Chapter 249: Chapter 249: Yin Feihua Appears?

King Yong winced in pain, clutching his head and turning back to see a small figure swiftly jumping down from the wall and disappearing.

The guard beside him shouted loudly, “Impudence! Someone dared to attack His Highness, after them!”

Seeing the guards of King Yong mobilized fully, Jie Chen frowned worriedly.

Moments later, Aren was dragged over.

“Let me go! Let me go!” He struggled continuously but was still pinned down and forced to kneel on the ground.

Even so, the young boy lifted his face, his thick eyebrows and bright eyes revealing an undying spirit like a young wolf cub.

King Yong saw him and couldn’t help but be stunned.

He had never seen this child before, so why did he feel a sense of familiarity?

The City Garrison Commander, standing in for King Yong, harshly interrogated, “You daring prisoner, how dare you throw stones at His Highness? Do you not know this is a capital offense? Seize him, take him out and execute him!”

“Hold on!” King Yong interrupted immediately, narrowing his eyes at the young boy before him, “Tell me, why did you attack me? Don’t you know that this is a capital offense?”

“I know, but I’m not afraid of you.”

Aren said, “My elder sister has done so many good things and saved everyone in the city, yet not only do you not plan to reward her, you also seek her life!”

“This sinful City Garrison Commander, fat from gluttony, has been hoarding all the city’s food and medicinal supplies in his cellar, discovered by my elder sister.”

“He forgot who cured him when he was desperately ill. Now seeking to betray her goodwill, if you aid him, then you are his accomplice. I don’t care if you are a Prince or the Jade Emperor, I struck you!”

The City Garrison Commander’s eyes widened, “Your Highness, you’ve witnessed it, even the wild child of that female prisoner is so insolent, let alone her herself! Even the Sixth Prince is under her thumb!”

Jie Chen stepped forward, bowed and said, “Your Highness, although the child’s behavior is improper, his words speak the truth.”

King Yong’s expression was grim as he turned to look at the City Garrison Commander.

“Is it true that during the critical time when the people of the city needed food and medicine most, you withheld all supplies for your own use?”

The City Garrison Commander stuttered, “I…I only did so out of fear that those troublesome folk might snatch the medicine. I intended to guard it personally.”

Aren spat, “Lies! Those people who fell ill were herded into alleys under strict watch by you. You didn’t give them medicine and only sent some rice soup, leaving them to perish.”

The City Garrison Commander raised his voice, “How dare you slander me?”

“All the people in the city can testify! Even calling it slander is too good for you!”

Hearing this, King Yong shouted, “Enough!”

He gazed at the City Garrison Commander, his eyes piercing, “As the local official, you knew yet did not report; the spread of the epidemic in Bai City was informed by the Sixth Prince sending people to Shangjing.”

“I deem that you can no longer wear your official hat! Seize him, strip him of his official robe, and have him hand over his Jade Token. I will compile his crimes into a memorial to inform my royal brother.”

The City Garrison Commander panicked, pleaded on his knees, then was dragged away crying.

King Yong turned to Aren again and bent down to ask, “What is your name?”

“Xiang Ren!” Aren lifted his head proudly as he answered.

King Yong frowned slightly, “Xiang, the royal surname of West Zhou; could it be that you are a prince or imperial grandson from West Zhou?”

Aren sneered, “My elder sister is the elder princess of West Zhou, and I am her biological brother, naturally a West Zhou person too.”

A chilly expression dawned in King Yong’s eyes.

Sensing his dislike for West Zhou people, Jie Chen spoke softly to smooth things over.

“Prince, the Divine Doctor I want to introduce to you is Xiang Ying. She knew you were coming and has already written down the prescription for treating the epidemic, planning to offer it to you.”

A glint of light flashed through King Yong’s eyes as he looked at Jie Chen: “Is she truly willing to give it?”

Jie Chen nodded: “You will know once you meet her.”

Thus, King Yong could no longer care about Aren; he decisively asked Jie Chen to lead the way.

Jie Chen secretly gestured, and King Yong’s men released Aren, who turned and ran.

Behind the surrounding wall, the three pale-faced children, including Xiang Yuanshuo holding a slingshot, were relieved to see Aren return.

“Aren Uncle, don’t take the blame for me next time; I’m not afraid of punishment. If he dares to hit me, I will curse him to death,” Xiang Yuanshuo said earnestly.

It was Xiang Yuanshuo who had launched the stone, but Aren had intentionally been caught by the guards and voluntarily took the punishment.

Xiang Yuanshuo was deeply moved. He called him ‘Aren Uncle’ with heartfelt sincerity.

Aren patted his head: “Since you’ve called me uncle, I should protect you even more and not bring trouble to your aunt. Don’t worry, see? I’m fine. Let’s hurry and check out the excitement.”

“Okay!”

Aren picked up Xiang Xiuxiu, along with the other two kids, and ran towards the vicinity of Xiang Ying’s house.

King Yong had just entered with Jie Chen, and the courtyard was full of guards.

The little ones could only cling to the back yard window and eavesdrop.

A robust fire was burning inside the house where Xiang Ying was dressed in an ink orchid-colored gown with a striking gardenia-colored silver overcoat.

Her hairpin neatly arranged and a jade bracelet on her wrist, she looked leisurely and composed, not like a prisoner at all, rather like the elder princess.

Only then did King Yong realize that throughout his journey here, whether seeing servants, attendants, or prisoners, all wore warm and decent clothing.

Other exile teams were dressed in tattered clothes, each looking more jaundiced than the last.

But Xiang Ying and her group were different.

Xiang Ying presented her written prescription: “Please accept this, Prince. It specifically treats the epidemic. If outbreaks occur outside Bai City, just use my prescription to prepare the medicines, and it should heal within half a month.”

Unlike her personal treatment, where effective needles stored in her space can’t be given, her treatments generally heal in three days.

King Yong glanced at the prescription and handed it to a trusted aide behind him.

His stern gaze, mixed with curiosity, watched Xiang Ying.

“Why are you willing to give me this prescription? I’ve heard many tales about you and presume you are very clever. You must realize that if you give this prescription to the Emperor, he might forgive half of your crimes.”

Xiang Ying’s lips curved into a smile, a hint of inscrutable sarcasm in her expression.

“To the Prince here, my greatest crime is being the elder princess of West Zhou, but to the Emperor of Nanyue, I am the sinful girl who possessed the Jade Seal and refused to surrender it. I can clearly tell which is more severe.”

“Besides, Jie Chen is the person I trust most. He assured me that the Prince is a gentleman of integrity, pleading for and considering the people’s welfare, prompting me to willingly hand over the prescription.”

King Yong looked at Jie Chen in surprise, a touch of emotion flashing in his eyes.

The Tenth Prince really supports him.

Jie Chen sneakily glanced at Xiang Ying.

Why is she helping him build connections again? Does she also hope for him to befriend King Yong?

At that moment, a guard entered through the door, bowed, and said: “Prince, the Sixth Prince has found a woman named Yin Feihua. She claims she once bought a concubine from a Nanyue noble, and she wants to bring her over now for you to see.”