Murong Yi kicked out with one foot, “What do you understand! Is this a matter of taking a step back!”

You Jun’s words sounded pleasant, but once Tie Ci gave up, it would be a case of others holding the knife while they became the fish on the chopping board. Things had already reached such a life-or-death situation—could there really be a peaceful resolution?

Killing Tie Ci’s three thousand guards was inevitable. Even if Tie Ci could eventually leave Kun Prefecture, the journey ahead would surely be filled with bloodshed and carnage.

Not to mention returning from the southern tour in defeat—how could those old foxes in court miss such an opportunity?

The Crown Princess appeared to be high and untouchable, but wasn’t she also suffering from the loneliness of the heights? One wrong step and she could fall into the dust.

Most crucially, even if Tie Ci was willing to sacrifice herself, the people present still wouldn’t be able to live. You Jun still needed to control Yannan and wouldn’t leave behind so many people who knew his secrets.

You Jun said this merely out of malice, wanting those who manipulated public opinion to die by that very public opinion.

However, the common people wouldn’t understand and didn’t want to understand these things. The people rushing forward didn’t stop, with many more men, women, elderly, and children following behind, tears streaming down their faces as they sought to drown Tie Ci in an ocean of moral coercion.

But the person rushing at the very front was still three feet away from Tie Ci when Murong Yi kicked him flying. He scraped along the ground for over a zhang, stirring up dust and grass debris, and finally rolled with a splash into the pool.

This merciless kick stunned the common people. Suddenly no one dared to rush forward pleading. Some stayed in place crying, others jumped about cursing from afar, pointing fingers and spitting with rage. For a moment, those cursing Tie Ci far outnumbered those cursing You Jun.

You Jun sat calmly on high, chewing preserved fruit while watching the show.

The Crown Princess was simply too naive.

She thought that winning the people’s hearts would win her the realm, but didn’t know that these unarmed common folk had brains the size of beans, filled only with thoughts of their three meals and one night’s lodging. Those tales of noble families seemed to interest them greatly, but were actually just appetizers for their leisure time. If it truly affected them personally, even a single coin in business, that would absolutely not do.

Even if some people upheld so-called justice, what of it? Could they stand against the hundred thousand soldiers inside and outside Kun Prefecture?

Behind him, You Weinan was shaking his fan with great interest, watching with relish. But You Jun had no interest in appreciating his opponent’s embarrassment. After all, the priority was to thoroughly defeat and trample his opponent into the dust—all spiritual victories weren’t worth indulging in.

He raised his hand, and amid the people’s terrified gazes and resentful wailing, said: “I’ll count for Your Highness. With each count, one person dies.”

Following his raised arm, on the rooftops, the dark arrowheads silently turned in unison, pointing at that crowd of people.

The cold white sharpness of the arrow points reflected countless spots of light in the sunlight, casting them on countless terrified faces.

For a moment even the sounds of crying and wailing ceased. The tense atmosphere made people’s skin crawl and the hair on their backs stand on end.

An old woman gasped in shock and suddenly knelt to plead with Tie Ci, but the murderous, suffocating atmosphere made the archers’ nerves taut as well. Seeing someone move in the field, a young archer subconsciously trembled slightly, and with a twang, an arrow left the bowstring.

The old woman looked back, and in her slightly widened pupils, a dark vortex gradually expanded.

Like it wanted to drag people into a black hole of death and blood.

Amid screams from all sides, people pushed and stumbled, fleeing in panic like wolves and pigs.

The sharp sound of the arrow point piercing the air was like a sword stabbing into everyone’s eardrums, causing extreme terror. But just as the terror reached its peak, it suddenly stopped.

The old woman who thought she was certainly dead tremulously raised her head, only to see the Crown Princess standing beside her, arm raised, in exactly the same posture as when she had reached out the window during the imperial procession. This time she held an arrow between her fingers.

With a raise of her hand, the arrow flew back with even more fierce and violent momentum than before, precisely passing over the mass of dark heads on the rooftop, heading straight for that young archer who had shot it.

This time it was the archer’s turn to have his terrified pupils reflect the spinning, enlarging arrowhead.

Countless comrades tried unsuccessfully to intercept the arrow.

The next moment the archer felt a chill in his chest, but no pain. Looking down, he saw the arrow had pierced his armor and also his undergarments, but hadn’t harmed his skin in the slightest.

This absolutely couldn’t be because the Crown Princess lacked strength and missed.

