The Eldest Legitimate Daughter is Both Beautiful and Valiant (ELDBBV) - Chapter 8

After Lu Ping returned, he changed into dry clothes and hurriedly made his way to Qinghui Courtyard. He stood under the eaves, pacing back and forth, his slightly rapid breath visible in the chilly air. His complexion was not great and when he saw Bai Qingyan entering the courtyard, he quickly approached and clasped his hands in greeting, “Eldest Miss…”

Bai Qingyan glanced at Chuntao, who understood and handed over an umbrella to Lu Ping before stepping back with the other maids.

Lu Ping shielded Bai Qingyan with the umbrella as they walked beneath the ancient ginkgo tree in the courtyard. Bai Qingyan turned to Lu Ping and said, “Uncle Ping, please speak.”

Lu Ping cleared his throat, exhaling white mist in the cold air. He knelt down on one knee, he said, “Eldest Miss… Please forgive me!”

Bai Qingyan tightened her grip on the hand warmer but forced herself to remain calm, “Uncle Ping, please get up first and talk.”

Lu Ping stood up, his face filled with remorse as he gazed at Bai Qingyan, “Today, near Zui’an Square, Prince Liang was attacked and stabbed several times… His injuries were extremely severe! I was supposed to come back before the capital mayor closed the road. Unexpectedly, I encountered an old friend covered in blood! It was only after bringing him back to the mansion that I realised he was actually one of the assassins! Lu Ping humbly asks for punishment!”

He knelt down again as he finished speaking.

Bai Qingyan’s fingers lightly played with the hand warmer, her blood boiling with anticipation upon hearing that Prince Liang’s “injuries were extremely severe”. If Prince Liang were to die this time, it could potentially save her from a lot of future troubles.

Her heart raced, and she bent down to help Lu Ping up, “Uncle Ping, where have you left him now?”

“He’s in the firewood shed in the backyard,” Lu Ping replied, his face showing deep embarrassment from causing trouble to the Zhenguo Duke’s mansion, “Now that the capital mayor has sealed the city, I did not dare to send him out of the mansion rashly. I’ve been negligent, and I beg Miss to forgive me!”

As he spoke, Lu Ping was about to kneel again but Bai Qingyan stopped him.

“Now that the person is already here, your apology won’t change anything. We need to think about what to do next,” Bai Qingyan’s eyes were filled with determination.

After a moment of contemplation beneath the ginkgo tree, Bai Qingyan said, “Uncle Ping, take me to see him.”

She wanted to find out why Prince Liang had been attacked. If she could gather any evidence that was detrimental to Prince Liang, it would be a roadblock on his path to greatness.

Furthermore, Bai Qingyan could only judge whether this person could stay after she saw the person who tried to kill Prince Liang.

Bai Qingyan, accompanied by only Chuntao, followed Lu Ping to the backyard’s firewood shed in the snow. However, there was nothing in the shed except for a pool of blood.

Staring at the drag marks on the muddy ground, Bai Qingyan looked towards the piles of firewood, “Since the knight has found refuge in our Bai family, why hide and avoid us?”

Chuntao’s heart skipped a beat, and she instinctively moved in front of Bai Qingyan, raising her arms protectively. Her eyes were filled with vigilance.

Bai Qingyan patted Chuntao’s hand to signal her to lower it. Since the man hiding behind the firewood was discovered, he did not hide any longer and pushed away the firewood in front of him.

The man hiding among the firewood had half of his face covered in congealed blood, making his already pale complexion appear even more ghastly. He was dressed in black, and despite his severe injuries, he exuded a menacing aura.

Bai Qingyan remained composed on the surface, but her hand clenched tightly around the hand warmer.

The assassin that Lu Ping had rescued turned out to be Qin Shangzhi, the future adviser to the prince. However, in the previous life, Qin Shangzhi had failed to earn the crown prince’s trust and so could not put his great talents to use. He had eventually died in frustration.

Qin Shangzhi glanced up and down at Bai Qingyan, sneering. “How does Eldest Miss intend to deal with me, this assassin? Will you seek credit from Prince Liang?”

“Qin Shangzhi!” Lu Ping reprimanded him.

Bai Qingyan raised her hand to signal Lu Ping not to be angry. She addressed Qin Shangzhi, “How do you know that I am the eldest daughter of the Bai family?”

