At such an age, to possess such breadth of mind and great wisdom—if given more time, what kind of figure would she become?
Xiao Rongyan couldn’t help but think of his mother, his fingers unconsciously tightening around the jade cicada.
He never looked down upon any woman due to gender differences. He had already felt that this eldest daughter of the Bai family was exceptionally capable, with an even more remarkable mind and depth. After today’s tea, Xiao Rongyan’s regard for this eldest daughter was no longer merely looking at her with new eyes.
His heart surged with passionate blood—if he could gain such a person to help him restore Great Yan, why worry that Great Yan couldn’t dominate the world?
Xiao Rongyan straightened his back, raised his hands in respectful salute, his attitude even more solemn than before: “What Miss Bai has said, though words of warfare and killing, also contains the benevolent heart of a great scholar who pities the world. I, Xiao, am deeply impressed…”
Bai Qingyan dared not be presumptuous and respectfully returned the salute.
Today’s words were spoken with great solemnity by Bai Qingyan, essentially revealing her position to Xiao Rongyan—the Bai family… would only protect Great Jin’s common people, not the Lin family’s imperial power.
In the Zheliu Pavilion on the northern earthen mound, Xiao Rongyan watched Bai Qingyan depart in her carriage, his heart filled with deep emotion.
Though this eldest daughter of the Bai family was a woman, her spirit and perspective surpassed contemporary men by countless measures.
Today’s tea at Zheliu Pavilion had nearly made Xiao Rongyan unable to restrain himself from inviting Bai Qingyan to join Yan.
But Great Yan now faced internal turmoil and external threats, with most of its prosperous mountains and rivers lost. Even the former imperial capital, the great Capital City, had been offered to Jin to preserve the nation’s existence.
For such a Kingdom, he wondered whether someone like Bai Qingyan, who possessed both the heart to govern the world and the ability to wage war, would be willing to humble herself.
“Master, this Miss Bai indeed knows your identity. Might she…”
Xiao Rongyan pulled his cloak closer, his eyes containing a smile: “She won’t. Put away such worries!”
This eldest daughter could extend a helping hand to save him, so she wouldn’t later act in a petty manner to harm him. Originally, today’s meeting was merely Xiao Rongyan’s attempt to discover Bai Qingyan’s motives for saving him.
Now that he knew the eldest daughter of the Bai family had no designs on him whatsoever, his heart felt a hidden sense of loss.
How good it would be if she had some designs—having designs would mean interactions, and interactions could build friendship.
“The wind is rising. Let’s return!” Xiao Rongyan spoke.
“Master, due to the Duke’s mansion’s great mourning this year in the Capital City, I’m afraid there won’t be much excitement to see during the Lantern Festival. Perhaps… we should depart early?” Xiao Rongyan’s subordinate tentatively inquired.
“Mm, go back and pack…” Xiao Rongyan slowly spoke. “Once the Bai family’s funeral at the Duke’s mansion concludes, we’ll depart.”
·
In the swaying carriage, Bai Qingyan closed her eyes, contemplating the Bai family’s future path, with a general outline forming in her mind.
Retreat and lie dormant, secretly accumulating strength.
Once the Bai family’s mourning period passed, she, Bai Jinxiu, and Bai Jintong would each act separately on different fronts.
The most important matter at hand was how to use the list of grain supply handlers in Nan Jiang left by Qin Shangzhi to make Prince Liang, who was currently lying low in the shadows, take action.
Prince Liang was like a venomous scorpion hiding in dark crevices, waiting to strike. Without dealing with Prince Liang before going to Nan Jiang, she couldn’t feel at ease.
Marquis Zhongyong appeared to have no obvious surface connections with Prince Liang, but in her previous life, when Bai Qingyan served beside Prince Liang, she naturally knew that both Marquis Zhongyong and Liu Huanzhang had pledged allegiance to Prince Liang.
