The man was crawling on the ground while Sheng Li kept staring at him, till he vanished from his sight. He threw the sword in his hand at the ground, which made a loud clanking voice. He removed the conical hat from his head, followed by the fake mustache and the beard.
He turned when the people quickly went to their respective knees and bowed their heads. "Long live the Crown Prince!" someone loudly shouted, followed by the others, and reverberated throughout the market.
Ying Lili saw the blood in the hands of Sheng Li. She stepped towards him and the two halted as the two came face to face with each other. Ying Lili quickly took out the handkerchief from the pocket and grasped Sheng Li's hands. She wiped them and said, "You were impressive, but then you scared me for a minute. Your plan was something else, and you did something else."
Sheng Li smiled because it was the first time someone was showing care for him. The moment that the extorter said that his master would like the Crown Prince's wife, he lost his control over him. The Crown Prince wanted to rip his mouth apart but the poor soul died as soon as the Crown Prince gripped his neck.
Sheng Li could have gone to the Merchants Market at that moment and killed everyone inside that Hand Knife Game House, but he did not. Why? Because he had promised Ying Lili that he would not kill the innocents while climbing the path of a True Ruler.
Yes, the Crown Prince changed his plan at the last moment because of those words he heard about the Crown Princess. He wanted to be gentle with his enemy, but not anymore. Sun Lǎohǔ was not only considering himself as the Ruler of that Province but doing so many crimes which had only one punishment- a painful Death.
Ying Lili was done cleaning Sheng Li's hand, and she lifted her pearly eyes. Gazing into the dark eyes of Sheng Li, Ying Lili took off the hat she was wearing. General Wang came forward and took the hat from the hand of the Crown Princess.
"You terrified everyone. We know you are a great warrior, but it does not mean that you need to act like this," said Ying Lili, looking into the eyes of the Crown Prince.
The people on both sides did not dare to raise their heads because they had heard that the Crown Prince was Ruthless and if someone dared looking into his eyes, he was killed right away.
"For you, I will act like this," Sheng Li replied and tucked the loose hair strands which were restricting the view of Ying Lili's face. Ying Lili's eyes grew wider upon hearing that statement. But she could not get what she did that he had acted that way.
Those reverberated noises for the Crown Prince and the Crown Princess kept intensifying as more and more people joined them. The Police came there and stopped a meter away from the Crown Prince and the Crown Princess.
Ying Lili stood beside Sheng Li. "Take these dead bodies away," Sheng Li ordered.
"Yes, your highness," the Chief Police officer said and gestured to some juniors to do that. Sheng Li looked at the old woman who was selling hibiscus flowers there. The old lady was on her knees and her head was lowered. Sheng Li walked to her and said, "The Crown Prince is here. You are the first one who said such pleasant words about me. Forgive me that your son could not be saved but the one who did this will be punished severely… right in the middle of this market."
He then sat down on one knee while the other touched the ground. Picking three hibiscus flowers, Sheng Li told the old lady about the price.
"His highness does not need to ask the price. These are his flowers. I am grateful to you, your highness," the old lady said in a loud voice. Sheng Li turned to look at Wang Hao who came towards the Crown Prince. He took the pouch full of coins and handed that to the Crown Prince.
Sheng Li turned to the old lady and said, "I am giving you three gold coins. I think that's enough. Your confiscated land will be given to you soon." He put the gold coins in the flower basket and stood up.
Ying Lili found that Sheng Li was considerate of his subjects. Sheng Li came towards her and handed her those flowers. "These are for you as you like them," Sheng Li said. Ying Lili smiled and thanked him.
"You all may rise!" Sheng Li ordered the people there to stand up from the ground. Governor Tzu had also arrived there as someone had informed him. Xiao Zhan too had come with the Governor.
They greeted the Crown Prince and the Crown Princess. "Your highness, the military has arrived here," Xiao Zhan informed the Crown Prince.
Ying Lili was surprised to know about that. "When did Sheng Li prepare for all this?" she wondered.
"Take military control over this region. Rest you two know," Sheng Li ordered to both Generals who bowed their heads.
"You all are the people of the Great Han. No one has the dare to make my subjects suffer until I am alive. My people shall not live in fear. Justice will be there and everything will be sorted out before my departure to the Capital," pronounced Sheng Li.
He then turned to Ying Lili. "Let's go back. Rest will be handled by them," Sheng Li told her. The two stepped towards the Horse Cart when Sheng Li saw that a young boy had grabbed his leg. He looked down and saw him. "Leave," with a displeasing look Sheng Li said.
"How are you talking with a little boy?" Ying Lili complained and then got on her knees.
"What happened, little boy?" Ying Lili asked him as he grabbed her arm and gently pulled him away from Sheng Li's leg.
"I wanted to see the Crown Prince," the little boy replied and lifted his head when he started crying. Ying Lili lifted her head and saw how Sheng Li was glaring at the young boy. Ying Lili hugged the boy and patted his head. "Do not cry. It is alright," Ying Lili consoled him.
Sheng Li got irritated with that. Ying Lili wiped the tears off his cheeks and kissed him. "You shall go home," Ying Lili told the boy who nodded and ran away from there. Ying Lili stood up and looked at Sheng Li. "Can't you wear a smile on your lips?" Ying Lili asked him but Sheng Li ignored it and went straight to the cart.