The prince covered his face and screamed: "There is an assassin——"
Below the city wall, the situation became increasingly chaotic.
"They don't even dare to enter the city when the prince comes. It's obvious that they want to lock us up in the city and wait for us to die. Let us out!"
"Yes, let us out, we want to get out, we want to live——"
People came from all directions, and more and more people gathered in front of the city gate, with a faint sign of breaking through the city gate.
Minister Zhao glared at the stupid Qianhe County Magistrate and said to the Crown Prince, "Your Highness, please get down from the city wall first."
The prince was too busy to respond.
It's too dangerous! Are these villains crazy? They even dare to attack the prince!
Minister Zhao protected the prince as he retreated from the city wall, but Yu Jin did not move.
A bloody conflict had already broken out at the city gate.
Seeing a man about to break down the city gate, the gatekeeper could no longer bear it and picked up a spear to strike him.
The man was stabbed in the chest, screamed, and his head hung down.
This commotion immediately calmed the people who were rushing to the city gate.
Normally, these unarmed civilians would never dare to confront the soldiers head-on, but they had no choice but to resist when faced with the threat of death.
Suddenly realizing that someone around them had died tragically, the crowd fell silent.
Yu Jin grabbed the prince who was climbing up the ladder to the outside of the city and said, "Brother, you need to say something about this situation, otherwise a bigger conflict will break out."
The prince quickly shook off Yu Jin's hand and said, "Don't be ridiculous. I didn't say anything and yet you attacked me. If I say another word, the attack on me will become a sharp arrow!"
Yu Jin curled his lips and said, "Second brother, you worry too much. Where can the people affected by the disaster get sharp arrows? There are not many broken shoes left."
"No, absolutely not!" The prince pulled out his sleeves and hurriedly climbed down the ladder.
After a brief silence at the city gate, a woman holding a child began to cry out, "Hu Wa's father, you can't die. What will happen to the children if you die?"
The boy in the woman's arms burst into tears.
Suddenly, the woman hugged the boy and rushed to the city gate, shouting frantically: "Please have mercy, I won't go out, please let my son go out, my son is not sick, really not sick——"
Several spears were placed in front of the woman.
The woman pushed the child in her arms onto a soldier and said, "Please save my child. He is obviously a good child. He cannot stay in the city to die... I won't leave. I won't leave even if you ask me to. I still have to go back to take care of Niuniu..."
The soldiers looked reluctant at the woman's cry, but they could not disobey their superior's order. As the woman pushed the child forward, they stabbed the child subconsciously with the spear in their hand. By the time they reacted and pulled back, the child had already been stabbed and let out a terrifying cry.
“Tiger head, my tiger head!” Holding the bloody child, the woman finally collapsed. She lowered her head and rushed towards the spear, “You beasts might as well kill me too. Our family will be reunited——”
Yu Jin's eyes narrowed, and he picked up the broken shoe that was thrown at the prince and threw it out.
The broken shoe hit the woman's knee, and her legs went limp and she fell to the ground.
All this happened in a flash, and the people thought that the woman and the child had been stabbed to death by the spears of the gatekeepers.
If the death of the man temporarily intimidated the people, the death of the women and children released the violence in their hearts.
What hope do they have when the soldiers who are supposed to be protecting their country and its people are turning their knives and guns on women and children?
There is no other way except to save yourself.
The crowd became increasingly riotous.
Yu Jin cursed: "These idiots!"
The situation could have been controlled, and the bloodshed could have been avoided if the prince had said a few appropriate words. However, the prince fled at the first opportunity, and the situation began to get out of control.
"Bow and arrow!" Yu Jin stretched out his hand.
Long Dan at the side immediately handed over a longbow and quiver.
Yu Jin took out an arrow from the quiver, quickly bent the bow and pulled the string, and the arrow flew out like a meteor.
The sharp arrow broke through the air and headed straight for the tall bell tower.
"Buzz--" A solemn and melodious bell sounded suddenly, echoing throughout the city.
Two more arrows were shot out in succession, and the bell rang again, spreading even farther.
When the drums sound, the city gates close and everyone goes to sleep; when the bells ring, the city gates open and people begin their day's work.
The people in the city were used to hearing the morning bells and evening drums, but since the disaster, they had never heard the bells that symbolized dawn again.
Without dawn, there is only darkness.
The people stood there in a daze, somewhat bewildered, and then involuntarily followed the path of the arrow and looked at the young man standing on the city wall.
The young man drawing the bow and arrow was facing the light, so his face could not be seen clearly, but his tall and straight figure like a poplar could be seen.
Seeing that the situation was under control, Yu Jin jumped down from the city wall with a sullen face.
"Your Majesty!" Minister Zhao, who had not yet had the chance to leave, was horrified.
The city wall, which was less than two meters high, was easily accessible to Yu Jin, who climbed onto the ground and in front of the common people.
"I am the seventh son of the current emperor, Prince Yan." Yu Jin said, striding towards them.
The people involuntarily made way for him.
Yu Jin walked over with an expressionless face, came to the woman who had fallen in the grass by the roadside, bent down and picked up the boy who was so scared that he forgot to cry.
The boy's shoulder was still bleeding.
"Long Dan!" Yu Jin shouted.
Long Dan, who had already jumped down the city wall with Yu Jin, ran over and asked, "Prince?"
"Bandage the boy's wound."
Long Dan hurriedly took the boy over.
As soon as the boy was in Longdan's arms, he burst into tears.
The disaster victims, who were originally despair and numb, smiled happily when they heard the crying children.
It turns out that the doll is fine!
Human hearts are so strange. For these disaster victims who saw no way out, the death of the boy they thought was the last straw that broke the camel's back. But when they knew the child was still alive, the hope of life quietly grew like spring buds.
Soon, the woman who fell on the grass got up and looked at Yu Jin in panic.
Yu Jin smiled generously and said gently, "Don't worry, sister-in-law. I will take your child out of the city and settle him down."
"Really?" The woman's eyes flashed with intense surprise.
"I am here with the Crown Prince to visit you all on the orders of the Emperor. Naturally, I will not make promises lightly. Sister-in-law, do you believe me?"
The woman looked at the young man's handsome face and nodded vigorously: "I believe it--"
She was halfway through her words when she suddenly burst into tears.
When he cried, countless people followed suit.
They just stood there, wiping their tears with their hands. Men, women, young and old, all burst into tears.
Such a scene was quite strange, almost unheard of, but also extremely shocking.
At least Minister Zhao was shocked.
Since he was appointed as the chief officer to command the disaster relief efforts, he was naturally considered an capable official in the eyes of Emperor Jingming. His previous preparations for the retreat with the crown prince were an act of helplessness, as he was severely held back by the crown prince.
Looking at the young man jumping into the city, Minister Zhao rolled up his sleeves.
Even the Prince of Yan was willing to sacrifice his own life, so what could he be?