Shocking! Five men are in love with the same woman!

As Lingyan listened to their cries and looked at the women who seemed like living dead, her eyes flashed with cold light as she glared at the bandits.

Although the bandits couldn't see her eyes, the powerful pressure and murderous aura suffocated them, as if they were in an ice cellar.

They dared not beg for mercy, nor did they dare make any noise.

The Crown Princess is absolutely terrifying!

Ling Yan paused for a moment, then took a deep breath and tried to calm her anger.

Then, looking at the bandits, she said in an icy voice, "I originally wanted to kill you, but now there is a good opportunity for you to redeem yourselves. If you can accomplish this, you can keep your lives."

The bandits were overjoyed upon hearing this.

They all stared at her in disbelief.

How could someone who offended the Crown Princess still be alive?

Seeing their disbelieving expressions, Lingyan continued, "I have always loved the people like my own children. There are so many bandit strongholds around here, and I don't know how many people they have harmed. However, the bandits are numerous and the location is difficult to find. So, as long as you lead the way so that I can wipe out all the bandits around here, you can offset your merits and demerits and spare your lives. However, you must never continue to be a bandit."

The bandits then understood.

So that's what the Crown Princess was planning.

So, as long as they lead the way for the Crown Princess, they can escape this calamity.

So they believed it and expressed their willingness to be at the Crown Princess's beck and call.

It's likely that the Crown Princess, being a woman of her word, would never lie to them.

Ling Yan looked at them and smiled, a very cold smile.

They just can't see it.

Ah!

Still hoping to escape this calamity and save my life?

Dreaming comes faster.

She agreed to spare their lives, but the others didn't!

If others try to kill them, that's none of her business!

So once they've finished leading the way, you can go to hell.

These people have no idea how many lives they've taken or how many women they've harmed.

How could she possibly let them live?

At this moment, the bandit leader looked at Lingyan with a fawning expression and replied, "Your Highness, there are thirty-seven mountain strongholds of varying sizes in this area. We are all connected to each other and know each other very well. So Your Highness, rest assured, this humble subject will certainly handle this matter well for Your Highness!"

Ling Yan replied without any expression, "You're very good, extremely good."

The bandit leader was clearly very pleased and happy after being praised.

He thought he had truly gained the Crown Princess's favor and trust, and that he might even be given an official position in the future!

At this time, the officials who remained at the foot of the mountain summoned troops from nearby prefectures to come up the mountain after being notified by their secret guards.

After a large number of soldiers went up the mountain, Lingyan immediately ordered the bandits to lead the soldiers to the thirty-seven mountain strongholds to wipe them out.

After the army and bandits left, Lingyan released the two old women and went down the mountain.

They did not do anything wrong, so Lingyan will not do anything to them.

So the two old women thanked them profusely and left in a hurry.

Then Lingyan slowly walked up to the numb and desperate women and said softly, "Don't worry, I won't let those bandits go. If you want to take revenge yourself when they come back, you can. But after they die, I hope you won't dwell on the shadows of the past."

"The nightmares of the past are over, the future is long, you are young, and there are many wonderful times waiting for you. Do not let the crimes of these evil people forever bind your hearts."

Her words flowed like a gentle stream, nourishing the parched hearts of every woman.

Then Lingyan walked up to the woman whose expression was the most blank.

She gently brushed the stray hairs from her face and said softly, "Letting go of hatred in your heart is not about forgetting the past, but about giving yourself a chance to start anew, to find your own happiness, and to feel the warmth and beauty of the world."

"The outside world is vast, with beautiful scenery and kind people. You can go and see the blooming flowers, listen to the birds singing, and feel the embrace of the sun."

"Believe me, as long as you are willing to step out of this darkness, the future will be full of light."

Lingyan's voice echoed in the air, like the tolling of a bell of hope, knocking on the tightly closed doors of every woman's heart.

Her words were like a beam of light piercing through the darkness, finally touching the softest part of these women's hearts.

At first, it was a thin woman whose lips trembled slightly and tears gradually welled up in her eyes.

The tears were like a long-suppressed torrent, which, once breached, could no longer be stopped.

A low whimper escaped her throat, like the mournful cry of a wounded animal in the dead of night.

Immediately afterwards, this sobbing acted like a fuse, instantly igniting the emotions of all the women.

They seemed to have found an outlet for their emotions at that moment, and their cries rose and fell like surging waves.

Some women covered their faces with their hands, tears streaming freely through their fingers, their shoulders trembling violently.

Her cries were filled with endless grievances and pain: "Why? Why do we have to suffer like this?" She cried out hoarsely, her voice broken.

Another woman collapsed to the ground, pounding her fists on the floor, crying, "My life is ruined! It's all ruined!"

Her cries were piercing, each one seeming to tear her own soul apart.

Some women hugged each other and cried loudly.

Their cries mingled together, forming a symphony filled with grief and despair.

"What did we do wrong? Why is God treating us like this?" they cried and shouted, their voices filled with accusations against the injustice of fate.

The cries echoed throughout the village, and tears soaked the ground beneath their feet.

These women unleashed the fear, pain, anger, and helplessness that had been building up in their hearts for so long.

At this moment, they were no longer numb, no longer silent.

Instead, they release their inner pain in the most primitive and intense way, as if they want to wash away all their suffering with their tears.

Lingyan stood aside watching them, her eyes gradually reddening.

She bit her lower lip tightly, trying hard to control her emotions.

But in the end, a crystal tear still quietly slid down her fair cheek and dripped onto the ground at her feet.

Yunmeng was already in tears, her eyes blurred as she looked at them.

Chu Xiyao was also feeling very bad, his heart was heavy.

The other officials, witnessing this scene, also felt immense sympathy and pity.

After an unknown amount of time, the women's crying gradually subsided, leaving only intermittent sobs.

Lingyan then stepped forward, looking at them with a soft but firm voice and said, "The past is the past. We cannot change what has happened, but we can decide the path of the future."

Lingyan looked around, her gaze gentle yet powerful: "Life may have dealt us a heavy blow, but this is not the end. We must stand up together and bravely face the days to come."

She took the hand of a woman who was slumped on the ground and said sincerely, "Each of you is incredibly strong. You have persevered through such difficulties until now. Believe me, there will be warmer sunshine in your lives in the future."

Under Lingyan's gentle yet firm comfort, the women gradually stopped crying.

They raised their heads, and their swollen eyes no longer held only despair and numbness, but instead flickered with a faint but gradually brightening light.

The first to cheer up was an older woman.

She fiercely wiped away the tears on her face with her sleeve, took a deep breath as if to inhale all the sorrow into her lungs and then completely discard it.

Her previously drooping shoulders slowly straightened, and her gaze became firm and resolute.

The gloom in the eyes of the other women also began to dissipate little by little.

Slowly, they helped each other to their feet.

Her face was no longer lifeless, but radiated a newfound glow.

Smiles, those long-lost smiles, began to bloom on their faces.

Although the smile still carried a hint of bitterness and vicissitude, it was full of hope and courage.

They looked at each other, their smiles growing brighter and brighter, as if the darkness that had preceded them had never existed.

At this moment, they are filled with anticipation and longing for the future, ready to embrace the challenges and joys of their new life.

A woman looked up at the sky, sunlight shining on her face.

She squinted slightly, the corners of her mouth turned up, and she smiled with relief, saying, "So, sunshine is this beautiful!"