But he was kicked back several times.
Su Wanyan remained expressionless, because the first maid to beg for mercy was one of the ones who had put laxatives in Yu Nanqing's medicine some time ago.
Su Wanyan looked at her and suddenly smiled: "Was it fun to drug the prince?"
Upon hearing this, the maid froze, forgetting even to beg for mercy, and stared blankly at Su Wanyan.
She actually knew?
She thought that since Su Wanyan didn't pursue the matter, it was over...
Su Wanyan ignored her and asked, "What are the punishments for plotting against the prince?"
She was just asking casually, and she wasn't specifically asking any particular person.
They understood immediately, and one of the soldiers replied, "To plot against a member of the royal family is a crime punishable by death."
Su Wanyan looked at the soldier who had spoken: "Then I'll leave it to you."
Upon hearing this, the soldier tightened his clenched fist, gritted his teeth, stepped forward, grabbed the maid's head, and twisted it. A crisp cracking sound came from the bones, and without even a cry, the maid's head was broken off.
She fell straight to the ground and made no sound.
"Ah—" Everyone watched this scene in horror, their faces turning pale with fright.
Su Wanyan slowly spoke: "It seems there are a few accomplices as well."
"Spare me! Your Highness, spare me!" Before Su Wanyan could say anything, the other three who had drugged Yu Nanqing were already kneeling on the ground, confessing without being asked.
Without any hesitation, the soldiers went straight up and took care of them.
At this point, no one dared to act recklessly anymore. Those who had initially been defiant all knelt on the ground, trembling, not daring to even breathe loudly.
In just a quarter of an hour, all the people sent by Emperor Yuanhe were brought out. Apart from the four who were dealt with on the spot, more than ten knelt in front of her.
The remaining ones standing were the ones Wang Zhang had added to the yard these past few days.
Everyone, whether they were Emperor Yuanhe's men or those bought back by Wang Zhang, turned deathly pale.
Su Wanyan crossed her legs and said, "These people are dishonest, forming cliques, disobeying their masters, and committing treason. All the women will be sold to brothels, and all the men will be punished with a hundred strokes of the cane and thrown out of the mansion."
"No! Your Highness, spare me! Your Highness, spare me!"
As soon as Su Wanyan finished speaking, both men and women begged for mercy, and some collapsed to the ground, their hearts filled with despair.
Having witnessed the whole thing, Wang Zhang stepped forward and waved his hand, saying, "What are you all standing there for? Didn't you hear what the Empress said?"
Immediately, a large number of guards appeared out of nowhere outside the courtyard and dragged away all the people sent by Emperor Yuanhe.
The remaining people trembled and kept their heads down, not daring to even lift their eyes.
Once the courtyard quieted down, Su Wanyan spoke: "I am not a tyrannical person. If you work obediently in the Prince's mansion and do not have any improper thoughts, I will not make things difficult for you. But if you harbor any disloyal intentions, then these people will be your fate in the future."
Seeing that they were too frightened to respond, Wang Zhang stepped forward again and shouted, "Didn't you all hear what the Princess Consort said?"
"Yes, I...I heard it." The fragmented responses were completely disjointed, indicating that everyone was terrified.
Su Wanyan looked at the five soldiers and said, "From today onwards, you are responsible for finding out anyone in the Prince's mansion who has ulterior motives. However, I don't mind keeping those who are willing to follow me."
"Yes!" The five soldiers immediately knelt on one knee.
Now that you've made your choice, you can't hesitate any longer.
“You’ve all been frightened today.” Su Wanyan instructed, “Qiuye, go to the storeroom and get some silver, two taels each, as a token of my appreciation for their fright.”
Su Wanyan never imagined that she would learn the art of using both kindness and severity so easily.
Upon hearing this, everyone's eyes lit up, and a brief discussion ensued.
This discussion, however, was different from what had just taken place; it was tinged with a hint of joy, instantly dispelling some of the shock they had just experienced.
"Yes." Akiba Fukuri.
"Disperse, everyone," Su Wanyan ordered.
Then everyone bowed in unison, saying, "Yes, thank you, Your Highness."
In the blink of an eye, the courtyard, which had just been crowded with people, was empty.
Su Wanyan looked up at the sky. The autumn wind was crisp and the sky was clear and cloudless. She leaned back in the armchair, her expression somewhat melancholy.
"Yan'er doesn't seem very happy?"
Yu Nanqing's voice came from the side.
He thought she would be happy after dealing with these people, but she looked even more worried.
"Call me Su Wanyan." Su Wanyan let out a soft sigh, as if she had no energy left to argue with him. She slumped down in the armchair, completely losing her composure.
She stretched out her legs, looked up at the sky with a bored expression, and slowly said, "Today at the Princess's residence, I watched with my own eyes as the Princess killed someone in front of me. The method... was like killing a chicken for the New Year, bloody and effortless."
Yu Nanqing's eyes darkened as he observed Su Wanyan's expression.
Whether it was because she was sleepy or because the light from the sky was a bit too bright, Su Wanyan slowly closed her eyes and said, "At the time, I thought the Princess was ruthless, but I never expected that I would do the same thing as her in the blink of an eye."
“If you don’t like it, then you don’t need to do these things anymore. I will instruct Wang Zhang to make arrangements, or someone else will do.” Yu Nanqing’s tone was somewhat urgent.
He always thought Su Wanyan was enjoying herself, or rather, he always thought Su Wanyan had all the decision-making power.
Little did she know that before she married into the family, she was just a young woman waiting to be married, and had never experienced such a scene before.
"I can't say whether I like it or not," Su Wanyan said softly. "I just marvel at how wielding great power really allows one to do whatever one wants. Even taking someone's life only requires me to say a word."
It doesn't require going through government offices or any evidence.
She suddenly understood why some people become increasingly obsessed with power; the feeling of having the power of life and death can indeed make people sink into it.
She wasn't being dramatic, nor was she regretting her decision.
Because she understood that this power could be used to do whatever it wanted, she had to be even more careful. Given the chance, Emperor Yuanhe and the eldest princess would certainly not show any mercy.
If these people aren't dealt with today, she might be devoured by them tomorrow, leaving not even a trace.
A thousand-mile dike can be destroyed by an ant hole.
Emperor Yuanhe and the eldest princess were still in the open, but these maids and servants were like invisible ants, biting her at any time and in any place, causing her and even the entire Prince Gong's Mansion to be destroyed.
She certainly hesitated, but she didn't want to die.
"Su Wanyan..." For some reason, Yu Nanqing felt a little flustered.
She doesn't like it.
Even if she didn't say it, he could tell that Su Wanyan didn't like this kind of thing.
He reached out his slightly trembling hand, hesitated, but still gently grasped her slender wrist.
As if afraid she would run away, he felt he had to hold her hand: "From now on... I'll take care of these things, you..."
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