BXBX NOVEL Chapter 7: 7 Chapter: Refuge in the Sky Prison
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The common people are blind and stupid.
They cheer and jump for joy at the sight of rebels’ heads being chopped off, only wanting to see blood spray feet into the air, wondering if they can dip their steamed buns into it.
Yet, the common people are also wise.
In unison, tens of thousands turned their gazes towards the imperial palace, their silent, voiceless grand will, has always been pushing history forward.
Only then did Zhou Yi understand what it meant when a thousand people point their fingers at you, you would die even without an illness.
He wiped his mouth and looked up to shout.
“Madam, check please.”
“Brother Yi, the meal is on the house today.”
The proprietress snapped out of her daze caused by the bell tolls, pinching her face hard to prevent herself from laughing out loud.
“Alright.”
Zhou Yi didn’t fuss about tossing silver, as martial arts body refinement is a bottomless pit.
The martial arts school charged a tuition fee, ten pieces of silver wasn’t expensive. It was only after they taught the cultivation technique that they would tell you that you needed nourishing medicinal decoctions for body refinement, or else you would either wreck yourself or die during the process.
The recipes for medicinal decoctions were a closely guarded secret of the school, known only to the owner, who sold the prepared elixirs to you.
“This scheme, no matter how you look at it, resembles the free online games where you won’t get stronger unless you keep topping up money!”
Zhou Yi clicked his tongue in wonder, no matter the past or the future, the tricks of traders never change.
From tempering the skin to polishing the bones, he had already recharged five to six hundred pieces of silver, and the more challenging organ refinement and marrow cleansing were still ahead, with the medicinal decoctions becoming increasingly precious; he estimated it would cost several thousand pieces of silver without end.
Ordinary martial artists reach the second-tier realm and begin their adventures in the martial world.
Amidst the flashes of blades and swords, how many are truly lofty and soaring? Most are there to make silver.
Zhou Yi didn’t have to take this risk, as the prison was full of corrupt officials; skimming a little off the top was enough to fund his martial arts body refinement.
He walked along the street.
The commoners seemed to be under a spell of silence, their gazes kept sneaking towards the direction of the imperial palace, they appeared eager to talk yet they dared not discuss publicly.
They communicated with their eyes, anyway, it was all about cursing the Dog Emperor for finally dying.
The prison.
Lei Suyu had already changed into mourning attire and was directing the prison guards to erect white banners.
The Emperor has passed away, and the whole country must observe mourning.
Once the six-foot white banners were set up, Lei Suyu called all the prison guards together.
“We have received an order from the palace, starting now, the prison will be shut down, prohibiting anyone from entering or leaving. That includes myself, and we will have to eat and drink inside the prison!”
Lei Suyu looked towards Zhou Yi, “Little Yi, go check the prison kitchen’s supply of rice and flour, buy more if it’s not enough.”
A ban on feasting is in place during the Emperor’s funeral, so only plain rice and flour are permitted.
Despite his age, Lei Suyu’s memory is getting better—he is clearly planning to stay in his position until death, and it is rumored that he wouldn’t trade it for an external official position at the Ministry of Justice of the seventh rank.
Zhou Yi responded, “Yes, sir!”
Zhang Zhou reminded, “Remember to stock up on some cooking wine, the dishes taste bland with just a little amount.”
Ha ha!
All the prison guards burst into laughter, while everyone else used cooking wine for cooking, Zhang Zhou used it to accompany his meals.
“I’ll save as much as possible.”
Having worked in the prison for ten years, Zhou Yi was familiar with everyone, and they often met up to visit the brothels or enjoy music, so there were no restraints in their conversations and dealings.
There were few formal officials in the prison, but many low-born guards were holding secure jobs passed down through generations.
No one needed to look down on anyone, and due to the excessive perks, it was hard not to maintain good relations with colleagues.
…
The kitchen.
Chef Liu was already there, commanding his son and apprentice to prepare a large pot of rice.
Zhou Yi asked in surprise, “Why are you here? Stop busying yourself and go, the prison is about to be locked down.”
“I’m not leaving; I’ll stay in the prison for a while.”
Chef Liu wiped the sweat from his face and said softly, “Our boss said there’s going to be trouble in the Divine Capital, and Dong Xiang Lou has closed down. The manager and the workers wanted to leave the city but were stopped.”
