"I know where it is, I'll take you there!"
After Hua'er spoke, she climbed up from the ground.
"Ling Feng, follow this young woman!" The Prince of Pingyang's expression was dark.
"Yes."
Ling Feng's expression also became serious.
Hua'er led Ling Feng and the others toward the backyard. Halfway there, they ran into the estate manager's wife, who had rushed over upon hearing the news.
"You wretched girl! How dare you bring strange men into the backyard?"
The estate manager's wife walked over viciously, raising her hand to strike.
"Stop! Tie her up!"
Ling Feng stepped forward, subdued the woman, and tossed her to the guards behind him.
Before the estate manager's wife could even open her mouth, she was gagged.
The Princess Consort of Pingyang had seen the estate manager's wife leave in a hurry after hearing a few words from a servant, without even greeting her.
Finding it a bit strange, the Princess Consort of Pingyang sat for a while before deciding to come out and take a look.
Supported by Lianxin, the Princess Consort of Pingyang walked outside, only to see a group of men marching over aggressively.
Startled, the two women quickly turned to leave.
"Your subordinate greets the Princess Consort."
Ling Feng led the men up behind the Princess Consort of Pingyang and bowed.
The Princess Consort of Pingyang turned around and realized it was Ling Feng.
"What are you all doing..."
"To answer the Princess Consort, the estate manager has been secretly hoarding weapons with the intent to rebel. His Highness ordered us to come in and search!"
The Princess Consort of Pingyang was shocked.
The impression the estate manager gave her was that of an honest farmer.
She never expected that this man actually wanted to rebel!
"Hurry, hurry and search!"
The Princess Consort of Pingyang waved her hand, trembling.
Ling Feng nodded, signaling for Hua'er to lead the way.
Hua'er led the group all the way to the rear courtyard.
As soon as they walked in, the women inside screamed in terror and fled in all directions.
Ling Feng did not stop them. Hua'er stumbled over to a very inconspicuous room.
Ling Feng followed her inside.
Perhaps the estate manager never thought anyone would come to inspect.
Therefore, various weapons like swords, sabers, and red-tasseled spears were piled up haphazardly in the room.
Ling Feng stepped forward and picked up a saber.
The blade emanated a chilling aura, gleaming sharply.
With a casual swing, Ling Feng sliced a nearby wooden rack cleanly in half!
"Good blade!"
Ling Feng couldn't help but admire it fondly.
The guards behind him looked at these weapons with burning gazes.
"Gather all these weapons. We will take them out to show His Highness."
Ling Feng's words made the guards instantly elated.
Everyone grabbed as many weapons as they could hold in their arms.
Joy was written across every man's face.
As guards, there wasn't a single one who didn't want a handy weapon.
However, the imperial court strictly controlled the use of iron, so not everyone could have a good weapon.
Now, with all these weapons, they might be distributed a piece as well.
The Princess Consort of Pingyang stood at the door, looking at the room half-filled with weapons, her shock evident.
"Where did the estate manager get all these weapons?" she asked, deeply puzzled.
"One of the estate manager's subordinates was originally a blacksmith. He led some men to forge all these weapons," Hua'er answered weakly, leaning against the wall.
"And this young woman is...?" The Princess Consort of Pingyang finally noticed Hua'er.
"To answer the Princess Consort, she was abducted by the estate manager."
"She is the daughter of the old man from earlier today," Ling Feng added.
The Princess Consort of Pingyang saw that Hua'er's clothes had been torn by a whip and she was covered in blood.
She hurriedly told Lianxin to go support Hua'er.
"Thank you, Princess Consort." Hua'er truly had no strength left.
"No need for formalities!"
"Ling Feng, hurry out and show these to His Highness!"
The Princess Consort of Pingyang felt that the situation had already slipped out of their control and needed to be handled immediately.
"Yes!"
Ling Feng and the guards bowed to the Princess Consort of Pingyang and quickly ran out.
The Princess Consort of Pingyang also signaled for Lianxin to support Hua'er and quickly follow.
Standing beside the Prince of Pingyang, Duoduo noticed that the Prince of Pingyang was spinning his jade thumb ring rather quickly.
Unlike earlier, when he had been turning it slowly and steadily.
Duoduo stared at it for a while, feeling a bit dizzy.
Duoduo sensed that her father seemed tense.
Duoduo looked at her father curiously.
The Prince of Pingyang's lips were pressed tightly together, forming a shallow crease on his cheek.
It made the current Prince of Pingyang look exceedingly stern.
Duoduo then turned her head to look at the others.
On this trip, the Prince of Pingyang had only brought a dozen or so guards.
Because they had to search for weapons, most of the guards and yamen runners had entered the residence.
The only people left outside were the detained commoners and two guards standing a short distance away.
The estate manager and his few cronies had all been tied up.
The commoners who had just been rescued huddled together, all keeping their eyes on the estate gates.
The county magistrate knelt on the ground, also staring nervously at the gates, waiting for the people inside to come out.
Meanwhile, the estate manager knelt on the ground, constantly glancing at the person next to him.
Duoduo followed his gaze and saw that it was the man named Wang Er from earlier.
Wang Er seemed to be hesitating.
Duoduo stared at the two of them curiously; their winking and exchanging of glances suggested they were communicating something.
Suddenly, familiar golden words floated before Duoduo's eyes again.
Duoduo took one look and almost screamed.
She quickly ran behind the Prince of Pingyang and, using all her might, yanked the wheelchair backward.
The Prince of Pingyang, who had been deep in thought, suddenly felt the wheelchair move backward and reflexively gripped the armrests.
The next instant, a man lunged and fell at his feet.
It was that tenant farmer named Wang Er.
In Wang Er's hand was a gleaming dagger.
If the wheelchair hadn't suddenly slid back a step, the Prince of Pingyang would definitely have had his blood spilled on the spot.
Having missed his first strike, Wang Er scrambled up, preparing to attack again.
The county magistrate, who was kneeling closest to the Prince of Pingyang, had been scared out of his wits by Wang Er's sudden appearance.
Seeing that Wang Er was actually trying to assassinate the Prince of Pingyang, he didn't have time to think.
The county magistrate grabbed Wang Er by the leg and dragged him back.
Wang Er swung back with his hand, slicing the county magistrate's arm with the dagger.
At this moment, the guards stationed nearby finally reacted and lunged over with their swords drawn.
Wang Er was pierced right through by a guard's sword, blood splattering all over the ground.
Wang Er was dead.
His eyes glared in the direction of the estate manager, as if trying to say something.
The estate manager lowered his head, not daring to look up.
The county magistrate clutched his injured arm, his whole body trembling uncontrollably.
He hadn't thought about anything just now, but coming back to his senses, he finally felt fear.
This Wang Er had been determined to die.
Fortunately, he had only suffered a slashed arm.
If that dagger...
The county magistrate didn't dare think any further.
Seeing the county magistrate's arm dripping with blood, the Prince of Pingyang signaled to a guard.
"Take the Lord Magistrate to get bandaged."
Feeling dizzy, the county magistrate didn't decline and followed the guard to the carriages.
Only then did the Prince of Pingyang turn around, realizing that the person who had pulled his wheelchair earlier was Duoduo.