It could only mean the Crown Princess’s control was powerful, precise, and exquisitely fine.

He just didn’t understand why his life had been spared.

Tie Ci looked at that young archer from afar, “Who are you loyal to?”

The archer blurted out, “Yannan Prince’s Manor!”

The expressions of his surrounding comrades became subtle. They thought this answer might not be wrong for themselves, but it wasn’t what the Crown Princess who had just spared his life wanted to hear. This time, having just been spared, he was about to have his life demanded back, wasn’t he?

But they saw Tie Ci ask again: “Loyal to whom in Yannan Prince’s Manor?”

The young archer still replied defiantly: “Loyal to the You family’s direct line, the masters of Yannan Prince’s Manor!”

Tie Ci pressed on relentlessly, “Which master? The old prince? The female heir? The eldest young master? Or the You Commander and his son who have now usurped the nest?”

The archer hesitated for a while, then said: “Loyal to the Yannan Prince’s lineage. Loyal to all who carry the blood of the You family’s direct line, generation after generation, whoever it may be.”

“Then if the direct line members fight each other, whom would you support?” Tie Ci said, “You Commander and his son abuse the eldest young master and imprison and force marriage on the female heir—do you know this?”

That archer’s bow trembled, and he sneered coldly: “Stop your wild accusations! Commander You treats the young lady and her brother better than his own children—who in all of Kun Prefecture doesn’t know this? Here you are sowing discord, trying to say that everyone in Kun Prefecture’s great camp has turned to you, this scheming member of the imperial family!”

Behind You Jun, You Weinan nodded seriously, apparently using his actions to show agreement with that statement about “treating the young lady and her brother better than his own children.” You Jun glanced over, and a flash of gloom passed and disappeared.

The common people who had personally witnessed the truth of Wanqing Garden had complex expressions, but no one dared speak at this moment.

Tie Ci wasn’t angry and smiled: “Fine, I know you’re loyal. But even if everyone is loyal, there must be some order of priority. So whom are you most loyal to?”

This time the soldier hesitated and didn’t answer.

The answer was naturally there, but it wasn’t appropriate to say it in front of the You father and son.

Seeing everyone’s expressions, Tie Ci understood and didn’t make it difficult for him, saying: “If one day, the person you’re most loyal to is harmed by others, what would you do?”

You Jun’s expression changed slightly.

But then thinking of the mechanisms in that royal tomb and the troops already arranged, he relaxed and sneered inwardly.

This was nothing more than verbal deception.

If she had really succeeded in excavating the tomb, why would he still not have received any news?

…

Near the royal tomb in Wanqing Mountain, countless carrier pigeons took flight, then fell as if grasped by countless invisible hands.

In the gray-green forest sea, countless roads extended in all directions like tentacles, with riders galloping upon them, trailing rolling clouds of dust as they shot toward Kun Prefecture, the heart of Yannan.

But in the night, while galloping, they either fell silently or their horses reared in fright, blood spraying in mid-air before falling like rain, staining red the rescue letters in their pouches.

There was also movement on the waterways. Thin boats set out under cover of night, leaving rippling traces on the water surface. But encountering a clump of reeds or a flock of startled waterfowl, cold arrows whistled from within the reeds across the water, carving deep bloody furrows. And past the birds’ wingtips, one could see countless ships in the darkness, with someone on the highest treasure ship calmly lowering the spyglass in his hand.

…

In Yannan Prince’s Manor, the discussion about loyalty and treachery was bewildering, and You Jun had obviously lost patience, shouting loudly: “Shoot!”

A volley of arrows, aimed at the people in front.

This time it was a fan-shaped concentrated shot—Tie Ci couldn’t possibly save so many people simultaneously.

You Jun’s expression was calm.

Some people had to die before certain stubborn people would understand the situation.

Suddenly there was a sound of wind overhead.

Heavy, like some massive object crashing down.

You Jun instinctively looked up, then saw a huge, square thing falling from the sky.

That thing landed right in front of that volley of arrows. With continuous thudding sounds, sparks flew everywhere, arrow shafts broke, and arrowheads scattered in all directions.

The moment it hit the ground, there was a tremendous crash, and the entire ground shook.

A lid-like thing was shaken open and fell to the ground.

When the dust settled, the thing’s appearance became clear.

