Chapter 50 Madam, you've come here today, perhaps to find…

Throughout the day, she repeatedly reflected and pondered in self-doubt, wondering if she had done something wrong that made Ling Xun develop inappropriate feelings for her.

But after thinking it over, she still felt there wasn't any.

She always maintained a normal, unwavering concern for her younger brother, Ling Xun, without the slightest hint of ambiguity.

Why would Ling Xun act this way?

Or is she overthinking it?

“What a tragedy,” Bai Xuerou finally said.

She felt a pang of self-reproach. Why hadn't she noticed Ling Xun's feelings sooner all these years? Things wouldn't have come to this.

Now that Ling Xun is older and has her own ideas, no matter how much she says, it won't make a difference.

If she had discovered it earlier, she would have been much more careful to keep her distance and make sure Ling Xun didn't develop any other thoughts.

But it's too late to say anything now.

Bai Xuerou was stunned, not knowing what to do.

News of Ling Xun's stay in Yong County for a day and two nights quickly reached Chang'an.

While everyone was still speculating about his whereabouts, Yu Kai immediately thought of Bai Xuerou on Luoxian Mountain.

I'm afraid he went to see her.

Yu Kai made a cold guess, but couldn't help recalling everything that had happened during this period.

At first, he was extremely disgusted, but the thought that the person he liked was getting involved with his brother-in-law made Yu Kai feel that it was a great mockery of him.

He could have pretended nothing was wrong, but because of his anger, he deliberately acted unusually cold towards Bai Xuerou.

He had expected Bai Xue Rou to be confused, dissatisfied, or perhaps even question him, but she didn't. Bai Xue Rou remained indifferent throughout.

She didn't care what he was like.

It took Yu Kai a long time to confirm this, and then he felt resentful, and then he became angry because he realized his resentment.

He still thinks about a woman like that, a woman like that.

He hates himself for not being able to let go.

But Yu Kai just couldn't let go.

Bai Xue Rou's every smile, every gesture, would appear in his mind unexpectedly, making him unable to forget her and always unable to resist getting closer to her.

Bai Xue Rou had no idea that someone was secretly watching her, and how much self-torture she was experiencing.

Even if I knew, she wouldn't care; at most, she'd just find it annoying.

Ling Xun left at night, and Bai Xuerou escorted him to the gate of Luoxian Temple, watching the group of black riders descend the mountain.

Then, together with the people waiting at the foot of the mountain, several hundred people set off and went far away.

That's quite a grand affair.

That unique, powerful, and domineering aura of the military could be clearly sensed from a great distance.

As Bai Xue Rou walked, she reminisced, becoming somewhat lost in thought, but she couldn't recall or remember when Ling Xun had become like this.

It seems like it happened without us even realizing it.

"Madam, the night wind is strong, let's not let it blow on you, let's go back," Jin Tao stepped forward and advised.

Bai Xuerou's courtyard is located halfway up the mountain on the east side. To get back from the entrance of Luoxian Temple, you have to walk a long way up a stone staircase and a terrace.

Seeing that she had been standing there for a long time, watching the prince's departing figure, Jin Tao couldn't help but go up and persuade her.

"Time flies," Bai Xuerou sighed, turning to walk back.

"What is it that's making you so sentimental, Madam?" Zhu Cui and Jin Tao asked with a smile as they helped her up.

Bai Xuerou smiled and said, "It just reminds me of when the prince first came to my side, he was so thin and small, and now he's grown up so much."

Jin Tao and the other maids laughed. When Ling Xun was taken in by Bai Xue Rou to take care of him, they were still little maids in her courtyard, so they had naturally seen Ling Xun back then.

He was thin and small, gloomy and sullen, and didn't like to talk. But since he came to Bai Xuerou's side, he has changed every day. Needless to say, his clothes and appearance have become more exquisite and appropriate, and his words and deeds have become more and more composed and proper, showing the demeanor that a young master of a royal family should have.

