Sitting in the main seat, Xiao Rongyan held in one hand the memorial that the local county magistrate hadn’t yet had time to send to the Yan capital… requesting rewards for these clan relatives, while extending his other hand toward the fire to warm it. He lowered his eyes without even looking at the imperial relatives kneeling in the main hall, his silver mask flickering between light and shadow in the firelight.

The local county magistrate and city-defending general knelt behind the several imperial relatives, heads lowered, also not daring to look at the Regent Prince in the main seat, whose ruthless methods and fearsome reputation were well known.

“Where is the Liyi County Magistrate?” Xiao Rongyan asked.

Upon hearing this, the Liyi County Magistrate’s body tensed, and he immediately crawled forward on his knees: “This official is here!”

Xiao Rongyan casually tossed the memorial onto the ebony table beside him, warming both hands by the fire, his profound gaze fixed on the magistrate: “When Liyi City was struck by the epidemic, were these imperial relatives the ones who worked tirelessly, taking pulses and prescribing medicines for the people in the treatment centers and throughout the city?”

Hearing Xiao Rongyan’s calm and cold tone, the Liyi County Magistrate immediately understood that the Regent Prince had summoned these imperial relatives not to reward them, but to interrogate them – to question all of their crimes.

“No… no…” Fine beads of sweat appeared on the Liyi County Magistrate’s forehead as he lowered his head even further: “Naturally, it was the physicians who went to the treatment centers to take pulses and prescribe medicines for the people!”

Xiao Rongyan asked again: “Then… did these imperial relatives enter the treatment centers with their servants to help care for the patients?”

“Also… also no!” The county magistrate’s voice grew smaller and smaller: “It was… it was the city-defending soldiers.”

“Oh? Then this Prince is curious – what indispensable contributions did the imperial relatives make that upon seeing this Prince, the magistrate immediately said that the imperial relatives contributed greatly this time, and even wrote in the memorial requesting merit for the imperial relatives, yet speaks so vaguely… unable to clearly explain what indispensable contributions they made?” Xiao Rongyan picked up his teacup.

The several clan relatives kneeling at Xiao Rongyan’s feet were already terrified upon hearing this. They still remembered how Xiao Rongyan had dealt with the clan relatives when the young Emperor ascended the throne. Two of them had also been exiled from the Yan capital by Xiao Rongyan just a few months ago for making mistakes!

Originally, they had hoped to use this epidemic incident to have the magistrate record merit for them, so the young Emperor would know of their loyalty and give them a chance to return to the Yan capital. After all, if they truly had to stay here forever, far from the center of power, their lives would be ruined.

They hadn’t expected the Regent Prince to come to Anshun City.

The Liyi County Magistrate glanced at those clan relatives who dared not make a sound, then slowly spoke: “The clan relatives… the clan relatives sent people to set up porridge stalls to distribute porridge to the people, which prevented Anshun City from being littered with starving corpses. This official… this official thought that since people regard food as heaven, this was a tremendous merit.”

Xiao Rongyan took a sip of tea and spoke unhurriedly: “It seems that in Liyi City, only the clan relatives were generous in distributing porridge, while no other families did so, which is why the Liyi County Magistrate only requested merit for the imperial relatives? Then this Prince must investigate thoroughly.”

Upon hearing this, one clan relative immediately kowtowed: “Regent Prince, we were banished to Liyi by the Regent Prince for our crimes. We never thought to claim merit for this matter – we only wanted to redeem ourselves somewhat!”

The clan relatives were sharp-eyed and naturally knew that Xiao Rongyan was going to make an issue of this matter. They quickly tried to clear themselves, kowtowing in panic: “Yes, Regent Prince, we never thought to claim merit. May the Regent Prince see clearly!”

“Regent Prince, this matter was entirely the Liyi County Magistrate’s own decision and has nothing to do with us!”

One clan relative looked toward the Liyi County Magistrate: “Magistrate, we never thought of claiming merit for setting up porridge stalls – why do you want to harm us?”

“The epidemic in Liyi City has been controlled, and the physicians in the city deserve the credit. Magistrate, why didn’t your memorial request merit for the physicians, but instead request merit for us clan relatives? This is inappropriate. Magistrate… we are members of the imperial clan, and setting up porridge stalls is our duty and responsibility. This is not worthy of praise, yet your memorial puts us in an unrighteous position. How will the Regent Prince think of us! How will the world view us?”

The Liyi County Magistrate was truly at a loss for words. Initially, it was these clan relatives who had hinted both directly and indirectly to him to submit a memorial requesting merit for them. Now it was also these same clan relatives who were shirking responsibility. How could a small official like him compete with clan relatives? He could only obediently comply!

But regardless… these clan relatives had indeed not stated this matter explicitly. Even if he argued until he was blue in the face, he didn’t know how to defend himself.

Seeing the Liyi County Magistrate’s predicament and the city-defending general’s indignant expression, what didn’t Xiao Rongyan understand? What kind of character these Yan nation imperial relatives had – did he not know clearly?

These imperial relatives were certainly detestable, but this Liyi County Magistrate was also someone without a backbone. Otherwise, why couldn’t he explain himself clearly now? He must have received hints from these imperial relatives. The clan relatives probably didn’t even need to use threats before this Liyi County Magistrate eagerly submitted a memorial requesting merit for them.

“It’s all this official’s fault, this official… this official…”

The Liyi County Magistrate was stuttering and hadn’t finished speaking when Yue Shi entered, bowing deeply to Xiao Rongyan before saying: “Your Majesty, someone has come from Anshun City and is waiting outside the city gates, saying that the Great Zhou Emperor has already arrived in Anshun City and requests to meet with the Regent Prince… wanting to ask the Regent Prince for a person named Zhu Chengru!”

As Yue Shi spoke, he glanced at the trembling Liyi County Magistrate, then continued: “They say he’s a physician from Liyi City who has been sentenced to execution. If the Yan nation doesn’t need such talent, Great Zhou wants him! Consider it the Regent Prince doing the Great Zhou Emperor a favor!”

Xiao Rongyan knew about Bai Qingyan coming to Anshun City; otherwise, he wouldn’t have timed his arrival at Liyi, which bordered Anshun.

“Zhu Chengru?” Xiao Rongyan repeated the name, his gaze falling on the clan relatives and magistrate, seeing their faces grow even more unsightly.

“Regent Prince, this Zhu Chengru is a spy that the Great Zhou planted in our Yan nation!” One clan relative steeled himself and hastily tried to pin a label on Zhu Chengru: “The Great Zhou Emperor personally coming to demand this person is ironclad proof! Regent Prince, you absolutely cannot lightly spare this person; otherwise, those contemptible commoners with weak bones will all follow suit, which would be detrimental to our Yan nation!”

Xiao Rongyan’s cold, stern gaze turned toward the clan relative who had called the people “contemptible commoners,” frightening that relative into trembling.

Watching his master, Yue Shi, was quite moved in his heart. In the past, his master had never shown anger when others called the people “contemptible commoners.”

He inexplicably thought of that time on the main street of the capital city, when the Bai family’s eldest daughter had lectured the Bai family’s Second Master’s concubine, saying… those “contemptible commoners” in that bastard’s mouth were precisely the reason the Bai family had willingly gone to battlefields for generations, ready to die for them. The people supported them with taxes, and the Bai family feared they could not repay even a fraction of what they owed the people.

Yue Shi knew that his master had unknowingly been influenced by the Bai family’s eldest daughter and now also held the people in high regard.