His official rank was low, so Yue Quanyong didn’t take him seriously, but surely he couldn’t disregard the clan members!

When the clan members heard the county magistrate’s request for their presence, they laughed with anger, feeling the county magistrate was a waste who couldn’t even handle such a small matter. They were also irritated by Yue Quanyong’s meddling.

How could these imperial clan members show themselves at such a time? With Yue Quanyong’s arrogant attitude, he didn’t regard these imperial clan members with any respect. If they now pressured Yue Quanyong to dispose of Physician Zhu, Yue Quanyong would later file a complaint before the Regent, and they would be guilty of defying the Regent’s orders. Then they could forget about ever returning to Yan’s capital.

After deliberating among themselves, several clan members sent word to the county magistrate, telling him to insist he was following the Regent’s instructions to settle Physician Zhu’s family, to maintain the standoff with Yue Quanyong until the Regent returned. If Physician Zhu’s family remained safe and sound, 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 prison, the county magistrate led his men in kowtowing, turning the tables by claiming that Yue Quanyong was obstructing him from taking out Physician Zhu.

However, what the county magistrate hadn’t expected was that on his way back, Xiao Rongyan had already heard the garrison general explain the whole sequence of events, and his heart was already burning with fury.

In the dim, damp prison cell, Xiao Rongyan’s eyes beneath his mask were dark with anger. Without a word, he lifted the hem of his robes, stepped forward, and kicked the county magistrate squarely in the chest. The county magistrate crashed into a pile of bailiffs kneeling on the ground, then frantically crawled back to Xiao Rongyan’s feet despite the pain in his chest, using both hands and feet, trembling all over.

“Regent, please forgive me! Regent, please forgive me!”

“Tell this king again – what did you come to this prison to do?”

“Regent, please forgive me! This was not this subordinate’s intention. This subordinate’s superiors are imperial clan members. They are all of the imperial family. This subordinate… this subordinate could only obey! This subordinate was forced into this desperate situation!” Seeing Xiao Rongyan’s anger, the county magistrate was so frightened he confessed everything in one breath.

What Xiao Rongyan found most irritating were these clan members. Kill them… their crimes didn’t warrant death, and killing them would implicate a whole string of clan families that would drive one to distraction. Don’t kill them… and they would always cause trouble for Yan like this, again and again, challenging the limits of one’s patience.

“Strip him of his official robes and beat him with one hundred rods. If he doesn’t die, throw him in prison!” Xiao Rongyan’s voice was cold. “Yue Shi, personally lead men… to ‘invite’ those several clan members over to carefully count how many rods this county magistrate receives! If this county magistrate can’t endure and dies, however many rods remain, those clan members will receive that many!”

“Yes!” Yue Shi acknowledged the order and left with his men amid the county magistrate’s pleas for mercy.

Yue Quanyong had men drag away the wailing county magistrate and clear the prison door. Xiao Rongyan bent down and stepped into the filthy cell, where he saw Zhu Chengru with panicked eyes and cracked lips. White mist continuously puffed from his mouth as he breathed rapidly, his movements stiff as he protected his family behind him.

Xiao Rongyan spoke: “This king already knows about your delivering medicine to Anshun City. This king thanks you on behalf of Anshun City’s people! Because of your timely delivery of medicine, many people in Anshun City were able to survive. Those people are all benefactors who shared hardships with our Yan court. You deserve this king’s bow!”

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

Zhu Chengru was overwhelmed by this unexpected honor and quickly bowed to the ground: “This is what this commoner should have done!”

Zhu Chengru had thought that his delivering medicine to Anshun City would disrupt Yan’s grand gamble, and that the Regent not killing him would already be tremendous grace. He never expected… the Regent would actually thank him.

After straightening up, Xiao Rongyan continued speaking to Zhu Chengru: “Just now when this king was meeting with the Great Zhou Emperor, upon receiving word and rushing back, the Great Zhou Emperor, upon hearing the news, has already personally led the great army to arrive beneath Li City, wanting to escort you to Anshun City. Do you… wish to remain in Li City, or are you willing to follow the Great Zhou Emperor to Anshun City?”

Hearing these words, Zhu Chengru was stunned…

The Great Zhou Emperor personally led the great army to… to escort him?!

Zhu Chengru’s wife, who was protecting their children behind him, was also startled upon hearing this. Then thinking of her parents in Anshun City, she quickly reached out to tug at Zhu Chengru’s sleeve. Now that her parents-in-law had both passed away and her brother had also died of illness last year, her parents now only had her as their daughter. If they could return to Anshun City… this would be a good thing!

Zhu Chengru, pulled by his wife like this, came to his senses and looked at his wife’s hopeful expression. His fist at his side clenched slightly as he bowed deeply to Xiao Rongyan: “This commoner is from Li City and would naturally prefer to remain in Li City, but I fear… the clan members and county magistrate of Li City will not tolerate me.”

“Since this king has taken charge of this matter, this king will not let anyone trouble you again. If you still wish to remain in Li City, this king will protect you!” If Xiao Rongyan let this Zhu Chengru be taken away by Bai Qingyan, it would mean letting Bai Qingyan take away the hearts of Li City’s people along with him. But Xiao Rongyan couldn’t force Zhu Chengru to stay; he could only let him make his own choice.

Zhu Chengru had opened a medical clinic in Li City and had a medicine shop. Naturally, he was unwilling to leave here and start over in Anshun City!

After a long while, Zhu Chengru looked back at his wife, firmly grasped her hand in comfort, then turned to bow to Xiao Rongyan before saying: “This commoner trusts the Regent. This commoner is willing to remain in Li City! The epidemic in Li City has not been completely eradicated yet. This commoner wishes to contribute his modest strength.”

Upon hearing these words, Zhu Chengru’s wife immediately burst into tears, yet she had no recourse. When you marry a chicken, follow the chicken; when you marry a dog, follow the dog. Her husband had always been someone with strong opinions who wouldn’t be easily swayed by her or anyone else.

“Good…” Xiao Rongyan stepped forward and helped Zhu Chengru to his feet. “Since this is the case, do you dare to leave the city to meet with the Great Zhou Emperor? After all… the Great Zhou Emperor came here for you this time.”

Zhu Chengru looked at his disheveled appearance and nodded: “Might the Regent permit this commoner to wash and change clothes before going to meet the Great Zhou Emperor?”

“Naturally!” Xiao Rongyan turned to Yue Quanyong and said, “Send men to escort Physician Zhu home.”

·

Those several Li City clan members were arrested by Yue Shi’s men and forced to watch the county magistrate’s punishment. The men of the Regent’s guard unit were all skilled in martial arts and were all Xiao Rongyan’s guards, so they naturally understood Xiao Rongyan’s meaning. When the rods swung down… flesh split open, and after just a few blows, it was already a bloody mess.

The clan members were forced to count, and those with smaller courage had voices that began trembling along with the counting. They silently prayed in their hearts that this county magistrate could endure all one hundred rods. Who would have known… by the fortieth rod, the county magistrate had already breathed his last.

Now the clan members all panicked, crying out that they were all of the Murong clan, all imperial relatives, and that these men couldn’t beat them, clamoring to see the Regent.

But how could Yue Shi care about them? He continued having them held down and beaten…

Yue Shi wished he could beat these incompetent wretches who only knew internal strife to death, so his master would have fewer troubles.