Year after year, they became Bai Xue Rou's personal maids, and Ling Xun became the Prince of Zhenbei.

"This servant also remembers that Madam always thinks about the Prince, and the Prince also remembers your kindness. Now everyone says that the Prince treats you with respect, and you are very fortunate."

When Bai Xuerou heard this, she couldn't help but smile.

She also felt that with Ling Xun around, her future days would only become more and more comfortable and carefree, but she couldn't be happy today.

The maids exchanged glances, puzzled, when they saw that she wasn't smiling.

Today, they saw that Bai Xuerou and the prince didn't argue, but their interactions just felt a little off.

Bai Xuerou sighed.

They slowly made their way back to the courtyard, and Ling Xun and his group were no longer in sight.

"Yu Zan, come here," Bai Xue Rou called out.

Yu Zan immediately agreed, and the other maids withdrew upon seeing this.

Each of the close maids had different responsibilities. Yu Zan was mainly in charge of matters outside the mansion. If Bai Xue Rou called her, it must be because she had something to tell her.

Bai Xuerou did indeed have something to attend to, so she asked Yuzan to look around and see if there were any suitable candidates for a male concubine.

Yu Zan had long been instructed by Bai Xue Rou to keep an eye on the young man in Chang'an City.

No need for a prestigious family, or even better, a humble background is acceptable. The candidate must be good-looking, of outstanding character, and have a clean background. Most importantly, they must be easy to manage.

We must avoid causing trouble.

She had been keeping an eye on things and already had several candidates in mind, ready to ask Bai Xuerou at any time. Now that Bai Xuerou had spoken, Yu Zan accepted the order and prepared to investigate again later to avoid any unexpected situations.

Afterwards, Bai Xuerou stayed on Luoxian Mountain for some time. Seeing that it was getting colder and colder, she went down the mountain and returned to Chang'an, to the Zhenbei Prince's Mansion.

She hadn't been in the mood for fun lately, preoccupied with worrying about Ling Xun's thoughts while also concerned about his bodyguards, fearing something might happen to him while he was out.

When she realized her worries, Bai Xuerou felt uneasy about her feelings for Ling Xun, but after thinking it over, she couldn't figure it out herself.

She felt there was no romantic feeling between them, but when she thought about the occasional affection she had for Ling Xun, she became uncertain again.

Was that admiration entirely from his younger brother, or from a man?

All of this made Bai Xuerou feel extremely upset and confused.

When she returned to Chang'an, it was already the end of October, and the weather was getting colder day by day.

Everything at the Prince of Zhenbei's mansion remained the same. Bai Xuerou spent several days resolving the issues that had accumulated over this period, and the candidates for the jade hairpin had also been selected and presented.

There were three in total, and as she instructed, they were all from poor families.

One was a local from Chang'an, the son of a sixth-rank official in his family, and an unfavored illegitimate son; the other was the son of a general in the Zhenbei Army, who, despite being from a military family, was a scholar.

Another one is a scholar from out of town who failed the imperial examination last year. However, according to Yu Zan's investigation, this person is very talented, but he offended a powerful person and was targeted, so he didn't even get a ranking.

Bai Xuerou then took a break and looked at the three of them one by one.

When the time is right, it's not hard to find one. Chang'an has no shortage of all kinds of banquets, from those of noble families to those of refined literati.

Unsurprisingly, they all sent invitations to the Prince of Zhenbei's residence.

However, Bai Xuerou did not intend to stay there. She was looking for a male concubine, so it was not appropriate to make such a big fuss.

The first person they looked at was Du Yu, the son of a minor official.

Nineteen years old this year, the illegitimate son is out of favor and manages the family business, running a teahouse. Upon learning of Bai Xuerou's arrival, he hurriedly came out to greet her personally.

The jade hairpin was carefully selected; it was indeed gentle and polite, with an outstanding appearance, warm and handsome. Although it lacked the refined and noble air of Yu Kai, it was even more harmless.

