The Eldest Legitimate Daughter is Both Beautiful and Valiant (ELDBBV) - Chapter 67

These words came straight from her heart. Unless absolutely necessary, she would not rebel. The Bai family’s loyalty and courage… They were never for the imperial family, but for the tens of thousands of common people of the Great Jin Kingdom!

The Princess Dowager’s piercing gaze remained fixed on Bai Qingyan, her suspicions unresolved. She feared that the granddaughter she loved and cherished would deceive her.

She held the Princess Dowager’s hand and spoke slowly, “When I was five, I overheard Grandfather and Father discussing the debate between two renowned scholars, Master Cui Shiyan and Master Guan Yongchong, in the Wenxian Hall. They argued over whether the First Emperor was a wise ruler or a tyrant. I said that if the First Emperor could ensure that the people were fed and clothed, then he was a wise and sage ruler.”

“When I was eight, Grandfather exhausted all his efforts to reopen the case of the Imperial Censor-in-Chief Jian Congwen. Noble Consort Tong and her maternal family had framed a loyal minister, leading to their imprisonment. Although Censor Jian Congwen’s name was cleared, his nine clans had already been executed. Even his four-year-old grandson had been beheaded. The naive child had thought it was part of a game with his family. Before being beheaded, the child had acted coquettishly with his mother, saying he wanted sweet pastries when they returned home.”

Her voice choked with emotion, “The day Imperial Censor Jian Congwen was exonerated, Grandfather asked me again, Ah Bao, what makes a ruler wise?! I replied, ‘A wise ruler is one who governs with benevolence and justice, ensuring that the people do not suffer injustice!’”

“When I was thirteen and returning with Grandfather from the battlefield, he asked me again what made a wise ruler! I had seen mountains of bones and rivers of bl00d. I had witnessed the near decimation of the people, families torn apart, ten lives reduced to one! I understood the pricelessness of peace and answered, ‘A ruler who restores peace to the world is a wise ruler.’”

“Now, the people of the Great Jin Kingdom are well fed and clothed. Apart from those in the border towns who are still suffering from the ravages of war, the rest of the Jin Kingdom enjoys relative peace and stability. If I were to rebel out of personal vengeance… where would that leave the common people? Where would it leave the generations of loyalty and sacrifice of the Bai family? Where would it leave the ancestral teachings of my family? What I seek is not rebellion, I seek justice for the Bai family! What I want… is to prevent those treacherous villains from smearing the loyal and heroic Bai family with things like ‘stubborn misuse of troops’! I want the Emperor, in his suspicion and jealousy, to remember the Bai family’s contributions and to spare the widows of our family from complete annihilation. Am I wrong?”

Her grief and indignation overwhelmed her and her voice rose uncontrollably. Tears streamed down her face as she finished speaking. The Princess Dowager, overcome with pain and sorrow, pulled her eldest granddaughter tightly into her arms, sobbing aloud.

She did not want to lie to her grandmother, but that did not mean she had to reveal the entire truth.

Yes, at this moment she had no plans for rebellion, but she was already laying the groundwork!

Bai Qingyan might choose not to rebel herself, but the Bai family could not fail to raise their arms… They needed a show of overwhelming force, enough to shake the imperial family to its core.

The peaceful and prosperous world that her grandfather desired, she wanted it!

The power to intimidate the Emperor that her grandfather dared not seek, she also wanted it!

Her Bai family could bow their heads and pledge allegiance to the Lin imperial family, assisting and supporting them. However, she wanted the imperial family to also understand that the Bai family had the people’s loyalty… and the Bai family’s great virtues and glory could just as easily replace the Lin family’s imperial power!

Was the emperor not afraid that the Bai family would be too powerful and take control of the imperial court?! Then she would demonstrate exactly that! Let the emperor be afraid!

She wanted the imperial power to change… She wanted to ensure that the Bai family had the final say! That the people of the world had the final say!

“Ah Bao, you are not wrong! It is Grandmother who was wrong! I should not have doubted you! Grandmother was wrong…”

Outside the room, Aunty Jiang overheard the heart-to-heart exchange between the grandmother and granddaughter. Hearing their heartfelt reconciliation and letting go of past grudges with hugging and crying, she felt both sorrowful and joyful. Wiping her tears with a handkerchief, she did not know whether to cry or laugh.

