Great, it's just a lackey, we're saved!

Chapter 285 A Tragedy of the Unlucky!

Upon hearing someone shout, Zhang Yong pushed aside Liu Xiaobao and ran towards the city gate.

Upon closer inspection, they found that the Nanguang army had indeed dug a pit at the city gate.

By this time, the pit had been dug very large, and the onlookers were constantly being ordered to retreat by the Nanguang army.

Zhang Yong glanced down into the pit and found that it was more than two people deep, and the soil he dug out was damp.

"What are you doing?" Liu Xiaobao asked curiously as he joined in.

Zhang Yong shook his head, then his gaze was drawn to a bright yellow spot on the city wall.

"That's...the Crown Princess?"

Upon hearing this, Liu Xiaobao quickly looked up and met Jiang Yueli's gaze.

He trembled with excitement, grabbing Zhang Yong and saying, "Sister...brother-in-law, Her Highness the Crown Princess looked at me, looked at me!"

"Is Her Highness wearing a dragon robe? It's so majestic!"

Zhang Yong slapped him on the head: "Keep your voice down, you bastard! What dragon robe? That's a python robe. Her Highness the Crown Princess hasn't ascended the throne yet. If you keep talking nonsense, you'll lose your head."

Liu Xiaobao quickly covered his mouth, but his eyes still kept sneaking glances at the city wall.

Jiang Yueli stood on the city wall, watching the Nan Guang army dig pits, her expression indifferent.

Tan Lin, standing to the side, was sweating profusely, wanting to offer advice but unsure how to begin.

Seeing his restless appearance, Zhou Wei teased, "Mr. Tan, we fought off the enemy together, we're all on the same side. Just say what you have to say, isn't it hard to keep it to yourself?"

Tan Lin sighed and finally spoke.

"Your Highness has ordered the Nan Guang army to dig pits, is it to bury them alive? Your Highness, this is an act against the natural order!"

Tan Lin had previously thought that Jiang Yueli had sent the Nan Guang Army to escort the Jiaozhou government officials to Ningzhou in order to build a Jingguan (a mound of statues resembling human skulls).

Unexpectedly, Jiang Yueli was even more ruthless than he had imagined.

This is clearly a trap to kill them!

"Your Highness, since ancient times, killing prisoners of war has been considered an ominous act, as has massacring prisoners!"

"Your Highness will one day ascend the throne and become emperor. If you order the massacre of officials from two prefectures in front of the people of the prefecture today, the world will only call you a tyrant!"

"The situation in the court is still unstable. Although key ministers such as Chen Wenyu support Your Highness, they are also the most pedantic. Burying officials alive might offend them."

Jiang Yueli wasn't angry; she knew Tan Lin was looking out for her.

Otherwise, Tan Lin, a cultivator from a blessed land, wouldn't need to care about the heavens and earth at all.

Those who cultivate themselves defy the will of Heaven and are indifferent to matters of life and death.

Not to mention these officials who are just ordinary people.

The eldest princess said, "Mr. Tan, there is no need to worry. Today, I have a just cause to kill these people!"

"If the world wants to call me a tyrant, then I'll be a tyrant!"

Seeing Jiang Yueli's insistence, Tan Lin had no choice but to open his mouth, but swallowed back the words of persuasion.

Zhou Wei smiled and said, "Mr. Tan, please rest assured. He's just a beast. If he's killed, he's killed."

"Although this action is against the natural order, it is fine as long as it does not harm the republic."

Tan Lin looked confused, clearly not understanding what Zhou Wei was saying.

Zhou Wei smiled and waved her hand, changing the subject.

When the pit at the city gate was almost finished, the eldest prince helped Princess Ling ascend the city tower.

The second prince peered down curiously and, upon seeing the huge pit beneath the city wall, his expression immediately changed.

"Yue Li, what's wrong with you...?"

The eldest prince was also very worried, "Yue Li, these people should be killed in private! Making such a big fuss might not be good for you!"

Although the Queen Consort of Ling did not speak, her face showed worry.

After she woke up, the eldest prince told her that if she could take good care of her health, she might be able to get pregnant again in the future.

Princess Ling cried again, but this time it was a cry of relief.

While crying, she cried out to the sky, "Child, can you hear me? If you don't hate your mother, please come back into my womb, okay? This time, I will protect you even if it costs me my life!"

After she calmed down, the eldest prince talked to her about things in the palace.

Although they knew this matter was of great importance and that the fewer people who knew, the better, Princess Ling and the First Prince were now living with the same fate.

If he doesn't even tell her these secrets, then any talk of being together through thick and thin is just empty talk.

