Chapter 80: The Execution of Yang Wei at the Vegetable Market

Bai Wei returned to the village.

Today, Xiao Moting was going to execute Yang Wei; she took out the Jade Pendant, intending to go to Daliang.

"Bai Wei, are you in the courtyard?" the village chief's loud voice rang out from the entrance. "The township asked me to notify you that the Vegetable Base has been approved. Let's both go to the office to sign the project proposal."

Bai Wei was stunned, followed immediately by a wave of joy.

"Village chief, I'm coming right now."

That's great!

Xiao Moting's army had increased by another one hundred thousand men, and the consumption was unprecedentedly huge.

The one hundred acres of Vegetable Base that had been approved could feed quite a few people.

……

Xiao Moting stood in front of the wardrobe, trying his best to suppress the joy in his heart.

Originally, he had held no hope.

But he never expected that Bai Wei would actually give him a Scent Sachet!

And it was even embroidered by her own hands.

Xiao Moting's heart beat faster, and his handsome, upright cheeks were stained with a faint red.

He clutched the Scent Sachet in his palm and solemnly hid it in his bosom, placing it in the spot closest to his heart.

This precious reward was something he would keep close to his person and treasure.

Outside the door, Qin Zhan's report came.

"Prince, the time to execute Yang Wei has arrived."

Xiao Moting took a deep breath to calm his emotions, then turned and strode out.

The vegetable market of Heyuan County was packed with people.

Yang Wei, with disheveled hair, was locked in chains and pushed staggeringly onto the execution platform.

The surrounding commoners cursed him as soon as they saw him.

"You dog thief, you actually abandoned the city and fled."

"If it weren't for the Prince of Northern Suppression, all the people in the city would have been killed by you."

Yang Wei's face was covered in blood and filth, yet he gritted his teeth and refused to bow his head.

Xiao Moting took out the execution order and threw it heavily onto the ground.

"Yang Wei, the border-guarding general of Heyuan, as Chief Commander, abandoned the city and fled twice!"

"You concealed the epidemic and spread the plague, causing thousands to die of illness."

"You attempted to murder the general Wang Ziyi!"

"Your crimes deserve death! Execute the sentence at noon!"

The commoners were filled with righteous indignation, picking up rotten eggs, stones, and rotten vegetable leaves to throw at him.

Among them were many whose parents, children, and relatives had died from the plague, and they hated Yang Wei from the bottom of their hearts.

Many female soldiers were also squeezed into the crowd, and they also gnashed their teeth in hatred toward Yang Wei.

They had previously been refugees who intended to rely on Heyuan County with their families, but they were forced by soldiers with blades to trek thousands of miles to Beijiang.

The journey of fleeing was long, and their family members had all died on the road; if it weren't for Xiao Moting taking them in, they wouldn't have survived either.

"Kill the dog official!"

"If the dog general doesn't die, heaven will not tolerate it."

Yang Wei was pelted until his face was bruised and swollen, with rotten vegetable leaves hanging on his head; he gritted his teeth and roared crazily.

"Xiao Moting, I am the border-guarding general personally appointed by the Emperor; do you dare to behead me?"

Xiao Moting's narrow eyes turned cold.

"Execute!"

The executioner raised the Ghost Head Blade, about to strike!

Suddenly!

Several fast horses galloped in from outside the city, and An Fuhai, dressed in the attire of an Inner Court Superintendent, shouted urgently.

"Stay the blade!"

"Superintendent An!" Yang Wei was instantly overjoyed and yelled wildly, "Save me quickly."

An Fuhai dismounted and took out a scroll of yellow silk.

"Prince of Northern Suppression Xiao Moting, hear the decree!"

"The border-guarding general Yang Wei has performed meritorious service; I, considering his military achievements, specially order you to release him immediately, without error."

"Thus it is!"

In an instant, the surrounding crowd fell into dead silence.

The watching soldiers and civilians all froze on the spot, their faces revealing expressions of shock, hatred, and disbelief.

Yang Wei had killed so many people and even abandoned all the people of Heyuan County to save his own life!

The Emperor actually wanted to release him?

Yang Wei gritted his teeth and laughed triumphantly.

"Xiao Moting, I said you wouldn't dare to behead me, and you can't behead me."

"A mere Prince of Northern Suppression dares to order my arrest!"

"Order someone immediately to untie this general!"

Seeing Yang Wei being so arrogant, the surrounding crowd all clenched their fists in hatred!