Qin Shangzhi let out a low laugh, revealing bloodstained teeth. He sat back lazily, “To make Lu Ping be so respectful, you must be the master of the Zhenguo Duke’s residence. The daughters of the Zhenguo Duke’s residence are all skilled in martial arts, with strong physiques and good health. They can endure the cold of the harsh winter with just a thin layer of cotton clothes. However, someone like you, wearing a high-quality fox fur cloak… I’m afraid you can only be the eldest daughter who was wounded in battle with the Duke himself!”

“Could you tell me why you attempted to assassinate Prince Liang?” Bai Qingyan asked.

“Doesn’t Prince Liang deserve to die?” Qin Shangzhi’s eyes burned with intense hatred, like a raging bonfire on the grasslands at dawn, capable of igniting a wildfire, “He pretended to be humble and obedient but colluded behind the scenes, forming cliques and showing favouritism, performing malpractice and corruption, having a blatant disregard for human life! He forced us to serve him by taking the lives of mine and my comrades’ wives and children, cough, cough, cough…”

Qin Shangzhi was overcome with emotion and coughed up blood as he spoke. Clutching his chest, he looked up at Bai Qingyan with a sneer. “What a pity for your Bai family, full of loyal subjects. Your loyalty is like a watchdog for the Great Jin Kingdom, but before long, I’m afraid your fate will be the same as mine — your family ruined and your life in ruins!”

“How dare you?!” Chuntao was furious, “Eldest Miss, don’t listen to his mad ravings. Let Lu Ping take him to the authorities!”

“I will follow Eldest Miss’ orders!” Although Lu Ping felt conflicted, he truly could not bring trouble to the Zhenguo Duke’s residence.

As Bai Qingyan listened to Qin Shangzhi’s words, her heart was filled with shock. It turned out… Qin Shangzhi could already foresee the Bai family’s fate at this time.

Thinking back to what Prince Xiao Rongyan of Dayan said about Qin Shangzhi in the previous life, Bai Qingyan made up her mind in the blink of an eye.

She handed the hand warmer she had been holding to Chuntao and took a few steps towards Qin Shangzhi.

“Eldest Miss!” Chun Tao could not help but worry.

Unexpectedly, Bai Qingyan actually knelt down and bowed respectfully to Qin Shangzhi. Qin Shangzhi also seemed taken aback, not understanding what Bai Qingyan was trying to do. He clutched his clothes tightly.

“E-Eldest Miss!” Lu Ping was at a loss.

“Sir, since you know of the loyalty of our Bai family and can foresee our difficulties, may I ask you to advise me on how the Bai family can save itself?”

Bai Qingyan looked upright and was not annoyed by Qin Shangzhi’s words. Instead, she was unusually composed as if she had already known about what he was saying.

Qin Shangzhi was now rescued by the Bai family. It was not Qin Shangzhi’s style to not repay kindness. He pursed his lips, “Eldest Miss’ reaction suggests that you have already foreseen this. There’s no need for me to elaborate! I will say only one thing… To preserve the Bai family, Zhenguo Duke must retreat.”

“The legend of the undefeated Bai family’s troops has fallen out of favour with the current emperor! Duke Zhenguo’s straightforward and loyal character has earned him the resentment of the court’s schemers! The mouths of the masses can melt gold, and accumulated slander can erode bones! There’s no room for Duke Zhenguo today and his towering achievements. If this time… Duke Zhenguo doesn’t retreat, the 17 sons of the Bai family in Nanjiang may all meet their end.”

Every single one of Qin Shangzhi’s words matched the fate of the 17 sons of the Bai family who perished in Nanjiang in the previous life.

Bai Qingyan looked at Qin Shangzhi, her heart trembling. The current emperor?!

In her previous life, she had never imagined that the emperor would harbour ill will towards the Bai family. The Bai family had been loyal and upright for generations, full of righteousness and integrity!

As Qin Shangzhi said, the Bai family was full of loyal people, as loyal as the watchdogs of the Great Jin Kingdom!

The mouths of the masses can melt gold, and accumulated slander can erode bones?!

Her hands tightened and she suddenly seized the spark of inspiration in her mind.

“Thank you, sir, for your guidance!” Bai Qingyan bowed again.

Chuntao hurried forward to help Bai Qingyan up. She heard Bai Qingyan say, “Uncle Ping, take good care of Mr Qin.”

Lu Ping gratefully acknowledged, “Lu Ping will do as ordered!”