Seeing this, County Magistrate Zhou secretly rolled his eyes at the Prefect—how could he still manage to drink tea at a time like this?

Setting down his teacup, the Prefect said leisurely: “With a hundred guards from the Crown Prince’s mansion protecting the County Princess, unless those bandits have a death wish, how would they dare intercept the County Princess’s carriage?”

“That’s true!” County Magistrate Zhou nodded, his tense nerves relaxing as he picked up his tea bowl for a sip. But the tea had just been poured fresh by a servant and was scalding hot, making him grimace and cover his mouth: “Why is this so hot?”

The servant hunched his shoulders and spoke timidly: “Forgive me, sir. Seeing that you hadn’t drunk any and the tea had gone cold, I replaced it with a fresh hot bowl.”

“They’re coming! They’re coming! The lady has arrived!” A county yamen runner shouted as he ran toward the pavilion. Out of breath, he steadied himself, adjusted his crooked official cap, bowed to the Prefect and County Magistrate Zhou, then pointed behind him: “My lords, the County Princess has arrived!”

County Magistrate Zhou started up in surprise, gazing into the distance.

It was the month of May, with the morning sun brilliant and dazzling.

An extremely long cavalry procession approached magnificently through the golden light. Though they carried no banners, each rider sat high on horseback with swords at their waists, raising dust clouds wherever they passed—their momentum was extraordinarily imposing.

The Prefect straightened his official robes, rose, and walked out of the pavilion to greet them.

The Shouyang clan members, having received news that the Prefect and County Magistrate Zhou were waiting outside the city to welcome County Princess Zhenguo’s carriage, were greatly shocked. The clan leader hastily sent people to notify all the clan elders and members to accompany him out of the city to welcome her.

A few days ago, the incident of clan elders angering Grand Princess to the point of vomiting blood had somehow reached Shouyang before the Bai clan leader and elders returned from the capital.

The Shouyang people were greatly alarmed, discussing how the Shouyang clan had indeed acted like local emperors for so long that they respected no one.

Recently, rumors had been spreading even more. People talked about how Bai Qingyan had secretly returned to Shouyang earlier to investigate what outrageous deeds the Shouyang Bai clan had committed over the years, visiting victims’ families, publicly punishing the clan leader’s grandson Bai Qingjie on the street, and ordering County Magistrate Zhou to strictly investigate the evil deeds the Bai clan had committed over the years.

She had even humbled herself to apologize to the people, saying she would expel clan members who bullied the people from the clan, make the clan compensate the victims, and if the clan refused, she would request to leave the clan herself along with the capital Bai family.

The people all said that perhaps the capital Bai family truly had no idea what the Shouyang Bai clan had been doing all these years.

In the past, when people heard passing merchants or outsiders speak of how righteous the capital Bai family and Duke Zhenguo’s mansion were, they would only curl their lips in disdain. But now… thinking of what County Princess Zhenguo had done upon returning to Shouyang, and thinking of Grand Princess, who was forced to vomit blood, they more or less believed that the capital Bai family had a heart that loved the people.

When the Bai clan leader led the clan elders and members to the city outskirts, Bai Qingyan’s carriage procession had just stopped.

Seeing Bai Qingyan return with over a hundred armed guards, the clan leader’s legs nearly gave way. He knew that if he couldn’t satisfy Bai Qingyan this time… if he didn’t expel the erring clan members from the clan, Bai Qingyan would never let the matter rest.

So be it! Expulsion was expulsion—as long as the clan privately looked after them, it would be the same.

Seeing the Prefect and County Magistrate Zhou standing at the forefront to welcome her, the clan leader leaned on his walking stick and tremblingly hurried toward them, bowing deeply in greeting.

County Magistrate Zhou found it curious to see the Bai clan leader, who was usually arrogant and considered himself above everyone, being so humble and submissive today. Remembering how this clan leader had angered Grand Princess to the point of vomiting blood, he began to understand the situation.

The Bai clan probably realized that trying to force County Princess Zhenguo to use her authority to pressure him into releasing people was impossible, so they were now humbly trying to curry favor with him.

County Magistrate Zhou showed nothing on his face, nodding slightly before following the Prefect forward to greet Bai Qingyan as her carriage had stopped.

Some onlookers whispered: “County Princess Zhenguo returns with such a grand procession, yet the Bai clan didn’t even know? They only rushed here after the County Princess arrived, coming even later than us!”

“Maybe they’re putting on airs for the County Princess. These are people who don’t even respect Grand Princess—they made her vomit blood!”

“Bah! What trash! Relying on the capital Bai family’s prestige, yet daring to be so arrogant! I hope County Princess Zhenguo requests to leave the clan—let’s see how the Bai clan stays arrogant then!”

“Sigh… I hope County Princess Zhenguo truly loves and protects the people as the rumors say, and that she’s returned this time to deal with the Bai clan’s bullying of the people!”

“Who knows? We’ll see! Just hope it’s not all for show!”

Hearing the people’s discussions, the Bai clan leader and members flushed with shame and hurriedly followed the clan leader forward, intending to welcome Bai Qingyan.

In front of outsiders, especially before the Prefect and County Magistrate Zhou, they still needed to maintain appearances. Otherwise, if the Prefect or County Magistrate Zhou saw that the Bai clan and County Princess Zhenguo were at odds, it would be even harder to ask County Magistrate Zhou to release people or show leniency in the future.

However, before the Bai clan leader’s group could approach, they were stopped by Shen Qingzhu and his men.

The Bai clan leader was furious inside but forcibly suppressed it, smiling obsequiously and lowering his posture as he bowed to Shen Qingzhu: “This old man is the Bai clan leader. Knowing the County Princess has returned to Shouyang, I’ve specially brought clan members to welcome her. Please let us pass, miss.”

Only then did Shen Qingzhu gesture for the guards to make way.

Chun Tao lifted the carriage curtain and was about to help Bai Qingyan down when she saw Eunuch Quan Yu from beside His Highness the Crown Prince already standing by the carriage, smiling at her: “I’ll help the County Princess down.”

Knowing Quan Yu’s identity, Chun Tao nodded, bent down, and held up the curtain for Bai Qingyan in the carriage.

The Prefect’s gaze swept past the carriage to the guards standing behind it. Recognizing the Crown Prince’s mansion emblem on their swords, he immediately became extremely alert. Seeing that the person helping Bai Qingyan down from the carriage was a refined-looking eunuch, he was greatly shocked.

The Prefect recognized him—that was Quan Yu, the Crown Prince’s eunuch who had grown up with the Crown Prince since childhood. If nothing unexpected happened, when the Crown Prince ascended the throne in the future, Eunuch Quan Yu would be the chief eunuch beside the Emperor—someone who absolutely could not be slighted.

Though County Magistrate Zhou didn’t know Quan Yu’s identity, seeing his clothing, he knew this eunuch was no ordinary person. He lowered his voice to ask the Prefect: “Sir, whose distinguished master do you think this eunuch serves?”

The Prefect didn’t hide it: “That’s Eunuch Quan Yu, the most favored palace attendant beside His Highness the Crown Prince. See those guards behind? Those are the Crown Prince’s mansion guards.”

County Magistrate Zhou gasped—the Crown Prince had sent people to back up Bai Qingyan!

County Magistrate Zhou felt that even without the Crown Prince’s backing, this County Princess Zhenguo could handle the Bai clan perfectly well. Just looking at her aura of fearless determination in battle, steady composure, and imposing dignity, one could tell this person had exceptional methods.

But with the Crown Prince sending people to accompany her, this showed that the Crown Prince valued this County Princess Zhenguo very highly.