Bai Weimei threw the handkerchief in his hands onto the black lacquer round table and ordered the food to be cleared away, putting on airs as he waited for Bai Qihe to arrive.

Before long, Bai Qihe entered the courtyard with a dozen guards, treading through snow, startling the servant women and maids who were busy working in the yard.

The morning sun cast a golden glow over the azure bricks and jade-green tiles of this courtyard.

Bai Qihe glanced toward the main hall and declared loudly: “The Old Master suddenly fell gravely ill last night. From today onward, he will recuperate quietly in his courtyard, and no one is permitted to disturb him! You dozen men will guard this courtyard well for me. If you let anyone in to disturb the Old Master’s recovery, don’t blame me for showing no mercy… those who should be sold will be sold, those who should be beaten to death will be beaten to death!”

Inside the room, Bai Weimei was so shocked by these words that he stood up, and even Bai Weimei’s old wife looked completely stunned.

“This rebellious son wants to place me under house arrest!” Bai Weimei hurried out with his walking stick, threw open the cotton curtain, but tripped over the threshold.

“Husband!” Bai Weimei’s old wife cried out in alarm and quickly stood up with a maid’s support. “Quick! Quickly help the Old Master up!”

The room immediately became chaotic as several maids scrambled to help up Bai Weimei, who had fallen outside the door. Fortunately, this early morning, the servants had cleaned the azure stone floor spotlessly, so Bai Weimei’s clothes didn’t get dusty.

Bai Weimei shook off the maids supporting him and stood under the covered walkway with his walking stick, glaring angrily and pointing at Bai Qihe: “You rebellious son! Are you trying to place your father under house arrest?!”

Bai Weimei’s old wife also came out from the room. She looked at her son, then at her husband, tears in her eyes, not knowing what to do. She could only get angry at her son: “Qihe! What are you trying to do!”

Bai Qihe’s expression remained calm and indifferent: “Now the Bai family is under your son’s control. Father is getting old… inevitably being deceived by others into doing foolish things. So it’s better to peacefully enjoy your remaining years. Your son will certainly be filial to both of you, but please don’t interfere in clan matters anymore! Your son… absolutely will not allow father to interfere again and push our Bai clan into a pit of fire!”

After speaking, Bai Qihe turned and walked away.

Saying that Bai Weimei had been deceived by others was just Bai Qihe saving face for his father. Bai Qihe knew clearly in his heart… it was others who had been deceived by his father.

“Rebellious son! Rebellious son!” Bai Weimei was so angry that his face turned red and his neck thickened. He hurried after him two steps with his walking stick, but then his heart seized with pain. He clutched the clothes at his chest, his eyes wide and bloodshot, and fell straight backward.

Bai Weimei’s old wife was so frightened she disregarded everything else and rushed toward Bai Weimei: “Husband! Husband!”

When Bai Weimei’s old wife rushed over, she saw Bai Weimei lying motionless with his face flushed red. She tremblingly undid the buttons at Bai Weimei’s collar while shouting: “Quickly call a physician!”

Bai Qihe turned a deaf ear to the cries of alarm in the courtyard. He left the manor with his men and boarded a carriage, but didn’t immediately head to the Bai clan ancestral hall. Instead, he had the carriage driven to a secluded spot to wait.

Bai Qihe sat in the carriage with his eyes closed, wrapped in a fur cloak, listening to the sound of ice melting and dripping from the eaves under the sun outside. His expression was composed.

Before long, a subordinate came running quickly and reported to Bai Qihe in front of the carriage: “Master, as expected, the Old Master sent people to several clan elders’ homes.”

Bai Qihe understood his father. If Bai Qihe dared to place him under house arrest… he would certainly seek out the clan elders to pressure him using filial piety.

But it was precisely this act of his father sending people to deliver messages that would make others understand that Bai Qihe, the clan leader, was not Bai Weimei’s puppet. If he could even place his father under house arrest, then the words he was about to say to the clan members… were not jokes.

“Master, should we go to the ancestral hall now?” the coachman carefully asked Bai Qihe, sitting in the carriage.

Bai Qihe didn’t open his eyes, only saying: “Wait a bit longer. Wait until those clan elders who rely on their seniority have all entered the ancestral hall, then it won’t be too late for us to go.”

A formerly unimportant legitimate second son who wanted to truly become clan leader couldn’t succeed without being ruthless…

Without being ruthless, this position couldn’t be held steady.

Bai Qihe wasn’t greedy for this position, but he couldn’t watch the illustrious reputation that the Bai family ancestors had earned with their blood and lives be destroyed like this. Once upon a time, Bai Qihe had also had youthful passion and wanted to join the military, ride iron horses through icy rivers, and fight bloody battles on the battlefield.

But his father wouldn’t allow it, so he followed filial duty and didn’t go.

However, now the Bai clan… all the legitimate male descendants were dead, and the Bai family’s reputation had to be supported by a young girl. He had to support this foundation as well.

At the end of the Chen hour, after all the Bai clan elders and members had arrived, Bai Qihe, the clan leader, finally arrived fashionably late.

Originally, those clan elders wanted to put on airs and talk to Bai Qihe about filial piety, but who knew that as soon as Bai Qihe stepped through the ancestral hall door, he sat down in the clan leader’s seat with a dark expression, giving no one a chance to speak before saying: “From today onward, whoever dares to suggest again that Princess Zhenguo recommend Bai clan descendants to the Crown Prince for court positions—whoever’s name is mentioned… I will expel them from the Bai clan. Don’t think I’m joking with you! If you want official rank… want to be an official, then go earn it with your abilities!”

Bai Qingping stood to the side, turning to look at his father, his eyes shining with a light different from usual. He had always known that his father was not truly a weak and incompetent person, but rather… his father was more perceptive than anyone else.

Now that his father was willing to take action to discipline the clan and establish his authority, this was an excellent development.

Bai Qihe picked up the hot tea beside him, using the cup lid to press down the tea leaves floating on the clear tea intermittently: “Naturally, if our clan truly produces exceptional children who won’t disgrace the Bai clan’s reputation, I, as clan leader, will personally ask Princess Zhenguo to recommend them to the Crown Prince! But if anyone… dares to bypass me as clan leader and pressure Princess Zhenguo, don’t blame me for not considering our relationship! The family laws and clan rules of the Bai clan—although my father never used them when he was clan leader, that doesn’t mean I won’t use them! If you don’t believe it… You’re welcome to try!”

Bai Qihe heavily set down his teacup with the proper dignity of a clan leader. The sound of porcelain striking the black lacquer square table was startling.

“What the clan leader says… Princess Zhenguo is now severely injured and won’t live much longer. If Princess Zhenguo just dies like this, what will become of our Bai clan descendants’ futures?” asked a clan elder.

Bai Qihe’s gaze turned toward that clan elder with a cold smile: “So you also know that the Bai clan now depends on Princess Zhenguo?”

That clan elder was speechless, his brows furrowed tightly.

Bai Qihe’s gaze swept over the clan members: “Have some shame! You’ve completely lost face for the Bai clan! You don’t know how to strive for your futures, but go and make things difficult for a young girl who is single-handedly supporting the Bai clan’s reputation! You still have the nerve to speak here! If you had any conscience… You would go home and pray day and night to the gods and Buddha, praying for Princess Zhenguo’s perfect health and long life!”