The Eldest Legitimate Daughter is Both Beautiful and Valiant (ELDBBV) - Chapter 63

Xiao Rongyan’s hand stroking the jade cicada paused in its motion. He turned his head, the depth of his gaze holding an almost imperceptible hint of surprise, “Are you saying… Eldest Miss Bai?”

“Exactly! Initially, this servant intended to obtain a sample of Eldest Miss Bai’s handwriting for comparison, but the Bai household’s servants are not easy to bribe, nor… is it simple to infiltrate the estate.” Xiao Rongyan’s subordinate knelt on one knee, “Please forgive this servant’s failure, Master.”

Outside the window, a lantern adorned with plum blossoms swayed in the winter wind and snow. Xiao Rongyan, dressed in a sky-blue robe, stood by the window calmly with his hands behind his back and the jade cicada clenched tightly in his hand. His enigmatic eyes seemed to darken, almost disappearing in the shadows cast by the lamp.

He closed his eyes, recalling the palace banquet on New Year’s Eve. When he had risen to follow the palace maid to the changing room, the Bai family’s eldest daughter had suddenly cast a gaze in his direction. When their eyes met, he noticed her pupils had contracted. Upon his return after changing clothes, her posture had relaxed slightly.

Could it be that Eldest Miss Bai already knew his identity?

“Master, regardless of whether the note came from the Bai family’s eldest daughter, your identity is in danger of being exposed. This servant dares to request that Master leave the capital first as a precaution.”

The cold wind swept in from the window, laced with snowflakes. Xiao Rongyan turned his gaze to the long street outside, where red lanterns glowed, “If the note-bearer had intended to harm me, why go through the trouble of delivering the message to the housekeeper? Let’s wait and see.”

In the biting winter wind, the Princess Dowager and all members of the Bai family had already been standing at the entrance of the Zhenguo Duke’s residence for two hours. The hand warmers they held had been replaced more than once, and the hot soup and meat-filled pastries had already been distributed to the citizens who had gathered to wait for news at the Zhenguo Duke’s residence’s gate.

The Princess Dowager was unsteady as she leant on her tiger-headed cane. Bai Qingyan quickly stepped forward to support her, instructing someone to fetch a chair.

The Princess Dowager shook her head, grasping Bai Qingyan’s hand. She pulled Bai Qingyan’s fox-fur cloak closer around her and asked, “Ah Bao, your health has always been weak. Can you withstand this?!”

Bai Qingyan had undergone rigorous training for some time, doing daily horse stance exercises with sandbags for an hour and found merely standing here manageable.

She shook her head, “Don’t worry, Grandmother. Ah Bao is fine.”

As the citizens sipped their hot soup, they saw a flying horse approaching from the distance through the clouds of fragrant steam from the mutton soup. They immediately put down their bowls and pointed towards the distance, shouting, “They’re here! They’re here! It seems like someone’s really come from the palace this time!”

The Princess Dowager stiffened and she instinctively straightened her back. The Bai family members hurried forward a few steps, craning their necks to look towards the end of the long street lit by red lanterns.

The eunuch galloping towards them on horseback caught sight of the citizens with lanterns outside the Duke’s residence from afar and felt his heart skip a beat. As he approached, he saw the Princess Dowager herself waiting outside with the Bai family’s women.

The eunuch did not dare to delay and he dismounted swiftly, ascended the steps with hurried strides, and knelt heavily before the Princess Dowager, “Princess Dowager, report from the Nanjiang Army. The Duke’s stubborn misuse of troops has caused our army to suffer a devastating defeat. The Zhenguo Duke, the eldest son… and all the men of the Bai family, have perished on the battlefield! Five days from now, Prince Xin will escort the coffins back…”

Bai Qingyan’s head shot up, fury and murderous intent surging within her. Stubborn misuse of troops by the Duke?!

The shocking news caused the Princess Dowager to lose her balance and she nearly fell, but thankfully Bai Qingyan and Aunty Jiang were holding her up.

