.

So he changed into a new set of clothes, had the palace servants inform Shen Yuchen and Wen Yuening of his whereabouts, and then rode at full speed to the Ming Prince's residence.

Upon arrival, the Ming Prince's Mansion was already surrounded by the Imperial Guards and the Imperial Bodyguards, with guards searching the entire mansion.

Upon seeing Shen Sang arrive late, they all bowed in greeting.

"I've come to find something. You all go about your own business."

The group nodded and continued to search the mansion for valuables and property.

Shen Sangwan was too lazy to play games with Xiaotong. Since the other party had directly indicated that she was coming to the Ming Prince's Mansion, she simply asked Xiaotong to tell her where to go next.

As if they had planned it beforehand, neither of them asked any questions or said anything, and they went straight to the study.

The painting Lin Wanyi mentioned was indeed hanging inside. Shen Sangwan didn't recognize the person in the painting, and when she asked Xiaotong, she said there was no record of it.

The two observed for a while but still couldn't reach a conclusion.

【Master, you can just press the button to enter the secret room.】

Shen Sangwan's face twitched. Maybe it would be better to just tell her what's inside, so she wouldn't have to go through the trouble of making another trip.

Although reluctant, he did as instructed, found the mechanism in the drawing, and successfully opened the hidden door.

"Xiaotong, this mechanism...it seems so similar to the one at the Princess's residence. Could it be from the same construction team?"

Before going in, just in case, Shen Sangwan took an oil lamp from the side and then bent down and slowly walked down.

[It seems that the princesses' and princes' residences in Kyoto were all overseen by Prince Sheng, so what Master said isn't impossible.]

It wasn't as dark as she had imagined; in fact, it was quite bright. But Shen Sangwan still held the oil lamp.

He was afraid that, like when he had previously explored the secret passage of the Princess's residence, he had gotten his hands covered in fish glue because of the darkness.

Because she was unfamiliar with the area, she walked very slowly. As she approached the wooden door, the guards inside heard Shen Sangwan's movements.

The sound of Shen Yujing's footsteps when he usually came was completely different from the sound he made now.

The two immediately drew their long swords from their waists and looked warily at Shen Sangwan, who was approaching from behind the light.

"who?"

The guard's voice startled Shen Sangwan so much that she almost dropped the oil lamp in her hand.

"Xiao Tong, why didn't you say there were guards inside sooner?"

She was completely unarmed at this moment, without any weapons.

[Master, have you been sedated by the little devil? With so many cheat codes on you, what are you afraid of?]

Shen Sangwan did suspect that she was becoming a little stupid, as she was sometimes in a daze and her reactions were slow.

He held an oil lamp in one hand, and silently reached into his robes with the other to take out a bottle of sleeping powder.

She calmly continued walking forward, "What, I don't recognize you at all?"

Two guards cautiously leaned forward, trying to make out the appearance of the person who had just arrived by using the light in the corridor.

Before he could even recognize who it was, he was ambushed and collapsed to the ground, utterly exhausted.

Shen Sangwan strode closer, picked up one of the men's swords, and slit their throats.

Having learned her lesson from Shen Yujing, she wouldn't hold back this time; when dealing with enemies, she had to finish them off first.

She pressed the oil lamp close to the door and found it locked. She turned around and felt around on the two corpses, found the key, unlocked the door, and went inside.

There was a musty smell inside, and the dim lighting made it a little uncomfortable.

"You unfilial son, what are you doing here again?"

Consort Lan sat with her eyes closed against the wall. When she heard the noise, she thought Shen Yujing was trying to provoke her again, and she instinctively roared.

"Consort Lan?"

Shen Sangwan hadn't met Consort Lan many times, but she thought the voices sounded somewhat similar, so she called out to her with a hint of doubt.

Upon hearing Shen Sangwan's voice, Consort Lan opened her eyes, her expression momentarily stunned.

"The eldest princess?"

Somewhat excited, he got up from the ground and staggered towards the door.

Shen Sangwan dragged the oil lamp inside, and after the firelight illuminated Consort Lan's face, they could see each other's appearance clearly.

"How could the Imperial Concubine be imprisoned here?"

After confirming that it was Consort Lan, Shen Sangwan did not continue forward, but instead cautiously took a few steps back and retreated to the wooden door.

"Your Highness, Your Highness, Prince Ming is plotting a rebellion and has been preparing for it for many years. Please inform His Majesty immediately and order him to..."

"Shen Yujing is now a traitor, and I don't know where he has fled to. I came here to search the Prince's mansion and accidentally discovered this place. I wonder how Your Highness was imprisoned here by him?"

Did Xiaotong send her here just to see Consort Lan, whom she hasn't seen in a long time?

"Please, Your Highness, save me. That rebellious son, Shen Yujing, is determined to rebel. I have tried to dissuade him many times, but to no avail. He is afraid that I will reveal his secret, so he has imprisoned me here and has people guarding me every day."

As Consort Lan spoke, she began to cry, describing herself as extremely pitiful.

Shen Sangwan didn't believe a single word of it.

"Please, Your Highness, take this pill so that I may rescue you."

He took a calming pill from his spatial storage, walked up to her again, and handed the medicine to Consort Lan.

After receiving the pills, Consort Lan hesitated for a moment.

She was afraid this was a drug that would send her to her death, but she desperately wanted to get out. The days she spent locked up here felt like an eternity.

After thinking it over again and again, I chewed it up and swallowed it.

Just as I was about to speak, my consciousness became unclear and my vision gradually blurred.

After confirming that the other party was honest, Shen Sangwan used the key from the key chain that had just opened the door to unlock the handcuffs that were locking up Consort Lan.

Having barely eaten properly for the past six months, coupled with mental stress, Consort Lan has become so thin that she's practically skin and bones.

Shen Sangwan led the person out of the dark room without much effort.

A moment after they left through the hidden door, Xu Zhi and his men also headed towards the study.

"Your Highness, this is—"

"Shen Yujing has imprisoned Consort Lan. I will bring her back to the palace for the imperial physician to examine. You must thoroughly search the Prince's residence, paying particular attention to the details. Do not be careless."

"This humble servant will obey the Princess's orders."

"Your Highness!"

As Shen Sangwan was carrying Consort Lan and preparing to leave, Xu Zhi suddenly called out to her, "Is there anything else?"

"Should I send someone to escort Your Highness back?"

Shen Sangwan thought it was something serious, but shook her head and said, "It's alright, I am enough."

Seeing that Shen Sangwan had refused his request, Xu Zhi didn't say anything more and bowed respectfully to see her off.