IDWBE -Chapter 46 The Prince He’s Prohibition Orders

“I understand. It doesn’t matter if we suffer a bit here, but I’m afraid His Highness might be wronged.”

Hu Shilu knew their prince well. On the surface, he seemed carefree and indifferent, but in his heart he carried a world of grand ambitions.

So he said no more.

Lin Yi said, “Endure it slowly. Once we get through this, a vast world will open before us.”

That evening, Xie Zan posted the proclamation written by Lin Yi all over the town.

Standing atop a large millstone, Luo Han read aloud from above:

“First: Murderers pay with their lives; debts must be repaid!”

“Second: No fighting or causing trouble. If you win a fight, you go to jail. If you lose, you won’t be treated!”

Ignoring the murmuring crowd below, Luo Han raised his voice even louder.

“Third: No bullying men or women.”

“Fourth: No robbery or theft.”

“Fifth: No monopolizing markets or coercing trade.”

“… ”

“Anyone with grievances may report them. All matters will be handled according to these rules.”

After finishing the ten prohibitions, Luo Han clasped his hands behind his back and continued loudly:

“Starting today, Baiyun City will enforce a curfew. Anyone caught outside at night will receive twenty strokes of the board! The guards of the Prince He’s residence have the authority to question and arrest any suspicious individuals.”

The crowd instantly exploded in uproar.

No going out at night?

Even when the southern expedition army had entered Baiyun City, they had never imposed such a rule!

“Why can’t we go out at night—”

“That’s right! I’ll go out anyway!”

“Let’s see you try to catch me—”

The crowd grew increasingly agitated.

A bearded brute suddenly leapt onto the millstone and glared at Luo Han. “Since when do you people get to call the shots in Baiyun City? Prince He is just a feudal—”

A flash of blade-light cut him off.

He heard the sound of blood dripping onto the stone. Just as he tried to look down, his head fell to the ground.

His body toppled from the millstone, blood spurting from the neck.

Even those accustomed to life-and-death scenes in Baiyun City were stunned by the bloody spectacle. Panic spread as people scattered in all directions.

From afar, they saw Luo Han standing on the millstone, the blade in his hand stained red, gleaming in the glow of the sunset.

The square fell silent. One could hear a pin drop.

Luo Han said in a deep voice, “There is one final law you must remember well: Anyone who shows grave disrespect to Prince He—”

He enunciated the last three words one by one:

“Will be executed without mercy.”

No one who heard it did not shudder.

After nightfall, for the first time in their lives, the locals heard the sound of the night watch gong.

Accompanied by the rhythmic beats came the cry: “The air is dry; beware of fire!”

Luo Han—once a cook and later the night watchman of the prince’s residence, now head of the East Wind Escort Agency—personally patrolled the night.

Behind him marched twenty uniformed palace guards.

Many people quietly opened their doors a crack to steal a glance. Watching the guards fade into the distance, they finally realized that Sanhe had changed. Baiyun City was no longer the same.

Of course, many still refused to believe it.

That very night, three resisting bandits were executed, fifteen were flogged, and twenty-seven were imprisoned.

While eating breakfast the next morning, Lin Yi listened to Luo Han’s report, the man still reeking of sweat, and sighed.

“Too much killing isn’t really a good thing.”

Luo Han was about to explain when Lin Yi added, “But since they’re courting death, they can’t blame me. If you jump out to play the villain, you’d better be prepared to be crushed.”

“Your Highness is wise,” Luo Han said with relief. “There wasn’t a single unjust soul. The man I killed yesterday—Shopkeeper Song had tracked him for quite some time. He was a notorious bandit with over a dozen murders to his name. He just happened to insult Your Highness, so I killed him on the spot. As for the two thieves at night, when we found them, they had just slaughtered an entire family of four. I was enraged. And there was a rapist who relied on his agility. He even dared to draw his blade against us. Fortunately, Miss Mingyue was there—otherwise we wouldn’t have caught him.”

Their prince was good in every way, except that his heart was too soft. If things weren’t explained clearly, it would cause trouble later.

“You killed him?” Lin Yi looked at Mingyue, who was pouring him tea.

Mingyue bowed. “This servant made a mistake in the heat of the moment. I ask Your Highness to forgive me.”

“Well killed. Trash that ruins others’ lives deserves a thousand cuts,” Lin Yi said coldly. “The real question is—where are those people you arrested being held?”

They didn’t even have proper housing themselves. And they were detaining prisoners?

Xie Zan smiled. “Your Highness, as Deputy Magistrate in charge of prisons, I naturally have a place for prisoners. New arrivals used to spend several months there.”

“There’s a jail?” Lin Yi asked in surprise.

“Yes. Beside the fodder warehouse, there’s an underground prison. At its peak, it held over a hundred people. If Your Highness is interested, you may inspect it.”

“I’ll look some other time,” Lin Yi said. He had no interest in touring such a gloomy place. “Keeping them locked up wastes grain. Better to send them to work. Didn’t you say Goosehead Mountain needs road repairs? Use them for labor reform.”

After saying that, he almost hoped Luo Han would arrest even more people.

“Your Highness is wise,” Xie Zan replied with a smile.

Punishment achieved—and wages saved.

Lin Yi picked up his teacup, found it too hot, and set it down again.

“You two should head back soon.”

Song Cheng and Luo Han exchanged glances. Song Cheng spoke first: “Your Highness, I made proper arrangements before coming. Even if I don’t return, it won’t cause problems.”

Luo Han added, “The same for me.”

Lin Yi waved his hand. “Aside from you two, I don’t trust anyone else. Go back and guard my business. Don’t let me stay alive while my money disappears.”

Everyone couldn’t help but laugh.

“Your Highness trusts me so deeply—I would die ten thousand deaths without complaint!” Song Cheng choked up.

“Same here!” Luo Han hurriedly knelt.

Lin Yi looked at Song Cheng impatiently. “You’re a grown man—why are you crying like that?”

The worst part was he couldn’t tell if it was real or fake.

Who taught him that?

He couldn’t help but doubt himself. Did he really have that so-called “kingly aura” that made people so reluctant to leave him?

“Forgive me, Your Highness. I lost control for a moment,” Song Cheng said, standing up. “Since Your Highness has commanded it, I’ll return to the capital in a few days and will not fail your expectations.”

“Everything revolves around money,” Lin Yi said. “The money kind of money.”

“I understand,” Song Cheng replied.

Three days later, Song Cheng and Luo Han departed with more than fifty escorts. Construction of Prince He’s residence officially began.

Watching boat after boat of limestone unloaded at the shore, Lin Yi felt deeply satisfied.

Thanks to the palace guards’ effective maintenance of order, batch after batch of free laborers were delivered—curfew violators, brawlers, thieves, debt dodgers, and more.

All perfectly suited to carrying loads.