She Holds the World After Being Reborn
Chapter 117: Those who obstruct official duties again shall be killed

Chapter 117: Chapter 117: Those who obstruct official duties again shall be killed

June thirteenth.

Overcast.

The city gate was wide open.

The lady of the Township Manor, Sun Qinglian, dressed in plain clothes, stood at the entrance with the Yan Family members, beside her all the young masters and misses who usually did not show their faces, also stood behind her with expressions of grief.

Yan Wanqing stood by Sun Qinglian’s hand, her hairpin adorned with nothing but a single flower, without any earrings.

Along the road, throngs of uninvited commoners dressed in plain clothes had filled the sides, stretching from the Township Manor to the outside of the city gate. No one organized them, but they had come all the same.

This sight brought some comfort to the people of the Yan Family.

It turned out that people still remembered.

The commoners still remembered the Duke of the Township’s merits over the years and knew to welcome him home today.

Someone in the crowd began to shout first, "They’re back!"

Yan Wanqing, following the rhythm, missed a beat and quickly walked with her mother, Sun Qinglian, to the street.

All they saw from afar was the Ironclad Army at the forefront, the Dawei flag, which should have been fluttering in the wind, was instead wrapped around the mast, motionless.

Following behind the Ironclad were fourteen black coffins, belonging to the Yan Family, the Sun Family...

Some among the crowd still covered their faces and wept, soon more and more people started crying.

Yan Wanqing took a step forward, clutching her mother Sun Qinglian’s hand tightly.

Getting closer and closer...

Finally, the Ironclad Army stopped.

Yan Wanqing noticed that the lead was not even from the Yan Family Army.

The battle at Governor’s Office Pass, did the Yan Family Army return without a single piece of armor intact?

Filled with horror, she took two steps forward but saw that the coffins were roughly and narrowly made, obviously hasty work; she reached out and trembled as she touched the first coffin.

"Father..."

Yan Zizhuo, who was originally biting her lower lip, trying not to cry, completely lost control after hearing this and began to sob loudly; Yan Lingzhen held her in his embrace, his eyes also turning blood-red.

The children behind Sun Qinglian all rushed to the front of the coffins, calling out one after another, father, brother...

Yan Wanqing’s face was deathly pale, a scene she had also experienced in her past life.

She bit her lower lip hard, her eyes tightly shut before reopening them.

"Make way, let our fathers and brothers enter the door!"

Yan Wanqing stepped aside, as the Iron Cavalry had just lifted the first coffin off the carriage when a sudden cry came from a distance, "Wait—!"

Watching a high-headed horse rushing forward, Yan Wanqing’s narrowed eyes were already filled with murderous intent.

The inevitable had to come.

In this life, without Wang Shujian, there would be someone else.

As the approaching figure drew closer, holding up the bright yellow Imperial Edict in one hand, Yan Wanqing clearly saw the face of the newcomer.

Yan An.

It was actually Yan An.

Yan Wanqing found this scene utterly ridiculous.

Seeing Yan An holding the Imperial Edict, mounted on a white horse, he glanced past the fourteen coffins as if they were nothing, instead his gaze fell on Sun Qinglian with a sinister look, "Imperial Edict arrives, receive the decree!"

"Dismount." Sun Qinglian said coldly, looking at Yan An.

Yan An held the reins, the horse’s head swaying, making the scene very undignified.

The surrounding commoners all showed displeasure.

But Yan An, finally having grasped an opportunity to humiliate the Yan Family and Sun Qinglian, how could he easily obey and dismount.

"I am about to read the edict, and you all still do not kneel quickly to receive it!"

Seeing Yan An continuing as such, Yan Wanqing narrowed her eyes slightly, "Can’t you hear my mother telling you to dismount!"

The crowd felt as if her words exploded like thunder next to their ears, their looks towards Yan Wanqing were filled with astonishment and suspicion.

The horse under Yan An was so frightened by Yan Wanqing’s shout that it began to prance on the spot; Yan An, gripping the reins, was scared out of his wits, his panicked grip tightening as he shouted to the Ironclad Army, "Are you all blind! Save me!"

The Ironclad Army grasped their long swords and directly decapitated the frenzied horse, its blood furiously splashing three feet, the droplets spattering onto the coffin.

The murderous intent in Yan Wanqing’s eyes also intensified.

