Chapter 95 Even more reluctant to part with him
The following day, Ning Jue led the soldiers under General Wang out of the city before dawn.
Bai Hua originally intended to get up to see him off. Normally, she was a light sleeper, and even the slightest noise would wake her. But on the night before their separation, the two were extremely reluctant to part, clinging to each other passionately and unwilling to separate. They did it countless times, continuing until past midnight. Finally, they closed their eyes, and the night outside the window was no longer deep. In total, the two of them hadn't rested for more than a few hours.
Thinking of this, Bai Hua's face flushed slightly, and she felt a pang of regret. The young master was relentlessly indulging in pleasure with her; she shouldn't have failed to dissuade him, much less have joined him in this frivolous pursuit. What if the young master, due to lack of rest, neglected his duties or encountered a crisis…?
Bai Hua forcibly stopped her needless worries, reached out and touched the Shu brocade quilt beside her. The smooth, cool touch was as expected; there was no lingering warmth on it whatsoever.
She stopped and sighed softly.
Last night before going to sleep, she knew that all her strength had been drained, and even stretching her legs was difficult. She thought that she might not be able to get up tomorrow, so she specifically told Ning Jue that if she did not wake up in the morning, he should wake her up to say goodbye. Ning Jue promised her that he would be fine, but in the end, he left silently on his own.
Bai Hua was a little annoyed with him, but even more reluctant to part with him.
She lay back down, pulled the covers over her head, and after a few moments of calm breathing, she couldn't help but let out a sobbing, sniffling sound.
It came through the blanket, very softly.
...
Ning Jue left the city. Bai Hua packed her things one last time, preparing to leave the Prince's Mansion today and stay at her brother's house for a while.
The Grand General was not at his residence today either, so she didn't need to go to the front hall to say hello, which saved her trouble.
Before leaving, a lady came to Songyuan and gave her some special instructions.
Bai Hua didn't recognize the person. There were so many beautiful women in the Prince's back garden, each one as pretty as a flower, but they were all less distinctive. Bai Hua might have seen the person before, but the impression she had of him was not deep.
In this palace, apart from the princess, the concubine, and Lady Wang who had been implicated by her and Ning Jue, whom she recognized, she could not distinguish the other beauties.
The other person seemed to notice the confusion in her eyes, smiled gently, and took the initiative to introduce herself: "I am Madam Sun. I accompanied the Prince south to Jiling before, and we even traveled together on the return trip."
It turned out to be that beautiful woman.
Bai Hua suddenly realized that the other person's face looked increasingly familiar.
It wasn't that she lacked discernment. On the return journey to the capital, the two weren't in the same carriage. Even when they stopped at the post station to rest, the prince and his entourage were settled first before it was their turn to choose rooms. In addition, the beauty's face was often covered by a net veil, so even when traveling together, Bai Hua rarely faced her directly. Over the course of several days, their eyes only met a few times.
It's normal if you don't recognize it.
Bai Hua curtsied to Madam Sun and said gracefully, "It's my fault for being so slow to recognize you. I shouldn't have done that. My maid and I were packing our luggage and made the room messy. Please sit down, Madam."
Madam Sun modestly said, "I am of average appearance and rarely leave a deep impression. On the other hand, Miss Bai has a beauty that can topple kingdoms. Her smile is captivating. She is truly a beauty that stands out from the crowd, making all other flowers pale in comparison."
Bai Hua had heard plenty of praise and compliments from others since she was a child. However, most of the noblewomen in the capital who were on good terms with her mother preferred to be subtle and reserved, only revealing a fraction of their meaning in their words. Therefore, it was quite rare to see such direct praise in front of her.
Bai Hua felt embarrassed and her face flushed. She replied softly, "You flatter me, madam."
Madam Sun was warm and approachable, and she immediately instructed her maid to help Xiao You tidy up. Then she pulled Bai Hua into the inner room to chat and even offered to give her a gift.
Bai Hua had seen many fine things and naturally recognized their value. Upon closer inspection, she noticed that the coral bracelet on Madam Sun's hand was of superior color and exquisite brilliance, with each red bead being lustrous and of excellent quality.
Madam Sun took the bracelet off her own hand and made a gesture to put it on Bai Hua. Bai Hua declined, feeling awkward, as she was not good at dealing with other people's enthusiasm.
