“Truly ‘speak of Cao Cao and Cao Cao appears.’ Earlier when the yamen was surrounded by people for so long, this magistrate was nowhere to be seen. Now he finally arrives.” Xie Yue laughed mockingly, looking at Pang Xiao with considerable interest. “How does Your Highness plan to deal with this person?”

Pang Xiao’s phoenix eyes narrowed slightly as his fingers stroked his lower lip. A faint smile appeared at the corner of his mouth as he said unhurriedly: “His request for an audience at this time has only one reason—to confess his guilt. If I easily grant him pardon, won’t people ride on my neck and piss in the future?”

Xu Weizhi was amused by Pang Xiao’s expression and shook his head: “Your Highness was just praising him.”

“His thinking is good, and I can’t deny that his original intention was on the side of righteousness, but he calculated this prince into his plans and even wanted to sacrifice the people of Danfu County. His methods are inevitably extreme.”

Pang Xiao said to Tang Xiu: “Tell Magistrate Cheng that this prince has been severely injured. The physician is currently treating me, and the situation doesn’t look optimistic right now. Please ask Magistrate Cheng to return.”

Tang Xiu looked at the prince, who appeared in good health yet righteously claimed to be severely injured, and couldn’t help laughing: “Yes, this subordinate will go immediately.”

It was already the early hours of morning. Outside the temporary camp where the prince’s retinue was stationed, all was quiet. White tents were arranged in orderly fashion, torches flickered in the night wind, and occasionally the sound of fluttering banners and the neat, uniform footsteps of patrolling government soldiers could be heard. Guards were posted every five steps with sentries every ten steps—everything appeared well-ordered.

Magistrate Cheng stood with his hands behind his back before the camp, nodding approvingly to himself. From observing one spot, one could understand the whole—from what he could see, Prince Zhongshun’s reputation for skilled military leadership was well-deserved.

“Sir,” Secretary Liu said anxiously in a low voice, “Do you think Prince Zhongshun might…”

Feeling his words were inauspicious, Secretary Liu quickly swallowed the latter half of his sentence and said instead: “Everyone says Prince Zhongshun is magnanimous and upright. This matter isn’t really your fault either—at most it’s a minor transgression. You’ll surely be safe and sound.”

But Magistrate Cheng smiled and waved his hand, stroking his beard calmly: “Haolin, you needn’t comfort me. From the moment I began this plan, I never expected to have a way out.”

Speaking so candidly shocked Secretary Liu into a cold sweat. He urgently lowered his voice: “Sir, please don’t say such things.”

Magistrate Cheng waved his hand to interrupt his secretary’s comfort, raising his head to gaze at the bright morning star on the horizon: “When I first used Brother Wang’s strategy, I already anticipated this day would come. Fortunately, the matter has grown large and will soon reach the emperor’s ears. Even if His Majesty cares deeply about the imperial mausoleum, he cannot ignore public opinion.”

Secretary Liu smiled bitterly: “Sir, is your method truly worth it? Moreover, the disturbance in the county has grown too large. Prince Zhongshun was even wounded by the people, and we still don’t know his current condition. His Majesty will surely place blame. At best, you’ll face punishment, and even your family members will… At worst, every person who was present that day will be charged with treason.”

“Even so, what harm is there?” Magistrate Cheng said sternly. “Even if all the people in the county cannot escape punishment, the imperial mausoleum still cannot continue construction. It’s already the sixteenth of the seventh month. In my view, within three months, famine will break out nationwide. Then the silver for building the imperial mausoleum can be used to stabilize the dynasty, and my purpose will have been achieved.”

Looking back at Secretary Liu, Magistrate Cheng’s eyes blazed with light, showing an indescribable fervor and obsession.

“Compared to our vast dynasty, what harm would there be if all the people in a small county died?”

Hearing these words, Secretary Liu was momentarily speechless. Looking at Magistrate Cheng’s possessed, confident appearance, though he felt hot blood flowing in his heart, he also felt a flash of unease.

