Capítulo 1293: Chapter 1288: Accompanying You
For the Yan Kingdom, with the Zhou army pressing its borders and the main forces of the Yan army trapped in Xiliang, the Yan Kingdom cannot simply hand over their Empress Dowager of Yan to appease the Zhou’s anger. Otherwise, Emperor Yan, Murong Li, would be drowned in the spit of the people!
After all, the desire of Zhou to annex the world is well-known, and this is yet another great opportunity for Zhou to destroy Yan, which they certainly won’t miss.
Only if Murong Li propagates the idea of resolving the two countries’ fate through national policy, rging the two into one country to avoid the people suffering from war, could he force the Eldest Young Lady to be wary of public opinion and compel her to agree, thus winning a slim chance of survival for the Yan Kingdom.
However, when did Murong Li send Wang Hanbing as an envoy to Zhou? She had received no news whatsoever.
Bai Jintong knew every court official in the Yan Court, not only knowing their nas and family backgrounds but also the details of their wives and concubines, and even so hidden secrets.
But this Wang Hanbing, born of humble origins… was the top second-rank candidate in the previous imperial examinations of the Yan Kingdom. Because of his difficult nature and pride in his talents, he was heavily ostracized and had no opportunity to showcase his talents in the Ministry of Rites. At that ti, Bai Jintong didn’t pay any attention to him at all—who knew… that publicly, after resigning, he went to Zhou.
This was her mistake; she had not thoroughly investigated the reason for Wang Hanbing’s resignation, preemptively assud Wang Hanbing resigned out of frustration.
Within less than two hours, Bai Jintong’s people had thoroughly investigated Wang Hanbing’s life, personality, family background, and even preferences.
While in the bath, Bai Jintong heard the report from below and did not delay. She got up and personally wrote a secret letter, intending to send the ssage back to the Eldest Young Lady.
In the elegantly ancient study, Bai Jintong’s long, damp hair draped over her shoulders. She sat on a window-side soft couch, leaned against a ginger-yellow passionflower-patterned cushion, holding a secret letter close to the flickering candlelight for a final check for her Eldest Young Lady. After confirming there were no issues, she placed it in a letter tube, instructed a Hidden Guard to deliver it, and then resud checking the accounts.
The cobblestone floor in the courtyard, cast in a golden hue by the candlelight streaming from the window, even dyed the moss in the corners warm. Soon, a light drizzle fell on the blue-bricks and green tiles, nourishing the orchid’s slender leaves under the eaves, making a soft rustling sound.
Danzhi, dressed in a noblewoman’s attire, instructed the servants to move the orchids from beneath the veranda into the warm pavilion. As she turned back, she saw Bai Jintong’s slender silhouette reflected on the window lattice. She turned to ask her personal maid, “Is my husband’s bird’s nest ready?”
“Madam, rest assured, the small kitchen has prepared it long ago; it’s been simring,” replied Danzhi’s personal maid.
“Good, have them bring it over!” Danzhi said.
Soon after, Danzhi, clad in a pogranate-red, white orchid, moonlight skirt, brought the bird’s nest over, placed it in front of Bai Jintong on the black lacquered table with the abacus and open account book, saying, “Husband, have so bird’s nest first. It’s late night, reconciling accounts strains the eyes; perhaps it’s better to rest tonight and continue tomorrow.”
This ti, Bai Jintong ca to the Yan Kingdom, bringing along her personal maid Danzhi, having Danzhi pretend to be Cui Fengnian’s beloved concubine.
Bai Jintong outwardly claid that Cui Fengnian and Danzhi grew up together, and during tis of family hardship, Danzhi remained steadfast, enduring hardships together, forming an extraordinary bond. Cui Fengnian would never, in his life, fail Danzhi. However, due to Danzhi’s status, she could only be raised as a beloved concubine, but in Cui Fengnian’s heart, Danzhi was his wife for life.
Bai Jintong fabricated the story of Cui Fengnian and Danzhi’s affection, partly to explain during social occasions why she doesn’t engage with other won and never stays overnight in places of indulgence.
Moreover… Though a rchant’s status is lowly, when Bai Jintong was in Xiliang previously, the Zhai family, one of the Eight Great Families of Xiliang, was impressed with Bai Jintong’s comrcial acuity and wanted to recruit Bai Jintong as a son-in-law.
This ti, to prevent any Yan court officials from attempting to recruit her as a son-in-law, she intentionally created a scenario for Cui Fengnian to have a beloved concubine with whom he shared past hardships and, for whom he avoided other won. Those wishing to recruit Cui Fengnian as a son-in-law must think clearly; marrying their daughter to Cui Fengnian would be awkward as he already had a concubine, cherished like a wife in his heart.
To avoid any flaws being detected, Danzhi, regardless of the audience, would call Bai Jintong “husband” and spend every night with her in the sa room.
“Leave the bird’s nest for later,” Cui Fengnian said with his head down, flipping through the account book with one hand and actively calculating with the other, “I’m almost done.”
The speed at which Bai Jintong worked was incredibly fast. She sat under the lamp, using one hand on the abacus, her slender fingers rely shadows, with the crisp sound of the abacus revealing just how quickly she was calculating.
Danzhi sat across from Bai Jintong, speaking in a low voice, “Husband, today Mrs. ng sent soone with an invitation, about their family’s Madam ng’s birthday on the fifteenth this month. Given there’s no other woman in the Cui Mansion apart from , she suggested I attend. However, with my status, I’m afraid it’s inappropriate to go; perhaps you should?”
Bai Jintong did not pause in her account checking, multitasking as she spoke, “The invitation is for you. I am naturally of rchant origin; attending would imply currying favor with the ng Mansion. Besides, Mrs. ng’s invitation isn’t sincerely for you to attend; it’s mainly to glean information from you about ng Zhaorong.”
Bai Jintong turned another page of the account book and continued, “Choose so valuable items from the warehouse, and tomorrow, let the steward personally deliver them, offering apologies, saying you’re afraid your low status will lead to mistakes and embarrassnt at the ng Mansion. After Madam ng’s birthday, if Mrs. ng wants to find soone to talk with her, you must oblige.”
“Yes, I have noted it down,” Danzhi looked up at her family’s Third Young Lady working over her abacus, feeling genuine happiness for her. Her Third Young Lady had ultimately beco who she always wanted to be.
She still rembered when the Third Young Lady once wished on her birthday to beco a wealthy rchant, and now she indeed had beco one.
“You should rest; no need to wait for ,” Bai Jintong said.
“It’s alright, I just want to keep you company here,” Danzhi replied with a smile.
Seeing that Bai Jintong had finished with the accounts, Danzhi quickly prepared a warm towel for Bai Jintong to wipe her hands. After Bai Jintong cleaned her hands, Danzhi promptly offered hot tea, serving Bai Jintong with perfect care.
“Finally finished with the accounts, you can rest peacefully now!” Danzhi said with a smile, “I will go prepare the bed for you.”
Reviews
All reviews (0)