The Eldest Legitimate Daughter is Both Beautiful and Valiant (ELDBBV) - Chapter 52

The coldness in her heart could not be warmed even by the fire in the hearth. She suppressed her angry words and lowered her head, saying, “Ah Bao understands!”

The pain of a life-and-death enmity could not compare to the heartbreak of being estranged from a loved one, mixed with familial ties and sorrow. It felt like being cut by a dull knife, making it difficult to eat or sleep.

The Princess Dowager felt a lump in her throat and choked back tears. After a while, she tearfully embraced Bai Qingyan, closing her eyes with a heavy heart, feeling torn between family and country.

In her youth, the Princess Dowager had given her true feelings to the handsome, valiant General Bai Weiting. However, the night before the imperial edict arrived at the Zhenguo DuFather the Emperor who loved her to most, told her with red eyes that he allowed her to marry Bai Weiting, the heir of the Zhenguo Duke, partly to fulfil her youthful romance and partly to have her keep an eye on Bai Weiting. Her Father the Emperor had granted the ZhenguoDuke’s family supreme military power, so someone needed to watch over the Zhenguo Duke’s residence for the imperial family of the Jin Kingdom to ensure that the Zhenguo Duke’s family, who had its own army, did not rebel.

Thus, she married into the Zhenguo Duke’s family, becoming a wife of the Bai family. Besides continuing the family’s lineage, she also carried the mission of being a princess of the Jin Kingdom.

She definitely could not watch her granddaughter whom she had devoted her life to teaching… her most beloved granddaughter, develop rebellious thoughts.

On the way back to the mansion, the grandmother and granddaughter each had their own thoughts and did not exchange another word.

From the day the imperial banquet ended, the streets, alleys, teahouses, and taverns of the capital were abuzz with talk about the Bai family of the Zhenguo Duke’s mansion. Even the idle young sons of nobles, who only knew how to indulge in eating, drinking, and playing around, were actually talking in heated discussions about the Bai family

Even playboys like Lu Yuanpeng said things like “The Bai family’s spirit is a model for our generation!”

Since the founding of the Jin Kingdom, wherever there was war, there were the loyal and brave Bai family soldiers. It seemed that the entire kingdom had grown accustomed to the idea that the Zhenguo Duke’s mansion was the sword of the Jin dynasty, born to protect the kingdom with loyalty and bravery.

But the words spoken by Eldest Miss Bai in front of the Zhongyong Marquis’ mansion, her actions in front of the Manjiang Restaurant in dealing with the illegitimate son of the Duke’s residence, and her speech at the palace banquet about hoping for the safe return of the Bai family’s sons made everyone realise that even the seemingly invincible sons of the Bai family were flesh and blood… They too were born of mothers and fathers and had people who anxiously awaited their return.

It was only for the sake of the Jin Kingdom and its people… that they had to risk their lives and fight on the battlefield.

It was as if someone had lifted a veil overnight, letting the world see the generations of loyalty and righteousness passed down in the Zhenguo Duke’s residence. They had a new understanding of the Zhenguo Duke’s residence and held them in even greater respect.

When someone from the Zhenguo Duke’s mansion went out to buy things, the shopkeepers in the city and the farmers outside the city all refused to accept even a single penny from the Zhenguo Duke’s residence. Some farmers even delivered fresh fruits to the mansion’s gate daily. The officer in charge of procurement in the residence reported this to Dong-shi, leaving her both amused and exasperated.

“Madam, the farmers and shopkeepers are crowding the back gate, fighting to give us their goods. What should we do?” Steward Liu, the procurement officer, asked Dong-shi for instructions with his head lowered.

Dong-shi, holding a teacup, thought for a moment before saying, “Accept the goods and pay them according to market prices. Tell them that the Zhenguo Duke’s mansion already receives payment from the Emperor and we are supported by the people’s taxes, and we are content with that. We must not take any more from the commoners!”

After setting down her teacup, Dong-shi hesitated for a moment and added, “Also, inform Housekeeper Hao to spread the word… No one from our Duke’s mansion is allowed to take even a penny more from the commoners or shopkeepers when they go out from the residence. Anyone who violates this will be beaten to death immediately without needing to report to me first!”

