Chapter 391 - 391 388 Haggard_1

Chapter 391: Chapter 388: Haggard_1 Chapter 391: Chapter 388: Haggard_1 Bai Qingyan nodded. The overall situation had just been stabilized. The Bai family must lie low and strengthen themselves. If the Emperor passed away, unnecessary changes would surely occur. So she did not want the Emperor to die so soon.

“With Aunt’s medical skills, you can certainly alleviate His Majesty’s headaches and maintain his vigor for at least five more years.”

Lu Ninghuan understood the implication of Bai Qingyan’s words: the Emperor should live for another five years.

She replied, “Today, when I was examining His Majesty’s pulse, he seemed to suggest, though not forcefully, that I enter the palace to prevent the recurrence of his headaches. What does the Eldest Young Lady think, should I enter the palace?”

“Discuss it with Grandmother first!” Bai Qingyan said. She was about to leave but then added, “Does Grandmother know that you are the granddaughter of Imperial Physician Ji Bingfu?”

Lu Ninghuan’s palm tightened. She had merely noticed Ji Langhua’s slip-up and yet the Eldest Young Lady of the Bai family could deduce this.

“Why wouldn’t you guess that I’m the granddaughter?” Lu Ninghuan asked, puzzled.

“You have a set of gold needles, which you said were given by your grandfather before your mother got married. When I saw them at the time, they seemed familiar to me. It wasn’t until I met Ji Langhua today that I realized the resemblance. The carved patterns on the needle tails are identical to those I saw with Ji Langhua.” Bai Qingyan narrowed her eyes. “But Ji Langhua mentioned that it was after the Imperial Censor Jian Congwen’s case that your grandfather married off your mother…”

Bai Qingyan had figured it out. So, Lu Ninghuan did not conceal the truth. “I dare not hide it from the Eldest Young Lady. After my mother was widowed, she returned to the Ji family with me. Later, when trouble befell the Ji family, Grandfather wanted me to leave with my uncle and Langhua. But I did not wish to part from my mother. Mother took me along when she remarried in a hurry, so the marriage wasn’t very good.”

Lu Ninghuan’s hand tightened within her sleeve, her eyes reddened. She was prepared for Bai Qingyan to question further and reopen old wounds.

However, Bai Qingyan gently asked, “Does Grandmother know?”

“The Eldest Princess… she knows.” Lu Ninghuan lowered her eyes.

Bai Qingyan nodded and looked deeply at Lu Ninghuan. “Please take care of Miss Ji these few days and comfort her.”

Lu Ninghuan seemed to hear a sigh in Bai Qingyan’s words. She watched Bai Qingyan’s departing figure, clenched her fists, then turned back into the house.

Bai Qingyan returned to the Qinghui Courtyard, changed clothes, and took Bai Jinzhi to pay respects to the Eldest Princess. Afterward, she dined at her mother Mrs. Dong’s courtyard. Just as she was leaving her mother’s courtyard, Steward Hao came to report that Mr. Qin Shangzhi was outside the Princess of Zhen’s mansion, asking to see Bai Qingyan.

“Mr. Qin?” Bai Jinzhi frowned, recalling the counselor by the Crown Prince’s side during their journey to Nanjiang. “Is he the Crown Prince’s man?”

Qin Shangzhi would never seek her out without reason. His visit today was certainly not for reminiscing.

As she considered it, she thought Qin Shangzhi’s visit might be related to the Crown Prince’s prior inquiries about interfering with disaster relief in Yanwo. Or perhaps it was in response to her actions against Left Prime Minister Li Mao and his unexpected reaction, which aroused suspicion.

It was early summer. The corridors of the Princess of Zhen’s mansion were adorned with bamboo screens. Gilded copper hooks hung with copper bells. The rich fragrance of ancient pagoda flowers in the courtyard wafted gently with the breeze, and the clear, crisp sounds of the bells were continuous.

She regained focus and said to Steward Hao, “Invite Mr. Qin to the main hall first.”

