The guards atop the city gate, who had been silent all this time, suddenly acted as if they’d just noticed the scene below. They began shouting angrily from the ramparts: “Who goes there?! Causing trouble at the city gates, are you courting death?!”
Xiao Yunting’s face was cold. He didn’t believe for a second that the guards on the gate and the officials in the city didn’t know about the traffickers roaming around buying people.
And yet, even knowing, they still turned a blind eye to such behavior.
There could only be one explanation: they were in collusion with those traffickers.
Which meant, they deserved to die.
Xiao Yunting glanced at his personal guards. A few of them stepped forward, cracked their whips, and shouted loudly: “By the Emperor’s decree, the Imperial Grandson has been sent to provide disaster relief, why haven’t you opened the gate to receive him?!”
Qian Yuan gave Xiao Yunting a disapproving look.
He was bold, yes, and had means, but he was still too young.
Too rash.
Revealing his identity so early and stirring the crowd? That wasn’t a wise move.
Sure enough, the moment the people heard it was the Imperial Grandson, they surged forward.
The commander guarding the city was startled. He hadn’t expected the Imperial Grandson to show up. While he quickly sent someone to notify the Prefect of Xunyang, he himself dawdled and refused to open the gate.
He couldn’t open it.
Not only were there thousands of desperate refugees outside, the officials inside the city were still drinking and feasting!
The situation grew chaotic. The refugees pushed and shoved, afraid of being left behind and unable to enter. Everyone tried desperately to stick close to Xiao Yunting.
But the guards atop the walls still refused to come down and open the gate.
Now, the imperial envoy was stuck in the middle of the crush, one slip, and they could easily be overrun by the crowd.
It was terrifying. The hairs on Qian Yuan’s neck stood up.
“Your Highness! You mustn’t stay here, leave at once! If those traffickers retaliate, your life will be in danger!”
A treasured son should not sit beneath a collapsing hall.
But Xiao Yunting didn’t listen.
Just then, an old woman cried out and rushed toward him: “Your Highness, please give me justice!”
Before she could get close, Xiao Yunting had already stepped onto his stirrup, leapt onto his horse’s back, and drew the bow from his back. He aimed directly at the guard commander on the wall.
“Corrupt official, what use are you?!”
As soon as the words fell, he pulled three arrows from his quiver and let them fly.
Three shots in a row.
The dawdling commander on the city wall was struck in the shoulder, blood gushed instantly.
But it wasn’t over.
After shooting the commander, Xiao Yunting turned his bow toward the old woman crying injustice: “Take another step, and this prince’s arrows won’t discriminate.”
The woman froze, shocked, and truly didn’t dare move again.
Because he had just shot a gate commander, it meant he wouldn’t hesitate to shoot anyone else.
Everyone was stunned.
A prince who hadn’t even entered the city yet had already killed several people, what a scene!
Xiao Yunting’s personal guards immediately moved in, surrounding him protectively and shouted as one toward the gate: “The Imperial Grandson is here! If you still won’t open the gates, are you trying to rebel?!”
Xiao Yunting swept his gaze across the ramparts. His voice rang cold: “Whoever opens the gate now, no matter what crimes you’ve committed in the past, All will be pardoned. If not, death without mercy!”
The moment he spoke, one of the guards couldn’t hold out any longer. Shaking off his comrades, he rushed down from the wall and opened the gates.
At that moment, Xiao Yunting’s remaining 2,000+ troops arrived.
They moved quickly to stop the refugees from surging forward, using both reassurance and threats to calm the crowd, then regrouped with Xiao Yunting, finally breaching the city gate and entering.
Because Xiao Yunting had already executed a trafficker, shot a commander, and struck down a few opportunistic troublemakers, and because his full entourage had now arrived flying the imperial envoy’s banner, the refugees no longer dared act rashly. Once the gates opened, they followed silently behind the envoy.
Qian Yuan’s soul had nearly left his body.
He never could’ve dreamed the Imperial Grandson would be this kind of man.
He really didn’t wait, he just forced the city gate open!
Once inside, Xiao Yunting didn’t head for the main government office along the city’s central axis. Instead, he turned directly to the refugees and shouted:
“I know you’ve suffered from disaster. That’s why I’m here, by imperial order, to bring relief!”
He raised his voice: “Don’t panic. Stay calm. Wait here at the gates. I will distribute food to all of you shortly!”
Food!
The only word the refugees heard was food.
A cheer erupted.
But with the troops maintaining order, there was no chaos. Just as Xiao Yunting had commanded, they all waited patiently at the gates.
Xiao Yunting turned to the soldiers who had opened the gate: “How many of you are there?”
There were barely five hundred guards, militia, really, taking turns on duty.
Xiao Yunting pointed to the first man who had opened the gate: “You, gather all city guards and militia. Then gather able-bodied men from the city. I want you to keep these refugees in line, don’t let them push forward, but you also must not drive anyone away. Understood?”
The man, called Erhuzi, was thrilled and nodded repeatedly.
Xiao Yunting left 300 of his own soldiers behind to assist, then led the rest straight to the Prefect’s office.
In the Prefect’s mansion, Prefect Wen Wei was currently sighing and complaining to a room full of city gentry: “You know how it is, can’t make bricks without straw. I’m in a tough spot too!”
The wealthy locals nodded in agreement: “Exactly. Lord Prefect has already done his best…”
Before they could finish, a servant ran in, breathless: “My lord! My lord! The imperial envoy is here!”
“Imperial envoy?” Wen Wei was briefly confused.
Wasn’t the imperial envoy the Imperial Grandson?
They had already received the court’s dispatch about that.
But if the Imperial Grandson was coming for disaster relief, he should’ve gone to Hongdu first!
Shouldn’t he meet with Qi Wang? See the Governor of Jiangxi? Discuss and plan?
Why was he here?
Even the wealthy guests stood up in shock: “Wha, what?! Why so suddenly?”
“Where is he now?” Wen Wei’s face paled, but he tried to remain composed. “Why didn’t you report sooner?”
The servant was near tears: “My lord, he’s already at the city gate! He ordered the guards to open the gate, ”
Wen Wei’s soul practically left his body. He immediately barked out orders: “Quick! Put the grain back where it belongs! And these wines and dishes, clear them all away!”
He shoved the beauty in his arms aside in a panic, utterly frazzled: “Go welcome the Imperial Grandson immediately, ”
“No need.”
A cool, steady voice rang out from outside the door.
A vibrant, star-like young man stepped into view, his expression cold as he curled his lips:
“I’ve already let myself in.”
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