When speaking to Bai Xuerou, he was very careful with his words, and everything seemed appropriate.

Then there was Yang Lin, the son of a military family. Bai Xuerou met him at a restaurant. He was eighteen years old, with a handsome face, a heroic spirit, and a lithe figure.

He chatted and laughed with his friends as he went upstairs. He met Bai Xuerou and quickly bowed to greet her. His slender waist attracted Bai Xuerou's attention.

Bai Xuerou smiled slightly and didn't linger. Finally, it was the turn of Zhu Ji, the student who was not selected.

When Bai Xuerou first heard the name Zhu Ji, it sounded familiar, and it wasn't until several times that she remembered hearing it in a novel.

He appears later in the novel as Wu Wangfang's strategist. Ling Zheng reveals that his initial failure to be selected was orchestrated by the Yu family. Knowing his talent, the Yu family deliberately targeted him, forcing him into Wu Wangfang's camp. Later, he abandons his allegiance, severely injures Wu Wangfang, and joins Ling Zheng's ranks, becoming a key figure in the fight against the Lang family.

As for why this is the case, it's due to old grudges from our ancestors.

Over the course of more than two hundred years of the Great Qi Dynasty, countless families rose to prominence after the imperial examination system was established. Some, like the Lang family, have continued to prosper to this day, while others have gradually declined, and the Zhu family is one of them.

Zhu Ji's great-grandfather once served as a minister, but his descendants were unworthy and squandered the family fortune. Now, they can barely be considered a wealthy household in the village.

The reason the Zhu family acted this way was because the Lang family was targeting them.

Lang Cheng and Zhu Ji's great-grandfather had a feud, which they later extended to his descendants as well.

Bai Xuerou hadn't thought about that novel for a long time.

If it weren't for Zhu Ji, she would have forgotten long ago.

In short, Zhu Ji is a formidable person.

Zhu Ji failed the imperial examination last year, but he has remained in Chang'an, making a living by copying books.

Coincidentally, the shop where he copied books was owned by Bai Xuerou.

Two years ago, Bai Xuerou saw that many students came to Chang'an, and many of them were in distress. So she had a bookstore opened with lodgings in the back. They could stay there and pay off their debts by copying books and writing stories.

According to Yu Zan, Zhu Ji was also a skilled writer of storybooks, and many of the storybooks that Bai Xue Rou loved to read were written by him.

Bai Xuerou had a neutral feeling towards Du Yu and Yang Lin; she thought they were acceptable, but not essential. However, when she thought of Zhu Ji, she became interested.

I went to the bookstore on a nice day.

To be honest, although this bookstore was her property, Bai Xuerou had never been here before; this was her first time.

The location is rather remote, and the shop isn't very spacious. She rarely comes to this kind of shop anymore, and it's still a bit of a novelty for her to come here occasionally.

The bookstore owner recognized Yu Zan and hurriedly came out to greet her. He didn't recognize Bai Xue Rou at first, but he recognized her when he saw Yu Zan's appearance. He was about to step forward to pay his respects when Bai Xue Rou raised her hand to stop him.

There were still quite a few people in the shop, most of them dressed in simple, clean clothes, not particularly bright, and they all seemed to be ordinary scholars.

Yu Zan dismissed the shopkeeper and led Bai Xue Rou upstairs. The second floor was quieter, with many long desks where people were copying books.

The commotion caused by the group's arrival startled many people. Upon seeing Bai Xuerou, a stir arose. Finally, someone stood up first, greeted her, and said, "This humble subject greets Madam Bai."

Bai Xuerou's first impression of him was that he was thin, and his second impression was that he was handsome, but what stood out most was his temperament. Despite wearing simple clothes, he gave people a sense of unrestrained and romantic charm.

It makes a deep impression at first glance.

There are many people in Chang'an who can be called Madam Bai, but only one person comes to mind first. That is the owner of this bookstore, the former Princess Consort of Zhenbei, Bai Xuerou.

