Rebirth: The Journey of an Heiress-Chapter 1553 - 1548: A Modest Contribution

His official position was low, and Yue Quanyong didn’t take him seriously, but he certainly couldn’t ignore the royal relatives!

Upon hearing the County Magistrate’s request, the royal relatives were so angry that they laughed out loud, feeling that this County Magistrate was a useless person who couldn’t get anything done, and they were also annoyed by Yue Quanyong’s meddling.

At this moment, how could these members of the Imperial Family come forward? With Yue Quanyong’s arrogance, he utterly disregarded them. If they suppressed Yue Quanyong and dealt with Doctor Zhu, and Yue Quanyong complained to the Regent Prince later, they would be accused of defying his orders, and would never hope to return to Yan again. 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

Several royal relatives discussed among themselves, instructing someone to tell the County Magistrate to firmly insist on following the Regent Prince’s instructions regarding Doctor Zhu’s family’s placement, and to stalemate with Yue Quanyong until the Regent Prince returned. In this way, Doctor Zhu’s family would be safe, and no one could blame the County Magistrate.

But before the messenger could arrive, Xiao Rongyan had already returned to the city.

As soon as Xiao Rongyan arrived at the jail, the County Magistrate knelt down and accused Yue Quanyong of obstructing him from taking Doctor Zhu out.

However, the County Magistrate did not expect that Xiao Rongyan had already been informed of the whole situation by the city General on his way back and was already furious.

In the dim and damp cell, Xiao Rongyan’s eyes under the mask were grim. Without a word, he lifted his robe and kicked the County Magistrate hard in the chest. The County Magistrate collided with a group of kneeling Government Officials and hurriedly endured the pain in his chest to crawl to Xiao Rongyan’s feet, trembling all over.

"Forgive me, Regent Prince! Forgive me, Regent Prince!"

"Tell me again, what are you doing in this jail?"

"Please forgive me, Regent Prince. This was not my intention. I am under the command of the Imperial Family members; they are all Imperial people, and I... I have no choice but to obey! I was forced into this!" Seeing Xiao Rongyan’s anger, the County Magistrate confessed everything in terror.

Xiao Rongyan detested these royal relatives. Killing them... the crime did not warrant death; executing them would implicate a multitude of connections and people, which would be a huge nuisance. But not killing them... they continued to repeatedly cause troubles for the Yan Kingdom, testing people’s limits.

"Strip off his official robes, beat him with a hundred lashes, and throw him in the dungeon if he survives!" Xiao Rongyan ordered coldly, "Yue Shi, personally bring those few royal relatives here and carefully count how many lashes the County Magistrate takes! If he cannot endure and dies, the remaining lashes shall be borne by those royal relatives!"

"Yes!" Yue Shi responded, leaving with his men amid the County Magistrate’s pleas for mercy.

Yue Quanyong ordered to drag the weeping County Magistrate out and made way for the cell door. Xiao Rongyan bent down to enter the filthy cell, seeing Zhu Chengru with fear in his eyes, chapped lips, huddling protectively over his family as he breathed heavily, white mist escaping his mouth with each breath.

Xiao Rongyan spoke, "I have learned of your deed of sending medicine to Anshun City. On behalf of the people of Anshun City, I thank you! Because of your timely medicine, many people in Anshun City survived. Those people have shared hardships with our Yan Court and are benefactors. You deserve my bow!"

With that, Xiao Rongyan performed a long bow to Zhu Chengru.

Zhu Chengru, overwhelmed by the honor, quickly bowed to the ground, "It is merely something that a common citizen should do!"

Zhu Chengru thought that by sending medicine to Anshun City, he had disrupted the Yan Kingdom’s strategic plans, and that the Regent Prince sparing his life was already a great favor. To his surprise... the Regent Prince even thanked him.

After straightening up, Xiao Rongyan said to Zhu Chengru, "When I was meeting with the Emperor of Zhou, I received the news and hurried back. The Emperor of Zhou, upon hearing the news, has personally led his army to the outskirts of Liyi City to escort you to Anshun City. Do you... wish to stay in Liyi, or would you prefer to go with the Emperor of Zhou to Anshun City?"

Upon hearing this, Zhu Chengru was stunned...

The Emperor of Zhou personally leading his army, to... to welcome him?!

Zhu Chengru’s wife, who was protecting their child behind him, was equally shocked upon hearing these words. She quickly thought of her parents in Anshun City, promptly tugging on Zhu Chengru’s sleeve. Now that her parents-in-law had passed away, and her brother had also died last year, her parents were left with only her as their daughter. If they could return to Anshun City... it would be a good thing!

Zhu Chengru, pulled back to reality by his wife’s tug, looked into her hopeful eyes, clenched his fist slightly beside him, and respectfully bowed to Xiao Rongyan, "I am a native of Liyi, and naturally, I prefer to stay in Liyi, but I fear... the royal relatives and County Magistrate in Liyi will not allow it."

"Since I am handling this matter, I will not let anyone trouble you. If you still wish to stay in Liyi, I will protect you!" Xiao Rongyan knew that if Bai Qingyan took Zhu Chengru away, it would mean taking the hearts of Liyi’s people away with him. But Xiao Rongyan could not force Zhu Chengru to stay; it had to be his choice.

Zhu Chengru had a medical clinic and a pharmacy in Liyi City, so naturally, he did not want to leave this place and start anew in Anshun City!

After some time, Zhu Chengru glanced back at his wife, squeezed her hand reassuringly, and then bowed to Xiao Rongyan, "I trust the Regent Prince. I am willing to stay in Liyi City! The epidemic in Liyi City is not entirely eradicated yet, and I wish to contribute what little I can."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Chengru’s wife burst into tears, yet she had no choice. She had always known her husband to be a man of firm decisions, not easily swayed by her or anyone else.

"Very well..." Xiao Rongyan stepped forward, helping Zhu Chengru up, "In that case, do you dare to go out of the city and meet the Emperor of Zhou, since... the Emperor of Zhou has come for you."

Zhu Chengru glanced at his disheveled appearance and nodded, "May the Regent Prince permit me to wash and change before meeting the Emperor of Zhou?"

"Of course!" Xiao Rongyan turned to Yue Quanyong, "Send someone to escort Doctor Zhu back home."

·

In Liyi, those few royal relatives were captured by Yue Shi’s men and forced to watch the County Magistrate being flogged. The guards of the Regent Prince were skilled martial artists, and Xiao Rongyan’s close guards understood his intentions. The blows with the stick... led to skin and flesh tearing, and it was not long before blood was everywhere.

The royal relatives were made to count with their eyes fixed on the punishments, and some with lesser courage had voices trembling as they silently prayed for the County Magistrate to endure a hundred lashes. However... the County Magistrate had already died by the fortieth lash.

Now the royal relatives panicked, shouting that they were of the Murong Clan, part of the Imperial Clan, and that these men could not beat them, clamoring to see the Regent Prince.

But Yue Shi paid them no mind and continued to have them beaten...

Yue Shi desperately wished he could beat these incompetent bickerers to death so that his master could have fewer troubles.