After being reborn, I stole the female lead's cheat ability and raised the empress.

Chapter 204 Breaking Prejudice

The scout was startled and quickly tried to brush it off with a fake smile.

He forced a stiff smile, like a mask that was barely stuck on, and waved his hand casually, saying, "What a coincidence, brothers! I was just about to go out to buy some things. Would you like to come along?"

The surrounding guards had no intention of wasting words with him and charged straight at him.

The spies tried to resist, but it was too late.

He was soon forced to kneel on the ground by a group of people.

Zhao Jihua slowly emerged from the shadows and said coldly, "Trying to sneak off and report? Humph! You traitor!"

She kicked him to the ground: "You've miscalculated. Confess everything, or today will be your end!"

Seeing that all was lost, the scout knelt on the ground and kept kowtowing, begging for mercy: "Your Majesty, Your Majesty, spare my life! Your Majesty, they captured my wife and children to threaten me. I was just momentarily blinded by greed... I am willing to confess everything. Please, Your Majesty, spare my wife and children for the sake of my family."

Zhao Jihua remained silent, deep in thought about the threats being leveled against the soldiers.

The scout, however, thought she was angry and hurriedly explained what had happened and who was involved.

Zhao Jihua narrowed his eyes slightly: "Is there someone else you haven't mentioned?"

The scout paused, his gaze darting away, and said, "N-nothing..."

Zhao Jihua wasn't going to hold back. She kicked him, sending him sprawling to the ground, then stepped on his chest, looking down at him: "Why are you protecting General Li? Did he ever save your life?"

She had noticed something was wrong as early as when they were in the camp.

The spy cried out in terror, "Please, Your Majesty..."

She waved.

Immediately, someone gagged him and took him to the execution ground.

The execution ground was already surrounded by people.

The traitors were forced to kneel on the guillotine.

Standing on the platform, Zhao Jihua announced in a booming voice: "Those who betrayed the country are utterly heinous and deserve to die! Their actions are intolerable to Heaven and Earth, and they should be executed along with their entire families to uphold the law and appease public anger! Now, I hereby declare that General Li and his entourage shall be beheaded immediately and their heads displayed to the public! I have already dispatched men to arrest and behead their entire families!"

General Li and his men were executed on the spot.

After the truth came to light, Zhao Jihua led his spies to Miao and Southern Xinjiang, where he exposed the conspiracy of the remnants of the Vermilion Bird Kingdom in front of the people of both regions.

The people of both Xinjiang and Xinjiang suddenly realized what was happening and were extremely grateful to Zhao Jihua. The previous conflicts and misunderstandings vanished in an instant.

They shook hands, reconciled, and celebrated the hard-won peace together.

Looking at the people of the two regions who had reconciled, Zhao Jihua was filled with emotion.

……

That evening, Su Tiyu remained sullen.

"What's wrong, Xiaoyu'er?"

Su Tiyu looked at her with resentment in her eyes: "I think the High Priest did something wrong today."

The guards beside him immediately drew their swords and stepped forward: "Insolence!"

“It’s alright, we Miao people don’t have such a strong concept of monarchy,” Zhao Jihua waved away the guards and looked at her, “What do you think I did wrong?”

Su Tiyu seemed unable to hold back her tears any longer, large drops falling from her eyes: "Why did you have to hurt their wives, children, and parents? Although he certainly deserved to die and was guilty of many crimes, their families were innocent! I can still picture their parents, wives, and children working diligently and conscientiously at home to support the family, hoping for their husbands or sons to return victorious, only to receive an imperial edict to confiscate their property. They must feel utterly wronged. Oh, just thinking about their helpless and terrified eyes makes me so sad..."

Those around: "..."

Pang Shuai scratched his head: "...How come these barbarians have started to have a conscience after following His Majesty for so long?"

Zhao Jihua glared at him and said, "Now I understand why they say prejudice in people's hearts is a mountain. After more than ten years of fighting on the border, you only think the Miao people are barbaric and lack manners and morality. But if you put yourself in their shoes, you'll understand. No one has ever tried to educate them, so they grow up freely and unrestrained, without distinction of rank or status, but also without scheming or pretense. Even though the people of the two regions have been fighting for countless years since ancient times, as soon as I said you are one family, the Miao people put aside their hatred and were willing to set foot here and accept everyone. As soon as I said we shouldn't use Gu poison indiscriminately in the future, they really didn't, even though they suffered such a great injustice this time..."

The generals in the southern border region lowered their heads unconsciously. They had indeed been prejudiced before and had not truly accepted the Miao people from the bottom of their hearts; they had only maintained a superficial appearance.

The representatives from Miao territory were moved to tears. They decided that when they returned, they would make sure to spread the word about the High Priest's words that night and tell everyone that the Miao people had not made a mistake in choosing their High Priest!

Pang Shuai looked up and sincerely stepped forward to shake hands with Ge Lou (the Miao general): "These are my heartfelt words. We did indeed view you with prejudice before, but we sincerely realize our mistakes and will try our best to communicate with you in the future. We hope you will not hold our previous rudeness against us."

Ge Lou laughed and said, "It doesn't matter, I won't care about that. But your fancy etiquette might be too much for us Miao people..." He raised his hand, making a gesture that said, "I can't help it."

Pang Shuai laughed heartily: "Hahahaha..."

Everyone laughed, and amidst the laughter,

The Miao people and the people from Southern Xinjiang embraced each other.

At this moment, everyone truly accepted each other from the bottom of their hearts and regarded each other as family.

Seeing that the atmosphere was just right, Zhao Jihua announced loudly, "Someone, prepare a bonfire party! Tonight, we will celebrate the 15 new families in Southern Xinjiang and the new ethnic groups joining Miao territory!!!"

"Yes!" the generals responded, excitedly going to prepare for the party.

Zhao Jihua turned to Su Tiyu, his tone patient yet firm: "Let me answer your question again. What if the punishment isn't enough, and others follow suit? For the sake of the Azure Dragon Empire, we must deal seriously with traitors! Let's imagine this: if someone, because they don't care about their own life or have grievances against the country, goes to another country to become a spy, and we only execute them after catching them, do you think they'll be afraid? But if they bring their parents and relatives along, they'll have reservations. Their clan wouldn't allow them to do something so humiliating and degrading, and they'd be dealt with the moment they're discovered! Wouldn't that reduce many potential threats to our country?"

Su Tiyu understood, but she still sobbed, "This... I understand, but... but..."

"I'm still very sad. I feel that his family was really wronged and innocent, right?" Zhao Jihua changed the subject.

"But aren't the 1414 million people of the Azure Dragon Empire innocent as well?"