Seeing Zhu Ji's respectful manner, everyone immediately followed suit and paid their respects.

"Please rise, everyone. I just came to check on you," Bai Xuerou said gently.

The group hesitated before getting up.

"You recognize me?" Bai Xuerou asked Zhu Ji.

She had no recollection of this person.

"I happened to have seen Madam Bai's graceful figure, and that's why I remember her," Zhu Ji said slowly.

Bai Xuerou gave a knowing "oh" and looked at everyone with a smile, saying, "Please sit down, everyone. I just came to take a look. I have nothing else to do, so I'll be leaving now."

She hadn't planned to make such a big fuss; she originally intended to just take a quick look and leave, but Zhu Jiren came out, so she decided to leave first.

Everyone immediately took their leave, and Bai Xuerou smiled slightly before leading her entourage away.

"Please wait, Madam Bai, I have something I'd like to say to you, but could you please speak to me in private?" Zhu Ji said, catching up with her.

Bai Xuerou stopped, turned to the side and looked back, seemingly surprised, but she didn't ask. She only said, "Okay, follow me. Yuzan, find a quiet place."

Yu Zan immediately agreed, saying, "There are empty rooms in the shop. I'll have someone prepare them right away."

Bai Xuerou agreed.

While tidying up, Bai Xuerou wandered around the first floor, with Zhu Ji silently following behind.

Before long, the room was ready.

Zhu Ji knew this room; she had been here before. But this time, it had changed drastically. In just a short while, the room was spotless and filled with incense—not some expensive incense, but just a fresh fruity scent. Yet, the moment Bai Xue Rou sat down there, the whole room became elegant.

"You sit down too," Bai Xuerou said with a smile.

"Thank you, Madam." Zhu Ji bowed in thanks, stepped forward and sat down opposite her, keeping his eyes down and not daring to look at her for too long.

“I’ve read your storybooks, they’re very interesting,” Bai Xuerou said first. “Remember to write more when you have time.”

She was a very approachable person. Not to mention that Zhu Ji didn't have much respect for her to begin with, even if he did, hearing her gentle words would probably have diminished most of it.

"It is my honor to have won your favor, Madam," he said with a smile, then added, "I have taken the liberty of stopping you here today to ask if you are looking for a suitable gigolo?"

Bai Xuerou was surprised, and the maids in the room also turned their heads. The atmosphere in the room suddenly became heavy.

She slightly raised her hand, signaling the maids not to act rashly, and looked at Zhu Ji. Even when she uttered the words "male concubine," she exuded a carefree air, seemingly unaware of the implications of saying those words at that moment.

"Why do you think that?" she asked.

Zhu Ji laughed and said, "I noticed someone was secretly watching me more than half a year ago. Yesterday, someone even came to ask me who it was. I was wondering who it could be, but I didn't expect it to be Madam."

"In addition to the recent rumors in the capital, the lady's intention in coming here is quite clear."

“You are very perceptive and well-informed,” Bai Xuerou said.

Bai Xuerou had only known about the rumors for a short time. Somewhere in the capital, people were saying that only she and Ling Xun lived in the Zhenbei Prince's Mansion, a lone man and woman, and so on.

Although not explicitly stated, the implication is thought-provoking.

"Having lived in Chang'an for so long, I've inevitably heard quite a lot," Zhu Ji said with a smile, seemingly unconcerned about his own predicament.

"You noticed who came because you wanted to see if they were a benefactor who could help you. Are you disappointed to see me?" Bai Xuerou asked with a smile.

"How could that be?" Zhu Ji exclaimed in surprise. "If we're talking about important people, who in all of Chang'an can compare to you, Madam? You are the most important person in Chang'an."

Bai Xuerou smiled again.

"So, you called me because..." She looked at Zhu Ji, not finishing her sentence.

"This humble subject is not talented, but I believe I have some good looks. Since you are interested, I wonder what you think of me?" Zhu Ji stood up and bowed deeply.