Rebirth: The Journey of an Heiress novel Chapter 1548

Chapter 1548: Chapter 1543: Contempt

Seated at the main position, Xiao Rongyan held in one hand a memorial from the local County Magistrate, which had not yet been sent to the Yan capital to request rewards for these clan relatives. With the other hand, he warmed himself by the fire, looking down without glancing at the royal clan members kneeling in the main hall, as the flickering firelight reflected off his silver mask.

Behind several royal clan members, the local County Magistrate and the General defending the city knelt with their heads lowered, not daring to look at the well-known ruthless and resolute Regent Prince seated in the main position. 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

"Where is the County Magistrate of Liyi?" Xiao Rongyan asked.

Upon hearing this, the County Magistrate of Liyi tensed up, hurriedly crawling forward on his knees: "Your humble servant is here!"

Xiao Rongyan casually tossed the memorial onto an ebony table beside him, warming his hands as his deep gaze fixed on the County Magistrate: "Liyi City was stricken by an epidemic. Were these royal clan members tirelessly diagnosing pulses and prescribing medicines for the people at the treatment center and within the city?"

Hearing Xiao Rongyan’s calm, cold voice, the County Magistrate of Liyi suddenly understood that the Regent Prince summoned these royal clan members not to reward them, but to hold them accountable and question their crimes.

"No... they weren’t..." The County Magistrate of Liyi broke out in a cold sweat, lowering his head even further. "Of course, it was the officials who diagnosed and prescribed medicines at the treatment center for the people!"

Xiao Rongyan asked again: "Then... did these royal clan members enter the treatment center with their servants to help care for the sick?"

"N-no!" The County Magistrate of Liyi’s voice grew smaller and smaller. "It... it was the defending soldiers."

"Oh? Then I am curious, what remarkable deeds have these royal clan members done for the County Magistrate to claim they contributed significantly upon seeing me, and to request merit for them in the memorial, yet ambiguously leaving out the specifics?" Xiao Rongyan picked up a tea cup.

Upon hearing this, the royal clan members kneeling at Xiao Rongyan’s feet were terrified. When the Young Emperor ascended the throne... they remembered how Xiao Rongyan dealt with the clan members. Two of them had made mistakes a few months ago and were expelled from the Yan capital by Xiao Rongyan!

Initially, they hoped to use the epidemic in the city to let the County Magistrate clear their name, so the Young Emperor would recognize their loyalty and give them a chance to return to the Yan capital. After all, if they remained far from the center of power for the rest of their lives, they would be finished.

Unexpectedly, the Regent Prince came to Anshun City.

The County Magistrate of Liyi looked at the silent and submissive clan members and slowly spoke: "The clan members... set up porridge stalls to distribute porridge to the people, preventing widespread starvation in Anshun City. Your humble servant... thought, food is the people’s primary need, and this is a great achievement."

Xiao Rongyan took a sip of tea and spoke leisurely: "It seems in Liyi City, only the clan members were generous with porridge distribution, and no one else was, which is why the County Magistrate is requesting merit only for the royal clan members? Then I must investigate thoroughly."

Upon hearing this, a royal clan member quickly kowtowed and said: "Regent Prince, we were exiled to Liyi by the Regent Prince due to our crimes. We never intended to claim merit from this matter, only to redeem ourselves a little!"

The clan members, perceptive and clear-minded, naturally knew Xiao Rongyan intended to make a fuss about this matter, so they quickly distanced themselves, fearfully kowtowing: "Indeed, Regent Prince, we never intended to claim merit. May the Regent Prince see clearly!"

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