My stepsister tried to steal the prince's hand in marriage, but little did she know I had been

When the Imperial Guards arrived in Longzhou, Xie Jinghan brought his personal guards to Yongcheng.

When I came a few days ago, the gates of Yongcheng were still open, and people were still entering the city.

But today, the gates of Yongcheng are tightly closed, which is already a sign of the city being sealed off.

Upon seeing the approaching figures from afar, the guards on the city wall had already drawn their bows and arrows and aimed them at the newcomers.

Xie Jinghan looked up and met the guard's gaze from afar.

"Who goes there?" The guard noticed Xie Jinghan's extraordinary identity and immediately questioned him. His voice trembled slightly. Although there were only five hundred people in front of him, they seemed to have a stronger aura than five thousand people.

At Xie Jinghan's instruction, Si Qing raised the flag that belonged to Xie Jinghan high.

Upon seeing the character "景" on the flag, the guard's eyes widened in disbelief.

He rubbed his eyes quickly, and finding that the words on the screen hadn't changed, he slapped himself hard: "Am I hallucinating from hunger? How come I'm seeing the King of Jing's banner?"

"It's Prince Jing!"

"King Jing has come to our rescue!"

His companions were already cheering around him.

The arrival of Prince Jing was like a life-saving pill, completely calming their anxious hearts.

What does King Jing represent? He represents invincibility, and he represents that the plague in their city can finally be eradicated.

"I'll go tell the prefect right away!"

Overjoyed, they immediately informed Zhou Yan, the prefect of Yongcheng.

Upon hearing this news, Zhou Yan immediately stood up.

These days, he has been working day and night without a moment's rest, yet he still watches in despair as more and more people in the city are infected with the plague. Yongcheng has gone from martial law at the beginning to the current lockdown, all because the plague is spreading day by day. He is worried that it will affect the entire Jiangnan region and even the entire Dali.

At that time, he will become a sinner in history.

He had been worried day and night, and now he finally received this news that surprised and delighted him.

To everyone's surprise, less than half a month later, Xie Jinghan received the news and came to the rescue. To everyone's delight, it was Xie Jinghan who came.

"Quickly follow me to the city gate to greet the Prince!" Zhou Yan straightened his collar and walked out with great speed.

Seeing Zhou Yan's appearance, Cai, the clerk beside him, quickly said, "Sir, what if the prince refuses to enter the city?"

This sentence awakened Zhou Yan.

—Yongcheng is plagued by disease!

Which nobleman would be willing to enter the city? The noblemen inside the city wished they could all escape. If he hadn't overruled everyone's objections and trapped them all inside the city, these noblemen would probably have already run away with their possessions.

Seeing this, Master Cai added a reminder: "Because you insisted on sealing off the city, the powerful clans within the city are very dissatisfied with you. If you offend Prince Jing at this crucial moment... I'm afraid there will be no turning back."

"I know you have long since disregarded life and death, but if these powerful families break through the barriers and escape, then all your efforts these past few days will have been in vain!"

Zhou Yan did this precisely for the safety of the entire Dali.

His expression grew increasingly serious. Listening to Cai Shiye's words, he said in a low voice, "I know. In that case, I will go and send a message to the Prince first."

"More and more people in the city are infected with the plague. I am also worried that I may have contracted the plague without knowing it. If I were to infect the prince... then I... then I would truly be a sinner for all eternity."

Upon hearing this, Master Cai breathed a sigh of relief and personally followed Zhou Yan to the city gate.

They waited outside the city for a full half hour before Zhou Yan finally arrived.

Moreover, Zhou Yan was standing on the city wall, looking down and shouting, "Your Highness, a plague is spreading in the city. Please forgive me for not being able to go out of the city to greet you."

Si Qing was very impatient: "How dare he act so arrogantly?"

Xie Jinghan raised his hand, and Si Qing immediately fell silent.

"I have brought over a hundred imperial physicians and doctors, as well as a large quantity of medicinal herbs," Xie Jinghan said, his voice carrying across the city wall.

Upon hearing this, Zhou Yan felt a thunderbolt strike his heart.

His eyes lit up as he looked at the hundreds of people ahead.

"Open the city gates!" he shouted. "Quickly welcome the prince in!"

Everyone was stunned by Zhou Yan's shout.

Before Master Cai could offer any further advice, Zhou Yan shouted, "So many doctors! Yongcheng is saved!"

The most pressing need in the city right now is for doctors and medicine. With so many patients, the required amount of medicine and doctors is enormous. Yongcheng's medicine supply is almost exhausted. Zhou Yan is a good official who loves his people like his own children. He is powerless to help the people who are suffering so much in front of him.

Now that Xie Jinghan has brought so many doctors and medicinal herbs, he feels like a traveler in the desert who has seen water.

He no longer cared about what Master Cai had said; all he could think about was how to make the best use of these doctors and medicines.

Master Cai wanted to persuade him further, but Zhou Yan raised his hand, signaling Master Cai to stop talking.

“I know that the advisor is doing this for me and for Yongcheng,” he said in a low voice. “But right now, the most important thing for us is to save the people of Yongcheng.”

“No matter how the prince treats me afterward, I will accept it.” Zhou Yan’s voice choked as he spoke. “I don’t need all these official positions.”

Upon hearing this, Master Cai's eyes also became a little moist.

Zhou Yan has no family background; he has achieved what he has today entirely through his own talent and luck.

With this plague in Yongcheng, Zhou Yan's official career is likely over.

Thinking of this, Master Cai couldn't help but shed tears.

“No need to worry.” Zhou Yan patted Cai Shiye on the shoulder. “My purpose in becoming an official is to benefit the people. Now that I have been able to protect the people of Yongcheng, I have already achieved my ideal.”

"Don't be sad for me." Zhou Yan said this with great composure. "Don't worry, His Majesty won't take my life since I prevented the plague from spreading."

Upon hearing this, Master Cai lowered his head: "Of course I believe you, but... but I feel sorry for you."

While the two were talking, Xie Jinghan had already led his troops into the city.

Upon seeing Xie Jinghan, Zhou Yan immediately stepped forward and greeted him: "Greetings, Your Highness!"

Upon seeing the beautiful woman beside Xie Jinghan, he called out loudly, "Greetings, Your Highness."

I had long heard of the deep affection between Prince Jing and Princess Jing, and seeing it today, I can attest to it. I have never seen a wife willing to accompany me in such a dangerous situation.

Xie Jinghan nodded slightly: "Lord Zhou, Yongcheng is safe and sound under your protection, and the stability of Jiangnan is also thanks to you."

"Don't worry, when we return to the capital, I will report the truth to you and ask my brother to give you credit."

He caught a glimpse of Master Cai's unpleasant expression and knew what Master Cai was worried about.

Sure enough, Cai Shiye's expression changed after Xie Jinghan said those words.

Master Cai's eyes were filled with joy: "Really?"