Chapter 47: Divine Punishment

The heavenly thunder continued.

It circled around the execution platform, protecting Jiang Qingqing.

Solemn and majestic.

As if the gods had unleashed their wrath, striking again and again at the rampant Su family army and the people of the Prime Minister’s residence. The charred corpses had already hardened and cracked, revealing deep fissures.

The dazzling purple lightning reflected on Jiang Qingqing’s face, flickering between brightness and darkness.

Her dress billowed in the wind as she stood alone in the center of the platform.

Like a goddess descended from the heavens.

The Jiang family watched the scene before them in utter disbelief.

“How can this be? This is… divine punishment! The gods have sent down their wrath!”

“Heaven does not forsake the Jiang family!”

A child, no older than four or five, nestled in Jiang Mother’s arms, widened her bright eyes in amazement as she gazed at Jiang Qingqing.

Curiously, she asked,

“Grandmother, is Her Highness a goddess? Why can she command lightning?”

Jiang Mother, who had fallen into despair, suddenly felt the overwhelming emotions of sorrow and joy that came with rebirth.

With the little girl in her arms, she knelt and bowed toward the heavens.

“Gratitude to Her Highness, gratitude to the heavens. The Jiang family has suffered humiliation for so long, with no hope of surviving in this world. We are grateful to the divine for granting us rebirth. The Jiang family shall forever remember this grace.”

The common people below the platform were utterly stunned by the spectacle.

A scene that could only be witnessed in dreams was now happening right before their eyes.

It was real.

A god?

Had a god truly descended into the mortal world…?

And it had come to protect the Jiang family.

That meant the Jiang family was innocent! The ones who deserved to die were the Empress Dowager and the Prime Minister’s faction!

As if understanding this divine will, the crowd fell to their knees in unison, their hearts filled with reverence for the deity.

“May the divine protect Great Liang!”

By the time Liu Yi arrived with the Prime Minister’s men, this was the scene he witnessed.

The masses prostrating. Thunder and lightning raging. Each bolt striking down the Su family members with unerring precision.

And in the center of it all—Jiang Qingqing.

Her gaze locked onto him the moment he arrived, cold and resolute, brimming with killing intent. Lightning flickered in her once-delicate peach blossom eyes, but now, all that remained was an icy chill.

Her lips moved slightly, forming a few silent words.

A blatant provocation.

Liu Yi’s pupils trembled, his hands clenching into fists at his sides.

His longtime attendant, having never seen him so enraged, hesitated.

“Prime Minister…?”

Liu Yi furiously flicked his sleeves, about to order his men to seize Jiang Qingqing when he suddenly realized—he had almost fallen into her trap.

He took a deep breath to calm himself before issuing a cold command,

“Inform the Tianqi Kingdom—the plan can proceed.”

He would see for himself.

Was it truly divine power, or was it human will that determined fate?

Right now, the Jiang family army was defending Weizhou, an empty city.

To the south, the Tianqi Kingdom’s forces loomed.

To the north, the Su family army stood ready.

Crushing them would be as easy as catching a turtle in a jar.

Victory was already half assured.

“Order the Prime Minister’s forces to withdraw from Weizhou immediately!”

Face flushed with fury, Liu Yi led his men away just as they had arrived—retreating in haste.

Since Emperor Liang fell ill, Liu Yi had always had things go his way.

But today—today, he had met a formidable opponent.

“Heh… Jiang Qingqing… the Jiang family… impressive indeed.”

They had even summoned divine intervention.

Once the Prime Minister’s reinforcements withdrew, the Jiang family finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Jiang Qingqing quickly took out a heart-protecting pill and fed it to Jiang Yu.

Among the Jiang family, Jiang Yu had suffered the most severe injuries.

Jiang Father, who had been holding on through sheer willpower, finally allowed himself a moment to relax. As the tension eased, his legs gave out, and he collapsed onto the ground.

“Your Highness…”

His deep voice carried toward Jiang Qingqing.

“Today, Your Highness took a great risk. If not for the lightning, I fear…”

His tone was that of an elder—not one of reproach, but of heartfelt concern.

