Mobei City!

It was freezing cold, and everything in sight was a vast expanse of white, with snow piled up to knee-high.

Mo Lingchen sent people to check on the evacuation of the city's residents.

Xiao Bei returned with his men to report: "Young Master, we have investigated several prefectures and counties, and only 10% of the people have left."

"Some people are hesitant, wanting to leave but not wanting to leave."

"But most people refused to leave."

Mo Lingchen frowned, just as he had expected.

If it were summer, this would be much easier; a city could be cleared out in just three to five days.

The difficulty lies in the fact that it is winter now, and in an extremely cold place.

He knew without asking that the group that left were wealthy people from the city, with countless riches and no fear of traveling in the wind and snow.

Those who hesitated were ordinary families who had enough to eat and wear, but traveling in the snow would be dangerous.

Those who resolutely refuse to move are the poor, who lack food and clothing, have no winter clothes, and know that going out into the world is a dead end.

Therefore, they preferred to stay at home and wait for the enemy to enter the city rather than evacuate.

"Young master, what should we do now?"

“Those people would rather spend the winter at home than set off on their journey.”

"With our meager supplies and troops, how can we possibly hold out until April next year?"

"Although the imperial court has sent a batch of grain, who knows if they will send any more next month?"

"Moreover, our troops are dwindling, and it's uncertain whether we can hold out until next month."

"Oh dear, Your Majesty is making things difficult for us. You want the horse to run but not to eat grass. Is there such a good thing in the world?"

"His Majesty is utterly confused."

Mo Lingchen listened to Xiao Bei's complaints and sternly reprimanded him, forbidding him from speaking carelessly lest he cause trouble.

"Summon Lieutenant General Li over here."

"I will personally go into the city to see the situation."

"yes."

After giving some instructions, Mo Lingchen left.

Not long after he left, people suddenly arrived at the camp; their attire suggested they were from the palace.

Li Quan immediately went to greet him, thinking that the emperor had sent another decree.

As Li Quan approached, he could see that behind the guards were several eunuchs, and behind the eunuchs was a cart being pulled.

The cart was covered by a thick layer of snow, making it impossible to see what was underneath.

But it probably wasn't grain, since there was only one truck, and it wasn't even full. Who could eat one or two bags of grain?

Moreover, the emperor wouldn't send just a bag of grain from afar.

"Your humble servant greets Your Excellency." Li Quan bowed to the leading guard.

Where is your general?

"Reporting to you, sir, the general has gone into the city to inspect the people's conditions and is expected to return later."

"Please come in, sir. I will send someone to find the general immediately."

The lead guard waved his hand: "No need, it's nothing serious."

"I am here on the Emperor's orders to escort the prisoner who falsely conveyed the imperial edict. Just inform your general when he returns."

"Guards, hang the prisoner's body on the city wall."

"yes."

Several eunuchs shook the snow off the cart, revealing a straw mat on it, with two feet sticking out from the other end.

The straw mat was opened, and the figure was actually a woman, but the corpse was disheveled and her face was not visible at all.

Several eunuchs carried the body down, tied a thick hemp rope around its neck, then brought out a ladder and placed it on the city wall, hanging the woman's body at the city gate.

This action attracted a large crowd in the camp, who discussed it extensively.

Who is this woman?

"What crime did you commit that you can't even rest in peace after death?"

"It is said that the imperial edict was forged, which enraged the emperor, so he hung the woman's body on the city wall for public display."

"What imperial edict did this woman falsely claim to be?"

"What does this have to do with us?"

Why hang it here?

"Could this woman be a spy from the Northern Rong Kingdom?"

"Otherwise, what's the point of hanging it here?"

“You’re right. This woman is very likely a spy from the Northern Rong Kingdom.”

Li Quan was also trying to find out information, but those people acted superior and refused to say anything.

Li Quan knew he should give these people some money, but he didn't even dare to eat dry food, so where would he get the spare money to bribe these officials?

"Go and tell the cook to prepare wine and food for the adults so they can warm themselves up."

"yes."

"No need, I need to return immediately to report back."

"Tell your general that without the Emperor's order, no one may remove a corpse; anyone who disobeys will be executed!"

"Yes, yes, yes, I will certainly pass on the message."

After the woman left, even more people gathered at the city gate, discussing and speculating about her identity.

I always felt that there must be some hidden meaning behind the Emperor sending a corpse from afar to hang it on the city tower.

In the dead of night, Mo Lingchen braved the biting wind and snow, trudging back from outside.

Looking up, I saw a female corpse hanging on the high wall at the city gate.

The man's heart skipped a beat; he suddenly had a bad feeling.

Has the city fallen?

Is the Northern Rong army general hanging a corpse here as a show of defiance?

But the next second, he rejected his own idea.

Everything in the camp was as usual. The patrolling soldiers were in good order, the city tower was brightly lit with torches, and patrol soldiers passed by from time to time.

"This humble servant greets the General!"

What happened in the camp?

"The Emperor sent someone to deliver a female corpse."

"They say they are spies from the Northern Rong Kingdom."

Mo Lingchen frowned: "A spy from the Northern Rong Kingdom?"

"I have only heard about it and do not know the details."

"Have the people in the palace left?"

"They've already left."

Did they leave behind any imperial edicts or oral instructions?

"This humble servant is unaware."

When Mo Lingchen couldn't get any information from Li Quan, he went to find him.

The emperor's behavior is becoming increasingly incomprehensible. First, he issued an imperial edict, clearly stating that no food supplies would be provided and the city gates must be defended to the death!

However, provisions were then delivered.

Now another corpse has been delivered?

What exactly does the Emperor want to do?

"General, you're finally back."

"If you don't come back soon, I will go find you myself."

Mo Lingchen cut to the chase: "What happened to the corpse on the city wall?"

"A messenger from the palace says that this woman falsely conveyed an imperial edict, and the Emperor is furious..."

"However, I have never been able to understand why His Majesty would send the corpse here from so far away?"

Mo Lingchen frowned: "Did you find out the identity of the corpse?"

"I asked, but those people are very tight-lipped and won't tell me anything."

"He only told me to tell you that without the Emperor's order, no one is allowed to remove the body, so it should remain hanging there."

Mo Lingchen frowned. Anyone who could forge an imperial edict must have some status.

Ordinary people would never come into contact with an imperial edict in their entire lives, let alone forge one.

The common people had never even seen what an imperial edict looked like!

For some reason, he suddenly remembered the imperial edict being burned!

Why would someone burn an imperial edict?

Could the imperial edict that was burned have been a fake?