That evening, Rong Qi arrived at a small village on the border. He looked at the disaster victims in the village with some surprise.
Rong Mian has been here for almost a month, so why are there still so many disaster victims? Where has all the food gone?
Rong Qi felt a chill run down his spine as he walked over to one of the disaster victims.
"Uncle, didn't the imperial court already send people to provide disaster relief? Why is the situation still like this?"
Uncle: "Hey, what kind of disaster relief is this from the imperial court? There's plenty of grain, but the officials hoard it all in their own homes. They only distribute a little bit each day, which isn't enough for a family to eat. If we want more, we have to buy it ourselves."
"With our situation so dire, where are we going to get the money to buy food?"
"That's right. They're supposed to be people sent by the imperial court, but they're just like that official. They spend their days eating, drinking, and having fun, and they don't care about our lives at all."
"Yes, I heard he's some kind of prince, but we're not even sure if the emperor sent someone!"
Upon hearing the people's words of thanks, Rong Qi clenched his fists, which were hanging at his sides.
“It’s easy to be lenient. Let’s go and meet this official.”
Rong Qi, along with Rong Yi and Rong Xin, headed in the direction the people had just pointed.
As soon as I stepped outside the courtyard gate, I heard cheerful singing and laughter coming from inside, creating a lively atmosphere.
It's easy to lift your foot and kick the gate open.
The people in the courtyard all looked towards the entrance.
The village official, who had never seen Rong Qi before, roared angrily, "Where did this lowly commoner come from, daring to kick down my gate? Don't you want to live?"
Rong Qi completely ignored him and kept staring at Rong Mian in the main seat.
Rong Mian was now surrounded by women on either side, his face flushed with drunkenness. He stared intently at Rong Qi.
Rong Mian muttered, "This person looks just like that bastard Rong Qi. Am I seeing things? Why would he be here? Heh, let's drink."
Rong Qi stood still and slapped the wine away.
Rong Mian was stunned: "Who is so bold as to steal my wine? Aren't they afraid of being beheaded? Pour me some wine, quick!"
Rong Qi walked over, grabbed the man, and threw him to the ground. Just as Rong Mian was about to stand up, Rong Qi kicked him in the back of the knee, forcing him to kneel down.
The pain in his legs brought Rong Mian to his senses. He looked around and then at Rong Qi, who was standing in front of him.
Rong Mian blushed as she looked at him: "Rong Qi, what brings you here?"
"If I hadn't come, how would I have known you'd be living so comfortably? Do you still remember why you came in the first place?"
Rong Mian nodded: "Of course I know, but there are just too many disaster victims, and there's simply not enough food. What can I do? Besides, I've been here for so long, and my father hasn't cared about me at all. So why should I help the disaster victims? I'll help myself first. *hiccup*..."
"Hehehe, let's drink, Rong Qi. Although I usually hate you and wish I could kill you, now that you've come to see me, I'll temporarily spare you. Come on, let's have a drink."
Rong Qi took a deep breath, raised his hand, and slapped Rong Mian across the face.
The minor officials and others nearby were stunned. Who was this person? How dare he hit the Third Prince? Does he have a death wish? My God, can I not watch?
Rong Mian regained consciousness.
"Rong Qi, how dare you hit me?"
Rong Qi: "Are you awake now?"
"Hmph, what are you doing here? Did Father send you?"
Rong Qi nodded: "Why didn't you send anyone to deliver a message a few days ago? And even the people sent by the Emperor couldn't get the message."
Rong Mian: "Hmph, at least he cares about me. I've been here for a month, facing these disaster victims every day, I'm so annoyed."
"Get to the point."
Rong Mian: "I just wanted to see if my good father really cared about me. As for the message, of course I didn't want to pass it on, and I also stopped the people my father sent. Hahaha, that's why I sent you here."
Rong Qi: "Did you do all this just to get me here?"
"Of course I can't kill you in the capital, so why can't I kill you in this small border town?"
"Men, surround this area!"
A moment later, a whole courtyard full of soldiers and guards arrived in a flurry.
Rong Qi wasn't in a hurry at all. Sitting in his chair, he asked him, "Where did all the grain go? The disaster relief grain sent by the Emperor is enough to feed the people in this village for a long time."
Rong Mian: "Hmph, of course I hid it. Otherwise, how would I have leverage to blackmail you?"
"Rong Qi, if you just surrender obediently and let me do whatever I want with you, I will give all the food to these disaster victims. It's just some food anyway; my target has always been you."
Rong Qi: "Oh, really? Then you should distribute the grain to the people first, I'll stay here."
Rong Mian glared at him: "Do you think I'm stupid? What if you run away after I've distributed all the food? I don't trust you. Unless you cripple your martial arts first, I'll distribute the food immediately."
Rong Qi scoffed: "Ha, is that all the courage you have..."
The officials on the ground were terrified and sweating profusely, wishing he had never appeared today.
Rong Qi stood up and walked step by step to Rong Mian, each step seemingly landing on Rong Mian's heart.
Rong Qi took a step forward, and he took a step back, until there was nowhere left to retreat.
Rong Qi leaned closer to Rong Mian: "When I came here this afternoon, I went to the palace and visited the Jiaofang Palace. Don't you want to know what I did there?"
Rong Mian looked at him and said, "What does your going to Jiaofang Palace have to do with me?"
Rong Mian still doesn't know that his mother has been demoted and even moved to a different palace.
"I borrowed something from the owner of Jiaofang Palace. Does this item look familiar to you?"
Rong Mian stared wide-eyed in horror at the hairpin in Rong Qi's hand.
"You... how come my mother is in Jiaofang Palace? Isn't she in Yanxi Palace?"
Rong Qi: "You don't know, a few days ago, your mother sent assassins from beyond the borders to kill me. I sent all the corpses back to her. Then, your mother went to the Jiaofang Palace to repent. Lord Li was demoted three ranks."
"Do you think that if you make any more underhanded moves, you, your mother, and the Li family will still exist?"
Rong Mian gritted his teeth: "You...you actually dare to..."
He actually dared to send a corpse to my mother! Wouldn't she be terrified? That bastard…
What Rong Mian never considered was whether their killing was right or wrong?
He repeatedly sent people to kill Rong Qi. If it weren't for the Emperor's sake, he and his Li family line would probably have been severed long ago.
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