Phoenix Reborn: the Prime Minister’s Scheming Daughter - Chapter 340

“Everyone here should know what we are going to do today, so let’s not waste any more time. The Zhou Family has committed a great crime, and the crime is so big and serious that even killing his entire family is not enough for redemption. So, I’ll announce that today, we will punish the Zhou Family with execution, and I’ll report the news to His Majesty…”

As soon as Shen Ninghua finished speaking, there was a loud commotion from below, and ear-deafening noises echoed across the hall.

“What?! How can she execute the Zhou Family? They have always been kind and benevolent. When have they committed a great crime?”

“Killing his entire family? What did they do, murder?”

“Release Patriarch Zhou! Release the Zhou Family!”

“Release them! Release them! Release them!”

Bai Ruo and Bi Zhu moved a chair over. Shen Ninghua sat on it and casually fidgeted the jade bracelet on her wrist. The green-colored bracelet set off her fair complexion.

The people below shouted for a long time. When they saw that Shen Ninghua did not respond at all, they slowly lowered their voices. When the surroundings became quiet, Shen Ninghua raised her eyes, her long and thick eyelashes drawing a beautiful arc in the air.

“Are you done? If you are, listen carefully to every word I’m about to say. I know what I’m doing. I won’t wrongly accuse a good person, and I definitely won’t set a guilty person free! Today, open your eyes wide and take a good look! Let’s see if the Zhou Family is really kind or pretentious!”

The people below the stage all pursed their lips, clearly displaying their suspicion and contempt on their faces. They had been mingling with the Zhou Family for so long and witnessed the family’s kind acts all along. How could they not know? The Zhou Family had always been very nice to them. Sometimes, bandits broke into the border and robbed their belongings and food. Not only did the Zhou Family waive the rent, but they also sent food for them. How could she accuse such a family to be pretentious?!

Shen Ninghua waved to the guards behind her. “Bring all the things from the mountain over. Previously, Prefectural Prince Yi had promised that as long as you claimed that you owned those things and could provide evidence, we would return the items to you. Now, if you see anything you recognized, come forward and claim them.”

Many people below looked annoyed. They were sure that those things belonged to their families, but the evidence was gone. After waiting for a long time, no one came forward to speak.

Shen Ninghua frowned and looked at the people below. “What’s wrong? You had a lot of things to say previously, right? Why is there no one to come forward and claim their things?”

“Prefectural Princess, I can confirm that the nine-colored pheasant jade pendant belongs to my family, but I don’t have any evidence in my hands.”

“I remember you. Didn’t you say before that this jade pendant was drawn on the family genealogy? Why don’t you have the evidence now?”

“We lost the family genealogy, and now…” The man surnamed Li looked rather dejected, and his aggrieved expression was pitiful.

Shen Ninghua looked at Bai Ruo, who took out the nine-colored pheasant jade pendant. “You lost the family genealogy… Besides a small crack on the left foot of the pheasant, do you still remember any other characteristics?”

“Yes. The pheasant’s comb has a trace of blood red. Also, I can completely draw the pattern and color of the jade pendant.”

Shen Ninghua nodded. “Okay. Draw it on the spot. After you draw it and we can verify it, I’ll return the jade pendant to you.”

“Yes, thank you, Princess. Thank you!”

Soon, Li drew the pattern. The shape, size, and even the tiny marks were exactly the same as the real artifact.

Shen Ninghua nodded after looking at it. “Yes, it’s the same. Bai Ruo, return the jade pendant to him. Who else wants to come up and claim their things?”

Zhou Ziqing had planned very well before. He wanted to destroy the evidence in the hands of the people who intended to claim their items. However, Shen Ninghua suddenly launched an attack three days ago and arrested them all. They didn’t manage to destroy a lot of evidence in time, and now, it had become their nail in the coffin.

Li took the jade pendant happily and kowtowed to Shen Ninghua with tears in his eyes. “Thank you, Princess! Thank you!”

“Stand up and stand aside. I will talk about other things after settling the issues.”

“Yes, yes!”

After Li successfully claimed the jade pendant, more people came up to claim their things. Those who could present conclusive evidence were given their belongings immediately. Those who had no evidence but could describe the unique characteristics of the item could claim their item too. Those who took the risk to falsely claim the item were directly flogged 30 times.

Even though they went through the process as quickly as possible, the whole procedure took nearly four hours to complete. After the last person took away a colored bottle, Ye Yi finally appeared among the guards, his body smeared with blood and dirt.

Shen Ninghua suddenly raised her eyes and saw Ye Yi make a gesture of completion. A cold light flashed in her eyes, and the lines on her lips relaxed a little. “Well, basically all the people have claimed their items. Guards, bring the roving bandits here!”

As soon as these words came out, there was a commotion below. Roving bandits?

