Chapter 52: Heart Cold and Discouraged_1

The chill in her heart couldn’t be warmed by the furnace. She suppressed her bitter words and bowed her head. “Kid understands!”

The enmity of life and death was far less disheartening than this conflicted mixture of kinship and sorrow, like a dull knife cutting flesh, painful to the point of making it hard to eat or sleep.

The Eldest Princess’s throat swelled with grief. After a long moment, she tearfully embraced Bai Qingyan, closed her eyes, and felt a deep ache, only feeling torn between her family and her country.

In her youth, the Eldest Princess had once given her heart to the valiant and handsome General Bai Weiting. But the night before the imperial edict of marriage was delivered to the Duke of Zhen’s residence, her most cherished father, with reddened eyes, told her that marrying the Princely Heir Bai Weiting was to fulfill her youthful longing and to keep an eye on Bai Weiting at his pillow. Her father had bestowed supreme military power upon the Duke of Zhen’s residence and needed someone to keep it in check on behalf of the Jin Imperial Family to prevent them from harboring rebellious intent.

Therefore, she married into the Duke of Zhen’s residence, becoming a woman of the Bai family, with a mission as a Jin Kingdom Princess beyond merely extending the Bai family’s bloodline.

She had resolutely decided she could not watch her most beloved granddaughter, whom she had poured her life’s energy into teaching, develop rebellious intentions.

On the way back to the residence, the grandmother and granddaughter each harbored their thoughts, remaining silent without exchanging a single word.

·

Since the day after the palace banquet ended, the streets, alleyways, teahouses, and taverns of Dadu City were abuzz with discussions about the Bai family of the Duke of Zhen’s residence. Even the idle rich, who typically indulged in frivolous pastimes, were talking, and the fervor of the discussions soared.

Even people like Lu Yuanpeng, who usually only entertained themselves frivolously, were saying things like, “The Bai family’s demeanor sets an example for us all!”

Since the founding of the Jin Kingdom, where there were wars, there was the loyal and courageous Bai Army. To this day, it seemed that everyone in the Jin Kingdom had become accustomed to it. They believed that the Duke of Zhen’s residence was essentially a sword of the Jin Kingdom, born to protect the country loyally and courageously, even if it meant sacrificing their lives.

But the eldest Bai girl’s words in front of the Marquis of Loyalty and Courage’s residence, her actions in dealing with the Duke of Zhen’s illegitimate son in front of Manjiang Tower, and her eloquence at the state banquet, where she expressed hope for the safe return of the Bai family’s sons, made everyone realize that these legendary warriors of the Bai family were also mortal beings…born of mothers and raised by fathers, with families anxiously waiting for their return.

It was only for the sake of the Jin Kingdom and its people…that they had no choice but to risk their lives on the battlefield.

Almost overnight, it was as if someone had unveiled layers of veils, allowing the world to see the generations of loyalty and righteousness passed down in the Duke of Zhen’s residence. People developed a new sense of respect and awe for the Duke of Zhen’s residence.

When the Duke of Zhen’s residence’s procurement officers went out to make purchases, the shops in the city and the farmers outside the city all unanimously refused to accept any money from the Duke of Zhen’s residence. Some farmers even delivered fresh fruits to the residence’s gate daily. When the procurement steward reported this to Mrs. Dong, she was caught off guard, both crying and laughing.

“Madam, what should we do? The farmers and merchants are blocking the back gate, competing to send things to our residence,” the procurement steward Liu, humbly inquired of Mrs. Dong.

Mrs. Dong, holding a teacup, thought for a moment before saying, “Accept the items and pay them according to market prices. Tell them that our Duke of Zhen’s residence, already content with receiving the emperor’s salary and the people’s tax grain, absolutely will not take a single cent more from the common people!”

Placing the teacup down, Mrs. Dong hesitated for a moment before saying, “Tell Steward Hao to instruct everyone in our residence. When they go out, they must not take an extra penny from the common people. If anyone is found violating this, they will be immediately beaten to death without reporting to me!”

