"His comprehension is truly unlike that of ordinary people..." Chang Ji was inwardly astonished.He had volunteered to teach this technique, partly to test Xu Xing's talent. Witnessing Xu Xing master the Face Changing Technique from scratch in just a quarter of an hour further solidified his conviction: Xu Xing had to be a "great scholar" who had comprehended the ultimate truths of heaven and earth.
If Xu Xing knew what Chang Ji was thinking, he would find it both absurd and amusing.
With his White Destiny [Wenchang] blessing, his comprehension was indeed good, but not to the extent of mastering the Face Changing Technique in a quarter of an hour.
His ability to quickly master the Face Changing Technique was due to two factors:
First, the time difference between Reality and the Instance World.
Second, he had already broken through to the Storing Truth Realm in the Instance World. Although his control of True Qi had not yet reached the stage of effortless mastery, he undoubtedly possessed far more experience than warriors who had just entered the Storing Truth Realm...
"Mr. Xu..." Chang Ji asked eagerly, seeing Xu Xing finish his cultivation, "I wonder when Mount Siming will rescue us?"
He had been imprisoned in Sky Prison for nearly three years. For the first year or two, he had still hoped the Emperor would grant him mercy, releasing him from Sky Prison to atone for his crimes through meritorious service, or at least demote him. But as more time passed, his heart grew colder. He no longer cherished any hope for the Imperial Court's clemency; now, he only wanted to escape Sky Prison and take revenge on Emperor Chongming.
Mount Siming was his last lifeline.
"It should be within these few days," Xu Xing mused. "Let's wait a little longer..." He couldn't estimate exactly when Mount Siming would come to rescue them either.
However, he had noticed that the prison officers in Sky Prison had suddenly become much more extravagant recently. They were drinking only Pear Blossom Brew from the Sheng Yun Building, and their meals included several more meat dishes than before. It was as if they had come into a sudden fortune. Seeing these signs, he understood the bigger picture: if nothing unexpected happened, the rebels of Mount Siming... no, the Brothers, were currently bribing these prison officers.
"I will listen to Mr. Xu," Chang Ji nodded.
After their conversation, they resumed their usual act, sleeping soundly in Sky Prison to make the passing prison officers lower their guard.
「The next day.」
In the study of the Han Mansion.
"My lord," Zhao Yunniang knelt on the ground, her demeanor submissive, "Xu Xing has relented. He said he can give us the key secret formula for making glazed glass, but... he has three conditions." She slowly conveyed Xu Xing's terms, her voice tinged with a choked sob and unshed tears. "First, the child born must bear his surname, Xu. Second, I am to receive five hundred taels of silver and a Jiangnan Mansion, with the money and property registered under the unborn child's name. Third... I must remain chaste for him until my death."
"Those are all his conditions?" Han Sui, lounging on a straight-backed chair behind his bookcase, asked with a hint of surprise after Zhao Yunniang finished. "Nothing more?"
These conditions... Apart from the second, which required some money, the other two demanded no real sacrifice from him. Five hundred taels of silver and a Jiangnan Mansion might seem valuable, but for someone of his Taipu status, they were quite inexpensive. Compared to the enormous profits from producing glazed glass, this sum was a mere trifle.
Clever... Han Sui mused, a thoughtful expression on his face. He's a clever man. If Xu Xing had been unreasonable and demanded too much, I might indeed have reneged on the deal later! But these three conditions, while causing a slight pang of reluctance, weren't costly enough for me to risk my reputation...
As the saying goes, Heaven is watching what man does. Walls have ears. When the hare dies, the fox grieves. Xu Xing and I, along with my allied officials, are all part of the officialdom. Even though our ranks differ, if I were to act too excessively, how would my allies view me in the future? Even in partisan struggles against rivals, one doesn't act with utter ruthlessness; a measure of dignity is usually preserved for the defeated. Moreover, Xu Xing was once my subordinate! Not everyone is a Sima Yi.
"Tell Xu Xing," Han Sui declared, waving his hand dismissively, "I agree to his three conditions. Moreover, I'll increase the silver to one thousand taels!"
He then wrote Xu Xing a personal letter and affixed his private seal. With this letter, if I were to break my promise in the future, I would surely be condemned by the world and go down in history as infamous!
「At night.」
After a night of intimacy with Zhao Yunniang, Xu Xing read the letter and handed it to her. "Lord Han is a good man," he sighed. "Tomorrow, after you give the secret recipe to Lord Han, leave Shenjing immediately. Don't look back. Go as far as you possibly can."
"Lord Han won't kill you, but his enemies won't spare you. This is a perfect opportunity for them to bring Lord Han down, and they won't miss it."
He didn't plan to tell Zhao Yunniang about the impending rescue from Mount Siming. You can know a person's face but not their heart; it was always better to be cautious. If the escape succeeded, he could tell her then. If it failed, telling her or not would make little difference—he would no longer be in this world anyway. As for others pursuing Zhao Yunniang to kill her... he believed that with Han Sui's astuteness, Han Sui must have already taken precautions.
"Husband..." Zhao Yunong nestled in Xu Xing's arms, her eyes blurred with tears. "I will remain chaste for you."
Although Xu Xing had stipulated in his three conditions to Lord Han that she should remain chaste for him until death, it was clear to any discerning person that a mere agreement on paper could not truly bind her chastity. Therefore, this condition was more of a strategic move by Xu Xing to secure her future. In those times, for a woman to remain chaste for a man also implied... she could inherit his political legacy. While Xu Xing had no significant political legacy to speak of, this declaration could nonetheless prompt Lord Han to treat her with greater consideration.
"I trust you," Xu Xing said, gently caressing Zhao Yunniang's Qiufu to comfort her.
[Righteous Thief (Red)] Fate: Performing righteous deeds, akin to a praying mantis valiantly raising its arms, earns the favor of Great Fortune. When facing threats from the Imperial Court, there is a certain chance of averting disaster and finding safety!
One hour before the planned escape from prison, Xu Xing reviewed his [Righteous Thief] Fate again.
Escaping Sky Prison... if any single part of the plan were exposed, it would mean his death. With Judge Tian's "tip-off" and the entire operation meticulously planned by him and the Heavenly Kun King, they had truly done everything humanly possible. Now... all that remained was to trust in the Heavenly Order!
Time crawled by. Xu Xing and Chang Ji were consumed by anxiety, yet they had to maintain an outward appearance of calm.
Before long, Old Li approached, pushing the single-person cart used for collecting Night Fragrance. Instantly, Prison D was overwhelmed by a suffocating stench.
"You two adults, hurry!" Old Li urged. "Don't miss the appointed time..."
Xu Xing and Chang Ji exchanged a look. They pulled two corpses from the wooden cart, dressed them in their own prison clothes, and arranged them on the straw bale to feign sleep. Then, they climbed into the hidden compartment of the Night Fragrance cart, one behind the other.
"Old Li, why do you... look a bit different today?"
Just as they exited Prison D, Captain Deng arrived for an inspection. He noticed that Old Li's appearance was slightly different from usual, which immediately aroused his suspicion.