Great, it's just a lackey, we're saved!

Chapter 267 Inquiring about the Prince in the Name of the Crown Prince!

When Zhu Qi was summoned by Jiang Zao, the Eldest Princess was already preparing to lead her entourage to the main hall.

Taking out the tiger tally from her person, the princess instructed Zhu Qi: "Little monk, please ride quickly to Nanguang Pass to mobilize troops."

“Man Yi, the garrison commander of Nanguang, is a former subordinate of mine. Upon seeing my tiger tally, he will surely send troops to Ningzhou Prefecture.”

"Tell Man Yi to send an advance force by fast horses, three riders per person, day and night."

"You must arrive in Ningzhou Prefecture by the day after tomorrow. This is a military order. If you fail to complete the mission, he will have to come back with his head."

Even if you change horses, the rider can't endure the journey to Nanguang Pass on a fast horse.

Fortunately, Zhu Qi was a cultivator, so this kind of fatigue was nothing to him.

The eldest princess felt that time was of the essence and she did not want to linger in Ningzhou Prefecture any longer.

It is urgent to resolve this problem as soon as possible and go to the blessed land to find out the truth.

Zhu Qi didn't waste any words. The young monk was used to the ascetic life. He took the tiger tally and turned to leave.

Shen Shuqing also came out of the room at this time. She had already woken up when the courtyard was noisy in the early morning.

However, upon seeing the princess and Zhou Wei committing murder through the crack in the door, he immediately pulled his head back inside.

Seeing that everyone had appeared, he finally mustered up the courage to push open the door and come out.

The eldest princess glanced at her and said, "Now that everyone is here, let's go to the main hall together."

Shen Shuqing followed Jiang Zao like a quail, quietly asking her what had happened.

Jiang Zao said, "Miss Shen, just follow along. This palace is not peaceful. If you follow the princess, you can ensure your safety."

Shen Shuqing certainly understood this principle!

In her heart, no matter how fierce the people of the Prince Ning's mansion were, they were no fiercer than that bitch Zhou Wei!

In addition, Zhou Wei also has a mythical beast.

One slap and you're cracked open. Who wouldn't be terrified?

Outside the main hall, the eldest and second princes stood rooted to the spot, waiting.

She was still wearing the clothes from that banquet, but upon closer inspection, they not only didn't fit well, but were also stained.

The gold thread used on the python robe also had a dull luster and looked even more worn in the sunlight.

Jiang Yueli's hands, hidden beneath her wide sleeves, clenched tightly, her anger barely contained.

Upon seeing the Princess and her entourage approaching in a grand procession, the eldest and second princes quickly stood up straight, their faces beaming with smiles.

"Yue Li, you've arrived."

A well-timed greeting, slightly distant yet intimate.

The eldest princess quickly stepped forward and reached out to hold her two elder brothers.

Both the eldest and second princes were somewhat unaccustomed to the princess's sudden closeness.

The two struggled to free their hands, but Jiang Yueli held them firmly down.

It wasn't until she grasped their hands tightly that the princess realized how rough her two brothers' hands were.

Jiang Yueli lowered her head, not wanting the eldest and second princes to see her loss of composure.

"Brother, Yue Li remembers that you practiced martial arts when you were young, bending your bow a hundred times a day, and your hands were covered in calluses. How come they're gone now?"

Jiang Yueli's hand caressed Ning Wang's palm.

The calluses that a martial artist should have were absent in King Ling.

His palms were covered in white calluses. These were not the hands of a military general, but the hands of a farmer!

King Ling's lips trembled slightly as he forced a smile and said, "Yue Li, since my elder brother came to Ningzhou, he has been indulging in pleasure all day long and has long since neglected his martial arts. Let alone bend a bow a hundred times, he can't even draw a bow now."

His words were spoken calmly, even with a hint of self-deprecation, but Jiang Yueli felt a pang of sorrow in her heart.

She turned to look at the Second Prince, whose eyes were still somewhat cloudy and who occasionally seemed to be lost in thought.

