Chapter 143: The Duke's Fury, Terrifying Killing Intent, Four Thousand Heads Fall to the Ground!

Inside the village.

Li Lengxin lay on the ground, his eyes already filled with fear, no trace of arrogance left.

He was the local tyrant of the northwest, having done many bad deeds; what he did the day before yesterday was not considered outrageous for him.

But he never expected to fall into Gu Jin Nian's hands.

And at this moment.

Following Gu Jin Nian's order, several soldiers directly lifted Li Lengxin up, and then some villagers brought coarse salt.

Under Gu Jin Nian's gaze, the coarse salt was evenly applied to Li Lengxin's body.

In an instant, a more miserable scream rang out.

On the wound soaked in blood, the coarse salt adhered; this pain was the utmost extreme.

Li Lengxin's whole body trembled, an instinctive bodily shudder he could not suppress.

This extreme punishment made the surrounding onlookers feel a bit horrified.

Li Long and the others weren't frowning due to cruelty; mainly because Li Lengxin's identity was extraordinary.

For such a person, a light punishment would suffice, but carrying out this extreme punishment—speaking bluntly—if Prince Ning finds out, will he cause trouble?

Fortunately, Gu Jin Nian is also an heir apparent, and his status is higher than Li Lengxin's.

Otherwise, regarding this matter, everyone present would be unable to escape responsibility.

Li Lengxin wished he were dead.

But there was also a group who wished they were dead; whoever participated in this matter, Gu Jin Nian did not intend to let anyone off.

After tormenting him for over an hour.

Finally, Gu Jin Nian stretched out his hand, making everyone stop.

Then, Gu Jin Nian approached Li Lengxin, infused a strand of spiritual energy, and his consciousness gradually cleared.

"Li Lengxin."

"This heir apparent asks you."

"If you answer truthfully, I can give you a quick death, considering you are of the Da Xia royal family."

"But if you refuse to admit, if this heir apparent investigates and finds proof, I will certainly let you personally experience the ten great tortures."

Gu Jin Nian's expression was serious; he was not joking. If Li Lengxin honestly admitted, the due punishment would be given, and letting him die happily would be normal.

But if he did not honestly admit, Gu Jin Nian would make him wish he were dead.

"Let me see my father; as long as I see my father, I will confess everything."

Li Lengxin almost spoke through gritted teeth.

The reason for gritting his teeth was not hatred for Gu Jin Nian, but the pain was too unbearable; without gritting his teeth, he could not focus to answer.

"You have no qualification to negotiate terms with me."

"Explain the origins and details clearly, and I can let you see your father before you die."

Gu Jin Nian spoke lightly.

"If I admit, can you then let me see my father?"

Li Lengxin spoke; he no longer cared about admitting or not, he just wanted to see his own father.

Just being able to see before death would suffice.

As long as he sees his own father, he can guarantee Gu Jin Nian cannot kill him.

But now he truly fears Gu Jin Nian wants to kill him.

"I promise you."

Gu Jin Nian knew what Li Lengxin was thinking, but it was irrelevant; he had said that even if Prince Ning came, Li Lengxin would still die.

"I admit."

"These things I did."

Li Lengxin drew a deep breath; he was in so much pain he doubted life, and his speech trembled.

"Tell the whole process."

Gu Jin Nian's voice was cold.

Merely admitting was useless; he wanted Li Lengxin to explain the origins and details.

However, to let Li Lengxin speak, Gu Jin Nian infused immortal dao power, making him less suffering.

Thus, Li Lengxin could now speak normally.

However, his voice still trembled as he recounted the whole story.

They were indeed searching for enemy spies, but this matter had little to do with them; rather, they knew someone had stolen secrets from Prince Ning's manor.

Therefore, he voluntarily took the lead, leading six thousand iron cavalry to begin the search.

In the name of searching for spies, it was actually to show off military might; coincidentally, they came to a village and saw someone marrying a bride.

Li Lengxin saw she had some looks, and since the other party was pure and innocent, he harbored lustful thoughts and directly defiled her.

As for the maid of honor, he rewarded her to his subordinates.

"Jin Nian Lao Di."

"I was truly muddle-headed at the time; after doing it, I also regretted greatly."

"I immediately compensated three thousand taels of silver to their family; three thousand taels of silver is enough to buy ten brides."

