The onlookers, some distance away, hadn't had a chance to observe closely, but dimly, they could discern the appearance of the silver hairpin. Yet, the very hairpin that was in Mu Shizhen's hand one moment had turned into a piece of scrap metal in Princess Rong He's the next…
Who could possibly accept such a thing?
Mu Shizhen shook off the Seventh Prince's restraint, attempting to snatch the silver hairpin back.
Ji Zizhao did not evade. In fact, before Mu Shizhen could even make a move, she proactively offered the hairpin, "Your Highness, the young prince of the Tuyur, please examine it carefully."
Mu Shizhen looked at the silver hairpin in his hand, now completely disfigured. After a long pause, he suddenly looked up, glaring furiously at Ji Zizhao, "What exactly did you do!"
Ji Zizhao's expression was calm. She spread her hands, "If that's the case, then the young general of Tuyur was indeed mistaken just now."
Mu Shizhen refused to believe it, gnashing his teeth as he continued to press, "I didn't misread it. It was you who tampered with it!"
Ji Zizhao then turned directly to General Mu Man, who was not far away, "If Tuyur were to truly use such scrap metal to attack my Yulin citizens or soldiers, I believe our Yulin Emperor would spare no expense to fight Tuyur to the death. Fortunately, it's not too late for everything, wouldn't you agree, General Tuyur?"
The Tuyur envoys listened, their hearts pounding thrice as fast.
So, you destroyed the evidence, and we're supposed to thank you for it?
General Mu Man suppressed his rage, staring intently at Ji Zizhao.
As soon as Ji Zizhao proposed to examine the silver hairpin, he had sensed something was amiss.
But even with his utmost caution, he hadn't anticipated Ji Zizhao's audacity to tamper with it in front of everyone.
Even less had he imagined!
That even under the gaze of all present, no one could find any evidence against Ji Zizhao.
Ultimately...
He had been careless.
In General Mu Man's eyes, Ji Zizhao appeared serene and carefree.
But her dark eyes, which couldn't be warmed even by the raging flames, concealed a chilling sharpness. This was from the Su Dan novel network.
On her journey to Luoyi, Ji Zizhao had developed hundreds of types of medicinal pills alone.
She carried dozens with her at all times.
Now, to corrode a silver hairpin was hardly a challenge for Ji Zizhao.
General Mu Man's heart pounded as he looked at Ji Zizhao, who was so composed.
He had thought that without the men of the Ji family, Yulin would become a mere morsel for the Tuyur.
Yet, a single Ji Zizhao had made him taste defeat once more.
Gazing at the slender, delicate figure radiating an aura of unyielding defense...
In a daze, General Mu Man seemed to see Ji Zhengyong, who had repeatedly stood in his way.
So, the Ji family was not finished.
As General Mu Man slowly lowered his arm, the broad axe pressing against the Second Prince's neck also fell powerlessly.
Mu Shizhen, sensing his father's waning spirit, shouted with bloodshot eyes at the Tuyur soldiers on the city walls, "Guards! Restrain this woman and subject her to a severe interrogation according to our Tuyur military law! If she still refuses to speak the truth, break every bone in her body!"
The Tuyur soldiers obeyed and advanced, their broad axes flashing with a menacing aura in the night.
Han Jingyu also drew his sword from his waist, single-handedly blocking the Tuyur soldiers.
Despite his youth, Han Jingyu's imposing presence was enough to deter the approaching Tuyur soldiers.
Ji Zizhao looked at Mu Shizhen, who was on the verge of breakdown, feigning innocence while her gaze was sharp, "I merely spoke the truth. Why should the young general of Tuyur be so enraged? Or is this the usual practice of Tuyur, not only to steal victory but also to have a penchant for framing others and then becoming furious when they fail?"
Mu Shizhen, having already lost all reason, wished he could bite a piece of flesh off Ji Zizhao himself to vent his anger.
