Rebirth: The Journey of an Heiress-Chapter 158 - 157: Bold_1
Chapter 158: Chapter 157: Bold_1
Nanny Tong lifted the curtain and entered with small, quick steps, curtsying as she said: “Young Lady, Xiao Ruohai is here to see you.”
“Please…”
She took off her thumb ring and placed it back into the wooden box, instructing Chun Tao to store it away properly. This was the box she would take with her to the southern frontier.
As soon as Xiao Ruohai entered the room, after greeting her, he immediately informed Bai Qingyan that the Emperor had decreed Bai Jinxiu to be conferred the title of a noble lady of the highest rank.
“I wonder who first mentioned the Crown Prince’s benevolence. Now, the people are praising the Crown Prince’s kindness and His Majesty’s great virtue, acclaiming that the Crown Prince does not forget loyal ministers and is willing to treat the loyalists’ widows well!”
She raised her brows slightly in surprise: “To borrow the Bai family’s name to gain a reputation for benevolence, this doesn’t seem like the Crown Prince’s usual strategy at all! The Crown Prince… must have found a capable advisor.”
She had just used the Crown Prince’s influence to gain a benefit for her second sister. Now, the Crown Prince used her Bai family to bolster his own power and suffered no loss at all.
To the Emperor, this Imperial Edict was originally her request. However, issuing it a bit earlier, before the expedition, allowed him to gain favor with both her and the people. Why wouldn’t the Emperor be happy with such a profitable outcome?
It could be considered… mutual benefit.
Xiao Ruohai nodded in acknowledgment: “Our informants reported that the Crown Prince, who has not yet moved out of the King of Qi’s mansion, hurriedly left for the palace after a brief stay. Only after that did the edict come down!”
Indeed, someone had advised the King of Qi well. The timing of this edict issuance was perfect.
Xiao Ruohai continued: “Now, the King of Qi’s mansion is filled with joy. It is said that after returning to the mansion, the Crown Prince generously rewarded a certain Mr. Qin, who must be the one advising the Crown Prince. This Mr. Qin, whom we now know as Qin Shangzhi, has become a main guest at the Crown Prince’s residence.”
Qin Shangzhi…
No wonder.
She pursed her lips. She hadn’t expected Qin Shangzhi would eventually end up by the Crown Prince’s side in this lifetime, becoming his advisor.
Qin Shangzhi had great talent. She only hoped that the Crown Prince would not waste such talent this lifetime!
She also hoped that they would never stand against each other. It wasn’t that she feared opposing Qin Shangzhi, but rather that she held some regard for him.
Du Zhiwei was a genuinely malicious person, deep and unscrupulous, hard to guard against. Yet Qin Shangzhi was different from Du Zhiwei. Qin Shangzhi was wise and skilled but inherently kind, a true gentleman.
“If this Mr. Qin is indeed valued by the Crown Prince, he will undoubtedly be seen during the southern expedition. Keep an eye out!” She looked down at Xiao Ruohai. “But, Brother, the journey to the southern frontier is urgent. Are all preparations in place?”
“Rest assured, Young Lady. Our people have been dispatched in several groups and will follow the army without drawing attention.”
Xiao Ruohai left his remaining worries unsaid. They simply had too few masters… The risks for the Young Lady on this journey to the southern frontier were still too high.
Chun Xing lifted the curtain and entered, bowing: “Young Lady, Madam Dong is on her way to the Qinghui Courtyard.”
She nodded and said to Xiao Ruohai: “Thank you for your hard work, Brother.”
Hearing Bai Qingyan’s words, Xiao Ruohai hurriedly said he dared not accept the praise and quickly took his leave.
Seeing Xiao Ruohai off, she worried her mother would notice the sandbags she constantly bound around her legs and arms. She had Chun Tao unfasten and hide them, then personally went to greet her mother, Mrs. Dong.
As soon as she entered, Mrs. Dong clutched Bai Qingyan’s hand, dismissed the others, and, with reddened eyes, dragged her daughter to the inner room. With slender fingers, she forcefully poked her daughter’s forehead: “How dare you!”