Jiang Qingqing gently laid Jiang Yu on the ground and walked toward Jiang Father.

She crouched down to meet his gaze.

Opening her palm, she revealed a tiger tally—the very token that commanded the entire Jiang family army.

This tally had originally belonged to Jiang Father. He had entrusted it to Jiang Yu, sending him north to seek aid from the imperial court. Later, it had fallen into Su Cong’s hands.

The reason she had arrived late today was that she had first gone to Su Cong’s residence—to steal back the tally.

Jiang Father’s hands trembled as he took the tiger tally back into his grasp.

His emotions were beyond words.

His aged eyes looked at Jiang Qingqing. He opened his mouth several times as if to speak, but in the end, he only said softly, “Child, you have suffered.”

She must have traveled tirelessly, braving countless dangers to get here.

Alone, she had stood against power and authority.

Hearing his words, Jiang Qingqing shook her head.

A smile curled at her lips.

Her expression was entirely different from when she had faced off against Liu Yi earlier.

Sweetly, she said,

“Old General Jiang, my father has spoken of you many times. Seeing you today, you are indeed as formidable as he described.”

She didn’t forget to flatter him.

But what she said was also what she truly believed.

If Jiang Father had not been in such good health, he would have long perished under those dozens of brutal beatings.

“Hahaha…”

Jiang Father was momentarily stunned, then suddenly burst into hearty laughter. His laughter echoed across the open space as he pointed at Jiang Qingqing.

“You are far more amusing than your father.”

The members of the Jiang family, with tears in their eyes, watched the exchange between Jiang Qingqing and Jiang Father.

“For now, everyone should move to the Prefect’s residence. I have already instructed Prefect Xu to prepare guest rooms. There are plenty of vacant rooms there, enough for everyone to stay.”

“Once our wounds have healed, we will discuss the next steps.”

Jiang Qingqing stood up and spoke to the group in a calm and steady voice.

As for Madam Xu’s deception, Jiang Qingqing no longer intended to pursue the matter. However, she would never trust her again.

From now on, she would treat her as just another ordinary citizen of Great Liang.

Supporting one another, the Jiang family members began making their way toward the Prefect’s residence.

Along the way, many families with horse-drawn carts voluntarily offered their carriages to help transport them.

These horses had only survived thanks to the rations Jiang Qingqing had distributed earlier.

Otherwise, they would have long been eaten.

Upon reaching the Prefect’s residence, a humble cart driver hesitantly approached Jiang Qingqing and asked,

“Your Highness, will the court be sending more grain…? The rations we received at the Prefect’s gate the other day are all gone.”

Only those who had experienced both the court’s food distribution and the Prime Minister’s congee relief knew the difference.

The grain and water distributed by the court were filling—they could save lives.

The white porridge from the Prime Minister’s residence, however, only made one hungrier the more they ate.

It was all for show.

Jiang Qingqing was momentarily at a loss for words.

Because the grain had not come from the imperial court. Nor had it come from her.

It had been given by the gods.

She needed to ask the divine will.

But before she could, a familiar voice echoed in her ears.

He said:

“Distribute rice to them. Rice and vegetables.”

Jiang Qingqing nodded, suppressing the gratitude swelling in her heart, and repeated Fu Zhengnan’s words aloud.

The cart driver immediately jumped up several times in excitement.

“Wonderful! Wonderful! We haven’t had fresh vegetables in so long!”

The nearby commoners, who had been helping support the Jiang family members, also heard Jiang Qingqing’s words.

Their expressions mirrored the cart driver’s—eyes shimmering with tears.

Since the fall of Yingzhou, Weizhou’s farmlands had been ruined, shops had been looted, and the government had bled the people dry.

They had been living like neither humans nor ghosts.

All they had wanted was to survive, yet they had paid an unbearable price for it.

“Tomorrow at dawn, the grain stores in front of the Prefect’s residence will be opened for distribution. Spread the word.”

Standing on the edge of a carriage, Jiang Qingqing announced loudly.