After refusing marriage, she was pampered by the prince who acted as a shield.

Chapter 278: Disguise

Prefect Su completely relaxed and served the two dishes with a fawning smile.

After several rounds of drinks, a few clattering sounds suddenly came from the table belonging to the guards. Several guards collapsed onto the table, unconscious.

Lin Rusi and her companion were startled and stood up abruptly. They felt dizzy and unsteady on their feet, and collapsed to the ground.

"Your Highness? Your Highness?"

The Suzhou prefect called out cautiously twice, and when he found that the two men did not respond at all, he relaxed: "Heh, what kind of pampered young master dares to come to my territory to seek death? A prince? Even if the emperor came, if he blocked my path to wealth, he would die."

The guards who had been waiting outside rushed in and surrounded Lin Rusi and her companion, along with the guards.

"Sir, are you sure they're both down?" Someone approached the two men and observed them for a moment. "Or perhaps we should just..."

He made a decapitation gesture, a ruthless look on his face.

These people are all top-notch experts, and just in case, Prefect Su only put sleeping pills in the food and wine.

If these people were to be awakened by chance, it would be a great disaster.

"Don't worry, I know what I'm doing."

Prefect Su sneered and kicked the man on the ground: "As expected of a master raised by the royal family in the capital, you lasted so long and ate so much before collapsing. If they had only drunk a few cups of wine, I would have been suspicious."

Officials in the imperial court, especially someone like him, would have been dead long ago if they didn't have a bit of cunning.

"Take them all away. A bunch of little brats from the imperial court, do they think they're worthy to fight with me?"

Prefect Su took a handkerchief and wiped his hands: "He can't die yet. He's still a prince, after all, and he's still somewhat useful. As for the others, take them away and deal with them directly."

Li Jingyang and his entourage were dragged away by the guards and locked in a secret room in the mansion. Not long after, Prefect Su's most trusted subordinate brought in two people.

"Do you see these two people?"

The man pointed at the two people who were carelessly thrown on the ground: "Study their manners and behavior carefully. In two days, the master will have an important task for you."

"Yes." The two quickly agreed. After the man left, they pulled the person on the ground away, saying, "Wake up, what are you pretending to be dead for?"

"Master, someone is spying on us in the shadows." One of them whispered as he approached.

Li Jingyang slowly woke up and coldly glanced at the man: "Tell your master that if he really has the guts, he should just kill me directly. Don't hide in the shadows and use underhanded methods."

"You dare to speak to us adults?"

One of them gave him a disdainful shove: "You're about to die, so enjoy the last few good days you have left."

After saying that, he ignored Li Jingyang's scolding and carefully observed his facial expressions, body language, and even the tone of his voice when he cursed.

"My lord, what should we do next?" On the other side of the wall, the person who had gone out earlier stood respectfully beside Prefect Su.

"Let them starve for two days. They're going to die anyway, so there's no need to waste food." Prefect Su, who had one eye pressed against the wall, straightened up, hung up a painting, and blocked the observation hole in the wall.

“Those bandits are really useless. They sent someone to silence them. Since they are useless, there is no need to keep them alive.”

Prefect Su poured himself a glass of fine wine in a good mood and said in a light tone, "Can the disguise expert we found earlier arrive in two days? That old guy is very stubborn, so don't let him give me any trouble."

"It definitely will."

The man fawned over the wine jug, ready to refill Prefect Su's cup at any moment: "He is unwilling to agree, but what can we do? His whole family is in our hands. Don't worry, sir, we will definitely not delay your important business."

"Hmm, go down and do your job well. I think you have potential. This position of Vice Prefect of Suzhou has been vacant for a long time." Prefect Su waved his hand in a very good mood and unconsciously hummed a little tune.

"Yes, thank you, sir, thank you, sir." The man was overjoyed and thanked him repeatedly before leaving.

Two days passed quickly. Li Jingyang and the female lead in the secret room had not eaten or drunk anything for two days and were in very poor condition. The two people who were sent to learn their manners and behavior had also made very good progress.

Prefect Su, who was observing from the shadows, was very satisfied: "You, disguise yourself well. If anyone notices even the slightest flaw, I will have your entire family torn to pieces and sent out to feed the refugees."

The old man, who was being held by the collar, trembled all over, his eyes filled with fear and resentment: "Yes...yes, sir, please spare my family's lives, please have mercy."

"If you do a good job, I will naturally show leniency."

Prefect Su released his grip with disdain: "Take him away. Once the disguise is complete, feed this to those two and bury him somewhere."

"Yes." The subordinate led the old man away.

However, two hours later, the man returned, and the one following him was no longer the old man, but two young men and women with extraordinary bearing.

Prefect Su stood up in shock, circled the two men twice, and exclaimed in amazement, "They are truly identical. Even I cannot tell them apart. That old man is indeed quite skilled. It's a pity. If it were any other matter, perhaps we could have kept him alive."

"You two," Prefect Su beckoned to the two men.

Lin Rusi and Li Jingyang did not look at each other, but bowed to Prefect Su in unison: "Your Excellency."

"Not bad, not bad, but you can skip the formalities. Don't give yourself away." Seeing the two faces bowing to him, Prefect Su was so excited that his face turned red, but he didn't forget the important matter: "Get a good rest tonight and be careful with your faces. Tomorrow morning, the two of you will come out of the city with me."

"Yes, sir." The two bowed again and slowly withdrew.

The next morning, Prefect Su, dressed in his finest attire, gathered with Li Jingyang and the female protagonist, surrounded by a group of guards, on the main street of Suzhou City, which was several dozen feet wide.

He sent men to gather the people of Suzhou: "Gentlemen, the two men behind me are Prince Jinglie and his consort, whom His Majesty has sent to resolve the chaos in Suzhou."

"His Majesty's grace is boundless. His Majesty's concern for the people of Suzhou Prefecture is a blessing for our Suzhou Prefecture. I will do my best to cooperate." He stood at the front of the crowd and gave a passionate speech. However, the people who had been gathered did not look at him at all. Their hopeful eyes were on Lin Rusi and the other person behind him.

The prefect of Suzhou also noticed this situation and thought to himself that the ungrateful commoners were ungrateful. He continued, "Now that Your Highness has arrived, I shall step aside. From now on, Your Highness shall be in charge of the affairs of Suzhou."

Upon hearing that Prefect Su was actually going to relinquish power, the listless citizens of Suzhou perked up.

Prefect Su is a scoundrel, but this nobleman from the capital can surely keep him in check.