Chapter 29, Stunning
Thinking of this, she asked Wu Shi why she and Bai Xuerou should go together.
Madam Wu tapped her forehead and said helplessly, "You are indeed quite clever, but you never seem to use it effectively. Haven't you noticed that every time Chunniang goes out, if Sixth Master has time, he goes to pick her up?"
Wu San Niang's eyes widened immediately.
She really didn't notice.
"Especially recently—"
The fact that Ling Zheng wanted Bai Xuerou to be buried with him only made Ling Xun more anxious about her.
Madam Wu swallowed her words and said, "With so many things happening at the Prince's Mansion, the Sixth Prince will definitely be even more worried and will surely go to fetch him."
Wu San Niang immediately became excited, even somewhat impatient.
Looking at her, Madam Wu felt somewhat worried.
Some things, after many years, are rarely remembered by anyone, and even she didn't pay much attention to them—
That was the matter of how Aunt Ge fell out of favor after she married into the Ling family.
More than ten years have passed. Ling Xun is a deep thinker, and nothing can be seen from him. I have never heard him mention it in all these years. But does he really... not care at all?
It was only when letters arrived from home these past few days, inquiring about this matter, that Madam Wu remembered it, became wary, and thus took the initiative to make the suggestion today.
Previously, the Prince of Zhenbei was Ling Zheng, and Ling Xun was indeed promising, but his family didn't pay much attention to him. But now it's different. He has inherited the title and become the sole master of the Zhenbei Army, so even the Wu family has to take him seriously.
There are even some concerns.
Previously, the family knew that Third Sister disliked Ling Zheng but had feelings for Ling Xun, so they asked her to find a way to bring them together. This time, they directly asked her to act as matchmaker.
The Wu family was in a dilemma, but they still had to think of a solution.
She looked down on the mediocre men in her family and only wanted to raise a beautiful woman to help her make a good future. She relied on women for everything, first her aunt, then her, and then her third aunt.
No matter how resentful or dissatisfied she felt, Madam Wu couldn't let go of them; after all, they were her family.
What happens next depends on her nieces.
Now there's the Third Sister, and further down the line, there's the Fifth Sister, the Eighth Sister, and so on.
After breakfast, Bai Xuerou and the others set off for the Bai residence.
This house is quite large and in a very good location. It was purchased by Bai's father after he passed the imperial examination and became a third-ranked scholar.
Of course, it's nothing compared to the Prince's Mansion. To say nothing of anything else, it's not even as big as the Zhiwei Courtyard where Bai Xuerou lives.
Wu San Niang looked down on him somewhat; the Wu family also had a mansion in Chang'an, which was much more impressive than this. The Bai family was a small and humble household, so it was no wonder.
Bai Xuerou didn't pay attention. After arriving, she ordered the servants to busy themselves inside and out, and personally went to the east courtyard to prepare.
Whether or not they come, the main house must be reserved for the elders. Secondly, the courtyard on the east side is naturally the best location. She had people clean and prepare inside and out, and changed the curtains and furnishings. Wu San Niang accompanied her on the side.
Bai Xuerou noticed that her gaze kept drifting outwards, and knowing what she was thinking, she couldn't help but smile.
That's just how young men and women are; they can never hide their affection and feelings.
I was busy until the afternoon and got the basic setup done, but there are still some details to fill in, which will have to be done slowly later.
In the afternoon, Ling Xun indeed came to pick up the two of them. Wu San Niang sat in the carriage and couldn't help but lift the curtain to look at Ling Xun outside.
On the bustling street, amidst the comings and goings of pedestrians, a young man riding a fine horse stood out with his strikingly handsome features and imposing presence, drawing countless glances back.
Even the legendary figures of ancient times like Pan An and Song Yu were no more impressive.
Wu San Niang glanced at him again and again, but the boy never turned around, and she couldn't help but feel disappointed.
On the way back to the Prince of Zhenbei's mansion, she got out of the carriage first and saw Ling Xun standing by the carriage. Her heart skipped a beat with joy. Just as she was about to speak, she saw him walk straight forward without even glancing at her and reach out to help Bai Xuerou.
"Sister-in-law."
Hearing his gentle call, she felt a pang of disappointment.
He's so good to her, but not to her.
After entering the mansion, halfway there, Wu San Niang couldn't very well follow Bai Xue Rou to Zhiwei Courtyard, so she stole another glance at Ling Xun and reluctantly took her leave.
Bai Xuerou glanced at Ling Xun, and seeing that he had no intention of doing so, she stopped telling him to relax, gave him a few gentle words of advice, and then they went their separate ways.
"What do you think of Wu San Niang?" Bai Xue Rou asked softly after walking a short distance.
It wasn't that she wanted to be a matchmaker or anything, but she had inquired about Ling Xun's marriage prospects quite a bit before, and now that he had inherited the title, he had become even more sought after, with people constantly asking about him. Since Ling Xun had no elder relatives and only her as a close friend, she felt that as an elder, she should pay attention to his affairs.
Ling Xun's heart stirred.
"Not really." He said calmly, "The Wu family has too many schemes, which I dislike very much."
“That’s true.” Bai Xuerou suddenly realized.
It was because life had been so peaceful these past few years that she had forgotten that when Madam Wu entered the mansion and Concubine Ge fell out of favor, the person most affected was Ling Xun.
She raised her hand to signal the maids to follow her, then lowered her voice and asked, "Sixth brother, do you... do you resent Madam Wu?"
No.