When it came to roving bandits, the people of the northwest hated them to the bone. These roving bandits appeared in autumn and winter, riding horses and weaponizing themselves with sharp blades. They burned, killed, and plundered everywhere. Many people lost their homes and their families had been separated because of them. However, once the imperial court sent people to capture them, these bandits disappeared without a trace. When the court retracted the troops, the bandits appeared again.

Was it true that the Princess captured these bandits? Most people present did not believe it. Even the soldiers from the imperial court couldn’t capture these bandits, so how could several hundred guards catch them?

The roving bandits, who were tied up, were pulled up onto the stage one by one. Some of them were seriously injured, and their bodies were covered with blood.

“Oh, it’s them. It’s them! I remember clearly that the bearded man killed my family!”

“Father, you can finally rest in peace now!”

“Kill them, kill them!”

Seeing the faces of these bandits, the people below were all furious. They had more or less been harmed by the roving bandits. The belongings and assets they had accumulated all year round had been snatched away, and they might even get injured and lose their lives during the robbery. Of course, they hated them.

At this moment, many people were grateful to Shen Ninghua. Regardless of whether she was right or wrong before, they were grateful that she had gotten rid of a disaster for the Northwest.

Shen Ninghua walked in front of the bandits and looked away. “Judging from your expressions, these people must be roving bandits.”

“Yes, they are!”

“I can recognize them even if they turn into ashes!”

Shen Ninghua nodded. “Now you’re angry, but don’t you want to know where these people came from? They appeared in autumn and winter, and the soldiers couldn’t catch them. They came and disappeared out of thin air! What are they, magicians?”

“She’s right! Where did they come from?”

“Where did all the things they robbed go?”

Hearing the discussions below, Shen Ninghua smiled slightly. “Thankfully, some of you are smart. You’re not that stupid, after all. Every winter and autumn, they burned, killed, robbed, and stole from you. All your assets, food, family… Haven’t you thought about getting them back?”

“Princess, how should we get these things back?”

“They came on horses and escaped like a gust of wind. We couldn’t keep up to them and catch them. How can we find them back?”

Shen Ninghua followed the voice and looked over. “Do you think they don’t have a place to stay? What about their families? Do you think they just pop out of thin air? Well, if you want to catch them, there is no one you can’t catch!”

“Yeah, didn’t the Princess catch them?”

“But so many armed troops had been sent to suppress the bandits, but no one caught them.”

Shen Ninghua smiled. “That’s a good statement. So many troops had been sent to suppress them, but why hasn’t anyone caught them? Are they really unable to catch them, or do they not want to catch them?”

“They don’t want to catch them? Is she suggesting that the officials and bandits are colluding?” With this thought, the people gasped in awe as if a brilliant idea flashed across everyone’s mind. Other than this possibility, what else was the reason?

Shen Ninghua turned to look at the tied-up roving bandits. “Do you have anything to say?”

The leader of the roving bandits spat. “Beauty, what do you want us to say? You should entertain us properly. Maybe we will tell you.”

“Haha, hahaha!”

The moment these words came out, it immediately caused the other roving bandits who had been captured to laugh out loud.

“Heh!” Shen Ninghua sneered, “I’ve seen people who are bold, but this is the first time I’ve seen someone as bold as you.”

The bandit leader laughed even more savagely, “Oh, yes, I’m bold! Do you want to see my size? Hahaha! Ah… Woo…”

Halfway through his laughter, his voice suddenly became stuck. It was as if his throat had been choked. Shen Ninghua covered the porcelain bottle in her hand and slowly walked to the roving bandit. “I hate people who talk nastily, and I’m annoyed to listen to loud and noisy voices!”

“Woo… Woo…” The bandit leader suddenly fell to the ground, his face slowly turning green and purple. Gradually, the purple color spread from his face to his whole body, frightening everyone present.

“O-Oh my god!”

“Uh…”

Baili Jinchuan’s tightened arms relaxed. If Shen Ninghua had not punished that man, he would have pulled out his sword and killed him. What kind of lowly thing was he that he dared to be so rude to Shen Ninghua!

Shen Ninghua turned to look at the person next to him. “He doesn’t know how to speak properly. How about you?”

The roving bandit next to him was so scared that his whole body trembled. “I-I’ll speak properly.”

“Alright, then tell me. Why do you want to be bandits and rob the people?”

“We need money. If we don’t rob, w-we don’t have money.”

With a frown, Shen Ninghua opened the porcelain bottle in her hand again and swung it under the man’s nose.

The bandit gasped and could no longer make a sound. He fell to the ground with red eyes, and his whole body turned green.

“I like to hear people speak the truth. I feel uncomfortable when I hear lies. You have robbed countless things every year. How can you not have money? Look at the situation before you decide to lie. Do you really think you have two lives?”

Before Shen Ninghua could turn her eyes to the third person, someone could not help but speak.

“Princess, please spare my life! I will tell you everything I know! Please spare my life!”