Rebirth: The Journey of an Heiress
Chapter 372 - 369: The Root of the Clan_1

Chapter 372: Chapter 369: The Root of the Clan_1

Was it possible... that as the rumors said, the Crown Prince truly had feelings for the Princess of Zhen and intended to make her his consort in the future?

Seeing the Governor had already walked up, Lord Zhou couldn’t think more as he quickly regained his composure and stepped forward, followed by the Clan Leader and clan members.

The Governor and Lord Zhou saw Bai Qingyan alight from the carriage and hastily went to greet her: "Greetings, Princess of Zhen."

"No need for formalities, my lords." Bai Qingyan introduced Quan Yu to the Governor and Lord Zhou, "This... is Eunuch Quan Yu from the Crown Prince’s residence."

The Governor and Lord Zhou hurriedly paid their respects.

"My lords, you are too courteous. I am just a servant of the Crown Prince. Upon hearing that the elders of the Bai Clan forced his royal great aunt to vomit blood, the Crown Prince, worried for his sisterly close Princess of Zhen, sent me and two squads of the Crown Prince’s guards to assist her in handling the Bai Clan’s affairs and to prevent her from being bullied," Quan Yu said with a smile to the two lords.

The Clan Leader’s legs nearly gave way upon hearing this, his gaze falling on the hundred plus robust guards of the Crown Prince’s residence, his face pale as a sheet.

Lord Zhou’s eyebrow twitched. Close as siblings...

This meant that the Crown Prince harbored no romantic feelings for the Princess of Zhen.

If not for romantic affection, then he must highly value her or completely trust her.

No matter which it was, Lord Zhou could not afford to neglect Bai Qingyan.

"Injustice! We didn’t force the Eldest Princess to vomit blood! It was the Eldest Princess herself..." an elder quickly cried out.

The Clan Leader hurriedly grabbed the elder’s hand, stopping him from speaking further.

Any more and it would be accusing the Eldest Princess of acting. Nobody would believe... that the Eldest Princess would fake vomiting blood for a mere clan’s sake.

"Greetings, Princess. Greetings, my lords," the Clan Leader quickly bowed to Bai Qingyan and Quan Yu, smiling obsequiously, "Princess returns home, why didn’t you notify us earlier? So we could prepare properly and welcome you and the lord from the Crown Prince’s residence..."

Bai Qingyan did not answer. She merely looked at Lord Zhou and asked, "I heard that after I left last time, the Bai clan members caused trouble, throwing a young girl into the river and causing her mother’s death, demanding Lord Zhou to arrest them. Did you?"

"Arrested! Arrested! Rest assured, Princess, I have not forgotten your orders to punish them severely according to the law!" Lord Zhou quickly replied.

Bai Qingyan nodded, her cold and indifferent eyes sweeping over the Bai Clan members as she asked the Clan Leader, "Did you inform Lord Zhou and properly settle Bai Qingping, who reported her niece, here today?"

The Clan Leader dared not say that he had locked Bai Qingping in the ancestral hall and she was still kneeling there today.

The Clan Leader had no choice. Bai Qingping was his own grandson. Not locking Bai Qingping up couldn’t quell the clan members’ anger.

"At home, at home..." The Clan Leader kept his head down, not daring to look into Bai Qingyan’s deep, dark eyes.

Bai Qingyan gave the Clan Leader a long look and then asked Lord Zhou again, "The Bai clan members who committed harm to the people, have you thoroughly investigated and gathered solid evidence?"

Magistrate Zhou was sweating profusely and quickly responded, "Reporting to the Princess, I just finished the investigations yesterday, originally intending to address it today together!"

"Good, then at noon today, have the Clan Leader summon the clan members to open the ancestral hall." Bai Qingyan looked at Magistrate Zhou, "Trouble Lord Zhou to send people to escort all jailed Bai clan members to the ancestral hall, and inform the victims to come to the Bai clan’s ancestral hall."

