The Eldest Daughter Is Beautiful and Saucy
Chapter 110: Immortality
Chapter 110 Immortality
Chuntao, who had been waiting at the gate of the courtyard, and Bai Jintong’s personal maid Danzhi, opened their umbrellas when they saw the two girls coming out, and hurried in to greet them.
Bai Jintong took the umbrella from Danzhi’s hand, held it over Bai Qingyan’s head and said, “You two go back. I’ll go for a walk with my elder sister…”
“Give me the lamp.” Bai Qingyan took the lamp from Chuntao’s hand.
The two sisters walked along the bluestone road covered with snow, talking as they walked towards Yifeng Pavilion.
“I heard from my grandmother that she has arranged several stories for you to tell about your life and you can choose from them. Have you made your choice?” she asked.
“I’ve chosen it. I picked the name Cui Fengnian because I think it sounds nice. The Cui family was originally a merchant family, but they fell into decline more than ten years ago. The Cui family also has a blind and mentally ill grandmother, so others will not suspect that my identity is fake.”
She nodded: “After Uncle Ping finishes his work, I want them to follow you and obey your orders.”
“Sister, grandma has given me so many people!” said Bai Jintong.
She paused, turned around and looked at Bai Jintong: “Those people were given by my grandmother, so they must be used. You can use them well, but some things… need to be done by people who only obey you, so you can’t be without your own people!”
Bai Jintong pursed her lips, wondering if her elder sister was implicitly reminding her to be on guard against her grandmother.
“Don’t think too much. I just don’t want to make grandma sad.” She held Bai Jintong’s hand and continued to walk forward. “Grandma is old after all. She would rather see a peaceful appearance where the Duke’s Mansion and the royal family respect and support each other. If you do something beyond grandma’s expectations, grandma will not ignore it. You must remember that grandma is our grandmother and the eldest princess of Dajin.”
“I understand, elder sister. I will let grandma see what she wants to see,” said Bai Jintong.
There were only a few dozen of Lupin’s men who knew each other well and could be trusted. He carefully selected the ten most tight-lipped ones and brought the list to report to Bai Qingyan.
Bai Qingyan handed the list to Bai Jintong: “You will use these people in the future. Do you want to meet them?”
“I trust the person Uncle Ping has chosen, so I won’t go to see him. There will always be a time to meet him.” Bai Jintong said.
She nodded and looked up at Lupin. Her eyes were deep and she spoke at a very steady pace. “If they are bandits, they should dress up as real as possible and not reveal any flaws. There is no need to deliberately spare Bai Qiyun’s life. After the task is completed, there is no need to turn back and report. Split into two groups. One group will go straight to Wudaopo and ask Mr. Liu Zhengyu of Liujiabao to come out of retirement in the name of my father. The other group will disguise themselves as ordinary merchants and servants and enter Shuoyang before the incident to purchase Shuoyang white tea for the young master Cui Fengnian to trade overseas. From now on… they will all follow the orders of the third lady.”
“Yes!” Lupin nodded.
·
It was already midnight. Outside the gate of Changshou Courtyard, Madam Jiang, holding an umbrella, listened to the report from the maid in the outer courtyard, gave her a purse as a reward, and hurried back to the upper room holding the hem of her jacket.
The gray-haired eldest princess closed her eyes and sat leaning against a double-flowered pillow at the head of the bed, covered with a crimson quilt with rich and luxurious flowers. She fiddled with Buddhist beads in her hands, the curtains had not been drawn yet, and half of her body was hidden in the shadows that the candlelight could not reach.
“Grand Princess…” Nanny Jiang walked to the Grand Princess and lowered her voice, “Second Master’s illegitimate son has been settled in the manor, and all the words that should be said have been passed on. Now during the New Year, the mother and son have nowhere to go. Even though the Grand Princess promised to keep him safe, and he is the only blood of the Duke’s Mansion, it is natural that he will be settled in the manor first. Once they move into the manor, the woman will definitely not be able to come out alive.”
