Capítulo 1338: Chapter 1333: Weak and Cowardly
And those nobles deeply rooted in the Jin Dynasty were anxious just for their lives when Bai Qingyan ascended the throne…
The Vassal Kings originally thought Bai Qingyan, upon her ascension, needed to stabilize the situation and intended to challenge her. But Bai Qingyan swiftly and decisively cleared them out. Until now, she hasn’t supported new nobles in the royal court. Her maternal Dong family is needless to ntion, and her aunts also restrained their own maternal families from becoming too powerful.
Since Bai Qingyan ascended the throne, she has only recently ennobled her younger siblings. Besides planning to provide them positions after eliminating Xiliang, it is also to demonstrate to the court officials and give the aunts an excuse to suppress their maternal families when seeking positions.
At present, Bai Qingyan isn’t unaware that because she ennobled her siblings, even those “relatives” in her aunts’ families have beco ambitious.
However, Bai Qingqi and Bai Qingyu earned their noble titles by risking their lives on the battlefield. The aunts have a plausible excuse, saying since Bai Qingyan treats her siblings and cousins similarly, those desiring positions should go fight on the battlefield themselves. Bai Qingyan, being of military background, will naturally not treat generals poorly.
Yet, Bai Qingyan’s aunts… having such noble family backgrounds that allowed them to marry into the Bai family, cannot bear to send their beloved ones to the battlefield to suffer for fa and glory while letting them enjoy their ancestors’ achievents.
Therefore, whenever the maternal families of the aunts bring up these matters, as long as the aunts use military achievents as an argunt, they can suppress the issue. However, they can’t avoid their maternal families ntioning past favors when the aunts were with them, compelling them to give away so wealth. As long as it doesn’t impact the greater situation, in Bai Qingyan’s view, these are secondary issues, and she secretly compensates the aunts.
It’s fair to say that very few major events in Zhou currently happen against Bai Qingyan’s intentions.
As for Xiao Rongyan, surrounded by incompetent and hindering people, yet cannot act against them, it shows Xiao Rongyan’s life in the Yan Kingdom isn’t as comfortable as rumors suggest, often in distress but unable to express it to others.
“Send the order, checkpoints everywhere, must capture this honored uncle of the Yan Kingdom. If this honored uncle of the Yan Kingdom can assassinate our court officials in Zhou and co and go freely on our land, wouldn’t the people think that Zhou is a bit too inept!”
Wei Zhong responded affirmatively, ready to send soone to deliver the order, when Bai Qingyan, with a grim expression, spoke again: “Within three days, I want to see him, alive or dead!”
“Yes!” Wei Zhong knew then that Bai Qingyan was genuinely angry and hurried to relay the order.
Unexpectedly, before the sea pursuit docunts could be issued, the situation took a sudden turn, and the honored uncle of the Yan Kingdom returned.
He personally went to the Court of Judicial Review, stating he wanted to confront the assassin, claiming he wasn’t fleeing before but was held in the posthouse unaware, and wanted to resolve the matter soon and discuss important matters between the two nations. Hence, he had the guards assist him in escaping from the posthouse, not to flee but to co to the Court of Judicial Review to help investigate.
Upon hearing this, Bai Qingyan turned and smirked. This was likely Xiao Rongyan’s handiwork, as only Xiao Rongyan could bring this cowardly honored uncle of the Yan Kingdom back. Likely, Xiao Rongyan inford this honored uncle that the assassin was dead, instructing Zhong Xingxiao to appear ignorant and demand a confrontation at the Court of Judicial Review.
Bai Qingyan, reviewing morials, heard Wei Zhong report the matter with a smile: “Since the honored uncle of the Yan Kingdom has presented himself, then detain him!”
This marked Zhong Xingxiao’s fortune, sparing his life, originally Bai Qingyan intended to simply capture the corpse.
Since Xiao Rongyan intervened to save this fool’s life, Bai Qingyan decided to let Zhong Xingxiao live a few more days, allowing him to enjoy himself in Dadu City.
The Bai family’s eighth girl, Bai Wanqing, hid behind a pillar, sneaking glances at her eldest young lady. She watched as her eldest young lady used the hot towel Chun Tao handed to wipe her hands, picked up the teacup, and took small sips with a modest smile, her elegance indescribable and her movents extrely pleasing to the eye.
Bai Qingyan set down the teacup, picked up the brush to review the morials, and smiled as she spoke: “There’s a little mouse sneaked into the palace hall…”
Bai Wanqing, being raised by Mrs. Qi, imdiately knew she’d been spotted by her eldest young lady upon hearing this. She rushed out from behind the red-painted dragon pillar, running towards her eldest young lady.
The little one crawled under her eldest young lady’s arm, sitting steadily on Bai Qingyan’s lap as she did when she was younger: “Eldest young lady, my mother asked for Aunt’s help to borrow Nanny Qin to teach etiquette. I heard the eldest young lady’s etiquette was taught by Nanny Qin. Is Nanny Qin particularly strict?”
The little girl’s hands held Bai Qingyan’s arm as she looked up, her eyes resembling water grapes looking expectantly at Bai Qingyan, with a hint of apprehension.
“Nanny Qin is the gentlest, different from other teaching nannies!” Bai Qingyan put down the brush and embraced Bai Wanqing, tidying the strands of her hair and smoothing her two little buns, smiling, “As long as Xiao Ba learns according to Nanny’s teachings, there won’t be any problems. Moreover, our Xiao Ba is so clever. Nanny Qin says it once, Xiao Ba will surely understand!”
Praising words are loved by children of this age. Imdiately, she showed her little face, easing that hint of apprehension: “That’s for sure!”
Bai Qingyan looked at Chun Tao standing aside and smiling, saying: “Wasn’t it ntioned earlier that Mother had Nanny Qin send so goat milk? Bring it over with a plate of bird’s nest stead pastry.”
“Yes!” Chun Tao responded with a smile and went out to prepare.
The bird’s nest stead pastry was sweet and soft, and Bai Wanqing cherished sweet foods. Fifth Aunt worried that indulging her daughter’s appetite now would lead to regret during her daughter’s youth when beauty becos a concern, thus intentionally restricting Bai Wanqing’s indulgence. However, Bai Qingyan thought that the girl being plump and rounder was prettier. When grown, she’d shed this and truly practice martial arts; the current roundness wouldn’t an much, and aunt Xiao Five was living proof.
“Eldest young lady, the flower banquet is the day after tomorrow, and Mother said she’d invite children from ministerial families my age into the palace. Can I choose a companion for studies, is it true?” Bai Wanqing appeared quite eager.
Children always desire to play with other children. Although the palace is vast… there are younger maids to accompany Bai Wanqing, with so many elders and the eldest young lady pampering her, the maids inevitably fear her, and etiquette must be observed before the elders, leaving Bai Wanqing inevitably lonely.
Although there is Brother Wang in the palace, Bai Wanqing, being younger than Bai Wanqing, is always too disdainful.
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