Knowing that the Eldest Princess wished for them to remain in Ningzhou, Princess Ling remained silent for a long time.

The eldest prince said nervously, "Ruiyao, I know you want to go to the East Sea, but Yue Li is all alone now. If none of us help her, who can she rely on?"

Princess Ling patted the Crown Prince's hand: "I know, I just don't like Ningzhou. But if it weren't for Yue Li, you and I probably wouldn't be alive much longer. Since she's asked, we must help her, otherwise wouldn't that be repaying kindness with enmity?"

Tears welled in the eyes of the eldest prince, who nodded while choking back sobs.

"Ruiyao, I'm so sorry."

At this moment, the Second Prince came looking for them, saying that Jiang Yueli had sent someone to invite them to the city tower.

The eldest prince said, "Yue Li is determined to have those officials executed outside the city gates so that the people can witness it."

Upon hearing this, Princess Ling struggled to get up, "I want to go and see too."

The three of them had expected to witness a mass beheading upon their arrival.

Unexpectedly, Jiang Yueli actually planned to kill them!

Seeing the three men's worry, the eldest princess laughed and said, "My two elder brothers and sister-in-law, do not worry. If we do not use swift and decisive measures to deter the villains, Ningzhou and Jiaozhou will not be at peace."

"I'm not thinking about what will happen in a day, but about the safety of both governments after I leave."

Hearing Jiang Yueli say this, the two princes knew they couldn't persuade her, so they could only step aside and watch silently.

Once the pit was nearly dug, Man Yi went up to the city wall to report.

"Your Highness, the pit has been dug."

Jiang Yueli nodded, then ordered, "Bring out the officials from both prefectures who have committed heinous crimes, as well as their relatives, and push them all into the pit."

Man Yi accepted the order and carried it out. Before long, the sound of ghosts wailing and wolves howling rang out from under the city wall.

Interspersed among the cries were the cries of the elderly, women, and children.

The people had initially come to watch the spectacle, but upon seeing so many people being pushed into the pit, they immediately realized what was going on.

Some people were so frightened that they backed away, while others turned pale and lost all the ease they had shown while watching the spectacle.

Upon seeing this, the convicted official, whose hands were tied behind his back, immediately began to cry out that he was innocent.

"Your Highness, spare my life! My crime does not deserve death!"

"Your Highness, the law does not apply to officials. We are all officials appointed by the court. How can you use such methods to kill us?"

"Jiang Yueli, you poisonous woman, I'm going to impeach you!"

"Jiang Yueli, you murdered hundreds of officials, your moral character is flawed, you are not worthy to be the crown prince."

"Your Highness, I know I was wrong. I'm worse than an animal. Please, spare me, spare my wife and children! I'll kowtow to you, I'll kowtow to you!"

Voices rose and fell among the criminals.

Some begged for mercy, some cursed, and some wept and kowtowed repeatedly.

But Jiang Yueli remained unmoved!

She simply watched the actions of the Nanguang Army below the city wall with a cold eye, and waved for Man Yi to come up.

The common people were moved by the officials' cries and pleas for mercy, and felt somewhat sorry for them.

The common people are kind-hearted; they can accept the execution of officials and beheadings, but they cannot bear to see so many people being murdered.

For a moment, everyone looked at the bright yellow figure on the city wall, their expressions complicated.

When they saw General Man Yi being summoned to the city wall, the convicted officials felt a glimmer of hope.

Could it be that crying and begging for mercy worked?

Did the eldest princess change her mind and decide not to kill them?

Amidst the expectant gazes of the group, Man Yi arrived before the Princess.

"What are your orders, Your Highness?"

Jiang Yueli's phoenix eyes swept over the crowd eagerly waiting in the pit below the city wall.

He said coldly, "You're doing your job better and better."

Upon hearing this, Man Yi broke out in a cold sweat and immediately knelt on the ground.

"Your Highness, please forgive me, Your Majesty..."

The eldest princess took two steps, not wanting to say anything more to Manyi.

Seeing this, Man Yi became even more terrified.

Zhou Wei stepped in to defuse the situation, saying, "General Man, tell your men to hurry up."

"If someone doesn't want to go into the pit, are you going to beg them? Is that knife just for show?"

"And those who are insulting Her Highness the Crown Princess, crying and howling, tell him to be quiet too."

Upon hearing this, Man Yi gratefully bowed to Zhou Wei, then turned and quickly descended the city wall.

Not long after, the sound of a flying kick rang out from below.

Those who refused to enter the pit were kicked in by the soldiers of the Nanguang Army.

As for those who cried out and cursed, the soldiers swiftly drew their swords and severed their tongues, sending them splintering to the ground!