Great, it's just a lackey, we're saved!

Chapter 284 Outside Ningzhou City!

The people of Ningzhou heard early in the morning that there would be a play to watch outside the city gate at noon today.

It is said that the Crown Princess from the capital is here to punish the officials of Ningzhou and Jiaozhou.

The people were happy to see the execution of officials!

Furthermore, since it was the crown prince who killed the official, it goes without saying that the crown prince would make a mistake.

An old man stood at the back of the crowd, staring at the Nanguang army that was lined up in formation, and asked the people around him, "Does the Princess really intend to kill officials?"

One person, without turning his head, said, "That's what everyone says! If it's true, then the Crown Princess has done a good thing."

The old man's face showed a look of emotion: "I think the official can't be killed."

The man finally turned around and looked at the old man.

Why do you say that, sir?

Many people are curious, and some have been waiting here for quite some time.

The old man sighed, "Have you all forgotten? Our Ningzhou and Jiaozhou prefectures are protected by immortals!"

The mention of gods and immortals caused everyone's expressions to change, with some even showing fear.

He timidly looked up at the sky and moved his feet away, clearly not daring to stay and watch the excitement any longer.

Upon hearing this, the man who had asked the question immediately replied, "Hey old man, could you please keep your voice down? Don't you know that immortals have ears that can hear everything?"

The old man sneered, "What 'eagle ears'? It's just that someone in the Prince's mansion tipped him off."

Everyone sighed helplessly, knowing that this was the truth, but what could they do?

The officials of the Prince's Palace were local tyrants in this area.

There was only one master above them, the Spirit King, but unfortunately, the Spirit King was not one to manage things very well.

The man advised, "Old man, please stop talking. If that deity hears you, you might be captured and used as fertilizer tomorrow."

Upon hearing that it could be used as fertilizer, a flash of anger and sadness crossed the old man's face.

“If he wants to take the old man’s life, let him! Anyway, the old man is all alone now, and his family is long gone.”

Only then did someone recognize him, and a buzz of discussion immediately broke out in the crowd.

"Isn't this Old Man Qi?"

"It was him. A few years ago, his son and daughter-in-law went to Ningzhou Prefecture to buy goods, thinking of bringing them in to sell. But when they passed by the abode of the immortals, they didn't offer any tribute and were used as fertilizer."

"I heard that Old Man Qi even went to argue with the gods?"

"What's the use of theory? The gods said that Old Man Qi was dying and so thin that he wasn't even good enough to be used as fertilizer, so they killed his grandson and buried him on the hillside."

"Tsk! Really..."

"Forget it, so many families in Ningzhou Prefecture have been ruined and killed because of these immortals, it's too much to talk about!"

"Old Man Qi even went to His Highness Prince Ling to seek justice, didn't he?"

"What's the use of finding the Spirit King? The Spirit King is afraid of that immortal and doesn't care about anything in his fiefdom anymore. What kind of imperial son is he? I think this unfavored prince is not even as good as a wild pheasant in the mountains!"

As the people were talking, they suddenly shifted the topic from the gods to the eldest prince.

The common people had mixed feelings about the matter of the Prince's Mansion.

Although it was just casual conversation, most people had complex emotions on their faces.

"Don't say it's worse than a wild chicken, I think it's torture."

When someone said this, someone completely unaware of the situation asked out of curiosity, "What do you mean by that?"

The man said in a low voice, "A few years ago, we were struggling to make ends meet because of the heavy taxes. We went to the Prince's government office, but no one cared. They even said that the taxes were set by the Prince, and since Ningzhou was the Prince's fiefdom, whatever he set was fine."

"The officials told us not to waste our breath, or we would be imprisoned as troublemakers."

Everyone sighed; they all knew about these things.

But strangely enough, one day the government suddenly issued a notice reducing taxes, which allowed the people to survive!

Otherwise, the population of Ningzhou Prefecture today would be reduced by more than half.

The fact that this person brought up the matter on their own initiative clearly indicates that they know the inside story!

The people are not without conscience; on the contrary, most of them have always kept this matter in mind.

Everyone had heard that King Ling did not concern himself with any matters concerning the fiefdom, and that all decisions were made by his officials. However, the people had long since experienced the officials' ability to exploit the people.

Expecting them to be lenient and let go of the piece of meat in their mouths is worse than killing them.

So while the common people were relieved to be able to survive, they also wondered who had reduced or exempted their taxes.

Seeing that everyone's attention was on him, the person who had spoken immediately blushed.

This man's name is Liu Xiaobao. He said all this today, naturally wanting to show off!

Of course, if they hadn't known that the eldest princess had taken control of the palace, the officials wouldn't have been able to cause any trouble.

He absolutely dared not say it!

At this moment, someone urged, "Xiao Bao, you must know the inside story, right? Tell us!"

Liu Xiaobao coughed lightly before whispering, "My brother-in-law delivers goods to the Prince's Mansion. Sometimes when the people at the Prince's Mansion are lazy, they ask him to help with the purchasing."

"Seeing that my brother-in-law was clever, some maids and servants would also ask my brother-in-law if they wanted to buy something, which gave him the opportunity to go to the inner courtyard of the Prince's mansion."

