Chapter 476 - 476 473 Pingan Returns Home_1

Chapter 476: Chapter 473: Pingan Returns Home_1 Chapter 476: Chapter 473: Pingan Returns Home_1 The past few days, Magistrate Zhou’s letter of apology had been sent up. He thought this time he could not escape being demoted! But who would have thought that the higher-ups only fined him half a year’s salary…

He guessed it was probably because Bai Qingyan spoke good words for him in front of the Crown Prince, which led to just a demotion; thus, Magistrate Zhou had been in a very good mood recently. Half a year’s salary meant nothing to Magistrate Zhou. It was important that the Princess of Zhen spoke for him and treated him as one of her own.

Seeing from afar a team of guards on horseback slowly approaching with a convoy, the Governor stood up, walked out of the oilcloth tent, tidied his clothes, and waited in place respectfully. Bai Jinzhi, who was riding a tall horse, saw the Governor and Lord Zhou from a distance, raised her eyebrows, bent down, and said to the inside of the carriage, “Eldest Young Lady, the Governor and Lord Zhou are at the city gate to welcome us again. They really never miss a chance!”

Inside the carriage, Bai Qingyan put down the ancient bamboo slip in her hand, glanced at Dong Tingzhen, who was still asleep, slightly opened a slit in the carriage curtain, and said to Bai Jinzhi, “We will make a brief stop to greet them.”

“Understood!”

“Call Uncle Ping over!” Bai Qingyan ordered. Soon, Bai Jinzhi called Lu Ping over. Lu Ping rode on horseback and followed the carriage, calling out, “Eldest Young Lady…”

Bai Qingyan moved her gaze away from the still-sleeping Dong Tingzhen. She opened the curtain and said to Lu Ping, “Once we return and settle down, please ask Ji Tingyu if he knows anything about the bandits we heard of along the way who abducted children.”

“Yes, Eldest Young Lady, rest assured. I will definitely find out!” Lu Ping nodded.

Bai Qingyan was very clear about the bandit problem in Shuoyang! How could Ji Tingyu come down the mountain to abduct children? On the way back, at first, they heard that the children mysteriously disappeared. As they approached Shuoyang, they heard that the bandits had come down the mountain on horseback and openly robbed children. The parents who chased after their children up the mountain were killed by the mountain bandits.

Thinking it over, Bai Qingyan still thought it proper to let Lu Ping inquire about it.

Seeing the convoy arrive in front of the Shuoyang city gate, Lord Zhou quickly turned around, took a brocade box from a servant, and followed the Governor toward the carriage. Seeing Bai Jinzhi still on horseback without dismounting, he raised his hand and saluted her first with Lord Zhou.

The Governor said, “Congratulations to the Commandery Princess!” “This is a gift prepared by this lower official for the Princess of Zhen and Commandery Princess Gaoyi. Though it is not valuable, it represents this lower official’s heartfelt respect. Please accept it!” Magistrate Zhou stepped forward with a smile and raised the brocade box in his hand.

“Thank you for your kind intentions, Lord Zhou. Please take the gift back!” Bai Qingyan’s voice came from inside the carriage. Seeing Bai Qingyan reveal half her face through the slightly opened curtain, the Governor hurriedly bowed deeply and greeted, “Greetings to the Princess of Zhen.”

“While passing through several counties on the way back to Shuoyang, I heard that bandits have been rampant recently, abducting many children. Has such a thing happened in Shuoyang?” Bai Qingyan asked.

Magistrate Zhou stepped forward and hastily replied, “Princess of Zhen, except for the frequent raids by the mountain bandits, no one has come to the Government Office to report any missing children!”

The Governor glanced at Lord Zhou, then slowly said to Bai Qingyan, “Although Shuoyang has yet to experience any cases of missing children, there are reports that the missing children elsewhere have been abducted by mountain bandits. These bandits are indeed becoming more rampant.”

