In the imperial city, notices were posted everywhere, with portraits of Ji Ning and others drawn on them, including Ling Xiao, Ji Mingkong, and Leng Mei.
Below the portraits of generals like Ji Ning were lists of heinous crimes and the execution times.
Treason with the enemy, incompetent command leading to the deaths of tens of thousands of soldiers, attempting to ambush the great general Sikong Zun, and so on.
In short, any single charge was punishable by death.
Below the portraits of Ling Xiao, Ji Mingkong, and Leng Mei were wanted posters with bounties, accusing them of being spies for the Black Crow Empire, claiming that this defeat was their fault.
Due to the delay in information and the royal family’s blockade, the news of Beimo City’s successful defeat of the Black Crow Empire’s army had not reached here.
So the version known to the local people was completely different.
The Beimo army was nearly wiped out, and it was General Jia who held back the Black Crow Empire, thus resolving the major crisis and preserving the peace of the Shenhuang Empire.
Crowds gathered in front of every notice, buzzing with discussion.
“Who would have thought Ji Ning was this kind of person, colluding with the Black Crow Empire, causing the deaths of so many of our soldiers? He deserves to die a thousand deaths!”
“Yes, he should be executed by a thousand cuts!”
“And that Ling Xiao, who fled from the Tianlong Continent to our Shenhuang Empire, we gave him so many benefits, yet he ran off with people from the Black Crow Empire. What a shameless bastard!”
“Impossible, how could the great general betray the empire? There must be some misunderstanding here.”
“Hit him! He dares to speak up for that traitor, who caused so many deaths, and still supports him.”
The entire imperial city was filled with this atmosphere.
You had to curse Ji Ning, curse Ling Xiao, you had to denounce them.
Otherwise, you were colluding with them, you were a treasonous bastard.
Any slightly rational voice that emerged was quickly suppressed, and those who spoke rationally would even be severely beaten, nearly to death.
Now the atmosphere throughout the imperial city was uniform.
Ji Ning, Ling Xiao, and the others were the empire’s great criminals, while General Jia and Sikong Zun were the empire’s heroes.
In the heavenly prison, Sikong Zun suddenly appeared, looking at Ji Ning who had been tortured beyond recognition, and sneered, “Ji Ning, why bother? Look at the scene outside. No one believes in your innocence, and no one believes Ling Xiao went to hunt down Jiumo Zhiyan.
You are traitors, rebels! And I am the hero of the nation, the lone hero who killed his way out of heavy encirclement, hahahaha!”
“Pah, shameless scum!”
Li Ruguang cursed loudly.
“Commander Li, no need to get angry at this kind of person. He won’t be smug for long. Ling Xiao won’t die. He will definitely return to avenge us. Sikong Zun, you’re scared, aren’t you?”
Zhuge Ming sneered coldly.
“Scared?”
Sikong Zun said disdainfully, “From Beimo to the imperial city, there are our people checking all along the way. Even if Ling Xiao doesn’t die, he can’t possibly make it back alive to the imperial city.
Even stepping back ten thousand paces, he’s a man with a bounty of over one hundred million low-grade spirit stones. Do you think he could survive after reaching the imperial city?”
Ji Ning took a deep breath, his voice somewhat weak, but his eyes remained resolute, “Sikong Zun, before I die, I just want to ask one thing. Was this whole affair your idea, or the Emperor’s?”
Sikong Zun smiled slightly, “Ji Ning, oh Ji Ning, you’ve lived so long, how can you still be so naive? Do you really think I alone could call a stag a horse and turn black into white?”
“I understand!”
A ferocious smile suddenly appeared on Ji Ning’s face, “Hahaha, hahahaha, in vain did I, Ji Ning, hold unwavering loyalty to the Shenhuang Empire and to the Zhengqi Alliance, only to end up in such a plight.
If I don’t die, I will make those who plotted against me pay the price, definitely!”
“Enough shouting, you won’t have that chance. Whether you admit your guilt or not, the common people have already convicted you. Do you know how the Emperor plans to execute you?”
Sikong Zun suddenly asked with a smile.
Without waiting for Ji Ning to respond, Sikong Zun continued on his own, “The Emperor has granted all the citizens of the imperial city a right: each person can cut a piece of flesh from your body. Haha, not bad, right? This lingering death by a thousand cuts suits your life perfectly.”
“Bastard!”
Li Ruguang roared in anger, “Are you still human? Torturing a general who has rendered great service to the empire like this.”
“Curse all you want, soon you won’t have the strength to curse. No need for a trial, take them to the execution ground now. His Majesty the Emperor said these people have many accomplices, to prevent any incidents, execute them early!”
Sikong Zun sneered coldly and turned to leave the heavenly prison.
His mood was extremely exhilarated.
On the city wall stood three people.
One was the supervisor of the nine gates of the imperial city from the Fengming Army.
The other two were Jia Yun and the border city lord Jia Lin.
Jia Lin was Jia Yun’s father, and the one who had previously led troops to block the retreat of the Beimo army, capturing Ji Ning and the others and bringing them to the imperial city.
“Father, I don’t quite understand. Didn’t the Emperor send you to pursue the remnants of Ji Ning’s defeated soldiers? Why are you staying here?”
Jia Yun, clad in armour, had a somewhat heroic air.
“Little Yun, you’re still too green. Leading troops to pursue them in that vast desert, it’s extremely hard to find them. Besides, even if we found them and killed them, what benefit would there be?”
Jia Lin sneered, “But staying here is different. Your father is now personally appointed by the Emperor as the commander of the imperial city camp. Any rebels attacking the imperial city will be handled by me.”
“Father means those fellows will come to rescue Ji Ning?”
Jia Yun frowned, “Impossible, Father. They’re fleeing for their lives.”
“That’s where you don’t understand those people. True, the common people won’t come, but the remaining thirty thousand plus Beimo troops absolutely will. Their bond with Ji Ning is too deep. Once they confirm the safety of the citizens, they will immediately head to the imperial city.”
Jia Lin said confidently.
“When they arrive, we’ll wipe them all out. This way, it’s not only above board, but also a great merit. Isn’t this waiting at ease for the exhausted enemy?”
A cold smile appeared on Jia Lin’s face.
Perhaps in warfare he was no match for Ji Ning, but in schemes, Ji Ning was definitely not his opponent.
“Brilliant! As expected of Father, this move is simply masterful. I really hope that kid Ling Xiao shows up too. If we could kill Ling Xiao in front of everyone, that would be perfect.”
Jia Yun said excitedly.
“Him? Hehe, he won’t survive. Facing Jiumo Zhiyan, facing Tiemu’er Mutu, facing that Feng Zhan, and the Scorpion Man and Lizard Man, he has no chance of living!”
Jia Lin said disdainfully, “Even stepping back ten thousand paces, if he really does survive, there are heavy ambushes set by your father and General Sikong Zun all along the way. He definitely won’t reach the imperial city alive.”
