On the other side!

After leaving Ji Yunshu’s room, Jingrong went to the main hall.

Rewards and punishments must be clearly distinguished—those who deserved punishment could not be spared!

At this moment, Zhang Huanping knelt on the ground, his hands stretched straight out before his head, his head pressed tightly against his knees, his body trembling. He dared not speak, dared not move carelessly.

Beside him stood Lang Bo.

Jingrong sat in the seat of honor, his expression grave and solemn, his brows pressed extremely low, veins bulging on his forehead.

Just when everyone thought Zhang Huanping was doomed, unexpectedly—

He shifted his gaze to Lang Bo, angrily demanding, “Since when do you disobey this prince’s orders?”

“Your Highness…”

“Who gave you the order to lead three thousand troops to attack the mountain?”

“This subordinate deserves ten thousand deaths. I should have waited for Your Highness’s command, but Magistrate Zhang sent word saying Your Highness had entered Gaoshan Stronghold without even bringing troops. He told this subordinate to lead soldiers to rescue Your Highness. This subordinate was worried about Your Highness’s safety, so I didn’t think it through carefully. This subordinate was foolish and didn’t know the full details. I’m willing to bear the consequences and ask Your Highness for punishment.”

Before following Jingrong, Lang Bo had been forged into a tough warrior in military camps—leading troops into battle, commanding tens of thousands, withstanding firearms and enduring blades. Naturally, he had developed a soldier’s courage to take responsibility.

What was his to bear, he wouldn’t evade in the slightest.

Jingrong rebuked, “For causing today’s consequences, what you must bear—this prince will settle accounts with you.”

Lang Bo lowered his head, silent!

Jingrong looked at Zhang Huanping on the ground. His palm lifted, and with a “bang,” his palm struck the tea table beside him.

The teacup on it immediately toppled and rolled, falling to the ground.

He demanded, “Magistrate Zhang, what do you have to say?”

Zhang Huanping was terrified. His body shook even more violently as he trembled, “It was this lowly official’s fault. I beg Your Highness for mercy. Considering this lowly official was also thinking of Your Highness’s safety, please spare this lowly official. Moreover, now that Gaoshan Stronghold has been eliminated and Your Highness is safe and sound, this is a great fortune. Merit can offset fault—Your Highness, show mercy!”

“Outrageous!”

Jingrong was thoroughly enraged!

He rose abruptly, took several steps forward, and kicked Zhang Huanping.

Zhang Huanping was kicked but immediately endured the pain to kneel properly again, nearly pressing his body to the ground.

“Zhang Huanping, how dare you! Merit can offset fault? Is that for you to say? Of Jingzhou’s three thousand troops, only a thousand remain. Blood flowed like rivers on Gaoshan Stronghold. Even beheading you couldn’t make up for this crime.”

“Your Highness…”

“Someone come.” Jingrong shouted.

People came from outside.

“Shanhuai County Magistrate Zhang Huanping has committed such a grave error. Remove his official’s cap, strip him of his position for investigation, and report this to Minister Liu of the Personnel Ministry.”

“Yes!”

The men came forward, lifted Zhang Huanping from the ground, and simultaneously removed the official’s cap from his head.

They dragged him out!

“Your Highness, forgive me! Your Highness, forgive me! This lowly official won’t dare again, truly won’t dare again.”

His voice grew more and more distant.

Zhang Huanping was punished, but naturally Lang Bo couldn’t escape either.

Jingrong ordered, “The person you take orders from is this prince, yet you listened to Zhang Huanping. This is truly absurd. For causing today’s error, you cannot escape responsibility. You’ll be punished according to military regulations—forty lashes with the staff. Go receive your punishment yourself.”

He waved his hand.

“Yes!”

Lang Bo didn’t bargain. He willingly went to receive his punishment.

Jingrong had a headache for a while. This matter had blown up so big, it must have already reached the capital!

After dealing with Zhang Huanping’s matter, he went to find Ji Yunshu, only to hear that Ji Wanxin was preparing to leave.

