Chapter 718 - 715: Every Bush and Tree Looks Like an Enemy - Part 1
Bai Qingyan grew emotional and burst into a heart-wrenching cough.
The Crown Prince was at a loss and hurriedly called out, "Quan Yu, hot tea!"
Quan Yu brought the hot tea to Bai Qingyan, but she waved it away. After thanking Quan Yu, she turned to gaze at the Crown Prince and continued, "If Your Highness massacres the people of Liang City today, in the future, some will exploit this event. As the ruling Crown Prince, the sin of massacring the plague-ridden people of two cities...no matter what great deeds Your Highness may achieve in the future, it can never be erased."
As she spoke, Bai Qingyan’s expression grew sorrowful. "Just like Bai Qingyan, who, to win against Xiliang, had no choice but to burn the captured prisoners in Wengshan Canyon, this has become an indelible stain on Bai Qingyan! The ones I killed were enemy soldiers, but the ones Your Highness wants to massacre...are our Jin Kingdom’s people. This sin would be even greater than that of Bai Qingyan’s massacre of the prisoners."
The Crown Prince’s breath quickened. He had not considered the severe consequences of this matter.
He originally thought that the plague had consumed too much manpower, materials, and financial resources without any cure in sight. Instead, it was worsening daily. The investment of silver coin and grain was like a bottomless pit. The number of plague-ridden people in the Jin Kingdom was increasing daily. Combined with the war with Daliang and the need to build the Nine-Tier Platform for the emperor, the treasury could no longer sustain it, and the lives of the Jin people could no longer be spent. So, after discussing with Old Fang, he thought of this plan.
"Princess of Zhen, you worry too much. When the time comes, the Crown Prince will naturally handle the commanders of the two cities. They will bear the blame for the Crown Prince. The common people are mostly ignorant... After dealing with the commanders, they won’t have time to blame the Crown Prince but will instead be grateful to him," Old Fang spoke, suppressing his dissatisfaction as he looked at Bai Qingyan.
"This is absolute nonsense, Old Fang!" Bai Qingyan’s eyes turned cold and murderous. She guessed that the idea of massacring the plague-ridden people was mostly Old Fang’s, so she said, "No matter how ignorant the people are, when they see that the people of the two cities have been slaughtered, won’t they guess that this was ordered from above? Won’t they guess that punishing the commanders is just finding scapegoats! Moreover... Those willing to stand up and bear the blame for Your Highness are mostly those who are utterly loyal to him. Pushing such people forward to take the blame will only make those who follow the Crown Prince, and the court officials loyal to him, live in constant fear! Who would then dare to remain loyal to the Crown Prince without reservations!"