The Eldest Legitimate Daughter is Both Beautiful and Valiant (ELDBBV) - Chapter 7

The Zhongyong Marquis’ household servants galloped over on horseback and squeezed their way through the crowd to the person in charge of the wedding procession, whispering, “Steward, we need to change our route for the wedding procession. A while ago, His Highness Prince Liang was almost assassinated on Chang’an Street, and the Magistrate’s Office has sealed off the street for investigation. We might have to take a long detour to return home!”

The wedding procession steward was startled by this news. Fortunately, the Zhengguo Duke’s Eldest Miss had set up a chess game to block the gate. Otherwise, based on their arrival half an hour early, they might have run into the assassination of Prince Liang on their way home.

Naturally, the Zhengguo Duke’s household had also received this information. Immediately, the madam instructed the senior maid beside, Tingzhu, to inform Bai Qingyan to allow the wedding procession to go so that they would not miss the auspicious timing.

“Eldest Miss, Madam asked me to inform you. The steward from the Zhongyong Marquis’ mansion said that the wedding procession will need to take a detour on their way back. The time for blocking the gate is almost up and if we delay any longer, we might miss the auspicious timing!”

As soon as Bai Qingyan heard about the detour, she felt relieved.

She nodded and asked the maid to deliver a message to Bai Jinzhi, “Go tell Fourth Miss, let her know that the Zhengguo Duke’s mansion has seen the sincerity of the Zhongyong Marquis’ heir in seeking our Second Miss. We hope he will treasure and love our Second Miss and not let her down! As for this chess game… Let them return home before continuing.”

Bai Jinzhi looked at her elder sister, her eyes red and filled with tears.

The sound of firecrackers rang out and Qin Lang, amidst the crowd of young nobles in the capital, rushed into the Zhengguo Duke’s mansion.

Bai Qingyan, draped in a fox-fur coat, stood in the corridor and watched as Qin Lang entered with a wild goose. He made the customary bows, paid homage to the wild goose, served tea, and then happily led his bride out of the main hall, heading towards the gate of the Zhengguo Duke’s mansion.

A faint smile graced her lips as she turned to Chuntao beside her and said, “Let’s go!”

The entire Zhengguo Duke’s mansion was bustling with joy. With a beaming smile on his face, Qin Lang held his newlywed bride’s hand as he exchanged greetings with the well-wishers. From the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of a slender figure disappearing around the corner of the corridor. He paused in his tracks… and froze.

Originally, he was supposed to marry Bai Qingyan. He still remembered the time when Bai Qingyan had gone to war with the Zhengguo Duke and he had gone to see her off.

He recalled her at that time, her eyes and brows that had not yet lengthened, her stunning beauty like a painting brought to life. She looked very heroic in her armour and with a sword at her waist.

He had once thought himself incredibly lucky to marry such a girl.

In his youth, he could not control his emotions. Before she left for battle, he had given her the family heirloom jade pendant and made a vow with a bow, “May you return safely, and don’t forget those who await your return. When you come back, I shall welcome you with a proper betrothal gift with a wild goose.”

Now he was fulfilling that promise, holding a wild goose as a betrothal gift, but it was not for her.

In the end, he had let her down.

“Congratulations, Young Master!”

The voices of congratulations from others reached Qin Lang’s ears, and he snapped out of his reverie, smiling and returning their greetings. He continued to escort his new bride out of the Zhengguo Duke’s mansion.

As the sounds of firecrackers signalled Bai Jinxiu entering the bridal sedan chair, Bai Qingyan paused for a moment. She turned her gaze in the direction of the main entrance of the Zhengguo Duke’s mansion.

“Eldest Miss!” A cleaning maid from Qinghui Courtyard hurriedly approached Bai Qingyan and made a respectful curtsey, “Lu Ping, the head of the guard, has come to Qinghui Courtyard. He said there’s something he needs to report to Eldest Miss.”

Bai Qingyan nodded and accepted the hand warmer from Chuntao, “Very well, you may go.”

