IDWBE -Chapter 289 Handling the Matter

The burly man had already fallen. Turning his head to look at his severed legs behind him, he let out a sky-piercing scream. The shrill cry echoed over the bamboo grove for a long time.

Fang Pi felt his scalp go numb at the sight. It was far too cruel.

Better to have died outright than suffer like this.

Ever since becoming a courier for the Shadows, following behind Pan Duo and doing all sorts of shady work, he had never witnessed such a bloody scene.

Li Sanniang walked slowly down the mountain, sword in hand. Her eyes were red as she looked at the fallen man and thrust her blade toward his throat.

She wanted to kill him—to avenge her sisters!

Feeling the icy sword tip at his neck, the man’s desire to live finally suppressed the agony of his severed legs. Too frightened to make a sound, he glared at Li Sanniang with hatred.

He had robbed their goods—of course he recognized her.

What he could not understand was how they had found him so quickly.

He closed his eyes, resigning himself to fate.

Suddenly—clang!

Li Sanniang staggered back a step. Her sword fell to the ground. She glared at Wang Xiaoshuan.

“I’m going to kill him! And you’re stopping me too?!”

Wang Xiaoshuan grinned. “Sanniang, did you forget? General Shen’s order was to capture them all alive. No matter how much you hate them, endure it for now. Later, they’ll all be beheaded anyway.”

“What if I insist on killing him today?” she demanded.

Wang Xiaoshuan tucked his axe into his belt and said lightly, “I can’t stop you. I suppose the General won’t blame me too much.”

Hearing that, her chest rose and fell sharply. With a metallic snap, she sheathed her sword.

She sighed.

Military orders could not be disobeyed.

Wang Xiaoshuan smiled again. “Don’t worry. None of them will escape death. Why rush? If you really want to vent your anger, personally carry out the execution. The yamen will surely grant you that face.”

In fact, the yamen might even welcome it. Back in Sanhe, Bao Kui had nearly begged heaven and earth just to find someone willing to act as executioner.

“Beheading him would be too easy on him,” Li Sanniang said, tears streaming down her face.

Dozens of women had followed her out—and now their souls were lost in a foreign land. When she returned to Sanhe, how could she explain it to their families?

It was all because of her incompetence.

She should never have been so careless.

Regret consumed her.

The laborers on the mountain bound the captured bandits tightly and escorted them down. They tied them behind horses and dragged them at a gallop.

Some bandits were already injured and too weak to keep up. They were dragged along the ground, their bodies torn and battered. Wherever they passed, streaks of blood marked the earth.

The laborers did not care.

General Shen’s order was to capture them alive. As long as they did not die, that was enough.

Back in Jinling City, the prisoners were thrown into the city jail.

They discovered the jail was already packed. Cries of agony and protests of innocence echoed constantly. Wang Xiaoshuan stared in astonishment.

“The Wang family, the Chen family—all arrested,” Wang Tuozi whispered to Wang Xiaoshuan. “Guess who the real mastermind is?”

“How long have I even been here?” Wang Xiaoshuan snapped. “I barely know anyone’s name!”

Wang Tuozi grinned. “It’s the Prince of Wu.”

“What?!” Wang Xiaoshuan was startled.

Wu Prefecture was the fief of the Prince of Wu.

And the Prince of Wu was the imperial uncle of Prince He!

When Prince He entered the city, his first order had been: do not disturb Imperial Uncle.

Wang Tuozi chuckled. “That old bastard finally made the Prince very unhappy. The Prince flew into a rage.”

Li Sanniang said coldly, “So our revenge just ends like this?”

“Sanniang, mind your words!” Ruorong shouted loudly. “Do you know what kind of man the Prince is?”

He was her friend—but he would not allow anyone to slander the Prince, not even her.

Li Sanniang lowered her head in silence.

“The Prince will never let you suffer injustice,” Liang Qingshu said coldly. “Put your heart at ease.”

Butcher Jiang tossed the last bandit into the cell. After the jailer locked the door, he added, “The Prince is the fairest of all.”

Prince He had once said: the law must be followed where there is law.

Just as Sun Quezi was about to speak, a stern voice rang out:

“This is a prison—how can you make such noise? Leave at once!”

In the dim oil-lamp light, they saw the figure of Wang Dahai, close attendant of Shen Chu.

No one dared say another word. They quietly left the jail.

At the Administration Office

The Provincial Administration Office was brightly lit.

Lin Yi sat in the main seat, sipping tea from time to time. Occasionally he lifted his eyelids to glance at the bound man kneeling below—

The Prince of Wu, Lin Kuo.

On both sides stood the former military and civil officials of Wu Prefecture, silent as cicadas in winter.

“Heart for heart,” Lin Yi finally spoke after a long silence. “Imperial Uncle, what grudge do you have against me, that you would treat me this way?”

So distressed that tears nearly welled up, he even raised a hand to wipe his eyes.

Below, the Prince of Wu had kept his head lowered. Now he finally looked up.

“Prince He is wise! How could Your Highness believe the slander of treacherous villains!”

“Words can kill, Imperial Uncle,” Lin Yi said, setting down his teacup. He stood and walked slowly to stand before Lin Kuo, staring at him. “You’ve put me in a very difficult position.”

“Please, Your Highness, see clearly!” the Prince of Wu pleaded helplessly.

Man is the fish on the chopping board; others hold the knife.

Lin Yi glanced at the six men kneeling or lying behind him and sighed.

“It seems my Imperial Uncle was misled by you. Your crimes deserve death. Drag them away.”

The men below were terrified, shouting their innocence.

No one paid attention. The guards dragged them off. Their cries gradually faded.

“Your Highness is wise!” the Prince of Wu cried again.

Secretly, he rejoiced—he had escaped disaster.

He had always believed that this ignorant youth would not dare do anything to him.

Then Lin Yi continued: “You are my Imperial Uncle. I would not dare show disrespect. Take him to Ankang City. Let Father Emperor decide.”

“Prince He—!”

Bound tightly, the Prince of Wu suddenly sprang up. Before he could speak further, the guards covered his mouth and nose and dragged him away. Only muffled sounds remained.

Lin Yi returned to his seat, lifted his cup, and snorted coldly.

“In life, one must know one’s place.”

No one on either side dared utter a word.

Finally, He Jixiang cried out, “Long live the Prince! Long live! Long live ten thousand years!”

As soon as he began, the others followed in chorus.

Lin Yi said, “Exempt Li Sanniang from taxes for three years. And compensate the families of the dead women through the Administration Office.”

He could afford to be generous because he had confiscated the estates of the Prince of Wu and the six great families of Jinling.

The totals had not yet been calculated—but he was certain it would be substantial.

Sitting at home, and money simply comes.

Court disaster, and you invite your own ruin.