"Jin Nian Lao Di, elder brother admits fault in this matter; the punishment you just gave, elder brother will certainly not hold a grudge."

"This can also be considered a lesson for elder brother."

"Thus, I have my mother bring out one hundred thousand taels of gold to improve the locals' livelihood; what do you think?"

"I can guarantee that from now on they need not worry about food and clothing; every family's children can attend private school; one hundred thousand taels of gold will definitely compensate everything."

Li Lengxin spoke.

Now his consciousness had fully recovered, and he immediately looked at Gu Jin Nian, saying everything that was in his heart.

Li Lengxin was very clever; he knew that Gu Jin Nian cared about the common folk, but he knew even better what the common folk needed.

Even if we take a step back, the person is already dead; they want revenge, want to vindicate, but in truth it means little.

If we could improve their quality of life, people are selfish; splitting a hundred thousand taels of gold would mean they never have to worry about living again, and their descendants could even go to school.

That would benefit everyone.

Indeed.

As Li Lengxin spoke, many people were stirred; the older generation was fine, half a foot already in the coffin, and they had little interest in such money.

But the middle‑aged were each wildly excited, breathing a little fast, perhaps already having made plans or calculating how much gold they could get.

This is the terrifying part of the privileged.

Even if one does something wrong, once he produces a sizable amount of silver, everything he has done will be forgiven.

Silver means nothing to those who are not lacking.

But for ordinary commoners, it means a great deal.

Listening to Li Lengqiu's words.

Gu Jin Nian felt a chill in his heart.

This is certainly not Li Lengqiu's first time doing this; to put it bluntly, the fact that he can say such things proves he has long been prepared for trouble.

If today the one who came were not Gu Jin Nian but a Great Scholar, it would probably truly cause a shake.

"Sir, actually we don't think it's impossible; if compensation can be given, we can plead for this matter."

"Yes, the person is already dead; we will give them a grand burial and visit the tomb each year, which counts as a final completeness."

Some voices finally could not hold back and rose.

They were the voices of the common folk.

A hundred thousand taels of gold was an overwhelming impact for them.

It equals a million taels of silver, ten million copper coins.

It is equivalent to two ordinary people's lives, for a hundred million.

How many people can stay unmoved before a figure of one hundred million?

Especially these impoverished commoners, still living in such ruins; their monthly income is probably less than ten taels of silver.

This astronomical figure makes them cast aside all resentment, replaced by inner desire.

By calculation, even if both villages are fully counted, there are only five or six hundred people; divided evenly, each could receive two hundred taels of gold, i. e., two hundred thousand copper coins per person.

Twenty years of net income.

And this is already per capita; if divided per household, it would be at least six or seven hundred taels of gold, equivalent to sixty years' income.

They were shaken.

They were truly shaken.

"This matter cannot be solved with silver."

"Murder demands a life in return."

"For silver compensation, the Crown Prince will also have them produce it."

"But it is given to the deceased's family; you all, facing injustice, dare not step forward. The Crown Prince understands that people have fear—that is human nature—but you have not stood up to right the wrongs for others."

"Yet you still want to split the compensation; that is hard to justify."

"All the compensatory silver has nothing to do with you."

Gu Jin Nian's voice was calm, not overly cold, but that was exactly what he meant.

Someone's daughter has died, heart‑broken, now still in a coma, and you are already thinking about how to split the compensation?

That's too disgusting.

Gu Jin Nian would not agree.

Even if these commoners agreed, he would still not agree.

Hearing Gu Jin Nian's words, Li Lengxin's eyes hid a great hatred deep within.

Only, he does not dare to act now.

He needs to wait for his father, the king, to arrive.

As long as his father arrives.

Then everything will be easy.

Rumble—

Rumble—

At that moment.

A deafening sound roared from afar.

Looking up, the western horizon rose dozens of yards of yellow sand, and the sound of warhorses galloping made everyone present frown.

Li Long was the first to speak.

"Form ranks."

He said nothing else; regardless of who arrived, whether Li Lengxin's reinforcements or not, he would protect Gu Jin Nian.

As the words 'Form ranks' rang out.

Immediately.

All the soldiers began forming ranks, ready to strike at any moment.

The iron cavalry heavily surrounded the area.

Qian Wei even went further and prepared everything.

As for Li Lengxin, at this moment a look of joy also appeared on his face.

He believed that this must be reinforcements arriving.