Bai Qingyan nodded, her eyes falling on Magistrate Zhou, “Even if there are no reports, as the magistrate, Lord Zhou should be more vigilant and deeply understand the people’s circumstances!”

“Princess, rest assured. I will immediately investigate the people’s grievances! I will not let a single family in Shuoyang lose a child!” Magistrate Zhou promised.

“That is very good!” Bai Qingyan released the curtain and said, “Thank you both for coming to welcome us. We are tired from the journey, so we will go back to Bai Mansion first. Please feel free to do as you wish!”

As the wheels of the carriage turned, Dong Tingzhen woke up, rubbed her red and swollen eyes, sat up, and asked Bai Qingyan, “Cousin, have we arrived in Shuoyang?”

“Yes, we are in Shuoyang! Soon we will be home and you can see Mother!” Bai Qingyan smiled at Dong Tingzhen, “I’ll ask Chun Tao to make a few hard-boiled eggs to roll over your eyes.”

Dong Tingzhen touched her burning and swollen eyelids, feeling a pang of remorse, “Cousin…”

“Alright, you promised me you wouldn’t cry after arriving in Shuoyang. You don’t want to worry my mother, right?” Bai Qingyan took a handkerchief from the small drawer in the carriage and handed it to Dong Tingzhen.

Tightly holding the handkerchief, Dong Tingzhen wiped away the tears that had not yet fallen and solemnly said to Bai Qingyan, “Cousin, rest assured. I will not worry Aunt.”

“Alright…” Bai Qingyan nodded.

Mrs. Dong knew that Dong Tingzhen was coming to Shuoyang, but she did not know the reason. Bai Qingyan did not plan to tell Mrs. Dong and make her worry unnecessarily.

Knowing that her niece was coming to accompany her, Mrs. Dong was naturally very happy. She ordered Nanny Qin to prepare a small, elegant courtyard and arranged for a few temporary maids and nannies.

Third Lady Mrs. Li hurried to call on Mrs. Dong to greet Bai Qingyan’s party upon learning that they were entering the city.

When Bai Qingyan’s convoy stopped in front of Bai Mansion, Mrs. Dong, Third Lady Mrs. Li, Fourth Lady Mrs. Wang, and Fifth Lady Mrs. Qi, who was holding Xiao Ba Bai Wanqing, all came to the door to welcome them.

“Mother! Eldest Aunt… fourth aunt! Fifth aunt!” Bai Jinzhi dismounted and knelt to salute, “Bai Jinzhi, safely home!”

Chun Tao had been standing at the steps of Bai Mansion. As soon as she heard Bai Qingyan’s carriage arrive, she stepped forward to help Bai Qingyan out of the carriage. Seeing Dong Tingzhen follow, Chun Tao happily saluted and called out, “Greetings, cousin!”

Dong Tingzhen smiled and nodded at Chun Tao, then turned to the top of the high steps of Bai Mansion and bowed respectfully, “Aunt, Third Lady, Fourth Lady, Fifth Lady!”

“Mother… third aunt, fourth aunt, fifth aunt!” Bai Qingyan knelt and saluted, “Bai Qingyan, safely home!”

Dong Tingzhen hurried to help Bai Qingyan up.

“Back home at last! Back home at last!” Mrs. Dong descended the high steps, touched Bai Qingyan’s face, then took Dong Tingzhen’s hand, “Why are your eyes so red?”

“Mother, I talked about the military affairs on the way, and Tingzhen cried…” Bai Qingyan smiled and said.

“Indeed! Cousin is truly made of water!” Bai Jinzhi chimed in.

“What happened to your hand?” Mrs. Dong grabbed Bai Jinzhi’s hand to inspect.

“It’s nothing, Aunt!” Bai Jinzhi quickly retracted her hand, but before she could, Mrs. Li had already grabbed it, and tears instantly fell.

“It’s nothing, Mother! Just a small injury!” Bai Jinzhi, used to being scolded by her mother, was a little unaccustomed to seeing her cry.