The Eldest Daughter Is Beautiful and Saucy
Chapter 458: embankment
Chapter 458 Levee
Bai Qingyan asked the maids to go downstairs to rest, wrapped new iron sandbags that were heavier than usual around his arms and legs, and prepared to go to the yard to practice shooting.
Before she even left the house, she suddenly stopped and looked towards the window with cold and murderous eyes.
“Master, the second lady asked me to report to you about the movements of King Liang.”
This was the voice of the secret guard from last time. Bai Qingyan lifted the Xiangfei bamboo curtain and came out of the house. The secret guard immediately knelt on his knees and kowtowed, not daring to look up. He could only see Bai Qingyan’s white training shoes, which were reflected in a warm color by the setting sun shining through the gaps between the tall trees.
Bai Qingyan adjusted his sleeves nonchalantly, lowered his eyes and asked, “What has the King of Liang done now?”
“My lord, I have been ordered to keep an eye on Prince Liang. Today, Prince Liang stayed in the elegant room of Shifangzhai for more than two hours and met a girl… I discovered that it was the carriage of the Minister of the Ministry of Rites, Dong Fu. I have come to report this to my lord!” The secret guard spoke very quickly.
Bai Qingyan paused while adjusting his sleeves, and suddenly remembered Dong Tingzhen’s absent-minded action of stroking the bracelet on her wrist in the pavilion today.
Chen Zhaolu, the grandson of Chen Taifu, is now considered the most popular young man in the capital city. He was taught by Chen Taifu himself, has a good character, and is a handsome young man. How many noble families want to marry their daughters into the Chen family? If a daughter can get the favor of such a family, even if the marriage fails, she will still be looked up to in the future.
Therefore, even if Dong Tingzhen was unwilling to marry Chen Zhaolu, being favored by him… a girl should be happy instead of annoyed!
Unless she has someone else in her heart.
Bai Qingyan’s palms tightened. King Liang lied to Dong Tingzhen… Could it be because of his uncle, Dong Qingyue, the governor of Dengzhou?
Could it be that Prince Liang no longer intends to hold on to the Bai family and wants to participate in the fight for the throne?
Prince Liang has no other abilities except deceiving women… He always succeeds!
The Dong family, whether it is my grandmother, my uncle, or my cousins, values friendship the most.
If Prince Liang used the excuse of mutual love to deceive Dong Tingzhen into marrying him wholeheartedly, then… even if the Dong family did not participate in the fight for the throne, they were on Prince Liang’s side.
Earlier, at the Emperor’s birthday banquet, Bai Qingyan thought that Prince Liang had secretly obtained the support of Prince Nandu Xian, and would definitely use the troops in Prince Nandu Xian’s hands in the future. But who would complain that they have too few soldiers at their disposal?
Furthermore, Prince Nandu Xian’s only daughter, Princess Nandu Liu Ruofu, has already been promised to the fourth prince of Daliang. Without an alliance by marriage, Prince Liang is cautious and will certainly not use Prince Xian’s soldiers unless it is absolutely necessary. Prince Xian will not easily hand over his soldiers to Prince Liang.
To put it bluntly, the alliance between King Liang and King Xian could not be firmly bound together, such as by marriage.
Therefore, King Liang thought of Dong Tingzhen, the legitimate daughter of the Dong family who was of the right age.
Bai Qingyan clenched her fists. Her cousin’s love… must not be used as a weapon by King Liang to plot against the Dong family. Her two uncles must not be used by King Liang like she was in her previous life and serve him like his slaves.
“Where is King Liang?” Bai Qingyan’s eyes revealed a dark gleam.
“Prince Liang came out of Shifangzhai and went straight to the palace.” said the secret guard.
After waiting for more than two hours, he went straight to the palace after meeting Dong Tingzhen?
Bai Qingyan frowned, lowered his eyes and thought carefully, and soon… he connected the two events together: Chen Zhaolu’s proposal of marriage and Prince Liang’s direct trip to the palace.
Prince Liang must have come to the palace to ask for an imperial decree granting him marriage!
