“Ah? If that’s really the case, how could any of us have a way to live?”

Everyone immediately panicked, and those with smaller courage were already covering their faces and weeping on the spot.

“How did things turn out like this? Initially we followed Magistrate Cheng’s suggestion to go petition His Highness.”

“But Magistrate Cheng has already memorialized to plead for us. Now that such a big incident has occurred in the city, the magistrate himself can barely protect himself—how can he still care about us?”

“Which bastard was it that wounded His Highness! Find that person and hand him over—maybe we can escape this disaster!”

“It was so chaotic at the time, no one saw who it really was!”

“Let’s search carefully. Maybe it was one of those who were closest to His Highness at the time! Sigh! Whoever it was, come forward and confess yourself, don’t wait for others to investigate!”

…

The people were in complete disorder, and before they could figure out what to do, internal strife had already erupted.

They were truly panicked, especially those who had participated in the petition that day but hadn’t gotten close to the inner area—they felt even more wronged.

Women who heard the commotion gathered around, crying and saying, “We women and children didn’t go petition that day either—will we also be implicated?”

“Do you think this is a small matter? Besieging the government office and wounding the dynasty’s only prince of a different surname—if His Majesty thinks we were rebelling, tell me, is this crime big or small! When the time comes, I’m afraid all the old and young in entire families will be dragged off to be beheaded!”

“Ah? No, that can’t be…”

“Why couldn’t it be? If we’re all beheaded, even if river water flowed backward, it couldn’t wash away all that blood!”

This description was too horrifying, and all the people felt chilled to the bone. The women cried even louder in terror, and the men were also frightened until their hands and feet were ice-cold.

“Let’s quickly go back and pack up, then immediately flee with our families!”

“Right, right, let’s flee quickly!”

Some people turned around, ready to go home and pack their valuables.

But several elderly respected figures who had been silent for a long time said, “It’s useless. If it’s truly the crime of rebellion, even if you flee to the ends of the earth, it won’t work. When His Majesty sends people to arrest you, can you flee for a lifetime?”

These elders were all highly respected people with considerable authority among the crowd. Hearing them say this, everyone despaired.

“No, we’re innocent! We need to reason with Magistrate Cheng! The magistrate gave us that idea initially, but now His Majesty might want all our lives—isn’t the magistrate responsible? Can he dismiss us with just one memorial pleading for mercy?”

In desperation, people immediately echoed these sentiments.

Others muttered quietly, “Who knows if he actually memorialized to plead for mercy—maybe he was only pleading for himself.”

“The magistrate’s wife and children haven’t appeared for a long time…”

“My third aunt’s family’s eldest nephew’s daughter’s sister-in-law said there are very few people left in the government office now, and the magistrate’s wife left long ago.”

“What! He really has the nerve—his own wife and children escaped! Leaving us here to take the blame!”

“Go find him!”

“Right, go find him!”

…

In their urgency, the people gathered toward the government office just as they had when petitioning Pang Xiao that day.

Knowing they were looking for Magistrate Cheng to demand an explanation, more and more people joined the group. Before long, the front of the government office was surrounded so tightly that not even water could pass through.

Compared to the previous time, this time the people weren’t carrying weapons, but their resentment was obviously much heavier than the last time.

Magistrate Cheng, upon receiving the news, hurried to the gate.

Seeing a dark mass of people surrounding him in front of the gate, he couldn’t help but frown, “What is the meaning of this?”

“Sir, after all these days, is there any news from His Majesty?”

“Yes, we’ve been living in constant fear, unable to eat or sleep, just waiting for word from above.”

“Didn’t you say you would plead for us, sir? Why hasn’t His Majesty issued an edict pardoning us yet?”

…

Looking at those anxious, resentful, and dissatisfied faces, Magistrate Cheng felt helpless from the bottom of his heart.

These were ordinary people—they prioritized their own interests and losses, wouldn’t consider the bigger picture, and were very easily incited. Though they had some brains, these couldn’t overcome their selfishness.

Magistrate Cheng’s silence made all the people agitated, and there were already hot-tempered young men in the crowd cursing.

Being cursed at made Magistrate Cheng’s feelings complex. He thought of the three thousand cavalry that Pang Xiao had kept outside the city—reportedly, the silver for food and horse feed these past days had all come from Pang Xiao’s own pocket. Despite being stabbed by the people, he hadn’t thought of revenge and was still willing to explain to Commander Ma.

Most importantly, Magistrate Cheng knew Pang Xiao had already memorialized to plead for the people.

Such an upright person who thought of the people—he was beginning to feel reluctant to slander him behind his back.

That day, to accomplish his great undertaking, he had incited the people’s emotions, gradually planting seeds in their hearts, making everyone think Prince Zhongshun was a muddle-headed person who killed without blinking.

But now, Magistrate Cheng actually felt somewhat regretful.

If the court had two or three more such military generals who could check and balance each other, why would the Great Zhou dynasty worry about not preserving its realm?

It was just that Magistrate Cheng knew he wouldn’t live to see such a scene. He didn’t know whether His Majesty would listen to Pang Xiao’s persuasion, but he knew he certainly wouldn’t survive.

