The Eunuch Has A Wife - Chapter 59

At this critical moment, a princess who had been lost among the common people suddenly appeared.

The court officials were restless, and the Emperor, who had just regained consciousness, was also uneasy—no, he could only lie down now, unable to sit up.

This couldn’t be true. The Emperor’s first reaction was to deny having a daughter, and the courtiers also found it absurd. They had never heard of a princess being born all these years.

But when Zhou Luo’er appeared before them, everyone fell silent.

Her sharp, striking features, with long eyebrows extending to her temples, were identical to the Emperor’s. If anyone claimed they weren’t father and daughter, no one would believe it.

With the first prince still unconscious and his own health deteriorating, the Emperor couldn’t help but hesitate. He recalled the dying words of his predecessor and called Zhou Luo’er forward.

“Are you married?” If she could bear a child, the child would carry half the royal bloodline. With the Zhou surname, the throne would not fall into outsider hands—it would still belong to the Zhou descendants.

Zhou Luo’er thought of Bai Li. Despite her reluctance, she didn’t dare to lie: “Your Majesty, I was recently married.”

The ailing Emperor rubbed his ears. This unexpected daughter had just gotten married?

His paranoid nature as an Emperor immediately took over, and he changed his mind: “In that case, focus on bearing a child as soon as possible. You may leave.”

His tone was cold, devoid of any warmth.

But Zhou Luo’er didn’t care about any of this. She had no expectations or genuine feelings for this so-called father, who had reportedly tried to have her killed at birth.

Although she had long known her identity, when she truly arrived in the imperial city and stepped into the majestic palace, she couldn’t help but be dazzled.

Everything here could potentially become hers—the throne, the empire, all of it could be hers!

That night, Zhou Luo’er stayed in the palace as a princess, residing with Consort Lin. The mother and daughter staged a tearful reunion.

In Song Village, upon hearing the news from the palace, Bai Zhi was stunned and couldn’t help but ask Bai Hongmo: “As long as someone is the Emperor’s flesh and bl00d, can they sit on the throne?”

What if the heir was incompetent and tyrannical? Wouldn’t that bring suffering to the people?

Bai Hongmo saw her concern and replied: “Of course not. But if there’s no comparison, no other choice, then no matter how unworthy the heir is, we have no choice but to accept it.”

Otherwise, how could the empire remain under the Zhou name? No matter how dissatisfied the courtiers were, they could only flatter and support the heir. Otherwise, the court would become unstable, and everyone would want a piece of the pie. Compared to the chaos of a collapsing empire, supporting a less-than-ideal heir became the wiser choice.

Bai Zhi fell silent for a moment: “Mother, you make the arrangements.”

There wasn’t much she could do, but she would do her best. All she wished for was a stable court and a peaceful world.

Bai Hongmo nodded: “Tomorrow, come with me to the capital to meet your uncle.”

It was time to see her dear brother.

Bai Hongmo thought of the past, and a trace of hidden resentment flashed in her eyes. It had been twenty years since they last met, and she wondered how much of their sibling bond remained.

Bai Zhi agreed, but on the way back, her heart felt heavy. Her impression of Bai Shu wasn’t good, especially during the last few days at Lingjue Manor.

That man, in order to achieve his goals, had no qualms about sending people to spy on and follow them. His intentions were clear.

She believed that if necessary, Bai Shu would not hesitate to trap them in Lingjue Manor.

An uncle like that wouldn’t be easy to deceive. Going to Bai Shu for cooperation was like making a deal with a tiger.

Thinking of this, Bai Zhi couldn’t help but glance back. Bai Hongmo’s gaze, which had been watching her, quickly shifted away. Mother and daughter exchanged a silent look.

After a moment, they both averted their eyes.

Bai Zhi rubbed her eyes, which for some reason felt a bit sore. Her mother knew just as well as she did that Bai Shu couldn’t be trusted. But as they had just discussed, there was no other choice.

When she returned to the courtyard, she saw the door open from the inside.

Wei Ziwan, hearing footsteps, opened the door: “You’re back?”

Bai Zhi smiled: “Yes, were you waiting for me like a faithful wife gazing at the horizon?”

As soon as Bai Zhi entered the room, she took Wei Ziwan’s hand. The two faced each other, their eyes locked, seeing only each other.

Wei Ziwan’s ears turned red. This person had become increasingly unrestrained lately, saying embarrassing things without hesitation.

She withdrew her hand and poked Bai Zhi’s chin: “Shameless, who would wait for you like that?”

Bai Zhi chuckled, pulling her into her arms and changing the subject: “We’re going to the capital tomorrow morning. Mother said she’s taking me to see my uncle. Do you want to come along?”

Wei Ziwan leaned into her shoulder and replied without hesitation: “Of course, we’ll go together.”

No matter what they encountered, they had each other. Even if they couldn’t help much, just knowing they weren’t alone and had each other’s company would bring them peace.

Bai Zhi hesitated, unsure of what to say: “Maybe… you should wait for me here instead. What do you think?”

Bai Hongmo’s purpose in seeking out Bai Shu was simple: to convince him to abandon Zhou Luo’er and support Bai Zhi instead.

This was clearly risky. If Bai Shu was determined to support Zhou Luo’er, then Bai Zhi, as another royal daughter, would be a threat.

And how do you deal with a threat? You eliminate it, especially when the threat delivers itself to your doorstep.