Yan An, having been saved, dismounted from the dead horse, barely recovering his composure, and immediately hurled abuse at the Ironclad Army: "You blockheads! I was still on the horse when you dared to kill it!"

The leader, without saying a word, lowered his head, completely ignoring Yan An’s scolding.

Yan An was infuriated but did not forget his mission.

He glanced around at the members of the Yan Family dressed in plain clothes, aside from the boy Xiaoqi, whose hair had not fully grown out, all were women. Seeing this, he couldn’t help but scoff coldly.

Truly pitiful.

Thirty years in the east of the river, thirty years in the west.

Who would have thought that his illustrious and valiant elder brother would have the day to die on the battlefield?

And to die in defeat no less!

He respectfully unrolled the Imperial Edict and shouted again toward Sun Qinglian, "Kneel to receive the decree!"

Sun Qinglian knelt down dignifiedly, followed by a group behind her. Originally, Yan Wanqing was not required to kneel, but today she also knelt down.

She had to kneel.

Yet with this kneeling, some would have to pay with their lives.

Seeing even Yan Wanqing kneeling, Yan An felt even more triumphant.

If the situation weren’t so dire, he would have truly loved to burst out laughing aloud.

Indeed, it was immensely satisfying!

"By the mandate of Heaven, the Emperor decrees," Governor of Governor’s Office Pass failed to protect the pass, leading to the suspicion of treason due to the city gates being breached... thus, the coffins of Governor and fourteen others are to be collected and stored at Dali Temple until the truth of the matter is revealed and thereafter returned... hereby ordained!"

After hearing the Imperial Edict, Sun Qinglian collapsed to the ground; Yan Hongzhao knelt and moved forward a few steps to support her: "Mother..."

Sun Qinglian’s eyes were blood-red: "My husband devoted his life to righteousness, served his country and its people, and protected Dawei’s realm for many years. How could he commit treason? Which slanderous nonsense has His Majesty listened to!"

"How audacious!" Yan An shouted angrily, "You dare to question the Emperor’s questioning, do you want to be beaten!"

With the Ironclad Army inside and Dali Temple’s officials following behind, soon to come and take away the coffins, Yan An was full of confidence.

Sun Qinglian got up from the ground, snatched the Imperial Edict, and after scrutinizing every word and phrase, feeling desolate, she burst into raucous laughter, and as she laughed, tears streamed down her cheeks into her hair.

Her laughter made all who heard it cover their faces and weep.

"The spirit hall for the Township Manor has already been set up, and now they want to take the bodies away too, this is utterly unreasonable..."

"Indeed, this is too inconsiderate. Governor’s Office Pass is thousands of miles from the Capital City, and with the current weather, the bodies are not well-preserved. Sending them to Dali Temple, who knows when they can clarify the situation, Governor dedicated his life to military service, yet never thought he wouldn’t rest in peace even in death, which truly makes one clutch their fists in frustration..."

The common folk were all talking at once, their anger rising.

Seeing this, Yan An’s expression turned cold, and he said to the Ironclad Army, "Are you all dead? Don’t you hear someone slandering the Emperor?!"

The Ironclad Army drew their long swords, and the people were instantly silenced.

Yan An was inwardly pleased.

Just as he was about to order action, who would have known he would get a basin of water thrown right in his face.

No one expected Sun Qinglian to snatch the basin of water for washing vegetables from the hands of a commoner and throw it over Yan An.

Only to hear her explode in rage.

"The man lying in this coffin is your elder brother! Did a dog eat your conscience?! Yan An, you truly are disgraceful as a human being!"

Yan An plucked a vegetable leaf off his official hat, and with a malevolent look on his face, watched Sun Qinglian: "You remember now who I am? How did you all treat me initially? Sun Qinglian, it’s not that I won’t retaliate, just that the time hasn’t come! Now that my elder brother is gone, let’s see how you can continue to be arrogant!"

His expression chilling, he ordered the Ironclad Army: "What are you dawdling for! Anyone who obstructs official duties, kill without mercy!"

The captain of the Ironclad Army pursed his lips; he clenched his long sword tightly, clearly reluctant to obey Yan An’s orders.

He believed that a person like Yan An, who didn’t even consider his eldest brother, was indeed, as the wife of the Governor described, disgraceful as a human being.

But he was a salaried official, and at this moment, Yan An represented the Emperor.

As a member of the Ironclad Army, he had no choice but to obey.

Thus, he said sternly.

"Anyone who obstructs official duties, kill!"

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