Rebirth: The Journey of an Heiress

Bai Qingyan was amused by Bai Jinzhi's demeanor, but also seriously considered Bai Jinzhi's lifelong matter: "Eldest Young Lady is here to ask you, in Dadu City with so many fine young men, do you have someone in mind?"

"Where are there any good young men in this Dadu City! The good ones are all on the battlefield... Even that Lu Yuanpeng from Commandant Lu's family, who spends all day playing around, is more promising than the young men in Dadu City now. At least he knows to go to the battlefield and defend the country!"

Bai Qingyan lowered her eyes to look at Bai Wanqing's random scribbles on the bamboo slip and said nonchalantly, "So, you're saying you fancy Lu Yuanpeng?"

"Eldest Young Lady, don't tease me. I'm just saying the young men in Dadu City nowadays are not as good as Lu Yuanpeng. Who fancies Lu Yuanpeng! The young boy hasn't even grown all his hair! Besides being brave enough to join the army and not fear hardship, there's nothing I fancy about him!" Bai Jinzhi quickly denied.

"In that case, you stay for another half a month, spend more time with Third Aunt. After half a month, you go to the southern border..." Bai Qingyan said with a smile.

"Eldest Young Lady..." Bai Jinzhi looked aggrieved, thought for a moment, and earnestly bargained with Bai Qingyan, "Let's both take a step back, how about seven days!"

"Has Sun Wenyao come looking for you again?" Bai Qingyan changed the topic and asked.

Bai Jinzhi had no defenses in front of her Eldest Young Lady, easily led astray: "I've been dragged by mother to see soothsayers everywhere, where do I have the time, just heard that Sun Wenyao returned and stayed in the barracks."

This Bai Qingyan knew. Since her Fourth Sister mentioned this Sun Wenyao, Lu Ping also brought it up to her, with words full of concern for Bai Jinzhi. So she naturally instructed Lu Ping to have someone keep an eye on him.

It was said that this Sun Wenyao was very obedient, training daily in the barracks, and didn't cause any trouble. Otherwise, he would join the soldiers Bai Jinzhi brought back and eat the famous Dadu City food in small groups.

Later, when General Zhao Sheng led the Zhao Family Army and the Anping Army back, Sun Wenyao rejoined his unit.

"Your Majesty, Commander Lu requests an audience..."

Bai Qingyan patted Xiao Ba's little bottom and said to Wei Zhong, "Please have the trouble of taking Xiao Ba back to Fifth Aunt."

"Eldest Young Lady! Xiao Ba doesn't want to go!" Bai Wanqing clung onto Bai Qingyan's clothes, looking at Bai Qingyan longingly, "Fourth Sister is here, Xiao Ba is here too! Xiao Ba loves Eldest Young Lady the most..."

The chubby, tender little one, using those large grape-like eyes to smile at Bai Qingyan, who could resist?

Bai Qingyan pinched Bai Wanqing's little face, then asked Wei Zhong to let Lu Ping in.

Upon entering, seeing the three sisters together, Lu Ping saluted and then said, "Eldest Young Lady, that Sun Wenyao went to meet the Second Lady of the Qin Mansion..."

Bai Jinzhi was slightly taken aback and turned to look at Bai Qingyan.

Bai Qingyan tapped her fingers on the table several times: "I've heard that these two ladies... after the Zhou kingdom was established, and the coronation ceremony was set, they were very noisy for a while, but then went silent..."

Lu Ping nodded: "I've been paying attention, and it seems that the two ladies of the Qin Mansion are quite peculiar. They once attacked our Second Lady, which made the Qin Mansion and the Bai family fall out, known by everyone in Dadu City. After knowing that the Eldest Young Lady was about to ascend the throne, they went around saying... how deeply they cherished the sister-in-law bond with our Second Lady, even stronger than biological sisters, and claimed... the Eldest Young Lady treated them like her own sisters. Later, they shamelessly went to crash the birthday banquet of the Dong family's Miss Cousin, calling Mrs. Dong their Aunt and the Dong family's Miss Cousin their Cousin, forcefully squeezing into the Dong Mansion."

During Dong Tingzhen's birthday, Bai Qingyan was in Luohong City and was naturally unaware of what happened in Dadu City. Since these were trivial matters, neither Dong Qingping nor Mrs. Song or Dong Tingzhen would bring it up to Bai Qingyan, who was busy as anything.

Lu Ping glanced at Bai Qingyan and continued, "This Second Lady of the Qin family was even bolder, leaving the banquet on her own accord to chase after the Dong family's Young Master Dong Changyuan, stopped him, and confessed her feelings, saying she wanted to marry Changyuan. She was rejected by Changyuan, causing quite a scene, drawing a crowd, and shouting that the Young Master was heartless..."

"Utter shamelessness!" Bai Jinzhi couldn't hold back her anger, her chest heaving violently, "This is slandering Changyuan Cousin!"

"Changyuan Cousin wasn't polite either, stating that it was the first time meeting this Qin Lady, not understanding why she would falsely accuse him of heartlessness, and that three feet above his head resides the gods... If the Qin Lady continues to speak such falsehoods, even if Changyuan Cousin is burdened with infamy and remains unmarried for life, he would never marry this Qin Lady! Let alone... the Qin Lady had attacked Bai family's Second Cousin before, nearly costing her life. If it really came down to it... the Dong family and the Qin Lady would be irreconcilable!"

"Well said!" Bai Jinzhi breathed a sigh of relief, fearing the handsome Dong Changyuan might be soft-hearted.

Lu Ping was amused by Bai Jinzhi's reaction and continued, "After that, the second lady of the Qin family had an even worse reputation. I heard she attempted to hang herself at home, only to be saved in time. Since then, she seems to have turned over a new leaf, behaving herself and causing no further trouble."

There was nothing remarkable about Sun Wenyao visiting his former master, indicating that Sun Wenyao is a person who cherishes the past...

But Sun Wenyao's actions concerning her Fourth Sister made Bai Qingyan very concerned. Just like Bai Jinzhi suspected, Bai Qingyan was also suspicious whether Sun Wenyao had invested so much effort possibly because he was an enemy spy, and what he intended to achieve with her Fourth Sister? To disturb the peace of Zhou?

"Through whom did they arrange their meeting or send messages?" Bai Qingyan asked.

"The person we stationed to watch over Sun Wenyao honestly doesn't know how they arranged their meeting. It's precisely because it seemed suspicious and unusual, so I came to report it to Eldest Young Lady," Lu Ping said.

"Uncle Ping, still have someone watch this person, but don't put too much effort into it! As for the Qin family's second lady..." Bai Qingyan thought for a moment, "just have someone keep an eye on the Qin family."

"Understood!" Lu Ping bowed to Bai Qingyan and agreed.

"Your Majesty..." Wei Zhong entered from outside the hall again, and after saluting, he quietly said to Bai Qingyan, "Your Majesty, Dong Changyuan and Li Mingrui request an audience with important matters."

Bai Qingyan handed Bai Wanqing in her arms to Bai Jinzhi: "Let him in."

Bai Jinzhi sat next to Bai Qingyan, holding the chubby and heavy Bai Wanqing, who smelled of sweet milk. Bai Wanqing didn't throw a tantrum, sitting obediently in Bai Jinzhi's arms, her bright eyes gazing at the doorway.

Donning official robes, Dong Changyuan and Li Mingrui entered side by side, saluting Bai Qingyan and Bai Jinzhi, Bai Wanqing, after which Bai Jinzhi called out, "Changyuan Cousin!"