Just as Bai Qingyan had reached the door, the Emperor suddenly spoke: “Bai Qingyan, if you betray the Kingdom during this journey to Nan Jiang…”
Bai Qingyan’s hands, hidden in her sleeves, tightened slightly. Without waiting for the Emperor to finish, she turned around and bowed to the Emperor: “This journey to Nan Jiang – ahead, grandfather fulfilled his loyalty to his lord; behind, Bai Qingyan fulfills her filial duty to her father!”
Loyalty, filial piety…
Bai Weiting had indeed been loyal to him. Just as Bai Qingyan said, Bai Weiting had taken all the Bai family men away, leaving no room for the Bai family and no future path for his descendants.
For the living, whenever they thought of those they had wronged who were now deceased, what they remembered were always the good qualities of the dead.
Bai Weiting’s loyal and righteous heart made the Emperor feel overwhelming guilt.
Looking again at Bai Weiting’s granddaughter, she must be determined to avenge the Bai family men!
The Emperor softened further: “Go then!”
“This subject’s daughter takes her leave.”
The Grand Princess stood by the vermillion lacquered red pillar at the palace hall entrance, her palms gripping the tiger-headed cane growing sweaty with anxiety, her heart in her throat, fearing that Bai Qingyan might stubbornly contradict the Emperor and provoke his murderous intent.
The Grand Princess, her mind churning with countless thoughts, looked back toward the tightly closed palace doors. Her peripheral vision inadvertently caught sight of Xiao Ruohai, covered in blood. Whether due to the Grand Princess’s inner unease or because Xiao Ruohai himself wasn’t particularly noteworthy, only now did the Grand Princess notice Xiao Ruohai behind her.
She asked: “Today’s matter of capturing Liu Huanzhang – did A’Bao know about it beforehand?”
Xiao Ruohai quickly bowed, maintaining the same gentle and composed tone from inside the hall, speaking slowly: “Replying to the Grand Princess, how could the eldest miss predict the future when she is not a deity?”
Xiao Ruohai didn’t tell the truth. Because of the Grand Princess’s involvement in killing Ji Tingyu over the Bai family’s illegitimate son… the eldest miss had already fallen out with the Grand Princess. Xiao Ruohai didn’t trust the Grand Princess – he had only one master, the eldest miss.
In less than the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the palace doors opened again. Bai Qingyan emerged from the hall unharmed. The Grand Princess’s heart, which had been stuck in her throat, finally settled back down. She hurriedly stepped forward two paces and grabbed Bai Qingyan’s slender wrist: “What did His Majesty say to you?”
“He instructed me that going to Nan Jiang, I can only win, not lose. If I lose, I shouldn’t bother coming back.”
Bai Qingyan’s tone was calm and matter-of-fact, but the Grand Princess was so shocked that her form swayed imperceptibly: “What?!”
Hearing this, how could the Grand Princess not understand the Emperor’s plan?!
Openly sending people to discuss peace talks, but secretly planning to send Bai Qingyan to counterattack. Facing the combined armies of Nanyan and Xiliang, if their forces were undamaged… with the Bai family men and the Bai family army all present, there might still be a chance to fight!
But now the war generals were dead and only remnant soldiers survived – how could they resist the armies of Nanyan and Xiliang?!
All the Bai family men had already perished in Nan Jiang – how could the Emperor not even spare Bai Qingyan?!
The Grand Princess’s hands trembled uncontrollably as she turned to enter the hall to plead: “I’ll go speak with the Emperor!”
“With strong enemies eyeing us hungrily from without, and no strong generals within causing worry for the realm, I must go to Nan Jiang.”
Night had already fallen. Under the magnificent palace corridors, palace servants were lighting the large ruyi palace lanterns one by one.
Bai Qingyan’s slender and delicate figure stood beneath the flickering lights, her bearing proud and composed, unhurried and fearless.
The Grand Princess gazed into her granddaughter’s ink-black eyes, which… revealed a cold light of tenacious strength, with ambitious spirit hidden beneath a layer of firm and unyielding steadiness, filled with the grace and majesty of a general.
