Rebirth: The Journey of an Heiress
Chapter 371 - 368: Backing Up_1

Chapter 371: Chapter 368: Backing Up_1

Magistrate Zhou saw this and secretly rolled his eyes at the governor. He could really drink tea no matter the situation.

The governor put down his teacup and slowly said, "The Crown Prince’s guards are protecting the Commandery Princess with one hundred men. Unless those bandits don’t want to live, how dare they obstruct the princess’s carriage?"

"That’s true!" Magistrate Zhou nodded, his tense scalp relaxing. He raised his tea bowl and took a sip, only to find that the tea the servant had just poured was scalding hot. He grimaced in pain and said, covering his mouth, "Why is it so hot!"

The servant shrank his neck and timidly said, "I’m sorry, sir. I saw that you didn’t drink the tea for a long time, so I replaced it with a hot one."

"Here they come! Here they come! The officials are here!" a government official from the county office shouted as he ran towards the cool pavilion. Panting heavily, he adjusted his crooked hat, saluted the governor and Magistrate Zhou, then pointed behind him. "Sirs, the princess is here!"

Magistrate Zhou stood up in shock, looking into the distance.

It was the month of the sophora flowers, and the morning sun was dazzling.

An extremely long procession of horses came marching in the golden light. Though no flags were raised, each rider sat on tall horses with swords at their waists. Wherever they went, dust flew, creating an imposing atmosphere.

The governor straightened his official robe, stood up, and walked out of the cool pavilion to greet them.

The members of the Shuoyang Clan were shocked when they heard that the governor and Magistrate Zhou were outside the city to welcome the Princess of Zhen. The clan leader hurriedly had someone notify the elders and clan members to follow him out of the city to welcome her.

A few days earlier, the news that the Eldest Princess had been angered to the point of spitting blood by the Bai Clan’s elders had reached Shuoyang before the Bai Clan leader and the elders returned.

The citizens of Shuoyang were astonished and talked among themselves about how the Shuoyang Clan had truly acted like local tyrants for too long, ignoring everyone.

Recently, the rumors were rampant. The people said that Bai Qingyan had secretly returned to Shuoyang to investigate what heinous acts the Bai Clan had committed over the years. She visited the homes of the victims and punished Bai Qingjie, the clan leader’s grandson, on the street. She also ordered Magistrate Zhou to thoroughly investigate the Bai Clan’s evil deeds.

She lowered herself to apologize to the people, stating that she would expel any clan members who bullied the people from the clan and ensure that the clan compensated the victims. If the clan refused, she would take the Bai family from Dadu and request to be removed from the clan.

The people said that perhaps the Bai family in Dadu really had no idea what the Bai Clan in Shuoyang had been doing over the years.

Usually, when the people heard travelers or outsiders talk about how noble the Bai family in Dadu and the Duke of Zhen were, they would just sneer. But now, thinking about what the Princess of Zhen did upon returning to Shuoyang, and thinking about the Eldest Princess being angered to the point of spitting blood, they somewhat started to believe that the Bai family in Dadu had a heart for the people.

When the Bai Clan leader arrived outside the city with the elders and clan members, Bai Qingyan’s carriage team had just stopped.

The clan leader saw Bai Qingyan returning with over a hundred guards with swords and felt his legs go weak. He knew that if they couldn’t satisfy Bai Qingyan this time and expel the wrongdoers from the clan, Bai Qingyan would not let it go.

Forget it! If they had to be expelled, so be it. As long as the clan looked after them in private, it would be the same.

Seeing the governor and Magistrate Zhou standing at the forefront to welcome her, the clan leader, leaning on his cane, hurriedly walked towards them, bowing deeply to greet them.

Magistrate Zhou looked at the usually arrogant Bai Clan leader, who treated him with contempt, and found it surprising that he was so humble today. Thinking about how this clan leader had angered the Eldest Princess to the point of spitting blood, he had an inkling of understanding.

He feared that the Bai Clan knew it was impossible to force the Princess of Zhen to release someone with her power, so they were trying to curry favor with him by being humble.

Magistrate Zhou showed no reaction. After a slight nod, he saw that Bai Qingyan’s carriage had stopped and followed the governor forward to greet her.

Some onlookers whispered, "The Princess of Zhen returned with such a grand display. Did the Bai Clan really not know? The Princess of Zhen arrived, and they rushed to come. They came later than us!"

"Maybe they are putting on airs for the Princess of Zhen. They didn’t even respect the Eldest Princess, making her so angry that she spat blood!"

"Bah, what nonsense! Relying on the power of the Bai family in Dadu, they still dare to be so arrogant! I really hope the Princess of Zhen requests to be removed from the clan. Let’s see how the Bai Clan can still be so arrogant!"

"Well... I hope the Princess of Zhen really has the people’s interests at heart as the rumors say and is back to deal with the Bai Clan’s oppression of the people!"

"Who knows? Let’s see! Hopefully, it’s not just for show!"

The Bai Clan leader and his members were so embarrassed by the people’s comments that their faces turned red. They hurriedly followed the clan leader forward, planning to welcome Bai Qingyan.

In front of others, especially the governor and Magistrate Zhou, they had to maintain appearances. Otherwise, if the governor or Magistrate Zhou saw that the Bai Clan and the Princess of Zhen were at odds, it would be even harder to ask Magistrate Zhou to release someone or be lenient in the future.

Who knew that before the Bai Clan leader and his group could get close, they were stopped by Shen Qingzhu and his men?

The Bai Clan leader was full of anger but suppressed it. With a forced smile, he lowered himself and saluted Shen Qingzhu, "I am the leader of the Bai Clan. Knowing that the princess has returned to Shuoyang, I brought the clan members to welcome her. Please allow us to pass."

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

Chun Tao lifted the curtain of the carriage, just about to help Bai Qingyan down, when she saw Quan Yu, the eunuch from the Crown Prince’s side, standing by the carriage, smiling and saying, "Let me help the princess down."

Chun Tao knew Quan Yu’s status, nodded, and bent down inside the carriage to hold the curtain for Bai Qingyan.

The governor’s gaze swept past the carriage to the guards standing beside it, recognizing the insignia on their swords as belonging to the Crown Prince’s guards. He immediately became extremely alert. Seeing that the one helping Bai Qingyan down was a handsome eunuch, his heart was shocked.

The governor recognized him. That was Quan Yu, the Crown Prince’s personal eunuch. He had grown up with the Crown Prince. If nothing unexpected happened, when the Crown Prince ascended the throne, Quan Yu would be the chief eunuch by the Emperor’s side. He absolutely could not afford to slight him.

Although Magistrate Zhou did not know Quan Yu’s identity, he could tell from his attire that this eunuch was not ordinary. Lowering his voice, he asked the governor, "Sir, who do you think this eunuch serves?"

The governor did not hide it. "That is Quan Yu, the Crown Prince’s most favored attendant. Did you see those guards behind? They are the Crown Prince’s guards."

Magistrate Zhou gasped. The Crown Prince sent people to back up Bai Qingyan.

In fact, Magistrate Zhou believed that even without the Crown Prince’s support, this Princess of Zhen could handle the Bai Clan perfectly. Just judging by her fearless and dignified demeanor, one could tell that she had extraordinary means.

But the Crown Prince sending someone to accompany her indicated that the Crown Prince held this Princess of Zhen in high regard.

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