“I cannot accept a gift without merit. You should keep this precious bracelet for yourself. I suppose such fine jewelry must have been a gift from the Prince. In that case, I dare not accept it as my own.”
Madam Sun sighed, glanced cautiously out the window to make sure no one was listening, and then whispered the truth: "Actually, the Consort Wang who was sent to the temple to rest during her pregnancy is my cousin. The Prince has many women around him, so it's inevitable that there will be jealousy and infighting. The Prince is usually busy and doesn't have time to attend to the trivial matters in the inner palace, and the Princess Consort doesn't have the ruthless means to supervise her concubines, so she is somewhat domineering and intolerant of others."
"My cousin and I are both newcomers to the Prince's mansion. When a newcomer becomes pregnant, it's inevitable that it will arouse jealousy and dissatisfaction from others. I even suspect that the secret of my cousin's identity as the daughter of a disgraced official was leaked from the Prince's mansion, which gave Prince Rui a handle to use. The other party originally wanted to use Prince Rui to report her and the Emperor to pressure the Prince to drive my cousin away to avoid punishment. But they didn't expect that the Prince was so loyal and righteous. Even if it meant disgracing himself and disguising himself, he would protect my cousin during childbirth. In the end, the plan failed."
"If it weren't for Young Master Ning's actions, my cousin wouldn't have been able to leave the Prince's mansion smoothly. As her pregnancy progressed, she would have faced countless schemes within these four walls of the mansion. Now that she's gone to the temple, she has peace and quiet and can focus on her pregnancy. Before she left, my cousin specifically told me to express my gratitude to Miss Bai in private. This bracelet was a gift from my cousin; I was merely acting as an intermediary. Please accept it, Miss Bai."
Upon hearing this, Bai Hua lowered her eyes in surprise, not expecting to hear such secrets about the inner garden of the Prince's mansion before leaving.
In wealthy families in the capital, the distinction between legitimate and illegitimate children is clear, and the hierarchy is strict. There is no shortage of intrigue and backstabbing in every household. Couples who stay together for life and walk hand in hand are still too few.
Bai Hua continued, "Young Master's actions were unintentional, and helping Madam Wang was purely coincidental. How can you accept such a courtesy with a clear conscience?"
Suddenly, Madam Sun started acting spoiled, quickly taking Bai Hua's fingertip and aligning her wrist with the beaded bracelet to try it on.
Bai Hua's hands were soft, and with a gentle squeeze from Madam Sun, she easily put the pendant on.
"My lady..."
"Take your reasonable words to my cousin. I'll just focus on completing the tasks she assigns. How you pass the buck is none of my business."
Bai Hua had no choice but to accept the bracelet, knowing that Madam Wang would feel at ease if she did, so she could only refuse it.
After accepting the gift, the two came out of the inner room and saw Xiao You and the maidservants brought by Madam Sun carrying the sword box to the table, preparing to wipe it. The box contained the Lonely Moon Sword that Ning Jue had given her. She hadn't used it for a long time, and it was probably going to gather dust.
So Bai Hua casually instructed, "Xiao You, open the sword case and wipe it carefully inside as well. It's almost time. My brother should already be waiting at the door. After you're done wiping, we'll take our luggage and head out."
Xiao You replied, "Yes, miss."
The two maids were busy with their work, while Bai Hua and Madam Sun sat facing each other on embroidered stools, chatting casually for a few moments.
Unbeknownst to them, as soon as the sword case was opened, revealing the Lonely Moon Sword, the maidservant brought by Madam Sun suddenly glanced at the sword a few more times without making a sound.
...
Half a month later, Ning Jue still hadn't returned. Fortunately, he sent two letters back to Bai Hua to let her know he was safe, which eased her anxiety a little.
On the second day of the second lunar month, which coincided with the Spring Ploughing Festival, the Bai family received a rare visitor.
It was the family of Ji Lingrong's aunt.
The elder brother's expression was initially displeased. He was convinced that Rong Linyan had wronged Bai Hua, which was why she was in such a passive position regarding marriage. However, he also thought that his aunt's family had taken in his younger sister for two years, which was a debt of gratitude. In the end, he suppressed his dissatisfaction and got up to greet the guests.
Bai Hua, supporting her sister-in-law, did not go to the front door to greet her like her brother, but instead waited in the back hall.
A moment later, she saw her elder brother and servant leading the way, followed closely by her aunt and two cousins. Bai Hua glanced back but didn't see her cousin, so she assumed he hadn't come along.
