Chapter 116: Obtaining the Key

Shen Hezhi had been imprisoned in this dark, damp dungeon for what felt like an eternity. Water dripped incessantly from the ceiling, and Nan Ye had not returned since his last visit. He was completely alone, though he was at least spared from starvation; Nan Ye, despite his absence, had not forgotten that a Prince of the Ninth Rank was being held captive, and food was delivered at regular intervals.

"Cough, cough..." Shen Hezhi was far from unscathed. The torture inflicted by Nan Ye during his last visit had left him in agony; even the slightest movement sent waves of pain through his body. His limbs were shackled to the walls, and the food he was served was laced with muscle-weakening powder, ensuring his internal energy remained suppressed. If only he could recover his strength, he might have found a way to escape.

"Heh... Nan Ye, you are truly cunning," he mused. "You have me locked away so tightly, yet aside from that initial beating, you have made no further moves. What exactly are you planning? If you wanted to lure Ru'er here, why have you not sent word? Could it be... has he already captured her?"

The mere thought paralyzed him. Even knowing his Princess might be in danger, he was powerless to leave. The weight of his helplessness plunged him into a state of profound self-reproach.

Suddenly, the dungeon door, which had remained shut for so long, creaked open. The influx of light blinded him momentarily. As his eyes adjusted, he realized the visitor was not one of the usual servants, but someone intimately familiar: Anuo.

She walked up to him, set down a food container, and sat before him, calmly and methodically laying out the dishes.

Shen Hezhi chuckled. "I never expected it to be you. Though, I suppose I should have realized you were a servant of the Nanyang Kingdom. I had guessed at many possibilities, but it never occurred to me that you were an agent of the Fourth Prince."

Anuo’s hands faltered for a fraction of a second, but she quickly regained her composure. After setting out the food, she looked up at him. "Eat, Your Highness. If you starve to death here, you will never see your Princess again." Her face remained impassive.

Her tone infuriated him, yet he had no recourse; he was, after all, a prisoner. "Anuo, how is the Princess?" he asked, forcing himself to suppress his anger. She was his only concern, and the fact that she had come instead of the usual guard suggested there was more to this than simple meal delivery.

Anuo replied, "Instead of worrying about the Princess, you would do better to worry about yourself. Do you truly believe the Fourth Prince’s goal is your wife?"

Shen Hezhi narrowed his eyes. "I don't follow. The Fourth Prince told me he captured me to lure her here. Now you tell me his target isn't her, but me? I truly don't know who to believe."

Anuo did not respond, merely glancing at the food container. "Eat well, Your Highness. This may be your last meal." She turned and left, leaving the container behind.

Although his limbs were shackled, he was not entirely immobile. Intrigued by her words and her decision to leave the container—something the guards never did—he began to crawl toward it. Despite his injuries and the heavy chains dragging behind him, he moved with a grace that stripped away the appearance of a common prisoner.

He ignored the food and meticulously inspected the container. Since the guards remained outside the dungeon, he had the luxury of time. Finally, he noticed an anomaly: a small, protruding twig at the base. Curious, he pulled at it, and the entire structure of the box collapsed.

A key fell out. Elated, he quickly hid it, fearing a sudden arrival. After a quarter of an hour passed in silence, he retrieved the key and tested it on the lock of his arm shackle. With a soft click, the iron fell away.

He tried the key on the other shackles, but it only worked for his arms. Confused—surely she wouldn't have left him with only a partial escape—he turned his attention to the food. He emptied the bowls and, hidden beneath the rice, found a second key.

Shen Hezhi stared at the keys in his palm, stunned. How had Anuo managed to obtain them, and how had she been so bold as to bring them to him?