Upon arriving at the execution ground, Chen Chuan was forced to kneel in the center, with two executioners standing guard on either side of him.

Zhang Debiao, Li Yuanbao, Qian Ergou, Bai Ying, and others were not taken to prison, but were forced to kneel behind Chen Chuan.

As for the other bandits, they were all forced to kneel around the execution ground.

A full 40,000 people knelt down in a truly massive, overwhelming crowd.

Soldiers surrounded the execution platform in layers.

Therefore, hundreds of thousands of people gathered around a small execution ground.

However, in order to allow the common people to come in and witness the execution, Xuanyuan Zhan still ordered the soldiers to leave a gap in the execution platform.

Those refugees who came to watch the spectacle certainly got the best spot to witness the execution.

It wasn't just the refugees from Beian City; those from the other five cities in the north who had previously planned to flee but later returned to Beian City with Xuan Yuanzhan's main force also came to watch the spectacle.

Xuanyuan Zhan sat on the execution platform, with Mu Lingchen, Ye Feng, and Ye Yun standing beside him.

Before long, the group saw Zhu Ji leading a group of officials over.

"Your Highness, the people have arrived."

Zhu Ji led the group of officials to the execution platform: "Your Highness, these are all officials from our Beian City. Officials from other cities have already been notified by fast horses and should arrive soon."

"Your Highness, we are humble servants." The officials bowed respectfully to Xuan Yuanzhan.

They knew that a holy king would come to the north to provide disaster relief and suppress bandits, but they never expected that he would cause such a commotion as soon as he arrived, and actually arrest the prefect Chen Chuan first.

And it looks like they're going to behead Chen Chuan. I wonder what Chen Chuan did to deserve this!

Furthermore, all the bandits—the bandits from the four strongholds within and outside the northern region, numbering over 40,000—were captured at once.

The banditry in the north has been going on for quite some time. They have sent troops to suppress the bandits, but there are too many of them, and they are all desperate criminals. In addition, their villages are all connected, making it really difficult to wipe them out.

They hadn't taken it seriously when they heard that the Emperor had sent the Holy King to the North not only to provide disaster relief but also to suppress bandits.

But who would have thought that this person was actually here to suppress bandits, and on the very first day he arrived, he captured all the bandits from the four villages, as well as all the bandits in and around the north. What incredible skill that must be!

That alone is enough to fill them with both admiration and trepidation.

Of course, those who have a clear conscience deserve respect, while those who have done wrong will naturally feel fear.

Xuanyuan Zhan didn't pay much attention to these officials, but looked at Zhu Ji and said, "All of you go down to the execution platform to watch the execution."

The officials were puzzled. Why were they summoned here just to witness the execution?

However, witnessing the execution, especially for those who were filled with fear, was an absolute torment.

"Yes." No one dared to contradict Xuan Yuanzhan, and they all bowed and withdrew.

The officials stood together below the execution platform, alongside the refugees who had come to watch the spectacle, waiting to see Chen Chuan oversee the execution.

Soon, officials from the other four cities arrived one after another. After paying their respects to Xuan Yuanzhan, Xuan Yuanzhan allowed them to watch the executions with Zhu Ji and the others at the execution platform.

Not only did officials rush over from various cities in the north, but many refugees also heard that a holy prince had come to the capital, arrested all the bandits inside and outside the north, and even captured Chen Chuan, the governor of the north, intending to behead them all.

Besides these, the Holy Prince also brought a lot of grain, presumably to distribute.

Even if they weren't there to join in the fun, but simply to get a share of the food, refugees from all the northern cities flocked to Beian City.

Before noon, the execution platform in Bei'an City was already packed with hundreds of thousands of people.

Many refugees, unable to see anything, climbed to the second floor and rooftops of nearby vacant shops, just to watch the spectacle and admire the Holy Prince's appearance.

Seeing that the number of refugees was increasing, and fearing that they might be trampled due to overcrowding, Xuanyuan Zhan sent soldiers to maintain order.

Seeing that it was already noon, Xuan Yuanzhan stood up and, channeling his inner strength, proclaimed loudly: "Chen Chuan, the Prefect of the Northern Lands, was appointed Prefect of the Five Cities of the Northern Lands by imperial grace. Now, the Northern Lands are suffering from drought and banditry, the people are living in misery, corpses lie everywhere, and countless refugees remain. As the Prefect of the Northern Lands, Chen Chuan should be working diligently to govern and advocate for the people. But instead, he has colluded with bandits in the Northern Lands to rob the relief grain that the imperial court is transporting to the Northern Lands. This man is unworthy of being a human being, much less a public official!"

Xuanyuan Zhan's words surprised the officials in the north.

"The prefect actually colluded with bandits to try and steal the disaster relief grain; no wonder the prince wanted to behead him!"

"He's incredibly audacious. The official grain is personally escorted by the prince, and he still dares to try to steal it."

"It's because the official grain is personally escorted by the prince, making it difficult to embezzle it, that's why they came up with this method!"

"Now look what's happened. He's been caught red-handed by the prince. It's no wonder he's getting his head chopped off."

"This Holy King is quite something. He saw through Chen Chuan's scheme immediately and not only captured Chen Chuan but also wiped out all these bandits."

"I heard that this Holy King went to his fiefdom in Xiangnan when he was only seven years old. I heard that he was very good at governing Xiangnan, and that he was also a man of both literary and military talent, extremely formidable!"

Although the officials were surprised by such things, they were already used to it.

After all, many local officials embezzle disaster relief grain, but this time it was the Holy King himself who escorted it, so they couldn't make a move, or rather, they hadn't found an opportunity yet, and Chen Chuan was arrested first.

Naturally, they didn't dare to covet this batch of disaster relief grain anymore.

But they heard that disaster relief grain from other places was exploited at every level, while the officials who received the grain made a fortune without being punished.

This holy king is really taking the matter of disaster relief grain too seriously!

The officials in the north were used to these things, but the refugees were shocked, agitated, indignant, and resentful when they heard about them...

"We were starving to death, and when disaster relief food finally arrived, they actually tried to steal it. They're inhuman!"

"Officials and traitors colluded, disregarding the lives of us ordinary people; they truly deserve to die!"

"This prefect not only refuses to provide disaster relief himself, but he also tries to steal disaster relief grain. He completely disregards our lives! Kill him!"

"Kill him! Kill him!"

The refugees were all very excited and started picking up stones from the ground and throwing them at the execution platform!

Not only was Chen Chuan, who was kneeling in the center of the execution platform, quickly smashed until his head was bleeding profusely, but Zhang Debiao, Bai Ying, and others kneeling behind him were also smashed until their faces were bruised and swollen.

The bandits kneeling outside also suffered, and even many of the officials who were watching the execution in the front row were affected and badly injured.

However, because Xuan Yuanzhan was there, no one dared to utter a sound after being smashed!