Despicable human, watch me tear you to pieces!

When the Crown Princess was mentioned, people usually thought of the notorious Mo Liuli rather than Mo Ruyan, who had usurped her identity through a fraudulent marriage.

With Feng Guojing’s nod of confirmation, hundreds of pairs of eyes instantly snapped toward Mo Li's feet, eager to see if she was wearing shoes.

"It's her, truly her! Look, she isn't even wearing shoes!"

A young servant girl pointed excitedly at Mo Li's bare feet, making a fuss. She even squeezed through the crowd right up to Mo Li's side, attempting to lift the hem of her skirt so everyone could get a clearer look.

For a woman to go barefoot was considered a shameful disgrace, and many elders used Mo Li as a negative example to educate their children. The most common warning was: "Look at the once-glorious Mo family! It was all ruined by Mo Li, a base, shameless woman who flaunted her bare feet day in and day out. If you don't want to end up unmarriageable, you'd better put on your shoes and behave yourself, lest you bring ruin to our family and the entire continent in the future!"

Just as the girl's hand was about to brush against Mo Li's skirt, a chubby little hand slapped her away with a sharp smack.

"Anyone who dares touch my mother, I guarantee I'll beat them black and blue!"

Little Dragon stood protectively in front of Mo Li with his hands on his hips, speaking in a childish yet milky voice, his words astonishingly domineering.

With a sudden uproar, the crowd exploded into chaos once again.

Those who had suffered deeply at the hands of the Corpse Squad quickly associated Mo Li with the upheaval in the palace, blaming her for the squad's brutal assault on the city's residents. In an instant, individual accusations escalated into a chorus of public abuse.

Feng Guojing, the instigator of the chaos, simply leaned back in his chair with an expression of leisurely contentment, watching the spectacle unfold.

***

Mo Li had never expected the citizens here to harbor such intense animosity toward her. A sudden wave of heartache washed over her, the bitter taste of loss wrapping around her heart over and over again.

"Everyone here has lost their minds! Quickly, hold Long'er and come with me!"

Amidst Mo Li's trance-like daze, Xiao Junwang shoved aside several shrewish townspeople who were pressing forward. He gave Mo Li a nudge and thrust Long'er directly into her arms.

Feng Wujiang finally snapped out of his daze as the townspeople grew increasingly unruly. Seeing the crowd surging forward collectively to drag Mo Li off to the palace, his immediate reaction was to rally his subordinates to block their path. While holding the crowd back, he turned his head to shout at Xiao Junwang, who was already drawing close:

"Take her away and never come back!" With that, he threw himself heart and soul into clearing a path for Mo Li.

Feng Guojing, who had been thoroughly enjoying the show with a light heart, was utterly infuriated by this turn of events. The spreading chaos was now threatening him as well, given how close he was to Mo Li's current position.

He had sent Little San away on an errand, and according to his calculations, it would still be some time before he returned. Therefore, he had to find a way to stall Mo Li and make absolutely sure she couldn't escape!

Although her mind was in turmoil, Mo Li allowed herself to be guided forward under Xiao Junwang's protection. Flashes of memory raced through her mind—the days when she was adored and cheered by the subjects across the realm. Yet now, these very citizens wore expressions that made it seem they wished to tear her to pieces, leaving her utterly bewildered.

"Mother!"

Feeling someone tugging at his foot, Long'er let out a cry. In the next instant, Mo Li was struck violently by a heavy force, sending her staggering sideways.

"Hey! Stop right there, or I'll kill him!"

***

In the blink of an eye, Feng Guojing used the most despicable of tactics to snatch Long'er from Mo Li's arms. Pulling the child's tiny body right in front of him, he pressed his hands tightly around Long'er's neck.

"Long'er!"

"Long'er!"

Terrified that Feng Guojing's reckless aggression might harm the child, Mo Li and Xiao Junwang froze, not daring to make the slightest movement.

"Aroo—!"

With a majestic dragon roar, Long'er transformed into his true form and slipped effortlessly from Feng Guojing's grasp in a flash. A slender, tiny golden dragon hovered high in the air, thrashing his little dragon whiskers and glaring furiously down at Feng Guojing.

"Despicable mortal, see how I tear you to pieces!"

With an angry roar, Long'er plunged downward in a fierce dive toward Feng Guojing. The shockwave generated by his descent forced the surrounding townspeople back several paces.