Grandfather had always said to her, “A’Bao… you are the eldest sister, so you must be able to endure more hardship, you must set an example for your younger brothers and sisters, you must have the bearing of an eldest sister, and protect your younger siblings. Don’t think that just because you are a daughter, you cannot do as well as men. As long as you are willing to endure hardship… even men cannot compare to you!”
Bai Qingyan had the same expectations for her daughter, hoping that Kangle would not feel that she should be protected by her family relatives just because she was a daughter. She wanted both her daughter and son to grow into people who could stand tall and support themselves.
Xiao Rongyan was somewhat surprised, not expecting that the Bai family would teach their children this way.
After a while, Xiao Rongyan’s eyebrows carried a smile: “Yan deeply admires the Bai family’s household principles. It seems that in the future, how to teach these two children will require A’Bao to work harder. Then… in our family from now on, we’ll have a loving father and a strict mother! Let me, the father, be the good person!”
Bai Qingyan couldn’t help but laugh out loud: “Good, I’ll be the strict mother, and you be the loving father.”
“A word once spoken cannot be taken back! A’Bao is the emperor, your words must count!” Xiao Rongyan held the child in his arms with great joy. “Later, when our family is reunited, if these two do anything wrong, this husband will tell A’Bao, and let A’Bao discipline them both, while this husband will come out to protect them!”
“How is the Regent so calculating? I, the mother, have to be the villain, while you, the father, get to be the good person.”
Chun Tao, standing beside the red lacquered round pillar, couldn’t help but cover her lips and laugh softly. This reminded her of what her mother had once told her: when their mistress had just given birth to the eldest young lady, the master was also like this, holding the eldest young lady lovingly without wanting to let go. When the eldest young lady was still just a nursing baby, the master had already told the mistress that in the future, the mistress must be a strict mother while he would be the loving father, so that the daughter would be closer to him.
Chun Tao watched Bai Qingyan and Xiao Rongyan holding the two children together, talking and laughing. For some reason, she thought of the deceased Bai Qishan, and her eyes reddened. If the master were still alive and could see the eldest young lady with her husband and two adorable little grandchildren, he would surely be delighted.
This being his first time entering the palace, Xiao Rongyan couldn’t stay too long. After coaxing the two children to sleep, Xiao Rongyan had to leave.
“This time, entering the palace, there are the sister-in-law’s people among the guard escort I brought. I cannot stay long… I must go back!” Xiao Rongyan grasped Bai Qingyan’s hands, brought them to his lips for a kiss, and said in a low voice, “But fortunately, I’m in the Capital City now, finally closer to you and the children.”
Seeing this, Chun Tao and Chun Zhi smiled and carried the two little masters away, not wanting to disturb their eldest young lady and son-in-law.
“If only we were at the Bai residence, if we were at the Bai residence, I could still have Yue Shi dismiss people to go to Qinghui Courtyard to find you and the children!” Xiao Rongyan couldn’t help but sigh. When Bai Qingyan was still at the Bai residence, with the perceptive Bai family guards, it was easy for him to enter. Now that Bai Qingyan lived in this vast palace, it was very difficult for him to enter while avoiding detection, and Bai Qingyan couldn’t dismiss people… otherwise, it would surely arouse suspicion.
“Enough…” Bai Qingyan lowered her eyes and untied the embroidered pouch from Xiao Rongyan’s belt, placing it in Xiao Rongyan’s embrace. In the Capital City, there are many ways to meet. These few days, my two aunts are organizing a flower-viewing banquet, and they will surely invite the Yan country envoys who have come to Great Zhou as guests. We can meet then!”
This pouch couldn’t be carried out so openly by Xiao Rongyan; otherwise, if the people Yan Empress Dowager had arranged around Xiao Rongyan saw it and reported back to Yan Empress Dowager that A’Yan had brought out a double-swallow embroidered pouch after visiting the palace, it would inevitably arouse suspicion.
Both Bai Qingyan and Xiao Rongyan knew that this merger of the two countries was their most ideal unification strategy, but precisely because it was too ideal, not a single mistake could be made. Even the slightest accident could result in complete failure.
Soon, Xiao Rongyan walked out of the great hall, and Yue Shi also hurried forward: “Master!”
Xiao Rongyan, who had already put on his mask, waved his hand at Yue Shi and said: “Let’s go!”
Wei Zhong personally escorted them to the high steps, glanced at the Yan country guards waiting below the high steps. Seeing that the Yan country Ninth Prince had left, he straightened his back, flicked his whisk, turned around and left.
The Yan country guards had various expressions, exchanging glances with each other. The Regent had gone in for so long, and after coming out, the Great Zhou eunuch seemed not very respectful toward the Regent. They wondered what had happened inside the great hall.
After Xiao Rongyan returned to the guest quarters, the Yan country guards saw Yue Shi hurriedly come out of Xiao Rongyan’s room, and shortly after, he went back in carrying medicine for wounds.
The Yan country guards speculated that Xiao Rongyan had probably been injured, so they wrote a letter and had someone rush it back to Yan country on horseback.
Upon hearing that Xiao Rongyan was injured, Wang Hanbing hurried over to visit him.
The Minister of Revenue and other officials had all followed Zhong Xingxiao to visit the Great Zhou’s Chancellor Lu’s residence. Wang Hanbing, perhaps because of his humble origins, although appointed by the emperor to come to Great Zhou, had no substantial official position in the court, so he was overlooked by Zhong Xingxiao.
When Wang Hanbing entered, he saw Yue Shi holding a black lacquered square tray with bloodied cotton cloth and wound medicine. His expression immediately turned unpleasant: “Did the Ninth Prince get injured after entering the palace? How could the Great Zhou emperor be so discourteous?”
“It’s nothing…” Xiao Rongyan adjusted his sleeves and sat down in the main seat, waving his hand to indicate that Yue Shi should leave. “It was an accident. What brings you here so suddenly?”
“First, I heard that the Ninth Prince was injured. Second… there’s a letter from Minister Meng!” Wang Hanbing took out a letter that Minister Meng had secretly sent from his chest, respectfully placing it beside Xiao Rongyan’s hand. “Originally, the letter was to be delivered directly to the Ninth Prince, but the Ninth Prince wasn’t here, and Lord Zhong had also taken the others to visit Great Zhou’s Chancellor Lu, so the letter was delivered to this subordinate. The letter was delivered secretly; others don’t know about it.”
“In front of this prince, you need not call yourself subordinate. This prince has never thought of taking you as a subordinate! You are a subject of Yan country, a subject of His Majesty. You should be loyal to His Majesty, not to this prince!” After Xiao Rongyan finished speaking, he opened the letter…
Wang Hanbing’s lips moved wordlessly. It was the Ninth Prince who had saved his mother’s life, so his life belonged to the Ninth Prince. He intended to serve under the Ninth Prince, but… it seemed that the Ninth Prince’s subordinates needed more than just a loyal heart.
Wang Hanbing felt somewhat disappointed and lowered his eyes without speaking.
In Minister Meng’s letter, he wrote that he knew Concubine Meng was imprisoned in Tianmen Pass prison, captured as a Yan country spy. He requested that when Xiao Rongyan came to Great Zhou to finalize the two countries’ wager, he could show mercy and bring Concubine Meng back, so that he wouldn’t lose his beloved daughter in his old age. As for where Concubine Meng had offended the Ninth Prince, once Concubine Meng returned to the Yan capital, he would give the Ninth Prince an explanation.