Those who hadn’t signed indenture contracts, Old Gu would break their legs and throw them out of the ancestral residence, spreading word throughout… if any household in Shouyang City dared to employ these people and their families, they would be opposing the Zhenguo Princess’s mansion!

Not only that, for the women servants, maids, and servants who had signed indenture contracts, Old Gu also conducted a thorough purge—those to be beaten to death were beaten to death, those to be sold were sold. He notified all the matchmakers and slave traders in Shouyang City that the Bai mansion needed to purchase a new batch of maidservants and servants. The commotion was enormous, and the speed was extremely fast.

Old Gu had made up his mind to clean the ancestral residence inside and out thoroughly before Bai Qingyan’s party returned.

Today happened to be the day when all the matchmakers and slave traders in the city would bring people to the ancestral residence. Old Gu thought that since the eldest young lady had returned, if she had some free time, it would be perfect for her to take a look.

Old Gu, along with the stewards and loyal servants who had returned from the capital with Lu Ping ahead of schedule last time, stood outside the ancestral residence with its imposing entrance, quietly awaiting Bai Qingyan’s carriage.

Seeing the carriage bearing the princess’s insignia slowly approaching from afar, Old Gu’s face lit up with joy. He quickly supported himself with his walking stick and led the group of stewards and loyal servants down from the high steps.

Quite a few curious common people also stopped to watch, gazing toward the four-horse carriage that was not commonly seen in Shouyang City.

When the carriage came to a stop, Old Gu walked to the side of the carriage with his walking stick. Seeing Chun Tao helping Bai Qingyan down from the carriage, he quickly used his walking stick for support and knelt to bow: “This old servant respectfully welcomes Your Highness…”

The Bai family stewards and loyal servants following behind Old Gu also stepped forward and bowed: “Respectfully welcoming Your Highness!”

Although Bai Qingyan had instructed everyone in the Bai mansion to still address her as eldest young lady, there were so many onlooking common people here, and this was in Shouyang—proper etiquette could not be abandoned!

Otherwise, if even their Bai family’s loyal servants didn’t perform grand ceremonies for Bai Qingyan in public, wouldn’t those clan people have an excuse to disregard proper etiquette and look down upon their family’s eldest young lady?

How could Bai Qingyan not understand Old Gu’s intention? Old Gu was helping her establish her authority.

She walked to Old Gu’s side and helped him up: “Everyone rise. Old Gu is an elder performing such grand ceremonies… it puts Qingyan to shame.”

Old Gu’s eyes were full of smiles as he asked in a low voice: “Was the eldest young lady’s journey safe?”

With frequent bandit troubles recently, hearing that Bai Qingyan and Bai Jinzhi were returning alone, Old Gu had been genuinely worried for several days.

“Old Gu, rest assured. With two squads of the Crown Prince’s mansion guard troops accompanying us, the journey was very safe.” Bai Qingyan turned her head to look at the imposing vermilion lacquered gates of the Shouyang ancestral residence.

Six-panel large gates, vermilion lacquered red pillars, two stone lions taller than a person standing on either side, red walls and green tiles, embroidered doors and carved eaves.

Through so many generations, the Bai family had renovated and expanded the antique-style Bai ancestral residence to become increasingly magnificent. Though it couldn’t compare with the princely nobles of the capital, it was already unparalleled in Shouyang City.

“Has the eldest young lady returned this time to handle clan affairs?” Though Old Gu was already aged, his eyes were bright and his mind sharp. Originally planning to depart from the capital for Shouyang on the first day of the fifth lunar month, Bai Qingyan’s return at this time could only be to take action against the clan.

“I won’t hide it from Old Gu—Qingyan intends to open the ancestral hall and change the clan leader.” Bai Qingyan said.

Old Gu’s steps paused momentarily, then he nodded. The current clan leader was indeed becoming increasingly improper, his behavior and temperament exactly like his deceased mother.

Old Gu had grown up together with Bai Weiting since childhood, so he understood the clan leader’s mother quite thoroughly. A concubine’s daughter from a wealthy household who had learned a whole set of despicable habits that made people look down on her. If not for the childhood betrothal arrangement and the previous clan leader being recorded under his legitimate mother’s name only later, the Bai family would never have allowed her to become the clan leader’s wife.

