I started out with seven husbands, and I worked hard to support my family while crying.

Chapter 388: How Noble is the Prince's Status?

"Oh no, this is a trap!" Pei Zuo exclaimed, but it was too late. He felt a sudden dizziness, his head spinning, and his limbs felt as if they were being crushed by lead weights, causing him to collapse helplessly.

Zhang Xuzi was not spared either; the teacup in his hand fell to the ground with a "clatter," and he slumped limply onto the car seat.

Seeing that his plan had succeeded, the monk laughed triumphantly, his laughter sounding particularly jarring in the quiet night.

"Hmph, a bunch of ignorant fools." The monk sneered, then blew a sharp whistle.

In an instant, a group of his men emerged from the shadows. Each of them had a fierce look on their face and held a sharp blade, like a pack of wolves.

"Take them all to the artificial hill next to the broken well!" the monk shouted, waving his hand.

The men dragged the unconscious Pei Zuo and Zhang Xuzi like wolves, completely disregarding their noble status.

The artificial hill beside the broken well looked eerie and terrifying under the moonlight. The monk skillfully pressed a mechanism hidden in a crevice in the stone. With a muffled rumble, the artificial hill slowly moved aside, revealing a dark entrance. A damp and rotten smell wafted out from inside.

Pei Zuo and Zhang Xuzi were thrown into a secret cell without any mercy. The cell was dark and damp, with moss crawling on the walls and puddles of foul-smelling sewage on the floor.

Pei Zuo gradually awoke from his coma. He struggled to open his eyes and found himself in this terrible situation. His eyes were immediately filled with anger and fear.

"What on earth is going on? How could I, the dignified Crown Prince, have fallen into such a predicament!" Pei Zuo roared hysterically, his face flushed red and veins bulging on his forehead.

Zhang Xuzi slowly opened his eyes. His face was as pale as paper, and his eyes were full of panic. He didn't know what to do for a moment.

The monk strolled leisurely to the prison cell. Though he was old, time seemed to have been kind to him, and one could still vaguely discern the handsome features of his youth. At this moment, the fat on his face trembled with a greedy smile, and his narrowed eyes gleamed with greed as he said, "Hehe, don't cause any trouble here. As long as you obediently give me the money, I'll spare your lives."

Upon hearing this, Pei Zuo was instantly enraged. He abruptly stood up, about to loudly proclaim his noble status as a prince. Just as he was about to speak, Zhang Xuzi swiftly grabbed him, simultaneously giving him a wink and shaking his head to signal him not to act impulsively.

Zhang Xuzi took a deep breath, trying to keep his tone calm, and looked at the monk, saying, "Master, please name your price."

Without hesitation, the monk stretched out a short, thick finger, waved it in front of them, and shouted, "Ten thousand taels, not a penny less!"

Upon hearing the exorbitant amount demanded, Pei Zuo was ready to agree without a second thought. However, Zhang Xuzi quickly reached out to stop him, a troubled expression on his face. He said with a wry smile, "Master, you're really going to kill us! We really don't have that much on us, at most five thousand taels."

Upon hearing this, the monk frowned, his face full of distrust, and stared at them suspiciously, saying, "Hmph, don't try to fool me. I've seen plenty of people like you. Don't think you can fool me."

Zhang Xuzi quickly raised his hands in a gesture of begging for mercy and said, "Master, we really didn't lie to you. If you don't believe us, feel free to search us."

The monk hesitated for a while, weighed the options in his mind, and finally gritted his teeth and said, "Five thousand taels it is, I guess I'm just unlucky today."

Pei Zuo eagerly took out a silver note from his pocket and handed it to the monk.

The monk snatched the silver note, a sly glint in his eyes. Suddenly, he pulled out the sleeping potion again and threw it at Pei Zuo and Zhang Xuzi.

"You two, go back to sleep!" the monk laughed triumphantly.

Pei Zuo and Zhang Xuzi felt a pungent smell hit them, their vision went black, and they fainted again.

He didn't know how much time had passed when Pei Zuo slowly woke up in a cool breeze. He slowly opened his eyes and found himself and Zhang Xuzi lying in a desolate wilderness, surrounded by overgrown weeds taller than a person, with the occasional eerie bird call echoing through the air.

Pei Zuo was furious. He stood up abruptly, his face flushed red, and angrily cursed, "That damned monk dares to mock me like this! When I catch him, I will tear him to pieces!"

Zhang Xuzi also struggled to sit up. His face was as pale as paper, but his eyes revealed a hint of calm and gravity. He pulled Pei Zuo aside and advised, "Your Highness, do not act impulsively. We are currently in the middle of nowhere. Our most urgent task is to find the county town first, and then we can discuss the matter further. We can talk about revenge later."

Pei Zuo gritted his teeth, suppressing his anger, and said fiercely, "Hmph, I'll listen to you. Let's find the county town first."

The monk stood silently in the shadows not far away, his figure concealed in the darkness, only his eyes gleaming dimly in the faint moonlight. He stared intently at the retreating figures of Pei Zuo and Zhang Xuzi, his expression somber and complex.

The subordinate beside him was full of confusion. He cautiously approached and asked in a low voice, "Boss, why did you let that prince go so easily? This was a great opportunity." His eyes were filled with incomprehension and resentment, and his brows were tightly furrowed.

The monk snorted coldly, his lips twitching slightly, and said in a low voice, "What do you know? The prince's status is so noble. If we touch him, the court's investigation will surely come like a storm. Do you think we can survive?" A trace of fear and apprehension flashed in his eyes.

His subordinate nodded, seemingly understanding but still looking confused, but dared not say anything more. After thinking for a moment, he asked again, "What about the man and woman staying in the guest room? If you ask me, we should just deal with them together to avoid future troubles."

As he spoke, his subordinate made a throat-slitting gesture, a ruthless glint in his eyes.

The monk shook his head slightly and said slowly, "Don't rush, don't rush, don't worry about them for now. We have more important things to do right now." Although his tone was calm, it exuded an undeniable authority.

Then, the monk's eyes suddenly sharpened. His gaze was piercing as he stared intently at his subordinates, and he ordered again, "Go, quickly prepare to bring those women captured in the secret room to the transaction location. Don't be late. If anything goes wrong, you'll be in big trouble!"

Intimidated by the monk's imposing presence, his subordinates quickly nodded in obedience and hurriedly turned to leave. The monk's figure remained motionless in the darkness, like a cold sculpture, with only the slight rise and fall of his chest revealing the turmoil within him.