The eldest princess sighed and said, “Don’t let Abao know about this!”
Hearing this, Nanny Jiang’s eyes turned red again: “Actually, my eldest sister didn’t think about the fate of that bastard.”
The eldest princess’s eyes were wet as she closed them. “I’m not trying to prevent Abao from killing the second son’s bastard. I just don’t want Abao to have the dirty blood of that dirty woman on his hands! Abao is such a small child… He has done too much for this family. Let an old lady like me who is buried in the ground do the things that will damage one’s moral integrity!”
Nanny Jiang responded and knelt beside the Grand Princess’ bed, gently holding her hand: “I know that the Grand Princess loves me the most!”
·
Early the next morning, just as Bai Qingyan had expected, Bai Qiyun left the city with his men and 450,000 taels of silver, heading back to Shuoyang.
Before leaving, Bai Qiyun told his two half-brothers that they only had to go to the Duke’s Mansion for one more day today and must set off back to Shuoyang tomorrow.
Before noon, four imperial edicts were successively issued from the imperial city. The contents of these edicts made most people kneel down and kowtow, praising the emperor’s wisdom.
In the first decree, the emperor ordered the chief of the Dali Temple to arrest Qin Dezhao, the Marquis of Loyalty and Bravery, and to conduct a thorough investigation into the case of grain and fodder in southern Xinjiang.
The second decree was that Liu Huanzhang was guilty of treason and his property would be confiscated and his family would be exterminated.
The third decree was that Prince Xin be beaten with a hundred sticks, demoted to a commoner and exiled to Yongzhou, never to return to the court again. Prince Xin’s successor was demoted to a commoner and confined in Prince Xin’s palace.
The fourth decree posthumously conferred the title of King Zhenguo on the Duke of Zhenguo and the title of Duke Zhenguo on his eldest son.
The eldest princess personally led the widow of the Bai family to kneel at the door to receive the imperial edict. The two concubines’ masters who had not yet left were so frightened that their faces turned pale. They looked at each other, filled with panic.
The emperor posthumously conferred the title of King Zhenguo on the Duke of Zhenguo, which meant that the emperor not only had no intention of abandoning the Duke’s Mansion, but also wanted to show him more favor!
Be crowned a king! A king of a different surname! Even though it was a posthumous title… it was still an unattainable honor!
Bai Qingyan, kneeling in front of the coffin, lit a stick of incense for the Duke of Zhenguo and kowtowed solemnly. When he looked up again, his eyes were blurred with tears and his heart was filled with sorrow.
“Grandfather! Father! The traitor Liu Huanzhang confiscated our property and exterminated our clan. Prince Xin was demoted to a commoner and exiled to Yongzhou, never to return to the court! Heaven has finally restored the innocence of the men of our Bai family. The men of our Bai family… are all upright and loyal gentlemen who are worthy of the people! Although the bodies of the Bai family have died, their spirits will live forever! Uncles and brothers, you can rest in peace now!”
She kowtowed heavily.
The sisters of the Bai family knelt behind Bai Qingyan with tears in their eyes and kowtowed.
When the people outside the Duke’s Mansion heard the word “Rest in Peace”, they beat their chests and cried bitterly. The huge grief hidden in their hearts was contagious, and their cries shook the sky.
In this life, she finally did not let her grandfather bear the label of “stubborn in military service”, be buried in disgrace, and leave behind a lifetime of infamy.
But even if… he was conferred the title of the King, what would be the use? ! Can all the loyal and righteous men in her Bai family still survive? !
She would never again entrust the life and death, honor and disgrace of the Bai family to the hands of others.
She wants power! She wants influence!
The Bai family must no longer be a fish on the chopping block.
This time, the emperor’s punishment for Prince Xin was more severe than what he had told her in the hall before.
She dared to conclude that the emperor had already made up his mind to let her go to southern Xinjiang, so… he made such a gesture of goodwill, and even made concessions and compromises.