"We can negotiate with the court, discuss, and if all else fails, we can still threaten the Chang’an Court with those Mutated Objects in the treasury.
The Wang Family is flourishing. Whether in the Chang’an Court, the Academic Palace, or the garrison, we have relatives and acquaintances who can speak for us.
There’s also Li Ang, isn’t he still unmarried?
All scholars in the world take pride in marrying won from the Five Surnas. We can negotiate well with him.
And there’s Prince Yue—he wants to be Emperor, right?
As long as he spares us this ti, the Wang Family and other noble families will fully support him in his struggle with the Crown Prince. He won’t miss such a good opportunity..."
Wang Bo Fan racked his brains, thinking of ways to survive. He stood up from his chair, ca before Wang Bojian, and knelt on one knee, managing a strained smile. "Bojian, we have known each other since we were young. Deep down, I also feel that you should hold the position of Clan Chief..."
Seeing his forr rival act this way, Wang Bojian felt no joy in his heart.
He didn’t even glance at Wang Bo Fan. Instead, he said directly to the other clan elders, "I have already had people in the household burn all kinds of letters. The printing equipnt previously used to print flyers has also been smashed, disassembled, and burned."
"Well done."
The White-haired Clan Elder nodded. "For those from our family who were spreading rumors in the city, let them hide at ho for a few days.
"If they are servants of the family, make them write a confession letter.
"Also, provide compensation to their families to keep them from spreading word everywhere.
"And prepare a list of all the treasures in the treasury."
"Bojian."
"I am here."
"Tie up Bo Fan."
The White-haired Clan Elder stood up with his cane, saying tiredly, "We’ll go to see Mr. Li tonight and apologize humbly."
---
The cold wind was desolate, and the lanterns swayed.
The carriage of the Taiyuan Wang Family drove through the streets and stopped in front of a sick house.
Just as the servant had said, the area around the sick house resembled a construction site, with dust and dirt everywhere.
Cultivators dressed in Academic Palace, garrison, and various academy garnts were using magic and Telekinesis to construct a new isolation area.
So common laborers without Cultivation were using carts and other tools to deliver loads of bricks and wood.
The carriage door opened.
Wang Bojian, Wang Bo Fan, and the White-haired Clan Elder stepped down from the carriage and silently walked towards the busy construction site.
There were many locals from Taiyuan on the site. Recognizing the trio by the Wang Family’s Jade Pendants worn at their waists, many looked surprised and whispered among themselves.
Yet no one approached to stop them.
Unobstructed, the three of them entered the sick house and t the receptionist.
"Is Mr. Li here?"
Wang Bojian stepped forward and said gravely, "Please inform him, Taiyuan Wang Family, Wang Bojian requests to see him."
The receptionist on duty, also a local from Taiyuan Prefecture, widened her eyes in astonishnt at the ntion of the Taiyuan Wang Family, then belatedly realized and said, "Uh, you need to sign in first to see Mr. Li..."
"No need to inform him. This way."
A deep voice sounded as Yan Yundang, still wearing his armor, stepped out from the duty room. He glanced at the three n and said calmly, "Follow ."
Even now, many dical staff mbers were on duty inside the sick house.
Yan Yundang, adorned in armor; Wang Bojian, expressionless; the White-haired Clan Elder, continuously coughing; and Wang Bo Fan, pale-faced—this strange group of four attracted all kinds of peculiar gazes in the hallway.
The four n headed straight to the office in the corner of the sick house. Yan Yundang knocked on the wooden door. After hearing Li Ang’s "Co in" from inside, he opened the door.
Li Ang was inside, still reviewing docunts. Upon seeing Wang Bojian and the other two entering, he put down his pen and smiled. "Gentlen, we finally et."
This was his first face-to-face eting with the real decision-makers of the Wang Family. He had seen the portraits of Wang family mbers handed to him by the garrison and recognized Wang Bo Fan, the White-haired Clan Elder, and Wang Bojian—whose son-in-law, Chu Haoman, he had rescued during the Qi Shui Village incident.
At that ti, he had also received a reward of Fine Gold from the Wang Family, aiding Mo Si in completing her evolutionary stage.
He could not help but marvel at the wonders of fate.
"Indeed, we finally et."
Wang Bojian sighed, took a piece of paper from his robes, stepped forward, and laid it on Li Ang’s desk with both hands.
"What is this?"
Li Ang’s eyebrows rose. The paper listed the nas of over sixty people, most bearing the surna Wang.
"This is the list of Wang Family mbers who, during this plague in Taiyuan City, fanned the flas and violated the Yu Law."
Wang Bojian then said respectfully, "Led by Wang Bo Fan, six direct family mbers, twenty-seven collateral relatives, and twenty-eight servants played disgraceful roles during the plague. Apart from the main culprit, Wang Bo Fan, the others are now at the Taiyuan Prefecture garrison, having surrendered and confessed their cris."
"Is that so?"
Li Ang smiled slightly and glanced at Wang Bo Fan. "Since they have already confessed, why co to ?"
"COUGH, COUGH."
The White-haired Clan Elder coughed and said respectfully, "Mr. Li, as the Observer of Hedong Road, you are entrusted with the lives of millions of common people. So unworthy descendants from our Wang Family, for their own selfish desires, violated the Yu Law and hindered your epidemic prevention strategies. It is only right, both morally and logically, that they co before you to apologize humbly and admit their guilt before surrendering to the authorities."
After speaking, he reached out with his cane and tapped Wang Bo Fan’s knee, causing him to kneel forward and bow his head to the ground before Li Ang’s desk.
Li Ang scanned the ashen-faced Wang Bo Fan, then turned to the White-haired Clan Elder and smiled. "Truly a thousand-year-old family, able to describe besieging the Governor Mansion as rely violating the Yu Law.
"Able to portray a decision unanimously agreed upon by the family as one made by a few unworthy descendants based on selfish desires.
"I want to know," he pointed at Wang Bo Fan kneeling on the ground, "what exactly are these ’selfish desires’?"
"Wang Bo Fan’s eldest son, Wang Jie, contracted the plague before the city lockdown. Because of it, he couldn’t buy the herbal dicine based on the unique prescription from the Forr Sui Sect’s Lihua Valley. Wang Bo Fan therefore hindered the epidemic prevention strategies to get treatnt for his son."
Wang Bojian continued, "Wang Jie died three days ago. Because of this, Wang Bo Fan harbored resentnt towards Taiyuan Prefecture and, in his anger, orchestrated the incident of besieging the Governor Mansion."
While still at the Prince Manor, Wang Bojian had already discussed all possible scenarios extensively with the White-haired Clan Elder.
The reason they ca to find Li Ang, instead of the higher-ranking Prince Yue, Li Hui, of Taiyuan Prefecture, was strategic.
Firstly, though Li Hui was a Prince, Li Ang, as the Observer of Hedong Road, still held the dominant authority in official positions.
Secondly, based on the reports sent back, the order for the garrison to thoroughly investigate those gentry who besieged the Governor Mansion ca from Li Ang, not Li Hui.
This was understandable, given that the root cause of the siege was the rumor that "a drop of blood from Mr. Li can cure diseases." Li Ang’s resentnt towards this was reasonable.
Lastly, in the view of the Taiyuan Wang Family, Li Ang, as a Doctor, would also likely act more compassionately.
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