Chapter 5: The Bai family has long been a topic of conversation among the common people...
Since its founding, the Feng Dynasty has always had its capital in Luoyang.
In this ancient capital, there are many famous families, but few can be as popular as the Bai family, which has been the focus of conversation among the people for many years.
Most of the public's discussion about the Bai family revolves around a few key figures:
The powerful patriarch of the Bai family, Bai Moyuan, is the current prime minister.
Bai's eldest granddaughter, Rao'er, was born into the Zhenguo Duke's mansion;
And Bai Lian, the second young lady of the Bai family, who possesses unparalleled beauty.
Besides, there are also those young girls with rosy cheeks who love to whisper about one person: Bai Ziyuan, the eldest son of the Bai family.
This young master was always reclusive and did not go out much like the usual playboys who indulged in pleasure and squandered their wealth, so he was rarely seen in the city.
It is said that any woman fortunate enough to see her true face would often be in a daze for three days, unable to eat, and frequently uttering inexplicable, silly laughter...
“The Bai family is certainly a noble and prominent family, but why are you talking about it so much?” Some listeners asked, puzzled.
At this point, the people who were talking loudly at the table would often pretend to be mysterious and lower their voices to say, "Do you know who... has the most interesting story in the Bai family?"
Most people thought it was Bai Lian, but he shook his head and smiled.
The answer wasn't the young lady, but her parents, Bai Moyuan and Changsun Rao'er.
The reason for this has to do with that Prime Minister Bai... He was a well-known "good husband" in the court and the city.
Who could imagine that such a high-ranking and powerful lord would only have one wife and never take a concubine?!
Although the eldest grandson Rao'er came from a prestigious family, and her father was a first-rank Duke of Zhenguo, he was also very beautiful in his youth, in no way inferior to his daughter Bai Lian's appearance.
There are plenty of beautiful and noble ladies, but only she is so deeply loved by her husband.
In the Phoenix Dynasty, having many children and ensuring the continuation of the family line has always been a top priority for prestigious families.
However, Bai Moyuan is an exception. Although he is over forty, he still retains the handsome appearance of his youth, and now he wields immense power in the court, yet he remains deeply affectionate.
His wife, Changsun Rao'er, has been frail and sickly for many years. In the more than 20 years since they got married, she has only given birth to one son and one daughter, and it is likely that she will not be able to continue the family line in the future.
Bai Moyuan not only didn't mind, but for decades he treated his wife with the utmost respect. This dedication became the most puzzling and thought-provoking mystery in the eyes of the people of Luoyang.
Since it cannot be explained, people will speculate on it themselves.
Numerous versions circulate among the public, some bizarre and even involving claims of past and present lives.
The most talked-about story is that Bai Moyuan and Changsun Rao'er are the reincarnations of the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl, and because their love was not fulfilled in their previous life, they were able to continue their predestined relationship in this life.
The myth of the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl, with their unwavering devotion, aptly explains Prime Minister Bai's devotion, which the people readily accept.
The Bai family mansion was thus bathed in a hazy and sacred glow, and the way people looked at the Bai couple was as if they were looking up to figures from mythology.
As such, Bai Ziyuan, the only son of the Bai family, was naturally expected by the world to be like his father.
He became the ideal image of a "future husband" in the innocent minds of young girls; he was the ultimate goal for young girls who longed to "marry a man from the Bai family"; and he was the driving force behind many wives' careful cultivation of their daughters, hoping that one day they would "marry into the Bai family and find a good match".
For these young ladies from prominent families in Luoyang, the allure of becoming the young mistress of the Bai family was far greater than entering the palace. Who didn't know that the emperor had three thousand beauties in his harem? Moreover, serving the emperor was like walking on thin ice.
All women ever ask for is a good man, a stable life, and a carefree existence.
For this reason, the position of "Bai family's daughter-in-law" shines with unparalleled brilliance in everyone's eyes.
Even someone as aloof as Bai Ziyuan probably never imagined that, despite his secluded lifestyle, he had already become the darling of every unmarried woman in Luoyang.
Of course, it wasn't just the women in Luoyang who had this idea; the pearl of Fengwu City, the imperial capital of Feng Kingdom, was also among them.
“Brother, I heard that the eldest son of the Bai family was once your study companion? When you go to play with him again, can you take me with you?” Princess Jia Shuli of the Phoenix Dynasty said to the Third Prince Jia Xuanyu, her porcelain-white face blushing as she spoke.
"How could a girl like you have such thoughts? Meeting a man outside the marriage? Do you still want to get married?" Jia Xuanyu didn't want to pay attention to his sister's request at all. What's so interesting about men? If he could see Bai Ziyuan, he would like to see his sister who was rumored to be as beautiful as an immortal.
"I just want to catch a glimpse from afar; I'm so incredibly curious." Princess Shuli shook Jia Xuanyu's sleeve. This vast palace was so boring; she really wanted to see what the top-notch man in Luoyang, as described by the palace maids, looked like.
"Alright, alright," Jia Xuanyu couldn't resist her sister's persistence. "Next time he comes to visit my residence, I'll let you know in advance."
Speaking of which, the Crown Prince will be choosing a consort in a few months, so my own time to choose a princess consort isn't far off either. It seems I need to contact Bai Ziyuan as soon as possible and meet his stunning sister. Jia Xuanyu thought to herself, a somewhat dazed look appearing on her face.
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