"Hey, Ya, why bother? People like Lu Jicheng are inherently vicious and cunning like a fox. Being caught by you, he’s certainly bearing a grudge. If you go there..."
Zhao Ya smiled upon hearing this, "Lord Governor, rest assured. Even when he wasn’t injured, he was no match for me. And now, being imprisoned, I’m curious to see what he has to say to me."
Having heard Zhao Ya say this, Shang Jingchuan couldn’t persuade further and had to order someone to lead Zhao Ya to the cell.
Criminals as heinous as Lu Jicheng are confined in the most tightly guarded death row cells.
When Zhao Ya entered this death row cell, he was hit by an overwhelming stench.
Though torches were lit inside, it was still dim. The long lack of airflow had left the ground damp and moldy, sticky and repulsive as you stepped on it.
In this setting, a person covered in wounds was lying quietly on the ground.
As Zhao Ya entered, this person suddenly opened his eyes, struggling to lift his head, madness written all over his face.
"You, Zhao, you actually came. I thought you wouldn’t dare."
"Why wouldn’t I dare?" Zhao Ya walked to the edge of the cell, looking at Lu Jicheng inside, his expression calm.
Lu Jicheng let out an extremely unpleasant laugh, "Good, truly gutsy. No wonder you caught me; I admit defeat to you willingly."
"If you called me here just to say this nonsense, then forget it." Zhao Ya turned to leave.
"Wait!" Lu Jicheng hurriedly shouted.
Zhao Ya halted, turning to look at him.
"Have them all leave!" Lu Jicheng glanced at the prison guards nearby.
"This...," the Chief Constable who brought Zhao Ya looked hesitant.
"Everyone, please step back for a moment. I’m curious about what he has to say," Zhao Ya said.
"Alright then, Young Hero Zhao, please be careful, such people are extremely cunning."
The Chief Constable gave a reminder and then led the prison guards away.
In an instant, only Zhao Ya and Lu Jicheng were left in the large death row cell.
"Speak, why did you go through so much trouble to see me?" Zhao Ya asked.
"Hehe, don’t you want to know where I hid that gold?" Lu Jicheng said with a sinister laugh.
"I want to!" Zhao Ya said frankly.
"Then help me escape, and I’ll tell you the hiding place," Lu Jicheng urged.
Zhao Ya said nothing, merely looking at Lu Jicheng with a gaze as if he were a fool.
Lu Jicheng naturally sensed the mockery in Zhao Ya’s eyes, but he was unwilling to abandon this last hope, so he continued with a tempting tone.
"I don’t need you to take me out. Just secretly leave me a way out so when I escape, it won’t be traced to you."
"Your tendons have been cut by me, how will you leave?"
"Hehehe, that’s none of your concern, I have my ways. Well? That’s a full two thousand taels of gold."
Yet unexpectedly, Zhao Ya laughed.
"I find it puzzling; logically, someone like you should’ve considered this outcome upon your first crime, so why are you more afraid than anyone when death is at your door?"
Lu Jicheng paused, then realized he’d been played by Zhao Ya, feeling both enraged and humiliated.
"Don’t feign innocence with me. Aren’t you afraid of death?"
"I am!" Zhao Ya nodded, "That’s why I won’t commit such heinous acts."
"Heh!" Lu Jicheng understood his last hope had vanished, madness showing on his face.
"Easy for you to say, but do you know why I did such things? Do you know what happened to me back then, I..."
"No need to continue." Zhao Ya promptly cut off Lu Jicheng.
"I have no interest in what happened to you, nor do I want to know what drove you to harm others. Don’t expect to garner sympathy through pity at this point."
Zhao Ya stood, looking down at the stunned Lu Jicheng.
"I won’t pity you, because if I pity someone like you, who will pity the souls who died by your hand?"
With that, Zhao Ya turned and left, ignoring Lu Jicheng’s howls.
Upon leaving the prison, Zhao Ya told the Chief Constable, "Chief Constable, put shackles and cuffs on him and keep a close watch. That guy still harbors escape plans."
"Don’t worry, Master Zhao, I’ll keep close watch on him."
Back in the main hall, Zhao Ya explained his conversation with Lu Jicheng to Shang Jingchuan, omitting any mention of the two thousand taels of gold.
When Shang Jingchuan heard that even on the brink of death, Lu Jicheng showed no remorse and even plotted escape, he was furious.
"Truly deserving of a thousand cuts. I’ll draft a decree immediately to have this guy executed publicly without delay."
But these matters were not Zhao Ya’s concern. He politely declined Shang Jingchuan’s gracious invitation and left the government office to head home.
Not long after arriving home, Gu Mingdong came by.
"Young Master Uncle, the Master wants to see you." As he spoke, Gu Mingdong looked at Zhao Ya with admiration.
Now he had boasting rights, telling everyone how he was the first to welcome the Young Master Uncle when he first arrived.
"Alright!"
Zhao Ya replied, stood up, and went to the Dingtai Martial Arts Hall, meeting Lu Dingtai in the study in the back courtyard.
At that moment, Lu Dingtai was writing. When Zhao Ya entered, he didn’t even lift his head, merely asked, "Shang Jingchuan invited you over?"