The Eldest Legitimate Daughter is Both Beautiful and Valiant (ELDBBV) - Chapter 26

“You ungrateful and unfilial thing! Such a major matter as relinquishing the position of the heir, and you didn’t even bother to inform anyone! Is the position of the heir to you as insignificant as a radish?! Saying you don’t want it so simply! You even alarmed the Princess Dowager! You are trampling on the face of our Zhongyong Marquisate for your own future!”

Qin Lang’s eyes reddened and his throat churned. After a moment of silence, he took a step back and kowtowed to the Zhongyong Marquis, saying, “Since my mother’s passing, Father remarried. I don’t know why adhering to filial piety displeases my stepmother, and my devoted studies also earned disapproval from Father. This son had been puzzled after pondering endlessly. It wasn’t until this autumn, this son saw Younger Brother around Father and Stepmother. Father expressed feelings about Younger Brother’s outstanding talents. Stepmother, shedding tears, lamented why Younger Brother wasn’t the eldest son and how the ancestral teachings led to unequal treatment of Younger Brother. Only then did this son realise that the chosen heir in my parents’ hearts was Younger Brother! This son is not exceptionally talented and understands that being unable to alleviate my parents’ concerns is also a lack of filial piety. Reflecting on myself, this son voluntarily requested to relinquish the position of the heir as a form of redemption. This is not an act of unfilial conduct. In the coming days, this son will move out of the Zhongyong Marquis’ residence. My humble wish… is for harmony in the Marquisate, good health for my parents, and the safety of my wife. Please forgive me, Father!”

The Zhongyong Marquis’ eyes trembled as he watched Qin Lang rise, bow once again, and then turn to leave. His lips pursed and he raised his hand… but ultimately, he could not call out to Qin Lang.

After having dinner, Bai Qingyan practised until she worked up a sweat. Her body showed signs of adaptation, unlike the soreness she experienced in the past couple of days.

After bathing, Chunyan was in the midst of using a cloth to wring out Bai Qingyan’s hair while she sat reading under a lamp when Chuntao entered with a cup of hot tea.

“Eldest Miss, about the orders you have given to my cousin, the matter has been handled. Since it’s late, it is inconvenient for him to enter the rear courtyard, so he asked this servant to inform Miss,” Chuntao placed the hot tea by Bai Qingyan’s hand.

Chen Qingsheng was an extremely intelligent person. Bai Qingyan no longer had any worries about him, and even though she had spoken subtly today, she believed Chen Qingsheng understood exactly how to handle the situation.

Bai Qingyan shifted her gaze from the book, asking, “How did your cousin handle it?”

Originally, Chuntao did not want to soil Bai Qingyan’s ears with such dirty affairs, but since Bai Qingyan asked, there was no reason to hide the truth. She said, “Cousin asked Lu Ping to bring people and forcefully snatch Mingyu from the Zhongyong Marquis’ wife Jiang-shi’s countryside estate. They used the servant contract to take Mingyu away, making a big show of it all the way into the city. They delivered Mingyu to her family, saying… Mingyu betrayed her mistress and although Second Miss didn’t mind due to Mingyu’s many years of service, she absolutely refuses to use her anymore, so they’re sending Mingyu back to her family. They allowed them to redeem her with money, and left her to fend for herself in the future.”

Chen Qingsheng was very clever. He had handled it beautifully…

The reputation of the Bai family must not be tainted.

Bai Qingyan felt relieved. She closed the book and placed it on the small table made of wenge wood. Knowing there was more to the story, she picked up the tea and took a sip, saying, “Continue…”

“Mingyu’s elder brother, fearing the influence of the Zhenguo Duke’s residence, scrounged up money from the moneylender to repay our residence! Before leaving, Cousin discreetly dealt with Mingyu’s elder brother! Later, a servant from the moneylender also went to give a hint to Mingyu’s elder brother! Using the excuse of family misfortune, Mingyu’s elder brother broke Mingyu’s legs and sold her to a private brothel!”

Bai Qingyan placed the tea cup down, thinking that Chen Qingsheng was indeed a gem. She smiled and asked, “Anything else?”

Chuntao blushed, but she still continued, “Cousin said for Miss to rest assured, he had already figured it out. Mingyu is now the lowest-ranked prostitute, and as long as she’s still breathing, she’ll have to…”

Chuntao could not bring herself to say more.

