The youth nodded slightly, neither humble nor arrogant, not overbearing, giving one a sense of deep-seated composure. His voice was extremely gentle and polite: “Please lead the way.”
At such a young age yet possessing such bearing, Wang Jiuzhou guessed this youth was likely a noble young master with excellent breeding from an aristocratic family, thus treating him with even more humble respect.
Leading the youth into Xiao Rongyan’s study, Wang Jiuzhou withdrew.
Xiao Rongyan sat before the brazier, one hand holding chess pieces, the other a book, studying the chess board before him with lowered eyes, not even glancing at the youth.
The youth also remained composed, standing quietly at the entrance, openly observing Xiao Rongyan with the somewhat proud bearing characteristic of noble young masters.
This youth was none other than the seventh young master of Duke Zhenguo’s Bai family, Xiao Shiqi’s elder brother… Bai Qingjue.
The kettle on the brazier boiled over, spilling water onto the charcoal with a hissing sound.
Only then did Xiao Rongyan close the book in his hand and place it on the small table beside him. Using a cloth to protect his hand, he lifted the kettle to pour two cups of tea and asked: “Do you know how to play chess?”
“I know a little,” Bai Qingjue answered openly and generously.
All the Bai family sons were dragons among men—even in wandering destitution and ragged clothes, nothing could conceal their inherent proud and exceptional nature.
Xiao Rongyan looked up toward the youth, raising his hand to point at the position opposite the chess board, smiling: “Sit…”
Bai Qingjue didn’t stand on ceremony, gathering his robes with elegant posture as he knelt and sat across from Xiao Rongyan.
Xiao Rongyan poured a cup of tea for Bai Qingjue, who was looking down at the chessboard. Detecting a faint bloody scent from the youth, he guessed the youth likely had injuries, yet he had shown no sign of it just now.
“Young master is from the Great Jin?” Xiao Rongyan asked with a smile.
Bai Qingjue lifted his gaze from the chess board, looking at the gracefully refined Xiao Rongyan, nodding honestly: “Yes…”
“A noble young master?” Xiao Rongyan asked again.
“I accompanied Father on campaign for training, never expecting the Jin army’s great defeat… I was fortunately saved by a slave trader.” Bai Qingjue answered quite frankly, but regarding his name, he didn’t intend to tell the truth.
Xiao Rongyan nodded, placing the kettle back on the brazier, carefully observing the youth’s expression: “This Xiao is a Wei merchant named Xiao Rongyan. Not long ago, I accompanied the Jin Crown Prince who led fifty thousand reinforcements to campaign in Nan Jiang… arriving together at Wanping City.”
“Crown Prince?” Bai Qingjue looked up, his eyes showing some confusion.
“The former Prince Qi!” Xiao Rongyan explained patiently.
Presumably this youth, after being injured and rescued, could no longer receive news from Jin and didn’t know Prince Qi had been made Crown Prince, which was understandable.
Xiao Rongyan looked at Bai Qingjue’s eyes, which were remarkably similar to Bai Qingyan’s, and said with lowered gaze: “Young master probably doesn’t yet know that Prince Xin, who used the gold token arrow to force Duke Zhenguo into campaign, has already been demoted to commoner status.”
Bai Qingjue’s eyes remained calm, quietly gazing at Xiao Rongyan with a clear, refined bearing.
“Duke Zhenguo has already been posthumously elevated to Prince Zhenguo. Prince Xin slandered Prince Zhenguo for stubborn military leadership, but who would have thought fortune would turn—the Bai family’s loyal servant returned with bamboo records of the campaign, and Miss Bai brought the records to beat the Dengwen Drum… using popular sentiment to force the Jin Emperor to give the Bai family justice.”
Hearing Xiao Rongyan mention elder sister, Bai Qingjue’s eyes deepened. He forcibly suppressed the surging emotions in his heart, struggling to control his expression to avoid showing any abnormality.
With her elder sister’s weak constitution, she beat the Dengwen Drum?
