The stone arch window was smashed into a jagged crack by an iron bar, and billowing black smoke rose into the sky from the window.

The knights and soldiers, clad in chainmail and half-armour, picked up their white kite shields, but couldn't believe the scene before them.

The gendarmeries of Black Snake Bay roughly yanked the hair of the rioters, pinning them to kneel by the roadside.

The North light cavalry rode short, swift horses, swinging lassos to rope the rioters and drag them down, scraping them along the ground.

The tax officers wore head-sized leather shields on their right hands, wielding magic staffs fitted with spiked balls, spike rods, and short axes in their left, charging at the rioters and masked armoured warriors.

Occasionally, flames, poison fog, and rays flew from the crowd, followed by a clear scream.

When it comes to battlefield duels, this group of Black Snake Bay gendarmeries and tax officers are no match for the Thousand River Valley soldiers and knights.

But if it's gang fights, ahem, suppressing gang fights in street brawls, they're pros at it.

It seemed in an instant, the initially favourable situation had reversed.

And the one who brought all this was none other than Her Highness Moliat, whom they once revered and attempted to restore!

We were about to fight to the death, but why did Your Highness betray us?

This was the thought of countless noble faction knights, soldiers, and armed farmers. The appearance and defection of Moliat nearly severed their morale.

Among those who had arrived were over a thousand Black Snake Bay tax officers and gendarmeries, Jia Li herself brought a hundred North County knights.

To make matters worse, for some reason, these Black Snake Bay gendarmeries and tax officers always managed to pinpoint the rioters hiding in the throngs.

Anyone who passed before Jia Li couldn't escape.

"That one, that one, and that one!"

Jia Li's gaze roamed the crowd, accurately identifying one rioter after another mixed among the people.

There was no false accusation or misunderstanding, those pointed out were genuine rioters.

Of course, some were overlooked, but it didn't matter. Once key contacts were caught, they could lead to a wide net.

Anyone identified was swiftly seized by tax officers and Cheka.

One club to the head, two clubs to the belly, three clubs to the back, knocking them to the ground before forcibly dragging them out.

Many captured still angrily argued: "I am a Thousand River Valley veteran, back when I entered Xia Lvcheng with Her Highness Moliat, you all didn't even know where you were!"

These veterans were actually retired former soldiers and sentinels, all having undergone military training.

Seeing their comrades being pulled out one by one, these soldiers quickly formed ranks, trying to resist stubbornly.

But Jia Li soon showed them what it meant: "Old soldiers never die, they just become a bit sticky on horse hooves."

"Heavy cavalry, charge!" Jia Li's riding whip directly pointed at the soldiers forming ranks.

In the next moment, the North knights, clad in heavy armour, charged directly at the densest point.

Ignoring the "old soldiers" trampled by the cavalry, Jia Li's gaze shifted to the captured rioters.

She squinted, her eyelids slightly trembling.

Though it was unclear what effort she was exerting, everyone around could see she was exerting herself.

Soon, the veins on Jia Li's forehead began to throb vigorously, even fresh blood faintly trickled from her nostrils.

"My lady?" A maid nearby offered a handkerchief with concern.

Taking the silk handkerchief, she wiped away the blood from her nose and ear, then shouted loudly: "Griz!"

"Here, my lady."

Sparing a glance at Griz, Jia Li started reporting a series of precise locations.

"Did you hear that clearly?"

Griz pounded his chest with an iron hand: "I will immediately lead personnel for the capture."

"Not necessarily accurate, it's merely the locations they're thinking about at the moment. Whether these are rioter hiding places is uncertain." Jia Li instructed coolly, "Capture cautiously, but don't hold back."

"Yes."

Just after arranging the capture operation, Jia Li attempted to rest, but again heard the noise.

"Your Highness Moliat, you misunderstood."

The knights of old didn't understand why Moliat targeted them, thinking she might have mistaken them for siding with the Norn people.

"Your Highness, Your Highness!"

"Please believe us, we have not sided with the Norn people."

Jia Li glared at them sideways: "I already said, my name is Jia Li Gallar, my fiancé is Horn Gallar, I am not Moliat!"

Jia Li spoke so decisively that even the prisoners experienced a moment of confusion.

But confusion lasted only a moment, for they saw the woman before them remove her leather gloves.

In the sunlight, her mechanical iron hand shone brightly.

And you say you're not Moliat!

The knights and soldiers immediately started crying and shouting again: "You are Her Highness Moliat! Your Highness, take me with you! Without you, how can we survive? We don't want to go to Black Snake Bay..."

"Too noisy, take them away." Jia Li impatiently waved her hand, and several combat mages swung their long whips, forcing the captives to keep moving forward.

