Chapter 274 - 274 272 Bound to Accompany_1

Chapter 274: Chapter 272: Bound to Accompany_1 Chapter 274: Chapter 272: Bound to Accompany_1 He lowered his voice and said, “My lady, I’m afraid you have misunderstood me. I hold no inappropriate thoughts about Fourth Miss Bai. I am much older than her, and my health is fragile. I only thought about my family in this matter…”

“If a daughter of the Bai family does not marry, then she does not marry. If she marries, it must be to someone she genuinely likes to spend her life with. If anyone intends to exploit my fourth sister’s happiness, I, Bai Qingyan, will not hesitate to fight until the end…”

Bai Qingyan’s voice was very low. With these words directed at Emperor Yan, it could be considered a threat.

To Bai Qingyan, she feared Xiao Rongyan in her heart. If it concerned herself, she could retreat or concede. But if it concerned her sister, Bai Qingyan would not back down in the slightest.

Xiao Rongyan’s ears twitched. He quietly lowered his eyes and drank his tea.

“I prefer to state unpleasant truths upfront. If Emperor Yan feels offended, please forgive me!” Bai Qingyan nodded slightly towards Murong Yu, but her attitude was very arrogant. “The reason Bai Qingyan guided Yan soldiers to take Nanyan without a fight was because it benefited the people of Nanyan. Moreover, taking Nanyan had no direct impact on me. But if Yan wants to take advantage and meddle in my fourth sister’s marriage, I don’t mind causing trouble for Yan.”

Looking at the confrontational Bai Qingyan across from him, the warm smile on Murong Yu’s face gradually disappeared.

Although the Yan Kingdom was weak, Murong Yu was still an emperor. When it came to national safety, how could he not take it seriously?

Bai Qingyan had a weakness, and that was her family. As the eldest sister, ensuring her sisters’ safety and happiness was a belief ingrained in her very bones.

If Emperor Yan dared to target her sister, even if it meant standing against Xiao Rongyan, she would not fear.

Family could sometimes be a weakness, but it could also be armor, making one fearless of life and death.

“My lady, your words are… a bit too arrogant,” Murong Yu said with a cold smile.

Bai Qingyan smiled, suppressing her anger, and coldly said, “Xiao Rongyan… Murong Yan, does Emperor Yan really think he’s a step ahead in this game, with the Ninth Prince acting in secret unnoticed?”

Murong Yu’s palms tightened, and a hint of murderous intent flashed in his eyes.

“Bai Qingyan has no intention of interfering with your national plans nor causing trouble for your country. But please, Emperor Yan, do not overreach. If Emperor Yan and the Ninth Prince truly wish to clash with Bai Qingyan, I will not disappoint and will definitely accompany them!”

Murong Yu understood. Bai Qingyan meant that if he dared to seek the Jin Kingdom’s emperor to marry the fourth Miss Bai on behalf of his brother, the eldest Miss Bai would take action against the Yan Kingdom.

If another daughter had said such things, Murong Yu might not have cared. But… the eldest daughter of the Duke of Zhen’s Bai family, although all the men in the Bai family had gone, the woman before him had already shown her capability and depth through the Southern Border war, through Xiao Rongyan’s identity, and through this game where she could turn the tides with a flick of her wrist.

The Yan Kingdom was currently weak, and they sent envoys to the Jin Kingdom purely to gain time to gather strength. Murong Yu did not want any extra complications.

Murong Yu had always been patient. He looked at Bai Qingyan’s stunningly beautiful features and asked in a low voice, “Why doesn’t the Princess of Zhen ask the fourth Miss Bai herself? Perhaps… the fourth Miss Bai is willing?”

“Why doesn’t Emperor Yan ask your brother if the currently impoverished Yan Kingdom can fight me?”

Bai Qingyan said with a hint of menace, placing a white stone down on the board before standing up and bowing to Murong Yu. She looked towards Xiao Rongyan, “Mr. Xiao, please dock the boat.”