“Does the eldest young lady intend to make a big commotion?” Old Gu walked unhurriedly beside Bai Qingyan with his walking stick, inquiring carefully.

“There are the Bai family ancestral teachings, Bai family house rules, and clan regulations. We’ll handle things according to the rules. Today, I’m afraid more than half the people in the clan will be expelled from the clan, including the clan leader’s family…” Bai Qingyan’s steps paused as she stood in the courtyard, saying, “If the clan members don’t agree, I’ll lead the Bai family to confess our sins to the ancestors and leave the clan, severing ties promptly to stop the losses.”

“What the clan members rely on is nothing more than the capital’s Bai family—formerly the Zhenguo Prince, now you, the Zhenguo Princess!” Old Gu chuckled softly. No one understood the clan members’ nature better than Old Gu. “They absolutely won’t abandon you, Your Highness, for the sake of the clan leader! Moreover, this old servant has heard… that when the eldest young lady returns this time, the Crown Prince has even sent people to provide support. So they won’t be willing or dare to lose such a big tree as you.”

Speaking thus, Old Gu respectfully bowed to Bai Qingyan: “This old servant has spent a lifetime in the Bai family, managing accounts for a lifetime, carefully preserving the account records of money sent from the capital to Shouyang each year. If there’s anywhere in this matter that the eldest young lady can use me, please don’t be polite.”

Old Gu’s words meant that if account verification was needed, she could call him over.

Previously, when the clan leader privately embezzled money sent from the capital’s Bai family to Shouyang, the Bai family knew but turned a blind eye, thinking that the clan leader’s care for the clan members was also laborious work.

However, Old Gu felt this was a tremendous weakness to exploit. After all, by the generation of Zhenguo Prince’s grandsons, with many descendants, Old Gu still thought about the future—the clan leader position should eventually return to the legitimate direct line, so there must be a good reason to dismiss this clan leader.

Later, when none of Zhenguo Prince’s grandsons remained, Old Gu thought these account records were useless. Unexpectedly, today, the eldest young lady wanted to depose the clan leader, so he would bring out these account records to assist the eldest young lady.

“Then I’ll trouble Old Gu in a moment.” Bai Qingyan smiled.

Looking at the restrained yet gentle Bai Qingyan before him, Old Gu’s eyes couldn’t help but redden. Everyone said that with all the men of the capital’s Bai family dead, the Bai family would fall!

However, their eldest young lady single-handedly shouldered the Bai family’s heavy burden. At the state banquet, she passionately proclaimed the Bai family’s loyalty and righteousness; on New Year’s Eve, she borrowed coffins from the world, risking her life to seek justice for Zhenguo Prince and the Bai family; before the Wude Gate’s petition drum… she forced the Emperor to deal with Prince Xin.

In this world, who could have such a spirit?!

Only their capital’s Bai family’s young lady!

During the days and nights when the eldest young lady went to Nan Jiang, Old Gu tossed and turned sleeplessly, praying that Zhenguo Prince, Duke Zhenguo, and all the Bai family generals would bless Bai Qingyan’s safe return from their spirits in heaven.

But their eldest young lady not only returned safely, she returned gloriously, achieving great victory over Xi Liang and forcing Nanyan to retreat. Their family’s eldest young lady accomplished what all the Bai family men hadn’t achieved in this Nan Jiang campaign.

Old Gu… felt honored by association.

If anyone dared say again that women were inferior to men, Old Gu would be the first to disagree.

“Not troublesome! Being able to contribute to the Bai family and for the young lady, this old man is very happy.” Old Gu looked at Bai Qingyan with moist eyes. “If Zhenguo Prince were still alive and could see such an eldest young lady, he would surely… surely be delighted!”

As Old Gu spoke, he couldn’t hold back his tears. He quickly turned aside and dabbed at his eyes with his sleeve, chuckling softly to cover up: “When one gets old… one develops this problem of tearing up in the wind. Eldest young lady, do not blame.”