The Princess Dowager was old. She was exhausted by the outburst of tears and her earlier injuries. With the assistance of Bai Qingyan and Aunty Jiang, she was helped to rest.

As Bai Qingyan left the Princess Dowager’s Changshou Courtyard, Housekeeper Hao, dressed in a plain white mourning robe, approached her and said, “Eldest Miss, a group of people claiming to be the parents of soldiers in the Bai family’s army has suddenly gathered at the gates of our residence. They are wailing and cursing, saying that the Duke’s alleged stubborn misuse of the army caused the deaths of tens of thousands of Bai family soldiers, leaving them bereaved of their sons. They demand that the Bai family provide them with justice!”

Her steps faltered. It was true that many citizens had gathered in front of the Duke’s residence last night, waiting for news from Nanjiang with the Bai family. However, without deliberate instigation from someone behind the scenes, how could the families of the soldiers be so certain that their sons had perished on the battlefield? How could they have received the news last night and mobilised so swiftly to create such a commotion at the Zhenguo Duke’s residence gates?

“This old servant does not dare to decide how to deal with the parents of those soldiers. Eldest Madam has just gone to rest, and Aunty Qin was reluctant to disturb her. This old servant had no choice but to seek Eldest Miss’ guidance,” Housekeeper Hao said, his brows furrowed deeply.

Bai Qingyan had always believed that while public opinion could indeed be fearsome, if properly utilised and guided, it could become a force she could rely on, a sword she could wield!

Now, someone intended to use the voices of the common people to harm the Bai family, how amazing!

Unfortunately for them, she already held the military records in her grasp.

Her eyes darkened as a spark of understanding suddenly illuminated her mind, and she suddenly realised…

When Wu Zhe had risked his life to bring back the military records, he had mentioned that someone had been pursuing Fang Yan, the Tiger Battalion’s Commander, who was safeguarding the bamboo slips. By a twist of fate, Fang Yan had been rescued by Shen Qingzhu and his group, who then obtained the records.

The hounds of Prince Xin must have been worried because they failed to acquire those five volumes of military records. So, this was likely their attempt to test the Bai family or even force them to present the records today to prove their innocence.

The schemer behind this must already have been prepared. The moment the Bai family dared to claim they have the military records, the Emperor will pressure the Bai family into surrendering them, denying any opportunity for the records to be made public.

She closed her eyes momentarily. If she were the strategist for Prince Xin, what would she do?

She would incite a mob to cause a scene at the Duke’s residence, not only to test whether the Bai family had obtained the military records, but also to tarnish the Bai family’s century-long reputation.

If they were even more ruthless, they would secretly murder one or two of the protestors after they had gathered to make trouble, then spread rumours and add fuel to the flames by claiming that the Duke’s residence had killed the families of fallen soldiers! They would light a fire under the Zhenguo Duke’s residence by claiming they only allowed praise for their achievements while silencing criticism. This would ensure that, even if the military records had reached the Bai family, the tide of public anger would protect Prince Xin when he escorted the coffins back to the capital!

Seeing that Bai Qingyan had closed her eyes for a long while, as though her soul had wandered far away, Housekeeper Hao cautiously called out, “Eldest Miss…”

“Send someone to monitor the onlookers nearby. If anyone appears suspicious, capture them and interrogate them directly!”

Housekeeper Hao immediately understood. Eldest Miss suspected that someone was orchestrating this chaos, using the soldiers’ families to disrupt the Duke’s residence and advance their agenda.

With a vigilant expression, Housekeeper Hao assured her, “Eldest Miss, rest assured!”

“Let’s go and have a look.”

“Please wait a moment, Eldest Miss. I will call Lu Ping and the guards to guard the residence, just in case,” Housekeeper Hao said cautiously.

She nodded.

When Bai Qingyan reached the front courtyard, escorted by Housekeeper Hao and Lu Ping, the furious voice of Fourth Miss Bai Jinzhi could already be heard coming from outside the gates.

“Even the late Emperor said that my Bai family has never produced a useless general! To my grandfather, the most taboo thing as a lifelong principle in military command was to rush forward for the sake of military merit! This so-called stubborn misuse of troops is utter nonsense! If you ignorant scoundrels dare to continue spewing such filth in front of our Duke’s residence, I will whip you all to death!”