Clop clop clop! Clop clop clop! The terrifying sound of hooves rang out, making the ground tremble. Though both were large armies, the opponent's momentum was clearly far stronger than that of the Changshan Army; even before the troops appeared, a huge sense of oppression had already arisen.

"It's the Black Water Iron Cavalry."

Some soldiers frowned, having guessed who the opponent was.

"Black Water Iron Cavalry?"

"The strongest iron cavalry under Prince Ning?"

"If it's the Black Water Iron Cavalry, that's not good."

Upon hearing the words 'Black Water Iron Cavalry,' everyone's complexion turned somewhat grim.

Throughout the Eastern Wilderness, there are four great iron cavalry units that claim invincibility.

The Xiongnu Iron Cavalry ranks first; its warhorses are unrivaled, and Xiongnu soldiers are born with a powerful mounted‑archery talent.

The Great Golden Iron Cavalry has excellent warhorses, fed with dragon rice, making them slightly stronger than Xiongnu horses, though the soldiers' mounted‑archery skill still falls short of the Xiongnu.

Even Xiongnu women and children can shoot arrows within a hundred paces with near‑perfect accuracy, let alone the trained ones.

The third is the Red Lotus Iron Cavalry, under Prince Qilin's great army; later part of it fell under Emperor Yong Sheng, while another part remained with Prince Qilin. Because of this, Emperor Yong Sheng granted Prince Qilin the title of a non‑lineal prince.

It was a form of compensation.

The fourth is the Black Water Iron Cavalry.

Aside from the Xiongnu Iron Cavalry, the other three great iron cavalry units differ little in strength; it's merely a matter of numbers.

A single Xiongnu Iron Cavalry rider can fight the other three great iron cavalry simultaneously; without a compelling reason, the three cannot surround and kill one Xiongnu rider. If a death order is issued, one Xiongnu rider can, while surrounded, fight to the death against one or even two iron cavalry.

That is the strength of the Xiongnu Iron Cavalry.

Otherwise, they could not have seized the twelve borders of Da Xia back then.

The Black Water Iron Cavalry's reputation resounds like thunder throughout Da Xia.

Yet among the crowd, Gu Jin Nian remained extraordinarily calm.

About a quarter of an hour later.

The looming iron cavalry encircled the surroundings in tight circles, and roars rang out at that moment.

"By Prince Ning's order, we have come to guard the Crown Prince."

The voice thundered, echoing across the area.

The continual sound of hooves created a sense of oppression.

Three figures slowly walked into the village.

These three figures wore black armor, their faces covered with masks etched with bizarre patterns; the warhorses they rode were more than twice the size of ordinary horses.

The horses were robust, clad in light armor, even their hooves encased in black iron.

These are light‑armored warhorses.

A warhorse's quality is not only judged by speed but also by its load‑bearing capacity, physique, and so on.

Generally, the stronger the load‑bearing ability, the better the horse's quality.

On the battlefield, there are various traps and formations like spear walls, so some warhorses must be fully equipped; besides already carrying a rider of three or four hundred jin, even the light armor on them adds weight.

At least three hundred jin.

In other words, they must bear close to a thousand jin, and on the battlefield their speed cannot be too slow. Being slower than some light cavalry is normal, but they must not be overly slow, or they'd become moving targets.

Thus such warhorses are extremely valuable; the death of one means one less.

In the Da Xia Dynasty, a warhorse's value far exceeds that of a single cavalryman; breeding such horses is exceedingly difficult, making them a coveted resource among the great powers and a focus of many nations' cultivation.

One could say that a dynasty capable of producing peerless warhorses can greatly boost its military strength.

Absent any reform of war weapons, light cavalry, light‑armored cavalry, and heavy cavalry constitute the absolute core that dominates the battlefield.

Because before cavalry, one can easily smash infantry formations of dozens and kill a few along the way.

Light‑armored cavalry can freely slaughter infantry formations of dozens.

If it's heavy cavalry, even a hundred‑person infantry square would be easily slaughtered.

It is a one‑sided slaughter.

This is certainly not bragging, but proven fact.

The simplest data: the combined height of warhorse and rider is about two zhang, roughly six meters.

Even if a person is two meters tall, that's only a third of that.

In other words, what charges at you is not a horse but a moving house; even without a rider, the horse lifting a foot can crush you to death.

The warhorses under the Black Water Iron Cavalry are the finest of the finest, and the riders atop them are no ordinary men.

