Early the next morning, Jiang Ning'an was woken up directly by Meng Chun.
She turned over, too listless to even get angry. "Meng Chun, is the sky about to fall?"
"… It's pretty much the case," Meng Chun swallowed hard. "There are a lot of people outside. They're all impoverished scholars, and they're here to demand justice from you!"
"What justice do they want from me? I haven't done anything wrong to them."
As soon as she said this, Jiang Ning'an suddenly remembered something. "Are they here to stand up for Xu Linchuan?"
"Yes!" Meng Chun nodded. "It's all about the third-place laureate Xu. Those people are saying such nasty things. There are a lot of them, about two hundred. Princess, please get up quickly!"
Jiang Ning'an let out a long sigh and still lay there without moving. "Since they're already here, what can I do by going out? All I'll get is to be scolded right in the face."
Rather than going out to be scolded, Jiang Ning'an would much rather lie in bed. At least she didn't have to face those idiots directly.
Thinking like this, Jiang Ning'an turned over and found a comfortable position.
Meng Chun stood by the bed, feeling rather at a loss and not knowing what to do.
It was the first time she had faced such a situation.
Just as she was in a complete panic, Jiang Ning'an spoke up. "Tell Lin Ji to go outside and see who's leading them. Then tell them what a serious crime it is to act against their superiors and ask if their three clans can bear the consequences."
The real show hadn't even started yet. If she went out now, wouldn't she be losing the upper hand?
Meng Chun's eyes lit up and she quickly ran outside.
---
At this moment, outside the Princess Dowager's mansion, there was a constant uproar and the crowd was seething with indignation.
Zhang Xiaofei stood at the front, raising his arm and shouting, "Princess Zhaoyang is abusing her power and oppressing the impoverished scholars. This is intolerable to heaven!"
"Intolerable to heaven!"
The shouts were like waves, crashing towards the Princess Dowager's mansion one after another. However, the walls of the Princess Dowager's mansion were solid, and the guards in front of the mansion were standing in formation. They were wearing long knives on their waists, as steady as rocks.
These continuous shouts attracted many common people to come and watch the fun.
After hearing what the scholars said about what Jiang Ning'an had done, a few of them looked at each other in surprise. "This can't be right. The princess isn't such a person. Last time, a few of us offended the princess, but she still gave us silver and ginger soup!"
"Yeah, that ginger soup was the best I've ever had in my life."
As soon as these people spoke, the impoverished scholars who were originally standing in front of them suddenly took a few steps back and shouted at the top of their lungs, "You people have been bought off by these little favors. You have no dignity at all!
Come and take a look! There are people here who are actually speaking up for Princess Zhaoyang. They're nothing but lackeys!"
"Lackeys!"
The impoverished scholars all stepped forward together. Although they were all thin, they were still not to be underestimated when standing together.
In contrast, those few strong men seemed rather pitiful.
"Get out of here! What are you? Are you not even allowing people to tell the truth? Princess Zhaoyang is a good person!"
As soon as this person finished speaking, the impoverished scholars all picked up the things in their hands and started throwing them at them.
Seeing this situation, the few strong men all turned around and ran away.
These people are not impoverished scholars at all. They're bandits!
This was just a small episode. Many people didn't even notice it. They were just infected by the atmosphere of the impoverished scholars, and many of them even joined their ranks to plead for justice for them.
For a moment, it was busier in front of the Princess Dowager's mansion than in a vegetable market.
But soon, a man in black strode out.
The man was eight feet tall, and there was a cold and murderous aura on his body. Just by showing his face, the excited crowd fell into an eerie silence.
Lin Ji stood on the steps, looking down at the crowd. His gaze swept over everyone, and finally landed on the person standing at the front. "You're the one who instigated this?"
Zhang Xiaofei's body trembled, and he took two or three steps back. Then he stiffened his neck and said, "Princess Zhaoyang has been acting recklessly. She's abusing her power to oppress the weak! We just can't stand it anymore, so we're here to demand justice for the third-place laureate Xu!"
Normally, at this time, someone should have echoed his words.
But there was no response. It was completely silent behind him.
If Zhang Xiaofei hadn't been leaning on someone, he would have almost suspected that there was no one behind him.
Lin Ji stared at him steadily. "Are you also a scholar?"
"Yes!"
"How should the crime of parricide be punished?"
Parricide was one of the ten unpardonable crimes.
The lightest punishment was beheading and exposing the body in the marketplace. The most severe punishment was being torn apart by five horses, and there was even a possibility of being lingered to death.
Moreover, the three clans of the criminal couldn't escape either.
As soon as this charge was brought up, the people, whose momentum had already weakened, immediately didn't dare to say a word.
"The princess is kind-hearted. She just sent me to remind you that if you continue to gather here in the bustling market, you'll be convicted of the crime of parricide. You know the consequences yourself."
After leaving this sentence, Lin Ji turned around and left.
And the guards who were originally just standing in front of the mansion all put their hands on the hilts of their knives at the same time.
The atmosphere suddenly became tense.
The common people who were originally watching the fun hurriedly left, and the momentum of the impoverished scholars also weakened almost to nothing.
They didn't leave. Instead, they gathered together and discussed for a while, and then sat down in front of the Princess Dowager's mansion in groups of three or five.
Anyway, as long as they didn't shout, it would be okay, right?
They would just sit there!
---
After learning that it had become quiet outside, Jiang Ning'an wasn't very surprised.
"Didn't they leave?"
"You're right, Princess. They're all refusing to leave," Lin Ji said.
"Then let them stay. Remember to send someone out to give them water from time to time, and serve them meals according to the time. They're all going to be the pillars of our Dayong in the future. We can't treat them badly."
Meng Chun's eyes widened in surprise. "Princess, they've even come to scold us at our door, and we still have to provide them with good food and drink?"
"I'm just that kind-hearted."
Lin Ji and Meng Chun both fell silent.
After a while, Meng Chun plucked up the courage and said, "Princess, you must be up to something, right?"
"What are you talking about?" Jiang Ning'an gave her an annoyed look. "It's obvious that someone is instigating this behind the scenes. Those people outside are just a bunch of pawns. Why should we bother with them?"
The wrongdoer should be held accountable. If they really wanted to take revenge, they had to find the right person.
After a pause, Jiang Ning'an added, "But don't give anything to the person who's leading them."
Lin Ji responded and left.
---
The commotion in front of the Princess Dowager's mansion was temporarily quelled, but in the imperial study, the court officials were arguing vehemently about this matter.
"Your Majesty, Princess Zhaoyang has been acting recklessly. Now she's even forced the impoverished scholars to rise up in resistance. Even if it's just for show to comfort the people's hearts, she must be severely punished!"
"Lord An, your words are really interesting. If the princess is severely punished for this matter today, then if you're also besieged by a group of people one day, can you just be dragged out and beheaded without asking about the cause and effect?"
"Don't drag me into this. Isn't the cause and effect of this matter right in front of us? What else is there not to understand?!"
A low voice suddenly sounded. "Lord An, for now, it's just those outsiders who are making a fuss. The princess and the third-place laureate Xu, the two parties involved, haven't said a word."
Everyone all looked in the direction of the voice.
The emperor raised his eyebrows.
Oh, the silent one has finally spoken up.