Bai Jinzhi, who was chatting, was stunned. She could tell her elder sister was angry. She glanced towards the emperor of Yan, “Eldest Young Lady…”

Xiao Rongyan stood up and smiled, “Does the princess feel stifled? How about going to the upper deck? It’s more open there…”

Seeing the game change yet again, Murong Yu suppressed his shock and got up with a smile, maintaining his composure as he bowed deeply to Bai Qingyan, “If anything I said offended the princess, please forgive me.”

Dong Changsheng stood up in shock. He did not expect the Emperor of Yan to bow deeply and apologize to Bai Qingyan without a trace of imperial dignity.

Since Bai Qingyan had already torn all pretenses with the emperor of Yan, she did not mind making it even uglier, letting the emperor know that she would never allow interference in Bai Jinzhi’s marriage.

It was said that those with nothing to lose did not fear those with everything. The emperor of Yan had a country behind him, which alone made the emperor not dare to gamble with Bai Qingyan.

Bai Qingyan looked at Xiao Rongyan with a smile, “Or is it that once on Mr. Xiao’s boat, there’s no getting off?”

The old eunuch Feng Yao, who had been by Murong Li’s side, lifted his eyes to look at Bai Qingyan, who showed no respect to the emperor of Yan. His palm tightened, and his gaze turned hostile, shifting between Bai Qingyan and Emperor Murong Yu, seemingly waiting for Murong Yu’s orders.

“Or is it…” Bai Qingyan fixed her gaze on Feng Yao and then on Murong Yu, “Does the Emperor of Yan really dare to order the killing of the Princess of Zhen and the County Lord of Gaoyi in the capital of the Jin Kingdom?”

Xiao Rongyan could feel the raging anger in Bai Qingyan’s heart.

He did not expect his elder brother to have such an unpleasant first encounter with Bai Qingyan.

Murong Yu’s hands, clasped behind his back, tightened. It seemed that if he indeed sought the emperor of the Jin Kingdom to marry the fourth Miss Bai for Xiao Rongyan, this eldest Miss Bai would truly fight to the death.

“Emperor Yan?” Dong Tingyu widened her eyes at Murong Yu.

Dong Tingzhen looked uneasily at Bai Qingyan. She had never seen her cousin so out of control, “Cousin?”

“Cousin.” Dong Changsheng hurriedly stood up, trying to mediate, “Cousin, calm down. Mr. Xiao, please dock the boat.”

Realizing what was going on, Bai Jinzhi immediately ran to Bai Qingyan’s side, warily looking at Murong Yu, her hand already gripping the small dagger at her waist.

Seeing Bai Jinzhi’s protective stance towards Bai Qingyan, Murong Yu did not want to trouble Xiao Rongyan, so he said, “Mr. Xiao, dock the boat! If anything I said offended the princess today, please forgive me.”

Xiao Rongyan stepped forward and bowed deeply, “May I ask the Princess of Zhen to speak privately…”

Bai Qingyan did not oblige, “It is improper and there is nothing to hide. If Mr. Xiao has something to say, please speak openly!”

“Brother, our boat has followed us!” Dong Tingzhen tugged on Dong Changsheng’s sleeve.

“Eldest Young Lady?” Bai Jinzhi seemed to be asking for Bai Qingyan’s opinion.

She kept a straight face and did not change her expression, “Since Mr. Xiao is unwilling to dock, we will wait for the Dong family’s boat to arrive, and then we shall take our leave…”

“I ask the princess to consider that Xiao Rongyan once helped save the fourth lady of the Bai Mansion and grant me a word in private.” Xiao Rongyan’s posture was extremely humble.

Xiao Rongyan had not only saved the fourth aunt but also Bai Qingjue.

Seeing that Bai Qingyan did not refuse, Xiao Rongyan made a gesture of invitation to Bai Qingyan.

Having already vented her anger, it seemed that the emperor of Yan understood her stance, aware that the Bai family was not truly left without anyone and could not be manipulated as pawns.