Chapter 26: To Be Used_1

“You unfilial and rebellious thing! Such an important matter as requesting to relinquish the Princely Heir position, and you didn’t even say a word! Do you think this position is like carrots and cabbage, something you can just discard if you want? You even alarmed the Eldest Princess! You are using the reputation of our Marquis Mansion to fight for your own future!”

Qin Lang’s eyes reddened, his throat tightened. After a moment of silence, he stepped back and bowed deeply to the Marquis of Loyalty and Courage. “Since mother passed away, you remarried. No matter how I adhered to filial piety, the stepmother was displeased. Despite my diligent studies, you were dissatisfied. I couldn’t understand why. Until this autumn, I saw my younger brother around you and mother. You praised his talent, remarkable and fluent. Stepmother wept, questioning why the younger brother was not the eldest son, lamenting the injustice of ancestral rules and rites. Only then did I realize your favored choice for the Princely Heir was my younger brother. I have no great talent and know I can’t relieve your worries, which would be unfilial. Reflecting on myself, I request to relinquish the Princely Heir position to redeem myself. It was not out of unfilial intent. I will soon move out of the Marquis Mansion. I earnestly wish for the mansion’s harmony, your health, and my wife’s safety. I plead for your forgiveness!”

The Marquis of Loyalty and Courage’s pupils trembled. He watched Qin Lang rise, bow deeply again, and turn to leave. His lips quivered as he raised his hand, but in the end, he couldn’t call out to Qin Lang.

Bai Qingyan sweated from her evening exercise after dinner. Her body began to adapt, no longer as sore as the previous days.

After bathing, Chun Yan was drying Bai Qingyan’s hair with a cloth while she sat under the lamp reading a book. Chun Tao came in with hot tea.

“First Miss, your cousin has completed the task you assigned. It’s late, so he didn’t come into the inner house. He sent me to inform you.” Chun Tao placed the hot tea beside Bai Qingyan.

Chen Qingsheng was a very intelligent person. Bai Qingyan had no further concerns about him. Even though she had spoken implicitly today, Chen Qingsheng clearly understood what needed to be done.

Bai Qingyan looked up from her book and asked, “How did your cousin handle it?”

Chun Tao initially did not want these dirty matters to tarnish Bai Qingyan’s ears. But since Bai Qingyan asked, Chun Tao had no reason to hide it. “My cousin had Lu Ping lead people to the manor of Mrs. Jiang in the Marquis of Loyalty and Courage’s Mansion. They used a contract to forcefully take Mingyu away, tied her up, and brought her into the city with a fanfare, delivering her to her family’s home. He said… Mingyu betrayed her masters. Though Second Miss didn’t hold a grudge for her years of service, she dared not use her again. So, she was sent back home, allowing her family a chance to redeem her with money. They must take care in the future.”@@novelbin@@

Chen Qingsheng handled it beautifully…

The Bai Mansion’s reputation should not be stained.

Feeling satisfied, Bai Qingyan closed her book and placed it on the small chicken-wing wood table, knowing there was more. She took a sip of tea and said, “Continue…”

“Mingyu’s brother feared the Duke of Zhen Kingdom’s power. He scraped together money and borrowed from a pawnshop to repay our mansion. Before my cousin left, he subtly warned Mingyu’s brother. Later, a servant from the pawnshop further reminded him. Mingyu’s brother claimed family misfortune, broke her legs, and sold her to a private brothel as a lowly prostitute.”

Bai Qingyan put down her teacup, confirming Chen Qingsheng was indeed valuable. Her eyes gleamed with a smile as she asked, “What else?”

Chun Tao blushed and continued, “My cousin said you need not worry, he had informed the right people. Mingyu is now the lowest of brothel workers, as long as she breathes…”

Chun Tao couldn’t go on.

Understanding, Chun Yan shivered. “This… Chen Qingsheng usually appears so gentle and carefree. How could he act so ruthlessly? After all… he did know Mingyu.”

Turning Mingyu into the lowest prostitute, to serve as long as she breathes, truly the epitome of degradation.

Chun Tao cautiously watched Bai Qingyan, worrying she might find Chen Qingsheng too cruel and heartless.

“Your cousin did very well! It will show those harboring disloyal thoughts the consequences of betrayal.” Bai Qingyan smiled at Chun Tao. “Tomorrow, give your cousin a hundred taels of silver as a reward.”

“Maid thanks you on behalf of my cousin.”

Bai Qingyan looked at Chun Yan’s pale face. “Go to the small kitchen and see if the sheep milk custard is ready and take it to Second Miss.”

“Yes!”

Chun Tao perceptively took the cloth to continue drying Bai Qingyan’s hair.

Once Chun Yan left, Bai Qingyan said, “Tell your cousin to do two more things for me…”

“Anything you command, Miss.”

Bai Qingyan picked up her book and turned a page nonchalantly. “The matter of Mrs. Jiang ordering the drowning of Second Miss’s dowry maid, you can start spreading it!”

Previously, Bai Jinxiu was injured and fell into water, her life in danger, and was taken back to the Duke of Zhen Kingdom’s mansion. Then, the Duke of Zhen Kingdom publicly exposed Mingyu’s betrayal from Mrs. Jiang’s dowry manor, sending her back to her family.

Now, the citizens of Dadu City, both commoners and nobility, were already speculating about Bai Jinxiu’s incident. The Duke of Zhen Kingdom’s mansion was tight-lipped, not leaking a single word.

With no definitive information, idle people from backyards and taverns were driven curious to distraction.

At this time, revealing the death of the servant girl from Mrs. Jiang’s manor would not only give people fodder for a grand drama but also put the Marquis of Loyalty and Courage’s mansion’s reputation at stake.

Step by step, revealing incident after incident, in a steady pace would captivate the audience, keeping all eyes on the Marquis of Loyalty and Courage’s mansion.

Then, it would be up to the Marquis whether to protect Mrs. Jiang or preserve the mansion’s reputation.

“Before making it public… send someone to the village heads of the dowry maids to erase their slave status, allowing them to be properly buried as free individuals after the matter is settled.”

Chun Tao never questioned Bai Qingyan’s arrangements and promptly replied, “Yes, once I assist you to rest, I will inform my cousin!”

“Additionally, three days later, grandmother will send someone to the manor to bring two people. Grandmother and I wish to test their character; let your cousin handle it.”

Regarding the uncle’s offspring left outside, Mrs. Liu was angered but still agreed.

After all, she knew about the uncle’s romantic involvement with a girl who saved him during his travels.

As for the extra child, the mansion already had concubine-born children, and she treated them equally. It was just adding another place at the table, she didn’t want to make a fuss.

Bai Qingyan turned to look at Chun Tao with a smile, her gaze affectionate. “Your cousin is indeed capable. After the New Year, I plan to let him train outside for two or three years. He can easily become a steward, and I can then safely entrust you to him.”

Chun Tao blushed deeply and coyly said, “Miss!”

Seeing Chun Tao’s red cheeks and bashful eyes, Bai Qingyan lightly patted her hand, smiling gently.

Chun Tao had been with her for many years, and her thoughts couldn’t be hidden from Bai Qingyan.

In her previous life, Chun Tao had followed her to the southern borders to protect her, even before marrying Chen Qingsheng, they were separated by life and death. In this life… Bai Qingyan vowed to see Chun Tao married gloriously, happily spending her life with her beloved.