Chapter 63: Stubborn Use of the Military_1

Xiao Rongyan’s hand, which was stroking the jade cicada, paused. He turned his head, his deep-set eyes showing a trace of imperceptible surprise, and asked, “You mean… Miss Bai?”

“Exactly! Initially, I wanted to obtain Miss Bai’s handwriting for comparison. But the servants at the Bai Mansion are not easy to bribe, nor is it easy to infiltrate.” Xiao Rongyan’s subordinate kneeled on one knee. “Please forgive me, master.”

Outside, the hanging lantern depicting plum blossoms swayed in the cold winter wind and snow. Xiao Rongyan, dressed in a sky-blue long robe, stood at the window with an indifferent expression, holding the jade cicada tightly. His inscrutable gaze nearly vanished in the shadows beneath the lamp.

He closed his eyes, recalling the palace banquet on the eve of the new year. When he had followed the palace maid to change clothes, Miss Bai’s sudden gaze met his. Her pupils had contracted, and when he returned, her slightly relaxed posture betrayed her tension.

Did this Miss Bai know his identity?

“Master, whether or not the note was given by Miss Bai, your identity is at risk of being exposed. I boldly suggest you leave Dadu City as a precaution.”

The cold air mixed with snowflakes rushed in from outside the window. Xiao Rongyan turned, his gaze falling on the red lanterns lining the long street. “If the person who delivered the note wanted to harm me, why go through the trouble of sending the note to the steward? Let’s wait and see.”

·

In the biting wind of midwinter, the Eldest Princess and the Bai family had been standing for an hour. The hand warmers had been changed, and the hot soup and meat pies had been distributed to the people waiting at the Duke of Zhen’s Mansion gate.

The Eldest Princess, leaning on her tiger head cane, was on the verge of collapsing. Bai Qingyan supported her and instructed someone to bring a chair for the Eldest Princess.

The Eldest Princess shook her head, held Bai Qingyan’s hand tighter, and adjusted her fur coat, asking, “Kid, you’re weak. Can you hold on?”

Bai Qingyan, who had been training for some time now, could already stand solidly with sandbags tied to her legs for an hour daily. Standing here posed no real challenge for her.

She shook her head. “Grandmother, rest assured, Kid is fine.”

The people sipping hot soup, surrounded by the fragrant steam of mutton broth, saw a speeding horse approaching from afar. They immediately put down their bowls and pointed. “It’s coming! It’s coming! This time it really looks like someone from the palace!”

The Eldest Princess stiffened involuntarily, straightening her back. The Bai family hurried forward a few steps, craning their necks to look down the long street at the end of the line of red lanterns.

The eunuch, galloping towards them, saw the people holding lanterns outside the Duke’s Mansion in the distance. His heart sank when he got closer and found the Eldest Princess with the Bai women waiting outside the Duke of Zhen’s Mansion gate.

The eunuch did not dare delay. He dismounted quickly, rushed up the steps, and kneeled heavily before the Eldest Princess. “Eldest Princess, news from the southern army says that the Duke’s arbitrary use of the military led to our army’s disastrous defeat. The Duke of Zhen, the Crown Prince, and all the men of the Bai family have perished on the battlefield! Five days later, King Xin will bring back their coffins…”

Bai Qingyan’s head jerked up, fury and murderous intent surging within her. The Duke’s arbitrary use of the military?!

The shocking news caused the Eldest Princess to wobble. She almost fell but was steadied by Bai Qingyan and Nanny Jiang.

Dong Qingping and Dong Qingyue felt a chill down their spines. They had considered the possibility of someone from the Bai family dying in battle but never imagined it would be all of them…

“You’re talking nonsense!” Fourth Sister Bai Jinzhi snapped her whip, which wrapped tightly around the neck of the eunuch. She took three steps forward and stomped on his chest. Her eyes were bloodshot, and her anger consumed all her rationality. “My grandfather always taught us to be cautious above all! He was cautious all his life! How could he be accused of arbitrarily using the military?!”

Bai Qingyan’s hands clenched so tightly the knuckles cracked. Arbitrary use of the military! The Emperor and Empress’s son, King Xin, was too mediocre to take on such a responsibility and forced her grandfather to take risks for military accomplishments. Now, they’ve framed her grandfather for arbitrary use of the military?!

Pushing all the blame onto a loyal and brave minister who devoted his life to the Jin Kingdom, spilled his blood on the battlefield, and died wrapped in a horsehide! Didn’t King Xin fear the spirits of the Bai family would seek revenge in his dreams?!

She nearly couldn’t hold back from producing the military records right then and there to clear her grandfather’s and her family’s name. But… it was not the right time yet. Thorough preparation was needed to achieve a decisive victory.

These blood debts and profound grievances, Bai Qingyan etched into her memory!

The overwhelming anger surged within her. She gritted her teeth and swallowed the metallic taste rising in her throat. She shouted, “Bai Jinzhi! Step back! Grandmother has not finished her questions; who allowed you to take action?!”

Bai Jinzhi almost broke into tears. She retracted her whip and, unable to control herself, burst into tears.

The eunuch, nearly strangled, coughed violently and crawled to the Eldest Princess’s feet, seeking protection.

The Eldest Princess’s face was ashen. With trembling lips, she held onto the last shred of hope. “All of them?! Did I hear wrong?! My ten-year-old grandson also went to the southern border. He was just ten years old…”

The usually gentle Fourth Lady, Mrs. Wang, staggered forward on weak legs and fell to her knees, clutching the eunuch’s clothes, crying heartbrokenly, “Seventeen… my little Seventeen is also gone?! My little Seventeen was so small, only ten years old! Ten years old! How could he die too?! He only went to see the world… how could he die! You’re lying! You’re lying!”

“Eldest Princess! Seventeen is also gone!” the eunuch cried, kowtowing heavily.

“Impossible! Erlang promised me he’d protect our son!” Second Lady, Mrs. Liu’s wailing echoed as she grabbed the eunuch’s collar. “You’re lying! You’re lying!”

In an instant, the previously quiet gate of the Duke of Zhen’s Mansion turned into chaos, filled with wailing cries.

“Oh, my son! Sanlang… how could you be so cruel! How could you take all our sons away! How am I supposed to live!” Third Lady, Mrs. Li, cried in anguish, pounding the ground.

The twin boys, standing by their mother, Fourth Lady, Mrs. Wang, who was crying uncontrollably, bit their lips hard, pleading with her to hold on.@@novelbin@@

Fifth Lady, Mrs. Qi, bit her lip fiercely. Holding her stomach, she fainted as her vision darkened.

“Fifth Lady! Fifth Lady!” Dong Qingyue’s quick reflexes caught the unconscious Fifth Lady.

“Fifth Aunt!” Bai Jintong took Fifth Lady from Dong Qingyue’s arms and held her tightly. “Fifth Aunt, wake up!”

The commoners, moved by the grief of the Bai women, also knelt and cried, calling out for the Duke and General Bai. Their sorrowful cries echoed throughout Dadu City.

“Quick! Get Doctor Hong!” Bai Jinxiu urged with tears in her eyes. “Steward Hao, quickly have Fifth Aunt carried inside.”

Bai Qingyan turned around and saw Mrs. Dong, who was standing there motionless, pale as a sheet. She stepped forward to support her mother, choking out, “Mother?!”

Mrs. Dong came to her senses, tears streaming down her face. She gritted her teeth and turned to face the main gate of the Duke of Zhen’s Mansion…

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