Acting out of righteousness is a traditional virtue passed down in Huáxià for tens of thousands of years. Through successive dynasties, it has received supreme affirmation and material rewards in gold, while the heroic deeds of those who stepped forward have been recorded in history books and local gazetteers to be passed down forever.
On this day, the streets of Dongyi were deserted as everyone rushed out to witness the event. The bringing to justice of these four major demons shook the whole of Huáxià. In the alleys and avenues of Dongyi Commandery, people ran to tell each other the news, singing and dancing to celebrate how Fairy Furong and her junior martial brother Jiang Yan had eliminated these four brutal demons for Dongyi and the hundreds of millions of people of Huáxià, restoring a peaceful and happy life where people could live and work in content. At the same time, the news shocked Empress Wu, far away in the imperial palace of Chang'an in Zhongzhou. She immediately drafted an imperial edict in her own hand and sent it by fast courier, ordering Huo Zhen'e, the Governor of Nanzhou and Baiyue, and Li Qingshan, the Prince of Dongyi Commandery, to immediately try these four wild demons in person, record the detailed case files, and execute them publicly on the spot to uphold the heavenly majesty of our Great Han Empire.
The imperial edict was quickly delivered to the Baiyue Governor's Mansion and the Dongyi Prince's Mansion. The imperial eunuch messengers arrived at the Governor's Mansion and the Prince's Mansion respectively. With the arrival of the edict, subjects Huo Zhen'e and Li Qingshan knelt down and shouted three times: "We receive the edict! Long live, long live, long live our Emperor!" The text read: "We are shocked to hear that under your administration, four wild demons who have rampaged across Our Great Han Empire of Huáxià for more than fifty years have been brought to justice by you. You are hereby ordered to execute these four men on the spot immediately. Respect this!"
"We, your subjects, thank Your Majesty for this immense grace!"
In truth, the Governor of Baiyue and the Prince of Dongyi were no ordinary men. Huo Zhen'e was a direct descendant of Huo Qubing, the famous general of the Great Han Empire, while Li Qingshan was the direct successor of Li Guang, the legendary general of the Great Han Empire who had overawed the Xiongnu for decades. Both officials were upright and incorruptible, governing the lands of Baiyue and Dongyi Commandery into a beautiful and bountiful region. They could truly be considered loving parents to the local people—upright judges of the highest order!
Mount Niu was located in a mountainous area of a small town in the eastern part of Dongyi. It could hardly be called picturesque; on the contrary, it was rather desolate. In the middle stood a gigantic statue of the Heavenly Realm divine beast, the Kuiniu, which appeared solemn and majestic, indicating that this was no ordinary place. This was the Niushan Execution Ground of Dongyi Commandery, famous throughout Huáxià. The Kuiniu served as the demon-subduing stone, justice acted as the evil-slaying and demon-clearing divine sword, and for hundreds and thousands of years, countless vicious felons, bandits, and local bullies had met their doom here.
At the invitation of Baiyue Governor Huo Zhen'e and Dongyi Commandery Prince Li Qingshan, Jiang Yan and his senior martial sister Fairy Furong soon arrived at the Niushan Execution Ground. The commoners of Dongyi City, wealthy gentry, landlords, and local officials from various towns had arrived very early at the outer perimeter of the execution ground. More than a thousand Imperial Guards wielding various weapons surrounded the site like an iron barrel. In addition, on the streets of the various towns leading to the execution ground, quite a few market inspectors, municipal officials, and street patrol officers were on site maintaining order along the route to the Niushan Execution Ground.
Sitting on the main presiding platform were Dongyi Commandery Prince Li Qingshan and Baiyue Governor Huo Zhen'e, with local co-judging officials seated on their left and right. Jiang Yan and his senior martial sister Fairy Furong were also seated among the officials. At this moment, Huo Zhen'e and Li Qingshan shouted in a booming voice: "Guards, bring up these four vicious demons!" Everyone watched as the four men were tightly bound with ropes, their heads completely covered in black hoods, refusing to show their true faces to the public. Seeing that the appointed hour had arrived, Huo Zhen'e and Li Qingshan respectively took their posts as supervising officials. "The noon hour has arrived! Escort them to the execution platform, behead them!" At the order of the four tall, fierce-looking executioners with bulging muscles, flash went the blades and down they came, sending blood splashing on the spot. At this, the entire crowd erupted into the most enthusiastic applause and cheers: "Long live the Great Han Empire! Long live the Empress! Long live the Baiyue Governor! Long live the Dongyi Commandery Prince!"
The people of the entire city celebrated enthusiastically for seven days, halting all entertainment activities. Up and down the streets, people held high portraits of Jiang Yan, Fairy Furong, Huo Zhen'e, and Li Qingshan, cheering and celebrating that they could once again live peaceful and happy lives. Many ordinary citizens even hung the portraits of Fairy Furong and Jiang Yan directly in the main halls of their homes to worship them.
Jiang Yan and his senior martial sister Fairy Furong were also rewarded with a thousand liang of gold by the Baiyue Governor and the Dongyi Commandery Prince, and were conferred the title of Warriors of the Great Han Empire, finally getting to play the role of great heroes admired by all.