The Eldest Daughter Is Beautiful and Saucy
Chapter 488: Left Prime Minister Li’s Mansion
Chapter 488: Left Prime Minister Li’s Mansion
After not hearing Bai Qingyan speak for a long while, Manager Wu was about to secretly glance at Bai Qingyan, but when he raised his eyes to Bai Qingyan’s deerskin boots, he heard Bai Qingyan clearing his throat. He was so frightened that he dared not raise his head and stared at the floor without moving.
Manager Wu had been to the Bai family’s ancestral home before, so he knew how magnificent it was with its green bricks and blue tiles, carved beams and painted rafters. There were all black lacquered and gold-painted nanmu pillars, and all the furnishings were extraordinary. Every object on display had a history and age. Even the dozen or so bronze lamps with winding branches were hundreds of years old, showing everywhere that the Bai family’s heritage was unfathomable.
But I don’t know whether it was because the original owner had returned or because it had been renovated, but when he stepped into the main hall again, Manager Wu’s palms were sweating. Without even looking up, he felt suffocated by the grandeur of the main hall and his back straightened.
Bai Qingyan straightened his cuffs with dark blue patterns and silver thread, and asked in his usual calm voice, “What’s the important matter, Manager Wu?”
Just from these few words, Manager Wu could sense the condescending tone, which was completely different from the friendly expression of King Zhenguo before.
Now, Manager Wu finally understood that the Princess of the Bai family would not give the clan… the respect that the King of the State gave to the clan was based on blood ties, but this Princess of the State was talking about hierarchy. If you displease this Princess of the State, you might be dragged away and beaten to death.
Manager Wu kowtowed hurriedly, his attitude becoming more solemn and respectful: “To Princess Zhenguo, I came here this time because before Princess Zhenguo and her family returned to Shuoyang, someone from the capital city tried to find out something about the princess in front of the clan leader… the former clan leader! That person probably heard that you, the princess, had punished the former clan leader and expelled many clan members, so he contacted various places… intending to join forces with the expelled Bai clan members to deal with you!”
Bai Qingyan half-lowered his eyes and did not express anything. Chuntao stepped forward, took the teacup from the black lacquered and gold-painted square plate from the maid, and handed it to Bai Qingyan.
She held the teacup and drank it intermittently.
Without waiting for Bai Qingyan to ask further questions, Wu Guanshi’s forehead was covered with beads of sweat. His eyes rolled around, and he continued, “At first, that person went to find Bai Qiyun, the eldest son of the former clan leader. Bai Qiyun was very excited and took those people to discuss this with the former clan leader. He was scolded by the former clan leader, who said… Now the second son is the clan leader, and the Bai family will prosper and suffer together.”
Bai Qingyan looked at Manager Wu who was kneeling in the main hall. He wondered whether Manager Wu was sent by the former clan leader to seek peace or if he had other plans. So he simply drank his tea and waited for Manager Wu to finish his words.
Without hearing Bai Qingyan’s response, Wu Guanshi became more and more unsure, and his voice lost its confidence: “Later, I was cautious, and when I sent those people who came to seek cooperation out, I said… Since you are here to cooperate, it would be too insincere if you don’t introduce yourself! After the princess brought the women of the Bai family in Dadu back to Shuoyang, those people came again and introduced themselves as being from the residence of the Left Prime Minister Li!”
Hearing the slight knocking sound of Bai Qingyan’s teacup on the mahogany table, Manager Wu was frightened and shuddered. He kowtowed hurriedly, knocking his head hard on the ground, making him dizzy.
“I’ve introduced myself as the Left Prime Minister Li’s mansion. Do you have any concrete evidence?” Bai Qingyan lowered his eyes and looked at Manager Wu, who was shaking all the time and wished he could curl himself up into a ball.
“To the Princess, that person showed the clan leader the token of the Zuo Xiang Mansion and said…Princess, you broke the legs of the Zuo Xiang’s youngest son, so you don’t have to doubt the sincerity of the Zuo Xiang Mansion in cooperating with you. Now those people have rented a yard in Fenxiang, Shuoyang City. It seems that they are going to stay in Shuoyang City for a long time to search for evidence against you, Princess.” After saying this, Manager Wu kowtowed again, “If you don’t believe me, you can send someone to check it out!”
Bai Qingyan gently stroked the sweet white glaze teacup in his hand, and after a moment of silence, he asked, “Manager Wu, what kind of reward do you want for coming to me to talk about this matter?”
Manager Wu lowered his head very low and said, “My dear Princess Zhenguo, my ancestors are also considered elders of the Bai family. My grandfather originally stayed in Shuoyang to follow the head of the Bai family’s direct branch, and later followed the former head of the family. If I can serve the princess, I will definitely sacrifice my life for the Bai family!”
Bai Qingyan looked at Manager Wu, whose back was tense, with a half-smile, and blew a breath into the teacup slowly: “If that’s the case, I wonder if Manager Wu is willing to stay by Bai Qiyun’s side and keep an eye on Bai Qiyun for me, and report to me at any time if anything happens?”
Manager Wu was stunned. This was different from what he had expected. He thought that Bai Qingyan would arrange him into the Bai Mansion no matter what.
However, if I miss this opportunity, it will be difficult to see Bai Qingyan again in the future.
Manager Wu made up his mind and kowtowed to Bai Qingyan: “I will definitely live up to the princess’s trust!”
“Chun Tao, have someone send Manager Wu out! Don’t let anyone know about Manager Wu’s visit today!” Bai Qingyan stood up and walked out as soon as he finished speaking.
Manager Wu didn’t dare to stand up. He knelt on the ground and kowtowed. He saw Bai Qingyan’s shadow, which was elongated by the afterglow of the setting sun, move away from the corner of his eye. He turned half a circle in Bai Qingyan’s direction, and respectfully saw Bai Qingyan off from the main hall before he dared to raise his head.
Although Bai Qing said that his visit should not be spread, in front of the Bai Mansion is Yangming Street, the busiest street in Shuoyang City, with many people coming and going all day long. His kneeling in front of the door of the Bai Mansion just now alarmed the sword-carrying guards of the Bai family, and many people must have seen the movement in front of the Bai Mansion.
If he really wanted to return to Bai Qiyun, Manager Wu would have to think of a very appropriate excuse for what happened today.
Seeing that Bai Qiyun, the “future clan leader”, could not be expelled from the clan, Manager Wu could only plan his own future. Before coming, he had thought that Bai Qingyan would not use him easily. Now that he was asked to stay with Bai Qiyun, perhaps this was a test of his ability to do things by Bai Qingyan.
Bai Qingyan stepped out of the main hall, his dark eyes as calm as water. He turned his head and told Chuntao to ask Butler Hao to check whether the person who rented a yard in Fenxiang yesterday was from the Zuo Xiang Mansion.
If Li Mao really reached out to Shuoyang, even breaking his son’s legs would not make him learn his lesson. Bai Qingyan would need more drastic measures to make Li Mao behave himself.
As dusk fell, a maid in the Bai Mansion, who was dressed in a green silk dress, used insect repellent incense in her hand to drive away the mosquitoes in the corridor, and then let down the gauze curtain and Xiang Fei’s bamboo curtain that were held up by copper hooks.
The maid who lit the lamps lit up the hexagonal sheepskin lanterns hanging under the corridor one by one. The lanterns swayed in the breeze and reflected the bluestone floor of the corridor. The yellow light flickered through the Xiangfei bamboo curtain, and moths flying to the fire flapped their wings outside the bamboo curtain.
On both sides of the corridor, there are weeping willows and tall locust trees, fragrant flowers and plants, and gurgling water.
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