Perhaps because a dying man’s words are kind, Magistrate Cheng unconsciously said, “This magistrate has memorialized to explain the situation that day. Even if His Majesty blames anyone, he will only blame this magistrate alone and won’t implicate any of you. Moreover, as far as I know, Prince Zhongshun has long ago explained the situation that day to Commander Ma of the Three Thousand Battalion. Commander Ma and Prince Zhongshun have jointly memorialized His Majesty, already clarifying that you were not rebelling that day. Prince Zhongshun and the current emperor are sworn brothers—even if His Majesty doesn’t believe this magistrate’s words, he will certainly believe His Highness’s words.”

Everyone was astonished.

“Sir, are you saying Prince Zhongshun also memorialized His Majesty to plead for us?”

“Sir, don’t deceive us!”

Seeing all the people looked shocked, Magistrate Cheng shook his head, “In such a major matter, would this magistrate speak nonsense?”

Some people below murmured quietly, “From this perspective, Prince Zhongshun isn’t a bad person after all!”

“Our previous bad impression of him was truly a misunderstanding!”

Seeing the crowd’s hostility was no longer so heavy, Magistrate Cheng stepped forward two paces and said slowly, “Think about it, everyone—that day you were misunderstood as rebelling because you besieged the county office, right? Now you’re doing this again—do you want to add another layer of guilt?”

Upon hearing this, the people felt a shock in their hearts.

Wasn’t that right! That day they had petitioned by surrounding the government office, and now they were surrounding the government office again. Prince Zhongshun had explained that day’s events clearly, but today’s events hadn’t been explained. If His Majesty learned of this again, wouldn’t they become “rebels again”?

The authoritative elders loudly said, “Quickly, quickly, everyone disperse! Don’t surround this place!”

“Right, right, right, disperse quickly, don’t cause misunderstandings!”

The people turned and scattered in all directions.

And just at this moment, suddenly a fast horse came from the end of the street, followed by more than ten men on horseback who looked somewhat like people from the Five Military Camps.

The people’s voices were noisy, covering the sound of hooves striking the ground.

But Magistrate Cheng stood on the stone steps, watching the fast horse rapidly approach. Moreover, the rider wore an iron-gray sunflower-patterned robe—he immediately knew someone from the palace had come!

Though Magistrate Cheng had long been mentally prepared, seeing someone from the palace arrive still made his heart skip a beat. His heartbeat rapidly accelerated, almost bursting from his chest.

But even so, Magistrate Cheng’s expression remained very composed.

As the sound of hooves gradually approached, Magistrate Cheng straightened his back.

The people also noticed the arrivals. Seeing the clothes on that person and the bundle on his back, they all fell silent as if their throats were blocked, stepping back to clear the space in front of the government office.

The eunuch dismounted and quickly walked to the front of the government office. Behind him, the men from the Five Military Camps also dismounted, forming two intimidating rows.

The eunuch loudly called out, “Where is Cheng Jun!”

Seeing this attitude, the common people’s hearts went cold.

Magistrate Cheng calmly said, “This humble official is Cheng Jun.”

The eunuch raised his eyebrows and glanced at him, immediately taking out the bright yellow imperial edict. Without giving Magistrate Cheng time to change clothes, burn incense, or set up an altar, he unrolled the edict and read aloud:

“Cheng Jun, receive the edict!”

“This subject receives the edict.” Cheng Jun lifted his robe hem and knelt.

The military men from the Five Military Camps knelt in unison, and the people also knelt all over the ground in a rush.

The eunuch said, “By the Mandate of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: Magistrate Cheng Jun, incompetent in governance, harboring sinister intentions and disloyal thoughts! His official positions are hereby stripped, he is to be handed over to the Ministry of Justice prison for custody, and executed after the autumn assizes! His family members are all to become government slaves, and his household servants are to be sold! By this decree!”

There was dead silence in front of the government office. The people were all terrified into stupidity.

His Majesty, without even a trial, had directly arrested Magistrate Cheng for execution after the autumn assizes!

What about them? Wouldn’t these people face the same fate?

Upon hearing the words “execution,” Magistrate Cheng felt like he had finally received the second shoe to drop. Though fearful, he felt more excitement and relief at his scheme’s success.

“This guilty subject obeys the decree.” Magistrate Cheng calmly kowtowed.

Seeing him so calm without any panicked appearance, the eunuch couldn’t help but feel some admiration.

The men from the Five Military Camps swarmed forward and arrested Magistrate Cheng. Immediately afterward, others rushed into the government office to arrest people.

The eunuch directly ordered that Magistrate Cheng be first taken into the government office and confined.

The people watched anxiously as the eunuch and others escorted Magistrate Cheng into the government office, and the office’s main gate closed with a bang before their eyes. Everyone was stunned.

“This… Magistrate Cheng is to be beheaded, and we…”

“Did His Majesty spare us?”

The people couldn’t believe it.

Immediately afterward, everyone breathed a long sigh of relief.

Even those with shallow tear ducts were already weeping with joy.

“Thanks to His Highness the Prince not holding grudges against us common folk!” an elder said emotionally, wiping tears from the corners of his eyes.

“His Highness pleaded for us, so His Majesty spared us for his sake.”

“His Highness was wounded by us yet was still willing to tell the truth and didn’t take the opportunity to revenge himself on us. We must have all misunderstood Prince Zhongshun before—he’s clearly an upright and honorable hero!”

The people in front of the government office all dispersed joyfully, eager to rush home and tell their families the good news.

Among the crowd, several plainly dressed men quietly slipped away into dark alleys during the confusion, secretly heading toward the outskirts of the city.