Kays Translations
Just another Isekai Lover~
Chapter 238: Chaos
Loads after loads of prisoners were escorted to Anyang. During this period, many of them, worried about their future, attempted to escape. Even though their true essence was sealed, some still tried to jump off the vehicles. Facing the completely unfamiliar political environment of Anyang and the fact that they would have to undergo legal trials, many prisoners were filled with unease.
However, there was absolutely no mercy for those who attempted to escape. Those who could be caught were captured; those who couldn’t be caught—or those deemed not worth the effort—were executed on the spot. After a few examples were made, the rest finally settled down.
The trains rumbled as hundreds of thousands of prisoners arrived in Anyang. The citizens of Anyang were excited. They had long heard of the victory at the front lines and came in droves to witness the spectacle.
Gongsun Wushang was extremely busy, his feet barely touching the ground as he gathered his limited number of judges and began preparations for the trials.
Li Xian observed from the side. “Gongsun Wushang, our Anyang must govern by law, not just in words but in actual practice. These trials of the prisoners will be a clear statement to the people of Anyang and to the world. We cannot afford to be careless.
Everything must be conducted according to the laws of war prisoners.
Furthermore, regarding the enemy officials who have surrendered, we will not employ them. Anyang’s officials come in only two types: those selected through merit and those who are exceptional talents like Xu Ren.”
“Rest assured, Young Master. I will ensure that this trial firmly establishes Anyang’s legal principles.” Despite his exhaustion, Gongsun Wushang’s eyes gleamed with determination. The legal system of Anyang perfectly aligned with his ideals. Although there were still imperfections, it was far superior to the so-called ‘royal law’ of the Liu Kingdom.
Under the gaze of the entire city, an unprecedented, large-scale trial commenced. All 100+ judges in Anyang were present to oversee the trials of 150,000 prisoners.
Crowds of civilians gathered to witness the event. Even some hidden Golden Core experts in the city were so curious that they floated in the air—prisoners of war undergoing trials? This was unheard of!
Seated at the chief position, Gongsun Wushang felt a bit nervous. This was his first time doing something like this. Back in the Liu Kingdom, while laws did exist, they were cruel laws—there were no real trials. Offenders were simply executed, and even if they had grievances, they had no means to appeal.
The first to be tried were the surrendered enemy officials. Each was questioned separately—asked about their own actions, about others’ actions, and about any confidential information they knew. Each individual was interrogated three times, with the order of questions shuffled each time. If their statements were inconsistent across the three rounds, they were deemed “incorrigible” and sentenced accordingly. After all, this was the cultivation world, a time of war—not an era of peace.
Those judged as incorrigible were immediately sentenced to death without hesitation. Those who answered truthfully were moved to a secondary review. Gongsun Wushang personally reviewed the records.
“Lü Liming, court councilor—his statements were verified as true, and he did not participate in any combat. He is acquitted and released on-site. If he wishes to settle in Anyang, he may apply for residency in three years. Five years after obtaining residency, he will be eligible to participate in Anyang’s official selection process.”
“Zhou Gang, Zhaowu captain—participated in battle and killed three Anyang soldiers. Due to his sincere attitude, he is sentenced to life imprisonment without parole.”
“I refuse to accept this!” Zhou Gang roared in anger.
Gongsun Wushang’s gaze turned icy. “Execute him immediately!”
Two Golden Core experts stepped forward and dragged Zhou Gang away. Even though his true essence was sealed, Zhou Gang still attempted to burn his soul in resistance. However, the two experts subdued him completely, allowing no chance for struggle. He was swiftly escorted to the execution ground, where enraged soldiers roared and beheaded him.
At that, the surrendered officials all became obedient.
Dozens more officials were judged in succession. Most were acquitted, while those found guilty were sentenced to imprisonment for three to ten years. A few generals were executed outright.
In the past, such battle-hardened generals would have been recruited. But Anyang did not see the need—so what if they were skilled in combat? Anyang did not lack such individuals! With the abundance of spiritual liquid, Anyang’s Golden Core experts had emerged like an explosion. Large numbers of soldiers were advancing into the Foundation Establishment stage, and a select few elites were breaking into the Golden Core stage.
Moreover, the mechanized nature of Anyang’s warfare meant that there was no particular need for traditional “brave generals.” A few such generals even swore loyalty to Anyang, but it was meaningless.
“In the face of the law, everyone is equal.” After all the officials had been judged, Gongsun Wushang coldly declared this final statement. These eight words were the exact message that Li Xian wanted to publicize.