Now that Marquis Zhongyong Qin Dezhao was imprisoned, she wondered whether Prince Liang and Du Zhiwei were anxious…
When the carriage reached the back gate of the Bai mansion, Chun Tao helped Bai Qingyan down. Seeing Xiao Ruohai lead the carriage away, Chen Qingsheng approached with guilt: “Miss, it’s all this servant’s fault for thinking too simply about this matter and handling it poorly, causing you to be bothered by that Mr. Xiao. This servant will certainly be more cautious in the future.”
Chen Qingsheng was a clever and capable person. Having one mistake made him vigilant was good, though Bai Qingyan also feared he might overcorrect.
“It’s no matter! After all, he owes us a favor—he was merely expressing thanks, hardly bothersome!” Bai Qingyan was quite satisfied with Chen Qingsheng. “You handled the registry matter very well.”
“Master Qin contributed the most to this matter. This servant dares not claim credit.” Chen Qingsheng was extremely respectful.
“Starting tomorrow, you’ll stay by Third Miss’s side and follow her orders. I’ll instruct Steward Hao to let you select some capable assistants. Work well in the future… strive to return with Third Miss soon!” Bai Qingyan squeezed Chun Tao’s hand. “It would be good to give Chun Tao a proper future too!”
Both Chun Tao and Chen Qingsheng blushed deeply.
Chun Tao shyly averted her gaze, but noticed Nanny Tong approaching hurriedly.
“Miss, Nanny Tong is coming…”
“You may go first!” she said to Chen Qingsheng.
Only then did Chen Qingsheng respectfully withdraw.
Nanny Tong approached Bai Qingyan, performed a salute, then said: “Miss, the nanny from Qinghui Courtyard came to report that those two in Qinghui Courtyard have packed silver and valuables, along with ornaments from the Duke’s rooms. According to Cook Wang, they also requested quite a bit of preserved meat and dried provisions. It appears they’re preparing to flee.”
Bai Qingxuan and her son had always sought advantage and avoided harm. This time, when Prince Xin returned to the capital, his attitude toward the Bai family was plain for all to see. Prince Xin was the legitimate son… the person most likely to ascend to the supreme position.
Yet today, Grand Princess had led the Bai family members to force Prince Xin’s death at the palace gates. Bai Qingyan was someone clever yet not entirely clever, so naturally, she would think of ways to escape, all quite reasonable.
“Let them go. It’s best if they make a big commotion, so everyone knows it was the mother and son who insisted on leaving during the Bai family’s great mourning.” She thought for a moment and added, “Assign this matter to my two milk-brothers. They’ve just arrived at the Duke’s mansion, and they need to be given something to do to establish themselves.”
Nanny Tong immediately understood Bai Qingyan’s meaning. The Xiao brothers had originally—one learning business management beside the head steward who came with Dong Shi’s dowry, the other learning estate management from the head overseer of Dong Shi’s dowry farms—so that when Bai Qingyan married, both could accompany her to her husband’s family and become her most useful right and left hands. Therefore, they had little interaction with the Bai family members.
Now that the Bai family had suddenly suffered disaster, although these two were Bai Qingyan’s milk-brothers and the Bai family’s servants and loyal retainers would respect them, if they couldn’t accomplish several significant tasks, they might not be able to integrate into the Bai family quickly.
Nanny Tong supported Bai Qingyan, and feeling her palms ice-cold, her eyes constricted: “Miss, didn’t you bring a hand warmer when going out? How are your hands so cold?”
Saying this, Nanny Tong covered Bai Qingyan’s hands with both of hers, angrily scolding Chun Tao: “Chun Tao, what’s wrong with you?! I usually see you handle things steadily and properly, but knowing our eldest miss fears the cold, how could you…”
“Nanny!” Before Nanny Tong could finish, she gently squeezed the nanny’s hands and stepped onto the corridor stairs. “I didn’t have Chun Tao prepare a hand warmer. I can’t treat myself like an invalid just because I fear the cold. I used to endure winter training in the coldest days and summer training in the hottest—I could bear that. Now, with fox fur clothing, merely lacking a warming stove, I can withstand it. Nanny is being too cautious.”