Rebirth: The Journey of an Heiress-Chapter 1552 - 1547: Pressuring

Xiao Rongyan turned his head and saw the person who arrived was the general guarding Liyi City, and said to Bai Qingyan, "It is the general of the Liyi City garrison!"

"Let Liu Pinggao send the person over..." Bai Qingyan instructed Liu Pinggao.

Liu Pinggao responded promptly, calling out loudly, "Send the person over!"

The Liyi City general leaped off his horse, handing his sword to the Zhou soldiers who stopped him, and ran swiftly towards Xiao Rongyan and Bai Qingyan, falling to one knee urgently, saying, "The Regent Prince is in trouble, I beg you to quickly return to the city!"

"What happened?" Xiao Rongyan asked, not intending to drive Bai Qingyan away.

The Liyi City general glanced at Bai Qingyan, gritted his teeth, and bowed his head saying, "As soon as the Regent Prince left... the County Magistrate planned to break both of Doctor Zhu’s hands and cut out his tongue, saying... to prevent Doctor Zhu from speaking out of turn before the Regent Prince. General Yue Quanyong led his men to protect Doctor Zhu and sent me to request the Regent Prince to return quickly to preside over the situation!"

The Liyi City general, in front of the Emperor of Zhou, did not want to implicate the imperial clan, only mentioning the County Magistrate, as it was not suitable to air the family’s dirty laundry publicly. However, given the urgency of the situation, he had to clarify the matter temporarily placing the blame on the County Magistrate, intending to explain further to the Regent Prince on the way back.

Xiao Rongyan’s expression darkened. Even without the Liyi City general explicitly stating, he knew that the County Magistrate wouldn’t dare do such a thing, it must be a command from the imperial relatives. They probably thought that since he had left the city to meet the Zhou Emperor, he wouldn’t return any time soon.

By then, they could claim that Doctor Zhu’s hands were broken during an earlier interrogation before his arrival in Liyi City and even say that Doctor Zhu bit off his own tongue due to the unbearable torture.

"Saving lives is paramount! Doctor Zhu brought medicine to Anshun City in advance, preventing the epidemic there from taking more civilian lives! Such a person is a hero of Zhou, a hero of the people, he must not die!" Bai Qingyan said to Xiao Rongyan in the presence of the Yan Kingdom’s guard, "Regent Prince, this man is who I need! I request the Regent Prince to return to Liyi City quickly, I... will lead the army to follow and welcome our hero of Zhou, I want Doctor Zhu and his family unharmed!"

Since such a situation had occurred, Bai Qingyan intended to resolve it in the best way possible.

The distance to Liyi City was only five miles, and Liu Pinggao had already brought the army here, so she didn’t mind traveling the five miles to greet Doctor Zhu.

If Doctor Zhu were left in Liyi, once Xiao Rongyan left, who knew if he would be retaliated against. It would be better to take Doctor Zhu to a Zhou city, and also let the Yan citizens see that Zhou remembers its debts, if you have benefited the Zhou people, and if someone wants to harm you, the Emperor will lead an army to rescue you!

Bai Qingyan’s action was to force the Yan Kingdom to hand over Doctor Zhu, and also to win over the people’s heart... to win over the heart of the Yan people!

Once Doctor Zhu was brought to Anshun City, the people there would undoubtedly be happy to submit to Zhou!

By then, with the merging of the two countries, the resistance from the people would be lessened.

The Liyi City general looked at the Zhou Emperor standing before him, face covered, with determined eyes and a tone that brooked no disagreement, and felt a sudden swelling in his chest.

In the eyes of the Zhou Emperor, Doctor Zhu, who once sent medicinal supplies to Anshun City, was a hero...

The people in Anshun City were also the citizens of their Yan Kingdom! In Yan’s most difficult times, they too donated wealth and supplies to their own country, yet now those imperial relatives gambled with the country’s future, not treating the lives in Anshun City as lives!

Recalling the medicine sent by Zhou to Liyi, the doctors had all said... the Zhou prescriptions were indeed milder and more effective, avoiding leaving the people with headaches and such aftereffects, his heart was filled with mixed emotions.

The Liyi City general was always known to be timid, yet he was also one who could lay down his life for his country!

But seeing the conduct of the Yan Kingdom’s imperial clan and then looking at the Zhou Emperor, the Liyi City general’s faith was shaken — was this kind of royal family worth his allegiance?

Xiao Rongyan bade farewell to Bai Qingyan and left with Yue Shi...

"What are you standing there for! Follow along!" Yue Shi shouted loudly at the Liyi City general who was still kneeling on the ground. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

The general came to his senses, hurriedly followed, watching Xiao Rongyan’s figure as he swiftly mounted his horse, and thought... at least there was still the Regent Prince, which strengthened his resolve to be loyal to the Yan Kingdom, and to the royal family.

Bai Qingyan watched Xiao Rongyan leave, and said to Liu Pinggao, "Mobilize the troops, head to Liyi!"

"Yes!" Liu Pinggao accepted the order.

·

Yue Quanyong led soldiers blocking the entrance to the prison, guarding the cell where Zhu Chengru’s family was held, while the County Magistrate and his officials were in a standoff with Yue Quanyong.

Doctor Zhu, with his clothes dirty and disordered, straw on his head, and a frightened expression, guarded his wife, daughter, and son, shrinking into a moss-covered corner of the cell, trembling with fear.

Doctor Zhu’s wife, daughter, and son suppressed their sobs, their tears falling like broken strings, pinning all hope of survival on those soldiers standing in front of the cell door.

"General Yue, you are here to assist Liyi City, not to replace our city’s garrison. I am the local authority; it is my duty to handle and settle local matters! What is your intention in blocking the way?" the County Magistrate was anxious, fearing the Regent Prince’s return before he completed the tasks set by the imperial relatives, "Moreover, the Regent Prince ordered me to properly settle Doctor Zhu’s family. Your obstruction is impeding my duties. If the Regent Prince returns, how would you explain it to him?"

In the County Magistrate’s view, those orders came from the royal relatives, even if the Regent Prince punished, he wouldn’t harm his own. At most, he’d give a couple reprimands, and it was the lower officials like them that would suffer in the end.

Seeing Yue Quanyong unmoved, the County Magistrate sternly said, "General Yue, are you intending to oppose the Regent Prince by blocking here?"

"We both know whether you truly want to settle Doctor Zhu’s family as per the Regent Prince’s words or wish to deal with them while he’s away!" Yue Quanyong showed no apprehension, as the city’s general had already sought him out, and now the general had left the city to request help from the Regent Prince, he would wait here for the Regent Prince’s return.

"Don’t use the Regent Prince as leverage against me!" Yue Quanyong clasped his hands towards the direction of the sky, "I have fought alongside the Regent Prince, he understands me well, if he returns and finds me guilty, I will accept any punishment!"

The County Magistrate was anxious, glaring at Yue Quanyong, unable to do anything but wait.

After a while, the County Magistrate turned around and instructed his subordinates to invite the royal relatives...