“Eldest Sister, I’ll go with you!” Bai Jinzhi quickly offered when she saw Bai Qingyan turn to her.

“Just returned from Shuoyang, you should rest. There isn’t much time for rest, and once back in Shuoyang, you must help me with soldier training,” Bai Qingyan said.

Hearing her sister talk about helping with training, Bai Jinzhi’s eyes sparkled as she nodded.

Bai Qingyan patted Bai Jinzhi’s head and walked toward the main hall.

Or, if a war with Daliang broke out, the sisters would have to head to Chunmu Mountain.

Xiao Rongyan was not one to speak casually. If he said that war with Daliang was imminent, it would indeed happen.

As Bai Qingyan walked through the corridor with ringing bells to the main hall, she saw Qin Shangzhi standing before the main hall, staring at the high eaves of the Princess of Zhen’s mansion, lost in thought.

Upon seeing Bai Qingyan, surrounded by maids, with his peripheral vision, Qin Shangzhi came to himself and bowed deeply towards her.

After not seeing him for days, Qin Shangzhi appeared much more haggard. His robe seemed looser, his eyes were dark, and he looked weak, as if he had been ill.

“Mr. Qin, why do you look so haggard?” Bai Qingyan gestured for him to enter.

Qin Shangzhi followed Bai Qingyan into the main hall, pressing his lips together without speaking. Bai Qingyan waved her hand, signaling Chun Tao to lead the maids out. Only then did Qin Shangzhi speak.

“The Crown Prince listened to Old Fang’s plan and has already sent people to Yanwo to disrupt King Liang’s disaster relief efforts and incite a rebellion.”

Bai Qingyan’s hand tightened around the teacup. She lowered her gaze, looked at the floating tea leaves, then covered the cup and looked up at Qin Shangzhi.

“Did the Crown Prince discuss this with you after he saw me that day?” she asked.

“We discussed it…” Qin Shangzhi said with a gloomy face, “but the Crown Prince ultimately listened to Old Fang. I had hoped to delay it until you returned to persuade the Crown Prince. I did not expect him to send people to Yanwo the very night of our discussion.”

“The day the Crown Prince saw me, I already tried to persuade him,” Bai Qingyan put the teacup down, hoping Ah Jue acted quickly to lead the disaster victims into Youhua Road. “If you’ve come to discuss this, I’m afraid I can do nothing…”

Qin Shangzhi was quite surprised. He thought that at least this visit would persuade Bai Qingyan to talk to the Crown Prince. Even if the Crown Prince did not listen, out of her love for the people, she would surely send someone to stop it, even if it strained her relationship with the Crown Prince.

Qin Shangzhi pursed his lips and looked seriously at Bai Qingyan. “One more thing, why would a vengeful person like Li Mao be so wary of you? Do you hold something against him?”

A clever person would always notice Li Mao’s odd behavior.

“It’s not exactly leverage…” Bai Qingyan lowered her gaze. “After the Left Prime Minister’s son’s misdeeds were exposed, he abandoned his son to salvage his reputation and even sought mercy from His Majesty.”

Qin Shangzhi found Bai Qingyan’s explanation plausible but still felt something was missing.

“However, what you did was a bit rash. The Left Prime Minister is vengeful. You must be careful in the future,” Qin Shangzhi advised sincerely.

“It involves my fourth sister. If the Left Prime Minister hadn’t been in such a haste to have his wife enter the palace and request the Empress for a marriage decree to force my sister to marry his good-for-nothing son, I wouldn’t have acted so decisively. After all, Crown Prince Xin was demoted to a commoner due to the Bai family’s involvement in the Nanjiang scandal. He no longer has a chance to rise! I had to make the discord with the Left Prime Minister so public that His Majesty and the Empress feared the people’s outcry and couldn’t issue the marriage decree.”

Bai Qingyan looked at Qin Shangzhi calmly. “People’s opinions can overpower gold. Their words can be terrifying. You taught me that!”