Capítulo 1369: Chapter 1364: Regret
“Have you t him!” Bai Qingping responded and saw Chun Tao bringing in the snacks, quickly nodding in gratitude.
After Chun Tao perford her salute, she respectfully withdrew.
“By the way, sister, this ti… I brought the old servant from the Bai family’s ancestral ho in Shuoyang. The old one’s age is advanced. Last ti, when sister got married and had children, he was ill and couldn’t make it in ti. This ti, he said…” Bai Qingping paused, “He said he wanted to see the eldest young lady and the two little masters, fulfilling his heart’s wish. But due to the fatigue of travel, the old one couldn’t hold on and was quite frail, so I asked father to send him back to the Bai Mansion first.”
The old servant’s original words were that he felt he probably didn’t have much ti left and would soon have to serve the King of Zhen underground. Thus, he wanted to see the eldest young lady and the two little masters. After he’s underground, he could report to the King of Zhen, that the eldest young lady now has two little masters, alleviating one of the King’s regrets.
“Alright, you’ve worked hard…” Bai Qingyan replied with a gentle smile.
The old servant is the most senior faithful servant of the Bai family, having followed her grandfather since youth. Bai Qingyan also holds him in high esteem, considering him as half a ntor, much like Doctor Hong.
Moreover, the old servant has always been soone who dislikes inconveniencing others. This ti, to follow Bai Qingping to Dadu City, I fear his health might not be very good…
As Bai Qingyan was contemplating sneaking back to the Bai Mansion today to first check on the old servant, she saw Wei Zhong taking small steps to enter the hall from the side door, approaching her, and whispering, “Your Majesty, news from the Marquis of Dingyong’s residence ca; an hour ago, the Marquis of Dingyong passed away.”
She was startled upon hearing this and after a mont replied, “Go and make preparations, we will travel lightly, and I will go personally to pay my respects.”
“Chun Tao, bring a mourning attire,” Bai Qingyan instructed as she turned her head.
Bai Qingping stood up upon hearing this: “Sister, has sothing happened?”
“The Marquis of Dingyong has passed away. When the Bai family was in dire straits, the Marquis once extended his assistance. I must go and see.” Bai Qingyan looked at Bai Qingping, “Originally, since you’ve just arrived in Dadu City, I was supposed to have you stay for lunch today…”
“Sister, please go about your business. Now that Qingping is in Dadu City, we siblings have plenty of ti to reunite.” Bai Qingping saluted and bid farewell.
Bai Qingyan never forgot, during the Bai family’s hardship, on New Year’s Eve, the Marquis of Dingyong sent his heir to inquire and later sent his steward to lend the coffin he had prepared to the Bai family. While others dared not co for fear of the Emperor of Jin, it was her ntor and Mr. Cui who arrived first, and the Marquis of Dingyong followed closely to pay his respects at the Bai Mansion.
For those who did not kick the Bai family when it was down, and even helped, Bai Qingyan always rembered and never forgot.
Bai Qingyan changed into mourning attire, taking only Wei Zhong and Chun Tao, Chun Zhi, and left the palace.
Although Bai Qingyan now holds the honor of the Emperor, she is not entirely powerless, and with Wei Zhong being highly skilled, their group of four left the palace quietly without drawing attention.
The Marquis of Dingyong held a title, and alongside the nobility of Dadu City, all knew during the Bai family’s hardship, the Marquis had lent his own coffin. At a ti when the power of the Emperor was waning, he extended a helping hand. Thus, upon hearing of the Marquis’s death, the nobility ca in droves to pay their respects.
By the ti Bai Qingyan arrived, the entire Marquis of Dingyong’s residence was draped in white mourning cloth, and white lanterns were hung high at the entrance.
As soon as she got off the carriage, she heard the heart-wrenching cries of won inside.
“Miss…” Chun Tao reached out to assist their young lady off the carriage.
Bai Qingyan, seeing the white mourning cloth draped all over the Marquis of Dingyong’s residence, recalled the scenes from the Bai family’s own funeral…
The servants of the Marquis of Dingyong’s residence had already changed into mourning attire, standing silently at the door. On seeing another carriage approaching, the steward, with red eyes, brought the hem of his mourning robe and hurried down the steps. Wei Zhong went forward and whispered sothing to the steward, who, trembling in fear, hastily knelt and kowtowed, then quickly had soone report to the family, not daring to reveal Bai Qingyan’s identity, but instead respectfully inviting her party inside.
Inside the mourning hall, upon hearing that the Emperor had arrived, the Marquis’s heir stood up in shock, and quickly, with the help of his wife, supported the old Marchioness. Along with the second and third branches and the grandchildren, they hurried out to greet her, followed by a large group of relatives and dignitaries co to offer condolences.
Seeing Bai Qingyan already holding Chun Tao’s hand, lifting her gown as she stepped into the main gate of the Marquis of Dingyong’s residence, the Marchioness quickly set down her staff and knelt with her children and grandchildren, “This old servant ets the Emperor!”
The dignitaries behind her also knelt and kowtowed. So noticed Bai Qingyan’s mourning clothes, and couldn’t help but begin to evaluate the Marquis of Dingyong’s weight in Bai Qingyan’s heart.
“Unaware of Your Majesty’s visit, this official has failed to greet you properly!” the Marquis’s heir hurriedly said.
“Marchioness, please rise quickly!” Bai Qingyan stepped forward to help the Marchioness up, seeing her eyes red and tears streaming down, and softly comforted the old Marchioness and urged the Marquis’s heir and others to rise, “Old madam, please restrain your grief!”
Upon hearing these words, the Marchioness was again overwheld with tears: “In truth, the old Marquis living to this age is a cause for celebration! This old servant is not sad, the old Marquis did not suffer when he left! If the old Marquis knew that after he left, Your Majesty would personally co to send him off… he would surely be moved to tears!”
“There’s no such thing as being moved or not. When the Bai family was in trouble… fortunately, the Marquis of Dingyong, with great righteousness, lent his own coffin to the Bai family. This kindness… I have never forgotten!” Supporting the Marchioness, Bai Qingyan gently led her toward the mourning hall, “Now that the old Marquis has passed, as a younger generation, regardless of anything, I must co to send him off!”
Upon hearing these words from the Emperor, where could the Marchioness find anything dissatisfying in her heart?
The current Emperor cherishes old ties. The old Marquis’s insistence on sending his coffin to the Bai family back then was a correct decision.
The party accompanied Bai Qingyan into the mourning hall, where she personally offered incense. Then soone reported that the Ninth Prince of the Yan Kingdom had arrived…
The wife of the Marquis’s heir shivered, instinctively glancing in Bai Qingyan’s direction, realizing she seed indifferent, and only then did she slightly relax.
The Ninth Prince of the Yan Kingdom arrived as a guest, but this guest… had no dealings with the Marquis of Dingyong’s residence!
This was also amidst discussions between the two nations on critical issues. With the passing of her father-in-law and the Ninth Prince of the Yan Kingdom suddenly coming to offer condolences, they feared if the Emperor thought they had dealings with the Yan Kingdom, the Marquis of Dingyong’s estate might face minor setbacks, but the real worry was that their official careers might be over!
Setting her mind, the wife of the Marquis’s heir deliberately turned to ask the Marchioness: “Mother, this Ninth Prince of the Yan Kingdom… has no dealings with our family, right? Why has he co to offer condolences?”
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