Chapter 218: Secretly
The prison guard behind him had lost all patience and kicked him viciously.
"What are you dawdling for! Get a move on!"
Han Tong staggered a few steps, nearly falling to the ground. He turned his head and spat out a mouthful of bloody foam.
’When had he ever suffered such humiliation?’ But times were different. Now, he was just a death-row prisoner being escorted to the execution grounds.
’Even if people walked all over him, he had no choice but to endure it!’
The prison guard stepped forward, grabbed him, and gave him a hard shove.
"Go! Don’t delay the execution hour!"
Han Tong shuddered. ’In that moment, he finally understood there was no chance of turning the tables!’
When he reached the gate and saw the prisoner’s cart, Han Tong’s face grew even paler, and his legs began to feel weak.
An indescribable fear welled up from deep within him, swiftly consuming him and causing his shoulders to tremble involuntarily.
Someone sneered, "Lord Han, after you? Or do you expect us to carry you up ourselves? If we’re late, it’s not a responsibility we can bear."
Han Tong shivered, unconsciously swallowing whatever else he might have said. Resigned to his fate, he dragged his heavy leg chains onto the prisoner’s cart.
A cool breeze blew past. Clad only in a thin prison uniform, Han Tong was so cold his lips were turning blue. He curled into a ball, trying to warm himself.
However, after they had traveled some distance, the cart suddenly came to a halt.
"Who goes there?" a prison guard scowled. "Can’t you see this is a death-row prisoner’s cart? How dare you block our path!"
Lian Zhou’s gaze fell on the figure huddled in the prisoner’s cart.
’Who would have thought that this once-successful Junior Minister of the Ministry of Rites would end up in such a state?’
Lian Zhou announced loudly, "By order of my master, I am here to escort Han Tong back to the Han Family!"
Hearing this, Han Tong froze, then looked up in disbelief.
But the moment he got a clear look at the man, the hope that had just ignited in his heart was instantly extinguished.
’Why is it Lian Zhou? He thought it was—’
"Your master? Who’s that?" the prison guard asked, frowning.
Lian Zhou took out a Jade Pendant.
"The Princely Heir has ordered that Han Tong be brought forth at once. There can be no mistakes!"
Everyone was stunned.
’An order from the Heir of Duke Dingbei himself?’
"I... I was blind and failed to recognize your greatness. Please forgive me, milord!" The prison guard plastered a fawning smile on his face and apologized profusely. After all, the Heir of Duke Dingbei was not someone they could afford to provoke. But to just let him take the prisoner...
"But milord, you’re putting us in a very difficult position. Han Tong is a condemned prisoner, and his execution is scheduled for any moment now—"
Before he could finish, another guard beside him suddenly remembered something, hastily pulling him back and lowering his voice.
"I heard that last night at the Mid-Autumn Palace Banquet, the Heir of Duke Dingbei was ordered to lead a thorough investigation of the Han Family! Could it be... this is related?"
The fire last night had burned everything to the ground. There wasn’t a soul in the city who hadn’t heard about it.
Hearing this, the guard who had spoken earlier hesitated for a moment before finally nodding.
’The Heir of Duke Dingbei was not someone they could afford to offend.’
"Since the Princely Heir has commanded it, we shall naturally obey! Lord Lian Zhou, please—"
Han Tong, still in the cart, heard this exchange, and a strong sense of unease washed over him.
’Shen Yanchuan?’
’Investigating the Han Family?!’
’What on earth happened overnight!?’
Lian Zhou walked over and met his gaze through the bars of the cart. He scoffed, then said with pointed meaning, "Lord Han, you’ve certainly raised a fine son!"
Han Tong’s heart sank!