He screamed hysterically, "Guards! Guards, kill this woman! Whoever can bring me her head, I will personally reward them with ten thousand taels of gold..."
As Mu Shizhen's madness intensified, unrest began to stir below the city gates.
General Mu Man looked down and saw that the Yulin soldiers, who had initially been full of fear towards the Tuyur soldiers, had, at some point, straightened their backs.
Their hands were already gripping the swords at their waists.
They had all heard Princess Rong He's words.
And everything they had seen with their own eyes and heard with their own ears was enough to ignite their righteous indignation.
Everyone present recalled the heroic men of the Ji family who had once defended their homeland, and they also remembered the humiliation they were enduring on their own soil today!
Princess Rong He was right; Yulin was never a plaything for Tuyur!
The Yulin envoys, witnessing this, their morale surged.
Faced with such spirit from Yulin, the Tuyur envoys were forced to retreat in fear.
General Mu Man was profoundly shaken.
It was only at this moment that he understood Ji Zizhao's true intentions.
Given Ji Zizhao's shrewdness and the methods she had displayed, if she had wanted to steal the bodies of the Ji family men, there were probably a thousand more discreet ways to do so. Yet, she chose the most flamboyant approach, taking a risky gamble.
Of course, General Mu Man knew that Ji Zizhao was determined to retrieve the bones of the Ji family men.
But what General Mu Man hadn't anticipated was that Ji Zizhao would seize this opportunity to ignite the spirit of the Yulin soldiers.
Morale is the soul of the army.
It was for this reason that General Mu Man had set up various schemes beforehand, all to suppress Yulin's morale.
This, he believed, would make Yulin fear Tuyur even more.
And yet, how long had Ji Zizhao been in Luoyi?
Not only had she seen through all his painstaking plans, but she had also dismantled and overturned them single-handedly!
General Mu Man took another careful look at Ji Zizhao. She was only sixteen or seventeen years old...
Yet, she possessed such formidable intellect and cunning!
For the first time, he found himself unnerved and calculatively outmaneuvered by a young woman to the point of his scalp tingling!
Facing Mu Shizhen, who was still cursing incessantly, General Mu Man stepped forward, intending to stop his son, who had lost all reason.
If Tuyur were to push further at this moment, the Yulin soldiers would likely retaliate instantly.
At that point, everything would be utterly beyond control.
Ji Zizhao watched as General Mu Man regained his composure at lightning speed, her thoughts stirring.
As expected of an old hand who had fought dozens of battles on the battlefield with her maternal grandfather, her response was remarkably swift.
One foot, before General Mu Man could reach, once again landed heavily on Mu Shizhen's abdomen.
The force was so great that it knocked Mu Shizhen unconscious.
Xie Jingqi slowly retracted his leg, clicking his tongue, "What do they eat in Tuyur? They look flimsy, but they're as strong as bulls."
General Mu Man: "..."
Oh, so it even hurt your foot, did it?
General Mu Man ordered someone to carry Mu Shizhen away for treatment. He then descended the city wall with the Yulin delegation.
Looking back at the empty city gate, General Mu Man knew that he had lost this battle.
The Ji family's remains had been taken, and Yulin's morale had soared…
The only path left for Tuyur now was to quickly leave Luoyi.
General Mu Man's face was pale and contorted, and the Second Prince's complexion wasn't much better.
Xie Jingxi had never expected General Mu Man to concede defeat so readily.
He had nearly risked his life, only for Ji Zizhao to escape. Now, he not only suffered losses but also had to immediately accept this dilapidated city.
Hiss…
The wound on Xie Jingxi's neck throbbed with pain.
Everyone returned to the inn in thoughtful silence, utterly exhausted.
As soon as they entered, they saw Princess Ashiya run out in tears.
Princess Ashiya's spoiled and willful nature was known to all. The Yulin delegation had already experienced it.
Yet, to see the most unreasonable person crying and running out...
Who wouldn't be shocked?