They wore iron armor, their gazes icy, marching toward here.

The Changshan Army indeed outnumbered them, but when facing those three figures, fear involuntarily showed in their eyes.

"Your Highness, the Crown Prince."

"I can keep you safe, but if you try to kill them, it will be difficult; at most you could match a thousand iron cavalry."

Qian Wei spoke.

Although he is a strong warrior of the Wu King, he lacks great confidence when facing the Black Water Iron Cavalry.

Against ordinary iron cavalry, he can pierce three thousand armor.

Against this kind of iron cavalry, he can only pierce a thousand armor.

That is the strength of the Black Water Iron Cavalry.

"No problem."

They don't dare to move me.

Gu Jin Nian spoke, he was very confident, having calculated the time, his old father should also be arriving soon.

Thud! Thud! Thud! Three figures appeared, they were riding on warhorses, walking toward Gu Jin Nian and the others.

At the same time, their gaze also fell on Li Leng Xin.

However, they did not get angry; instead, they stopped thirty meters away from Gu Jin Nian.

"Subordinate Zhou Wei, following the order of Prince Ning, has come to protect His Highness the Heir."

"Please, Lord Heir, release my family's Heir and let him go."

"No matter what happens, Prince Ning will give the Defender Duke an explanation."

Zhou Wei's voice sounded.

He announced his name, his aura was very strong; his voice, transmitted to this place, carried an indisputable feeling.

It was not high and mighty.

But it was not much better, lacking any flattery.

Furthermore, this is not a negotiation.

But rather a mere notification.

"Li Leng Xin's actions are outrageous, tarnishing the royal name and further harming women."

"Prince Ning needs give no explanation; I, the Heir, will give him one."

Gu Jin Nian spoke.

He showed no retreat whatsoever, directly stating his attitude.

"Lord Heir."

"Subordinate is not here to negotiate with you, but to notify you."

"Prince Ning already knows about this matter."

"He said he will give you an explanation, that is, he will give you an explanation."

"As for the rest, the subordinate does not care."

"Now, hand over the person."

"Don't make things difficult for the subordinate; the Constant Mountain Army cannot withstand our Black Water Iron Cavalry."

"Moreover, even if there is a Martial King expert, they cannot withstand us; our Black Water Iron Cavalry also has Martial Kings."

Zhou Wei spoke.

He spoke word by word, his gaze fixed directly on Gu Jin Nian, his eyes full of indifference.

He fears neither Gu Jin Nian nor his power and background.

Because in terms of background, Prince Ning is far stronger than Gu Jin Nian.

In terms of strength, ten thousand Constant Mountain Army would definitely lose to their ten thousand Black Water Iron Cavalry; even adding another thirty thousand, they would still lose.

As for Martial Kings, they also have Martial King–level experts.

Now, it's not that they want to give Gu Jin Nian face; otherwise they would have already started capturing people.

Is there still a need to say so much?

"Oh?"

"Is this the Black Water Iron Cavalry of the rumors?"

"Truly imposing, even more imposing than this old man."

But just then.

Before Gu Jin Nian could speak, a voice sounded, shocking everyone present.

It was the Defender Duke's voice.

His person had not yet arrived, but his voice had already reached here.

The next moment.

The Defender Duke's figure appeared before Gu Jin Nian, wearing plain clothes, hands clasped behind his back, his face full of coldness; although his hair was white, his imposing aura had not diminished in the slightest.

"Grandfather?"

Gu Jin Nian felt a mix of surprise and joy, not expecting his grandfather to actually arrive.

He had calculated the time, his grandfather should have arrived, but having heard no movement for a while, he subconsciously thought his grandfather was still on the way, not expecting him to already be here.

"Jin Nian."

"Wait a moment, Grandfather will finish handling this matter, then we can talk properly."

The Defender Duke spoke lightly, his gaze, however, falling on Zhou Wei and the others.

"Subordinate pays respects to the Defender Duke."

Seeing the Defender Duke step forward, Zhou Wei and his three companions immediately dismounted.

They also did not expect the Defender Duke to appear at this time.

Of course, they had previously known the Defender Duke would come, but they did not expect it to be so timely.

Regarding Gu Jin Nian, they need not be so respectful, because Gu Jin Nian has no military merit; they are soldiers who have galloped the battlefield, and to earn their respect one must go to the battlefield.

