Chapter 170: The Emperor’s Oral Decree
"How dare you," Prime Minister Gao roared.
"Those who kill will be killed in turn. That’s perfectly normal," Ye Qianning said coldly. She turned, walked a few steps, and sat back down on the soft couch, lightly raising her small hand.
Luo Wen and Luo Xuan moved in unison. With a SWISH, their longswords were at the necks of the kneeling guards.
"If you don’t dare to do it, I’ll take your lives right now. If you do, I guarantee you’ll live. The choice is yours," Ye Qianning said coldly.
The three guards mulled it over for a long while before seemingly reaching a decision. They rose to their feet in unison.
Prime Minister Gao panicked at the sight. "You’re guards of the Prime Minister’s estate! How can you listen to a mere child spouting such nonsense?"
Madame Gao and Gao Yunyue panicked as well, rushing to Prime Minister Gao’s side.
"Don’t do anything rash," Madame Gao warned.
"Prime Minister, ever since we became guards at this estate, we’ve done a great deal for you. We never thought that when trouble came, you would just throw us to the wolves."
"Since you don’t care whether we live or die, why should we lay down our lives for you?"
"Our apologies, Prime Minister."
The three guards had clear heads. They had been frightened by the little girl, but that wasn’t why they decided to act.
Instead, they felt it wasn’t worth it. The Prime Minister still intended to sacrifice them, failing to grasp a principle that even a five- or six-year-old child could understand.
"You... Guards! Guards!" Prime Minister Gao stumbled backward.
Who in the entire Prime Minister’s estate would dare to make a move?
Many of the guards were already injured. Others wanted to step forward but were stopped by the Qian family’s men. With longswords pressed to their necks, who would dare move?
Still others were completely disillusioned. They pretended not to hear, planning to resign as soon as day broke and find employment elsewhere.
Two of the three guards stepped forward and dragged Madame Gao and Gao Yunyue aside. The third drew a supple whip from his waist.
Prime Minister Gao looked horrified. "Min... Minister Qian! Elder Gu! Old Master Zhan! Please, say something...!"
"The little girl is right. A killer will be killed in turn." If you don’t intend to kill, why would others try to kill you? Since you had that intention, you can’t blame others for taking revenge.
"Prime Minister Gao, you have less backbone than a child." Zhan Yi felt that letting the Prime Minister’s own men do it was the best method.
Qian Fanji’s expression remained unchanged. "As I said, I’m just here to watch the show."
Before Prime Minister Gao could even process what was happening, a whip struck his body, and a searing pain instantly shot through him.
"AHH—"
A bloodcurdling scream rang out as another lash landed on his body.
"Husband!"
"Father... Let me go... Father...!"
Madame Gao and Gao Yunyue cried out in anguish.
Ye Qianning reclined on the soft couch, her eyes dark and profound. ’That young guard is skilled with the whip. Fourth Granny had thirty or forty lashes all over her body, each one splitting her skin open.’
The thought of Fourth Granny being whipped just like this made her gnash her teeth in hatred.
’How much pain must Fourth Granny have been in? How helpless she must have felt...’
CRACK.
"AHH... Stop hitting me... Stop it...!"
The crack of the whip and Prime Minister Gao’s hoarse screams sounded one after another.
Elder Gu frowned. ’One lash, and the skin splits open. Is the old woman who brought the little girl to the Capital City even still alive?’
"An edict from the Emperor—"
A shrill voice rang out, followed by an elderly man in a eunuch’s attire, who hurried onto the scene.
When Mr. Li saw the situation in the hall, his face instantly changed. The Prime Minister of the nation was on the ground, being whipped. Several of the Capital City’s most prominent figures were watching from the sidelines. And in the very middle of it all was a chubby little girl.
’I’ve never seen a scene like this before.’
"Mr. Li... AHH... Mr. Li, help me... Help me...!" Prime Minister Gao cried, looking at the newcomer as if he were his savior.