As the foremost among the many local physicians, Doctor Qi’s words carried considerable weight. Even Luo Qin Quan had to show him some respect, unable to speak ill of him directly.
This, however, only served to enrage Luo Qin Quan, who had ulterior motives, making his expression turn even more grim.
Furthermore, other doctors chimed in their agreement.
“Indeed, why call him a quack? We’ve all been working diligently these past few days. It’s easy to criticize when you’re not the one doing the work!”
“Our efforts are unseen by those high and mighty officials. When something goes wrong, they just look for us to take the blame!”
“Exactly. Hasn’t everything Doctor Ye guided us in doing yielded results? It’s just outsiders who don’t understand and are making a fuss!”
They spoke one after another, each subtly mocking Luo Qin Quan and venting their inner anger.
Faced with such a scene, Luo Qin Quan’s expression was almost contorted.
Seeing the doctors all speak up bravely to shield her from the other’s malice, Ye Qing Cheng felt deeply grateful.
However, she did not intend to remain protected by them. Angrily, she stepped forward and looked at Luo Qin Quan with cold eyes.
“I confess I don’t quite understand Lord Luo’s words. Although you are the prefect of this city, I am still the Regent’s person! If I have done anything wrong, it is the Regent who should punish me. What right do you, a mere prefect, have to touch me?”
Looking at him with a hint of disdain, Ye Qing Cheng had long seen through his intention to use the guise of punishment to deliberately suppress those under Xiao Wang Ye.
Since that was the case, she was even less likely to let him succeed!
With that thought, Ye Qing Cheng deliberately stood before Luo Qin Quan, a clear trace of mockery on her lips.
“As the saying goes, one must look at the owner before hitting a dog. Your actions, I fear, show that you don’t even regard the Regent with respect?”
These words left Luo Qin Quan momentarily speechless, only able to glare impotently.
Everyone present knew that Ye Qing Cheng was the Regent’s person. Now that she had openly brought this up, she intended to leverage Xiao Wang Ye’s status to suppress him.
Luo Qin Quan was furious but helpless.
Faced with Ye Qing Cheng’s retort, he could only try a different approach and undermine her from the side.
“Even if you are the Prince’s person, you are currently within Feng Du City. You are irresponsibly mobilizing the city’s resources, and after all your efforts, there’s been no visible success. As the prefect, am I not allowed to manage such matters?”
Forcibly inventing a crime for Ye Qing Cheng, Luo Qin Quan was determined not to have come here in vain.
It was a rare opportunity with Xiao Wang Ye absent from the city, and he had to seize this moment to suppress his subordinates.
Luo Qin Quan had also been cautious, having already sent people to monitor Xiao Wang Ye’s entourage, and had learned of the close relationship between Ye Qing Cheng and Xiao Wang Ye.
Therefore, the primary target for smearing was this young doctor who remained in the city.
Moreover, because Ye Qing Cheng had been diligently treating the patients these days, their condition had improved significantly, and she had gained considerable popularity.
Suppressing her was exactly what Luo Qin Quan needed to do at this moment.
However, Ye Qing Cheng was not as easy to bully as he imagined. Hearing the baseless charges he was fabricating, she paid him no mind.
Since a solution to the strange illness had not yet been found, arguing further with him on this point offered no advantage. So, she followed his lead and flattered him by implication.
“Lord Luo’s words imply that Feng Du City is yours alone, and you can punish anyone with impunity.”
Ye Qing Cheng sneered, secretly attributing the charge of arrogance to him.
Feng Du City was the fiefdom, and its highest authority should be its feudal lord, Xiao Wang Ye. Luo Qin Quan, as the prefect, could not overstep this boundary.
She had a firm grasp on this, the art of striking at the heart.
Unsurprisingly, the gazes of the onlookers shifted towards Luo Qin Quan, as overstepping one’s authority was hardly a good reputation.
But Luo Qin Quan gritted his teeth, determined to deal with Ye Qing Cheng, unwilling to back down even under the disapproving stares of the doctors.
“No matter how eloquent you are, you cannot threaten me. You two, quickly go and apprehend her!”
The two guards who had been standing by exchanged glances, then chose to obey Luo Qin Quan’s command, moving to seize Ye Qing Cheng.
Just as the doctors were about to intervene again, a faint voice came from the doorway:
“Lord Luo, what a display of authority. You dare to lay hands on my people.”
“Your… Your Highness, n-no, this subordinate did not mean that.”
Quickly kneeling on the ground, Luo Qin Quan dared not show disrespect to Xiao Wang Ye and could only concede defeat and act like a subordinate.
He could be overbearing and dismissive towards these inferiors. But when facing Xiao Wang Ye, a Prince, he could only tuck his tail and act subserviently.
Feng Du City had been designated as Xiao Wang Ye’s fiefdom by the late emperor. Here, he was the ruler, and officials like Luo Qin Quan were merely subjects, unable to overstep.
Even if Luo Qin Quan wished to usurp Xiao Wang Ye’s power, he could only do so in secret; he could not act openly.
“I hear Lord Luo has considerable opinions about my subordinates? You wish to punish them?”
Xiao Wang Ye stared at him coldly, then turned to stand beside Ye Qing Cheng, his protective stance evident for all to see.
With the situation having escalated to this point, Luo Qin Quan’s previous resolve had turned into deep regret.
Facing Xiao Wang Ye’s wrath, he could only bear it and offer explanations.
“This subordinate dares not. It was merely idle gossip that I believed. Your Highness, please forgive me, this subordinate shall not do so again!”
With that, he quickly kowtowed a few more times, his posture extremely low.
Seeing this, Ye Qing Cheng’s anger subsided. She subtly tugged at Xiao Wang Ye’s sleeve.
They exchanged a look, their affection almost overflowing from their eyes.
There was no point in escalating the matter further. Xiao Wang Ye still had other matters on his mind, so he did not trouble Luo Qin Quan further.
He made the prefect apologize to Ye Qing Cheng and then let him leave.
For a prefect to apologize to a commoner might sound somewhat unrealistic.
However, Luo Qin Quan did not wish to confront Xiao Wang Ye directly at that moment, so he endured the humiliation, apologized, and left in a huff.
Thus, this farce finally came to an end.
Just as Luo Qin Quan stepped out of the mansion’s gate, a hurried servant from the Luo residence ran up and whispered a few words into his ear. “What?”
Luo Qin Quan suddenly shouted, then fiercely grabbed the servant by the collar and demanded, “All gone? Not a trace left?”
The servant turned pale with fear and nodded repeatedly, his eyes filled with terror.
After receiving a confirmed reply, Luo Qin Quan’s expression turned even grimmer, his gaze filled with a murderous intent.
He opened his mouth, as if to say something.
But then he glanced around at the people moving about and swallowed the words back.
He resentfully released the servant’s collar, waved his hand, and said imposingly, “Return to the manor!”
Thus, the group left the mansion once more.
Inside the large residence at this moment, as soon as Ye Qing Cheng saw Xiao Wang Ye, she no longer had any intention of dwelling on other matters.