The Grand Princess was stunned, blood continuously gushing from her wounds. The pain made her body tremble uncontrollably. She couldn't tolerate them; she truly couldn't tolerate them!
But could Xiao Man tolerate them? Once Xiao Man completely controlled Blue Moon, she would kill them all one by one!
"If one lies on another's couch, how can they sleep soundly?" the Grand Princess laughed, tears streaming down her face. "I cannot tolerate you, and Xiao Man cannot tolerate you either. Emperors are inherently suspicious, and she has only just returned to Blue Moon. You, whether in the court or among the populace, command more prestige than she does. One day, you will become a destabilizing factor to her rule, and then she will swiftly eliminate you. I shall await in the netherworld, to see how long you can linger on!"
The Second Princess opened her eyes and glanced at the Grand Princess. She casually took a bow and arrow from a guard, drew the bowstring, and an arrow whistling through the air pierced the Grand Princess's chest.
Blood trickled from the Grand Princess's lips. She looked at the Second Princess with despair, then smiled a strange, chilling smile. "You think killing me will bring you peace of mind? I, Lan Ya, curse you! I curse you to never find peace in any lifetime!"
With the Grand Princess's fall, Jing Shihan's forehead was beaded with cold sweat. The other princesses could not be swayed, and the people they had arranged were likely no match. They had thought capturing Xiao Man would be a simple matter, but now they saw how naive they had been.
Jing Yujun, truly able to bend and stretch, immediately knelt and kowtowed. "Your Majesty, my daughter was merely momentarily misguided, enticed by the Grand Princess, and thus committed such treasonous acts. I beg Your Majesty to forgive my daughter."
Saying this, Jing Yujun quickly pulled Jing Shihan to the ground and knelt. "Please punish us, Your Majesty. It is this subordinate's failure to discipline my daughter that has caused trouble for Your Majesty."
Jing Shihan knelt on the ground blankly, her eyes fixed on Xiao Man. She couldn't understand why, despite their thorough preparations, they were still so vulnerable before Xiao Man, who didn't even seem to regard them as a threat.
"You killed my sister."
Xiao Man thought carefully. "Are you referring to Jing Shiyu?"
"Yes!" Jing Shihan said hatefully. "She was just a child. She merely liked to fool around, yet you killed her!"
"A child?" Xiao Man scoffed. "She is a year older than I am, yet you call her a child. She led people to ambush me; you call it fooling around. I killed her merely for self-preservation, not intentionally. Why do you dwell on it?"
Jing Shihan gritted her teeth. "You killed my sister, so I will avenge my sister..."
"Silence!" Jing Yujun slapped Jing Shihan across the face. "Your Majesty, my two daughters have been close since childhood. She simply cannot accept Little Yu's death, and was thus misled by the Grand Princess into committing such treasonous acts. I implore Your Majesty to forgive my daughter."
Xiao Man looked at Jing Yujun, who was incessantly kowtowing, her eyes cold. If Jing Yujun had spoken these words from the beginning, perhaps she would have spared the mother and daughter. But now, it was too late.
Xiao Man waved her hand. "Let them continue to serve the Empress Dowager of Wencheng."
Jing Shihan looked confused. Was she to be forgiven?
Only Jing Yujun's expression changed drastically. "Your Majesty, spare my life! I beg Your Majesty to spare my life! Your Majesty, I am willing to take my daughter's place. Please spare my daughter's life."
Guards rushed in and apprehended everyone brought by Jing Shihan, including the mother and daughter. Everyone understood that the Empress had been sufficiently lenient with Jing Yujun, allowing her to remain a general. Yet, Jing Yujun was too ungrateful, even indulging her daughter in rebellion. Her life was not lost to palace intrigue or power struggles, but to her own two daughters!
"What do you want to do? Let me go!" Jing Shihan struggled but was no match for them. All those apprehended were thrown into the mausoleum of the Empress Dowager of Wencheng.
As the Dragon Stone fell and the mausoleum was sealed shut, Jing Shihan finally understood. Xiao Man intended for all of them to be buried with the Empress Dowager of Wencheng!
"No! Let me out! Let me out!"
Inside the mausoleum, there was a cacophony of cries, but no one outside could hear. The Dragon Stone blocked out all sounds. Once the Dragon Stone fell, the mausoleum could never be opened again. Those inside would soon die of suffocation.
The Second Princess walked beside the imperial carriage, silent.
Xiao Man glanced at her and said gently, "Do you think I am too cruel?"
"Your Majesty did what is right," the Second Princess replied. "In critical times, extraordinary measures must be taken. If Your Majesty were to be lenient, it would not deter those who are stirring up trouble."
"But you still think I am too cruel," Xiao Man stated with certainty.
"In this matter, only the Grand Princess and the Jing family mother and daughter were in the wrong. Those soldiers were innocent."
"Innocent?" Xiao Man retorted. "Did they not know they were going to rebel, to attack the Emperor?"
The Second Princess opened her mouth. Yes, they knew they were going to rebel, to attack the Emperor. But they still went. If they didn't, Jing Shihan wouldn't let them off. If they did, success meant glory and wealth; failure meant certain death. They could only choose to fight to the death, to gamble for a chance at survival.
"Your Majesty could have spared them."
"I will not spare them," Xiao Man said calmly. "The only thing I can do is not implicate their families."
The Second Princess looked sharply at Xiao Man. Indeed, rebellion was a grave crime that could lead to the implication of one's family. Xiao Man chose to kill one person and spare their families, thus silencing public criticism without unnecessary bloodshed. She had ultimately not considered things thoroughly enough.
"Your Majesty is merciful."
"Merciful?" Xiao Man's expression was somber. "The most I hear is that I am bloodthirsty, cruel, and heartless. This is the first time I have heard someone call me merciful."
"The vision of the common people can only see three inches in front of them, unable to see further. Naturally, they cannot understand Your Majesty's painstaking efforts. I thank Your Majesty on behalf of the families of those people for not pursuing the matter."
"Lan Bing, do you recognize this object?" Xiao Man produced a jade pendant. This pendant was given to her by Steward Tan before he died. She had thought it over carefully; what Steward Tan wanted to say before his death was that this object belonged to the Second Princess, and that the Second Princess was deeply connected to her.
The Second Princess's pupils constricted. She wanted to refute, then thought of the jade pendant Xiao Man wore, and slowly nodded.
Seeing this, Xiao Man straightened her body, looked straight ahead, and her voice softened. "My elder brother should also have a jade pendant like this."
The Second Princess's expression became agitated. "Does Your Majesty's elder brother refer to Xiao Luo?"
Xiao Man slowly nodded. "Yes, my elder brother is Xiao Luo. Although we are not related by blood, we are each other's closest kin."