In truth, Quan Yu understood that Bai Qingyan sitting in this position was more suitable than the Crown Prince. He believed even more that one day, he would see Great Zhou unify the realm, and the eldest daughter of the Bai family would build this Great Zhou into… a peaceful and prosperous world where the sea was calm and the rivers clear. He believed that in this lifetime, he would surely see this day come to pass.
After Quan Yu left, Bai Qingyan instructed Weizhong: “Send several people to Quan Yu’s hometown to buy him a small courtyard, purchase some servants and maids to care for him…”
After thinking for a moment, Bai Qingyan added: “Also, arrange for some farmland and shops for him, so that… Quan Yu can live without worry for the rest of his life.”
“Your Majesty is benevolent as a mountain!” Weizhong bowed his head, “This old servant will certainly handle it properly!”
That very night, before Bai Qingyan retired to bed, Lu Ping returned to report: “One of the eldest daughters escaped. According to Sun Wenyao, that person was their shadow guard captain. To avoid disturbing the people, your subordinate has ordered the patrol camp to search secretly, but your subordinate thinks he’s probably near the Qin residence.”
“Mm…” Bai Qingyan nodded, “There’s no need to pursue this escapee further. The Jin Dynasty’s imperial shadow guards are all utterly loyal to their master. Since the Jin Dynasty emperor died, those shadow guards have no master, so naturally they would still be single-mindedly seeking revenge for their master. We’ll just capture him at the kite competition held for Xiao Si’s birthday!”
“Also… spread the word that on the day of the kite competition, I and all the ladies of the Bai family will attend.” Bai Qingyan said.
Lu Ping nodded: “Your subordinate understands, but… on the day of the kite competition, eldest daughter should still not go! Now that the eldest daughter is with child, there can’t be the slightest carelessness.”
“We’ll see that day, first spread the news!”
“Yes!” Lu Ping acknowledged and left.
·
On the seventeenth of October, Princess Gaoyi’s birthday, the imperial family would hold a kite competition in the outskirts of the capital city to celebrate with the people. Most participants were from official families, but commoners could also join in the festivities, unlike in the past when common people were kept outside the competition grounds.
The palace, in Princess Gaoyi’s name, even widely invited widows in the capital who had remarried after being widowed to participate together. The champion could receive a hundred gold pieces and also receive colored silk rewards bestowed by His Majesty.
Most remarried widows’ families were not too wealthy, so hearing about the hundred gold pieces, they were naturally eager to try. On the outskirts, people had already begun practicing kite flying early, just waiting for October seventeenth to win first place in one fell swoop.
Merchants were the first to be moved, with some going early to scout locations, planning to secure good stall positions.
Those harboring ill intentions naturally also began making early preparations.
Now in the capital, rumors about the new law encouraging widows among the common people to remarry, but not permitting widows from noble families to remarry, were becoming increasingly intense. Some people were even discussing in taverns that since widow remarriage had so many benefits, why hadn’t the Empress Dowager and the various ladies of the Bai family remarried?
Liu Rushi had originally been entrusted by Dong Changyuan and Li Mingrui to serve as a judge at the kite competition, and if anyone caused trouble or disturbances, to ask Liu Rushi to help support them, ensuring there would be no mishaps during the promotion of the new policies. Hearing the current gossip in the capital, Liu Rushi was naturally extremely annoyed and went to complain to Lu Jin.
After Lu Jin gave Liu Rushi a brief analysis, Liu Rushi understood… so this time Princess Gaoyi inviting remarried widows to participate in the kite competition together, celebrating with the people, was intended to debate with those who were spreading rumors and causing trouble, preparing to use the fact that the Empress Dowager and the various ladies of the Bai family had not remarried as gossip material.
Liu Rushi immediately took his leave from the Lu residence and returned to make preparations.
·
Lady Fang was also restless in her room, pacing back and forth, until she saw through the carved window lattice the slender figure of Pu Liu returning, wearing a stone-green short jacket and slate-blue lower garment. Only then did she dismiss the maids serving in the room and, lifting her skirts, sat down on the red wood soft couch by the window.
Pu Liu lifted the curtain and entered, her fair and pointed chin bearing some sweat. She wiped the sweat with a handkerchief, walked around the screen and through the hanging curtains, came forward to bow to Lady Fang, then said: “Madam, the letter has been sent out. This servant instructed them… since Madam is anxious, to deliver it to the Fang family as quickly as possible.”
Lady Fang asked again: “Is the person who went to deliver the letter reliable?”
“Madam, rest assured, we sent Granny Ye’s son to deliver the letter. This boy has fast legs, and Granny Ye is also the most loyal.” Pu Liu said.
Despite Pu Liu saying this, Lady Fang still secretly prayed in her heart that Granny Ye’s boy could quickly deliver the letter to her elder brother’s hands, and no matter what, must arrive in the capital by October seventeenth.
“Madam, has something happened?” Pu Liu wasn’t curious about what was written in the letter, but seeing Lady Fang’s restless appearance, she was somewhat worried and asked in a low voice, “Should this servant help Madam deliberate?”
The words were about to burst from Lady Fang’s mouth, but she swallowed them back again.
It wasn’t that she didn’t trust Pu Liu, but if she spoke of this matter, Pu Liu would certainly try to stop her. Pu Liu had always been timid.
Now the Bai family clan members were all calculating their individual interests. Currently in the capital, more and more people were gossiping about the widowed women of the Bai family branch, all saying… the imperial family should set an example, and if encouraging widow remarriage, the imperial house should also take the lead.
Thinking that the various ladies of the Bai family might remarry, or that Bai Qingyan might even establish an imperial consort, and thinking about who wouldn’t be moved by the possibility of marrying the Empress Dowager?
Setting aside Bai Qingyan establishing an imperial consort, people of the same Bai clan naturally wouldn’t be suitable, but what about the other ladies of the Bai family? And what about the Empress Dowager?
The Bai clan members had already received news that at this kite competition, someone intended to use the opportunity to cause trouble. If they forced Bai Qingyan into a corner, the widowed ladies of the Bai family might very well, to ensure the smooth implementation of Bai Qingyan’s new policies, declare they were willing to remarry…
The Bai clan members felt that rather than letting the ladies of the Bai family marry outsiders, it would be better for them to marry into the Bai clan. Bai Qingyan had always respected her various aunts-in-law, so whichever family could marry one of Bai Qingyan’s aunts-in-law, Bai Qingyan would help and support them just for the sake of her aunt-in-law!
Moreover, these daughters-in-law of the Bai family all had exceptional appearances, since they were all carefully selected by the Grand Princess as daughters-in-law, and their dowries were extremely abundant.
Some people even set their sights on Dong Shi. If they married Dong Shi… that would make them the stepfather of the Great Zhou Female Emperor! Whoever gained such status would be able to do as they pleased in Great Zhou, and even the Great Zhou Female Emperor Bai Qingyan would have to respectfully and filially serve this stepfather.
After Bai Qihe heard about this matter, he didn’t delay and had already entered the palace first, wanting to inform Bai Qingyan of this matter first, then discuss and resolve it with Bai Qingyan. After all, this was a crucial time for Bai Qingyan to promote the new policies, and he feared that if he rashly dealt with the clan members, it would give others some pretext to attack the new policies.
Lady Fang had overheard this matter today and was also moved by the idea, having someone send a letter to her elder brother, who had just lost his wife earlier this year. As long as the goal could be achieved, at worst… she could use some underhanded means, as long as it succeeded.