Ding Shen, Mi Mian, Mei Qing, and Little Aunt all stepped forward, raising their arms to shield Bai Sheng. Bai Sheng pulled them all away and stood at the very front herself.
Suddenly, a large clump of mud flew towards Bai Sheng, landing precisely on her forehead.
General Shen, Prince Yu, Yang Ming, and Third Uncle, who had arrived on horseback, happened to witness this scene. General Shen was furious. He immediately dismounted and bellowed, "Audacious commoners! How dare you insult the Princess like this!"
The crowd of commoners turned their heads. Seeing General Shen approaching in a rage, they finally stopped their actions.
They didn't recognize any princess, but they certainly recognized the Grand General who protected the nation. For more than a decade, it was the Grand General who had led them in fiercely resisting foreign enemies.
General Shen and Prince Yu stood by Bai Sheng's side. Bai Sheng looked at General Shen and smiled, "Uncle Shen, please let me handle this myself."
Shen Tianjun looked at the mud on Bai Sheng's face and, suppressing his anger, said, "Little Snowball, you handle it first!"
He then turned back to the commoners and scolded them, "Damn it all, if you have something to say, say it! Don't start by hitting and smashing! My Qinghuang citizens are all good people! Unlike those barbarians from Da Xia and Bei Qiang!"
The commoners fell silent, standing frozen in place.
They hadn't expected the Grand General to defend the Princess so fiercely. This was different from what they had heard.
After General Shen finished speaking, he felt as if his foot had stepped on something. He looked down and saw that his foot was indeed on a pair of embroidered women's shoes. He turned his head and saw an extremely beautiful face, clearly enduring pain.
This woman seemed to be the驸马爷's... Little Aunt, Baili Rongmo's younger sister, whose name was perhaps Baili Shushu?
General Shen was extremely embarrassed. He immediately moved his foot and was about to apologize to Baili Shushu.
Baili Shushu quickly waved her hand and pointed at Bai Sheng.
General Shen had no choice but to mouth an apology to her.
Bai Sheng's gaze turned sharp as she looked at the crowd, finally fixing on a man. She strode up to him and kicked him!
Seeing this, the commoners immediately pointed at Bai Sheng and yelled, "Hey! You fake princess, why are you hitting someone?"
"That's right, she must be a spy sent by Da Xia!"
"We common people are suffering! Having to serve such an arrogant and brutal fake princess!"
"This is outrageous! The fake princess is hitting people!"
...
Various scolding voices surged towards Bai Sheng.
Bai Sheng raised her foot again and fiercely kicked the man who had thrown mud at her. Then, she walked out of the crowd, turned, drew the great saber from Yang Ming's waist, pointed its tip at the commoners, and sternly ordered, "All of you, shut up for this Princess!"
The commoners were startled and gradually fell silent.
"Yang Ming! Arrest this person immediately!" Bai Sheng pointed at the man who had thrown mud at her and commanded loudly. This man was definitely not an ordinary commoner, because he had used some internal force when throwing the mud, clearly indicating he knew martial arts.
"Yes!" Yang Ming replied respectfully and, along with Lu Tong, walked towards the man.
The man kept retreating and stammered, "You... what are you doing? If you were the true Princess, you would love your people like your own children, how could you attack ordinary commoners?!"
Bai Sheng raised an eyebrow and sneered, "You are no ordinary commoner. You used internal force when throwing mud, so you know martial arts! Speak! Were you deliberately inciting them to cause trouble by mixing in with the commoners!"
The man wanted to escape, but he couldn't reveal his identity in front of the commoners. In the end, he was apprehended by Yang Ming.
"It's you, the fake princess, who usurped our home! The people have come to seek justice for Qinghuang Country and the Saintess!" the man stubbornly argued.
Prince Yu raised his fist and punched the man on the cheek.
The man's jaw dislocated on the spot, his mouth shifting to the furthest point from his face.
Bai Sheng looked at the commoners and said sternly, "This Princess is the genuine Qinghuang Princess. I was repeatedly framed by the so-called Saintess Huang Liansheng you mentioned, which is why I ended up in Da Xia. Having recently regained my memories, I immediately returned to Qinghuang Country. The Grand General who protects the nation has personally verified my identity! The Grand General can testify to this!"
General Shen loudly declared, "What the Princess says is true. This General can testify!"
Bai Sheng continued, "As a human being, this Princess owes you nothing! Therefore, if anyone attacks this Princess without reason, without understanding the cause, this Princess will fight back! Even if you are just ordinary commoners!
So, do not hide behind the banner of the weak, nor play the victim to morally blackmail this Princess, slandering her for abusing power and bullying others. This Princess will not fall for such tricks!
Although Qinghuang has few citizens, this Princess does not care for malicious people as citizens! The citizens of Qinghuang should be hardworking and kind! They should act upright and walk with integrity!"
"Well said!" General Shen applauded, and Uncle Ding, Prince Yu, and others also clapped.
"You say this Princess is a Da Xia spy, that this Princess is an impostor. Who said that? Who?! Produce evidence!"
The commoners looked at each other, unable to speak.
They didn't know how the rumors started, that the Princess was a Da Xia spy and that the Saintess had been arrested. They were angered and came to seek justice.
Prince Yu said coldly, "Can't produce evidence? I think someone is deliberately fanning the flames among the people! Fearing that the world is not chaotic enough!"
"Even... even if you are the true Princess, you've just returned to Qinghuang and are extravagantly building a palace, wasting resources and manpower, disregarding the people's hardships, and only caring for your own enjoyment!" someone said indignantly.
Bai Sheng's companions were amused and angered.
Bai Sheng declared resolutely, "The palace is a symbol of a nation's dignity. Where there is a palace, the nation exists! Therefore, the palace must be built as quickly as possible! No one is allowed to obstruct it!
Today, I tell you clearly, all the expenses for building the palace are this Princess's private funds. This Princess has not spent a single cent of the common people's money! The labor for building the palace is also from the captives captured by this Princess's husband after taking Fengcheng!"
"Moreover, Princess Xue Sheng has also gratuitously provided the Qinghuang army with several thousand warhorses, countless weapons, and ample provisions! These were all purchased with the Princess's private funds!" Consort Mei said indignantly.
Little Aunt also added, "If it weren't for our Princess and the consort, Fengcheng would still be under Da Xia's occupation. How dare you come to Fengcheng and roar like this?
At this moment, our consort is stationed in the Western Border, protecting the country. Yet, you ignorant commoners have united to bully his wife! Having citizens like you is a disgrace to Qinghuang!"