Xiao Dabao grew anxious.

"Prince, Yang Wei is a scourge; you absolutely must not let him go!"

Yang Wei sneered, "Xiao Moting, you are just a powerless prince; what ability do you have to behead me?"

An Fuhai gave a sinister laugh and walked in front of Xiao Moting.

"Fourth Prince, the Emperor has one more oral decree that he has ordered this old servant to convey to you."

"By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: Prince of Northern Suppression Xiao Moting has guarded Beijiang for over ten years with great merit; you are hereby summoned back to the capital to report on your duties."

"Furthermore, you are ordered to temporarily hand over the military power in your hands to General of the Southern Martial Arts Yuan Canghai, to ensure the stability of Beijiang."

"The Prince of Northern Suppression is ordered to depart immediately without delay. Respect this."

The words had barely fallen.

The soldiers all around exploded in an uproar.

"What? The Prince must return to the capital?"

"We just won a great victory, and the Imperial Court gives no reward, yet they actually strip the Prince of his military power!"

"Yuan Canghai is the younger brother of De Guifei and is incompetent; who would want to follow him?"

Xiao Moting's handsome face was cold, his gaze frigid.

He had only anticipated that Xiao Rui would protect Yang Wei.

But he had never imagined that his Imperial Father would actually strip him of his military power.

An Fuhai wore a fake smile, leaned slightly forward, and said in a low voice.

"Fourth Prince, your mother, Consort Yun, violated palace rules yesterday and was punished by being sent to the Cold Palace to reflect on her mistakes."

"She has been ill for half a year, and the Imperial Physician says she only has half a month left to live."

"The Emperor summoning you back to the capital is also out of the hope that you and your mother can see each other one last time."

"What!" Xiao Moting suddenly clenched his fists, his eyes blood-red, "My mother is ill? Why was I not notified sooner? What illness does my mother have?"

"The Emperor is also doing this for your own good, fearing it would affect your future." A venomous, sinister laugh flashed in the depths of An Fuhai's eyes, "You had better obey the decree, release General Yang Wei, hand over the military power, and return to the capital to see Consort Yun one last time."

Xiao Moting gritted his teeth, the hot blood in his chest turning into waves of raging flames.

Anger, resentment, hatred...

They surged in his heart like a raging tide!

He was at the frontier leading soldiers in battle, yet the Imperial Court had hidden his mother's illness, and his mother had even been thrown into the Cold Palace!

They were even using the last meeting between him and his mother to threaten him into releasing someone!

Was such an Imperial Court worth him risking his life for?

The surrounding Beijiang soldiers were all furious to the point of their eyes splitting.

An Fuhai gave a disdainful sneer, waved his hand, and ordered his men to release Yang Wei.

Unexpectedly, Yang Wei let out a loud roar.

"Don't touch me! Have Xiao Moting come over and untie this general himself!"

Xiao Moting had captured him and made him lose all face.

Today, relying on the imperial decree, Yang Wei was determined to humiliate Xiao Moting in public!

Xiao Dabao could not hold back and cursed loudly.

"You dog thief, are you even worthy of having the Prince do it himself? I'll hack you..."

Xiao Moting closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

When he opened them again, the sharpness in his eyes had turned into an unfathomable black.

An Fuhai grinned hideously, "Fourth Prince, hurry and accept the decree."

Xiao Moting nodded slightly and stepped forward.

"Eunuch An, Prince of Northern Suppression Xiao Moting accepts the decree and will release the prisoner immediately."

He walked behind Yang Wei and undid the chains.

Yang Wei was in high spirits and stood up, laughing wildly.

"Xiao Moting, you must feel stifled, right? You have your day too! This general is truly delighted..."

The cold light of a horse-chopping saber flashed by!

Before Yang Wei could finish his sentence, he was split into two halves!

He was sliced vertically from the top of his head, divided into left and right pieces; internal organs mixed with blood flowed all over the ground, still steaming with heat.

The surroundings were silent for a breath, followed immediately by An Fuhai's terrified scream.

"Ah! Murder!"

He collapsed to the ground in terror.

Xiao Moting was splattered with blood, his handsome face stained with gore, standing tall and imposing like a god of war returned from a bloodbath.

He held the horse-chopping saber and smiled slightly.

"This Prince accepted the decree to release the prisoner, but I never promised to release a living one!"

"General Yang wanted to be delighted; this Prince has helped him open up!"