Hearing the words clearly, Chunyan shuddered, “This… Chen Qingsheng usually seems so gentle and casual, how could he be so ruthlessly cruel?! If anything… He and Mingyu could be considered old acquaintances.” To turn Mingyu into the lowest-ranked prostitute, forced to serve clients as long as she was alive, was truly a fate worse than death.

Chuntao cautiously looked at Bai Qingyan, afraid that Bai Qingyan might think Chen Qingsheng was too ruthless and heartless.

“Your cousin did well! It’s also a good way to show our servants who still have lingering thoughts about what the consequences of betraying their master would be,” Bai Qingyan smiled at Chuntao, “Tomorrow, bring a hundred taels of silver to reward your cousin.”

“Thank you on behalf of my cousin, Miss.”

Bai Qingyan turned to look at the pale-faced Chunyan, “Go to the small kitchen and see if the sheep’s milk soup is ready, and then take it to the Second Miss.”

“Yes!”

Chuntao was very discerning. She took the handkerchief and began to twist Bai Qingyan’s hair.

With Chunyan gone, Bai Qingyan said lightly, “Tell your cousin to do two more things for me…”

“At Miss’ command.”

Bai Qingyan picked up the book and casually flipped a page, “The matter of Jiang-shi drowning the Second Miss’ dowry maids, it’s time to stir it up!”

Before, Bai Jinxiu had been injured from falling into the water. With her life hanging by a thread, she had been brought back to the Zhenguo Duke’s residence. Now, the Zhenguo Duke’s residence had made a big fuss about Mingyu, who betrayed her mistress. They had dragged her from Jiang-shi’s countryside estate and sent her back to her family.

The speculation about Bai Jinxiu’s fall into the water was already rife among the common people and the aristocracy in the capital. However, the Zhenguo Duke’s residence kept a tight lid on any information.

With no concrete information, the idle housewives and the curious drunks in the taverns were itching with curiosity.

By bringing up the deaths of the dowry maids whom Jiang-shi claimed were sold off, not only would others create a big drama around Jiang-shi, but it would also put the reputation of the Zhongyong Marquis’ residence at stake.

Revealing one thing after another, unfolding the story in an unhurried manner would make the audience unable to look away, and all eyes would be fixed upon the Zhongyong Marquis’ residence.

At that time, it would be a test to see if the Zhongyong Marquis would protect Jiang-shi, or if he would preserve the reputation of the Zhongyong Marquis’ residence.

“Before stirring things up… Send someone to the residences of the five dowry maids. Free them from slavery, and after everything is done, let them be properly buried with a good reputation.”

Chuntao never questioned Bai Qingyan’s arrangements. She promptly replied, “Yes. In a while, this servant will go and instruct Cousin according to Miss’ instructions!”

“In addition, three days later, Grandmother wants to send someone to our countryside estate to pick up two people. Grandmother and I want to test the characters of these two individuals. Let your cousin go ahead and arrange it.”

For the matter of Second Uncle’s abandoned offspring, Second Madam Liu-shi, though annoyed upon hearing it, eventually accepted it.

After all, Second Madam was aware that when Second Uncle was travelling, he was saved by a girl and they developed feelings for each other.

As for the additional child, the household already had other legitimate sons and Second Madam treated them all equally. It was just a matter of having an extra pair of chopsticks and she did not want to make a fuss about it.

Bai Qingyan turned her head, smiling warmly at Chuntao with an affectionate gaze, “Your cousin is indeed useful. After the New Year, I plan to let him gain more experience outside for another two or three years. By then, he’ll be more than capable of handling things. I can also trust him to take care of you.”

Chuntao blushed deeply and protested, “Miss!”

Bai Qingyan looked at Chuntao, who was turning red with eyes filled with shyness. She smiled lightly and patted Chuntao’s hand.

Chuntao had followed her for so many years. Her thoughts could not be hidden from Bai Qingyan.

In her previous life, Chuntao went to Nanjiang with her to protect her. Before she could marry Chen Qingsheng, they had been separated forever. In this life… Bai Qingyan was determined to let Chuntao have a splendid marriage, living happily with her beloved for the rest of her life.