Meanwhile, at the gates of Luoyi City.
Led by Xie Jingqi, the Yulin soldiers stood tall and straight, forming a human wall behind them along the city of Luoyi.
Han Jingyu, riding a horse to the side, felt a persistent unease.
If the intention was truly to intercept the culprits who wanted to spread the plague in Luoyi City, his own men would have been sufficient.
Yet, Princess Ronghe had specifically entrusted this matter to the Seventh Prince.
Thinking of the perpetrator, whose image was now clearly etched in his mind, Han Jingyu wished he could simply cleave them with his sword for a swift end.
But, by chance, Princess Ronghe had stopped him that day, promising to give him an explanation.
Could it be that Princess Ronghe had acted with intention?
What could the Seventh Prince's arrival possibly resolve?
"Thump thump thump... thump thump thump..."
Dust swirled, and a carriage approached from afar.
Han Jingyu watched the Turkic soldiers seated on the carriage, his hand tightening on the saber at his waist, his gaze growing cold and resolute.
A soldier's duty is to their nation and their people. If he couldn't seek justice for the disaster in Luoyi, how could he dare call himself a soldier?
Therefore, today, he was determined to appeal for the people of Luoyi, even if it cost him his own life!
Xie Jingqi, who had been impatiently waiting, saw the carriage drawing nearer and immediately waved his hand, ordering, "Guards! Stop the carriage!"
Instantly, the Yulin soldiers spurred their horses forward, quickly surrounding the carriage at the city gates.
The Turkic soldiers driving the carriage, seemingly caught off guard by the Yulin army's presence at the city gates, became instantly defensive.
"What do you Yulin soldiers want?"
"As long as we Turks have not departed, you have no right to guard Luoyi."
Even though Luoyi belonged to Yulin, the victors were the Turks.
Conflicts between nations were common, and examples of peace treaties were innumerable.
According to the usual protocol, after peace talks, the defeated nation, to demonstrate magnanimity and submission to the victor, would wait for the victorious army to withdraw from the city before retaking control.
Xie Jingqi, accompanied by Han Jingyu, approached. Facing the Turkic soldiers' challenge, he remained unperturbed. "It is true that the two nations have made peace, but allowing your Turkic soldiers to stand on the walls of Luoyi was our gesture of goodwill. Reclaiming Luoyi is our Yulin's duty."
"Is the Seventh Prince of Yulin not afraid of being ridiculed by the world as petty and narrow-minded?"
"Mouths are on others' chins; I cannot control what they say. But today, I am reclaiming Luoyi. What can you Turks do to me?"
Han Jingyu: "..."
Indeed, he lived up to his reputation as the foremost rake among the princes.
When it came to playing the rogue and being shameless, their Seventh Prince never disappointed.
Xie Jingqi snorted, "If you have nothing to say, then open the carriage door for me! I want to inspect it here and now!"
The Turkic soldiers would not comply willingly.
The two Turkic soldiers driving the carriage reached for the broad sabers at their waists.
The other Yulin soldiers, however, were somewhat fearful.
They were new recruits, greenhorns who had never seen battle.
But Ji Zixiu was unfazed. Having engaged in many fights in the Imperial City before, and especially disliking the Yulin people, her temper flared instantly.
While all the soldiers hesitated, Ji Zixiu flicked her Dragon-Phoenix Whip, immediately entangling the two Turkic soldiers on the carriage and dragging them to the ground.
Seeing the Turkic soldiers attempt to draw their sabers, Ji Zixiu leaped from her horse. As she landed, her feet pressed down on the chests of the two Turkic soldiers.
With a flick of her Dragon-Phoenix Whip to the left and right, the two Turkic soldiers' flesh was torn.
Ji Zixiu's face was cold as she menacingly threatened, "Dare to move again and I'll tear your flesh apart!"
The Yulin new recruits watched, dumbfounded, filled with admiration and envy.
Even Xie Jingqi was stunned. He looked at Han Jingyu and clicked his tongue twice, "Young General Han, you are indeed fortunate to have such elite soldiers."
Han Jingyu: "..."
Whether it was good fortune or misfortune was yet to be determined.
"Dong dong dong... dong dong dong..."
A violent commotion suddenly erupted from within the carriage.
Everyone instantly became as if facing a great enemy.
Xie Jingqi immediately dismounted and leaped onto the carriage, his long saber now pressed against the carriage door.
Just as Xie Jingqi was about to split the carriage door open, the tightly shut door suddenly swung open.
Inside, there were indeed several plague-ridden individuals, bound hand and foot, their mouths gagged with wadded cotton.
And in the midst of these plague-ridden individuals, sat another person.
The first glance, Xie Jingqi thought he was mistaken and looked again. Sudan Novel Network
Upon looking again, Xie Jingqi froze before the carriage door.
"How could it be you?" With the carriage now filled with plague victims, and this person sitting among them, even the most foolish would understand what was happening in this situation.
No wonder the epidemic had broken out in Luoyi for no apparent reason. It turned out this person was the culprit.
The person in the carriage looked guiltily at Xie Jingqi, wanting to say something but not knowing how.
Han Jingyu, on his horse, saw the Seventh Prince's reaction and became even more convinced of his initial suspicions.
This, in turn, fueled his anger even further.
If what had happened to Luoyi was solely the doing of the Turks, Han Jingyu would have been angry but not hateful.
However, the thought of the identity of the person in the carriage made Han Jingyu wish he could draw his sword and spill blood on the spot.
As Han Jingyu clenched his long saber, he saw Xie Jingqi turn around.
His handsome face was as cold as frost.
Han Jingyu was not surprised by Xie Jingqi's silence.
After all, the person in the carriage was...
Before Han Jingyu could finish his thought, he saw Xie Jingqi suddenly turn back again and dive into the carriage.
At the same time, his raised fist landed heavily on the face of the person inside the carriage, "Your grandpa!"
"Bang bang bang..."
"You, you listen to my explanation..."
"I'll listen to your grandpa's explanation!"
"No, it's not..."
"Shut up!"
From within the carriage, the muffled thuds of fists hitting flesh continued, accompanied by heart-wrenching cries, leaving the Yulin soldiers outside in stunned silence.
Han Jingyu, who had been prepared to fight to the death, silently loosened the saber in his hand.
He then looked up at the constantly shaking carriage and couldn't help but smile wryly.
He suspected Princess Ronghe had foreseen his determination to resist to the death and seek justice for Luoyi.
So, this was the explanation Princess Ronghe had orchestrated.
Inside the restaurant.
General Mu Man said calmly and confidently, "If the princess had truly suffered any grievance, how could it be compensated with just a few doses of medicine!"
As he spoke, he inadvertently glanced at Chen Gang beside him.
Don't think he didn't know that Yulin's actions this time were intended to win over the hearts of the Turkic army.
But it was a pity that when it involved the Turkic royal family, no one dared to betray them.
A soldier hurried to General Mu Man's side, opening his mouth but failing to utter a sound for a long time.
General Mu Man, however, said with confidence, "Just tell me the truth. With me here, I will certainly not let the princess suffer any injustice."
The soldier struggled for a while longer before mustering the courage to say, "Reporting to the General, Princess Ashiya is unharmed."
General Mu Man was stunned and instinctively looked up towards the upper floor. "How is that possible! If she were truly unharmed, why would the princess..."
As if realizing something, General Mu Man felt a sense of foreboding envelop him.