Chapter 7: Promising Future_1

A servant from the Marquis of Loyalty and Courage's residence rode through the crowd and squeezed to the side of the wedding steward, whispering: "Steward, our wedding procession needs to change route. Half an hour ago, Prince Liang was assassinated on Changan Street. The Jing Zhaoyin's office has sealed off Changan Street to conduct a thorough investigation. The wedding procession may need to make a large detour to return!"

The wedding steward was also taken aback. Fortunately, the Eldest Young Lady of the Duke of Zhen's residence had set up a chess match to block the door. Otherwise, if they had arrived half an hour earlier as planned, they might have encountered the assassination of Prince Liang on their return trip.

The Duke of Zhen's residence naturally also received this news. The stewards of the two families met and discussed it. Bai Qingyan's mother, Mrs. Dong, immediately instructed her chief maid, Tingzhu, to inform Bai Qingyan to let the wedding procession proceed, so as not to miss the auspicious time.

"Eldest Young Lady, Madam sent me to inform you that the steward of the Marquis of Loyalty and Courage's residence said the wedding procession needs to detour. The time blocking the door is almost enough. If it is delayed further… it might miss the auspicious time!"

Upon hearing about the detour, Bai Qingyan felt relieved.

She nodded, letting the maid go to relay the message to Bai Jinzhi: "Go and tell Fourth Young Lady that the Duke of Zhen's residence sees the sincerity of the Princely Heir of the Marquis of Loyalty and Courage in seeking to marry our Second Young Lady. We hope he cherishes our Second Young Lady and doesn't let her be heartbroken! This chess match… can wait until the return visit after the wedding."

Bai Jinxiu looked at her eldest sister, her eyes red and swollen beyond measure.

The sound of firecrackers rang out as Qin Lang, surrounded by countless playboys of Dadu, rushed into the Duke of Zhen's residence.

Bai Qingyan, wrapped in a fox fur coat, stood under the corridor, watching Qin Lang carry the goose and enter. He bowed to the hall, offered the goose, served tea, and then joyfully led the bride out of the main hall, walking towards the gate of the Duke of Zhen's residence.

She slightly curved her lips, and said to Chun Tao behind her: "Let's go!"

The entire Duke of Zhen's residence was bustling with joy. Qin Lang, with a face full of smiles, thanked the congratulating guests as he held the red cord. His peripheral vision caught a fleeting slender figure at the corner of the corridor, causing him to pause… and fall into a daze.

Originally, he was supposed to marry Bai Qingyan. Once, when Bai Qingyan accompanied the Duke of Zhen to a campaign, he had seen her off.

He still remembered that at that time, Bai Qingyan's brows and eyes hadn't fully opened up. She was astonishingly beautiful, like a picture, in her armor with a sword at her waist, exuding heroic grace.

He once believed himself incredibly fortunate to marry such a lady.

In his youth, unable to suppress his feelings, he gave his family heirloom, a jade pendant, to Bai Qingyan before the campaign, and bowed, promising: "May you return safely. Don't forget the one waiting for you. When you return, I will marry you."

Now, he was here with the goose to marry someone else.

Ultimately, he had failed her.

"Congratulations, Princely Heir!"

The voice of others congratulating brought Qin Lang back to his senses. Smiling, he returned the gesture and stepped over the threshold of the Duke of Zhen's residence with the bride.

Upon hearing the sound of firecrackers as Bai Jinxiu boarded the bridal sedan chair, Bai Qingyan paused and looked towards the main gate of the Duke of Zhen's residence.

"Eldest Young Lady!" A sweeping maid from the Qinghui Courtyard ran up to Bai Qingyan, bowing and saying, "Lu Ping from the guards has come to Qinghui Courtyard. He said he has something to report to you."

Bai Qingyan nodded, and took the hand warmer from Chun Tao's hand: "Let's go back."

In her previous life, at the end of the fifteenth year of Xuanjia, on the day Second Young Lady of the Bai family was leaving for her wedding, she was tragically killed by an assassin's blade while protecting Prince Liang. Then, on New Year's Eve, the war report came in... the young men of the century-old aristocratic Bai family in the Duke of Zhen's residence had all died in battle.

Bai Qingyan's grandmother, the Eldest Princess of that time, was devastated by the news and fell ill, passing away shortly after.

In February of the sixteenth year of Xuanjia, Bai Qingyan's mother, Mrs. Dong, received news in advance that the Left Prime Minister, Li Mao, had colluded with Prince Liang to accuse the Duke of Zhen, Bai Weiting, of betraying Jin to Nanyan, leading to the catastrophic defeat of Jin and the deaths of tens of thousands of soldiers in the southern regions. The evidence would return to Dadu City within two months.

Mrs. Dong made a decisive decision, instructing the loyal Steward Liu to take Bai Qingyan and Bai Jintong out of the city to investigate. She privately told Steward Liu that if Dadu City changed… he should raise Bai Qingyan and Bai Jintong as his daughters, keeping their identities hidden to preserve their lives.

She also ordered the Bai family's Hidden Guards to split into two groups, escorting the pregnant Fifth Madam, Mrs. Qi, and any underage children out of the city to evade danger.

In March of the sixteenth year of Xuanjia, Liu Huanzhang, the former deputy of the late Duke of Zhen, Bai Weiting, entered the Capital to testify against Duke of Zhen for treason.