Dong Qingping and Dong Qingyue felt their spines go numb. They had considered the possibility that some of the Bai family might have fallen in battle, but they had never imagined it would be everyone…

“You spout utter bullcrap!” Fourth Miss Bai Jinzhi lashed out her whip, wrapping it tightly around the eunuch’s neck. She took two strides forward and planted her foot firmly on his chest. Her bloodshot eyes burned with fury, her rationality consumed by her wrath. “My grandfather taught us caution and restraint! Grandfather himself was the epitome of caution all his life! How dare you accuse him of stubborn misuse of troops?!”

Bai Qingyan’s fists clenched so tightly that her knuckles cracked audibly. What stubborn misuse of troops?! The Emperor and the Empress’s legitimate son, Prince Xin, had been too inept to handle this important task. He had forced her grandfather into a reckless advance in pursuit of military glory. And now, they had the gall to blame it all on her grandfather for stubborn misuse of troops?!

Pushing all the blame onto a loyal and courageous minister who had devoted his entire life to the Great Jin Kingdom, shed his bl00d on the battlefield, and perished wrapped in horsehide, did Prince Xin not fear that the spirits of the Bai family would come back seeking revenge in the middle of the night?!

She barely resisted the urge to bring out the military records to clear her grandfather’s and the Bai family’s name then and there, but… The time was not right yet. Prepare thoroughly first before acting. Only by accumulating strength and waiting for the right moment can one strike effectively.

This bl00d-soaked debt and her profound hatred would be seared into Bai Qingyan’s memory!

With a tide of fury surging within her, she clenched her teeth and swallowed the metallic taste rising in her throat. She commanded, “Bai Jinzhi! Stand down! Who gave you permission to act before Grandmother has asked her questions?!”

Bai Jinzhi nearly broke into sobs. She retracted her whip, but the tears she had been holding back poured out in a torrent.

The eunuch who came to report was almost strangled to death. He collapsed to the ground, coughing violently. Desperately, he crawled to the Princess Dowager’s feet, seeking her protection.

The Princess Dowager’s face turned deathly pale as her trembling lips parted. Clinging to her last shred of hope, she asked, “All of them?! Did I mishear?! Even my ten-year-old grandson went to Nanjiang, he’s only ten…”

The usually delicate Fourth Madam Wang-shi staggered forward on weak legs, collapsing to her knees. She grabbed the eunuch’s robes, wailing in inconsolable anguish, “Seventeen… My little Seventeen is gone too?! My little Seventeen was so young, only ten! Ten years old! How could he have died?! He was only there to learn… How could he have died?! You’re lying! You’re lying to me!”

“Princess Dowager! The Seventeenth Young Master can not return either!” the eunuch wept, kowtowing heavily on the ground.

“Impossible! Erlang promised me he would protect our son!” Second Madam Liu-shi screamed in despair. She grabbed the eunuch’s collar, “You’re speaking nonsense! You’re speaking nonsense!”

In an instant, the quiet entrance of the Zhenguo Duke’s residence exploded into chaos, a deafening cacophony of wailing.

“My sons! Sanlang… how could you be so cruel? How could you take all of our sons with you? How am I supposed to live?!” Third Madam Li-shi pounded the ground as she sobbed bitterly.

The twins surrounded their mother, Fourth Madam, who was crying so hard that even the two maids supporting her could barely hold her up. They gritted their teeth hard, desperately pleading with their mother to stay strong.

Fifth Madam Qi-shi bit down on her lips, clutching her abdomen tightly… Her vision darkened, and she fell backwards.

“Fifth Madam! Fifth Madam!” Dong Qingyue reacted swiftly, catching the fainting Fifth Madam.

“Fifth Aunt!” Bai Jintong took Fifth Madam from Dong Qingyue’s arms, clutching her tightly. “Fifth Aunt, wake up!”

The commoners were moved by the heart-wrenching grief of the Bai family’s women. They all knelt down and began to cry out “Duke” and “General Bai”, their lamentations shaking the capital city.

“Quick! Fetch Physician Hong!” Bai Jinxiu urged tearfully. “Housekeeper Hao, have Fifth Aunt carried inside immediately.”

Bai Qingyan turned around and saw Dong-shi standing there frozen, her face devoid of all colour. Stepping forward to support her mother, Bai Qingyan choked out, “Mother?!”

Dong-shi came back to her senses and tears fell uncontrollably like broken strings of pearls. She clenched her teeth tightly and turned to face the main gate of the Zhenguo Duke’s residence…