Rebirth: The Journey of an Heiress
Chapter 369 - 366: Seven Inches_1

Chapter 369: Chapter 366: Seven Inches_1

"Your Highness!" Before the Crown Prince could finish speaking, Bai Qingyan bowed again. "I will soon return to Shuoyang, and there will not be many opportunities to come back to Dadu. Before I leave, I just want to do as much as I can for Your Highness. Left Prime Minister has hatred and grievances, let him direct them towards me. But Your Highness’s future court officials must not follow the Left Prime Minister, neglect the ruler, abuse power for personal gain, and pervert justice."

The Crown Prince pressed his lips together. Bai Qingyan indeed wholeheartedly considered him his master, thinking only of his future. He felt deeply moved and bowed deeply in gratitude for Bai Qingyan’s thorough consideration.

"You are weak, go back. The wind is chill..." the Crown Prince said with concern. "I have already sent people to Shuoyang to inform the local officials. You will depart tomorrow, and they will follow your orders and help you handle clan matters."

Bai Qingyan bowed once more. "Thank you, Your Highness!"

Watching the Crown Prince’s carriage leave, Bai Qingyan lifted his eyes, now cold and stern.

Bai Jinzhi, seeing that events had unfolded exactly as Bai Qingyan had predicted, could not contain her excitement and hurried down from the high steps. "Eldest Young Lady, it’s just as you expected!"

"Let’s talk about it at home." Bai Qingyan, holding Bai Jinzhi’s hand, smiled and turned with Bai Jinzhi to face the still-angry Mrs. Dong.

Before the Crown Prince arrived, Mrs. Dong had been scolding Bai Qingyan for breaking the legs of the Left Prime Minister’s son.

Bai Qingyan did not inform Mrs. Dong that she held leverage over the Left Prime Minister. But when the Crown Prince arrived and spoke of how the Left Prime Minister had cried and confessed his mistakes before the Emperor without accusing Bai Qingyan, Mrs. Dong understood that her daughter must have a tight grip on Li Mao.

Supporting Mrs. Dong’s arm, Bai Qingyan escorted her back to her courtyard. On the way, Mrs. Dong couldn’t help but mutter, "It’s better to offend a gentleman than a petty man. You went and offended Li Mao, a petty man with great power!"

"Mother, Kid would never bring trouble to the Bai family without reason. Just wait and see. Li Mao will come to us to make amends before we return to Dadu. By then, just be polite."

Mrs. Dong looked at her daughter, who was specially reminding her to be polite. "What is your plan?"

"There must always be someone playing the villain and someone playing the good guy. Kid has played the villain; naturally, Mother will be the good guy. Only then will the Left Prime Minister think there is a breach in the Bai family to exploit and not fight us to the death."

"So, you do have leverage on Li Mao?" Mrs. Dong asked.

Bai Qingyan nodded. "Grandmother entrusted it to me to protect the Bai family. Kid will use it wisely."

"Just be careful!" Mrs. Dong patted her daughter’s hand.

·

The sky had not yet brightened, and the fog had not lifted. The red lamps on the long street by the road were still burning. Dadu City was silent, with only occasional dog barks.

A husband and wife, early risers who sold breakfast at a street stall, briskly walked through the light fog carrying a shoulder pole. Once at the stall, they busied themselves quickly.

The woman skillfully tied on an apron, lit the high-hanging lantern and the stove, and added water to the pot. The man used a bamboo pole to set up an oilcloth canopy, arranged the tables, chairs, and stools, and was about to wipe the tables when he heard the clatter of hooves coming from the west end of the long street.

A horse team emerged from the fog. Shen Qingzhu, leading more than ten light cavalry, opened the road in front. Behind was a grand, luxurious four-horse carriage with red wheels of a Commandery Princess’s standard.

Bai Jinzhi rode a white horse and followed slowly beside the carriage.

Behind the carriage, nearly forty Bai Mansion guards in black casual clothes with swords around their waists followed.

This time, Bai Qingyan returned to Shuoyang, using the Commandery Princess’s carriage. Mrs. Dong thought Bai Qingyan was going to Shuoyang Clan to handle important matters and originally wanted her to take most of the Bai Mansion guards. But Bai Qingyan said the Crown Prince would send guards for her and fifty people would be enough. Mrs. Dong reasoned that the fewer people Bai Qingyan took, the more secure the Crown Prince would feel about the Bai family.

More people would make the Emperor suspicious again.

Just outside the city gate, Bai Jinzhi saw the Crown Prince’s guards and carriage waiting.

Bai Jinzhi bent over and whispered to Bai Qingyan inside the carriage. "Eldest Young Lady, the Crown Prince is already waiting outside the city."

Inside the carriage, Bai Qingyan, who was leaning on a soft pillow and reading by the light of a glass lamp, closed the book and sat up straight. "How many guards did the Crown Prince bring?" she asked.

Bai Jinzhi glanced around. "About a hundred or so."

Quan Yu, standing by the Crown Prince’s carriage, saw the Bai family convoy leaving the city and quickly boarded the carriage, handed hot tea to the Crown Prince, and said, "Your Highness,... Commandery Princess is here. Have some tea to refresh yourself."

The Crown Prince, resting with his eyes closed in the elm wood carriage, opened his eyes, lifted his spirits, took the hot tea handed to him, and sipped. "Let’s go..."

"It’s cold outside. Your Highness, wear a cloak." Quan Yu draped a cloak over the Crown Prince and helped him off the carriage.

Bai Jinzhi had already stopped the Bai family’s convoy and went forward to greet the Crown Prince. "Bai Jinzhi greets Your Highness."

The Crown Prince smiled and motioned for Bai Jinzhi to rise. He looked up and saw Chun Tao supporting Bai Qingyan down from the carriage, approaching him.

"Greeting Your Highness," Bai Qingyan bowed.

Shen Qingzhu, standing by a pitch-black horse in front, glanced at the Crown Prince’s guards, each mounted on horseback, ensuring they would not delay their journey.

"Commandery Princess, no need for so many formalities." The Crown Prince smiled at Bai Qingyan. His gaze swept over Bai Qingyan’s convoy. "You are going to Shuoyang for important matters, but with so few people, how will you deter the clan?" he said with a frown.

"Recently, bandits have been rampant around Shuoyang. The Bai Mansion has so many guards, and on the twenty-sixth day, they still need to escort the second batch of furniture back to Shuoyang. I originally intended to take ten people, cleaning the clan doesn’t require using more to bully less. At least I have the title of Commandery Princess granted by His Majesty," Bai Qingyan said helplessly. "But Mother was worried, so she made me bring so many people. It is already more than enough for me."

"You are still young!" The Crown Prince’s tone was affectionate and natural, as if he were an elder brother. "The Bai Clan members in Dadu dared to anger the Emperor’s aunt so much that she vomited blood. You only have the title of Commandery Princess and bring just a dozen people back. How could you intimidate those old and obstinate clan elders?"

"It is my fault..." The Crown Prince looked remorseful. "I should have petitioned for Father to bestow upon you the title of Princess. By your merit, if you were male, you would have inherited the title of King of Zhen."

The Crown Prince’s words were clearly to show favor to Bai Qingyan. How could she not know?

"I do not care for such empty titles! To me, Your Highness’s kindness is more precious and remembered in my heart!" Bai Qingyan’s words were exceptionally considerate.

The Crown Prince smiled slightly. "Alright, I know you do not care for empty titles. But you are truly taking too few people on this trip to Shuoyang. Fortunately, I have made preparations..."