In the previous life, at the end of the 15th year of Xuanjia, the second miss of the Bai family died tragically at the hands of assassins on the day of her marriage while protecting Prince Liang. Subsequently, on New Year’s Eve, the battle report arrived. All the young men of the prominent Zhengguo Duke’s mansion had been killed on the battlefield.

Bai Qingyan’s grandmother, the Princess Dowager, was devastated by the news and fell seriously ill. She passed away not long afterwards.

In the second month of the 16th year of Xuanjia, Bai Qingyan’s mother, Dong-shi, received news in advance. The Left Prime Minister, Li Mao, and Prince Liang would work together and claim the Zhengguo Duke, Bai Weiteng, colluded with Nanyan which lead to a disastrous defeat for the Jin Kingdom. Tens of thousands of soldiers perished in Nanjiang. The evidence would reach the capital within two months.

Dong-shi made a decisive decision. She had Butler Liu take Bai Qingyan and Bai Jintong out of the capital to investigate. She secretly instructed him that if anything happened in the capital… Then he should raise Bai Qingyan and Bai Jintong as his own daughters, with their true identities concealed, prioritising their safety above all else.

She also arranged for the Bai family’s secret guards to divide into two groups. One would escort Fifth Madam Qi-shi, who was about to give birth. The other would take Bai family’s Fifth Miss and the other underage children out of the capital to seek refuge in safety.

On the third month of the 16th year of Xuanjia, the late Zhengguo Duke, Bai Weiteng’s lieutenant general, Liu Huanzhang, arrived in the capital as a witness to testify against the Zhengguo Duke, Bai Weiteng, for treason.

Liu Huanzhang claimed that he had spared no effort to eradicate the traitorous Bai clan, but he was gravely injured and saved by a farmer. After recovering from his injuries, he returned to expose the Zhengguo Duke.

On that day, the imperial guards surrounded the Zhengguo Duke’s mansion. They seized letters between the Zhengguo Duke and the King of Nanyan in the Duke’s study. The evidence was irrefutable.

The entire Bai clan had no male heirs left. In an act of benevolence, Emperor Xuanjia ordered the confiscation of the Bai family’s assets and their exile. Any remaining members of the Bai family were to be arrested and brought to justice.

On the night when the Bai family’s female members were imprisoned, Bai Qingyan’s mother, Dong-shi, along with several aunts, committed suicide by hanging themselves from a beam. They left behind a letter addressed to the emperor that listed the Bai family’s generations of contributions, swearing their loyalty to the heavens! They deplored the emperor for tolerating those who were treacherous and cunning, and framing loyal ministers. This caused a strange and corrupt atmosphere in the court. Those in high positions who flattered and curried favour with those in power all angrily questioned the emperor… Why did the current emperor fail to maintain the integrity and righteousness of the court as the previous emperor had, where civilian officials died with clarity of purpose and military commanders fought valiantly? Every word was forceful and impactful, resonating deeply.

This letter sent shockwaves throughout the capital, spreading like wildfire and captivating the entire city.

Fifth Madam Qi-shi, who had already given birth to a daughter, received the news with sorrow and anger. Under the protection of loyal servants and commoners, she carried the memorial tablets of the Bai family and a simple coffin. Dressed in mourning attire, she committed suicide in pouring rain in front of the palace gates, splattering blood three feet around her. She used her life as a sacrifice to force the emperor to return justice to the Bai family.

Bai Qingyan gazed at the falling snowflakes, wrapping herself tightly in a white fox fur cloak. She walked slowly toward the inner courtyard, her steps slow but increasingly resolute.

In her previous life, her grandmother’s dying wish had been for her and her mother to protect the Bai family and all the widows of the Bai family. However, she and her mother were unable to fulfil this wish, and they were powerless to change the fate of the Bai family. Even though they were filled with rage and a burning desire for revenge coursed through their blood, they could not shake the people responsible in the slightest. Therefore, she could only yearn for a swift death in her desperation.

Bai Qingyan wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes. Her lips curved upward and her gaze turning icy and sharp.