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“I was thinking, where could be safer than the Sky Prison? So I brought Shunzi here to take shelter from the disaster!”
“Brilliant!”
Zhou Yi gave a thumbs up, checked over the rice and face jars, and the wine jars—enough to feed the entire Sky Prison for a month. After a brief chat with Chef Liu, he picked up the bucket and went to deliver meals.
He wouldn’t trade this job of delivering meals for any other assignment.
Assignments often involved escorting prisoners to exile, traveling thousands of miles there and back. With the outside world in chaos, nothing was safer than staying in the Sky Prison.
Of course, escorting prisoners was a coveted job among the guards.
On the trip, they enjoyed fine meals and accommodations in carriages and inns, and easily pocketed hundreds of taels of silver!
Prison Cell Yi San.
Zhou Yi poured out the watery porridge and was ready to leave.
The elderly prisoner clung to the bars, his hair unkempt and his body as thin as a skeleton, pleadingly asked,
“Young man, it sounded like bells ringing to me. How many times did it chime?”
“Nine times,” he answered expressionlessly; the prisoner was an official from the Ministry of Works who had embezzled silver meant for the river embankment repairs.
The embankment was only superficially layered with stones and sand on the surface, while the inside was stuffed with straw and rice husks.
Last summer, a heavy rain hit before the water levels reached the alert line, but the embankment was the first to collapse, ultimately causing the death or disappearance of over a hundred thousand people.
“Your Majesty!”
The prisoner was stunned, then wailed and cried, kowtowing forcefully towards the direction of the palace.
Zhou Yi shrugged and continued to deliver meals; the prisoners in Prison Cell Yi were all expert actors, and it was hard to tell whether their tears were out of profound grief or ecstatic joy.
As usual, when a new emperor ascended the throne in Fengyang Country, a royal amnesty would be declared to show grace.
Prisoners in Prison Cell Jia were much more straightforward, all of them laughing and chatting, nearly shouting out praises for the emperor’s death.
“Hey kid, when is the new emperor going to ascend the throne?”
“We’re about to get out of here, can’t we have a good meal before we leave?”
“Hahaha, Old Zhao still has three months before the execution grounds, long live our emperor!”
Zhou Yi paid no attention to the shouting prisoners; ten years of delivering meals had made him accustomed to ignoring them.
The ladle moved effortlessly around the bucket, controlling the few grains of rice and pieces of vegetable leaves completely within his grasp.
Practice makes perfect!
Certain prisoners whom he didn’t like would receive only three to five grains of rice per meal—after some time, they’d be reduced to dried-up husks.
…
Night fell.
The lamps in the Sky Prison were bright, with the sounds of dice games continuing incessantly.
Thousands of imperial soldiers guarded the outer gate, and the inner gate was firmly locked, making it seem like a small, isolated world.
The national mourning prohibited alcohol, but to the prison guards, it was a trivial matter.
Initially, Colonel Niu cautioned them not to be too brazen, but after losing three straight card games, he tossed the national law aside.
“No nines! No nines…”
Guard Chang Ning puffed up and slowly lifted the domino, bursting into laughter as he swept all the money on the table towards him and drank down a bowl of alcohol with a gulp.
The guards at the card table cursed, while the onlookers admired Chang Ning’s card skills and lucky streak.
“Uncle Chang is so lucky!”
Zhou Yi praised and subtly mentioned, “We’re holding many prisoners here, with quite a few dangerous ones in Prison Cell Jia. During the transition of the National Dynasty, we need to be vigilant about security.”
Chang Ning, completely preoccupied with the card game, said without concern, “With three thousand imperial soldiers surrounding the Sky Prison tightly, not even a top-notch expert could break in.”
Upon hearing this, Colonel Niu, who’d lost at cards, frowned slightly and said, “Little Yi is right. We can’t take this situation lightly. If real chaos breaks out, it’s a major case that could cost us our heads!”
Zhou Yi seized the opportunity to add, “Don’t we have a watchtower? I could go up there and keep watch; if someone comes, I can give a shout.”
“Go, go, go, the key to the tower is in the cabinet, help yourself,” said Colonel Niu without suspicion, as he dealt the cards and added with concern,
“It’s freezing up there, and the wind is strong on the watchtower, remember to take a few more blankets!”