Lu Ping understood that this way, they could both show loyalty to His Highness the Crown Prince and give a warning before being unclear about what the person requesting to meet Eldest Miss intended to do.
“But… investigating so openly like this, can we find anything? What if that person reserved the private room without leaving a name, or left a false name?” Lu Ping’s brows furrowed slightly.
“This person left a letter at the side gate of Princess Zhenguo’s mansion without signing it… Princess Zhenguo’s mansion will naturally be investigated. If he truly intends to arrange a meeting, he must have left useful information.” Bai Qingyan said.
“What Eldest Miss says is reasonable. This subordinate will go handle it now!” Lu Ping received his orders and left.
·
In the front hall, Murong Li had just taken a sip of tea when he heard the Bai family servants say that Master Xiao had arrived…
Murong Li put down his teacup and stood up. Sure enough, he saw his ninth uncle walking around the wall screen, talking with the Bai family steward as they approached the main hall. Following behind Xiao Rongyan, Yue Shi carried large and small boxes of supplements.
In public, Murong Li was a Great Yan prince held hostage in the Jin Kingdom, while Xiao Rongyan was the world’s richest merchant. Murong Li shouldn’t bow to Xiao Rongyan first. Thinking of this… Murong Li sat back down.
Before Xiao Rongyan even entered, he saw Murong Li sitting in the main hall drinking tea. The corners of his lips curved into a shallow smile as he stepped into the main hall and first bowed to Murong Li: “Greetings to Prince Li…”
Murong Li stood up, bowed his head respectfully, and nodded slightly, maintaining perfect composure: “Master Xiao, have you also come to visit Princess Zhenguo?”
“Indeed…” Xiao Rongyan smiled.
“Master Xiao!” As soon as Bai Jinzhi entered, she first bowed to Xiao Rongyan: “Bai Jinzhi thanks Master Xiao for previously stepping forward to protect my Bai family!”
“It was just a small effort, Fourth Miss Bai speaks too highly of it!” Xiao Rongyan calmly returned the courtesy.
“Please sit, Master Xiao!” After greeting Xiao Rongyan, Bai Jinzhi turned and bowed to Murong Li: “Prince Li!”
“Princess Gaoyi, how is Princess Zhenguo?” Murong Li addressed her by her title.
“Elder Sister sleeps much and is awake little, her vitality greatly damaged…” Bai Jinzhi’s voice suddenly choked up as she spoke, and she forced a smile while making a gesture inviting Murong Li to sit: “Prince Li, please sit first!”
Murong Li nodded.
After Bai Jinzhi sat down in the dignified and steady manner of her elder sister, she continued: “Thank you both for coming to visit Elder Sister, but Elder Sister’s condition truly doesn’t allow her to receive guests. Please understand.”
“It’s no matter. Princess Zhenguo was injured only five days ago; naturally, she should rest in bed. I only came to deliver medicine…” Murong Li turned to receive a carved wooden box from his loyal servant behind him, then stood and placed it on the small table beside Bai Jinzhi: “This is a Great Yan secret medicine that Mother gave me when I came from Great Yan to Jin Kingdom. It’s extremely precious and very beneficial for injuries and pain. You can have your mansion’s physician, Old Master Hong, examine it first. If he finds no problems, you can try giving it to Princess Zhenguo.”
Xiao Rongyan looked toward Murong Li.
Xiao Rongyan naturally knew how precious this secret medicine was. He feared that before little A’Li’s departure, his sister-in-law had searched the entire palace to give little A’Li just this one box. He hadn’t expected little A’Li would give it to Bai Qingyan.
In Murong Li’s heart, although Princess Zhenguo was currently still the Jin Kingdom’s Princess Zhenguo, in the future, she would be his ninth aunt! Moreover, even without considering this relationship, Murong Li greatly admired Bai Qingyan. If there were a possibility in the future… Murong Li still wanted to persuade Bai Qingyan to serve Great Yan.
