The Eldest Legitimate Daughter is Both Beautiful and Valiant (ELDBBV) - Chapter 62

The Princess Dowager stepped out, surrounded by her daughters-in-law. She was astonished by the sight of the countless lanterns soaring through the sky.

The young Fifth Miss and Sixth Miss leaned against the Princess Dowager, pointing up at the lanterns and asking, “Grandmother, what are those?!”

“In reply to the Princess Dowager and Fifth Miss!” One of the maids in the courtyard answered with a smile, “Those are lanterns spontaneously lit by the civilians to pray for the Bai family army.”

The Princess Dowager was overwhelmed with emotion, her voice choking as she said, “The people of the capital have not forgotten our Bai family army…”

Bai Qingyan and her three sisters saw the Princess Dowager standing under the corridor and curtseyed to her. They then accompanied her in watching the sea of lanterns light up the sky.

As the lanterns gradually drifted away, Bai Qingyan was about to help the Princess Dowager back inside when Lu Ping, accompanied by a maid guarding the hanging flower gate, hurriedly entered the courtyard.

Seeing that all the masters were in the courtyard, Lu Ping stepped forward and bowed, “Princess Dowager, madams, and young misses, news has arrived. The south city gate was knocked open, and a messenger, with a command arrow on his back, galloped straight to the imperial palace!”

The command arrow on the back of the messenger was a military report. Entering through the south gate… meant it came from the Nanjiang.

To enter the city and head straight to the palace without reporting was not a good sign.

Bai Qingyan felt a chill run down her spine and tension rippled through the entire Zhenguo Duke’s residence.

What was meant to come would always come.

She tightened her grip on the Princess Dowager’s hand, turning to look at the Princess Dowager who had a stiff spine, “Grandmother, they’ll be looking for you, Mother, and Aunts…”

As soon as Bai Qingyan had finished speaking, a few of her aunts could no longer hold back their tears. Fifth Aunt, who was heavily pregnant, clutched her handkerchief tightly, her legs growing weak.

The Princess Dowager’s breathing faltered for a moment, but she quickly steadied herself. Clutching her tiger-head cane, she straightened her back and said, “What is meant to come will come. Let’s go! We will wait for the news at the gate!”

Leading the way, the Princess Dowager, along with the entire Bai family’s women, made their way to the front of the Duke’s residence.

Outside the Zhenguo Duke’s residence, a large crowd of citizens had already gathered, holding lanterns and umbrellas. They had heard of the military messenger with the command arrow riding directly to the palace without shouting any triumphant news, so they braved the snow and gathered at the gates of the residence, anxiously waiting for word from the palace. Soft murmurs and conversations filled the air.

“Second Uncle! You’re here even in this cold weather…”

“I heard the military report has returned, but the messenger didn’t announce it, so I rushed here to the Duke’s residence to wait for any word. Why are you here too?!”

“I also heard that the military messenger rode straight to the palace without announcing anything. I’m worried there might be bad news, so I came to wait and listen!”

“What a coincidence! I came for the same reason. When the messenger doesn’t announce the news at the gate, it’s never a good sign! Let’s pray to the heavens that nothing has happened to the Duke or the young men of the Bai family!”

Suddenly, the grand red doors of the Zhenguo Duke’s residence slowly opened, adorned with a row of lanterns. The Princess Dowager, accompanied by the women of the Bai family and protected by the guards of the Bai family residence, had personally come out to wait for news.

“Look! The Duke’s residence has opened its doors!”

“The Duke’s residence must have come out to wait for news as well!”

“The tiger-head cane! Isn’t that the Princess Dowager?!”

The people immediately knelt down and bowed, calling out, “Princess Dowager…”

Thinking of the sky full of lanterns, the Princess Dowager’s heart ached. She handed her tiger-head cane to Aunty Jiang and led the women of the Bai family in bowing deeply to the gathered crowd of citizens.

As she straightened up, Bai Qingyan spotted Chen Qingsheng among the crowd, nodding to signal that everything had been arranged. She returned a slight nod in acknowledgement.

“Housekeeper Hao!” Dong-shi turned around and instructed the housekeeper, “Have the kitchen prepare hot soup and meat-filled pastries and distribute them to everyone! We don’t know how long the palace will take to deliver the news, and everyone’s waiting here with us on New Year’s Eve. We mustn’t let them freeze!”