Thinking of this, Bai Zhi suddenly felt that going alone might be better. At least… at least… if something went wrong, Ziwan wouldn’t be implicated.

Wei Ziwan smiled at her, fully aware of what was troubling the person before her.

“My husband, don’t worry. They say when the boat reaches the bridge, it will straighten itself out. If we can’t pass under the bridge, we’ll jump into the water and swim together.”

Though it was just a harmless joke, Bai Zhi felt her nose sting.

She turned her head away without a word. Lately, for some reason, she had become prone to tears.

Perhaps it was just the cold winter.

Wei Ziwan gently nuzzled Bai Zhi’s shoulder, and the two embraced in silence.

The next day.

After leaving Song Village and walking along the narrow path, they found two carriages waiting outside.

Bai Hongmo was in the first carriage.

Bai Zhi and Wei Ziwan were in the second, following closely as they entered the capital.

As for Bai Shu, after he had Bai Luo change her surname back to Zhou and had his son marry her, the Bai family had aligned themselves with Consort Lin’s family.

Consort Lin’s family wasn’t particularly prominent. Her father was merely a vice-minister in the Ministry of Personnel, a very modest man.

After learning that the first prince was unconscious and his fate uncertain, he couldn’t help but panic. Fortunately, the ancestors of the Lin family had blessed them by sending Zhou Luo’er back.

Thus, he was somewhat grateful to the Bai father and son, though how genuine that gratitude was remained unclear.

After Zhou Luo’er entered the palace, she stayed there with Consort Lin, while the Bai father and son remained in a residence arranged by the Lin family.

The carriage stopped outside the Lin family’s villa, and the coachman stepped forward to deliver a visiting card.

The guard at the gate went inside to inform Bai Shu, while a servant quickly relayed the news of the three women’s visit to Lin’s father.

The guard soon returned and invited them in.

Bai Hongmo was not surprised. She sneered inwardly as she walked in.

On the visiting card, she had written a line: “Rather than relying on an uncertain outsider, trust Zhi’er. At least she is a member of the Bai family.”

In the main hall, Bai Shu looked at the visiting card in his hand. The handwriting, though unseen for many years, was still familiar—so familiar that he recognized it at a glance. It was his younger sister’s handwriting.

So, his sister was still alive.

After so many years apart, Bai Shu’s stern face showed a flicker of emotion: “Hongmo, so you escaped too. I thought… I thought…”

Bai Shu’s voice carried a slight sob, and his sentence trailed off unfinished.

Bai Hongmo listened, her eyes reddening: “Big brother, don’t be sad. It’s all in the past.”

Bai Shu took a deep breath and calmed himself: “You’re right, it’s all in the past. Now that the Bai family has returned, everything we lost will be regained. It’s wonderful that you came to find me.”

His gaze briefly fell on Bai Zhi and Wei Ziwan before he continued: “I thought Zhi’er had gone to seek help from some important figure, but it turns out she went to find her mother. Of course, an uncle can’t compare to a mother. Seeing you two reunited brings me peace.”

Bai Zhi nodded, silently agreeing: “Thank you for your concern, Uncle.”

Bai Shu waved his hand: “Nonsense. Today’s reunion is a joyous occasion. Let’s not dwell on the past. Come, sit together.”

Bai Shu and Bai Hongmo, brother and sister, caught up on old times, and soon the table was filled with food and wine.

Bai Zhi and Wei Ziwan sat on one side of Bai Hongmo, while across from them were Bai Shu and Bai Li, father and son.

After a few rounds of drinks, Bai Hongmo stared at Bai Shu, holding a cup of wine as she slowly stood up: “Big brother, you’ve always been resourceful. You must have guessed our purpose in coming. What do you think?”

Bai Shu put down his wine cup and motioned for Bai Hongmo to sit: “Hongmo, if Zhi’er hadn’t left back then, I wouldn’t have had to resort to choosing Consort Lin’s daughter. Let’s not bring this up anymore. Let Zhi’er live as a carefree princess.”

Opportunities wait for no one, so there’s no point blaming others.

Bai Hongmo didn’t sit down. She shook her head: “I don’t understand. Big brother, you know Zhi’er is the best choice. She’s my daughter, a member of the Bai family.”

She looked at Bai Shu across the table, her eyes filled with scrutiny. Such a straightforward refusal could only mean one thing…

“You think I don’t know that? But there’s a better option—to have a member of the Bai family sit on the throne, a true Bai man.”

If Bai Zhi took the throne, who would succeed her would be uncertain, and the bond with the Bai family would only grow weaker.

But with Zhou Luo’er, it’s different. As long as she bears Bai Li’s child, the significance changes entirely.

Bai Shu’s face showed the confidence of a master strategist. No one could have anticipated his ambition.

Bai Hongmo’s gaze shifted to Bai Li: “I see. So Zhou Luo’er has already married Bai Li.”

Her words hit the mark.

Bai Shu smiled with satisfaction: “You understand me well, Hongmo. You truly are a daughter of the Bai family. I’m doing this for the future of the Bai family. Don’t worry, I’ll make sure Zhou Luo’er treats you and your daughter well.”

Bai Hongmo sat down silently and took a few sips of wine from her cup. It seemed they would have to make other plans. If they couldn’t win, they would need to secure an escape route for the children.

As for being treated well, Zhou Luo’er probably couldn’t wait to eliminate them both.