Qin Yining frowned as she looked over and saw Yuchi Yan and Gu Shixiong wearing thick fur coats, standing in a concealed corner at the street intersection.
Both men looked extremely serious, their brows furrowed without any attempt to hide it, as if the sky were about to fall.
Qin Yining raised her eyebrows in confusion.
These two had been high-spirited just a while ago, acting like overlords of the former capital. How had they become like this today?
Qin Yining looked again at Magistrate Gao prostrate at Pang Xiao’s feet, and she understood everything.
In that instant, Qin Yining’s hatred made her teeth itch. She had only suspected before that Grandmother’s arrest was Yuchi Yan’s doing—that Yuchi Yan and Gu Shixiong were trying to force Pang Xiao into overstepping his bounds so they could catch him in wrongdoing and report him to Li Qitian, giving Li Qitian a convenient excuse.
But at the time, there had been no concrete evidence that this was Yuchi Yan’s work.
Now, seeing Yuchi Yan and Gu Shixiong’s expressions, what didn’t Qin Yining understand?
Yuchi Yan had finally learned scheming and plotting, but unfortunately, they had also finally placed themselves completely on opposing sides.
Qin Yining took a deep breath, banished all distracting thoughts, and looked again toward Pang Xiao and Magistrate Gao.
Pang Xiao had already half-crouched down, pressing his whip against Magistrate Gao’s filthy forehead, saying in a deep voice: “As a local magistrate, you disregard the people’s lives, treat human life as grass for your personal desires, and indulge your son in committing crimes. To seize others’ property and wives, you’ve created countless false cases. An official like you serves no purpose in existing. This prince will sentence you to death today to give the oppressed people and wronged souls their due!”
“You, you dare!” Magistrate Gao anxiously began kicking his legs. Unfortunately, his body was pinned to the ground by an elite Tiger Guard’s foot, making his struggles futile.
“I’m still a court-appointed official. Although you’re a prince, you have no authority to judge me!”
“No authority?” Pang Xiao sneered coldly. “This prince punishing evil and eliminating wickedness was personally commanded by His Majesty. Even if I kill you first and report to His Majesty later, His Majesty would understand that this prince acted expediently under urgent circumstances. If we don’t eliminate you, should we watch a popular uprising unfold?”
Pang Xiao surveyed the surroundings, looking at the common people around him, then back at Magistrate Gao, scolding hatefully: “Look at the people you’ve oppressed—look what they’ve been reduced to! Then think about yourself! Don’t you know how much you’ve embezzled? Must this prince order a search of your home?”
Magistrate Gao was immediately frightened into trembling all over, truly chilled from head to toe this time.
He didn’t want to die, but he didn’t want his whole family to die with him either!
Pang Xiao had seized upon precisely this psychology, using his family’s lives to force him into submission!
Magistrate Gao trembled all over, his tongue becoming unruly from fear, only able to shake his head repeatedly and protest his innocence.
Pang Xiao stood up with a cold smile, waved his hand casually, and ordered those beside him: “Decapitation for public display.”
“Yes!”
Everyone responded and immediately began dragging Magistrate Gao outside the crowd.
Upon hearing the four words “decapitation for public display,” Magistrate Gao stiffened completely on the spot, wailing and shouting about being wronged.
In the corner, Yuchi Yan frowned and stepped forward, about to speak, when Gu Shixiong grabbed his sleeve.
Yuchi Yan turned to look at Gu Shixiong and saw him seriously shake his head.
Yuchi Yan pressed his lips together, his eyes full of inner conflict. He wanted to defy Gu Shixiong but feared upsetting the old man. If he really angered Gu Shixiong to death, he would never again have such a loyal and resourceful minister.
During his hesitation, the elite Tiger Guards had already escorted Magistrate Gao aside.
The refugees followed, craning their necks to watch the excitement, all loudly cheering.
An elite Tiger Guard drew his saber while two others threw Magistrate Gao to the ground and stepped aside.
Magistrate Gao shook like a sieve, his teeth chattering, a foul-smelling liquid flowing from between his legs.
Pang Xiao turned his head away.
The Tiger Guard raised his saber high.
“Stop!” Just as the blade was about to fall, a loud shout suddenly came from outside the crowd.
The Tiger Guard had the opportunity to kill Magistrate Gao first and deal with consequences later, but reconsidering the current situation, if he rashly killed the man, it might cause trouble for the Prince.
Thinking of this, the Tiger Guards could only temporarily lower their weapons and, like everyone else, look toward the source of the voice.
The newcomer wore civilian clothes and brought attendants. From his dress, he appeared to be merely a wealthy scholar, but his entire bearing was extraordinarily noble.
Magistrate Gao came to his senses from his fright, saw the newcomer, and wept with joy, shouting: “Governor! Governor Yang, save me!”
So this was Governor Yang?
When Pang Xiao and Qin Yining first arrived here and Yuchi Yan held a welcoming banquet, besides Deng Minchang not attending, this Governor Yang, who held the highest local office, hadn’t appeared either.
Deng Minchang had now been dealt with by Pang Xiao, but this was their first time meeting Governor Yang.
The impression was of someone who minded his own business and kept aloof, trying to avoid getting involved in court struggles, wanting only to protect himself wisely.
How had he come at this moment?
Pang Xiao said with interest and casualness: “So you’re Governor Yang?”
Governor Yang quickly walked before everyone, his brows already knitted tightly, suppressing his anger as he bowed to Pang Xiao: “This official pays respects to Your Highness.”
