Chapter 346 - 346 343 Intervention_1

Chapter 346: Chapter 343: Intervention_1 Chapter 346: Chapter 343: Intervention_1 Bai Qingyan thought of the Wei Kingdom neighboring Yan. The Emperor of Wei… was a man who couldn’t bear losing any advantage.

Xiliang was overwhelmed with its own issues now. If the Wei Kingdom knew that Yan’s main forces were tethered by the Rong, and the Jin Kingdom was entangled with Daliang, would they not covet Yan’s territories?

She raised her head and looked at Xiao Rongyan. “Mr. Xiao, it’s been a while since you returned to your homeland. If Daliang and the Jin Kingdom actually go to war, what will the Wei Kingdom do? The Wei Kingdom borders both Xiliang and Yan. The Emperor of Wei… is never content with the status quo.”

Xiao Rongyan nodded. “Indeed. Though our Emperor of Wei has no ambition to unify the world, he does aspire to dominate the realms. Thus, he may take some action.”

Hence, Xiao Rongyan had already sent people back to Wei to make arrangements. He would be informed as soon as there was any news.

In a few days, after Bai Qingyan returned to Shuoyang, Xiao Rongyan would also leave Dadu.

Xiao Rongyan thought of what Bai Qingyan had said that day. She was struggling in the Jin Kingdom, as was Yan among the other nations. They were all walking on thin ice. Love… was unsuitable for them at this time, though it might fit in their future.

“Miss Bai and Miss Bai…” Steward Hao entered and greeted them, then nodded at Xiao Rongyan. “Nanny Jiang from the Eldest Princess’s side has invited the Clan Leader and the elders to Changshou Courtyard.”

Because Xiao Rongyan was present, Steward Hao spoke implicitly.

In fact, that morning, the Clan Leader of the Shuoyang Clan had already brought the elders to make a scene, which had alarmed the Eldest Princess.

Earlier, when Bai Qingyan and Bai Jinzhi had just welcomed Xiao Rongyan into the residence, the clan members came causing trouble again.

The Eldest Princess must have gotten word. Nanny Jiang arrived quickly, saying the Eldest Princess ordered the Clan Leader and elders to go to Changshou Courtyard.

She lifted her head and looked at Steward Hao.

So, did this mean that Grandmother intended to intervene?

Xiao Rongyan stood and bowed to Bai Qingyan and Bai Jinzhi. “Since there are matters at the Commandery Princess’s residence, I will not linger.”

“Steward Hao, see Mr. Xiao off.”

“Yes!” Steward Hao smiled at Xiao Rongyan. “Mr. Xiao, please.”

Bai Jinzhi stood up, escorted Xiao Rongyan to the main hall’s entrance, then hurriedly returned. She frowned and asked Bai Qingyan, “Eldest Young Lady, should we go over and have a look?”

The clan causing trouble was because Bai Qingyan’s mother, Mrs. Dong, intended to separate from the clan. This matter had already been reported to the Eldest Princess.

Now, with Grandmother summoning the clan, was it to discuss the separation or to reprimand the clan and maintain the status quo?

Bai Qingyan lowered her eyes, her fingers gently stroking the table’s edge. After a long while, she stood up, saying, “Let’s go see…”

Inside Changshou Courtyard.

Due to the differences in status, the Clan Leader and elders were all seated outside the screen.

The furnishings in the Eldest Princess’s upper room of Changshou Courtyard were luxurious.

Beaded curtains made of white jade and red agate, and extremely clear and smooth jade vases. Any one of these pieces would be considered a priceless heirloom.

The Clan Leader’s emotions churned. Though Bai Weiting was no longer around, the foundation of the Bai family in Dadu City remained.

Some elders, thinking of the silver taels stolen from the Clan Leader’s son, Bai Qiyun, felt a pang in their teeth. It seemed Bai Qiyun had been deceived by the Bai family in Dadu. Last time, when the Bai family sold off assets, they hadn’t really touched the core of the Bai family’s foundation in Dadu City.

Through the screen inlaid with jade, they could faintly see the Eldest Princess sitting inside, gently stirring the Buddha beads wrapped around her wrist. On a small agarwood table beside her was a three-legged gilded mythical beast incense burner, from which a wisp of white smoke rose, filling the room with the heavy and profound scent of sandalwood.

“No matter how you write it, ‘Bai’ is still part of the same family name. Though the Commandery Princess is a noble, she is also of the Bai family. How could she not hope for the Bai family’s prosperity? Why would she have Master Zhou imprison her own cousins?! Even if Ah Jie and the others were insensible and offended the Commandery Princess, for family’s sake, shouldn’t she overlook it somewhat? How did it come to this?”

The Clan Leader continued to complain to the Eldest Princess, but she, like an old monk in meditation, did not respond.

“Mrs. Dong, as the Bai family’s daughter-in-law, spoke of severing ties with the ancestors and requested to leave the clan. Is leaving the clan a joke? Now, the Bai family in Dadu has only an orphan and a widow. Even if Mrs. Dong wants to leave the clan, how can the clan bear to let them go? If they truly left the clan, wouldn’t the world ridicule the Bai family?”

The Eldest Princess paused her bead counting, picked up a teacup from the small table and took a sip.

The Clan Leader, dry-mouthed, wanted tea. Only then did he realize that the Eldest Princess hadn’t ordered anyone to serve them tea.

Setting down the blue and white porcelain cup with gold, the Eldest Princess spoke gently, “Does the Bai family in Dadu owe the clan a favor?”

The Clan Leader was stunned.

“I’m still an Eldest Princess of the Jin Kingdom and haven’t died yet! But you all act as if you can bully my daughter-in-law and grandchildren. If I were dead, wouldn’t you swallow them whole?”

The Eldest Princess’s face remained calm. Even her voice carried the tranquility forged from years of reciting Buddhist scriptures.

The sound of her bead counting came with her words, startling the Clan Leader, who knelt, clutching his cane, and said, “Eldest Princess, please discern clearly. The clan has no such intentions!”

The elders followed suit, kneeling to apologize to the Eldest Princess.

“The clan knows well how much it has benefited from the Bai family’s prominence over these years. And it also knows that without the Bai family, the future of the Bai Clan in Shuoyang would be difficult. Don’t play tricks or pretty words before me. I’m old, but not senile.”

“Eldest Princess, we mean no such thing!”

The Eldest Princess, eyes closed, still wore her composed demeanor. “I let you make a scene at the Zhen Kingdom Commandery Princess’s residence twice, then ordered the nanny to invite you in respectfully. Do you know why?”

The Clan Leader gazed through the screen at the Eldest Princess inside. Her hair meticulously groomed, her demeanor imposing with royal authority.

He bowed again and hurriedly said, “Eldest Princess, in your great breadth, you surely hope for harmony within the clan!”

The Eldest Princess shook her head. “I’m but a woman, with a narrow heart. The scene at the Zhen Kingdom Commandery Princess’s residence was meant to show all of Dadu City and even the world that the Commandery Princess was ungrateful and unkind, a petty person who wouldn’t help the Bai Clan. The Commandery Princess is a Bai. But I am not.”

“If today, this Eldest Princess, the current Emperor’s own aunt, collapses, and the Commandery Princess, out of filial piety, in anger, severs ties with the clan, who would dare speak against it? People would only say the clan didn’t regard even an Eldest Princess. How could it regard a Commandery Princess?”