Jing Ye led a group of over ten palace guards out of the palace, first heading to the location in Taicheng where the Gouquan envoys were staying. There, he executed all nine envoys and, without pause, raced to the Cang Guard camp. He mobilized five hundred Cang Guard soldiers, leading them to the site where the Gouquan envoys and their guards were stationed outside the city. In a swift strike, all one hundred thirty Gouquan soldiers were slain.
Following Ji Xia's orders, the bodies were neatly hung on the city walls for display.
The people of Taicheng were curious upon seeing the numerous Gouquan corpses strung up on the walls. Beside the bodies, a proclamation had been posted, though few of Taicheng's citizens could read, leaving them puzzled and murmuring amongst themselves.
A young woman, dressed in the attire of a palace maid, happened to pass by. Upon noticing the crowd gathered around the proclamation, one of the citizens called out, "Hey, young lady from the palace! Can you read the notice for us? We can't make sense of it."
The maidservant, who appeared to be about seventeen or eighteen years old, was not strikingly beautiful but had a graceful and pleasant appearance. Hearing the call, she hesitated briefly before turning her attention to the proclamation.
The crowd encouraged her, "You're a palace maid, surely you can read. Tell us what it says, why are there so many Gouquan bodies hanging here?"
The maidservant nodded and walked up to the notice. After reading it for a moment, she spoke aloud, "Recently, a Gouquan envoy came to Taicang, demanding ten million catties of grain and insulting the people of Taicang. The King was furious and recalled the times when Gouquan repeatedly killed our envoys during the reign of the late King. As a result, the Cang Guard was ordered to execute the Gouquan envoys and display their bodies on the city walls."
The crowd gasped in shock.
The message was brief, but for the citizens of Taicang, it hit like a thunderclap.
"What? Gouquan has gone mad?"
"Ten million catties of grain? What will we eat then?"
"We've barely scraped by for over a year, and now they want to starve us to death?"
"Isn't it the right time to strike back? The King has been chosen by the Great Wind and is the will of the boundless wilderness! With the divine weapons granted to him, during the recent battle, he personally beheaded six thousand Gouquan soldiers!"
"Have they forgotten all this?"
"I remember those six envoys who died at Gouquan's hands—they were pillars of Taicang!"
"Exactly! These Gouquan people are always scheming to take advantage of Taicang. How dare they send envoys to demand grain!"
"Kill them all!"
But some were more anxious:
"But what if Gouquan gets angry and sends an army to attack Taicang? Without the Cang Guard, can we even match their strength?"
Their concerns were quickly dismissed by another voice:
"Do the nobles of Taicang not see? Of course, the King has considered all risks before making such a bold move! He wouldn't act without certainty!"
"Exactly! The King is wise! Killing them was the right decision!"
The citizens of Taicang began discussing the young King's actions, their voices rising. As they remembered the deaths of the six envoys, they felt an overwhelming sense of relief and satisfaction—finally, Gouquan's retribution had come!
"The King is brilliant! His determination is unmatched! After only a month on the throne, he avenged the six envoys and brought justice to Taicang!"
In the midst of the crowd, a loud, clear voice rang out:
"Great Wind protect the King!"
"Great Wind protect the King!"
"Great Wind protect the King!"
In no time, similar cries spread throughout the crowd, and soon they all merged into one deafening roar:
"Great Wind protect the King!"
The citizens of Taicang, watching the gruesome sight of the Gouquan corpses hanging from the city walls, felt their hearts swell with pride. From initial doubt, they were now filled with awe and recognition for their young King. His rapid rise to power had stirred their spirits, and they felt a deep surge of confidence in his leadership.
The palace maid, smiling as she watched the crowd's reaction, felt a deep sense of pride. As a Taicang citizen and one of the King's personal attendants, she took great pride in his actions. It was not just his appearance and kindness that impressed her, but also his commanding presence when confronting his ministers and making decisions that resonated with the people.
"Not only is the King handsome and kind, but he commands respect even when reprimanding his ministers. I wonder who will be lucky enough to marry him."
The maid continued walking, her thoughts drifting. Soon, she arrived at her destination.
As a palace servant, her position was quite high, with numerous privileges. Her family could now enjoy two meals a day, a luxury that had been almost impossible in the past. She was also able to visit home occasionally, though she could not stay overnight. Still, spending a few hours there was a blessing.
"I wonder if Father's leg injury has healed. I've been meaning to ask the King for some medicine, but he's so busy, I didn't want to trouble him."
She muttered to herself as she entered the courtyard of her home.
The courtyard was modest, with a few stone houses typical of Taicang, and the traces of moss suggested they were quite old. A small vegetable patch was cultivated with some fruits and vegetables—common in most homes, though the poor soil meant that the yield was always minimal.
The maid frowned as she looked around the desolate courtyard. In the past, whenever she came home, her younger brother, only two years younger than her, would eagerly greet her, and her parents would smile with joy through the windows.
Today, something felt different.
With a furrowed brow, she hurried towards the house.
There was no one in her parents' room, but the table was set with leftover food—something that was almost unheard of in Taicang. The people of Taicang never wasted food. In a land where famine was a constant threat, leftovers were a rare occurrence.
"Something's wrong..." she thought anxiously. She rushed out of the room and toward the door, intending to go to the Taicheng City Guard Bureau, which wasn't far away.
Suddenly, a figure leaped out from behind her. Spiritual energy surged, binding her body and rendering her immobile. It felt as though her throat was being constricted, and she couldn't make a sound.
As her mind grew hazy, she heard a cold, stern voice.
"Don't make a sound, or..."