The Eldest Daughter Is Beautiful and Saucy
Chapter 519: kindness
Chapter 519 Good Intentions
The blue-clothed strategist did not dare to look up when he heard Bai Qingyan’s response.
Chuntao held the teacup, walked around the black lacquered and gold-painted sandalwood pillar, and served tea to Bai Qingyan.
She picked up the teacup and said, “I thought Li Mao had learned his lesson from breaking Li Mingtang’s leg last time and knew what he could and could not do!”
The blue-robed counselor kowtowed and said, “This is all my fault. Princess, please calm down.”
“Li Mao just pushed you out like this, aren’t you afraid that I will kill you?” Bai Qingyan stroked the edge of the teacup with his fingers, staring at the blue-clothed strategist kneeling on the ground with a smile.
“It was I who came up with the idea, so I should be punished! Even if the princess kills me, it is just what she deserves!” The blue-clothed strategist answered very sincerely.
“Tell me, how are the Bai clan members who were originally expelled from the clan planning to find something to hold against me?” Bai Qingyan said slowly, blowing hot air into the cup.
“Our people are not familiar with Shuoyang, so… we just wanted to see what methods the expelled Bai clan members have. But the ideas raised by the Bai clan members can only be said to be… a small fight. They are nothing more than making a fuss about the reputation of women. It is so dirty that it is not worth mentioning.” The blue-clothed strategist answered truthfully.
Bai Qingyan nodded: “Since Li Mao sent you here, then you can stay!”
The blue-clothed strategist was stunned, not understanding… Was Bai Qingyan trying to spare his life, or did he mean something else?
“What’s your name?” Bai Qingyan asked.
“Princess, my name is Cai Ziyuan.” Cai Ziyuan answered in a low voice.
“Since you are Li Mao’s staff, you must be well educated. You should stay in the barracks and teach the new soldiers!” Bai Qingyan said, and then instructed Chuntao, “The two guards following Mr. Cai don’t have to leave. They should stay to accompany Mr. Cai, so that he won’t feel lonely in an unfamiliar place.”
Cai Ziyuan closed his eyes, he understood… As a strategist, he entered Shuoyang City, saw the situation of the Bai family in Shuoyang, heard that the people of Shuoyang were enthusiastic about sending their men and children to the new military camp, and after a little thought he understood what Bai Qingyan was planning in the future. He went back to see the Left Prime Minister… It was inevitable that he would give advice to the Left Prime Minister. If he could find something wrong with Bai Qingyan in this regard, Bai Qingyan would not let him go.
“Mr. Cai…is this arrangement okay?” Bai Qingyan asked with a smile.
“I will follow the princess’s orders!” Cai Ziyuan kowtowed.
“In that case, I will send someone to the Left Prime Minister’s residence to let him know, and thank him for his kindness in sending Mr. Cai!” Bai Qingyan put down the teacup and walked out of the main hall slowly.
When Butler Hao saw Bai Qingyan looking at him, he stepped forward quickly: “Young lady…”
“Send someone to take good care of Mr. Cai. And the two guards from the Left Prime Minister’s Mansion, send them to the new recruits camp, and let Shen Yancong take good care of them!” Bai Qingyan said, then turned around and glanced at Cai Ziyuan who was lying on the ground, “Send someone to the Left Prime Minister’s Mansion to tell him that Mr. Cai will stay in Shuoyang from now on. Thank you for your kindness in sending him away, I appreciate it.”
“I’ll follow the young lady’s instructions!” said Butler Hao.
Bai Qingyan’s military camp is currently in need of a teacher who can teach people how to read and write, and is also in need of good people who can train new recruits. Li Mao has sent all the people to Shuoyang, so wouldn’t she be letting Li Mao down if she doesn’t use them?
Bai Qingyan’s mind was still filled with stories of Rongdi looting over the years. The Rongdi looting usually took place around September, when the people of Jin had finished their autumn harvest and the Rongdi people were preparing for winter. They would take advantage of the time when their war horses were fat and strong to come and loot.