"Second brother, you could read a hundred poems when you were three years old. Have your studies improved since then?"

The second prince lowered his head, avoiding Jiang Yueli's probing gaze.

"Yue Li, the candles produced in Jiaozhou are not good. Reading too much will hurt your eyes. I haven't read for a long time."

The eldest princess fell silent, her gaze shifting between her two elder brothers.

Both of them lowered their heads, avoiding eye contact with him.

At this moment, Huo Shan couldn't help but remind her, "Your Highness, it's windy outside. Please come inside and we can talk!"

As if receiving some kind of instruction, the eldest prince and the second prince also smiled and said, "Yes, Yue Li, let's go into the hall and talk."

Jiang Yueli nodded and led the two into the main hall.

This time, the eldest princess was still seated at the head of the table.

She smiled at the eldest prince: "Brother, I came to Ningzhou this time for two reasons. First, to visit you and my second brother. Second, as the crown prince, I am here to inspect the world on behalf of our father."

"Now that I have arrived in Ningzhou Prefecture, I will do what my father instructed me to do today!"

Upon hearing this, the eldest prince became somewhat nervous, a hint of unease appearing on his weathered face.

"Yue Li, what do you want to ask?"

"As the Crown Prince, I ask King Ling: what was the population of Ningzhou Prefecture last year? How many acres of land were cultivated? Were taxes paid in full? Were military salaries distributed properly?"

"And how many officials, soldiers, and servants does the Prince's mansion have? How much land does it belong to the kingdom, and what is the annual income?"

King Ling stood there dumbfounded, his lips opening and closing repeatedly, but he couldn't utter a single word.

Nie Wang, standing to the side, lowered his head, not daring to meet Jiang Yue Li's gaze.

Jiang Yueli stared at him and said, "I would like to ask Prince Nie the same question."

"Furthermore, I would like to ask, Prince Nie's fief is in Jiaozhou, so why does he reside in Ningzhou Prefecture for so long, neglecting his own fiefdom?"

The main hall was completely silent for a moment; you could hear everyone breathing.

Seeing that the two princes could not answer for a long time, Jiang Yueli sneered.

"Alright, if you can't answer, then there's no need to answer."

"I, in my capacity as Crown Prince, inspected the prince's fiefdom, but the result was extremely disappointing!"

Jiang Yueli's gaze swept over the officials present.

He said in a chilling tone, "King Ling and King Nie are ignorant of the affairs of state and the suffering of the people, which has led to the people of Ningzhou and Jiaozhou living in misery and hardship."

"With such conduct, they are no longer worthy of being princes. In the name of the Crown Prince, I hereby strip both of them of their princely titles."

The eldest and second princes suddenly looked up, staring at the eldest princess in shock.

Even officials like Huo Shan from the Prince's Palace were terrified.

Everyone thought the princess had gone mad!

"Your Highness, this is unacceptable!"

"Yes, Your Highness. The titles of Prince and Prince were bestowed by His Majesty. What right do you have to abolish their titles?"

"Your Highness, the two princes are merely neglecting state affairs and are unfamiliar with the customs and conditions of their fiefdoms. To strip them of their titles for this reason would be tyrannical."

“Even if Your Highness is the Crown Prince, you cannot be so reckless. We, the officials of the Prince’s Kingdom, all disagree with this. We urge Your Highness to rescind your order.”

"If Your Highness truly wishes to abolish the title of Prince, you must submit a memorial to the court for His Majesty to decide."

All the officials of the Prince's Palace knelt on the ground, disagreeing with what Jiang Yueli said.

Looking inside the main hall, one could see a dense, kneeling crowd.

He wanted to put pressure on Jiang Yueli with this move!

Jiang Yueli said slowly and deliberately, "Why are you all kneeling down now? It's not your turn yet!"

"What? You think I'll only hold the two princes accountable for their mistakes, given how poorly the kingdom has been managed?"

"You are the ones who deserve to die! Get out of my way!"