The Eldest Legitimate Daughter is Both Beautiful and Valiant (ELDBBV) - Chapter 43

Aunty Jiang had been waiting at the gates of the Duke’s mansion for Bai Qingyan. The trial of Bai Qingxuan’s character had been sanctioned by the Princess Dowager. After all, if the sons of the Zhenguo Duke’s family perished in Nanjiang, leaving only this one son, the likelihood of him inheriting the title was high with the Princess Dowager’s backing.

Human nature was inscrutable, especially since Bai Qingxuan had not grown up in the Duke’s mansion. Without testing him, even the Princess Dowager could not be at ease.

Seated on the soft couch, the Princess Dowager’s hand trembled as she turned her prayer beads, listening to Bai Qingxuan’s misdeeds. Had Bai Qingyan not intervened today, their Zhenguo Duke’s century-old reputation would have been dragged through the mud. The claim that not even the Emperor dared to cross the Zhenguo Duke… and threats to execute the entire clan, if such words reached the Emperor, it would surely make the Emperor suspicious of the Bai family.

The Princess Dowager closed her eyes, “Ah Bao did well! This child is violent by nature and will require considerable effort to educate him… For now, have someone keep an eye on him. Confine him to the mansion to prevent further trouble.”

Despite knowing Bai Qingxuan was a troublemaker… Her grandmother was elderly and could not bring herself to send him away back to the countryside.

Though Bai Qingyan felt indignant, she still nodded in agreement, clearly unwilling to say more.

Upon leaving Changshou Courtyard, Bai Qingyan noticed two snowmen half the height of an adult by the gate, their mouths made of peanuts arranged into smiles.

Thinking of the peanut that had struck Bai Qingxuan’s knee and forced him to kneel down in front of the Manjiang Restaurant today, Bai Qingyan clenched her hand warmer and lowered her gaze, feeling a mix of anxiety and uncertainty.

Xiao Rongyan’s martial skills were evidently formidable, but… Why had he helped her?!

She remembered that in her past life, when she accompanied Prince Liang on a campaign, the armies of the Great Jin and Great Yan kingdoms had confronted each other. Bai Qingyan had planned to capture Xiao Rongyan alive but only managed to seize his vanguard general, Yue Quanyong.

Yue Quanyong had said… If not for Xiao Rongyan’s serious injury to his heart and lungs, with his martial prowess, they would never have fallen into Bai Qingyan’s trap and been unable to escape. It seems he had not been lying.

Seeing Bai Qingyan lost in thought as she gazed at the snowmen, Aunty Jiang smiled and said, “These were made by Fifth Miss and Sixth Miss for the Princess Dowager today!”

Bai Qingyan nodded, “Aunty Jiang, please return to attend to Grandmother. You don’t need to see me off.”

When Aunty Jiang entered through the curtains, she noticed that the Princess Dowager was somewhat dazed. She walked softly to the Princess Dowager’s side and gently massaged her shoulders.

The Princess Dowager gazed thoughtfully in the direction of the sliding panels and softly asked Aunty Jiang, “Aunty… do you think Ah Bao is upset with me for questioning her loyalty the other day? Ah Bao seems less affectionate towards me now.”

“Princess Dowager, rest assured! Eldest Miss was raised by you personally. How could you not know how filial Eldest Miss is?” Aunty Jiang smiled and spoke for Bai Qingyan, “Our household has gone through a lot recently, and after all, Eldest Miss is still a child. It’s natural for her to feel less dispirited than usual. Princess Dowager should show her more care and understanding, rather than expecting her to comfort you.”

Hearing this, the Princess Dowager sighed deeply, closing her eyes in exhaustion, and chuckled softly, “You’re right. It’s my fault. Aunty, fetch the imperial jade chess set from my storeroom and send it to Ah Bao tomorrow morning. She loves playing with them.”

“This old servant will go to the storehouse to look for it after I help Princess Dowager settle to rest. Tomorrow morning, Tianxiu Boutique will come to deliver the new clothes and jewellery for the young ladies to wear at the New Year Eve’s banquet in the palace. I’ll send the chess set to Eldest Miss then,” said Aunty Jiang.

