Lin Wenyao never imagined that he would go from being the one arresting people to being the one being arrested.
He wanted to ask a few more questions, but Liu Jinghong clearly had no intention of talking to him any longer and walked straight toward the group from Mangshan.
The two cavalrymen then forced Lin Wenyao back to the Iron Cavalry unit.
Lin Wenyao knew that if he were taken away by them, whether he lived or died would be up to them, since the other party was a second-rank general, whose official position was even higher than his maternal grandfather's!
If not now, when?
Lin Wenyao then shouted to the soldiers of Yongzhou, "Help! Come and save me!"
Although the Yongzhou soldiers and the Jinghong Iron Cavalry were not on the same level in terms of combat strength, both sides served the imperial court and were from the same family. It is impossible for family members to fight each other, right?
But then an embarrassing scene unfolded.
After Lin Wenyao finished speaking, the officers and soldiers of Yongzhou looked up at the sky in perfect unison, pretending not to have heard him!
Are you kidding me!
The Iron Cavalry is astounding!
Those were ruthless characters who chased and beat the barbarian cavalry. They were named by the emperor and, although they belonged to the court, they were directly under the emperor's command. They only had one head, so how could anyone dare to mess with them?
Besides, Lin Wenyao is not the prefect yet, and his father, who was the prefect, is dead. Things are unpredictable, so it's best to protect yourself first.
The reversal was so fast that it caught everyone off guard.
Not only was Jing Zhe stunned, but everyone in Mangshan was also shocked.
Of course, this does not include Chen Mo and Lu Li.
Seeing Liu Jinghong approaching, Lu Li's face lit up with a long-lost smile. She took a step forward and was about to speak when Liu Jinghong smiled and shook his head at her. He strode past her and headed towards Jing Zhe and Chen Mo.
Chen Mo turned to Jing Zhe and smiled, "What did I tell you? They're not arresting us, are they?"
Seeing Jing Zhe's blank expression, Chen Mo couldn't help but smile: "I remember you said that even a powerful dragon can't suppress a local snake. Actually, this only means that the dragon isn't strong enough yet!"
Faced with the facts, Jing Zhe had no words to refute them.
...
"Your humble servant Liu Jinghong greets Your Highness!"
Liu Jinghong walked closer and bowed.
"Sister Jinghong, please don't stand on ceremony!"
Chen Mo helped Liu Jinghong up, his eyes narrowing into crescent moons as he smiled and said, "I had heard Father Emperor say before that the Jinghong Iron Cavalry was invincible. Sister Jinghong is a skilled military leader. Seeing you today, I feel an instant connection with you. From now on, you can call me Mo Chen!"
Seemingly unaccustomed to Chen Mo's sudden closeness, Liu Jinghong hesitated for a moment before replying, "Yes, Your Highness... Princess Mo Chen."
"..."
Chen Mo pursed her lips, looking angry. Seeing this, Liu Jinghong said softly, "Mo Chen."
Chen Mo then beamed with joy.
Jing Zhe, standing nearby, was dumbfounded.
Your Highness...Princess?
Chen Mo... Mo Chen?
No wonder she's so rich, no wonder she dares to look down on others for having low-ranking officials, no wonder she confidently declared that the Jinghong Iron Cavalry wasn't there to arrest them—because she is Princess Anguo, Su Mochen!
With a "whoosh," all the soldiers of Yongzhou knelt down and shouted in unison.
"Your Highness!"
Lin Wenyao was so terrified that he was urinating and defecating all over his pants. If it weren't for the two cavalrymen supporting him, he probably would have collapsed on the ground and passed out.
If word got out that he had flirted with the princess, he'd be beheaded!
His face was ashen, his heart filled with sorrow and despair.
After speaking with Su Mochen, Liu Jinghong regained her cold and aloof demeanor, walked up to the soldiers of Yongzhou, and said in a cold voice: "Lin Wenyao, son of Lin Yuanqing, the former prefect of Yongzhou, spoke rudely to Princess Mochen, attempted to harass her, and even imprisoned Her Highness. According to the law, he should be executed! Jinghong Iron Cavalry is ordered to immediately bring Lin Wenyao back to Liangzhou and behead him as a warning to the public!"
Lin Wenyao was numb and didn't react at all when he heard these words.
Liu Jinghong continued, "Lin Wenyao holds no official position, yet the soldiers of Yongzhou are at his beck and call. This is considered dereliction of duty, and according to the law, he should be dismissed from his military post!"
These words caused an uproar.
Being able to become an official is the proudest thing for every soldier in Yongzhou. If they are dismissed from their posts, not only will they feel bad, but they will also have to explain themselves when they go home.
Just as the officers and soldiers were filled with anxiety, Liu Jinghong spoke up again: "However, the law does not punish the masses, and His Majesty, feeling compassion, has ordered a lenient punishment. Removal from military post is waived, but a month's salary will be deducted. Does anyone have any objections?"
Compared to being dismissed from their posts, losing a month's salary was insignificant. The officers and soldiers of Yongzhou immediately knelt down and kowtowed, shouting in unison, "Long live the Emperor!"
Liu Jinghong nodded and glanced at Su Mochen.
Su Mochen understood and waved to everyone, "Rise, all of you!"
After the officers and soldiers stood up, she added in a cold voice, "If this happens again, it won't be as simple as just a pay cut!"
The officers and soldiers shouted in unison, "Your Highness, rest assured, we dare not!"
"All of you, step back!"
The soldiers of Yongzhou had no desire to stay there, fearing that the princess might change her mind. After hearing this, they hurriedly ran away.
In an instant, the once crowded area at the foot of Mangshan was now only occupied by the Jinghong Iron Cavalry and the people of Mangshan.
Liu Jinghong said to Su Mochen, "Mochen, His Majesty has ordered me to escort you to Jingzhou to meet up with His Majesty's personal guards. I happen to run into an old friend there. Could you wait for me for a moment?"
Su Mochen nodded and smiled, "Sister, go ahead!"
She had already figured it out. Since the appearance of the Jinghong Iron Cavalry, Lu Li not only wasn't worried, but actually breathed a sigh of relief, which showed that she and Liu Jinghong had known each other for a long time. As for their relationship, Su Mochen didn't know.
Hearing this, Liu Jinghong thanked Su Mochen and turned to walk towards Lu Li.
In the meantime, she also saw Jing Zhe beside her.
Liu Jinghong had been away fighting for many years and didn't care much about a man's appearance, but she still glanced at Jing Zhe a few more times, feeling that his eyes seemed familiar.
At the same time, she was very puzzled: This man seemed to be very close to Princess Mo Chen. Could it be that the princess had found a consort after being away from the capital for several days?
Next, she went to Lu Li's side.
A scene that neither Jing Zhe nor Chen Mo expected unfolded.
Lu Li and Liu Jinghong, who usually present a cool and aloof image, acted like sisters who hadn't seen each other for many years, holding hands and smiling as they talked about something.
Seeing this scene, Jing Zhe, with his wild imagination, couldn't help but think of something else entirely:
These two women...could they be...?
No way, really?
————
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