Made of nanmu wood with bright, thick vermillion lacquer that hadn’t lost any of its luster despite being buried underground—clearly it had been lacquered dozens of times. Golden powder painted cloud-dragon patterns on it, brilliant and magnificent.

The scene fell silent for a moment.

Even the most ignorant person could see this was a coffin, and it had to be a coffin for royal nobility to have such dimensions, heavy lacquer, and carved golden cloud-dragons.

The Great Qian had strict regulations regarding burial rites. Imperial relatives below the rank of prince were divided into nine grades, with strict regulations on materials, tomb specifications, burial goods, sacrificial rites, and other aspects. In all of Yannan, only one person could use such a coffin.

After a moment of silence, suddenly furious voices erupted on the scene.

“Someone has desecrated the prince’s tomb!”

“Those who desecrate graves will be struck by five thunders from heaven!”

Never mind that the soldiers’ faces turned red as they drew their weapons—even the common people who were still under threat of life and death began to clamor, all rushing forward.

“You dogs! Shameless! Today we are irreconcilably opposed to you!”

People were so angry they couldn’t control themselves. Some took off their shoes to throw, others grabbed whatever they could find to throw. Stinking shoes and rotten socks flew everywhere, and even Tie Ci had to retreat several steps.

But the common people were quickly overtaken by the soldiers. Infantry ran wildly, cavalry spurred their horses and leaped dangerously over the gaps in the courtyard walls, and archers jumped down from high places, joining with the infantry like a black tide rolling toward Tie Ci and the others.

Viewed from above, Tie Ci and her dozen or so companions stood isolated with their backs to the courtyard wall, while before them rolled an army like a river tide. The spear points of the soldiers in front gleamed like snow, pushing forward in a surging wave.

Wan Ji rushed over, disregarding rank as he pulled Tie Ci backward: “Your Highness! These people have gone mad—we must retreat for now!”

Even a peerless master would find it hard to stand against thousands of troops—this was common knowledge among all martial artists.

Now with emotions running high, even if they wanted to explain something, no one would be willing to listen or able to hear.

Now, apart from meeting violence with violence, there was no other means to stop this wave. But with such a disparity in numbers between enemy and ally, how could they make these people stop?

This move by His Highness was shocking indeed, but wasn’t it too extreme!

Tie Ci looked up at the sky and said: “Wait a little longer.”

Wait for what? Wan Ji was about to go mad with anxiety. Wait for those hotheads in front to stick their spears into our bellies?

Looking again at Tie Ci’s back as she stood with hands behind her back, looking up at the sky with flowing robes, an irreverent thought flashed through Wan Ji’s mind.

Our Highness is brilliant and divine, our Highness is a peerless master, but to strike a pose—isn’t this somewhat inappropriate timing?

And that enchantress beside her, with danger pressing so urgently, instead of advising restraint or protecting the sovereign, she struck the exact same pose as His Highness. What was this—afraid people wouldn’t know you’re the exclusive favorite of the imperial harem?

Wan Ji’s mental complaints could only be swallowed back down. After all, he didn’t dare scold Tie Ci and even less dare scold Murong Yi. He could only shout loudly and charge forward, bending to lift, preparing to commit the great disrespect of carrying Tie Ci inside first.

However, his head was suddenly slapped, and the next moment his scalp hurt as someone grabbed him by the hair roots and lifted him up from Tie Ci’s waist. A gorgeous voice said sinisterly in his ear: “Look, it’s snowing.”

Wan Ji was forcibly lifted up. Hearing this, he nearly choked with anger. Just as he was about to risk his life to curse “Snow your mother!”, he suddenly felt something cold on his forehead.

He looked up and was stunned.

At this moment.

At the head of the tide, rushing at the very front was that archer who had answered Tie Ci earlier. He had slung his bow and arrows on his back and switched to a spear to charge forward. At this moment his eyes were red as he stared at his gleaming spear point, waiting for the next moment’s satisfaction of a white blade going in and a red blade coming out, when he suddenly felt something cool on his nose.

He reached up to wipe it, and his fingertip was icy cold—a bit of crystalline substance was melting.

This thing was so unfamiliar that he didn’t immediately realize what it was.

Then he heard someone shout: “It’s snowing!”

The young archer’s first reaction was to want to laugh.

How could that be possible.

Yannan was located in the extreme south, hot and dry year-round. Many people had never seen snow in their entire lives.

Just today, the sun had been scorching enough to peel skin.

But more people began shouting, “It’s snowing, it’s really snowing!”