She knew her mother was referring to the matter of the southern frontier. She wrapped her arm around Mrs. Dong’s arm and helped her sit by the bed, softly asking: “After Jinxiu left today, did you also go to Uncle’s house to borrow people?”
What else could Mrs. Dong do?!
The Crown Prince had come to mention the southern expedition, confirming her daughter’s trip to the southern frontier was inevitable. The only thing Mrs. Dong could do was to ensure her daughter’s maximum safety. So, after sending off Bai Jinxiu, Mrs. Dong immediately ordered a carriage to go to the Dong family to borrow death warriors to accompany her daughter to the southern frontier to at least protect her life.
However, the prior arrangement between Mrs. Dong and Madam Dong regarding Kid and Dong Changyuan’s matter had to be put aside.
“A noble daughter doesn’t sit under the eaves, and a wealthy son doesn’t ride horses. The male members of the Bai family have all perished in the southern frontier. You know you are the eldest of the house! Swearing before your grandfather’s spirit to uphold the Bai family name! How dare you take such risks?!”
Tears streamed down Mrs. Dong’s reddened eyes. There was anger and heartache in her gaze.
Looking at her mother, Bai Qingyan’s eyes stung with sadness. She tightly held her mother’s arm. Every time her mother was enraged, this is how she would resort to scholarly quotes…
Her mother was knowledgeable. Her father was often left speechless and apologetic during their debates.
She suddenly remembered her childhood days under the cherry blossom tree when her father, flushed with anger, would leave after a scolding from her mother. But soon return with a teacup, apologizing with a smile: “My lady, I was wrong.”
Resting her chin on her mother’s shoulder, she restrained her tumultuous emotions and, imitating her father’s tone, softly said: “Mother, Kid was wrong!”
Mrs. Dong glared at her. As she continued to glare, she could no longer hold back her tears and pulled her daughter into her arms, holding her tightly.
“Mother, I must go to the southern frontier. To protect the Bai family… relying solely on the will of the people is not enough! Only by grasping military power can we truly make the Imperial Family fear and protect the Bai family.”
She spoke openly to her mother: “I slept for two days and dreamt of Father and A Yu… I don’t want any more of the Bai family to end up like Father and A Yu! On a small scale… I want to protect Mother, Aunt, and my sisters! On a larger scale… I am willing to uphold Grandfather’s legacy!”
“Mother, one lives but a few decades. The reason aristocratic families can persist through the ages without being obliterated lies not only in the continuation of bloodlines but also in the inheritance of integrity and beliefs! As descendants of the Bai family… we must bear the will and integrity of the Bai family. Only then can the Bai family truly endure! If our family’s aspirations fade, it will eventually be swallowed by time and forgotten by history.”
Listening to her daughter’s soft words, Mrs. Dong’s anger dissipated, leaving only deep worry and sadness. Clearly, she should have been a pampered, beloved lady, yet she had to take on the responsibilities of the family’s men.
Her daughter had great ambitions. How could Mrs. Dong, as a mother, hinder her at the cost of her life?
Mrs. Dong bit her lip and tightly grasped her daughter’s hand, pulling her close: “Your uncle has sent one hundred death warriors from the Dong family to accompany you to the southern frontier. They will follow your orders alone! Your uncle has also sent a fast rider back to Dengzhou. The remaining forces will catch up with you and find a way to contact you…”
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It was no secret that aristocratic families raised death warriors. The more distinguished the family, the more death warriors they had. Only these prominent families could afford to keep these warriors, who were essentially private soldiers.
Her uncle had placed the Dong family’s private soldiers under her command.
“Mother, I will not betray the trust of Grandmother and Uncle!” she said softly.
“Your grandmother and uncle, like your mother, only wish for your safe return!” Mrs. Dong choked up, showing an uncharacteristically vulnerable side in front of her daughter. “I have already lost your father and A Yu. I cannot lose you too. Do you understand?”
