Yizhou.

Ning Xihua was now on a carriage heading towards the city gate.

When Huaichuan and Huailiu learned that Yizhou was sealed, they realized the seriousness of the situation.

Huaichuan even suggested to Ning Xihua, "Princess, although the city gates are sealed, we have a way to get you out."

Ning Xihua shook her head and said, "You can send me out alone, but can you send so many people from the Ning family out?"

Huaichuan was speechless. With their manpower and the hidden stakes in Yizhou, they could only ensure that Ning Xihua was safely sent out of the city. If they had more people, they would definitely expose their target.

Ning Xihua understood clearly, "So, my relatives are all in the city, where else can I go?"

Huaichuan wanted to persuade her again. After all, she was different from the other members of the Ning family. They were ordered to protect her safety and did not dare to put her in danger again.

Huai Liu glanced at Ning Xihua's determined expression, but secretly pulled Huaichuan's sleeve to stop him from persuading him.

As soon as the carriage reached the city gate, it was blocked by the gathered crowd.

Ning Xihua opened the car curtain and found that there were more people surrounding the city gate than she had imagined. At a glance, there were at least seven or eight thousand people.

The Yizhou city guards numbered no more than a thousand men, and they had been struggling for a long time facing the shoving and crowding of so many civilians.

Zhao Yukang's carriage was also blocked in front. Seeing this, the city guards hurriedly sent people to clear the way and shouted "The governor is here", and finally they created a path through the crowd.

Ning Xihua and his companions drove their carriages and followed Zhao Yukang's carriage through the crowd and arrived at the city gate with difficulty. Ning Xihua also followed Zhao Yukang and climbed up the Yizhou city tower.

As soon as Zhao Yukang climbed up the city wall, the people below began to surge and shout.

"The governor is coming! The governor is coming!"

"Zhao, Governor, why was Yizhou granted a title?"

"There's a plague in the city, and they won't let us escape. Has the government given up on us?"

"Let me out! I don't want to die in this city! Are you trying to kill us?"

Upon seeing this, Zhao Yukang hurried to comfort the people.

"Please listen to me. Yizhou was sealed off to prevent the spread of the disease and for the safety of more people. The court's assistance is on the way and will arrive soon. Now you should cooperate with the government, reduce gatherings, and prevent the disease from infecting more people."

But immediately some people came forward and shouted, "You are a liar!"

Ning Xihua noticed that there were a few people in the crowd who seemed to be leading the shouting and inciting the emotions of the people around them.

The man continued shouting, "The soldiers outside said that anyone who leaves the city will be killed! How can you help us like this? You clearly want to trap us to death! You don't care whether we live or die!"

Another person immediately replied, "That's right! The high-ranking officials in the city had already heard the news and fled in advance, leaving only us poor common people. You corrupt officials simply don't care about human lives!"

Zhao Yukang retorted, "I am still in the city. No one knew about the plague before today. It is nonsense to say that someone left the city early!"

The man seized the loophole in his words and continued to sneer, "So Lord Zhao admitted that he knew about the plague but kept it a secret from us ordinary people? I think Lord Zhao is just a cover to deceive us. Those rich people have already run away!"

After these people instigated the people, they became even more enraged and denounced Zhao Yukang, refusing to listen to his explanation.

The crowd was even more impulsive and pushed forward. The city guards who had been guarding the city gate were already torn into pieces. The city gate was about to be breached by the crowd.

Ning Xihua observed silently on the city wall for a long time before he was sure that two or three people were indeed deliberately fanning the flames.

“Are there many people here today?”

Huaichuan immediately reported back, "Originally there weren't many, but I just saw quite a few people from Linhua Palace in the crowd. I guess they were sent by His Highness from the capital, and they got stuck here as soon as they entered the city."

Ning Xihua nodded and said, "Notify the guards and soldiers who are still in Ning Mansion and ask them to rush to the city gate to maintain order. Together with the newcomers, they should be able to hold back these civilians for a while and prevent them from breaking through the city gate."

Then she turned to look at Kaikawa and Kairyu, "Can you carry those people directly from the crowd to the tower?"

Ning Xihua pointed at the people in the crowd who were shouting the loudest.

Huai Liu nodded and said, "Okay, Princess, don't worry."

After saying that, he jumped down with Huaichuan. In a moment, the three people who had just fanned the flames were tied up and pressed in front of Ning Xihua.

Zhao Yukang saw Ning Xihua's actions and understood her thoughts. He shouted to the people below, "Everyone, don't be instigated by the treacherous people. Leave quickly and don't hurt yourself!"

But the people below still turned a deaf ear and rushed forward desperately.

The people who were arrested also screamed desperately, "Murder! Murder! The corrupt official murdered!"

Ning Xihua frowned upon seeing this, turned around to look at those men, clenched her fists, gritted her teeth and asked Huaichuan to throw one of them from the tower out of the city.

Everyone was shocked when they saw this, and before they could react, Ning Xihua spoke.

"The troops stationed outside said that anyone leaving the city will be killed without mercy. Aren't you going out? I'll help him and see if he can get out of the city alive."

Everyone was stunned by this tragic scene, and even the shouting became much quieter. The other two people who were captured on the tower also fell silent instantly.

The tower was five zhang high. If a person was thrown down there alive, he would either die or be crippled, not to mention that there were soldiers guarding outside.

"Governor Zhao is holding you back because he's afraid you'll get yourself killed. Do you think that because you're more numerous, the soldiers outside the city won't be able to hold you back? Are you sure you want to risk your life to fight those soldiers with swords and guns outside the city?"

As soon as these words were spoken, the excited voices from the audience suddenly decreased by half.

Everyone is afraid of death. They wanted to escape from the city because they were afraid of death, and now they began to hesitate because of their fear of death.

The people below were afraid of being caught and taken to the tower again, but they still couldn't help but whisper, "What can we do? Leaving the city means death, but if we don't leave the city, won't we also be waiting to die in the city?"

Ning Xihua said coldly, "Who said that staying in the city means waiting to die?"

Her eyes slowly scanned everyone below who looked up at her.

"This epidemic is not incurable. The imperial physician and all the doctors in the city are researching treatment methods. If you get sick after you go out, will any doctor outside be willing to see you? And which doctor knows better about treatment methods than these doctors in the city?"

She looked at everyone without any hesitation and her tone was very firm.

"Besides, the imperial court's aid is on the way. As long as those who are not infected follow the government's instructions, they will not be infected, and their lives will not be in danger."

Everyone was shocked by her ruthless means, and even more shaken by her firm tone and aura, but some people still raised doubts.

"Who are you? How can you guarantee that the court will send reinforcements instead of trapping us to death? Besides, those nobles have already fled. What if they have abandoned us?"

Hearing this, Ning Xihua took a step forward in a dignified manner. She straightened her back, raised her head high, and looked at everyone with a burning gaze and pride.

"I am Princess Yuexi, the legitimate daughter of Prince Ning, and the Crown Princess appointed by His Majesty. As long as I am still in the city, as long as my father and fiancé are still alive, no one will dare to abandon Yizhou City!"