Chapter 129: The Riot of the Unruly Mob

The farm woman glared at Ming Ningzi, her voice dripping with hostility. "I knew it was too coincidental! I ran into you last time, and here you are again. You poisoned my child with a gu-worm—what exactly is your motive?"

Ming Ningzi stomped her foot. "Cut the crap! Who do you think your child is? Why on earth would I waste a gu-worm on him? Xia Jiujiang, you’re clearly fanning the flames just to target me!"

Gu-worms were not so easily deployed. In the Southern Kingdom, the art of gu-craft was not something just anyone could learn. Most commoners only knew basic herbal lore for repelling insects, a necessary survival skill in the south. Moreover, a true gu-worm required careful cultivation; it wasn't something one could just conjure up at will.

Even Ming Ningzi’s own spotted venomous snake, Xiao Hua, was a form of gu-creature, but it had taken years of raising it from a hatchling for it to obey her commands. There was no way she would waste such a thing on a random child. Furthermore, as an envoy from the Southern Kingdom visiting the Li Kingdom, she wasn't stupid enough to commit such an act, as it would only serve to cast immediate suspicion on her own people.

The surrounding crowd grew rowdy. "If it isn't you, then who? You're the only one from the Southern Kingdom here who knows how to use gu!"

Ming Ningzi roared in fury, "Yes, people from the Southern Kingdom use gu, but that doesn't mean every case of poisoning in your Li Kingdom is our fault! By your logic, every time the wind blows, you'll blame us. Do you think we're your parents, responsible for every single thing that happens to you?"

"We saw you at Jiang Mantang twice, old woman! You're definitely the one at fault!"

"Exactly! It must have been you who poisoned the child!"

"What other reason do we need? You're a Southerner—you just want to harm the commoners of the Li Kingdom, that's why you poisoned the kid!"

"How heartless! To do such a thing to a child!"

Ming Ningzi drew her whip and cracked it against the ground with a sharp *snap*. "You ignorant peasants, what are you blathering about? Why would a princess like me bother poisoning some brat? If you keep making trouble, don't blame me for whipping you all to death!"

The farm woman shrieked, "There's no justice left! She's already killed someone and she's still acting so arrogant!"

The woman refused to listen to reason, intent only on spewing her accusations. Ming Ningzi’s act of drawing her whip only enraged the crowd further. Once she resorted to force, the onlookers became convinced of her guilt. They began pelting her with rotten vegetables and eggs.

"Beat this Southerner to death!"

"So what if you're a Southern princess? This is the Li Kingdom!"

"Harming people in our land—what lawlessness!"

Even with a whip, Ming Ningzi was no match for the surging mob. "Hey! Stop it, all of you! I... I am a Southern envoy! How dare you throw things at me? None of you will get away with this!"

Suddenly, Xia Jiujiang lunged in front of Ming Ningzi, shielding her from the onslaught. Seeing Xia Jiujiang block the blows, many of the commoners paused. "Why is the Princess Consort of Jin protecting the Southern princess?"

"Exactly," someone muttered. "The Southern princess harmed one of our own, yet the Princess Consort helps an outsider?"

Someone sneered, "She’s a princess consort, and the other is a princess. In her eyes, the Southern princess is naturally more important. What are we to her?"

Xia Jiujiang was covered in vegetable scraps and the sticky residue of broken eggs. Yet, Ming Ningzi did not appreciate the defense. She shoved Xia Jiujiang aside and glared at her venomously. "Don't pretend to be kind! If you hadn't brought up the gu-poisoning, these people wouldn't have gone crazy throwing things! I see what this is—you knew I was coming to Jiang Mantang to buy fabric and you deliberately framed me. Stop acting like a saint!"

*Damn it all.* Xia Jiujiang had only wanted to prevent a false accusation. Looking at Ming Ningzi’s foolish expression, it was clear she hadn't poisoned the child, yet Xia Jiujiang was the one being vilified from all sides. The commoners didn't understand, and Ming Ningzi didn't care—it was exhausting.

Xia Jiujiang turned to stand in front of Ming Ningzi, ignoring the filth on her clothes. "Who said that just because it's a gu-poisoning, it must be the Southern princess's doing? You lot are pointing fingers without a shred of evidence or reason. I suspect you don't care who actually harmed the child—you’re just looking for someone to vent your frustrations on."

The crowd grew indignant. "How did we become the ones venting? It’s clearly the Southern princess who is the problem!"

"Is the Princess Consort of Jin ignoring the child's life to protect the Southern princess?"

"It seems that in the Princess Consort's eyes, a princess is far more important than us." The crowd continued to jeer.

Xia Jiujiang asked calmly, "If I truly wanted to shield the Southern princess, why would I have mentioned the gu-poisoning at all? Wouldn't it have been easier to just lie and say it was simple poisoning?"

The crowd hesitated, sensing a grain of logic in her words.

The farm woman stood up. "The Princess Consort speaks well, but you were the one who said it was gu-poisoning, and you were the one who said it had nothing to do with Jiang Mantang. Now that we're holding the Southern princess accountable, you claim we're being unreasonable. It seems whatever you say is the final word!"

Xia Jiujiang continued to defend Ming Ningzi. "I am only speaking the truth. Your son is indeed suffering from gu-poisoning, but there is absolutely no evidence pointing to the Southern princess."

Ming Ningzi gripped her whip, looking at Xia Jiujiang in astonishment. She couldn't fathom what game she was playing—why the sudden change of heart? Was she trying to buy favor?

The farm woman shouted, "If it's gu-poisoning, it must be her doing! She was there the day I bought the clothes, and she’s here again today. She’s clearly checking to see if my son is dead yet! If the Princess Consort wants to seek justice for my son, arrest her!"

"Arrest her!" the crowd echoed. "Arrest her!"

The chants grew louder, rising in waves. Even those on the outskirts who had no idea what was happening joined in the roar. It was clear these people didn't want the truth; they wanted a scapegoat.

Ming Ningzi roared, "You bunch of ignorant peasants! I think you're the ones who should be arrested! I am a Southern envoy—who dares to touch me?"

*That idiot.* Her words were playing right into the hands of whoever was behind this.

As Ming Ningzi swung her whip, the air whistled, and someone screamed, "The Southern princess is trying to kill us!"

The shout ignited the crowd. The few guards brought by the Capital Magistrate were unable to suppress the mob, and the scene descended into chaos. Xia Jiujiang’s voice was swallowed by the clamor. Luoluo and Youhua rushed to shield her, but the shoving and pulling intensified. Whether out of genuine anger, a love for chaos, or a need to vent long-standing grievances, the crowd had turned into a full-scale riot.

Just as the mob surged forward like a tidal wave, a rhythmic, steady sound of horseshoes echoed against the ground. A troop of cavalry arrived, their formation encircling the rioters.

They drew their long spears and swords, and the glint of cold steel silenced the crowd instantly. A loud voice boomed, "His Highness, the Prince of Jin, has arrived!"

The people fell to their knees. As the crowd knelt, the view cleared, and Xia Jiujiang saw a figure sitting atop a horse. He appeared with a majestic, awe-inspiring grace, bathed in the light, looking every bit the formidable nobleman.