Chapter 275 - 275 273 The Husbands Responsibility Falters -

Chapter 275: Chapter 273: The Husband’s Responsibility Falters – 1 Chapter 275: Chapter 273: The Husband’s Responsibility Falters – 1 She suppressed her anger, gave a shallow bow to Xiao Rongyan, and restrained her aggression. “Mr. Xiao has shown great kindness to the Bai family. Bai Qingyan will never forget it. There’s no need for Mr. Xiao to try to console me.”

After speaking, Bai Qingyan turned to Murong Yu and bowed. “If I have offended in any way, I ask for Your Majesty’s forgiveness.”

Murong Yu’s smile deepened. “Today, there is no Emperor here. Commandery Princess, you don’t need to be so formal. I have also been at fault. Let us forgive each other.”

Before the atmosphere on the pleasure boat could lighten, Yue Shi came in and bowed. “Master, another pleasure boat is approaching. It claims to be from the Dong family.”

“In that case, I shall take my leave first,” Bai Qingyan said as she bowed, looking at Dong Changsheng. “Cousin!”

Dong Changsheng gave an awkward smile. Since the atmosphere was already so tense, it was better to leave early. He cupped his hands to the Emperor of Yan and Xiao Rongyan, then bowed. “Then we shall take our leave.”

Murong Yu’s eyes darkened. He nodded and led Murong Li upstairs.

Dong Tingzhen watched the Emperor of Yan go upstairs, then took her two half-sisters and bowed before walking out of the pleasure boat. Bai Jinzhi also pressed her lips together and cupped her hands at Xiao Rongyan before walking outside.

Dong Changsheng boarded his family’s pleasure boat first, reaching out to help his sisters down from Xiao Rongyan’s boat.

Bai Qingyan nodded at Xiao Rongyan, just about to lift her foot to step out of the pleasure boat when Xiao Rongyan grabbed her wrist and pulled her back inside.

Her back lightly hit the wooden board, and although Bai Qingyan felt pain, she was not afraid. She suppressed her anger and looked up at Xiao Rongyan, who was very close to her. She knew Xiao Rongyan had exceptional hearing; he must have heard her threatening the Emperor of Yan earlier.

She glanced outside, seeing that Dong Changsheng and Dong Changyuan were helping Dong Tingzhen onto the Dong family’s pleasure boat, not noticing them. Only then did she lower her voice and say, “Mr. Xiao knows I, Bai Qingyan, always keep my word. If the Emperor dares to have designs on my fourth sister, don’t blame me for being ruthless.”

Xiao Rongyan’s grip on Bai Qingyan’s slender wrist tightened, his fingers rubbing her wrist bone. His deep, rich voice dropped to almost a whisper. “That is not my intention.”

“No matter whose intention it is, it makes no difference to me! Everyone has their bottom line. Do not push the Yan people too far! Behind me is only the Bai family, but behind you is all of Yan!” Bai Qingyan struggled to pull her hand out of Xiao Rongyan’s grip, but she couldn’t, and her anger grew. “Let go!”

Xiao Rongyan took a step closer to Bai Qingyan. She had no room to retreat and bit her lip tightly, her hand pressed against Xiao Rongyan’s chest, which was too close.

“Is your anger because my brother has intentions toward your fourth sister, or… because you think I have intentions toward your fourth sister?” Xiao Rongyan’s eyes held an inexplicable smile.

“Is there a difference?” she countered.

Xiao Rongyan took another step closer, the distance becoming uncomfortably intimate. He said in a husky voice, “There is a difference! A very big difference! Miss Bai, you are such a clever person; surely you aren’t pretending to be ignorant with me?”

The clear, crisp aura from Xiao Rongyan approached, and Bai Qingyan held her breath lightly, her eyelashes trembling.

He was just one step away from breaking the delicate balance.

The former was to protect her sister. The latter… was because of him.

“Where’s Eldest Young Lady?” Bai Jinzhi turned back and didn’t see Bai Qingyan.

Bai Qingyan shivered and pushed Xiao Rongyan away, straightening her clothes as she came out of the pleasure boat.