The Grand Princess felt a sudden unease in her heart, but remembering her granddaughter’s words that day about how the people protected by the Bai family for generations could not rebel, her emotions stabilized slightly, yet she remained trapped like a caged beast between the difficulties of family and Kingdom.
·
Bai Qingxuan had been tied up and thrown into the woodshed, his entire being filled with anxiety and fear.
Night had fallen, yet no one had come to bring him water or food. The guards outside were as quiet as the dead.
He paced back and forth in the woodshed, pressing against the door to shout curses outside: “I’m telling you, you’d better let me out! I’m the last male heir of the Bai family, the only seedling! You’re acting arrogant now, but when I get out… I’ll kill you all! And I’ll kill that Bai Qingyan too! Just you wait!”
The mourning guards outside seemed unable to hear him, quietly standing guard without saying a word.
Bai Qingxuan sat restlessly, thinking of the Grand Princess’s attitude today. The title was certainly not to be expected, so… would they kill him?!
Bai Qingxuan was immediately frightened into a cold sweat by this thought. Surely not! He was the last male heir of the Bai family!
Just as he was thinking this, Bai Qingxuan heard footsteps approaching from outside. He immediately stood up.
The woodshed door opened, and he saw Bai Jinxiu and Bai Jintong approaching with numerous guards and servants. Bai Qingyan stood alone outside the woodshed door, not entering.
Originally, dealing with this illegitimate son should have been Bai Jinxiu’s task alone, since this was the evil spawn left by her father.
But when grandmother summoned everyone to Changshou Courtyard, she encountered her eldest sister and third sister on the way.
She had intended for her eldest sister and third sister to wait for her, but unexpectedly, third sister Bai Jintong forcibly dragged eldest sister along.
Bai Qingxuan, whose hands were firmly bound behind his back, retreated two steps: “What do you want to do?! I’m the only male heir of the Duke’s mansion! You… surely you wouldn’t dare kill me?!”
From their first meeting at Manjiang Tower, to this illegitimate son forcing Ji Liu Shi to crash into a wall and die, then having Ji Liu Shi beheaded and dismembered… ordering her body to be thrown out to feed the dogs! This illegitimate son’s actions had far exceeded Bai Qingyan’s tolerance.
Originally, she had considered that this illegitimate son carried Bai family blood and could give him a quick death, but now… she could no longer allow this illegitimate son to die so cheaply.
Such a cruel and vicious beast should die by the same methods he used to torment others.
She kept a stern face, holding a hand warmer as she stood at the doorway, unwilling to step one foot into that woodshed.
“Killing you would be too easy,” Bai Jinxiu’s eyes carried a sharp, cold light. “I heard you’re very fond of beauty jars. Since that’s the case… I’ll turn you into a beauty jar!”
Bai Qingxuan’s face lost all color, speaking without confidence: “You wouldn’t dare!”
Bai Jintong spoke with a grim expression: “There are quite a few noble sons in the capital who enjoy such things. We will certainly send you to the young master most skilled and fond of this practice. Every day, someone will apply makeup and powder to you, making you the most beautiful beauty jar for people’s entertainment!”
“You wouldn’t dare! I’m the last male heir of the Bai family! I’m the last male heir of the Bai family! I’m supposed to inherit Duke Zhenguo’s title!”
Bai Qingyan’s expression was gloomy and cold. She couldn’t even be bothered to give that illegitimate son a cold laugh, looking at Bai Qingxuan as if viewing something contaminated with filth. She casually brushed the falling snow from her cloak and gazed unfocusedly toward the long corridor.
“Still dreaming?!” Bai Jintong’s eyes couldn’t hide her mockery. “Grandmother has already requested to relinquish the title. The imperial edict will come down by tomorrow at the latest! And you, this illegitimate son who drove the Bai family’s benefactor to death – tonight the Bai mansion will announce to the outside world that you couldn’t endure the family punishment… and have already died!”