Chapter 620: Rumors Spread, the Crowd Besieges 5
"Punish Yuan Yintang—"
"Punish Yuan Yintang! Punish Consort Yuan! We can’t let the General’s daughter have died in vain—"
"Treason is unforgivable! Punish him! He must be severely punished!"
It’s unclear who started it, but in an instant, the entire crowd’s outrage was stoked. Their voices rang out loud and clear, demanding the murderer be punished.
The shouts ringing in their ears made the concubines sob even more fiercely. Such a lovely child, gone in the blink of an eye. They wanted nothing more than to flay the murderer alive.
Sang Zhi stood at the forefront, holding a written petition. The black characters on the white paper were glaringly conspicuous.
Magistrate Song was carried back. Hearing the indignant cries, his head throbbed. ’The Emperor knows everything,’ he thought, ’but it seems he has no intention of punishing Consort Yuan.’
The people’s voices were thunderous. If there was no punishment, it would be impossible to quell the public’s fury. ’Even if it kills me,’ he despaired, ’I can’t get this situation under control.’
"My lord, you’re finally back! What did the Emperor say?" his clerk asked, hurrying forward.
"Go and invite the Eighth Prince and the people from the General’s Mansion into the government office. As for the rest, we wait for the Emperor’s word," Magistrate Song said weakly. His head had been smashed open by a teapot, but he didn’t dare allow himself to succumb to the dizziness.
"Yes, my lord." The clerk nodded and trotted over to Sang Zhi.
"Your Highness, it’s getting quite late. Please, come inside the government office and wait for the results."
"Treason, plotting to harm a Prince, murdering a General’s daughter—the evidence is irrefutable! If he is not punished in one day, I will wait here for one day. If he is not punished in two, I will wait here for two. I want to see for myself if the laws of Beili are merely for show!" Sang Zhi’s voice rang out, and the listening crowd’s blood boiled with passion.
"We will wait here with the Eighth Prince! Beili will not tolerate traitors!"
"That Yuan Yintang is from some insignificant martial arts sect, yet he killed our General’s daughter! It’s despicable! If he isn’t punished, where is the justice in this world?"
"Eighth Prince, we’ll wait with you! We’ll wait for justice!"
"If the Imperial Family intends to shield him, then I guess treason and the attempted murder of a Prince are no big deal! The next time they try to execute someone on these charges, we won’t accept it!"
"That’s right! If even treason goes unpunished, what authority does our nation have left?"
Even as midnight approached, the crowd only grew, their shouts rising in a deafening crescendo.
Seeing this, the clerk rushed back to report. It was out of control. Completely out of control.
「Meanwhile」
On the street where the tavern Immortal’s Respite was located—usually the most bustling part of the city—an eerie silence had fallen.
Yuan Yintang, suffering from several sword wounds, clutched at his side as his eyes darted around. He looked in every direction, even to the rooftops above, but none of the reinforcements he had summoned had arrived. ’Has the Emperor truly abandoned me?’
Zhan Chi and Gu Shuo stood to his left. Qian Fanji and Luo Wen stood to his right.
On the roof above stood Ying Ge and Du Yi, blood dripping from the tips of their swords.
Not far away, in the darkness, the Academy guards had slaughtered the members of the pharmacology family to the last man. The small alley reeked of blood.
In a back alley, the Imperial Palace’s Hidden Guards were blocked by men from the Helian Royal Mansion and the Changyang Prince Mansion. Both sides had drawn their swords, and a fight was imminent.
"We are under the Emperor’s command to protect Mr. Yuan," a Hidden Guard said coldly. "I advise you to stay out of this."
"We are following our Prince’s orders," one of the mansion guards retorted, unafraid. "If anyone tries to stop us, they’re welcome to try." Their longswords were held at the ready.
The Hidden Guards had no more patience for words and drew their longswords.
Seeing this, the guards from the Prince’s Mansions also surged forward, and the two groups clashed in a chaotic melee.
Yuan Yintang’s breathing was ragged and shallow. Besieged by so many opponents, his stamina was long gone. He swept a venomous gaze over the people surrounding him.
’As a martial artist, he could clearly sense the frenzied killing intent rolling off of them. And all for the death of a single child. To think this group of people would dare to defy even the Emperor’s own edict!’
’These people were terrifying!’