This time, no one dared to mock them. Anyang’s laws had been forged in blood and fire.
Next, it was the merchants’ turn. Those who had transported military supplies for the enemy emperor were given heavy sentences, and those who had sought to profit from the war were not spared either.
Anyang’s stance on merchants was intriguing—those who abided by the law were protected, while opportunistic merchants who sought to exploit loopholes faced severe consequences if caught.
After the merchants came the prisoners of war—about forty thousand of them, all looking dejected. The previous trials had already driven these soldiers into despair.
As expected, all the soldiers received severe sentences; however, they were not overly harsh. Li Xian had carefully considered the matter—after all, these soldiers were still citizens of the Great Xia Kingdom and could serve as a potential military force for Anyang in the future. Moreover, most of them had merely followed orders and had little choice in their actions.
Due to the large number of prisoners, it was impossible to interrogate each one individually. After a discussion between Gongsun Wushang, the judges, Li Xian, and others, the final verdict was decided: “All soldiers will serve ten years of military service. Those who perform well may join Anyang afterward.”
At the end, about a dozen civilians remained. Many of them were injured, some even on the brink of death.
“Blinded by greed, willingly becoming the claws of evil—your crimes are unforgivable! You are sentenced for robbery and murder. All civilians will face life imprisonment. Those under sixteen years old will be detained and educated for two years. After two years, they will be released based on their behavior.”
“We refuse to accept this! Why are the soldiers sentenced to only ten years, while we are imprisoned for life?” someone finally roared in anger, despite the looming threat of death.
Facing the outrage of tens of thousands of civilians, Li Xian personally stepped forward, his expression stern: “A soldier’s duty is war, but a civilian’s duty is not robbery! Soldiers wage war under orders—the true culprits are their commanders, whom we have already judged. Civilians who joined in looting, however, did so out of greed. That makes them the true perpetrators. Therefore, soldiers receive lighter sentences, while civilians are punished more severely.”
This explanation gained widespread approval—at least within Anyang, where the crowd responded with applause. At the same time, the concept of the rule of law became further reinforced. Governing by law was gradually being accepted in Anyang. The merchants of Anyang, in particular, placed great value on legal order—though, in truth, they had little choice but to do so.
With this trial concluded, Anyang’s social order changed significantly. However, outside of Anyang, across the entire Great Xia Kingdom, turmoil only intensified.
Since ascending to the throne in Wuyang City, the First Prince had yet to leave. Now, the Second Prince, widely recognized as the rightful emperor, was being escorted back to Wuyang City by Anyang’s soldiers. This set the stage for an incredible confrontation—two emperors, face to face.
Meanwhile, the Third Prince—more precisely, the Wang family—was not willing to accept defeat and was secretly making preparations.
In Songzhou County, Gao Bin was also calculating his next move. Unlike the others, he found himself surrounded by separatist forces, limiting his options for expansion. Seizing Wuyang County was his only way forward.
As for Nanyang County, they were colluding with the Jin Kingdom, preparing to march on Anyang.
Inside Nanyang Prefecture, Kong Donglai studied the entire map, his fingers slowly moving across the sand table, seemingly deep in thought. After a long silence, he suddenly asked his two sons beside him, “Kong Yingzhi, Kong Yingcai, what do you think our next move should be?”
Kong Yingzhi spoke first: “Father, I believe the greatest variable right now is Anyang. During the siege of Wuyang City, what struck me most was the issue of military supplies!
Anyang is selling weapons everywhere, and we keep using those weapons to kill each other. When we run out, we have to go back to Anyang to buy more. This creates a vicious cycle—Anyang controls the war by controlling the arms trade.
If this situation doesn’t change, all our efforts will be in vain. Once we’ve exhausted ourselves, Anyang will swoop in and claim victory with little effort.”
Kong Yingcai had his own perspective: “Father, the only ones remaining neutral are the Li family, with their forces in Kaiping County in the north and Anyang County in the east. Their inaction makes them like hawks circling high above, waiting to strike, leaving us restless and uneasy.
Li Yulong has governed Great Xia for fifteen years—he must have many hidden strategies at his disposal.
I believe we should form an alliance with Dongyuan County, the Yuan family, and the Crown Prince in the north to launch a joint offensive and test the Li family’s true strength. Also, we need to coordinate with Songzhou’s governor, Gao Bin.
Gao Bin is surrounded on all sides with no room for expansion. If he can conquer Anyang, he will break free from his predicament of being encircled by enemies!”