Chapter 400
“Young Master Lu, don’t worry. I will definitely deliver it!” The guard clasped his hands toward Lu Yuanpeng before leaping onto his horse and quickly returning to Bai Qingyan’s carriage. He bent his waist and spoke to Bai Qingyan inside the carriage.
Although Lu Yuanpeng knew he couldn’t see the Bai family sister today, he didn’t hurry to leave. He just stood there, watching the Duke of Zhen’s princess’s convoy slowly depart. An inexplicable sense of emptiness settled in his heart.
“I have a… strange feeling,” Lu Yuanpeng said to Sima Ping.
Sima Ping stood with his hands behind his back. After a moment of silence, he spoke, “Perhaps it’s the decline of a once-thriving dynasty becoming apparent.”
“Huh?” Lu Yuanpeng was somewhat confused.
“Let’s go back!” Sima Ping smiled and leaped onto his horse.
The grand convoy of the Bai family moved silently along the official road, heading slowly but steadily toward Shuoyang.
Inside the slightly bumpy carriage, Bai Jinzhi propped her head with one hand, gazing listlessly at the gilded auspicious beast incense burner on the carriage table. She said to Mrs. Li, the third wife, “If you’re not letting me out to ride, can I go to Eldest Young Lady’s carriage instead?”
“Sit properly! Let your eldest sister rest well. You chatter all day long, not a bit ladylike! Look at you… Returning from the southern frontier with that sallow face still not recovered, even darker now after two trips to Shuoyang, darker than our guards!” Mrs. Li opened the incense burner lid, poked at it with a silver needle, and added some incense.
Bai Jinzhi impatiently watched Mrs. Li fussing with the burner, then lifted the curtain to look outside.
The official road was relatively smooth, lush greenery on both sides. Bai Jinzhi, who always rode horses on trips between Shuoyang, was very familiar with this road.
Right now, she was really eager to ride a horse.
“Mother!”
“Sit down quietly and read a book. Isn’t your eldest sister also sitting inside her carriage? Why don’t you learn from her!” Mrs. Li decided to temper Bai Jinzhi’s nature, insisting she stay in the carriage.
Bai Jinzhi, angry with puffed cheeks, simply leaned on a luck and prosperity double-flower pillow, imitating her elder sister’s pose and picked up a book.
Mrs. Li secretly covered her mouth with a handkerchief and chuckled, reluctantly praising her child, “Hmm, now that’s more like it.”
Even Aunt Hu, who served by Mrs. Li’s side, couldn’t help but laugh behind her handkerchief. ƒrēewebnovel.com
Bai Jinzhi, firmly kept inside the carriage by Mrs. Li for three solid days, was finally let out when they saw the gates of Shuoyang City on May third.
The Governor, along with Magistrate Zhou, greeted the Duke of Zhen’s princess and her entourage outside Shuoyang City’s gates. The Bai Clan members, led by Bai Qihe, who temporarily held the position of clan leader, also came to greet the princess.
Seeing the grand and magnificent convoy of the Duke of Zhen’s princess from afar, the number of returning servants alone was startling.
Bai Qihe’s wife, Mrs. Fang, tightened her grip on her palm. She originally intended to send servants to the Bai ancestral home to build connections with Bai Qingyan but seeing that Bai Qingyan had brought all the servants from Dadu City, she had to find another approach.
Bai Qingping glanced at his mother, who was wringing a handkerchief, and couldn’t help but whisper, “Mother, the Bai family in Dadu City is different from our Bai Clan in Shuoyang. The Bai family in Dadu City is the real direct lineage, truly wealthy with a noble heritage. Even their daily utensils have a historical background, let alone the true family servants around them. If you want to send people in, they might not even get past the Chuihua gate.”
Mrs. Fang’s heart raced as her son bluntly revealed her thoughts. She looked around before turning to Bai Qingping, “Mother didn’t mean that!”
“Whether you mean it or not, I suggest you avoid mentioning sending people in front of the Dadu Bai family. Avoid any suspicion! Don’t forget the lesson from Grandfather’s time. It’s already a stroke of luck that Father holds the clan leader position. Whether he can continue to do so in the future depends on the Duke of Zhen’s princess!” Bai Qingping’s voice was very low.
Bai Qingping understood his mother’s intentions clearly, which was why he reminded her.
The Bai Clan could not withstand more turmoil. The Bai men in Dadu City had perished, and if the flourishing Bai Clan of Shuoyang did not firmly support and unite under the Duke of Zhen’s princess, they might be expelled from the clan and have to establish an independent household like the old Xie family in Qingzhou. Their standing in the aristocratic families would be lost.
Bai Qingyan, inheriting the spirit of Duke Bai Weiting and Duke Bai Qishan, would not abandon the Bai Clan, as long as they did not go overboard.
Chun Tao lifted the curtain to look outside and said to Bai Qingyan, “Eldest Young Lady, the Bai Clan in Shuoyang, seems to have all come! The officials are here too, still in their uniforms.”
Bai Qingyan put down the bamboo slip and thought for a moment before addressing Nanny Tong, “Nanny, please disembark and inform the Bai Clan and the officials that I am feeling unwell and will return directly to the Bai Mansion. Thank them for coming to welcome us. We will host a banquet at the Bai Mansion soon and invite them then.”
“Also, inform Mother and the aunts they don’t need to disembark. We’re already exhausted from the journey and have much to do after reaching the Bai Mansion.”
As soon as Bai Qingyan finished speaking, Chun Tao instructed someone to inform Mrs. Dong and the other ladies.
Bai Qingyan’s gaze returned to the rare bamboo slip in her hand. She thought of the Governor, believing that the matter of training troops could indeed be tested.
She rubbed the edge of the bamboo slip and pondered, “Tell Zeng Shanru to discreetly pass a message to Bai Qingping, asking him to come to the ancestral home in two hours.”
The Governor, Magistrate Zhou, and the Bai Clan members received the message. They exchanged polite words before making way for the impressive convoy to pass through the gates.
The citizens of Shuoyang discussed enthusiastically and felt greatly uplifted. None of them had forgotten that the Duke of Zhen’s princess had promised to use the embezzled silver from the previous clan leader of the Bai Clan to eradicate bandits.
The bandits had become increasingly rampant, even daring to attack the convoy of the Duke of Zhen’s princess. The citizens feared the bandits might soon bring murder and arson to nearby villages or even into Shuoyang City.
Given the official government’s inaction, their anxiety was understandable.
However, the majority felt reassured by the Duke of Zhen’s princess’s return to Shuoyang. After all, she had achieved a significant victory against the coalition forces of Xiliang and Nanyan in the southern frontier. Having such a figure in Shuoyang City made everyone feel much more secure.
Before the Bai family returned to the Bai Mansion, Mr. Gu had arranged everything. He placed the daily-used items of the masters in the courtyards. If the masters didn’t like the color of the drapes or decorations, they would be changed the next day.