It is now the end of July. In less than two months, the Dengzhou army will probably face a tough battle. I just don’t know if my uncle will do as she said, evacuate the people, abandon the city and flee.
When Bai Qingyan returned to Boyun Courtyard from the front yard, Bai Jinzhi was sitting under a tree in the yard waiting for Bai Qingyan anxiously.
As soon as Bai Qingyan came back, Bai Jinzhi hurriedly put down the sweet white porcelain bowl of sour plum soup in her hand and ran towards Bai Qingyan: “Elder sister!”
“Are you waiting here for me?” Bai Qingyan followed Bai Jinzhi to the upper room.
Bai Jinzhi nodded, and obediently lifted the Xiangfei bamboo curtain. After Bai Qingyan entered, he also stepped into the upper room: “Last time, didn’t my elder sister ask me to deal with Bai Qiyun and not to confront the people of the clan!”
Seeing Bai Qingyan sitting down in front of the couch by the window, Bai Jinzhi also went over and sat opposite Bai Qingyan, lying on the black lacquered square table in a frivolous manner, and said: “I have racked my brains for the past few days, and finally came up with a good idea! I want Uncle Liu to set up a trap to get Bai Qiyun out of the city… Let someone pretend to be a robber and kill Bai Qiyun with a knife! In this way, if Bai Qiyun dies at the hands of the mountain bandits, it will have nothing to do with us!”
Bai Qingyan did not attack Bai Jinzhi, and asked again: “Bai Qiyun was robbed by bandits before, is he willing to leave the city? What trap do you plan to set up with Uncle Liu? How to set it up? Have you thought about it?”
Bai Jinzhi was a little confused by Bai Qingyan’s question. After thinking for a while, he said to Bai Qingyan, “This Wu Guanshi said that Bai Qiyun seemed to want to know whether we found the silver notes that we got from our Bai family when we went to suppress the bandits last time in Dadu City! What do you think of me using this matter to set up a trap?”
Bai Qingyan nodded: “Of course, you can think about how to set up the situation. There is no need to be so anxious. You can use Butler Hao and Uncle Liu. I believe in you.”
When Bai Jinzhi heard Bai Qingyan say “I trust you”, she straightened her back unconsciously. The gentle smile in her elder sister’s eyes was not just coaxing a child. Her elder sister believed in her as always, so she must do it well to show her!
“Oh! I almost forgot something!” Bai Jinzhi hurriedly took out a letter from his sleeve and handed it to Bai Qingyan. “I went to the parade grounds early this morning and on the way back I met Yue Shi who was in a hurry. Yue Shi said that Mr. Xiao had asked him to come to the Bai Mansion to deliver a letter to my elder sister. Seeing that he was in a hurry, I volunteered to take the job and delivered the letter to my elder sister.”
Bai Qingyan took the letter. Perhaps because she and Xiao Rongyan had already decided to spend their lives together, she was afraid that Xiao Rongyan might write something in the letter that would be read by Bai Jinzhi. She said to Bai Jinzhi, “Go back when you are okay and spend more time with Third Aunt!”
“Eldest sister wants to read the letter secretly! Okay… I’m leaving!” Bai Jinzhi smiled secretly and bowed to Bai Qingyan, then walked out of Boyun Courtyard happily and trotted towards her mother’s yard.
Bai Qingyan leaned against the translucent diamond-shaped window lattice and waited until Bai Jinzhi stepped out of the courtyard before he opened the letter in his hand.
When Bai Qingyan saw Xiao Rongyan’s iron-like and silver-like handwriting, a smile appeared between his brows.
In the letter, Xiao Rongyan told Bai Qingyan that he had racked his brains for the past few days but could not think of an excuse to visit her. He could not break into Bai’s house at night, nor could he come too often, as he missed Bai Qingyan very much.
He said that he would set out for Rongdi early tomorrow morning, and he was too busy today to come and say goodbye to Bai Qingyan in person. He hoped that Bai Qingyan would take care of himself and not overwork himself, and wait for him to return to Shuoyang.
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