Even though the Zhenguo Duke’s residence’s reputation was now soaring, any slight misstep could lead to future troubles. Dong-shi had managed the Zhenguo Duke’s mansion’s affairs for many years, so she understood these implications very well.

Meanwhile, Liu-shi was watching the doctor change the dressing on Bai Jinxiu’s forehead, feeling anxious that there might be a scar on her daughter’s head in the future. With red eyes, she came out of Qingzhu Courtyard and had just taken a few steps when she saw Aunty Luo approaching with a joyful expression.

Aunty Luo bowed and said, “Second Madam, good news! Early this morning, it was widely rumoured that on the night after the palace banquet on the eve of the New Year, the Zhongyong Marquis sent Madam Jiang-shi to Jingxin convent to become a nun! I specifically sent someone to investigate, and the news is true! Our Young Miss no longer needs to fear her mother-in-law’s control!”

Jingxin convent was known for housing women who had been sent away by their family and were awaiting punishment. Once they went there, they were never able to return home. Many of them had met with unfortunate ends.

Upon hearing this, Second Madam Liu-shi was so happy that she felt blessed by the heavens, “Aunty Luo, prepare a feast. I want to invite Eldest Sister to lunch today to properly thank her for her help these days!”

At lunch, Second Madam Liu-shi smiled and said, “Just hearing about Jiang-shi’s misfortune makes me feel as comfortable as if I had drunk a pot of warm wine. I can even eat five more bowls of rice!”

Fifth Madam Qi-shi stroked her belly and smiled, “Second Sister, you shouldn’t be thanking the heavens! You should thank Eldest Sister… If Eldest Sister hadn’t been kind enough to free those five maids from slavery, the situation wouldn’t have escalated. The censor wouldn’t have reported the Zhongyong Marquis, and Jiang-shi wouldn’t have been in trouble.”

“Second Sister is definitely going to thank Eldest Sister. Otherwise, do you think Second Sister prepared today’s feast for us? We’re just here as guests!” Third Madam Li-shi said, covering her mouth with a handkerchief as she laughed.

Liu-shi happily asked Aunty Luo to fetch a pot of wine and poured a full cup to toast Dong-shi, “Whether it was moving Son-in-law out of the new house or dealing with Jiang-shi, Eldest Sister, you’ve really gone to a lot of trouble!”

“We’re family, there’s no need to be so formal!” Dong-shi happily drank the wine and pulled Liu-shi to sit down beside her, “Once Jinxiu recovers and she moves into the new house, she will be the mistress and won’t be afraid of being controlled anymore. You can rest easy then.”

Thinking of Bai Jinxiu, Liu-shi’s eyes reddened and she nodded.

In the depths of winter, the grand old mansion with its azure bricks and tiles was covered with goose-feather-like snowflakes, forming a picturesque scene.

Fourth Madam Wang-shi, seeing the snow starting to fall again, looked out the window with red eyes and sighed, “I wonder how the children far away in Nanjiang are doing. Will they be able to come back for the New Year this year…”

“With the Duke, the heir, and their fathers all there, they’ll be fine! Young men should experience more to be able to take on great responsibilities.” Although Dong-shi said this, she was also worrying about her own son.

Although Prince Liang did not attend the New Year’s Eve banquet, the next day, Bai Qingyan’s words spread all over the capital. How could he not know?

Seeing the rising reputation of the Bai family and Bai Qingyan, Prince Liang grew increasingly uneasy.

With the Bai family’s influence growing so strong, even his Father the Emperor had inquired about the incident of the second Bai daughter’s dowry maids being drowned, instructing the Zhongyong Marquis to handle it well.

Rumour had it that the night the Marquis returned to the mansion, he immediately sent his wife, Madam Jiang-shi to Jingxin convent to become a nun and atone for her sins and pray for blessings.

One wonders, when the battle reports from Nanjiang come back and public sentiment strongly favours the Bai family, will his Father the Emperor still dare to move against the Zhenguo Duke’s mansion?