If you don't go to the battlefield, saying anything is useless.

Regardless of whether you are the Heir or the Grand Heir, do as you should; we won't say anything else.

But the Defender Duke is different; upon seeing the Defender Duke, these people dare not act arrogantly, hastily dismounting to pay respectful homage.

The soldiers of the Constant Mountain Army also spoke in unison.

Defender Duke Gu Yuan.

He is the War God of Da Xia!

How could they be disrespectful? Upon seeing the three dismount, Lord Zhen Guo Gong's gaze was utterly calm.

"Take twenty slaps yourself."

Lord Zhen Guo Gong said lightly, ordering them to take twenty slaps.

The words left his mouth.

The three were startled, especially Zhou Wei, who clasped his fists and said.

"Lord, I am following Prince Ning's command."

"Furthermore, I have done nothing out of line, Lord."

He presented the men behind him, hoping Lord Zhen Guo Gong would assess them.

But Grandfather Gu's voice rang out again.

"Take thirty slaps yourself," his voice was cold yet resolute, giving them no explanation.

"Lord."

"Take fifty slaps yourself."

"Do not make me intervene personally."

Lord Zhen Guo Gong spoke again, and his final words warned that disobedience would bring a fate far worse than death.

Sure enough.

At that point, Zhou Wei and the others dared not speak further.

They removed their iron masks.

Heads bowed.

They struck their own faces hard.

Clap! Clap! Clap! Each hit was crisp and loud, pure force, with no hint of cheating.

Cheating before Lord Zhen Guo Gong is courting death.

At that moment, everyone watched Zhou Wei and his companions take the slaps.

The lord's authority was unmistakably displayed then.

Behind them, Gu Jin Nian watched everything, his heart swelling with countless emotions.

What is power? What is authority? What is dominance? This is power, this is authority, this is true dominance.

No need to act yourself; let the slap be given, and it is given.

Gu Jin Nian understood that Grandfather Gu's overwhelming pressure stemmed not from his title as lord, but from his fearsome battlefield reputation, earned by fighting his way out with flesh and blood.

It was not a privilege granted by imperial authority.

After fifty slaps,

Zhou Wei and the others' cheeks were red and swollen, yet they showed no frown, not even a grimace.

"Lord."

"Are you satisfied?"

Zhou Wei bowed his head, respectfully asking Lord Zhen Guo Gong if he was satisfied.

However, Grandfather Gu ignored the three and turned to Gu Jin Nian, saying,

"Jin Nian, are you still satisfied?"

Grandfather Gu asked directly.

"It's fine."

Gu Jin Nian nodded; with Grandfather Gu present, he felt utterly fearless, his inner confidence reaching its peak.

At that moment, even if Prince Ning arrived, he would not fear.

"Good."

Grandfather Gu nodded, but the next moment, he raised his hand and unleashed a terrifying force that hurled Zhou Wei and his companions, snapping their meridians on the spot, ferociously.

"You're like a dog."

"How dare you provoke my grandson?"

"Are you sick of living?"

"Or do you treat me as a dead man?"

"Open‑mouthed Prince Ning, closed‑mouthed Prince Ning? Let Prince Ning roll over to me; see if he dares such arrogance before me."

"If Prince Ning came, and said a couple of words about my grandson, I truly would have nothing to say."

"What are you, anyway?"

Grandfather Gu's voice rang out.

He was truly angry.

Who is Gu Jin Nian? He is my beloved grandson.

He is the lifeblood of the Gu Family.

Gu Jin Nian represents the Gu Family; who in the world doesn't know that? If you say Prince Ning arrived and truly speak a few words about Gu Jin Nian, he truly won't say much; it's normal for elders to speak a couple of lines to juniors.

But who are these people? They are merely soldiers under Prince Ning; bluntly, it's just a superior‑subordinate relationship.

Even a capable general under his command remains a subordinate; Gu Jin Nian is the heir, the grandson of Lord Zhen Guo Gong, and their statuses differ by tens of thousands of miles.

What does it matter if Prince Ning backs him?

Does this mean Prince Ning is supposed to be more impressive than his lord?

Zhou Wei and the others were flung ten‑plus meters away, spitting blood, their meridians shattered, their martial power halved, their hearts heavy, yet they forced a breath and scrambled to rise.

"Lord, please forgive us; I acted only to fulfill the military order, not to target the heir, and I beg your forgiveness."