When Dong Changyuan saw Bai Qingyan, his eyes filled with an uncontainable smile. Excitedly, he approached Bai Qingyan and extended his hand. “Cousin…”

Bai Qingyan held onto Dong Changyuan and Dong Changsheng’s hands as she stepped from Xiao Rongyan’s pleasure boat to the Dong family’s pleasure boat.

Xiao Rongyan squinted his eyes, looking at the slightly hostile gaze of Dong Changyuan, and smiled calmly.

Feng Yao, standing beside the tea-drinking Emperor of Yan, spoke softly. “Your Majesty, should we find a way to deal with this Bai Qingyan?”

Feng Yao had heard about the events on the South Border battlefield and still harbored some apprehension toward Bai Qingyan.

“We have come to the Jin Kingdom for peace, not to create enmities…” Murong Yu carefully pondered Bai Qingyan’s words, sensing that as long as her family was not harmed, Bai Qingyan had no intention of opposing Yan.

Moreover, the bloodless recovery of the South Border was indeed suggested by Bai Qingyan.

This meant, Bai Qingyan didn’t care about the interests of the Jin Kingdom either.

Murong Li glanced at the slowly receding Dong family’s pleasure boat and pressed his lips together. He hadn’t had the chance to speak with Young General Bai of the Bai family today.

“Father, is Young General Bai angry because you wanted to arrange a marriage for Fourth Sister on behalf of Uncle?”

No sooner had Murong Li spoken than Xiao Rongyan boarded the upper floor.

“Uncle!” Murong Li stood up, smiling.

After bowing to Murong Yu, Xiao Rongyan solemnly said, “Brother, please don’t play matchmaker recklessly.”

If Murong Yu still didn’t understand who Xiao Rongyan was in love with by now, he would be a fool.

“This Princess of Zhen is not someone I can ask for on your behalf. The Emperor of Jin would never let the Princess marry out.” Murong Yu set down his teacup and gazed at his younger brother with a warm smile.

Just now, seeing Bai Jinzhi’s lively personality, Murong Yu had wondered how Bai Jinzhi could ever speak of… chivalrous small deeds, helping the weak, chivalrous great deeds, saving the people.

Later, Bai Qingyan revealed Bai Jinzhi’s sharpness, saying that because it was to the benefit of the common people of Nanyan when Yan took Nanyan, Murong Yu then slightly understood that Yue Shi might have mistaken the person.

Now, hearing Xiao Rongyan say he should not play matchmaker recklessly, Murong Yu finally understood completely.

“So, the Princess of Zhen knows your identity and has developed feelings for you. That’s why she’s so angry?” Murong Yu asked.

“Brother, you are her elder brother; she is the Eldest Young Lady… in protecting siblings, I believe you can understand her anger.” Xiao Rongyan smiled.

“Ah… Uncle likes Young General Bai!” Murong Li suddenly realized, “Uncle, will Young General Bai be my Aunt in the future?”

Murong Yu tapped his fingers on the table, pondered for a moment, and sighed. “A Yan, if it were anyone else, Brother could think of a way, but if it is Bai Qingyan… consider her title, Princess of Zhen… the Emperor of Jin would never easily let her marry out.”

“I know what I am doing.”

Seeing Xiao Rongyan seemed determined, Murong Yu didn’t want to upset his younger brother, laughing as he ruffled Murong Li’s hair. “Looks like I will have to find an opportunity to apologize properly to your future Aunt, so as not to affect your Uncle’s lifelong happiness! Your Uncle found such a formidable Aunt for you, I’m afraid the family hierarchy might be disrupted in the future!”

Although he said so, Murong Yu was still uneasy in his heart. Bai Qingyan had a special status and extraordinary abilities; his brother’s lifelong matter… might not be resolved easily.

Feng Yao suddenly realized. So… the young master actually liked Bai Qingyan.

Xiao Rongyan sat down, picked up a teacup, and changed the topic. “Has Brother sent someone to meet the Rong envoy?”