Bai Qingyan clenched her fists and was about to call for people to prepare the horses, but she felt that she had to be prepared for both situations, so she quickly calculated in her mind.
“Go tell the second young lady to spread the news that Prince Liang’s mansion has purchased a large amount of saltpeter to make ice, and intends to make ice sculptures to present to the emperor to please him! Quickly! Let people praise Prince Liang for his filial piety to the emperor and set an example for all the princes!”
After the secret guard responded, he disappeared into Qinghui Courtyard.
The two maids guarding outside Qinghui Courtyard were just about to take a break and sit on a stone pier to peel some peanuts to eat. Suddenly, they heard the door of Qinghui Courtyard open. They quickly stuffed the peanuts in their handkerchiefs into their arms, bowed with sleepy eyes, and said, “What do you want, young lady?”
“Go and have someone prepare two horses and wait at the north gate!” Bai Qingyan looked at the other maid, “Go and call the fourth young lady to come to the north gate to see me!”
Today, Bai Qingyan and Bai Jinzhi were crowned princesses and county ladies. There was an endless stream of people coming to give them gifts. It would be too conspicuous to walk through the main gate, so they could only leave through the north side gate.
“yes!”
The two maids did their job quickly and efficiently.
Bai Qingyan didn’t even have time to change his clothes. He waited for Bai Jinzhi who came running in at the side door and lowered his voice to instruct him, “Go to the Prince’s Mansion and tell the Prince that it’s being rumored that Prince Liang wants to make ice sculptures himself to please the Emperor. His filial piety is a model for all the princes! Prince Liang just entered the palace, and it seems that he wants to ask the Emperor for a marriage decree to marry the daughter of Dong Qingping, the Minister of the Honglu Temple… Dong Tingzhen, the niece of Dong Qingyue, the Governor of Dengzhou. Prince Liang has begun to compete for favor in front of the Emperor, and is using marriage as a plan… His intention is to win over the military power of the Governor of Dengzhou, and his intention to seize the throne is gradually surfacing. Please be on your guard, Prince!”
“What?!” Bai Jinzhi’s eyes widened. “Sister Tingzhen is going to marry Chen Zhaolu, the grandson of Chen Taifu? Why is Prince Liang involved again?”
Bai Qingyan didn’t have time to explain to Bai Jinzhi, he just said: “Don’t ask so many questions! Go! The horse is ready outside the door.”
“Okay!” Bai Jinzhi took two steps forward and then turned back, “Eldest sister, should I ask the crown prince to come to the palace to stop it?”
“As my elder sister said, if you talk too much… it will seem deliberate, and someone will remind the prince to enter the palace!” Bai Qingyan added, “You can casually mention it to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. At the Emperor’s birthday banquet, Concubine Qiu, who was sent by Prince Liang to the Emperor’s side, repeatedly spoke out to help Prince Xian and Liu Ruofu. I wonder if Prince Liang has already won over Prince Xian in private.”
“I understand! Don’t worry, elder sister!” Bai Jinzhi ran out.
When Bai Qingyan arrived at Dong’s house on horseback, Dong Qingping was sitting under the osmanthus tree in the backyard playing chess with Dong Changyuan.
When she heard that Bai Qingyan was coming, she went straight to Dong Tingzhen. She was surprised but happy: “Didn’t we just meet these two sisters? It’s good that they are here… Let Madam prepare and invite Abao to dinner. Abao was awarded the title of princess for her martial arts. Her mother is not here, so we have to celebrate for Abao! Fortunately, Changsheng and Changqing just left with their two sisters, so they should not have arrived at Yanque Tower yet.”
Dong Qingping turned around and told his long-servant: “Go catch up with the two young men and women who went to Yanque Tower to participate in the poetry competition, and tell them that the Princess Zhenguo is here, and ask them to come back!”
There is a poetry contest going on in Yanque Tower today. Young masters and talented young men from all over the capital city have gone to join in the fun. According to custom, those who have sisters have reserved private rooms early so that the girls can also have a look and see the novelty. If they find one they like, they can make the choice for future marriage.
The first update is here! My dears! Did you know that the first three monthly votes will be updated in the next month?