Having suffered such humiliation, Zhou Wei's first thought was to apologize, which alone shows how terrifying Lord Zhen Guo Gong truly is.

At the same time, Zhou Wei was indeed clever; he instantly knew what he should do.

"Complete the order?"

"Who issued the order to assassinate my grandson?"

"Was it Prince Ning who gave the order?"

"If you now say yes, I will immediately lead five hundred thousand troops to crush the two northwestern borders."

Grandfather Gu's voice boomed, and his eyes were filled with murderous intent.

His real anger was not because Zhou Wei and his companions were disrespectful; as a Duke, he knew that people like Zhou Wei could be caught in a dilemma, and if he ignored Prince Ning's command—

the consequences would be even worse.

Under normal circumstances, after just slapping them fifty times, Grandfather Gu would have let them go and not escalated further.

What truly enraged Grandfather Gu was learning that this group intended to assassinate Gu Jin Nian.

That was the source of his fury.

Although the Emperor had sent the mighty Prince Wu to protect him, which caused no serious problem, the fact that someone harbored such thoughts inevitably provoked his anger. To put it bluntly, even the Kong family only dared to criticize Gu Jin Nian with words and did not dare to strike him down.

Now, the prince's heir has actually dispatched four thousand troops to besiege his own grandson?

Can Grandfather Gu swallow such an insult?

"Duke, calm your anger."

"The subordinate has no such intention, and Prince Ning certainly does not think that way either."

Zhou Wei was thoroughly panicked; how could he dare admit that?

Only someone who has served in the army knows that the Protector of the State before him is a true ferocious deity; he believes that if he dares to say yes, Grandfather Gu will certainly dispatch five hundred thousand troops to clash with Prince Ning.

Even the Emperor's arrival would probably be useless.

When the twelve frontier cities fell, Grandfather Gu defied imperial orders, forcibly leading an iron cavalry to slaughter tens of thousands of Xiongnu horsemen.

The mere mention of Gu Yuan made the Xiongnu Nation shudder.

Why has the Xiongnu Nation remained quiet for so many years? Mainly because of the Protector of the State.

Without the Protector of the State, the border would not be so peaceful.

What the Xiongnu Nation most hopes for is the early death of the Protector of the State; they don't even care whether the Emperor lives, they just wish the Protector dies soon, as if his death would eliminate their greatest hidden threat.

"None?"

"No one, yet you still dare to send men to surround my grandson?"

"Fine."

"Then go back and tell Prince Ning to arrive at the border within three days for me."

"I want him to come personally and explain everything clearly."

"If within three days he does not come to the border to explain to me whether to wage war with the Xiongnu Nation, I will not know."

"But I will certainly make the Prince Ning household pay a painful price."

The Protector of the State declared openly.

His aura was overwhelmingly domineering.

He demanded Prince Ning come personally to explain, issuing a blunt threat.

If he does not explain,

he will kill your entire family.

Leave none alive.

No one's arrival will help, not even the Emperor.

Hearing this, every soldier trembled inside, even the troops of the Changshan Army shivered.

First, the Duke's ferocious might frightened them, even though the matter did not concern them.

Second, Grandfather Gu's domineering presence made them tremble with excitement; this is what a true Duke is—Da Xia's War God, without a doubt.

"Duke, calm your anger."

"The subordinate will certainly relay it."

"It is only the young heir, Your Highness; may I have the subordinate bring him back?"

"Regarding this matter, Prince Ning has promised to give you an answer."

"I hope the Duke will be magnanimous… forgive me."

The other side spoke; at this moment, they still hoped to take Li Lengxin away.

But once Li Lengxin was mentioned,

Grandfather Gu grew even more furious.

He said nothing, but approached Li Lengxin, took out several silver needles, and inserted them into his Tianling Cover, sealing his life force to prevent him from dying outright.

At the same time, Li Lengxin's consciousness reached an unprecedented clarity at that moment.

All sensations were ten times clearer than ever before.

Yet Li Lengxin inexplicably felt terror; facing Gu Yuan, he lacked even the courage to speak.

Snap.

Grandfather Gu raised his hand and slapped his heart, then a powerful martial force surged into his body, scraping inside like a blade.

Such pain drove one to near despair.

It was ten times more painful than rubbing salt into a wound.

It is essentially one of the most terrifying executions, the ultimate limit of bodily pain.