He could only hope everything would go as planned.

Just then, rapid footsteps approached from within the camp, and soon a clear-eyed, handsome young man in military dress came before them, bowing: “Magistrate Cheng, His Highness is severely injured. The accompanying physician is treating him, and it’s truly chaotic inside. It’s inconvenient to see you right now. Please return and rest first.”

Magistrate Cheng was stunned upon hearing this, frowning with concern: “Where is His Highness injured? Is it serious?”

Tang Xiu frowned and shook his head with a bitter smile: “These words are truly hard to say, but I imagine that after years of battlefield campaigns, His Highness has always been blessed by fortune. He’ll surely overcome this difficulty.”

These words carried deep meaning.

A hero who had campaigned on battlefields for years was now assassinated by the very people he protected, and his condition was critical. If His Highness truly met with misfortune, even if the plan succeeded, it would truly be lamentable.

A flash of guilt crossed Magistrate Cheng’s heart. Then he knelt down facing the direction of the main tent within the camp, performing a grand salute: “This official failed to control his subordinates strictly, causing such a great error. It is truly this official’s crime. Please let His Highness punish me.”

Seeing this, Secretary Liu could only kneel down as well.

Tang Xiu shook his head upon seeing this: “Sir, why must you do this? You should return.”

Magistrate Cheng ignored the persuasion and remained kneeling in place, gazing toward the main tent with eyes full of guilt, apparently waiting for Pang Xiao’s forgiveness.

Seeing Magistrate Cheng’s determination, Tang Xiu could only return to the camp to report again.

After the man walked away, Secretary Liu was extremely worried and lowered his voice: “Sir, this is bad. We don’t know if Prince Zhongshun is seriously injured or not. If something really happens to him, what should we do?”

Magistrate Cheng sighed: “Fortunately, external enemies have been cleared, and Duke Dingguo is still in the court… I can sacrifice my entire family and tens of thousands of people in Danfu County, so one fierce general doesn’t matter either.”

Secretary Liu’s eyes widened as if he couldn’t believe such cold words came from Magistrate Cheng’s mouth.

Hearing Secretary Liu’s rapid breathing, Magistrate Cheng couldn’t help turning back and smiling: “I’m working for the stability of the entire dynasty. I only hope His Majesty can stop building the imperial mausoleum and leave the silver for the people. Even if I die, it would be a worthy death.”

Secretary Liu lowered his eyes, pondered for a moment, then slowly stood up, quietly stepped back, and then strode away.

Magistrate Cheng heard Secretary Liu’s footsteps but didn’t speak to stop him or turn around. He only smiled faintly, closed his eyes, and let him go.

Here, Pang Xiao received Tang Xiu’s report and pondered for a moment: “If he wants to kneel, let him. The Five Army Camp troops will arrive in the blink of an eye, and there are other important matters to handle.”

Just then, an Elite Tiger Guard came outside the tent—one of those Pang Xiao had left at the manor for cleanup.

“Your Highness, we found a letter in Master Tao’s bedroom at the manor.”

Pang Xiao narrowed his long phoenix eyes, frost seeming to form within them.

Tang Xiu presented the letter. Pang Xiao opened and read it, then suddenly laughed coldly and crumpled the paper into a ball, throwing it violently to the ground.

Though his expression remained calm, his violently heaving chest and clenched fists revealed his current anger.

Xie Yue and Xu Weizhi exchanged glances, deeply worried.

“Your Highness, what did Tao Hanshan write that made you so angry?”

Only then did Pang Xiao remember that others needed to see the letter, but in his anger, he had destroyed it.

“This prince was too angry. The general meaning of what he wrote was: ‘Although this subordinate cannot follow by Your Highness’s side, this subordinate will do his part for Your Highness’s imperial ambitions from afar.’ How could I not have seen before that this person was so wildly ambitious!”

Xu Weizhi and Xie Yue, both being Pang Xiao’s strategists, naturally understood Tao Hanshan’s thinking better.