Chapter 112: 111: The Grandiose Hall_1

Chapter 112: Chapter 111: The Grandiose Hall_1

Just not sure which prince the emperor would let accompany her. If it were King Qi, that would be fine; if it were King Liang…

Bai Qingyan stared at the flickering candlelight in the mourning hall, a killing intent reflected in her eyes. The military merits could still be offered to King Liang, but King Liang’s life would have to stay in the Southern Border.

However, if King Liang stayed in the capital, Bai Qingyan might not be able to leave without worries.

She would have to think of a way. Either keep King Liang in the capital or take his life to the Southern Border.

“Though His Majesty posthumously honored King of Zhen! But the deceased is already gone… All funeral rites should be simplified!” The Eldest Princess held the Imperial Edict in her hands, looking at the courtyard full of coffins, closing her eyes as tears streamed down her face. “Let the heroes of our Duke’s Mansion be buried soon for their peace!”

The Eldest Princess walked to the front of the mourning hall, looking at the memorial tablets of the Duke of Zhen’s Mansion, her heart full of guilt.

...

If only she could have used the secret guards of the Imperial Family when her husband went on the expedition, maybe she could have saved at least one person!

“Don’t worry, His Majesty has not forgotten your merits! The people have not forgotten your kindness! Rest in peace! I will guard the Bai family for you! Guard…”

Before she could finish her words, the Eldest Princess, with a face waxy yellow and bloodless, seemed to lose support and staggered backward.

“Grandmother!”

“Mother!”

“Eldest Princess!”

“Quick! Call the Imperial Physician!”

The mourning hall descended into chaos due to the Eldest Princess’s sudden fainting. The people who came to pay respects to the Duke of Zhen’s family at the mansion’s entrance felt their hearts tighten again.

The Duke’s Mansion must not have another incident!

Only Qin Lang was left to look after the mourning hall. Qin Lang, filled with worry for his father, Marquis of Loyalty and Courage, Qin Dezhao, and for Eldest Princess, had an uneasy look on his face.

Changshou Courtyard was packed with people.

It wasn’t until the Imperial Physician and Doctor Hong diagnosed her, stating that the Eldest Princess was only excessively worried and had not rested well in recent days, that everyone in the room finally relaxed.

“Princely Heir’s wife does not need to worry. I will prescribe some medicine, and the Eldest Princess will just need to rest quietly,” said the Imperial Physician respectfully to Mrs. Dong.

“Thank you, Imperial Physician!” Mrs. Dong nodded with reddened eyes.

“Since mother is fine, let the children go to the front mourning hall. It’s not appropriate to leave only the second uncle there…” Mrs. Li dabbed her eyes with a handkerchief and discussed with Mrs. Dong.

“Nanny Qin, go and tell the children that mother is fine and let them go to the front. They don’t need to stay here anymore!” Mrs. Dong said to Nanny Qin.

Nanny Qin complied and left the main room hurriedly, heading to the warm chamber of the side hall in Changshou Courtyard to inform the girls of the Imperial Physician’s words.

Bai Qingyan nodded. “That is good, Nanny Qin, please convey to my mother that we sisters are here in the mourning hall. She and aunt should take good care of grandmother. Grandmother is the backbone of our Duke’s Mansion and must not collapse.”

She stood up with Chun Tao’s help and looked at her three younger sisters, whose faces were white from the cold and had not yet recovered. “Fifth, Sixth, Seventh, rest here for an hour. Have someone bring them a bowl of hot sheep’s milk and some snacks to tide them over. They must not go hungry while they are still growing!”

Nanny Qin, wiping her tears, nodded repeatedly. “Alright, eldest young lady, you can be assured.”

After leaving Changshou Courtyard, Bai Jinxiu, who was walking beside Bai Qingyan, frowned and said, “Eldest young lady, the punishment for King Xin in the edict is different from what you mentioned when you returned. After carefully thinking about the edict, I can’t figure out what the emperor is plotting.”

“The Southern Border has been badly defeated. Although the emperor sent people to negotiate peace ahead of time, stabilizing the situation, he secretly met with the Minister of Revenue before the palace gates closed yesterday, likely preparing for a tough battle.”

Bai Jinxiu widened her eyes. “Could it be…”

She nodded. “On that day in the main hall, I told the emperor that I was willing to go to the Southern Border and let the military merits be given to the emperor’s prince…”

“Eldest young lady!” Bai Jinxiu’s heart sank as she grasped Bai Qingyan’s hand tightly.

“Why?!” The fourth girl, Bai Jinzhi, couldn’t contain herself and rushed to Bai Qingyan, shouting, “Why should the eldest young lady give the military merits to the prince?!”

“Why are you yelling?” Bai Jintong pulled Bai Jinzhi back. “Keep your voice down!”

Bai Jintong knew very well that the eldest young lady must go to the Southern Border, no matter the method.

Bai Qingyan smiled and patted Bai Jinxiu’s hand. “I have lost all my martial arts skills. Even if I go, I will only strategize. Don’t worry. This time, the emperor heavily punished King Xin to show goodwill to the Bai family.”

The emperor sent King Xin as a supervisor, intending to let his prince gain military merits. Her concession… catered precisely to the emperor’s interests. The emperor would not disagree.

“But why?!” Bai Jinzhi bit her lips hard, her eyes red. “Eldest young lady, your health is already poor. Why should you give the military merits to that dog emperor’s son?!”

Bai Qingyan looked at Bai Jinzhi’s angry face with a calm heart.

In front of the emperor, she made her reasons for going to the Southern Border sound grandiose, claiming it was to guard the mountains and rivers that the Bai family had protected for generations, and thus she could hand over the military merits willingly.

But in reality, her trip to the Southern Border was to establish the Bai family’s foundation and to tell the Bai family army, and the soldiers of Jin, that the Bai family would always share life and death with them.

“Once the dust settles and I return from the Southern Border, I will use the military merits to trade with the emperor for a favor, so that your second sister can become the first wife of distinguished rank in the capital! I believe the emperor won’t refuse. We won’t lose out.”

“Eldest young lady?!” Bai Jinxiu looked surprised.

Bai Jinzhi’s furrowed brows relaxed in amazement.

With the second sister becoming a first wife of distinguished rank, that meant Qin Lang…

Bai Jintong, always perceptive, lowered her voice. “Are you saying you want to secure the position of Marquis of Loyalty and Courage for second sister’s husband?”

“Qin Dezhao dared to tamper with the provisions in the Southern Border. Who can deny that he is not colluding with the already treacherous Liu Huanzhang? After all, Liu Huanzhang, under the guise of being besieged with provisions in Fengcheng, deceived our grandfather. The military records even state that Liu Huanzhang told the provisions officer in Fengcheng that the supplies were delivered directly to the camp! Who would believe they had no contact?”

“Exactly!” Bai Jinzhi’s eyes shone. “How would Liu Huanzhang know the provisions were problematic? That only proves Qin Dezhao had colluded with Liu Huanzhang long ago and knew the details!”

Bai Qingyan smiled at Bai Jinzhi. “You see… if even Little Fourth can think of this, others can too, can’t they?”

“But… if it turns out to be true, wouldn’t it implicate second sister?!” Bai Jinzhi asked again.

“Qin Dezhao may not be exceptionally smart, but he’s not foolish enough to drag the Marquis of Loyalty and Courage Mansion into such a plight!”

“Eldest young lady, the carriage is ready.” Nanny Tong came forward holding a black cloak, bowing.

“Are you going out, eldest young lady? Where to?” Bai Jinxiu asked.