Bai Qingyan was amused by Bai Jinzhi’s appearance, but she also seriously considered Bai Jinzhi’s lifelong matters: “Let elder sister ask you, with so many fine young men in the capital, do you fancy any of them?”
“Where are there any fine young men left in this capital? All the good ones are on the battlefield… Even though Lu Yuanpeng from Grand Commandant Lu’s family, who spends all day playing with cats and dogs, is more promising than these current young men in the capital. At least he knows how to go to the battlefield to defend the Kingdom!”
Bai Qingyan lowered her eyes to look at Bai Wanqing’s random scribbles on the bamboo slip, saying carelessly: “So you’re saying you fancy Lu Yuanpeng?”
“Elder sister, don’t tease me. I’m only saying that the current young men in the capital aren’t even as good as Lu Yuanpeng. Who would fancy Lu Yuanpeng! That brat hasn’t even grown all his hair yet! Aside from daring to join the army and not being afraid of hardship, there’s not a single thing about him I could look favorably upon!” Bai Jinzhi quickly denied.
“How about this – you stay another half month to keep Third Aunt company, and after half a month you can go to Nan Jiang…” Bai Qingyan said with a smile.
“Elder sister…” Bai Jinzhi looked aggrieved, thought for a moment, then seriously negotiated with Bai Qingyan: “How about we each take a step back – seven days, how about that!”
“Has that Sun Wenyao come looking for you again?” Bai Qingyan changed the subject.
Bai Jinzhi was completely unguarded in front of her elder sister and was easily led off topic: “I’ve been dragged around by Mother to see matchmakers everywhere. Where would I have time? I only heard that Sun Wenyao has been staying in the military camp since he returned.”
Bai Qingyan knew this. Ever since Xiao Si had mentioned this Sun Wenyao to her, Lu Ping had also brought him up in passing, with worry for Bai Jinzhi evident in his words. She had then instructed Lu Ping to have someone keep watch.
It was said that this Sun Wenyao was quite well-behaved, training as usual in the military camp every day. He didn’t cause trouble, either, gathering with the soldiers Bai Jinzhi had brought back in groups of three to five to try the capital’s famous foods.
Later, when General Zhao Sheng returned with the Zhao Family Army and the Anping Army, Sun Wenyao rejoined his unit.
“Your Majesty, Commander Lu requests an audience…”
Bai Qingyan patted little Xiao Ba’s bottom and said to Wei Zhong, “Please take Xiao Ba back to Fifth Aunt.”
“Elder sister! Xiao Ba won’t go!” Bai Wanqing grabbed onto Bai Qingyan’s sleeve corner, looking at Bai Qingyan with hopeful eyes. “Fourth sister is here, so Xiao Ba stays too! Xiao Ba loves his elder sister the most…”
This chubby, fair little one, smiling at Bai Qingyan with those grape-like big eyes – who could resist that?
Bai Qingyan pinched Bai Wanqing’s little face and had Wei Zhong invite Lu Ping in.
Upon entering and seeing all three sisters present, Lu Ping bowed, then said after rising: “First Miss, that person called Sun Wenyao went to see Second Miss of the Qin residence…”
Bai Jinzhi was slightly startled and turned to glance at Bai Qingyan.
Bai Qingyan tapped her finger on the table: “I heard that these two young ladies… after the Great Zhou era name was established and the coronation ceremony was set, they caused quite a commotion, but then went quiet…”
Lu Ping nodded: “This subordinate made inquiries, and these two ladies from the Qin residence are quite remarkable. They once attacked our Second Miss, which led to the Qin and Bai families falling out publicly – everyone in the capital knows this. After learning that First Miss was about to ascend the throne, these two ladies went around saying… how deep their sisterly bond with our Second Miss was, comparable to blood sisters, and even claimed… that First Miss treated them like a real sister. Later, at Miss Dong’s birthday banquet, they went uninvited, shamelessly forcing their way through the gates of the Dong Grand Tutor’s residence, calling Madam Dong ‘eldest maternal aunt’ and Miss Dong ‘cousin,’ forcibly inserting themselves into the Dong residence.”
During Dong Tingzhen’s birthday, Bai Qingyan was in Luohong City and naturally didn’t know what happened in the capital. Since these were trivial matters, neither Dong Qingping, Song Shi, nor Dong Tingzhen would mention such things to Bai Qingyan, who was as busy as could be each day.
Lu Ping glanced at Bai Qingyan and continued: “This Second Miss Qin was even more audacious, leaving the banquet on her own to chase after Young Master Dong Changyuan. She blocked his path and confessed her feelings, saying she wanted to marry Young Master Changyuan as his wife. When Young Master Changyuan refused, she cried and made a scene, attracting many onlookers, cursing the young master for being heartless…”
“How shameless!” Bai Jinzhi couldn’t contain her anger and cursed, her chest heaving with indignation. “She’s trying to throw mud at Cousin Changyuan!”
“Young Master Changyuan wasn’t polite either. He said this was the first time he’d met Second Miss Qin and didn’t know why she would frame him with such accusations of heartlessness. With gods watching from above… if Second Miss Qin was someone who would lie with eyes wide open, Young Master Changyuan would rather bear the stain of infamy and never marry than wed Second Miss Qin! Moreover… Second Miss Qin had once attacked Second Miss Bai, nearly causing her death. If we were to settle accounts… Young Master Dong and Second Miss Qin are irreconcilable enemies!”
“Well said!” Bai Jinzhi breathed a sigh of relief. She had been afraid that the handsome Dong Changyuan might be soft-hearted.
Lu Ping was amused by Bai Jinzhi’s expression and continued: “After that, Second Miss Qin’s reputation became even worse. It seems she tried to hang herself after returning to the Qin residence, but was rescued. After that incident, she seemed like a different person – she stopped causing trouble and has been well-behaved ever since.”
Sun Wenyao visiting his former master wasn’t particularly strange – it showed he was someone who valued old relationships…
But Sun Wenyao’s scheming around Xiao Si greatly bothered Bai Qingyan. Just as Bai Jinzhi suspected, Bai Qingyan also wondered if this Sun Wenyao was going to such lengths because he was an enemy spy trying to use Xiao Si for some purpose. To disturb Great Zhou’s peace?
“How did the two of them arrange to meet? Through what intermediary or messenger?” Bai Qingyan asked.
“The person assigned to watch Sun Wenyao doesn’t know how they managed to meet. It’s precisely because this seemed suspicious and strange that this subordinate came to report to First Miss,” Lu Ping said.
“Ping Shu, continue having someone watch this person, but don’t expend too much effort! As for this Second Miss Qin…” Bai Qingyan pondered for a moment. “Just assign someone to keep an eye on the Qin family as well.”
“Yes!” Lu Ping clasped his hands to Bai Qingyan in acknowledgment.
“Your Majesty…” Wei Zhong entered from outside the hall again. After bowing, he said quietly to Bai Qingyan: “Your Majesty, Dong Changyuan and Li Mingrui say they have urgent matters and request an audience.”
Bai Qingyan handed Bai Wanqing to Bai Jinzhi in her arms: “Let them in.”
Bai Jinzhi sat beside Bai Qingyan, holding the chubby, heavy Bai Wanqing, who smelled milky sweet and pleasant. Bai Wanqing didn’t throw a tantrum either, sitting obediently in Bai Jinzhi’s arms with her bright black eyes watching the doorway.
Dong Changyuan and Li Mingrui, both in official robes, entered side by side. After bowing to Bai Qingyan, Bai Jinzhi, and Bai Wanqing, they heard Bai Jinzhi call out: “Cousin Changyuan!”