Chapter 394 - 394 391 Can_1

Chapter 394: Chapter 391: Can_1 Chapter 394: Chapter 391: Can_1 It might have been due to years of labor, but Zeng Shanru’s physique appeared robust, his skin tanned, and his demeanor very steady.

Zeng Shanru solemnly bowed to Bai Qingyan, standing aside with lowered eyebrows, not daring to look directly at her.

“Bringing you from the estate to my side has been wronging you,” Bai Qingyan said gently.

“Serving the Commandery Princess is my duty,” Zeng Shanru responded steadily.

Bai Qingyan nodded. “These days, the Bai family is going through turbulent times. Indeed, it’s a time when we need capable people. I am short of hands.”

Zeng Shanru clasped his fists. “Commandery Princess, your orders are my duty, even unto death.”

“These days, you will accompany Nanny Tong. When we return to Shuoyang, first stay by Steward Liu’s side to get familiar with things. Steward Liu is an elder I trust greatly, but he is old, and many affairs will need to be handed over to trustworthy people in the future. Do you understand what I mean?”

Zeng Shanru’s heart trembled. To be handed over to trustworthy people? These words meant that the young lady did not treat him as an outsider.

Zeng Shanru lifted the hem of his garment, knelt, and kowtowed. “Since the Commandery Princess does not treat me as an outsider, I will certainly not disappoint you. I will be loyal to you all my life. Should I have a divided heart, let me die a dreadful death, condemned by both humans and gods.”

A perceptive person indeed.

Bai Qingyan nodded and said, “Get up! From now on, call me young lady. I’m used to it.”

“Yes, young lady!” Zeng Shanru agreed.

Bai Qingyan had heard Xiao Ruohai mention Zeng Shanru once or twice. During the time Xiao Ruohai and Xiao Ruojiang returned to the estate to recuperate, they seemed to have interacted with Zeng Shanru. It was said that he didn’t talk much but was reliable in his work.

However, whether Zeng Shanru could take over Steward Liu’s interactions with Xiao Rongyan’s people and manage the mines and weapon crafting matters still needed to be determined after Steward Liu had met him.

The survival of the Bai Clan was at stake. Even though Zeng Shanru was Nanny Tong’s son, Bai Qingyan remained cautious.

Chun Tao, who was guarding by the rockery pavilion, spoke a few words with the maid who came to report from the Qinghui Courtyard, watching the maid leave. Then she hastily lifted her skirt hem and hurried over, saluting, “Young lady, Miss Lu has returned to the mansion. She is waiting for you in the Qinghui Courtyard to talk.”

“I understand!” Bai Qingyan responded, her gaze falling on Zeng Shanru. “Go find Steward Liu. I have already sent someone to inform him.”

“I understand.”

Bai Qingyan got up, holding Chun Tao’s hand, and walked to the Qinghui Courtyard.

Lu Ninghuan sat restlessly in the side hall, drinking tea. Only when she saw Bai Qingyan entering did she calm down, standing up to salute, “Young lady.”

“Aunt…” Bai Qingyan returned the salute, “Have you seen grandmother after returning from the palace?”

Lu Ninghuan sat down with Bai Qingyan and shook her head. “The Eldest Princess said to discuss with you, young lady.”

Bai Qingyan understood that her grandmother meant for her to make use of Lu Ninghuan.

Chun Tao lifted the Xiangfei bamboo curtain and came in, served tea to Bai Qingyan, and then retreated outside to stand guard after saluting properly.

“Aunt went to the palace today. Did His Majesty inquire in detail about the elixir that brings the dead back to life?” Bai Qingyan asked, picking up the tea cup.

Mentioning this made Lu Ninghuan’s heart tighten. She nodded. Before she could speak, Bai Qingyan continued, “Did he also ask about Miss Ji, who is currently at our mansion, and what she said or did?”

Lu Ninghuan looked up at Bai Qingyan, who was gently blowing on her tea. She lowered her long eyelashes, her expression composed and confident, as if everything was under her control.

“You guessed it almost precisely, young lady.” Lu Ninghuan clenched her hands in her lap.

The guess was naturally close. Bai Qingyan somewhat understood the emperor, who held imperial power and was in a high position.

Everyone feared death, and Ji Langhua had grasped the emperor’s fear of death, thus exploiting the most notable Princess of Zhen’s mansion in Dadu City to gamble and catch the emperor’s attention.

Lu Ninghuan lowered her gaze, her hands clutching the hem of her dress slightly trembling. “The Eldest Princess had early on instructed Nanny Jiang to teach me how to use the emperor’s temperament. So… I could see that this time the emperor seemed exceptionally stubborn. I dared not strongly advise but only told him it was nonsense. However, the emperor still seemed greatly interested. I fear that once Langhua… steps out of the Princess of Zhen’s mansion, she will be captured into the Imperial Palace.”

After speaking, Lu Ninghuan suddenly knelt before Bai Qingyan, choking up. “Young lady, I beg you to save Langhua. Let me enter the palace. Langhua has suffered enough in this life. She must not be dragged into this matter and deserves to live well!”

Seeing the restrained sobbing Lu Ninghuan before her, Bai Qingyan could understand her desire to protect her sister, just as she…

“Aunt…” Bai Qingyan put down her tea cup and gently helped Lu Ninghuan up, “The Bai Mansion now lacks the means to resist the emperor. Any slight rebellion would result in the entire Bai family being uprooted. Aunt, you…”

Bai Qingyan pressed her lips together and said softly, “Even if Aunt Suqiu stood before the emperor, he would not give up on immortality for her. Our Jin Kingdom’s emperor… cares about only himself the most.”

Even before Lu Ninghuan appeared, the emperor was already pampering Lady Qiu to the point where he listened to her every word. However, that was under the premise that it did not involve his interests.

Lu Ninghuan gritted her teeth: “Is there really no way?”

“There is, but that depends on Ji Langhua…” Bai Qingyan looked solemnly at Lu Ninghuan, “If Ji Langhua sees the emperor and tells him that the elixir was obtained by spending everything she had from someone else rather than being self-made, once the elixir is tested and found useless, she would simply be dismissed as someone who was deceived herself. However, if Ji Langhua wishes to stay by the emperor’s side, she surely will be able to.”

If Ji Langhua proved to the emperor that she could make the elixir herself, the emperor would surely test it. If the elixir proved useless, she couldn’t escape the crime of deception; it meant death.

But if the emperor tested it and it worked, he would regard Ji Langhua as most valuable. To leave the palace, she could only do so if… the emperor was already dead before the elixir was made.

Alternatively… she could die with the emperor.

“Young lady, what if I say it was I who provided the elixir? I could…”

“Aunt! You are overthinking this!” Bai Qingyan cut Lu Ninghuan off with a calm look. “Instead of us expending energy trying to find a way here, Aunt should persuade Ji Langhua to abandon the thought of staying by the emperor’s side.”

Lu Ninghuan’s tears almost spilled. She clutched the clothing at her chest, biting her lip to stifle her sobs. It was because she knew Ji Langhua couldn’t be persuaded that she came to the young lady for help…

Bai Qingyan deeply understood that Lu Ninghuan, wanting to protect Ji Langhua yet feeling powerless, must be feeling an immense sorrow.