The Princess Dowager nodded, fingering her Buddhist prayer beads again, “What did Wei Zhong report after visiting the secret guards today?”

“Wei Zhong said that although the secret guards have been kept on the Princess Dowager’s estate and have remained unused, their captain, Wan Ruozhong, followed the usual rules and took a new disciple for each member. After testing their morals and skills rigorously, they were taught what they’ve learned all their lives. Wan Ruozhong sent word through Wei Zhong that the newly formed secret guard team is ready for use and awaits Princess Dowager’s orders,” said Aunty Jiang.

The Princess Dowager closed her eyes and contemplated for a while before saying, “After the 15th, have the guards return to the city. Assign two of them to protect Ah Bao, but… don’t let Ah Bao know.”

Aunty Jiang was surprised but did not ask any questions, simply nodding her assent.

Having the secret guards protect Bai Qingyan was as much about safeguarding her as it was about monitoring her. The Princess Dowager was still afraid that Bai Qingyan might rebel.

Tears glistened at the corners of the Princess Dowager’s eyes. She remembered her father’s dying instructions to keep a close watch over the Zhenguo Duke’s residence for the sake of the Great Jin Kingdom’s imperial family. Thinking of the rebellious look in the eyes of the granddaughter whom she had personally raised, she felt as if she were being consumed by flames.

No one knew that the Princess Dowager was also in great pain. On one hand, she was fighting to death to protect her kin, the Bai family. On the other hand, she had to safeguard the imperial Lin family. She was really struggling.

In recent days, the Princess Dowager had often pondered whether her familial bonds or the Lin family’s reign held more weight. Yet even now, she could not figure this out.

Back from visiting the Princess Dowager, Bai Qingyan allowed Chuntao to help her change into her training clothes and she strapped sandbags to her arms and legs.

While practising, Bai Qingyan carefully considered Xiao Rongyan’s past life.

It seemed like it was during this year, during the New Year’s Eve banquet hosted by the emperor in the palace for the ministers and their families, that Xiao Rongyan was also in attendance as a guest of honour from Prince Qi’s palace. However, during the banquet, he was caught secretly meeting with a maid of Prince Qi’s concubine. The maid confessed on the spot to being a spy for the Wei dynasty and Xiao Rongyan was arrested and imprisoned for severe interrogation.

In her previous life, after the Bai family suffered their calamity, Bai Qingyan had not known when Xiao Rongyan was released from prison or whether his injuries to his heart and lungs were from this imprisonment or from subsequent near-death escapes. Like her, he ended up as a martial artist who had lost his skills and become useless.

Bai Qingyan closed her eyes, her body steaming in the cold wind. Perhaps because in their previous lives they had both lost their martial arts and shared similar miseries, she felt a little sympathy towards Xiao Rongyan.

Reflecting on how Xiao Rongyan had helped her multiple times after she saw through Prince Liang’s schemes, she could not help but feel a pang of compassion.

Meanwhile, the maids from the small kitchen came out carrying buckets of boiling water into the main room under Chunyan’s direction, efficiently filling the bathtub.

“Eldest Miss, it’s time!” Chuntao hurried over to support Bai Qingyan, “The water is ready. Please take your bath, Eldest Miss!”

With Chuntao’s assistance, Bai Qingyan stood up, her legs noticeably less weak than when she had first started practising.

After her bath, Bai Qingyan spread out a sheet of Xuan paper, dipped a brush in ink… She paused momentarily before putting the brush down.

The materials she used were all tribute items sent by the Princess Dowager, fine Cheng Xin Tang paper and high-quality ink, which could easily reveal the origin of the message to Xiao Rongyan.

She instructed Chuntao to fetch ordinary hemp paper and regular ink used in their accounting office, and changing to hold her pen in her left hand, she wrote…

Once finished, Bai Qingyan blew the ink dry and folded the letter neatly. Then she handed it to Chuntao, “Take this. Early tomorrow morning, give this to your cousin and ask him to ensure this letter reaches the steward of the Xiao residence in the south of the city before the day after tomorrow… before New Year’s Eve. Remind him to be cautious and not to reveal his identity to anyone.”

Xiao Rongyan had helped her greatly in the past, but she had never repaid him. Now, she could finally repay his kindness in some small way.