Beyond that, there is nothing more.

The Protector of the State, having fought countless battles, naturally knows various interrogation and coercion techniques.

Making a person's life worse than death is far too easy for him.

Crack!

But it wasn't over yet; the Duke of Stabilizing the Nation snapped Li Lengxin's arms and legs, and crushed the joints with martial force.

Even if a divine doctor were summoned, the price would be exorbitant, and there's no guarantee of a cure.

The Duke of Stabilizing the Nation is ruthless; he immediately crippled Li Lengxin.

He reduced him to a complete wreck.

At this moment, Li Lengxin could not even shout; the pain made him thrash wildly, and the wooden stakes trembled.

He regretted.

He regretted completely.

He regretted coming here, regretted doing this, and most of all regretted being caught by Gu Jin Nian.

Had he known it would end like this, he wouldn't have sent assassins after Gu Jin Nian; he would have left outright, returned to the Prince's Mansion, and Gu Jin Nian wouldn't have dared either.

He wouldn't have met such a fate himself.

"Come forward."

After dealing with Li Lengxin, the Duke of Stabilizing the Nation continued speaking, expressionless.

"The young general is here."

A voice rang out; Li Long was the first to respond, stepping before the Duke of Stabilizing the Nation.

"Arrest everyone who took part in the siege of the Crown Prince, and behead them for public display."

"The main participants shall be torn apart on the spot by me."

The Duke of Stabilizing the Nation continued.

He had no time for idle talk; having rushed from the border, he came to assert his authority.

To establish Gu Jin Nian's prestige.

It also tells the world what the price of offending Gu Jin Nian is.

Even a single insult to Gu Jin Nian would not be let go by Gu Yuan, let alone daring an assassination—having the guts of a bear and a leopard? At the Duke's command, Li Long dared not refuse; he was shocked inside but replied plainly.

"The young general obeys the order."

Da Xia's Duke of Stabilizing the Nation.

He dares to bear the title 'Stabilizing the Nation'; as the foremost duke, what does a mere commander of the Changshan Army amount to? Offend Grandfather Gu, and he'll never see a good life in this lifetime.

Moreover, the Duke of Stabilizing the Nation controls all military power in the northwest; this authority was granted by the Emperor, and the Changshan Army, being a northwest garrison, must obey his orders.

With those words spoken,

many of Prince Ning's soldiers were stunned.

They began wailing and howling, shouting their grievances.

They argued they were merely following orders, not acting of their own will, and begged the Duke of Stabilizing the Nation to spare them.

Facing this scene,

Gu Jin Nian could not help but speak.

"Grandfather."

"There's no need to kill so many; just distinguish the primary from the secondary. Execute all the leaders, and the remaining soldiers can be punished lightly."

Gu Jin Nian said.

If we follow Grandfather's wishes, that means four thousand heads will fall.

That's no small matter.

Moreover, their culpability is minor—they acted under orders, not out of personal intent—so this seems inhumane.

But Gu Jin Nian's words were useless.

Grandfather Gu looked at Gu Jin Nian and let out a long sigh.

"Jin Nian."

"You're good at everything, but you're too merciful."

"The blade is already at your throat."

"They indeed have little fault, but from the moment they obeyed the orders, they became your enemies."

"Fortunately, someone protects you; without that protection, you would already be a corpse right now."

"Even if I, Grandfather, slaughter them all, what would that achieve?"

"Remember, today's killing is so that tomorrow there will be no killing."

"If you choose mercy now, there will be a second, third, fourth time in the future, and each time more people and forces will be drawn in."

"You're a good child; Grandfather knows you follow the Confucian way and should be benevolent, so I'll bear this curse for you—you need not worry, and stay out of this matter."

Grandfather Gu transmitted his voice.

He looked at Gu Jin Nian and voiced his inner thoughts.

Kill.

Is to avoid killing.

He knows the four thousand soldiers involved are innocent, yet not entirely so.

Choosing the wrong side leads to this consequence.

The main point is that Gu Jin Nian is still alive; if Qian Wei weren't protecting him, if Gu Jin Nian had no trump card, then in the battle, would the one who dies be Gu Jin Nian himself?

Upon hearing these words,

Gu Jin Nian fell silent.

Because Grandfather's words were entirely correct.

I am only acting from the new era's three values, so I find it improper.

But the discussion has already reached this point.