"Does this mean Lord Zhou is going to release our clan members? But why would he summon the victims to our ancestral hall?" a Bai clan member whispered to someone beside him.

"Princess, the ancestral hall cannot be opened easily except for significant holidays and major events," the Clan Leader cautiously ventured.

Hearing this, Bai Qingyan gave a cold laugh, giving the Clan Leader an icy stare: "Today, the Bai Clan either expels members from the clan, or the entire Bai family in Dadu will be severed from the ancestors. Isn’t that a significant event?"

The Clan Leader’s face turned deathly pale; the clan members were all filled with panic.

"Can it be that the Princess intends to enter the ancestral hall?" Bai Qiyun frowned deeply, not daring to look at Bai Qingyan, only speaking to the Clan Leader, "Father, women have never been allowed to enter the ancestral hall since ancient times."

The Clan Leader cautiously glanced up at Bai Qingyan.

Bai Jinzhi bit her lip, about to step forward, but was stopped by Bai Qingyan, whose face was as calm as still water.

Unexpected to the Clan Leader, Bai Qingyan nodded, not angry, but with a serene, slightly superior tone: "Very well. Since the Bai family in Dadu now consists only of a few orphaned daughters and their widowed mother, if women are not allowed into the ancestral hall, we’ll trouble Eunuch Quan Yu, the Governor, and Magistrate Zhou to bear witness, that today Bai Qingyan can only present a letter of severance to the ancestors and lead the Bai family in Dadu out of the clan to establish our own."

"Princess, please do not be angered. It has always been a rule since ancient times that women do not enter the ancestral hall because our Jin Kingdom has always had men handling external affairs and women handling internal affairs. The ancestral hall is a place where important matters of the clan are discussed, and it is believed that women, who manage only the small household, cannot make decisions for the greater good. But you, Princess, are a direct descendant of the Bai family, and you have the ability to lead troops and command. If you can lead troops, you can undoubtedly plan for the greater good. Of course, the Princess can enter the ancestral hall."

Bai Jinzhi raised her brow and sneered upon hearing the Clan Leader’s unhurried justification. It truly was an effort for him to come up with so many reasons for her elder sister to enter the ancestral hall.

Since the Clan Leader said so, what else could the elders and clan members say?

"In that case, the Clan Leader should prepare. I have some matters to attend to and will head directly to the ancestral hall afterward," Bai Qingyan said, not giving the Clan Leader a chance to speak more, and called out, "Shen Qingzhu..."

"Present!" Shen Qingzhu stepped forward with clasped fists.

"Take some men and accompany Little Four and Eunuch Quan Yu with Lord Zhou to the Government Office. Bring all records and arrive at the Bai Clan’s ancestral hall by noon," Bai Qingyan instructed.

Bai Jinzhi stepped forward, responding, "Yes!"

The Clan Leader and clan members watched as Bai Qingyan got back into the carriage. Bai Jinzhi also followed Lord Zhou to the Government Office, leaving them flustered and huddling around the Clan Leader, asking questions all at once.

"Clan Leader, what does the Princess mean? Is she still going to deal with our clan members?"

"Will she really expel the children from the clan? The children are the foundation of our clan! If the children are expelled, and only we old folks are left, what will become of the clan’s future? Are we to rely on the women of the Bai family in Dadu?"

The clan members nodded in agreement. An elder stepped forward with grave solemnity: "Clan Leader, if a woman enters the ancestral hall, our whole clan will face great misfortune! We can’t let her enter the ancestral hall!"

The Clan Leader’s face was ashen, and he struck his cane forcefully on the ground: "Enough! Stop quarreling! If we don’t let her into the ancestral hall... our clan will face misfortune right now! Quickly, let’s go prepare!"

Bai Qingyan led ten Bai family guards and ten guards from the Crown Prince’s residence, entering the city directly to pick up the mute lady.