Although Lord Zhang and his men were highly skilled in martial arts, they gradually fell into a disadvantageous position under the combined attack of Xu Yuehuai and Qi Guze.
After a fierce battle, Lord Zhang was finally subdued by Xu Yuehuai with a single sword strike, and his men surrendered one after another.
"Stop attacking, we surrender!"
"We've laid down our weapons, please don't kill me!"
"I surrender!"
Xu Yuehuai and Qi Guze were highly skilled in martial arts and worked together seamlessly, quickly defeating those people.
Seeing this scene, Lord Zhang's face turned ashen with rage. "You...you..."
"What about us?" Qi Guze asked coldly. "Do you also want to try our methods?"
Lord Zhang's expression changed, and he retreated in fear, "You...you mustn't do anything rash..."
"Seize Lord Zhang!" Qi Guze shouted.
Those people swarmed forward and subdued Lord Zhang.
Xu Yuehuai looked at Lord Zhang and said calmly, "I want to see whose death day it is today."
Lord Zhang was trembling with fear. "You can't treat me like this... I'm an official appointed by the imperial court..."
"So what if you're an official appointed by the imperial court? You've committed countless evils and harmed the people; you've long since lost the right to be a human being," Qi Guze said coldly. "Today, I'll let you taste what it's like to be despised by the world."
They took Lord Zhang to the street and tied him to a pillar.
The people who witnessed this scene exclaimed in surprise, "What's going on?"
"This man is an official appointed by the imperial court, yet he harms the people and commits all sorts of evil deeds," Xu Yuehuai shouted. "Today we will hand him over to the people and let them judge him!"
The people were furious upon hearing this, exclaiming, "How can such a person be fit to be an official of the imperial court?"
"We demand his execution!"
"Yes! Execute him!" They were indignant and demanded that Lord Zhang be executed.
Xu Yuehuai felt very gratified as she watched this scene.
Qi Guze also watched this scene, a glint of admiration flashing in his eyes.
Xu Yuehuai stood on the high platform, facing the bustling crowd, her voice firm and powerful.
She wore a plain white robe, and in the sunlight, she looked like a sacred and inviolable goddess.
Her eyes were filled with determination and compassion.
"Fellow villagers, although I, Xu Yuehuai, have the authority to personally execute Lord Zhang today, I will not easily take his life." She slightly raised her chin, her gaze sweeping over the crowd. "Lord Zhang's crimes should be judged by a higher authority, namely our Emperor."
Upon hearing this, the people immediately began to discuss it amongst themselves.
"Yes, you're absolutely right. His Majesty the Emperor should deal with him!"
"He must be sentenced to death!"
"We absolutely cannot let him continue to wreak havoc on the people!"
"You should take him to His Majesty the Emperor immediately!"
...
Xu Yuehuai raised her hand, signaling everyone to be quiet.
She took a deep breath and looked resolutely into the distance: "I will report this matter to the Emperor and let the scales of justice weigh everything. We just need to wait for the Emperor's decision."
Qi Guze stood aside, silently watching Xu Yuehuai.
He secretly admired her, thinking that this woman was not only beautiful, but also possessed such noble character and a tenacious will.
A sense of respect welled up in his heart, and together with Xu Yuehuai, he suppressed Lord Zhang and walked towards the palace.
Sunlight shone on the palace's golden splendor, reflecting a dazzling light.
Xu Yuehuai and Qi Guze led Lord Zhang through layers of palace gates to the emperor's throne.
The emperor sat upright on the dragon throne, his face dignified.
“Your Majesty,” Xu Yuehua knelt down and reported, “I have brought back the details of Lord Zhang’s crimes. He is the real culprit who murdered the First Prince.”
Upon hearing this, the emperor's face darkened.
He glared at Lord Zhang, a flash of anger in his eyes.
"The Crown Prince was such a good person, I never thought he would be killed by a villain like you."
Immediately, he waved his hand and shouted, "Guards, take Lord Zhang away and execute him immediately!"
Two guards responded and escorted Lord Zhang away.
As Lord Zhang was dragged away, he glared intently at Qi Guze and Xu Yuehuai.
Qi Guze stood in front of Xu Yuehuai, blocking that terrifying gaze.
As dawn broke over the execution ground, a chilly autumn wind gently brushed against the iron chains and wooden stakes.
The walls of the houses surrounding the square are mottled, as if telling the story of the passage of time.
In the center of the execution ground, Lord Zhang, dressed in prison clothes and carrying a heavy wooden cangue, stood with his head bowed and remained silent.
His face looked haggard, but his eyes revealed a firmness and fearlessness.
Suddenly, the sound of galloping hooves broke the morning's tranquility.
A group of people rushed into the execution ground like a storm, their clothes fluttering, and the weapons in their hands gleaming coldly in the sunlight.
They were dressed in black, their faces shrouded in shadow, revealing only their resolute and fervent eyes. Brandishing their swords, they charged straight at Lord Zhang, shattering the previously chilling silence.
The execution ground descended into chaos.
The onlookers screamed in alarm, and the soldiers carrying out the execution frantically grabbed their weapons, unsure how to deal with this sudden turn of events.
Someone in the crowd shouted, "Save Lord Zhang!"
Suddenly, the atmosphere at the execution ground became heavy.
The execution ground instantly transformed into a battlefield. The guarding soldiers hurriedly grabbed their weapons and engaged in combat with the attackers.
The clash of swords and the clang of metal filled the air.
Gasps of surprise rose from the crowd, but more so were resolute shouts and cries of battle.
Lord Zhang froze for a moment, a flicker of gratitude in his eyes. He struggled to his feet, attempting to join the battle. However, the moment he moved, a tall warhorse blocked his path.
Xu Yuehuai stared in astonishment at the group of uninvited guests; their courage and determination surprised her.
"Who are you? How dare you intrude into the execution ground!" a soldier shouted, but the only response was the crisp sound of clashing swords.
The execution ground was filled with a tense atmosphere; every clash of swords was terrifying.
The soldiers tried their best to restrain Lord Zhang, but the enemy's offensive was so fierce that they could hardly resist.
Xu Yuehuai carefully observed the fighting style of this group, trying to find out their origins and purpose.
During the fierce fight, Xu Yuehuai spotted several familiar figures.
Those were several once-renowned figures in the martial arts world, who risked their lives to rescue Lord Zhang.
The guards stood ready, their eyes resolute, gripping their weapons tightly, trying to stop the hostage situation.
However, the invaders were a group of well-trained and highly skilled warriors who coordinated their attacks seamlessly.
After a fierce battle, the defending soldiers were gradually driven back and suffered a series of defeats.
The group acted swiftly, shielding Lord Zhang in the center. They leaped onto their warhorses and broke through the guards' lines with lightning speed, galloping away into the distance.
The center of the execution ground was instantly turned into a mess, with guards lying on the ground and weapons scattered everywhere.
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