Chapter 347
The Eldest Princess spoke in that same indifferent tone, neither cold nor warm, neither sad nor happy, “Or perhaps, taking this opportunity, I, the Eldest Princess of the current dynasty, and Bai Qingyan, the legitimate eldest daughter of the Bai Clan, the Princess of Zhen… We should open the ancestral hall, depose the Clan Leader and the elders, expel you and your descendants from the clan, is that acceptable?”
The Eldest Princess’s nonchalant attitude made it seem as though everything was within her control. With a single thought, the Bai Clan of Shuoyang could ascend to heaven. With another thought, they could fall into hell.
These people were like ants; the Eldest Princess did not care about them at all.
“The direction of the officialdom always follows the whims of the Imperial Family. Tell me, do you think the local officials of Shuoyang dare to release the offspring of the Bai Clan? Do they dare to oppose me, the Eldest Princess, and the Princess of Zhen?” The Eldest Princess paused her hand that was turning the Buddha beads, opened her eyes, and asked, “Which of these two paths do you think is better?”
“Eldest Princess!” The Clan Leader suddenly raised his head. “The greatest wish of King Bai Weiting was for our Bai Clan to prosper!”
The Eldest Princess nodded. “Yes, that’s why you have been indulged for so many years. But as people… one must know when to stop. You have been ungrateful, tarnishing my granddaughter’s reputation. Even if Bai Weiting were still here, he would never tolerate such behavior!”
Nanny Jiang looked up at the Clan Leader on the other side of the screen, whose face was full of fear, her gaze cold.
At this point, the Eldest Princess called out, “Nanny Jiang…”
Nanny Jiang, standing beside the Eldest Princess, responded, “This old servant is here!”
“Tell Wei Zhong to quickly summon the Imperial Physician, and say that the Eldest Princess was so angered by the arrogant clan that she vomited blood and collapsed on the couch. We need the Imperial Physician to save her life,” said the Eldest Princess calmly.
“Eldest Princess! Eldest Princess, please don’t do this! The clan will have no way to survive!”
“Eldest Princess, we admit our mistakes! Please don’t go that far! We are family; it doesn’t have to come to this!”
The elders of the clan hastily knelt and cried, seeing Nanny Jiang walk out from behind the screen. They knelt towards her direction, trying to stop her.
But Nanny Jiang’s cold gaze swept over the Clan Leader and the elders. She went out and called for Wei Zhong.
While the Eldest Princess was still drinking tea, the Clan Leader was already kowtowing and begging for mercy, “Eldest Princess, please have mercy! The clan has been getting better under the help of King Bai Weiting! Eldest Princess, please consider King Bai Weiting’s wishes and don’t treat the clan like this!”
The Eldest Princess no longer wished to speak with the clan members. She instructed a servant girl beside her, “Have Lu Ping bring people here and throw them out of the Princess of Zhen’s residence. No need to show mercy.”
“Eldest Princess, please have mercy! Eldest Princess, please have mercy!”
The Eldest Princess, with her noble status, did not want to speak more with these people whom she considered worse than pigs and dogs. However, Nanny Jiang had a few words that she could not hold back.
Nanny Jiang, with her hands folded in front of her lower abdomen, her voice sharp, said, “These years, the clan has been relying on the power of the Bai family in Dadu to domineer in Shuoyang and committed countless crimes. This time, the Clan Leader’s brother dared to occupy the ancestral home and tarnished the reputations of the Princess of Zhen and the Crown Prince! It’s because the Bai family has been too lenient with the Shuoyang Clan. The Shuoyang Bai Clan doesn’t know how high the sky is and thinks they can trample over our Bai family!”
The Clan Leader panicked, kowtowing a few steps forward. “Eldest Princess, we admit our mistakes! When I return to Shuoyang, I will teach my brother a good lesson! Please, Eldest Princess, be merciful and spare the clan! After all, we are kin by blood. Please give the clan a chance to reform!”
Bai Qingyan, after all, had the surname Bai, and still gave some face to the Bai Clan Leader. Mrs. Dong was junior to him. If it hadn’t involved her child’s reputation, she would not have been so merciless last time.
But the Eldest Princess, as the legitimate daughter of the Imperial Family, although she was Bai family’s daughter-in-law, her status was too noble. If the Eldest Princess disregarded Bai Weiting’s feelings for the clan, what hope would the clan have?!
Under the corridor, Bai Jinzhi clenched her fists, feeling elated and relieved. “Grandmother is truly remarkable! The Shuoyang clan’s Clan Leader and elders are truly foolish. Even Nanny Jiang understands the situation better than they do!”
Bai Qingyan lowered her eyes and adjusted her step, her gaze icy and composed. “Yes, that’s why they are vile.”
Vile men lack principles, forsaking the root for the branches. In joy, they consider their own gain. In anger, they consider their own loss.
This was also written for the Shuoyang Clan.
Even Nanny Jiang understood what Shuoyang relied on. They, however, did not want to acknowledge it or think about it. In their eyes, they still believed it was the ancestors of the Bai Clan’s blessing that brought glory to the Bai family in Dadu.
They completely forgot who they depended on to run rampant in Shuoyang. They should have held tight to the Bai family in Dadu and avoided offending them. Only then could the Shuoyang Clan have a long-lasting future.
But instead, they seized family property during the Bai family’s grieving period and occupied the ancestral home for immediate gains, without any long-term consideration.
The Bai family in Dadu was the true legitimate lineage of the Bai Clan. A family of prosperity, a hundred years of military honors. Even if only women were left, they would never bow and scrape, allowing the clan to trample and manipulate them.
Today, Bai Qingyan, after listening to her grandmother, the Eldest Princess, speak calmly, had new thoughts in her mind.
“Little Fourth…” Bai Qingyan turned and looked at Bai Jinzhi with a smile. “Since Grandmother has staged this play, it’s up to you to add to it…”
Bai Jinzhi’s eyes brightened, understanding Bai Qingyan’s meaning. “Eldest Young Lady, rest assured. This is my specialty!”
When Lu Ping brought people in, they heard the elders of the clan crying and begging for mercy in the main room.
Seeing Bai Qingyan and Bai Jinzhi standing under the corridor, Lu Ping stepped forward and greeted, “Eldest Young Lady, Fourth Young Lady!”
“Thank you for your hard work, Uncle Ping!” Bai Qingyan nodded to Lu Ping.
Lu Ping brought people inside and quickly dragged out the elders who were crying and begging for mercy.
Compared to last time when Mrs. Dong had people drag them out, this time, the Eldest Princess had them thrown out, which made them even more terrified…
Forced to vomit blood and faint by the Eldest Princess, if such news spread, Bai Qingyan would rightly break away from the clan. Without the Princess of Zhen, the Shuoyang Clan would be doomed!
The elders being dragged out saw Bai Qingyan standing under the corridor and hurriedly shouted, “Princess of Zhen! Princess of Zhen, you have Bai family’s blood in your veins. You are the offspring of the Bai family. The Bai Clan’s hundred years of fame cannot end like this!”
Bai Qingyan stood there with cold eyes, her gaze as icy as water, not even looking at them, turning instead to Nanny Jiang who came out from behind the curtain.
Bai Jinzhi sternly said, “The Bai Clan’s hundred years of fame will not end. It is only the end for you…”
“Eldest Young Lady, Nanny Jiang… I’ll leave now!” Bai Jinzhi cupped her hands towards Bai Qingyan and Nanny Jiang and then walked away.