Bai Jinzhi, being straightforward and not knowing to decline… took it upon herself to thank and accept it on Bai Qingyan’s behalf, then casually said: “Just now Huang family’s A’Rong came to find me and told me that those capital wastrels who previously played with Prince Li and Lu Yuanpeng went to join the army but all came back? Is this true?”
Murong Li nodded: “Indeed, I heard them say… the army was too harsh, they couldn’t endure it. When His Majesty of Jin transferred the new army to defend the Western Liang border, they all wrote letters home asking their family elders to find ways to rescue them. However, Lu Yuanpeng and Sima Ping were quite impressive! Especially Lu Yuanpeng – I heard them say that when Lu Yuanpeng heard they were going to Nan Jiang… he was like he’d drunk bull’s blood, absolutely determined to go.”
Bai Jinzhi nodded and asked again: “I heard they said the food in the army was poor, with sand mixed in the rice. Military provisions have always been strictly controlled by the Ministry of Revenue layer by layer. How could sand be mixed in? Could these wastrels perhaps… be saying this just to save face?”
Murong Li heard that Bai Jinzhi was fishing for information. Without showing it on his face, he looked up calmly with wide eyes, his gaze sincere and clear, looking at Bai Jinzhi with pure innocence, not concealing anything as he spoke directly: “Although I haven’t spent much time with this group of young masters from the capital, I believe… they merely enjoy playing around and can’t endure hardship, but they’re not people who care about saving face. They would never lie about such things to preserve their dignity.”
Upon hearing this, Bai Jinzhi was stunned and secretly nodded. Yes… those capital wastrels generally wanted everything except shame! Led by Lu Yuanpeng!
People who don’t even want to face it, what dignity do they care about?
It seemed this matter still needed careful investigation.
Xiao Rongyan had already endured for several days. Daily he came to the door, daily he couldn’t see Bai Qingyan. Xiao Rongyan could understand… after all, the Bai family claimed externally that Bai Qingyan was seriously injured, so how could they casually let him, an outsider and man, see her?
Bai Qingyan had also told Xiao Rongyan to take the proper route…
It had already been several days. Xiao Rongyan really couldn’t bear it anymore. Originally thinking that today’s reception would still be by Second Madam Liu Shi, he had already planned to reveal his feelings to Second Madam Liu Shi, since quite a few people in the capital knew that Xiao Rongyan admired Princess Zhenguo.
Unexpectedly, today it was Bai Jinzhi who came.
Xiao Rongyan stood and bowed deeply to Bai Jinzhi: “Today, Xiao has brought some calming incense for First Miss Bai. Because I’m unsure what scents First Miss prefers, I brought a little of each, so First Miss can use them to dispel the medicinal smell when changing her medicine! If it’s not too much trouble, could First Miss try them and see which one works well? Xiao will then have people send whichever incense First Miss finds suitable. Could Fourth Miss Bai help… present the incense to First Miss to try? Xiao will wait in the main hall.”
As long as he let Bai Qingyan know he was waiting in the main hall, Bai Qingyan would know of his longing and would find an excuse to let him enter the inner courtyard.
If Bai Qingyan refused, then Xiao Rongyan would have no choice but to use his old trick and sneak into Bai Qingyan’s chamber tonight.
Who knew that Bai Jinzhi was extremely obtuse, only focused on maintaining the external claim that Bai Qingyan was seriously injured. With reddened eyes, she pretended to wipe away tears and said to Xiao Rongyan: “When I came out just now, Elder Sister had fallen asleep again. I’ll accept Master Xiao’s kind intention on Elder Sister’s behalf. Let’s wait until Elder Sister wakes up to let her choose. We can’t wake Elder Sister, who just fell asleep.”
Xiao Rongyan: “…”
She acted quite convincingly.
Murong Li suppressed his laughter, knowing his ninth uncle was missing his ninth aunt. He put down his teacup and stood to take his leave.