But that was indeed something elder sister’s character would do, it’s just… he didn’t know how elder sister was doing now.
Xiao Rongyan rubbed the rim of his teacup, watching the composed Bai Qingjue with interest, admiring inwardly… The Bai family descendants were truly all extraordinary. At only fifteen or sixteen years old, he possessed the bearing to remain unmoved even if Mount Tai collapsed before him. Such composure and calmness truly did not disgrace his surname.
“Speaking of Miss Bai, she’s truly a heroine among women, not inferior to any man.” Xiao Rongyan said unhurriedly. “This time, Miss Bai accompanied the Crown Prince on campaign, walking the entire way with iron sandbags wrapped around her body, actually picking up the Sun-Shooting Bow! In the Battle of Weng Mountain… with merely fifty thousand Jin troops, she slaughtered over a hundred thousand Xiliang troops in Weng Mountain’s canyon! I wonder if the young master saw the towering flames in Weng Mountain’s direction—that was the burning of Xiliang army corpses.”
Bai Qingjue unconsciously clenched his teeth, his heart and spirit both trembling. He felt his blood rushing to his head in waves. How did elder sister come to Nan Jiang?! And she walked the entire way with iron sandbags wrapped around her body?
He gripped his robe tightly. Did that dog Emperor force the elder sister?
No… with her elder sister’s wisdom, if she was unwilling, that dog Emperor couldn’t force her.
But with her elder sister’s constitution… how could she go to battle?! Didn’t grandmother and the eldest aunt stop the elder sister?
Bai Qingjue’s mind was in chaos, his slightly rapid breathing still betrayed his emotions. His hands resting on his knees, clenched tightly, then slowly relaxed as his emotions stabilized. Whether the news was true or false was still uncertain—he was anxious from caring too much.
Looking at Xiao Rongyan sitting across from him, eyes containing smiles, refined and handsome, he found it hard to believe such a man with scholarly elegance throughout his being would be a merchant reeking of money. Therefore, at this moment, Bai Qingjue didn’t entirely believe Xiao Rongyan’s identity.
Xiao Rongyan put down his teacup: “I forgot to ask—young master acted to protect that girl today. Was she acquainted with you?”
“Not acquainted. As fellow Jin people, I couldn’t watch her be humiliated.” Bai Qingjue looked deeply at Xiao Rongyan. “Why did you buy me, sir?”
“This Xiao is a businessman who will naturally have dealings with Jin noble families in the future. Seeing the young master’s extraordinary bearing and excellent martial skills, presumably you’re from a noble family. I wanted to form a good connection, which is why… I invited the young master here.” Xiao Rongyan used very polite language, using “invited” rather than “bought.” “I wonder if the young master could frankly tell me which family you’re from, so Xiao can arrange for someone to send you back to Jin. Of course… if it’s inconvenient for the young master to reveal your family background, this Xiao won’t press. If we’re fated to meet again in the future, I hope the young master won’t disdain Xiao’s merchant origins and will share a cup of wine with me.”
Xiao Rongyan hadn’t mentioned other families, but specifically pointed out grandfather and Duke Zhenguo’s mansion… and elder sister. Bai Qingjue somewhat understood that Xiao Rongyan probably already knew he was a Bai family descendant.
Bai Qingjue was intelligent—how could he not understand the meaning in Xiao Rongyan’s words?
Bai Qingjue lifted the teacup before him, raising it toward Xiao Rongyan: “I owe you a debt of gratitude, sir. I will repay it myself and dare not drag my family into it. I hope you understand.”
Since Xiao Rongyan hadn’t revealed his identity, he wouldn’t speak directly either. But the Bai family people always repaid kindness. That slave trader saved him, so he didn’t escape and allowed the trader to sell him…
Originally, he planned that if bought by someone, as long as the buyer didn’t make him do anything unsavory, he would repay the debt and leave on his own.
He hadn’t expected to be rescued by the Wei merchant Xiao Rongyan. This name Xiao Rongyan could be said to be famous far and wide… Bai Qingjue was not unfamiliar with it.