Only when Jia Li disappeared from sight did they give up their wailing.

Their cries quickly turned to mutual blame.

"I told you, don't cooperate with the Norn people, now it's great, Her Highness Moliat misunderstood!"

"Could it be someone who just looks a lot like her?"

"The voice is the same, the height is the same, the body shape is the same, the eye color is the same, even the broken hand is the same! Still say it's not?"

"Could it be that Her Highness has truly been swayed?"

"Are you crazy? Has it even been half a year? Is Her Highness Moliat such a weak person?"

"No, no, no, that's not what I mean, do y'all remember Her Highness said Horn was her fiancé?" The knight speaking thrust his hips twice, "Could it be that Horn is, hmm?"

"Her Highness Moliat is also a woman, after all." Many suddenly realized.

"No wonder she's called a demon? No wonder that Jeanne and Catherine are so obedient, I see now..." 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

Finally, the Black Snake Bay tax officer responsible for escorting them couldn't help it: "You're discussing all this, do you think it will make Jia Li let you go?"

The once-chatting captives paused for a second.

"Your Highness—we know we're wrong—"

......

"How is the dock area?" Ge Angqi asked, leaning on his rapier while sitting on a tree stump by the road. The tip of his rapier still bore bloodstains.

"The fires are out, only a small portion of military rations and spices were burned, the rest is intact."

"How many rioters have been arrested so far?"

"More than seven hundred, with nearly a hundred dead. We should be able to totally stabilize the situation by noon."

After a moment of silence, Ge Angqi let out a long sigh: "It's my fault, I've been muddle-headed, I've let down His Majesty and Her Highness Catherine's trust."

"Don't say that." Mitney comforted him, "You're muddle-headed, sure, but you're not old enough to be that forgetful yet."

"Are you trying to comfort me or annoy me?" Ge Angqi's face turned dark, "This time, His Majesty is sure to remove me from my post."

Beside them, Carl had just finished bandaging his wound. Hearing their conversation, he chuckled, "More than that, I'm more curious about that one."

All three of their gazes turned in unison to Jia Li, who was in the middle of commanding operations.

Isn't it just that Moliat conceded to His Majesty, and at the end, covered it under a false identity?

They could easily guess it, though Moliat indeed made many mistakes, there were no fundamental errors.

In other words, the attitude wasn't wrong, it was mainly about capability, direction, and means.

After all, during the war in the Thousand River Valley, they were old comrades, and Ge Angqi and the others knew that Horn was still quite nostalgic.

It's just unclear how much power this nostalgia would afford his former enemy?

"Moliat... oh no, Lady Jia Li." Choosing his words carefully, Ge Angqi, supported by someone, stepped forward, "I wonder about this Purification Court..."

"It's a newly established court-level department." Jia Li handed Ge Angqi a letter of appointment Horn had signed a month ago.

Under the Imperial Cardinal Conference are court-level departments such as the Truth Court and the Judgement Court.

Aside from the courts, as the situation evolves, there are various departments slightly below court level, also directly under Horn and the Cardinal Conference.

For instance, the Civil Engineering Hall specializes in infrastructure construction and waterworks, and the Cleanliness Hall covers health care, disease prevention, and Demon-Loving Fungus inoculation.

Cheka, for instance, is a hall-level department directly under Horn, officially named the Anti-Corruption Hall.

Getting the letter of appointment, not only Ge Angqi but Mitney and Carl, along with others, gathered to read the resume of this "mysterious woman."

"...Jia Li Gallar, from Long Embankment City, Black Snake Bay, joined Pope Country in September 1444, once served as the pope's guard, and single-handedly broke through enemy lines in the Battle of the Little Mud Ditch..."

Hmm?

All three were collectively taken aback. They had heard of this name Jia Li—she was a founding elder back in the day.

Was Moliat not upset about having her identity replaced?

"… Jia Li served as the first general overseer of the Anti-Corruption Hall (Cheka) and played a significant role in solving the Blue Blood Mystery…

… Afterwards, she was active at Black Snake Bay and single-handedly established the Black Snake Bay Constitutional Army…

Now proposing Jia Li Gallar as the Cardinal of the Purification Court, which has passed the vote of the Imperial Cardinal Conference.

Specific functions are as follows..."

"Absorbing the Night Watch Hall?!" Carl jumped up.

"Responsible for suppressing demonic elements within the Holy Alliance and monitoring smuggling and economic crimes?!" Ge Angqi brought the letter of appointment closer to his eyes.

"The First River Transport Regiment, Mountain Cavalry Regiment, Black Snake Bay Constitutional Army, the three major internal security forces..." Mitney's deep voice resounded.