Stop killing!

Her hoarse, choked tone carried a slight chill.

Jingrong’s cold, hard, bloodthirsty eyes met her tear-glistening, slightly pleading eyes.

When had he ever wanted to kill?

When had he ever wanted to force people into a dead end?

But everything—she was forced into it all.

“Let them go.” Her eyes reddened, her lips trembling as she pleaded.

Jingrong’s brow furrowed deeply.

“Do you know what you’re saying?”

“The Duke of Yu’s manor case involves a wide range of people. Enough have already died for this case. Why must we add more cold corpses?”

“So what?”

“Even if you kill them now, what of it? The former servants of the Duke of Yu’s manor far exceed these few dozen or hundred people. You cannot kill them all.”

Cannot kill them all!

These words carried tremendous weight.

Her thin hands covered Jingrong’s palm, pressing harder, trying to pull down that hand about to give the command.

Jingrong’s eyes remained so coldly hard. “If this prince lets them go, it’s like releasing tigers back to the mountain—endless future troubles.”

She shook her head desperately. “No, I promise you.”

“What do you promise with?”

She paused for a long while, then pulled out that jade pendant, her eyes firm. “I promise with this.”

In that instant, Jingrong’s entire body’s cruelty and murderous intent were slowly worn away.

That hand also lowered.

Ji Yunshu finally let out a long breath. She stepped forward several paces, sweeping her gaze over everyone one by one, saying sternly, “Because of this jade pendant, you all determined I am the Young Master. Fine. If you truly consider me the Young Master, then you must obey my commands.”

Those people had already been meat in the pot, with no possibility of survival.

Each looked at one another, then all looked at her together.

She turned her gaze to Wen Panshi. “The Duke of Yu’s manor case has already been entrusted by His Majesty to Prince Rong and me. After returning to the capital, I will do my utmost to investigate this case thoroughly. Is there a power struggle behind it? Or are there hidden secrets? Everything will be made public to the world on the day the truth comes to light. The seventy-some people of the Duke of Yu’s manor will surely be vindicated. Yet you, because of the fallacy of ‘consolidating power by eliminating threats,’ believed that ‘the situation is set,’ and did not hesitate to sacrifice so many lives. Even if you were right, so what? The court has hundreds of thousands of troops—can you fight them? The capital’s defenses are strict—can you break through? When that time comes, it will only result in devastation, blood staining the prosperous capital, and you will all become cold corpses filling the foundation of the empire’s achievements.”

“Young Master…”

“Withdraw. Don’t let more people throw away their lives in vain for something not yet clarified. I will also certainly investigate the truth behind the ‘Linjing Case.’ If it truly is ‘consolidating power by eliminating threats,’ at that time, you won’t need to rebel—all the common people in the world will rebel.”

Ah!

Wen Panshi’s cheeks trembled slightly. He lowered his eyes, that face full of wrinkles still weathered.

He was silent for a long time.

Ji Yunshu turned back to look at Jingrong. “Let them go.”

Pleading again.

But Jingrong’s gaze was like torches, looking at those people wearing armor and harboring a determination to die. “You are all rebels, traitors plotting rebellion and usurpation. What you’ve done is a grave crime. If word reaches the capital, none of you can expect to live. This prince should also execute all of you to eliminate future troubles and remove harm for the court. However…”

He paused, then continued, “The person this prince respects most in this life is Imperial Uncle, the Duke of Yu. In childhood, he once said two things to this prince. One was ‘Heaven favors the worthy, not the chaotic.’ The other was ‘Die in front to protect the army’s advance.’ Such magnanimity—this prince cannot even approach it. You rebelled for the Duke of Yu, would die for him. Moreover, someone has pleaded for you. Fine. This prince agrees to release you. But… not to let you go, but to imprison you. After this prince carefully deliberates, a decision will be made.”

Suddenly hearing these words, Lin Feng became anxious.

He was unwilling. “If you have the ability, kill us. Want us to surrender our weapons? Dream on.”

“So you’re saying you want to die?”

“Even if I’m shot to death by random arrows, I absolutely won’t bow my head to them.”

“Shut up.” Wen Panshi suddenly shouted a rebuke. “For your own selfish reasons, you almost took the Young Master’s life. Your father didn’t want you to avenge him—he wanted you to assist the Young Master.”

You beast.

Lin Feng was rendered speechless!

Yet his face was full of malevolent energy!

At this moment—

Jingrong’s hand rose again. “This prince has already given you a chance. Since you don’t want it, then…”

Seeing this, the archers on the rooftop immediately drew their bows.

Just waiting for his hand to release forward.

Wen Panshi suddenly spoke, ordering, “All of you, put them down.”

So—

Those armored soldiers discarded the long swords in their hands.

They clattered as they were thrown on the ground.

On the sword edges, cold light flashed.

Jingrong curved his lips, laughing coldly. The hand about to give the command also lowered.

The archers then all withdrew their arrows.

However, only Lin Feng’s sword was not discarded. His eyes were completely red, biting his cheeks tightly, bulging veins covering his forehead and temples.

He didn’t want to admit defeat!

He raised his own sword, glaring hatefully at Jingrong. “Dog thief, I will definitely kill you.”

Gritting his teeth.

The sword like lightning, instantly slashing toward Jingrong.

Jingrong did not dodge, watching that sword stab toward him with wide eyes.

Everyone held their breath, gasping in shock—not sweating for Jingrong, but for Lin Feng.

All knew he was sending himself to death!

Only what no one expected was that it should have been the archers on the rooftop who shot Lin Feng dead, but a dagger was faster by a step. From behind, in a semicircular motion, it reached Lin Feng’s neck and smoothly slashed across.

Cutting open a wound!

Fresh blood spilled out.

Flowing from his neck onto that coldly gleaming armor, especially striking.

The killer was none other than… Zhao Huai!

Using the dagger his father had left him.

The sword in Lin Feng’s hand dropped to the ground, his body heavily falling backward.

“Lin Feng!”

Wen Xian shouted loudly, rushing forward to support him, laying him on the ground.

“Lin… Feng?” His lips trembled, one hand pressing tightly on the knife wound on his neck, crying out in anguish. “Lin Feng, you cannot die, cannot die…”

“Urgh… urgh…”

“Lin Feng…”

“Urgh…”

Lin Feng’s eyes rolled back, his entire body convulsing, blood continuously spurting from his mouth. He desperately reached out, tightly grasping Wen Xian’s sleeve, crumpling it into a ball.

Finally—

Unable to swallow that breath, he choked once, his body stiffening.

Dead!

He died with eyes wide open!

Wen Xian froze completely in place, utterly stunned. After who knows how long, he finally raised his hand to close Lin Feng’s eyes, picked up that sword lying in the pool of blood, supported himself to stand, glaring furiously at the culprit Zhao Huai, his eyes filled with murderous intent.

Instantly, he raised his sword toward Zhao Huai!

“Why? Why?” He demanded loudly.

But Zhao Huai wore an indifferent expression, uttering from his mouth a single sentence, “Anyone who dares harm the Young Master deserves to die.”

“You…”

Just as he was about to raise his sword to kill.

“Stop.” Wen Panshi intervened.

“He killed Lin Feng.”

Wen Xian’s voice was hoarse and trembling, tears streaming forth.