Rejected Beauty Practices the Villain Play-Chapter 851 - 829: Incitement

Zhang Boxin looked darkly at the crowd of protesting citizens outside the palace gates and sneered, "I really want to carve a path through blood; these days I’ve been hearing them slander the Prince and Mr. Fang, and it makes me so angry I can’t sleep!"

He was clearly too tired to keep his eyes open, yet was so infuriated that he couldn’t sleep.

Lin Xiao said, "Remember the prince’s words: do not compete with fools. They are merely a crowd of fools manipulated by the High Priest, cannot be killed, nor can they be avoided, so let them be!"

"Allowing them to frame the Prince and Mr. Fang like this, it’s unbearable to hear. They even deliberately shout loudly for the city guards to hear; when these rumors spread, what do the soldiers think of the Prince?"

"When we didn’t go to Ningzhou with the Emperor, the Prince had already accumulated considerable prestige in the army. If shaken by these lurid rumors, they are unworthy of being the Prince’s soldiers. The pure remain pure; having walked alongside the Prince, we understand in our hearts, it’s best not to argue with them. The more explanations given, the harder it is to stem the tide of public opinion. This wave of rumors is beyond human control, like a storm at sea; it will eventually calm itself down, human power is too insignificant." Lin Xiao saw the situation more clearly. He too wished to debate and clear Xie Jue’s name, but the more explained, the harder to stop the tide. This storm of rumors is beyond human restraint, like a storm at sea, which will calm by itself.

"Mr. Fang... is really..." Zhang Boxin didn’t dare say the word; no one in Ningzhou Iron Cavalry dared say the word. Fang Chuning may not be Ningzhou Iron Cavalry’s commander but was undeniably the most crucial General. Apart from Commander Xie Xun, all of Ningzhou Iron Cavalry’s soldiers followed Fang Chuning’s lead. After Xie Xun’s ascension, determining who would succeed Ningzhou Iron Cavalry became quite a dilemma. It was hard for Xie Xun to find anyone suitable than Fang Chuning as commander. Yet, Fang Chuning was also the most unsuitable choice, not due to his ability but because of his special identity, not fitting for Ningzhou Iron Cavalry. But no one’s prestige surpassed his; those older generals only had seniority over him. Since he went to Ningzhou, he accrued meritorious achievements. Before the Xie Family betrayal, he was as famed as Xie Zhang, stationed at Zhongzhou for those years; even though he wasn’t in Ningzhou, the soldiers never forgot him.

Nowadays, everyone says he died at Chaoyang Palace; only after they found the Prince’s insignia did they realize Fang Chuning had been wearing it all along.

That insignia is the most important symbol of Ningzhou Iron Cavalry’s identity. They don’t know when the exchange happened. Without dying, the emblem could not have fallen in Chaoyang Palace, as it was as important as the Prince to Mr. Fang.

Battle-hardened generals tend to be superstitious, and such emblems symbolizing death and identity must be abandoned only in death.

Zhang Boxin only dared to secretly discuss with Lin Xiao, not even daring to say aloud; Lin Xiao said, "Jiangnan’s spies are all in the Royal Palace, Chen Yesheng and others haven’t left, it should be... not found Mr. Fang."

The palace is only so large; if not found, apart from those unidentifiable scorched bodies, where else could he be?

Zhang Boxin knew well, but hearing Lin Xiao’s words still reddened his eyes.

Three of the Prince’s Shadow Guards were also dead, one seriously injured; Ying Liu has yet to wake, relying on herbs to sustain life. Close people around the Prince vanished in an instant.

The Shadow Guards who grew up with him were closer to Xie Jue than ordinary people, also those nearest to Xie Jue. Prince must have suffered immense blow; despite physical wounds healing, he remains unconscious, evidently unwilling to wake to face this world.

Outside the palace, suddenly rose a commotion; hundreds of citizens, suddenly encouraged by someone, gradually approached the palace gates. The leading man suddenly shouted loudly, "Hand Xie Jue over; he’s a criminal of Sannan. We demand Xie Jue give Sannan people an explanation; if he doesn’t appear before dawn, we’ll assault the gates and flatten the royal palace!"

Zhang Boxin and Lin Xiao were mourning atop the palace gates; upon hearing the shouts, Lin Xiao and Zhang Boxin simultaneously uttered profanity. Zhang Boxin was furious, "Come on, attack the gates; if you’re not afraid to die, then come attack! We’re not afraid of you! A few thousand iron cavalry are guarding the royal palace, living and dying with the Prince; If you dare attack, I dare kill!"

Lin Xiao pulled him aside, "Crazy? What are you doing by competing with them?"

"What else can be done? Let them brazenly shout? Whatever, it’s not like they can meet the Prince while being so arrogant!" Zhang Boxin’s rage was sky high, "What a thing, humph!"

Zhang Boxin and Fang Lingjun grew up desiring verbal confrontation; they were eloquent, utterly unafraid of quarreling with anyone.

The man, hearing Zhang Boxin’s arrogance, was also furious, "Everyone listen, this is the Ningzhou Iron Cavalry’s General, preparing to war against citizens! They’re not here for negotiations but killing! They killed our Prince and Priest; now, they want to slaughter the entire city’s citizens. Can you bear it?"

"No!" The citizens’ cries rose wave upon wave.

"Is Xie Jue a criminal of Sannan?"

"Yes!"

"Do you want to kill him?"

"Yes!"

"Kill him!"

"Kill him!"

A stormy wave of cries initiated, Lin Xiao and Zhang Boxin perceived the Sannan citizens may lose control. Lin Xiao decisively ordered, "Bring Han Ziqi and Princess X here!"

"Yes!"

He absolutely couldn’t allow these citizens to be endlessly arrogant and continually incited by schemers. If they truly attacked the gates, Ningzhou Iron Cavalry’s blade would certainly face these powerless citizens; it wasn’t their initial intent.

"What do you intend to do?" Zhang Boxin asked.

Lin Xiao looked solemnly at the clamorous citizens below, "Stall, stall until the Prince awakens; we cannot let the citizens lose control."

Han Ziqi and Princess X soon were brought to the palace gates; Princess X was already pale and distressed, these pampered princes and princesses had been under watch recently, people plagued with anxiety, the stunning beauty of Princess X now waning, her aristocratic mien completely gone.

Han Ziqi and Princess X heard the citizens’ shouting below; dread filled their hearts, Han Ziqi protectively shielded his sister, "What are you planning? Whatever it is, aim at me, let my sister go; she doesn’t understand anything."

"Of course, it’s aimed at you!" Lin Xiao sneered, giving an order, "Men, hang him on the palace gates."

Several soldiers came over, ignoring Han Ziqi’s cries, bound him, and hung him on the palace gates. Lin Xiao sternly declared, "Sannan people, listen. Retreat across the arch bridge, or I’ll cut the rope and let your Princely Heir die here!"

Sannan citizens, "..."

Infuriated citizens arose and cursed toward the gates; the yelling was so deafening that the content was unclear, surely it wasn’t anything pleasant, faintly hearing things about killings, shamelessly wicked.