The Whole Dynasty Spoils the Tyrant's Beloved Youngest Daughter-Chapter 407: Coming to Beg for Mercy

Chapter 407: Chapter 407: Coming to Beg for Mercy
When Jun Ning spoke these words, she was very firm and confident, without a hint of doubt on her face. County Magistrate Li’s tricks meant to deceive children had no impact on her judgment at all.
Let alone lead her by the nose?
What a joke.
County Magistrate Li underestimated her too much.
County Magistrate Li belatedly realized that he had underestimated Jun Ning.
Seeing Jun Ning calm and composed, he couldn’t help but feel afraid, but he showed no trace of this on his face. He still maintained that lifeless and unreasonable demeanor, lying with his eyes wide open.
"Your Highness, Princess, what are you talking about?"
"How can rising river water compare to tidal water?"
"A tidal rise can cost lives. I’ve lived most of my life in Yuyang County, I wouldn’t misjudge a tidal rise."
"It really has risen!"
County Magistrate Li’s psychological fortitude was exceptional. Even though Jun Ning had exposed him completely and did not trust him, he still insisted that he was right and Jun Ning was wrong.
Speaking of being firm, he seemed even firmer than Jun Ning.
If one’s mind was not firm enough and they were easily swayed, they would likely be taken in by him.
But Jun Ning had lived two lifetimes, her mind was firm and she wasn’t easily swayed.
"You’re still talking nonsense! Think I’m a three-year-old child..." Jun Ning was angry. She kicked County Magistrate Li on the shoulder, and he fell to the ground.
Jun Ning looked coldly at County Magistrate Li, "Looks like you won’t cry until you see the coffin."
County Magistrate Li scrambled up into a kneeling position, then frowned, and said very wrongfully, "...Your Highness, Princess, what are you doing?"
"Doing what?" Jun Ning said harshly: "I’ll say it one last time, I want to see the accounts. If you continue to evade the point, it won’t just be a simple kick. I will kick you into the Yujiang to feed the fish..."
"Your Highness, Princess, my death is of little consequence, but you cannot ignore the rising river water level?"
County Magistrate Li continued to stubbornly hold his ground.
He clearly would not cry until he sees the coffin.
Jun Ning rubbed her forehead and sighed, feeling somewhat weary, having realized it would be futile to continue arguing with County Magistrate Li. He was fixated on the rising river water level to avoid the topic of the accounts.
She decided not to argue with County Magistrate Li anymore.
"County Magistrate Li, since you insist on thinking this way, you should remain here and wait for the tide. Don’t get up until it rises, and don’t return home."
Let’s see if he really can wait for the tide to rise and flood the surrounding crops.
"Chao Jiu, personally lead people here to watch. If County Magistrate Li dares to defy my orders and gets up, don’t to me; just kill him."
"If anything happens, I’ll take responsibility for you."
After Jun Ning finished speaking, she left, without any intention of listening to County Magistrate Li’s nonsense.
County Magistrate Li looked at the river, which hadn’t risen at all nor showed any sign of rising, then at Jun Ning’s departing back, feeling both anxious and miserable.
Even if he knelt here until he died, the river wouldn’t rise.
The princess’s words seemed like she truly intended to leave him kneeling here until death.
He didn’t want to die kneeling here.
Such a cause of death was too undignified, and would sound bad if spread around.
He wanted to call Jun Ning back, to plead with her to let him get up and spare him. But because of the bold declarations he had made earlier, he felt too embarrassed to say anything.
His lips moved for a long time, hesitating for ages, but in the end, he couldn’t utter a word.
Watching as Jun Ning’s silhouette completely disappeared from his line of sight, County Magistrate Li deeply sighed and slumped onto his calves where he knelt.
The next moment, a stern voice came from above: "Kneel properly..."
It was Chao Jiu.
County Magistrate Li was somewhat afraid of Chao Jiu’s fierce expression, so he hurriedly knelt properly, no longer slouching, but in his heart, he was cursing Chao Jiu’s ancestors.
...
After Jun Ning left the Yujiang, she didn’t return to her accommodation; instead, she took a walk around all of Yuyang County, to understand the state of the populace and the quantity of farmland affected each year when the riverbank breached.
The people of Yuyang County were somewhat resistant to officials.
She changed out of her princess attire, wearing simple farmer’s clothing, tied up her hair, and helped farmers in the fields watering, weeding, and catching pests, spending several days mingling with them.
She gossiped with them, talked about interesting topics, and discussed the crop yields.
After mingling for several days, her efforts paid off, and she gained a basic understanding of various situations in Yuyang County.
Next was to reconstruct the riverbank according to the crop damage.
The height and width of the new riverbank were precisely calculated and raised and reinforced based on the extent of damage to the farmland.
Accomplishing these tasks was not easy. For several consecutive days, Jun Ning did not have a moment’s rest, working tirelessly.
While Jun Ning was busy, County Magistrate Li’s side was fairly idle.
He had one task each day: obediently kneel on the riverbank.
He knelt on the riverbank for several days straight, exposed to the sun and wind daily, and soon he couldn’t endure it any longer.
According to Chao Jiu, he spent days wailing, claiming he wanted to see Jun Ning to beg her to let him return.
His family members also sought Jun Ning in person, imploring her to let County Magistrate Li go.
At that moment, Jun Ning was working on drafting riverbank schematics, precisely calculating the expansion area of the riverbank, while Mrs. Li persistently hovered nearby, begging her to spare County Magistrate Li.
"Your Highness, Princess, could you be magnanimous and not hold our master accountable? Our master was momentarily confused, which made Your Highness unhappy."
Jun Ning twirled the feather quill in her hand and frowned.
Mrs. Li approached a few steps closer, looking at Jun Ning’s serious profile, saying, "Your Highness, Princess, we truly made mistakes. To err is human; we promise to change. I beg you to forgive us. I’m kneeling before you."
Mrs. Li knelt on the ground with a thud, the sound of her knees hitting the ground was very clear.
She must have been in pain.
However, she disregarded the pain, with all her heart and mind focused only on begging Jun Ning to forgive County Magistrate Li.
Jun Ning glanced at her, "Instead of asking me to forgive your master, you might as well ask your master to stop evading the issue and bring me what I want promptly."
Jun Ning remained resolute, not backing down an inch, "Otherwise, he will keep kneeling. Whenever the Yujiang’s river water rises, then he may return home."
"This..." Mrs. Li knew Jun Ning wanted the accounts, but her master refused to give them, leaving her helpless. Her face showed difficulty.
Jun Ning coldly gazed at Mrs. Li, "Since it’s difficult for you, then please leave?"
Mrs. Li quickly said, "Your Highness, Princess, can’t we discuss this further?"