“Yes, Madam!” Housekeeper Hao quickly turned back into the residence to arrange everything.

After a while, two horses could be seen galloping towards the Zhenguo Duke’s residence. Everyone’s hearts leapt, but as the riders dismounted, they saw that they were Bai Qingyan’s uncles, Dong Qingping and Dong Qingyue.

Dong Qingping handed the reins of his horse to the servants of the Duke’s residence. Glancing at the crowd gathered at the gate, both Dong Qingping and Dong Qingyue ascended the steps of the Duke’s residence and bowed to the Princess Dowager.

“Elder Brother, Qingyue, why are you here?!” Dong-shi’s eyes reddened as she spoke.

“Just now, we received word that a messenger with a command arrow knocked on the south gate and entered without announcing the battle situation. Mother was worried, so she asked Younger Brother and I to come and take a look!” Dong Qingping explained, gripping his riding whip tightly, his expression tense.

Bai Qingyan felt a surge of warmth in her heart and respectfully curtseyed to her two uncles.

Dong Qingping gave Bai Qingyan a smile. Then he stood with the women of the Bai family, waiting for news.

Dong Qingyue, however, approached Bai Qingyan and gently patted her on the head, “Don’t worry, your father and younger brother will be fine!”

Bai Qingyan nodded.

Shortly after, Qin Lang also arrived on horseback. After respectfully greeting the elders, he approached Bai Jinxiu and supported her. Seeing her red and tear-streaked eyes, he comforted her in a soft voice.

On New Year’s Eve, the streets illuminated with red lanterns would normally be deserted as people gathered at home to celebrate all night.

However, in front of the Zhenguo Duke’s residence, more and more people arrived from time to time as they heard the news, or young men from noble families sent by their grandfathers or fathers to inquire about the situation. When the son of the Dingyuan Marquis arrived, he was surprised to see such a large crowd already gathered…

Soon after, Ming Dabo’s third son also arrived.

Bai Qingyan observed the noble families arriving despite the snow and the commoners standing with them in the wind and cold. She knew… The only leverage she could rely on to protect the Bai family and pressure the emperor… It had finally arrived!

On the second floor of Tianxiang Tower, Xiao Rongyan stood by the window with his hands behind his back. He looked towards the brightly lit Zhenguo Duke’s residence at the far end of the long main street. From time to time, small groups of two or three commoners carrying lanterns passed by below, or horses galloped towards the Zhenguo Duke’s residence.

He fiddled with the jade cicada in his hand, his expression deep in thought.

Xiao Rongyan never believed in things like popular sentiment or being universally revered. If someone had not endeavoured to scheme and strategise, how could the Bai family have garnered such overwhelming public support?

It seemed that the current situation, where the Bai family had the people’s support, had been carefully orchestrated by Eldest Miss Bai herself.

From the moment Bai Qingyan persuaded Qin Lang to relinquish his position of being the heir, Xiao Rongyan knew Eldest Miss Bai was a person capable of great achievements.

It was a pity. The Bai family was full of talented generals… Yet, they had been destroyed in Nanjiang by an incompetent emperor and useless princes of the Jin Kingdom. If his Great Yan Kingdom could have had such loyal and courageous families like the Bai family, how could it not have prospered? What a shame…

“Master, this subordinate is incompetent. The deadline Master set has passed, but this subordinate has only uncovered a rough idea of the source of the news!”

Xiao Rongyan did not turn around upon hearing this, “Speak…”

“The beggar who delivered the letter to the housekeeper said he didn’t know the person who asked him to deliver it. However, he saw the shopkeeper of Manjiang Restaurant greet that person from a distance, and it seemed like they were acquaintances. When this subordinate asked the Manjiang Restaurant’s shopkeeper, his eyes flickered and he said he didn’t know who this subordinate was talking about. Later, this subordinate stationed people at Manjiang Restaurant, and this afternoon, the shopkeeper was seen talking secretly to someone mysteriously, warning him to be cautious. This subordinate asked a waiter there who said the man was from the Zhenguo Duke’s residence, but he wasn’t sure if he was a housekeeper. He only knew that he worked for the Bai family’s Eldest Miss.”