Chapter 553
Lu Ping, realizing the urgency of the situation, did not dare to delay. He snapped the whip, urging his horse to gallop swiftly towards Dengzhou City.
In Dengzhou City.
Princess Mingcheng had been arranged to stay at Dong Mansion. Renowned doctors from the surrounding counties of Dengzhou gathered, racking their brains to save Princess Mingcheng’s life.
Dong Qingyue, deeply moved by Princess Mingcheng’s loyalty to her country and marriage alliance, instructed that no matter the medication, as long as the doctors needed it, Dong family would spare no expense. If Dong Mansion didn’t have it, they would scour the entire city to obtain it for the princess.
Xiao Rongyan was deeply grateful to Dong Qingyue. Unable to intervene directly in Princess Mingcheng’s situation, he instead discussed the prospect of a mutual market with Dong Qingyue. He expressed his willingness to visit Nanrong to explore the possibility of establishing a mutual market between the two countries, preventing Rong from plundering the Jin Kingdom in the future.
However, Dong Qingyue had other plans in mind, waiting for Rong to come and plunder. Smiling, he refused Xiao Rongyan, stating that since Jin Kingdom had just rescued Princess Mingcheng from Nanrong, causing trouble for them, sending Xiao Rongyan to discuss mutual market affairs might unfairly involve him. Furthermore, the matter still required the Emperor’s approval and should be postponed until the following year, when things had stabilized.
Dong Qingyue’s disapproval did not deter Xiao Rongyan, who then spent the next few days exploring shops in Dengzhou City, accompanied by the Dong family’s guards.
Xiao Rongyan was transparent with Dong Qingyue and Dong Changlan, stating his plans to establish a shop as a rendezvous point. He intended to trade high-quality furs from Rong, processing them in Dengzhou into luxurious garments and then distributing them to Jin, Yan, and Wei Kingdoms for profit.
As was his custom, Xiao Rongyan offered Dong Changlan a share of the profits. Dong Changlan, however, declined, saying that as long as Xiao Rongyan was only conducting business, the Dong family would not take a single penny in private, given Xiao Rongyan’s status as a benefactor of the Bai family.
Yet Xiao Rongyan understood Dong Changlan’s implicit message; the Dong family would not interfere if he conducted his business honestly. But if he intended to use the shop for other purposes, the Dong family would not tolerate it.
Xiao Rongyan agreed with a smile and asked Dong Changlan to look after his shop once it was established.
Dong Changlan accompanied Xiao Rongyan to view several shops and even helped Xiao Rongyan purchase an elegant residence near Dong Mansion. Although the residence had been recently renovated, Xiao Rongyan, satisfied with its layout, was constantly picky, demanding a lake here, a rock garden there, a viewing pavilion, and hiring florists to fill the courtyard with exotic flowers. His extravagant spending was unmistakably that of a rich young noble.
As the renovations began in the courtyard to match Xiao Rongyan’s specifications, it was evident the work would take several months. Feeling it inappropriate to impose on the Dong family any longer, Xiao Rongyan considered moving to an inn. But Dong Qingyue, smiling warmly, insisted on hosting him.
Privately, Dong Qingyue felt Xiao Rongyan was not a simple man. It was better to keep him under their observation than let him out of sight.
Xiao Rongyan, recognizing Dong Qingyue’s intentions, stayed at Dong Mansion with a smile.
After returning to Dong Mansion from finalizing the shop’s purchase with Dong Changlan, Xiao Rongyan overheard the servants gossiping. They said that Aunt Luo’s brother had flagrantly taken the personal maid of Princess of Zhen’s personal undergarments to Dong Qingyue to propose marriage, asking to wed the personal maid.
Dong Changlan was stunned. Before he could inquire further, Dong Changmao, having ridden swiftly from the military camp after receiving the news, dismounted with a pale face and saluted Dong Changlan. “Brother!”
“Have you heard?” Dong Changlan asked, standing with hands clasped behind him.
Dong Changmao’s throat tightened painfully as he nodded. “Father sent someone to call me back. Brother, rest assured… I will handle this matter. It was my fault for troubling Father, Brother, and Cousin.”
“How can this be blamed on you! We all know what kind of person Luo Fugui is. This matter has nothing to do with you. Father only called you back because you are family, as this matter needs to be communicated to you, especially since you are soon to be married and it might affect you. Don’t overthink it!” Dong Changlan reassured his brother in a low voice.
The more Dong Changlan spoke this way, the more guilt-ridden Dong Changmao felt.
“Brother Xiao, family matters have arisen, so I cannot accompany you back to the courtyard. I will have my personal attendant escort you!” Dong Changlan cupped his fists towards Xiao Rongyan.
“Please go ahead, Brother Changlan…” Xiao Rongyan smiled and nodded.
As Dong Changlan led Dong Changmao towards the inner residence, he quietly comforted and instructed him to stay behind and not appear.
By this time, Luo Fugui had already been detained. Aunt Luo, trembling with fear, had been summoned to Madam Dong’s yard, where she knelt on the blue bricks, too scared to lift her head, inwardly cursing her brother’s foolish actions.
How could her incompetent brother have obtained the personal maid’s garments of Princess of Zhen? He must have taken someone’s belongings and spread the word in Dong Mansion, trying to use the girl’s reputation to force Princess of Zhen to marry the maid to him.
Foolish! Absolutely foolish!
Only thinking of himself, like a toad wanting to eat swan meat, yet overlooking the implications for her son Changmao…
Didn’t her fool brother realize that by marrying the personal maid of Princess of Zhen through such disgraceful means, having such a shameless uncle, Changmao would never be able to hold his head high in this family!
Aunt Luo wept bitterly for Changmao, regretting not having listened to her son and driven her useless brother out of Dong Mansion, banning him forever. But she had clung to familial ties, thinking a blood-related uncle might someday support Changmao!
Now, this huge scandal!
Aunt Luo shivered at the memory of the warning words from Princess of Zhen.
Bai Qingyan sat beside Madam Dong, her face clouded. Chun Tao’s face was pale as she clutched tightly at the undergarment embroidered with her name and peach blossoms.
She turned around, suddenly kneeling before Bai Qingyan, her voice choked with sobs. “Mistress, this is indeed my undergarment, but I never gave it to this filthy scoundrel! Mistress knows I am already betrothed!”
“This undergarment clearly belongs to you. We were intimate and you left it behind. Otherwise, how would I have obtained such a personal item!” Luo Fugui shouted, bowing to Madam Dong. “Please, Madam Dong and Princess of Zhen, grant me justice!”
Chun Tao wanted to say more, but Bai Qingyan gestured for her to remain calm.
Bai Qingyan looked at Chun Tao and asked, “Apart from this undergarment, have you lost anything else?”
Chun Tao, desperate and nearly in tears, shook her head. “I don’t know! I didn’t even notice this was gone!”
Chun Tao was the only one who accompanied Bai Qingyan on the trip. Attentive to Bai Qingyan’s needs day and night, Chun Tao hadn’t taken much care to keep her own belongings neat and secure.