In this life, she had already protected her younger sister, Bai Jinxiu, and she could see a promising future. She would not let anyone in the Bai family die unjustly again. She was determined to safeguard the honour and legacy of the Bai family, no matter what it took, be it through cunning or ruthlessness. She would use any means!

As she turned a corner along the corridor, she nearly collided with a man dressed in a blue-gray robe, wearing a gray squirrel fur cloak. Her hand warmer fell to the ground, but luckily, the man quickly reached out and caught Bai Qingyan.

She looked up and found herself locking eyes with a pair of profound, tranquil, and seemingly all-knowing eyes. They were deep and inscrutable, as if they could penetrate the depths of one’s heart and understand everything, revealing a mysterious and unfathomable quality.

Seeing this old acquaintance again… Bai Qingyan struggled to control the rapid beating of her heart.

The man before her was none other than the Ninth Prince of Dayan who had the same mother as Emperor Dayan, and the future regent of Dayan.

He had taken on the name Xiao Rongyan and was known throughout the world as the wealthiest man, with business interests in various countries. He played the role of a wealthy merchant while secretly gathering intelligence for Dayan.

While many saw Xiao Rongyan, the richest businessman, as elegant and composed, she knew well that his cunning schemes ran deep and how vicious his methods were. He played with people’s hearts effortlessly and had a ruthless side. He held a great deal of influence among the aristocracy in various countries and had close relationships with many princes of the Great Jin Kingdom. Most of the elites in the capital looked up to Xiao Rongyan.

In the previous lifetime, when Prince Liang rebelled and ascended to the throne, just before the Dayan army entered the capital, Xiao Rongyan was moved by the plight of the Bai family’s female members and gave Bai Qingyan his personal jade cicada pendant and advised her to flee for her life.

Now, as the cold northern wind blew snowflakes into the corridor, Bai Qingyan felt a chill on her back. She took a step back and curtseyed, “Thank you.”

Xiao Rongyan, with his high-bridged nose and thin lips, possessed a striking handsomeness. He had a gentle and refined aura, having shed his previous arrogance.

He withdrew his hand which had briefly touched Bai Qingyan. He idly caressed the white jade cicada pendant in his palm. He smiled gently and his voice was mature, deep, steady, and composed, “No need to mention it.”

Following behind Xiao Rongyan, his attendants had already picked up the fallen handwarmer that Bai Qingyan had dropped. After advancing and retreating appropriately, they handed it back to Chuntao who thanked them profusely.

With her heart pounding like a drum, Bai Qingyan lowered her head and hurried past Xiao Rongyan’s tall and elegant figure. She walked briskly towards the inner courtyard, accompanied by Chuntao.

Xiao Rongyan took two steps forward, then turned back to glance at the rapidly retreating Bai Qingyan…

A few years ago, he had seen her in the palace of the Shu Kingdom.

At that time, after the Shu Kingdom’s defeat, he had been trapped in the Shu Kingdom’s palace, surrounded by the deafening sounds of battle.

The Zhengguo Duke had been mercilessly slaughtering and he had ordered Bai Qingyan to go alone, carrying the head of the Shu Kingdom’s Grand General, Pang Pingguo. She had been clad in armour, riding a horse like the wind, and had charged through layer after layer of palace gates.

The image of that young lady dressed in a flowing scarlet cloak, galloping towards the high steps of the Shu Kingdom’s main hall, raising Pang Pingguo’s head high, and roaring, “Pang Pingguo is dead, those who surrender will not be killed!” was still fresh in his mind.

“Brother Xiao! Why are you still here, Brother Xiao?!” Lu Yuanpeng jogged up to Xiao Rongyan. He craned his neck to look in the direction that Xiao Rongyan had been staring at, but he saw nothing, “What are you looking at?”

Xiao Rongyan had a faint smile in his eyes and he exuded an air of calm elegance. He replied in a refined and graceful manner, “It’s nothing…”

Lu Yuanpeng did not press further. Instead, he pulled Xiao Rongyan’s wrist and led him outside, “Xiao Brother, why did you spend so long in the restroom? Qin Lang has already taken his bride! Let’s head to the Zhongyong Marquis’ residence to join in the festivities!”