webnovelvip Chapter 504 The imperial edict was issued, the Imperial Guards arrived, and Zhao Tianci was stunned!
Chapter 504 The imperial edict was issued, the Imperial Guards arrived, and Zhao Tianci was stunned!
Yunluan took out a blank imperial edict from her sleeve, then took out a pen, and respectfully presented it to Qin Mu with both hands.
Qin Mu took the imperial edict and pen, laid them on the stone table beside him, picked up the pen, dipped it in ink, and the pen tip fell on the paper with a rustling sound.
His handwriting is vigorous and powerful, with strokes as sharp as iron hooks and silver lines; each character is like a knife.
He finished writing, put down his pen, and handed the imperial edict to Yunluan.
Yunluan accepted the imperial edict, unfolded it, cleared her throat, and spoke in a clear and solemn voice that echoed in the quiet courtyard.
"By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: The Zhao family of Jiangnan is arrogant and domineering, bullying men and women, committing heinous crimes. Their eldest son, Zhao Tianze, has committed acts of violence in the streets, forcibly abducting women, instigating brawls, and showing utter disregard for the law; his crimes deserve execution. The Zhao clan has failed in its discipline, indulging its members in bringing calamity to the village; their crimes are unforgivable. Therefore, the entire clan, including nine generations, is to be exterminated, and their property confiscated, as a warning to others. So be it!"
The moment the words left his mouth, the courtyard fell into a deathly silence.
The silence lasted a long time, long enough for the sunlight to have moved an inch behind the clouds, long enough for someone in the courtyard to swallow hard.
Everyone was utterly shocked, their eyes wide open, their mouths slightly agape, and dry swallowing sounds escaping their throats.
From the courier to the commander beside Chen Wanqing, from the guards to her two maids, everyone was frozen in place, unable to move, as if they had been struck by acupuncture points.
They couldn't believe their ears!
Imperial edict?
Does that mean that the extraordinary young man before us is the Emperor of Qin?
The courier's legs gave way, and he collapsed to the ground with a thud, his face ashen, his lips trembling violently, unable to utter a single word.
The guards looked at each other, their eyes filled with disbelief and shock.
Within the territory of the Qin Dynasty, would anyone really dare to forge an imperial edict and impersonate His Majesty?
Isn't that a dead end?
Moreover, who else but His Majesty could possess the imposing aura of this young master?
The commander's hand rested on the hilt of his sword, the veins on the back of his hand bulging.
His mind was blank, with only one thought echoing wildly within him.
His Majesty has arrived? His Majesty is actually here?
The two maids trembled all over, like two frightened rabbits, at a loss for what to do.
Chen Wanqing already knew Qin Mu's identity, but at this moment she still managed to put on a shocked expression, her mouth slightly open and her eyes wide open, as if she were hearing the news for the first time.
Her performance was just right, neither exaggerated nor stiff, like an ordinary woman who was frightened.
Of course, the most shocked person was Zhao Tianci.
He had considered that he might have messed with a tough opponent, but he never expected that he had messed with such a big, tough opponent that even his father couldn't afford to mess with.
No, even if you dragged out all 180 generations of his ancestors, they would still be a tough nut to crack!
The other party was the Emperor of Qin, a ruler who controlled the world and held the power of life and death.
The moment Zhao Tianci realized this, he was completely dumbfounded.
His mind was completely blank, as blank as a sheet of paper!
He even wondered if he was having a nightmare, a terrifying nightmare from which he could never wake up.
Zhao Tianci's lips trembled violently, his face was ashen, and he shook his head listlessly, his voice hoarse and broken.
"Impossible... This is absolutely impossible..."
Even now, a last glimmer of hope remained in his heart.
This young master is just deceiving him, just trying to scare him; he can't possibly be the real Emperor.
Then, the next moment, heavy footsteps suddenly came from outside the post station.
The footsteps were orderly and deep, like drumbeats, like thunder, like a thousand troops marching across a stone bridge.
Everyone turned their heads sharply and looked toward the gate of the post station.
A group of armored soldiers poured in from outside the courtyard gate. Their silver armor gleamed coldly in the sunlight. Spears stood like a forest, and blades were as sharp as frost. Their steps were perfectly synchronized, like a precisely operating killing machine.
They filed in and quickly occupied advantageous positions around the courtyard, completely surrounding the post station.
Leading the group was a burly general with a resolute face, a short beard, wearing black iron armor, and a long sword at his waist.
He strode up to Qin Mu, knelt on one knee, the clanging of his armor producing a crisp metallic scraping sound, clasped his hands in a fist salute, and bowed his head, his voice loud and respectful.
"Your Majesty, I arrived late to escort you, causing you great distress. I deserve to die! Please punish me!"
The soldiers behind him knelt down in unison, the clanging of their armor echoing rhythmically and dully in the silent courtyard.
"Greetings, Your Majesty! Long live Your Majesty!"
Everyone was utterly shocked by what they saw.
These armored soldiers could not possibly be a second force other than the soldiers and army of the Qin Dynasty.
That chilling aura, that well-trained military bearing, is something no martial arts sect or aristocratic family's private army can imitate.
The murderous aura emanating from that general was something that someone who had never been on the battlefield could never possess.
When Zhao Tianci saw this scene, the last glimmer of hope in his heart vanished like a candle blown out by the wind, leaving no trace of its smoke.
His legs buckled, and he collapsed to the ground, his knees hitting the bluestone slab with a dull thud.