When Bai Hua left Ji Ling earlier, she went to Rong Mansion to pick up Xiao You. Her aunt and the others avoided seeing her because they were afraid of upsetting their cousin-in-law.
By this calculation, they hadn't seen each other for several months; time really flies.
After exchanging pleasantries and formalities, the group went to the tea room to rest.
Bai Shu'an was not very enthusiastic, and Bai Hua didn't say much either. Only her sister-in-law, Zhu, kept the atmosphere lively and maintained a few words with her aunt.
Zhu was still pregnant, and it was really hard for her to rack her brains to come up with a topic. Bai Hua couldn't bear it and interjected, "Aunt, are you coming to the capital to visit your cousin for a short time, or do you plan to stay in Jingqi for a long time?"
Madam Rong looked at Bai Hua, feeling slightly uneasy and guilty, but quickly regained her composure.
She replied with a smile, her expression revealing undisguised pride: "I do plan to stay here permanently. Lin Yan is no longer working under the Grand General, but has unexpectedly gained the favor of the Left Prime Minister, which can be considered an opportunity."
At this point, Madam Rong looked at Bai Shu'an again and continued in a gentle tone, "In the future, when Lin Yan and Shu'an serve as officials, the two brothers will keep in touch and be able to help each other."
Hearing this, Bai Hua understood. No wonder her aunt was willing to visit the younger generation; it turned out that her purpose was to help her cousin smooth things over.
Things are different now. My brother has been released without charge, and there are rumors that he has gotten involved with the Grand General. If so, he may be promoted again and take another step forward in his career.
My aunt is always thoughtful and meticulous; she would never give up such a connection through family ties.
Bai Shu'an spoke in a serious tone, without showing any favoritism: "I work in the Ministry of Works, and I don't have many opportunities to deal with the Left Prime Minister on a regular basis. I'm afraid I won't see Lin Yan for a year or two."
Madam Rong remained calm and responded smoothly to everything: "How could that be? Does that mean you two brothers will stop seeing each other from now on? Regardless of the Bai and Rong families, there are no elders in the family who can help you now. You will have to rely on yourselves to explore the officialdom step by step. If you have a reliable assistant by your side, your official career will definitely be more stable in the future."
Bai Shuan didn't respond, and his aunt awkwardly took a sip of tea.
The two older cousins had been silently observing Bai Shu'an's behavior. When Bai Shu'an showed no respect for their mother, the eldest cousin, Rong Chifang, remained calm and composed. In contrast, the second cousin, Rong Chifei, looked displeased and sullen, as if everyone owed her something.
Bai Hua looked at her eldest cousin and said, "When I left Rong Mansion in a hurry earlier, I asked Xiao You to pack my things. Xiao You said that I was very grateful for your help, otherwise I would have been in such a mess and would have forgotten a lot of things that I would have needed on the way. I have been wanting to thank you in person, but I didn't expect it to take so long for me to have the opportunity."
Xiao You had just brought in tea and was serving it to the masters along with Madam Zhu's personal maid. When she heard the young lady mention her, she immediately perked up her ears, but after listening carefully, she realized it wasn't a compliment, so she lowered her head sheepishly and focused on her work.
Rong Chifang waved her hand sheepishly, "It was such a small thing, why would my cousin remember it for so long? It was just a small favor at the time."
Bai Hua smiled and said, "Cousin, you are very meticulous. Without you, given Xiao You's careless nature, there would have been some oversights."
Xiao You blushed silently.
Rong Chifei snorted and muttered under her breath, "Maybe my older sister was just checking to see if your girl was honest, in case you guys stole our things."
Bai Hua didn't hear what was said clearly, but Rong Chifang did. She immediately glared at her second sister, reminding her not to be willful and reckless, as trouble often comes from what she says.
Rong Chifei pouted, unconvinced.
Bai Hua stopped talking, losing interest in continuing the conversation. After that, her sister-in-law, Madam Zhu, would occasionally chime in with a few words from her aunt.
The two chatted for about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea when suddenly Zhu's delicate eyebrows furrowed, and she bent over, clutching her chest as if she was about to vomit.
Bai Hua was startled, but her brother and the maidservants around Madam Zhu were already used to it.
Bai Shu'an stepped forward to help Zhu Shi up, and a clever maid quickly brought water for Zhu Shi to drink to calm her churning stomach.
