On April 22nd, Lu Ping returned from Shouyang.

Everything Ji Tingyu needed had already been conveyed to Lu Ping. To avoid attracting attention by purchasing in the capital, Lu Ping sent people to buy from other places in batches.

The two had agreed that when the Bai family sent the second batch of furniture and goods on April 26th, they would meet at Ox Horn Mountain and then stage Ji Tingyu’s kidnapping.

This way, they could both provide Ji Tingyu with what he urgently needed and make a big commotion about the bandit problem, giving Bai Qingyan a legitimate excuse for military training.

When Lu Ping reported to Bai Qingyan about what happened during his return to Shouyang, Bai Jinzhi also hurried over. Hearing that the clan leader had desperately approached Lu Ping, even offering treasures, Bai Jinzhi felt greatly vindicated.

“Now they know to yield – too late!” Bai Jinzhi sneered.

“I accepted all the wealth the clan leader sent, which can be used for this procurement.” Lu Ping looked up at Bai Qingyan’s calm expression, clenched his fists, and said, “There’s another matter I must report to the young miss. After you and Fourth Miss left that day, Magistrate Zhou arrested the clan descendants who had caused trouble! Then, on the evening when the clan leader and others departed for the capital, several clan youths got drunk and went to demand that Magistrate Zhou release the prisoners. When Magistrate Zhou refused, they smashed and shouted in the street, saying that if Magistrate Zhou had the ability, he should arrest them all. Fifth Master’s illegitimate grandson pushed a flower-selling little girl off the bridge. The girl’s mother jumped into the river to save her, but…”

“But what?” Bai Qingyan’s eyes revealed a cold gleam.

Lu Ping said in a low voice: “The little girl’s mother managed to save her daughter onto the boat, but she…”

Bai Qingyan’s palm tightened as she thought of the flower-selling little girl named Ya Niang she had encountered in Shouyang City. She remembered the girl had bright, clean eyes, was very sensible, wouldn’t take small advantages, and had deep affection for her mother.

“That little girl was she… called Ya Niang?” Bai Qingyan asked.

Lu Ping nodded.

Bai Qingyan felt rage surge in her heart, her eyes filled with murderous intent: “What happened next? What did Magistrate Zhou do?”

“Clan leader’s grandson Bai Qingping went to report to Magistrate Zhou, demanding he arrest the culprit. Magistrate Zhou has already imprisoned him. Originally, Bai Qingping wanted to bring that little girl, Ya Niang, back to the Bai family for care, but the girl was resistant and unwilling. So Bai Qingping sent her to a neighboring household, giving them silver to care for the little girl.”

Lu Ping’s voice was heavy. He didn’t mention that before returning, he had also given the kind neighbor’s grandmother a bag of silver. After all, this was a wrong committed by the Bai clan – Lu Ping felt somewhat guilty in his heart.

Bai Qingyan gripped her teacup tightly, the white jade porcelain making subtle cracking sounds.

She set down the teacup, her knuckles turning white, rage boiling in her chest.

How could the Bai clan have produced so many creatures worse than pigs and dogs?

She closed her eyes. This showed that choosing the wrong clan leader would bring disaster to the entire clan.

“Ya Niang? Isn’t that the… little girl who sold flowers to her elder sister?” Bai Jinzhi hadn’t forgotten the little girl who wouldn’t accept Xiao Rongyan’s silver.

Seeing Bai Qingyan nod, Bai Jinzhi flew into a rage: “The clan members are not only arrogant but stupidly outrageous! Elder sister already warned them once in Shouyang, yet they still dare to be so unrestrained, even daring to take lives!”

“One scoundrel in the clan is his fault, two scoundrels… can barely be called incompetent, but if scoundrels are the majority… that’s the clan leader’s fault!” Bai Qingyan’s eyes were dark and ruthless. “This clan leader must be replaced.”

“Grandfather shouldn’t have considered the clan leader’s dignity back then. He should have sent Second Uncle, or Father, or Fourth Uncle, or Fifth Uncle – any one of them back to Shouyang to take the clan leader position. Perhaps it could have preserved our Bai family line, and the clan wouldn’t have rotted to its core! What kind of creatures, worse than pigs and dogs, has the clan produced!”

Bai Jinzhi was so angry that her chest heaved violently. If she weren’t currently in the capital with no way to reach, she would beat those contemptible clan members until their mothers wouldn’t recognize them.

“Besides considering the clan leader’s dignity, Grandfather valued his promise to the Emperor too much. For the Emperor’s false ambition of ‘unifying the world,’ he left no escape route for the Bai family, bringing all his descendants to Nan Jiang for training, cultivating fierce generals for the Emperor’s future use.”

Bai Qingyan looked up at Lu Ping, suppressing her rage as she arranged: “Uncle Ping, immediately send someone back to Shouyang to tell Magistrate Zhou my intentions. No leniency for the Bai clan members. If he dares show favoritism, he’s opposing me, and I, Bai Qingyan, will not be lenient – I’ll ensure his entire clan can never enter government service again. Give Ya Niang’s mother a proper burial, and arrange for someone to care well for Ya Niang. After returning to Shouyang, bring Ya Niang to the ancestral residence.”

“Yes!” Lu Ping clasped his fists in acknowledgment.

“Elder sister telling Uncle Ping to speak thus to Magistrate Zhou – are you planning to clean up the clan early?” Bai Jinzhi frowned and asked, “But if elder sister returns to Shouyang and Left Chancellor Li Mao makes his move, what if elder sister isn’t here?”

Bai Qingyan tapped on the table: “With your second sister and grandmother in the capital, nothing serious will happen. I originally wanted to wait until Mother and the aunts returned to Shouyang before cleaning up the clan, but it seems we can’t wait any longer.”

She had grown up beside her grandmother, the Grand Princess. She understood her grandmother’s capabilities better than anyone.

Li Mao’s moves would only be probing methods – the grandmother could handle them.

Bai Jinzhi was still worried. Second sister Bai Jinxiu was now six months pregnant, and grandmother… Bai Jinzhi had lost some trust in her from the bottom of her heart.

She clenched her fists and said, “Elder sister, why don’t I return to Shouyang? I at least have the status of a county princess, which should suffice! Otherwise, I really can’t feel at ease about things here in the capital.”

Bai Qingyan gritted her teeth and shook her head: “The Shouyang Bai clan matter is more urgent. If we continue to indulge the clan, who knows how many more common people they’ll harm! Moreover… Li Mao wants to test me. If I’m not here, he might not necessarily make a move. Xiao Si, go back and prepare. Return to the clan on April 24th.”

“Elder sister, why not leave on the 26th with the furniture transport convoy?” Bai Jinzhi asked.

“On the 26th, besides escorting furniture and goods, Uncle Ping has other important matters to handle. If we go with them, we’d be a burden. We’ll leave early, taking the estate guards. After handling the clan affairs, we’ll return to the capital with the estate guards and Uncle Ping to escort Mother and the aunts.”

Bai Qingyan had made up her mind and stood up: “I’ll go inform Grandmother and Mother. Xiao Si, go back and pack.”

In Changshou Courtyard, after hearing Bai Qingyan speak about the Shouyang clan affairs, the Grand Princess was filled with rage. She fingered her prayer beads and said, “Taking advantage of this major incident with the Shouyang Bai clan, it’s good for you to return and deal with them decisively!”