Chapter 8: Foresight_1

Lu Ping returned and changed clothes, then rushed to Qinghui Courtyard. He paced back and forth under the eaves, his breath forming white mist with each hurried exhale, his face ashen. As soon as he saw Bai Qingyan entering the courtyard, surrounded by maids, he hurried to greet her with a clasped fist salute: "Eldest Miss..."

Bai Qingyan glanced at Chun Tao, who understood and handed the umbrella to Lu Ping, standing still with the other maids.

Lu Ping held the umbrella over Bai Qingyan as they walked to the ginkgo tree in the courtyard. Once there, he put the umbrella away, and Bai Qingyan turned to him: "Uncle Ping, please speak."

Lu Ping's throat bobbed. He exhaled a cloud of white mist and knelt on one knee: "Eldest Miss, please forgive me!"

Her grip on the hand warmer tightened, but she maintained her composure: "Uncle Ping, stand up and speak first."

Lu Ping stood up, looking at Bai Qingyan with guilt; "Today, at the gate of Zuian Square, King Liang was attacked by assassins, sustaining several severe stab wounds! Before Jing Zhaoyin could seal off the area, I witnessed an old friend covered in blood. After bringing him back to the manor, I discovered he was one of the assassins. I plead for punishment!"

Lu Ping knelt down again as he spoke.

Bai Qingyan lightly rubbed the hand warmer with her fingers. Her blood boiled at the phrase "severe stab wounds." If King Liang were to die this time, it would spare many future troubles.

Her heartbeat quickened. She bent down to help Lu Ping up: "Uncle Ping, where have you placed him now?"

"The woodshed in the back courtyard." Lu Ping's face turned ashen with shame for bringing trouble to the Duke of Zhen's manor; "With Jing Zhaoyin sealing the city, I dared not send him out of the manor hastily. It was my reckless mistake. I ask for your punishment!"

Just as he was about to kneel again, Bai Qingyan stopped him.

"Since the person has been brought back, asking for punishment is futile. We need to think about how to handle it properly." Bai Qingyan's eyes were deep and unreadable.

Bai Qingyan stood under the tree for a moment and said: "Uncle Ping, take me to see him."

She wanted to understand why King Liang was attacked. If she could grasp any evidence against him, she could place an obstacle on his path to ascend.

Moreover, seeing the assassin herself would allow Bai Qingyan to determine whether or not he should be kept alive.

Bai Qingyan brought Chun Tao and, with Lu Ping, braved the snow to the woodshed in the back courtyard. However, aside from a pool of blood, there was no one inside.

Seeing the drag marks on the ground, Bai Qingyan looked toward the stacked firewood: "Since the chivalrous hero is under the Bai family's protection, why hide?"

Chun Tao's heart skipped a beat. Instinctively, she stepped forward, raising her arm to shield Bai Qingyan, fully alert.

Bai Qingyan patted Chun Tao's hand, signaling her to lower it. The man hiding behind the firewood, realizing he was discovered, pushed away the logs.

The man sat among the kindling; half his face covered in dried blood, making his pallor even starker. He wore dark clothes, heavily wounded and weak, yet his aura was fiercely menacing.

Bai Qingyan kept her composure outwardly, but her hand gripped the hand warmer tightly.

The assassin Lu Ping rescued was none other than Qin Shangzhi, the future advisor to the Crown Prince. In their past life, Qin Shangzhi never gained the Crown Prince's trust, despite his talents, and died in despair.

Qin Shangzhi scrutinized Bai Qingyan before sneering: "Eldest Miss, how do you plan to deal with me, an assassin? To curry favor with King Liang?"

"Qin Shangzhi!" Lu Ping scolded.

Bai Qingyan raised her hand, signaling Lu Ping to stay calm: "How did the chivalrous hero know I'm the Bai family's eldest miss?"

Qin Shangzhi chuckled, his bloody teeth bared, leaning leisurely: "Only someone who can command Lu Ping's respect would be a master from the Duke of Zhen's manor. The daughters of the manor are all trained warriors, capable of enduring the cold in thin cotton clothing. But a lady garbed in top-quality fox fur like you... must be the eldest miss, who was injured on the battlefield early with the Duke."

"May I ask why the chivalrous hero attempted to assassinate King Liang?" Bai Qingyan asked.

"Should he not die?!" Qin Shangzhi's dark eyes were filled with boundless hatred, like prairie flames in the pre-dawn hours, "Feigning humility and fear, but secretly forming factions, dereliction, and embezzlement, committing murder casually! He even killed my family to force us into his service, cough, cough..."

Qin Shangzhi started coughing up blood in agitation. Clutching his chest, he gazed coldly at Bai Qingyan with a chilling sneer: "Pity your Bai family, loyal to Jin Kingdom like watchdogs. Soon enough, you will share my fate of a ruined family."

"How dare you!" Chun Tao fumed, "Eldest Miss, ignore his madness. Let Lu Ping take him to the official government!"

"At your command, Eldest Miss!" Though Lu Ping felt pity, he couldn't risk implicating the Duke of Zhen's manor.

Bai Qingyan was shocked, like a storm raging inside her upon hearing Qin Shangzhi's words. So, Qin Shangzhi had foreseen the Bai family's demise even back then.

Recalling the last life's appraisal of Qin Shangzhi by the Yan Regent Prince, Xiao Rongyan, Bai Qingyan swiftly made a decision.

She handed the hand warmer to Chun Tao and took a couple of steps towards Qin Shangzhi.

"Eldest Miss!" Chun Tao was worried.

To everyone's surprise, Bai Qingyan bowed respectfully to Qin Shangzhi. Startled, Qin Shangzhi gripped his clothes tightly, bewildered by her gesture.

"Eldest... Eldest Miss!" Lu Ping was at a loss.

"Sir, if you recognize the Bai family's loyalty and foresee our plight, I dare ask how the Bai family might save themselves?" Bai Qingyan's expression was frank and righteous, unperturbed by Qin Shangzhi's words, seemingly already aware of his insights.

Qin Shangzhi, now indebted to the Bai family for saving his life, wouldn't disregard his duty. He pressed his lips: "Seeing how Eldest Miss anticipates this, I need not elaborate. But, to save the Bai family, the Duke of Zhen must retire."

"The undefeated legend of the Bai family army displeases the current emperor. The Duke's integrity and loyalty have long been at odds with the court sycophants. Words can become as blazing as gold, and accusations as consuming as bones. The emperor will no longer tolerate the Duke of Zhen's overshadowing merit. If the Duke doesn't retire, the seventeen brave sons of the Bai family may all perish in the southern border."

Every word from Qin Shangzhi hit the previous life's tragic outcome, where the seventeen sons of the Bai family perished in the southern border.

Bai Qingyan trembled and looked up at Qin Shangzhi, startled: the emperor?!

In her past life, Bai Qingyan never suspected the emperor's disfavor towards her family. The Bai family had always been loyally heroic and honorably straightforward, embodying uprightness and integrity.

As Qin Shangzhi said, the Bai family was loyal like watchdogs of Jin Kingdom!

Words can become as blazing as gold, and accusations as consuming as bones!?

Her palm tightened as she grasped a spark of thought in her mind.

"Thank you for your guidance, sir!" Bai Qingyan bowed again.

Chun Tao quickly supported Bai Qingyan, only to hear her say: "Uncle Ping, take good care of Mr. Qin."

Lu Ping gratefully responded: "Lu Ping obeys!"