“Dispensed with.” Pang Xiao pointed at Magistrate Gao kneeling on the ground and sneered: “Such a person of poor character serves under Governor Yang, yet Governor Yang never thought to discipline him? Isn’t there fault in oversight?”
Governor Yang was so angry his beard went askew—this person was actually shameless to this extent! Meeting him for the first time and immediately throwing mud at him!
“Who this prefecture uses or doesn’t use—is it the Pingnan Grand Marshal’s place to instruct?”
Governor Yang bit down hard on the five words “Pingnan Grand Marshal.”
Since the Great Zhou Dynasty was newly established, the status of nobility and military generals was still very high. However, the relationship between civil and military officials had never been harmonious throughout history—literati looked down on each other, civil officials especially looked down on military generals, and naturally military generals also viewed civil officials as a bunch of sour scholars pointing fingers like watching a monkey show.
Governor Yang specifically mentioned Pang Xiao’s position as Pingnan Grand Marshal, meaning to say that as a military officer, did he want to interfere with civil officials’ personnel decisions?
Pang Xiao narrowed his phoenix eyes, looked at Governor Yang’s face red with anger, then at the crowd of nearly a thousand refugees behind him, and couldn’t help but chuckle.
“This prince naturally wouldn’t dare instruct Governor Yang on personnel matters, but although this prince is a military officer, I’m also a cabinet minister. Everything I witness here naturally carries the responsibility of reporting to His Majesty. Now Governor Yang is lax in governing subordinates—during the New Year, this small former capital has produced thousands of disaster victims, and because of trash like Gao Wenyao, public resentment boils over with thousands gathering to cause disturbances. Can’t Governor Yang see any of this?”
Only then did Governor Yang remember that the person before him was not only a prince and marshal, but also personally appointed by His Majesty as Grand Secretary of the Wuying Hall!
He held both civil and military positions!
Being publicly rebuked by Pang Xiao, how could Governor Yang maintain face? Moreover, the former capital was under his jurisdiction—regardless of good or bad, he alone had the final say. Even if Gao Wenyao committed murder and arson, it should be handled by him as the superior official. Why should outsiders interfere? If Pang Xiao successfully interfered with his subordinates’ affairs today, wouldn’t people laugh their teeth out when word spread? How could he establish authority or continue as an official?
Pang Xiao had just arrived and hadn’t even established a firm footing, yet wanted to interfere with his affairs—Governor Yang would absolutely not tolerate this.
“If this prefecture does poorly, His Majesty will naturally discipline me. This prefecture hasn’t yet questioned Grand Marshal Pang—without transfer orders, why would Grand Marshal Pang lead troops into the city? Can Prince Zhongshun alone decide Pingnan Army movements? Privately mobilizing troops—this prefecture fears this too must be reported to His Majesty!”
Pang Xiao smiled with interest—he had underestimated this Governor Yang. This person was definitely no pushover.
“Why this prince came here—can’t Governor Yang see?” The riding whip pointed at Governor Yang’s back, then at Magistrate Gao on the ground, sneering: “First, public security in the former capital is chaotic. Affairs your subordinate officials can’t handle—should the Pingnan Army not intervene and wait for protests to develop into riots? Second, your subordinate commits crimes and stirs up public resentment. You as the parent official don’t care—can’t people step on injustice when they see it?
“The Pingnan Army enters the city for no other reason—first, to maintain stable public security in the former capital and prevent riots; second, to act on Heaven’s behalf and eliminate that villain who commits countless evils to appease public anger!”
“Good! Well said!” The refugees, hearing Pang Xiao’s forceful declaration word by word, loudly cheered.
Governor Yang turned around to see nearly a thousand faces full of infatuation and worship, each excited as if witnessing divine descent.
Governor Yang couldn’t help but reassess this seemingly crude-speaking but actually seven-hearted, exquisitely clever war god prince.
His ability to reach today’s position relied neither on luck nor solely on military merit. He was someone very skilled at assessing situations. Now with one sentence, he had stirred all the refugees’ enthusiasm. If he continued interfering, what would be the consequences?
Governor Yang gritted his teeth and hurried to say: “Regardless, the Pingnan Army appearing in the city without transfer orders is wrong! Moreover, Your Highness is the Pingnan Army’s commander yet attempts to interfere in local affairs and wants to use capital punishment to kill court officials. Doing this—isn’t it overstepping authority!”
Pang Xiao gazed at Governor Yang with furrowed brows, but after only a moment said: “So Governor Yang disagrees with handing Gao Wenyao over to this prince for disposal?”
Governor Yang felt something wasn’t right—Pang Xiao’s attitude seemed to change too quickly.
But he couldn’t answer that he agreed with Pang Xiao.
Governor Yang could only say: “Naturally! Without this prefecture’s orders, please have the Pingnan Army peacefully stationed in camp and not randomly enter the city to disturb public order!”
“Fine.” Pang Xiao’s voice rose, and he actually agreed readily. Turning back to the people already on the edge of fury, he smiled apologetically, said no more, turned to embrace Qin Yining’s shoulders, and called to the elite Tiger Guards and Pingnan troops he’d brought: “Since Governor Yang insists on this, let’s go.”
“Yes!”
The Pingnan Army and elite Tiger Guards responded in unison, mounting and forming ranks in the sudden silence, preparing to leave.
The scene suddenly filled with murderous atmosphere.
Just then, from among the refugees came a gnashing curse: “Officials protecting officials—and he’s supposed to be a governor! How much did your subordinate give you! Why are you protecting him like this!”