Everyone was shocked when they heard this!

This is firsthand information!

"One day a few years ago, my brother-in-law was delivering something to a servant in the inner courtyard. He got lost while walking. He was scared but didn't dare to shout. He could only grit his teeth and keep walking, thinking that if he met someone, he could ask for directions."

"Unexpectedly, as he walked, he came to a courtyard, where he heard people arguing."

"The argument was about reducing taxes. My brother-in-law recognized one of them as the King of Ling, and the person arguing with him was an official from the royal court."

"The officials said that taxes are the revenue of the fiefdom, and if they are not collected in full, the entire royal household will starve."

"His Highness Prince Ling cursed those people for abusing public resources for private gain and disregarding the lives of the people. He then threatened to kill himself, saying that if the people of Ningzhou could not survive, he would not live either."

The people were shocked when they heard this.

One of them asked, "Liu Xiaobao, are you telling the truth? Are you trying to trick us? These officials are so audacious that they dare to disobey His Highness the Spirit King?"

Liu Xiaobao said, "Not only did they not listen! I'm telling you, some people even physically assaulted the Spirit King..."

"Liu Xiaobao!"

A furious shout rang out, startling everyone.

Upon hearing the voice, Liu Xiaobao immediately shrank back, but a large hand had already grabbed his collar.

"Brother-in-law, brother-in-law, let go! It hurts!"

Liu Xiaobao's brother-in-law, Zhang Yong, yelled, "You still know pain? If you dare to talk nonsense again, you'll lose your head!"

After Zhang Yong finished speaking, he apologized to the onlookers, saying, "Everyone, don't listen to Xiao Bao's nonsense. He's just talking nonsense because he's read too many storybooks."

The people all looked on with suspicion.

One person asked, "Zhang Dalang, what your little Bao said sounds so convincing, it must be true, right?"

Zhang Yong smiled sheepishly: "Xiao Bao is young and talks nonsense all day long, please don't take it seriously."

After saying that, he ignored everyone and dragged Liu Xiaobao out of the crowd.

The two arrived at a deserted place, and Zhang Yong slapped Liu Xiaobao across the face.

"You bastard, not only did you eavesdrop on my conversation with your sister, but you also brag about it in public, huh?"

Liu Xiaobao covered his face and said pitifully, "Brother-in-law, I was just saying something unimportant, what's the problem? Besides, the people are saying that the Spirit King can't make decisions in Ningzhou and is being suppressed by the officials of the Prince's Palace. I was just telling the truth."

Zhang Yong was furious, his face trembling with rage.

"His Highness Prince Ling risked his life for the sake of the people. Every time I think of that, I feel uneasy. How dare you say such things as gossip? Where is your conscience?"

Liu Xiaobao lowered his head, seemingly realizing that he had gone too far.

In particular, he shouldn't have said that King Ling was beaten in the palace...

After calming down, Zhang Yong asked again, "Have you told me about the princess?"

Liu Xiaobao was so frightened that he quickly waved his hands, "No, no, I wouldn't dare say a word about the princess! Brother-in-law, what kind of person do you take me for? How could I tell anyone about something like this?"

Liu Xiaobao recalled that night when he overheard Zhang Yong telling his sister about the tragic fate of the Princess Ling.

Zhang Yong, a grown man, wept uncontrollably, sobbing and lamenting, "It's a pity I have a family, otherwise I would definitely kill that beast! Beast, they're all beasts!"

Liu Xiaobao also felt distressed. He couldn't imagine that the noble princess was living such a miserable life.

Therefore, although he wanted to show off, he knew he couldn't talk about this carelessly, otherwise the princess would live.

Zhang Yong then added, "The Princess has arrested the officials of the Prince's Mansion, and they are all in prison now. I suppose she won't kill them."

Liu Xiaobao was taken aback upon hearing this.

"That can't be right, brother-in-law. Why are the people saying that the princess is going to kill the official?"

Zhang Yong sighed: "So many officials, including several hundred from Jiaozhou Prefecture, have been killed. Who will be the officials now?"

"Besides, there are gods around. If the princess goes too far, the gods will definitely intervene."

"Of course, the gods are secondary. The princess is the crown princess, the heir apparent, and will be the emperor in the future. How can she be killed like this? Wouldn't the world call her a tyrant?"

"So I think that even if the princess wants to vent her anger for His Highness the King, she will probably only give these officials a light punishment and let it go."

After thinking about it carefully, Liu Xiaobao realized that it made sense.

Zhang Yong sighed and said, "How hateful! These people are worse than pigs and dogs, yet they have no retribution! Once the princess leaves, these people will change their ways and become officials again, continuing to bully King Ling and the Queen."

As Zhang Yong spoke, he slammed his fist into a large tree, unable to bear the injustice done to Princess Ling.

Just as Liu Xiaobao was about to say a few words of comfort to his brother-in-law, he heard people exclaiming in alarm from the city gate.

"The Nanguang Army is digging a pit! A huge pit!"

"My God, what are they going to do with such a huge hole?"