Fang Qing wanted to go out and see what was happening outside, but was stopped by someone.
"It's dangerous outside, so please stay upstairs, young lady."
Fang Qing stood at the top of the stairs and glanced outside.
"Is there a fight outside?"
"yes."
"How is the situation? Has Lord Zhao sent anyone over?"
"I will arrange for someone to send a message to Lord Zhao immediately."
After the person left, Fang Qing returned to her room.
The street fight had reached a fever pitch.
Even though the garrison commander of Xichang Prefecture brought in reinforcements, they were still no match for Fang Zhu and his group. Before long, several generals were captured by Fang Zhu's men.
The Xichang Prefecture garrison commander, who had just been taunting Fang Zhu, turned pale and forced himself not to beg for mercy.
Just then, Zhao Fen's voice suddenly rang out behind him.
"Stop! Stop!"
The commander's eyes lit up instantly, as if he had finally found a savior.
"Lord Zhao, please save us quickly! The actions of this traitorous villain Fang Zhu must be reported to the capital!"
Lord Zhao didn't even look at him, but led his men to push through the crowd and invite the people behind him out.
But the hopes of the garrison commander and others were completely shattered.
At the same time, Fang Qing finally received news that Zhao Fen had come.
She hurried downstairs.
As soon as they stepped out of the inn, they saw the figure standing next to Zhao Fen.
Even though they hadn't seen each other for two years, Fang Qing recognized him at a glance.
Mian'er.
He has grown much taller than he did two years ago, and his body is no longer thin. Standing next to Lord Zhao, he exudes an air of nobility.
Why is he here?
Could this be the person sent by the Crown Prince?
Sensing Fang Qing's gaze, Mian'er looked over, and the moment their eyes met, her eyes instantly lit up with a smile.
Fang Qing nodded blankly at him, and Mian'er gave her a response before continuing to deal with the matters in front of her.
"General Gou, there's no need to say anything more. I already learned about what happened when I came here. You and General Fang, come with me to the yamen."
As he spoke, he looked at Fang Qing and said, "I also ask Miss Fang to come and be a witness."
"yes."
Fang Qing was somewhat surprised by everyone's attitude towards Mian'er.
The Zhong family's grievances have not yet been cleared, so their attitude towards Mian'er is somewhat strange.
Fang Qing followed the group of people to the yamen.
Fang Zhu and the others stood, but the people around Ke Mian'er specially brought a stool for Fang Qing.
"Please have a seat, Miss Fang."
Fang Qing looked at Mian'er, and seeing Mian'er nod, she sat down.
Then came the crisp sound of a gavel.
Fang Qing saw Mian'er looking at General Gou with a serious expression.
"General Gou, you have arbitrarily mobilized the garrison commanders of the surrounding prefectures and engaged in street brawls. Do you know your crime?"
General Gou knelt down on the ground with a thud.
"Your Highness, I know my crime, but I was forced into this situation. I allowed the general to lead his troops to break into Xichang Prefecture and surround the inn, attempting to harm Miss Fang. That's why I took it upon myself to mobilize troops to rescue Miss Fang."
Fang Qing couldn't help but raise her eyebrows.
Your Highness?
"General Fang, is what General Gou said true?"
Fang Zhu looked respectfully in Mian'er's direction.
"Your Highness, I did indeed trespass on Xichang Prefecture, but not to harm Fang Qing as General Gou claims. Rather, I was rescuing him. I received news that the Qin family was threatening Fang Qing with a life, forcing him to voluntarily hand over his family property to them, and that they had imprisoned him in an inn."
"Your Highness should know that last winter the Northwest was hit by an unusual blizzard, and the cattle and sheep of the people suffered heavy losses. In order to ensure that the people could get through the winter safely, the Marshal ordered all the army's food and fodder to be distributed to the people, which resulted in a shortage of food and fodder in the army. Therefore, I was ordered to come to the capital to ask for food and fodder."
"As Your Highness knows, Prime Minister Gao rejected my application. For the sake of the lives of hundreds of thousands of soldiers on the border, I have no choice but to go to An County to borrow grain from Fang Qing. Fang Qing and the grain she has are crucial to the lives of the soldiers, and I cannot stand by and watch them die."
After Fang Zhu finished speaking, General Gou broke out in a cold sweat.
"Nonsense, what about the Qin family..."
Another gavel fell.
"Stop making excuses. Otherwise, why do you think I came to Xichang Prefecture? It was because I received a petition from the Qin family for their disregard for human life and forcibly seizing other people's money that my elder brother, the Crown Prince, sent me here to investigate this matter."
Fang Qing was startled again.
Prince?
Isn't Mian'er a member of the Zhong family?
Before Fang Qing could figure this out, she heard Mian'er say, "Someone, go and call Qin Hou here. I, the prince, need to investigate this properly, lest we offend the all-powerful Qin family and make things difficult for me as well."
General Gou lay prostrate on the ground, barely daring to breathe.
Mian'er's full name was Sima Jing, and he was the eighth among the current emperor's sons.
The news of Sima Jing's arrival in Xichang Prefecture had already reached the Qin family.
Unable to make up his mind, the head of the Qin family sought out Qin Hou.
Qin Hou felt a moment of panic.
His first thought wasn't how the Eighth Prince would deal with him, but rather that since he hadn't completed the task assigned by the Third Prince, the Third Prince certainly wouldn't let him off easily.
Qin Hou refused to come over when the Eighth Prince's men didn't come to call him.
"Just tell the Eighth Prince that I am unwell..."
"But the people who came from outside said that as long as the young master is still alive, they will carry him over even if they have to."
Qin Hou kicked over the table in front of him with a loud bang.
Despite his outburst of anger, he still led his men to the yamen (government office).
The moment he stepped into the government office, Qin Hou's perfect smile reappeared on his face.
"Qin Hou, the eldest son of the Qin family, greets His Highness the Eighth Prince."
Although he looked down on the Eighth Prince who had just been found, the Eighth Prince was protected like the apple of the Crown Prince's eye, so he still had to take him into consideration.
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