His eyes were filled with despair, like a stagnant pool, devoid of any vitality.
He had only one thought in his mind.
It’s over.
It’s over.
It's completely over.
Qin Mu looked down at the general kneeling before him, his gaze calm and his voice indifferent.
"I will spare you this time. Take this imperial edict and carry it out."
The general shuddered, his forehead touched the ground, and his voice trembled slightly with excitement.
"Thank you for your great kindness, Your Majesty!"
He stood up, took the imperial edict from Yunluan, and held it in both hands as if it were a mountain.
He turned to face his men, his voice booming like a bell. "Men, seize Zhao Tianci!"
Four soldiers quickly stepped forward, grabbed Zhao Tianci's arms on either side, and dragged him up from the ground.
Zhao Tianci finally woke up as if from a dream, struggling desperately, kicking his legs wildly, his voice sharp and mournful, echoing in the silent courtyard.
"Your Majesty, spare me! Your Majesty, spare me! I know I was wrong! I will never dare to do it again!"
No one listened to what he had to say, and no one dared to plead for him.
He was carried out of the yard by the soldiers like a dead dog.
His shouts grew fainter and fainter until they finally disappeared at the end of the official road.
The general turned around, faced Qin Mu, and bowed again with clasped hands.
"Your Majesty, I shall take my leave now."
Qin Mu waved his hand.
The general straightened up, turned around, and led his soldiers out in single file. The sound of their footsteps gradually faded into the distance and disappeared on the official road.
The post station finally returned to peace.
All eyes were on Qin Mu, filled with awe, fear, and disbelief.
Chen Wanqing was the first to react.
Her knees buckled, and she knelt on the ground with a thud, her forehead touching the cold stone slab. Her long hair slipped from her shoulders and spread out on the ground.
Her voice was hoarse, with a slight, suppressed tremor.
"This humble woman... greets Your Majesty."
Her voice was soft, yet exceptionally clear in the deathly silent courtyard.
The commander seemed to wake from a dream, and immediately knelt down, his forehead touching the ground.
One by one, the guards knelt down in complete silence.
Two maids knelt behind Chen Wanqing, trembling all over, not daring to lift their heads.
The courier was the last to react. He scrambled to his feet, then knelt down with a thud, his forehead hitting the ground with a loud thud, his voice shrill with fear.
"This...this humble servant was unaware of Your Majesty's arrival, utterly blind and disrespectful, I beg Your Majesty to spare my life! I beg Your Majesty to spare my life!"
Qin Mu looked at the people kneeling on the ground, his gaze calm as still water, and the corners of his mouth slightly upturned.
To be honest, this kind of pleasure is very low-level.
But for some reason, it really felt great.
No wonder he liked watching TV dramas about people traveling incognito before he time-traveled; it turns out they were really quite enjoyable.
Qin Mu smiled, looking at Chen Wanqing kneeling on the ground, his voice calm.
"Get up. Now that I have demanded your innocence, I will naturally take responsibility for you."
A surge of immense joy welled up in Chen Wanqing's heart!
Because that's exactly what she wanted to hear, from the moment she mustered the courage to knock on that door last night, from the moment she fell into his arms under the influence of alcohol, from the moment she closed her eyes and offered herself to him.
That's exactly what she was waiting for.
But Chen Wanqing did not show any expression of ecstasy on her face.
She bit her lip hard, suppressing her surging excitement little by little, and forced a look of gratitude and overwhelming flattery.
"This humble woman...kowtows to express her gratitude for Your Majesty's great kindness."
Qin Mu looked at her kneeling on the ground, smiled, and said:
"Still calling herself a commoner?"
Chen Wanqing was stunned for a moment, her pupils contracted slightly, and then that turned into a deeper surprise.
She quickly changed her tune, her forehead touching the ground, her voice even more respectful and humble than before, trembling as she said:
"Your Majesty, I am deeply grateful for your great kindness."
When the words "臣妾" (your humble servant) slipped from her tongue, her heart felt as if it were being held in someone's hands, warm and soft, like it was soaking in lukewarm water.
Qin Mu smiled, turned his head, and glanced at the commanders, guards, and maids who were still kneeling on the ground.
"Rise, all of you. You have all served your duty by protecting us along the way, and I will reward you all."
The people kneeling on the ground looked at each other, their eyes filled with shock and disbelief.
They couldn't believe their ears.
They also received rewards?
They were just ordinary guards and maids, yet they were able to receive a reward from His Majesty.
The commander knelt on the ground, mouth agape, unable to utter a word for a long time.
He had only one thought in his mind.
Did they rise to the top overnight by following this young lady?
The guards exchanged glances and saw the ecstasy in each other's eyes.
Chen Wanqing felt a little anxious when she saw that everyone was still stunned.
She raised her head, her gaze sweeping over the stunned guards and maids, a hint of urgency in her voice.
"What are you all standing there for? Hurry up and thank His Majesty for his great favor!"
The crowd then seemed to awaken from a dream, and they all knelt down, their foreheads touching the cold stone slab, their voices trembling:
"Thank you for your great kindness, Your Majesty! Thank you for your great kindness, Your Majesty!"
Qin Mu looked at the people kneeling on the ground, smiled, and said nothing more.
He turned around and walked towards his room.
The women followed him in single file.
In the courtyard, the sunlight grew brighter and brighter, bathing the kneeling figures in a pale golden light.
Chen Wanqing stood up, looked at the door that was open for her, a slight smile appeared on her lips, and a look of relief flashed in her eyes.
She finally did it.