Bai Hua understood that this was a common reaction for pregnant women, and then she felt relieved.
After observing for a while and waiting until the situation was no longer chaotic, Madam Rong asked, "Is my nephew's wife pregnant? How many months along is she?"
Zhu wiped her mouth with a handkerchief, straightened her clothes, and replied truthfully, "It's been four months."
Madam Rong calculated the days and said, "Four months... your morning sickness should be getting better soon. Just bear with it for a while and it will get much better. Since you don't have your mother-in-law to take care of you, you'll have to work harder every day. Your aunt will come to see you often in the future, as a way of doing her best for your sister."
That's a beautifully said statement. Lady Zhu glanced at her husband and agreed.
Rong Chifei then interjected again, "Mother, how can you have the energy to take care of two pregnant women at the same time? My sister-in-law is also pregnant right now, and she's vomiting every day and has lost a lot of weight. I think you should take better care of your own daughter-in-law."
Madam Rong glanced at Rong Chifei, resenting her for talking too much.
First, she was glared at by her eldest sister, and then warned by her mother. Rong Chifei was very displeased, and her emotions were all written on her face.
Bai Hua and her brother exchanged a glance. The former remained calm and could sincerely offer a word of congratulations, while the latter suppressed his resentment and couldn't help but curse Rong Linyan in his heart as a heartless and fickle man!
...
After seeing his guests off, Bai Shu'an went straight out, mounted his horse, and headed to the Ministry of Works.
Recently, the northern wall of the imperial city has been under renovation, and a new palace is planned to be built in the palace gardens. He is very busy and cannot spare the time. If it weren't for his pregnant wife who needs care and attention, Bai Shu'an would not go home during the day.
After her brother left, Bai Hua helped her sister-in-law slowly walk back to the backyard.
On the way, the two chatted about their aunt's family and both agreed that they didn't need to be too close to this relative in the future.
Madam Zhu noticed something and said, "Hua'er, did you notice just now that when you learned I was pregnant, your aunt's expression was strange for a moment before she smiled? Maybe I'm just imagining things, but I felt that your aunt's expression was a little off, but I can't quite put my finger on it."
Reminded by her sister-in-law, Bai Hua carefully recalled the details of their conversation.
As my aunt readily agreed, there seemed to be a moment when her smile froze, as if she had remembered something unpleasant.
Bai Hua pondered for a moment before replying, "My aunt has never shown her emotions outwardly, and she is always quite enigmatic."
Madam Zhu agreed. She gently stroked Bai Hua's hand, sighed softly, and said with a hint of apology, "If your brother and I hadn't been unable to protect you back then, Hua'er wouldn't have had to travel thousands of miles to live in Jiling. I imagine life as a dependent must have been difficult. Hua'er must have suffered a lot of grievances in the Rong family these past two years."
Bai Hua was surprised that her sister-in-law would bring this up.
She shook her head and said with relief, "Sister-in-law, you don't need to feel guilty about this. If I hadn't left and had chosen to stay in the capital, I don't know how many troublesome situations I would have encountered later. I stayed away from the eye of the storm, avoided the limelight, and lived peacefully for the past two years, which is enough for me. Also, after going to Jiling, I also had some experiences. Life is unpredictable, and perhaps fate's arrangement is the best."
Zhu asked curiously, "Encounters... I heard your brother mention some of your experiences before. Which part of them is Hua'er referring to?"
Bai Hua lowered her eyes, her expression slightly embarrassed, and refused to speak.
Madam Zhu smiled and teased her, "Alright, Hua'er now has her own little secret. Sister-in-law, be sensible and don't insist on asking her too many questions."
Bai Hua was easily teased, and her face turned even redder upon hearing this. She bluntly said that her sister-in-law was being indecent.
The two laughed and joked for a while, and then continued walking together.
As Bai Hua walked, she couldn't help but think of her aunt again, following her sister-in-law's words.
My aunt has never shown her emotions outwardly, so her behavior just now makes one wonder if something tricky has happened again in the Rong family's inner courtyard.
The Yang family's daughter is already pregnant. It's a good thing that she got pregnant with her cousin's child so soon after getting married.
Bai Hua couldn't figure it out, so she came back to her senses and decided to stop thinking about other people's business.
She and her sister-in-law, Zhu, agreed to go to the kitchen together after their afternoon nap to prepare snacks, which they would then deliver to her brother and his colleagues around 3 PM as a gesture of goodwill.
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