Gu Jin Nian could only take a deep breath.

"Jin Nian."

"If you cannot bear it in your heart, you must remember this matter; you must understand who the root cause is."

"The death of these four thousand people is a warning bell on your future path. When benevolence is appropriate, you may be generous, let a smile erase grudges, but when ferocity is required, you must not show any mercy or softness."

"You will eventually join the Military Department; compassion does not command troops, watch closely."

Grandfather Gu continued speaking; he was teaching Gu Jin Nian.

He let Gu Jin Nian know the ruthlessness of this world in advance.

People admire the powerful, thinking they are lofty, but in reality the higher their status, the greater the danger they face.

One misstep leads to a ten‑thousand‑foot abyss.

"Grandson, I take your lesson."

Gu Jin Nian spoke.

It was the only thing he could say.

At that moment.

The Changshan Army intervened; regardless of how Prince Ning's subordinates shouted, they dragged each one to a distance, beheaded them, and buried them on the spot.

Gu Jin Nian watched it all.

At that moment, his heart also underwent a transformation.

"Duke, we are truly wronged."

"Please, Duke, forgive us."

"Spare us, Duke."

"This matter has nothing to do with us, Duke. I have elders above and children below; I beg you, spare me. I admit my mistake."

Crying.

Shouting.

Calls for help.

Various sounds rose and fell.

But Grandfather Gu remained cold‑faced from start to finish.

Encircling Gu Jin Nian.

This is the death penalty.

In his view, this is no less than treason. They keep proclaiming innocence, but are they truly innocent? When they encircle, do they not know that among them is the Da Xia Crown Prince? They could ignore Gu Jin Nian's name.

But could they also not know the Duke's title?

It's nothing but a gamble, relying only on Prince Ning.

Gu Yuan watched all this coldly.

Compassion does not command troops.

He had no wavering at all; if one errs, one must pay the price, and no one will pay for another's fault.

And Gu Jin Nian stared at it all.

His heart was gradually changing.

In fact, Gu Jin Nian had many reasons to calm himself.

The main reason was that when Li Lengxin abused women and acted tyrannically, none of these soldiers stepped forward to stop him.

If not for them, Li Lengxin might not have been so reckless.

Accomplices are often more detestable than the murderer.

But Gu Jin Nian did not want to achieve peace of mind this way.

He quietly watched it all.

Changing some thoughts in his heart.

This is a feudal dynasty.

Sometimes his own ideas are indeed laughable.

But Gu Jin Nian also knows, it's about the matter, not the person.

Everything still depends on what the matter actually is.

Not far away, Zhou Wei and the others remained completely silent; they already knew the answer in their hearts—this matter was far from over.

The Duke truly became angry.

An hour later.

Li Long's voice also rose.

"Reporting, Duke, all the rebels have been beheaded and displayed; please give orders."

Li Long spoke.

In one hour, four thousand paid with blood.

"Detain the remaining people and send them to the border."

"I, the old man, await Prince Ning's instructions in the northwestern border."

The matter was resolved.

The Duke said no more and ordered all to be taken to the border.

The "all people" referred to the Black Water Iron Cavalry.

He wants King Ning to go to the border region.

He comes in person to give him an answer.

A satisfactory answer.

"As you command."

Li Long says nothing and immediately summons the soldiers to seize the captive.

Zhou Wei and the others want to speak, but in the end they still dare not utter a word.

Speaking now is useless.

We can only wait for King Ning to go himself.

Otherwise, whoever comes is useless. —Recommendation for a very good cultivation‑action novel.

Title: "Who Says the Court's Hounds Are All Villains!"

【Cultivation‑action + The Fourth Calamity】

There are many girls, the romance scenes are well written, much better than mine! Everyone can go check it out, highly recommend!!!

Say a few words.

1, many plotlines are still being set up, but setting up can easily lose readers, so the writing method has changed: using small climaxes as enjoyable hooks to set up the big climax, not planning to do the previous dry padding and then drag the plot.

2, without a clear outbreak situation, I update ten thousand words daily, adjusting the pace according to circumstances; forcing the writing makes it worse, so I ask the readers for forgiveness.

3, for normal padding, some readers say it's slow, so I speed up the pace; some say it's abrupt, which also gives me a headache, but I will try to adjust the details as much as possible to make the reading more comfortable. Thank you all for your support.

Please give me monthly tickets!!!!

(End of chapter)