Chapter 44: Li Zhi

“I see. You must be wondering why I haven't fainted, right?”

As if guessing what was on their minds, Li Musheng waved his hand and said

“Don't bother waiting. That stuff doesn't work on me. Even if you wait until tomorrow, you won't see the result you're looking for.”

With that, he turned his back and ignored them both.

The Grand Eunuch Sun Changyu and the Commandery Assistant Song Shanyue exchanged glances. Just then, Li Musheng suddenly seemed to remember something.

He stepped away from the railing, turned, and walked up to the Grand Eunuch Sun Changyu, stopping before him. He raised an eyebrow and asked

“Have you ever met Consort Jing before?”

Upon hearing this, Sun Changyu’s eyes narrowed slightly. He stared at Li Musheng's face for a moment, and after a brief silence, he nodded.

“This old servant has indeed met Consort Jing. Her Ladyship is a benevolent mistress and treats the palace servants quite well.”

Hearing this, Li Musheng clapped his hands lightly and said

“In that case, things just became much easier.”

As he spoke, he pointed to his own face and asked

“Then you must realize that I am very likely the true Seventh Prince, correct?”

At this, Commandery Assistant Song Shanyue gave Li Musheng a surprised look, then glanced at Sun Changyu with suspicion.

Although he held a high position in the Tianjin Guard and had entered the palace many times to pay respects to Emperor Yuanwu, it was impossible for him to enter the Emperor's inner harem.

Therefore, he had never met Consort Jing and did not quite understand the implication of Li Musheng's words.

At this moment, Sun Changyu, the head Grand Eunuch of the Zhidian Hall, underwent a rapid change in expression. After hesitating for a long while, he finally spoke

“The Young Master does indeed bear a resemblance to Consort Jing, but...”

Hearing this, Li Musheng reached out his hand to stop him directly.

“No more 'buts.' There's no need to waste a few more days. Let's just get straight to the point. Go find someone with the authority to make a decision.”

“If my identity as the Seventh Prince can be confirmed, then all is well. If not... well, consider this a wasted trip on my part.”

Sun Changyu froze, seemingly caught off guard by Li Musheng's bluntness, momentarily unsure of how to respond.

Li Musheng did not press him; he simply watched him with composed patience.

While he wasn't overly concerned about his status as the Seventh Prince, truth be told, resolving his identity early would indeed be beneficial for his subsequent search for the key to the Apocalypse Secret Treasury and the opportunity for martial transcendence.

After a moment of hesitation, Sun Changyu finally spoke

“This old servant cannot make such a decision, but I can report it on your behalf. As for whether this will be permitted, it will depend on the decree of the Queen.”

Emperor Yuanwu had been in secluded cultivation for over a month, and the affairs of the Aurora Pavilion were being handled entirely by the current Queen. Li Musheng had heard of this situation and was not surprised.

“Then go seek instructions. I'll wait here.”

Li Musheng nodded slightly, turned back, and leaned against the corridor railing again. As he admired the scenery, he continued to contemplate the creation of the "Life-Death Talisman" martial technique.

Sun Changyu gave his assent, gave a slight nod to Song Shanyue beside him, and hurriedly turned to leave.

Watching this, Song Shanyue's eyes flickered with shifting thoughts. He glanced at Li Musheng but said nothing, following closely behind.

***

Meanwhile, in the Great Li Heavenly Prison.

The thick walls of bluestone and molten iron were impregnable, and the guards both inside and outside the prison were incredibly strict.

A middle-aged man walked through a dark, damp corridor that reeked of mold and decay. The torches on either side of the narrow hallway flickered weakly, casting mottled shadows behind him.

As he arrived, heavy and cold iron gates were opened one after another. Some prisoners huddled in the surrounding cells opened their hollow eyes, looking curiously at the newcomer through the iron bars.

However, the middle-aged man walked straight to a cell at the deepest part of the prison and stopped.

This cell was different from the others; instead of being damp and filthy, it was remarkably clean and tidy.

Straw mats covered the floor, a single dim oil lamp burned on a small wooden table, and a young man in prisoner's garb sat cross-legged before the table.

The young man had handsome features and fair skin. Despite being imprisoned for several months, his hair was not disheveled or dirty; instead, he appeared full of vitality. A flash of hidden sharpness seemed to flicker within his eyes as they opened.

“Your Highness, that man has appeared.”

The middle-aged man bowed to the young man and, while standing, passed a scroll through the gap in the cell door.

Li Zhi flicked his finger, and a surge of true qi created a gentle breeze that slowly unfurled the scroll. It revealed a portrait of a young man—who was none other than Li Musheng.

“He truly does look like Consort Jing,” Li Zhi remarked calmly. He flicked his finger again, and the flame from the lamp was drawn toward the scroll, instantly reducing it to ash.

“Where is he now?” Li Zhi turned his gaze to the man outside the cell.

“In the Aurora Pavilion,” the man replied, then raised his head slightly and asked, “Your Highness, shall we take action to eliminate him?”

Li Zhi slowly shook his head.

“No need. Many people are watching the Aurora Pavilion. The news of him being the true prince should spread soon. After that, whether he lives or dies is his own business; it has nothing to do with us.”

Having said that, Li Zhi moved on to another topic. “What is the situation with the Ministry of Revenue?”

“The Minister of Revenue is currently holding the pressure, but everyone is feeling insecure. It is hard to guarantee that there won't be any internal unrest. Among them, the Vice Minister of Revenue, Wen Wenhe, has shown tendencies to defect to the Second Prince.”

The middle-aged man frowned, a hint of killing intent appearing in his eyes. He added, “The affairs of the Ministry of Revenue require Your Highness to take charge as soon as possible. Your subordinates are all hoping for your early release.”

Li Zhi waved his hand. “When I can leave depends on my Father Emperor's intentions. However, it is only a matter of time. There is no rush for now.”

As he spoke, he took a pre-written letter from his robe and gave it a light flick, sending it flying toward the middle-aged man.

The man's hand moved like a blur as he caught the letter.

Li Zhi sat back down at the small table and said, “Deliver this letter to the person in charge at the address on the envelope. Do nothing extra. You only need to keep the others in line and wait for my release.”

The middle-aged man bowed deeply. After stowing the letter away, seeing that Li Zhi had no further instructions, he took a few steps back and took his leave.

Shortly after the man departed, a dark shadow emerged silently from beneath the dim torchlight.

“Your Highness, the Master of the Bureau sends his regards.”

The shadow was as black as ink, its form indistinct, but its voice was clear.

(End of Chapter)