Although the Duke of Zhen’s residence’s reputation was currently flourishing, any slight misstep could plant the seeds of future troubles. Mrs. Dong, who had managed the household for many years, was well aware of the stakes.

·

Mrs. Liu kept her eyes on the doctor as he applied new medicine to Bai Jinxiu’s forehead, feeling heartbroken at the thought of her daughter possibly having a scar. With red eyes, she stepped out of the Green Bamboo Garden and hadn’t walked far when she saw Nanny Luo hurriedly approaching with a joyous expression.

Nanny Luo bowed and exclaimed, “Second Madam, good news! Early this morning, there were rumors that on the night of the Little New Year’s palace banquet, the Marquis of Loyalty and Courage sent Mrs. Jiang to the Quiet Heart Nunnery for penitential cultivation overnight. I specially confirmed the news, and it’s true beyond doubt! Our girl will no longer have to fear her mother-in-law’s control!”

The Quiet Heart Nunnery was typically a place where women waiting to be punished from prestigious families were sent, with many meeting their ends there, never returning home.

Mrs. Liu, upon hearing this, jubilantly exclaimed that Heaven had eyes, “Nanny Luo, prepare a feast! I must treat Sister-in-law to a meal at noon to properly thank her for her help these past days!”

At the table, Mrs. Liu laughed, “Just hearing of Mrs. Jiang’s misfortune makes me feel as warm as if I’ve drunk a pot of hot wine, and I could eat five bowls of rice!”

The Fifth Madam, Mrs. Qi, caressing her belly, chimed in with a smile, “Second Sister-in-law, you should thank our eldest Sister-in-law, not the heavens! If it weren’t for her kindness in releasing those five maidservants from slavery, how could things have escalated? How could the Imperial Censor have reported the Marquis of Loyalty and Courage, and how could Mrs. Jiang have met her downfall?”

“There’s no doubt Second Sister-in-law should thank our eldest Sister-in-law. Do you think she prepared this feast just for us? We are merely accompanying guests!” The Third Madam, Mrs. Li, covered her mouth with a handkerchief, laughing.

Mrs. Liu, in high spirits, asked Nanny Luo to bring a pot of wine and poured a cup to toast Mrs. Dong. “Whether it’s the matter of our son-in-law moving out or Mrs. Jiang’s situation, Sister-in-law has truly put in a lot of effort!”

“In a family, there should be no formalities!” Mrs. Dong, after drinking the wine, happily pulled Mrs. Liu to sit down. “Once Jinxiu heals and moves to the new house, she will be the head of the household and never be at anyone’s mercy again, so you can be at ease.”

Thinking of Bai Jinxiu, Mrs. Liu’s eyes reddened immediately, and she nodded.

In the cold of midwinter, the grand ancient mansion with its blue tiles and brick walls was covered by falling snowflakes, creating a picturesque scene.

The Fourth Madam, Mrs. Wang, looking out the window at the snow, sighed with red eyes, “I wonder how our children in the southern frontier are doing. Will they be able to return for the New Year this year…”

“With the Duke of Zhen, the Crown Prince, and their fathers there, it will be fine! Young men should undergo more experiences to take on great responsibilities,” said Mrs. Dong, though her words belied her own worry for her son.

·@@novelbin@@

Though King Liang did not attend the Little New Year’s palace banquet, Bai Qingyan’s words the next day spread throughout Dadu City. How could he not have known?

Seeing the rising fame of the Bai residence and Bai Qingyan, King Liang became increasingly uneasy.

The Bai residence’s prestige was shining brighter than ever, even prompting his father to inquire about the incident involving the second Miss Bai’s drowned dowry. The Marquis of Loyalty and Courage was instructed to handle it well.

There were rumors outside that, on the night Marquis of Loyalty and Courage returned to his mansion, he immediately sent Mrs. Jiang to the Quiet Heart Nunnery for penitential cultivation as a repentance and blessing.

Who knows, when the war reports from the southern frontier arrived, with public sentiment and hearts all inclined towards the Bai family, whether his father would dare move against the Duke of Zhen’s residence.