CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

The first thing that caught Bai Lang's attention in her grandfather's study were the calligraphy paintings hanging on the walls. The vibrant colors of the forest depicted in the paintings seemed to call out to her.

Her grandfather's study was nestled in the corner of the room, and as the sun set, its orange hue highlighted the interior, creating a cozy atmosphere.

Bai Lang's grandfather was sipping tea and engrossed in a game of chess. Bai Lang approached him, placing her hands in front of her and bowing respectfully. With the grace befitting a young lady of prestige.

"This granddaughter greets zufu," she said.

Bai Si nodded in response and set his tea aside.

"Please, have a seat," Bai Si said, motioning for her to join him. He waited until she was settled before speaking again. "Xiao Lang, do you know how to play chess?"

Bai Lang shook her head, wondering what chess had to do with her.

Bai Si could see the confusion in her eyes, but he smiled nonetheless.

"Chess is a strategic game played between two people. It requires tactics and cunning. Life, my dear, is much like chess. Do you know which piece is the most powerful in the game?"

Bai Lang pondered for a moment before answering, "The king?"

Bai Si chuckled. "No, Xiao Lang. It's the queen. The queen is the most powerful piece in chess. She can move freely in any direction."

Looking at her grandfather, Bai Lang was filled with confusion as she tried to decipher his intentions. At the age of twelve, it was time for the Bai Marquise family to make their strategic move in the midst of this political war.

Bai Lang was aware that the key to achieving their goals lay in the marriage of the daughters in the fu. However, she also understood that during times like these, it was crucial for a daughter to maintain an air of innocence and ignorance when it came to court affairs.

"I don't understand, zufu," she voiced her confusion.

" become the queen, Bai Lang," her grandfather's direct answer caught her off guard, shattering her expectations. She had anticipated that he would inform her of his plans to send her as an imperial concubine to the palace once she reached the appropriate age.

However, this revelation was far from what she had imagined when she was escorted to her grandfather's study.

Bai Lang had never before sat or spoken to her grandfather privately since her transmigration. Bai Si, still a vibrant and energetic old man, had retired from the political scene, which Bai Lang found peculiar.

"I may not fully comprehend your intentions, grandfather, but I assure you that I will do whatever it takes to secure the future of our Bai fu. Your granddaughter will obey," she affirmed.

standing up from her chair. Bai Lang confidently pats her chest, locking eyes with Bai Si.

Bai Si gazes at his granddaughter, amazed by her growing beauty with each passing day. Having to choose between Bai Lang and Bai Nuo, he relies on his steward's reports.

Bai Lang emerges as the smarter of the two, the one who won't bring the Bai family down. With this in mind, Bai Si decides to begin teaching Bai Lang.

But first, I need to test her he thought." I heard that your maternal family visited our Bai fu," Bai Si inquires.

"Yes, grandfather, my jiumu and Biaojie came to pay niang a visit," Bai Lang replies innocently, noticing the calculations in Bai si's eyes. She realizes that she may not be able to save Su Rou Xue completely, but she can still minimize the damage and offer her concubine mother an escape.

Bai Si moves his chess piece, cornering Bai Lang on the board. He knows she has two options: sacrifice her piece to create a new path or surrender and give up.

Bai Si watches closely, waiting to see which choice his granddaughter will make.

At this moment, she understands that things will never be the same. And that the game had changed.

"Oh, I recall Niang mentioning that Biaojie and Jiumu would visit again, so that Biaojie could join us in playing with Jeijei and Second Brother."

Bai Lang spoke sincerely, gazing at her grandfather with wide eyes. She purposely omitted mentioning her other siblings, fully aware of her grandfather's shrewdness and his ability to decipher the hidden meaning behind her words.

It became clear to her that Jiumu's target was her Second Brother. However, Bai Lang had a strong intuition that her grandfather already knew everything and was testing her loyalty towards the Bai fu, to see if she would prioritize her mother and maternal home.

Finally, Bai made a sacrifice on the chessboard, moving her remaining piece to a new position.

Bai Si's face lit up with a smile as he witnessed her taking the correct path.

"Xiao-Lang, I will guide you step by step in mastering the art of chess. In the future, instead of sacrificing a piece for survival, you will learn to protect the crucial ones and emerge victorious."

***

Bai Lang left Bai Si in solitude, perplexed by his enigmatic words. Although his message was cryptic, she sensed that he was attempting to convey something important. Perhaps with time, the true meaning of his words will be revealed to her.

Returning to her own courtyard, Bai Lang discovered Su Rou Xue anxiously pacing back and forth within the confines of the room. Standing quietly outside the door, she observed her mother, attempting to decipher her thoughts.

Su Rou Xue's eyes shimmered with hidden anxiety, invisible from a distance. Her face displayed a tinge of worry, yet her expression remained unchanged. Despite Bai Lang's disdain for her mother's foolishness, she recognized the value of having her presence nearby.

Sou Rou Xue was lost in thought, reflecting on her brother's message outlining his plan. When she finally returned to her chambers, she couldn't help but ponder over the audacity of his aspirations. The best outcome he could hope for was to secure a concubine position for his daughter in the prestigious Bai fu.

However, it seemed that her brother's ambitions knew no bounds. He wanted Sou Tan Mei to become a Furen, a high-ranking lady of the household.

Sou Rou Xue couldn't help but worry about the consequences of such a scandalous situation. If the heir was caught in such a compromising position, and if it was discovered that Sou Rou Xue had any involvement, Bai Kang would surely hold her accountable. In that case, she would truly be abandoned by him.