Liu Huanzhang claimed that he had spared no effort to annihilate the traitorous Bai Clan. However, he had suffered severe injuries and was saved by a farmer. After recovering, he returned to reveal Duke of Zhen's treachery.

That day, the imperial guard surrounded the Duke of Zhen's residence, finding correspondence between Duke of Zhen and Prince of Nanyan in the Duke's study. The evidence was irrefutable.

With no male descendants left in the Bai Clan, Emperor Xuanjia, to show his magnanimity, sentenced the Bai family to confiscation of property and exile, ordering the capture of any remaining Bai family members.

On the night of their imprisonment, Bai Qingyan's mother, Mrs. Dong, and several aunts hanged themselves, leaving behind a letter, "Asking the Emperor," enumerating the Bai family's loyal service over generations, proclaiming their undying loyalty to Heaven. It sharply criticized the Emperor for tolerating treacherous officials, leading to corruption in the Imperial Court, and questioned why, compared to the previous emperor's reign, there were no more loyal ministers willing to die for justice. Every word resounded powerfully, shocking the ears.

The letter, like wildfire, spread across Dadu City, shaking the entire Imperial Court.

Fifth Madam Mrs. Qi, who had just given birth to a daughter, was devastated by the news. Protected by loyal servants and the people, she carried the Bai family's ancestral tablets and a thin coffin. Dressed in mourning clothes, she slashed her throat in front of the palace gates during a heavy downpour, demanding justice for the Bai family from the Emperor, her blood splattering three feet high.

She gazed at the falling snowflakes, pulled her white fox cloak tighter around her, and walked towards the inner courtyard. Her steps were slow but grew more determined with each step.

In her previous life, her grandmother had asked her mother and her to protect the Bai family and all its widows. She and her mother had failed to do so, unable to change the Bai family's fate. The anguish and burning hatred in her heart had driven her to wish for a swift death.

Bai Qingyan wiped away the tiny tears at the corners of her eyes, her lips curling into a cold, sharp smile.

This time, she had protected her second sister, Bai Jinxiu, and there was hope for the future. She vowed that no member of the Bai family would die in vain again. She would preserve the honor of the Bai Clan, whether by fair means or foul, through schemes or honesty, no matter the cost!

As she turned down the corridor, she nearly collided with a man dressed in a blue-gray long gown, covered with a gray-furred cloak. The hand warmer rolled off the corridor, but the man quickly caught her.

She looked up, meeting a pair of deep, serene eyes, soft and calm, yet seemingly able to see through everything, unfathomably profound.

Meeting an old acquaintance again… she couldn't control her racing heart.

This man was the Ninth Prince of Yan, born to the same mother as the Emperor of Yan, and the future Regent Prince of Yan.

He had renamed himself Xiao Rongyan and, under the reputation of being the world's wealthiest merchant, traveled through various countries, establishing businesses and gathering information for Yan.

It was said that Xiao Rongyan, the wealthiest merchant, was gentle and steady, but she knew how deep his schemes and ruthless his methods were. He toyed with hearts seamlessly, maneuvering effortlessly between the aristocracy of various countries, and was deeply connected with the Princes of Jin. Most of Dadu City's playboys revered him.

In her previous life, before Prince Liang's rebellion and Yan's army entering Dadu City, Xiao Rongyan, moved by the Bai family's plight, had given her his jade cicada for her to escape.

A cold wind, carrying snowflakes, blew into the corridor. Bai Qingyan's hands cooled as she quickly took a step back and bowed: "Thank you."

Xiao Rongyan had a high nose and thin lips, exuding a strikingly handsome appearance with a refined, gentle demeanor.

He withdrew the hand that had just supported Bai Qingyan, unconsciously rubbing the white jade cicada in his hand. His eyebrows and eyes showed a light, warm smile, his voice deep and steady: "You're welcome."

The attendant following Xiao Rongyan had already picked up the hand warmer and suitably handed it to Chun Tao. Chun Tao quickly bowed and thanked him.

Bai Qingyan's heart pounded as she lowered her head and bypassed the tall, cleanly-cut figure of Xiao Rongyan, hastily walking towards the inner courtyard with Chun Tao.

Xiao Rongyan took two steps forward, then turned back to watch Bai Qingyan's hurriedly departing figure…

A few years ago, he had seen her in the Shu Kingdom's palace.

At that time, with Shu Kingdom's defeat, he was trapped in Shu Kingdom's palace amidst the cacophony of battle.

To stop the slaughter, the Duke of Zhen had ordered Bai Qingyan, clad in battle armor, wielding the head of Great General Pang Pingguo, to gallop through the palace gates.

That scene of a young lady in a billowing red cloak, riding straight to the high steps of Shu Kingdom's main hall, raising Pang Pingguo's head and shouting, "Pang Pingguo is dead, surrender and be spared!" was still vivid in his mind.

"Brother Xiao! Brother Xiao, why are you still here?" Lu Yuanpeng ran up to Xiao Rongyan, craning his neck towards where Xiao Rongyan had been looking, but saw nothing. "What were you looking at?"

Xiao Rongyan smiled faintly and elegantly, exuding a calm nobility: "Nothing…"

Not probing further, Lu Yuanpeng dragged Xiao Rongyan's wrist: "Brother Xiao, why were you in the bathroom for so long? Qin Lang has already taken the bride! Let's go to the Marquis of Loyalty and Courage's residence for the festivities!"