Puzzled, when he arrived at Ji Yunshu’s room, he found her sitting at the table in a daze.

“Why is your second sister leaving early?” He sat down across from her and added, “What did you two talk about just now?”

“Family matters.”

“After talking, she’s just leaving? Aren’t you two close sisters? You’re unwell right now. By all logic, she should stay to care for you.”

Ji Yunshu said in a low voice, “Having such a major incident occur just after leaving the capital, it’s actually safer for Second Sister to return to Jinjiang alone.”

She didn’t spell out the reason and was unwilling to say more. At the bottom of it all, she had still softened—not wanting to tear down Ji Wanxin’s persona as a delicate beauty.

Before Jingrong could ask further, she questioned him instead. “This matter must have already reached the capital. What are your plans?”

“Are you asking about my strategy for dealing with it? Or asking about my contingency plans?”

“Contingency plans.”

Jingrong smiled nonchalantly. “I can’t guess Father Emperor’s decision, and I don’t want to guess anymore. However, he probably won’t behead me. Though this matter has blown up significantly, at least we’ve taken down Gaoshan Stronghold, eliminating a major threat to the court. Moreover, this incident didn’t harm the surrounding common people—among misfortunes, this is the greatest fortune. Furthermore, those who attacked the mountain weren’t court soldiers. Even if the court wants to investigate, there’s no starting point. However, I’m afraid Marquis Kang will want to settle accounts with me. He lent me three thousand men, and I lost two thousand. Even if I promised him the golden armor as compensation, the losses are truly too great.”

Ji Yunshu nodded and sighed.

“How is the wound on your back?” Jingrong asked with concern.

“I’m fine now.”

“Let me still take a look. You always say you’re fine, but what if you’ve been struck and are bleeding again?”

Thanks for putting it so nicely!

Jingrong’s mischievous hand had already reached over.

Ji Yunshu shifted to the side and stood up to avoid him. Her hand also instinctively protected her waist to prevent Jingrong from embracing it.

However—

Her expression changed.

She felt around her waist, anxious. “Where’s the jade pendant?”

“What jade pendant?”

“That blood jade Wei Yi gave me.”

Could it have fallen at Gaoshan Stronghold?

At this moment, at Gaoshan Stronghold!

Because of the fire, almost nothing remained of the entire stronghold. The once glorious and fearsome Gaoshan Stronghold now looked like a willow swaying precariously in wind and rain.

Zhao Huai had lost an arm and shed much blood. Fortunately, with the divine physician Muruo present, half his life was saved.

Muruo left a medical prescription and wrote a letter for Zhao Qing, instructing, “Take the prescription and letter to Abbot Lingzhou at Lu’an Temple. After he sees the letter, he will continue acupuncture treatment for you. Your illness can be cured.”

Zhao Qing expressed his gratitude.

Muruo waved his hand, gave a few more instructions, and left.

Not long after he left, Zhao Huai woke up.

As expected of a rough and tough man—having lost an arm and so much blood, at this moment he looked no different from usual.

But he didn’t speak, staring coldly ahead.

Zhao Qing said, “Now, Gaoshan Stronghold is gone. Everything from the past has already passed. The matter of Jiu’er… has also passed. I’ll go to Lu’an Temple for treatment. The concentrated essence bottle Father left me—I’ll give it to you. You can brew wine again.”

Zhao Huai still didn’t speak.

At this moment, one of the younger brothers came in, apparently having just finished putting out fires, his face covered in soot.

Holding something in his hand, he said, “Chief, Second Chief, this was found in the fire. Strange as it is, this jade wasn’t damaged at all.”

Zhao Qing glanced at it. “Bring it here to me.”

The young man handed over the jade.

It was an orange-red blood jade!

He had never seen this jade before.

Zhao Huai casually glanced at it, and his eyes immediately widened. His body straightened, extremely shocked.

His pale lips asked, “On the back of the jade—is there a character ‘Xu’?”

Zhao Qing turned it over to look. Indeed, there was a character “Xu” on the jade!

Zhao Huai’s body shook!