Bai Xuerou had prepared herself mentally, but when she heard Ling Xun say this, she turned to look at the boy beside her. His brows were always calm, and his personality was quite reserved. She could still see some of that in his youth, but in recent years she could hardly see anything at all.
But he wouldn't lie to her, especially about something as small as this.
She smiled slightly, then became curious and asked, "You really don't mind at all?"
Since Bai Xuerou had asked, Ling Xun wouldn't give her a perfunctory answer. He thought about it seriously for a moment and then said, "If I had to say, there is indeed some difference, after all, the gap is too big. But I know that this matter has nothing to do with her, the main reason lies with Ling Ji'an."
"You silly child!" Bai Xuerou was startled and subconsciously looked around. She was relieved to see that the maids were quite far away.
“You’re not allowed to do that again,” she said. “Even if you do say it, it can’t be done outside.”
No matter what, Ling Ji'an is still Ling Xun's biological father. This is not modern times, where you can joke about your parents' names without consequence. If people hear this, you will inevitably be accused of being disrespectful and unfilial.
Bai Xuerou also disliked Ling Ji'an, but she didn't want Ling Xun to be slandered because of this, which she felt was not worth it.
Judging from Bai Xuerou's tone, she didn't think he had anything to say about Ling Ji'an; she just didn't want him to talk about it outside. Her words were full of protection, which made Ling Xun feel happy.
“I only told my sister-in-law,” he said.
Bai Xuerou chuckled softly.
"Although words can't actually draw blood, they can still hurt people invisibly, so it's best to be careful," she advised.
"Don't worry, sister-in-law, I know." A simple "I know" wasn't enough to truly reassure Bai Xuerou, but Ling Xun didn't want to be treated like a child all the time, so he added, "After all, I've seen quite a bit these past few days."
Bai Xuerou knew that Ling Xun was intelligent, but he was still young and inexperienced, unaware of the wickedness of people's hearts, and easily manipulated. If it were someone else, it wouldn't matter, but as a child she had raised herself, she couldn't help but worry more and always had to nag and give him a few more instructions.
Especially after hearing Ling Xun tell her to relax, she became even more worried.
This time was no different, but just as Bai Xuerou was about to speak, she heard Ling Xun's next words and forgot about it, hurriedly asking, "What's wrong?"
"It's all about the affairs of the Prince's Mansion. The assassin who tried to kill Ling Zheng hasn't been found yet, and many people are speculating that I was the one who did it." Ling Xun spoke lightly, not taking it seriously. "It's just the petty mind that has grown a talkative mouth, making wild guesses."
"So what are you planning to do?" Bai Xuerou frowned slightly, looking somewhat worried.
Ling Xun didn't care. Having experienced the online battles of public opinion, she knew how powerful these rumors could be. Some things were clearly false, but if said too often, they became half-true and half-false. After a while, no one cared about the truth anymore.
“I ordered my men to deal with those rumors that were spreading the most widely.”
"Solve it?" Bai Xuerou frowned slightly.
“Those who take money to do things are paid off and given a warning, while those with some reputation are spread rumors. If they were truly innocent and wholeheartedly committed to the righteous path, I would have a more difficult time, but unfortunately, these people all have ulterior motives, and I can find plenty of dirt on them,” he said.
Knowing that Bai Xuerou disliked bullying the weak, Ling Xun explained things in more detail.
Bai Xuerou understood, thought for a moment, and couldn't help but smile, "You handled it very well."
It seems she was worrying unnecessarily.
Ling Xun is very thoughtful in his work, so it seems she doesn't need to worry so much all the time.
Her past life was unremarkable; she had no energy to deal with slander or other public opinion issues, but she still remembered one sentence—
Don't fall into the self-justification trap.
Ling Xun was unaware of this, yet he still managed to do it.
“It’s all what I should do,” Ling Xun said. “I’m sixteen now, I can’t let my sister-in-law worry about everything for me.”
Bai Xuerou wasn't sure if Ling Xun thought she was being nosy, so she smiled and said, "Yes, you're all grown up now, I should get used to it and stop nagging all the time."
“Sister-in-law, what are you saying?” Ling Xun replied immediately. “I just love it when you talk about me and care about me.”
Bai Xuerou turned to look at him and saw that he looked very serious, with a hint of urgency in his eyes.
“I have a weak relationship with my parents. My father ignored me when I was young, and my mother took her anger out on me and didn’t pay much attention to me either. Over the years, only my sister-in-law has cared about me. If my sister-in-law doesn’t speak up, who will talk to me in the future? Then I will be all alone.”
Ling Xun looked at Bai Xue Rou, her eyes slightly lowered with disappointment, and she looked rather pitiful.
"Alright, alright, I'll tell you," Bai Xuerou quickly said, unable to bear seeing him like this.
Ling Xun stared at her for a while, seemingly trying to confirm the truth, before finally smiling slightly, though he still looked somewhat pitiful. "Sister-in-law, you're all I have. Please don't ignore me."
"What are you saying? When did I ever ignore you?" Bai Xuerou felt wronged and quickly defended herself.
“If you stop nagging me, it means we’re drifting apart. How far are we from you ignoring me?” Ling Xun argued vehemently.
Upon hearing this, Bai Xuerou initially thought he was being unreasonable, but after thinking about it carefully, she realized that what the young man said made some sense.
In the end, I couldn't help but laugh.
"Don't you find your sister-in-law annoying?" she asked, her eyes smiling, regaining the slightly teasing look that Ling Xun was familiar with.
"Of course," Ling Xun said earnestly.
"Alright, then I won't stand on ceremony with you from now on." Just like she had told the maids before, Bai Xuerou had carefully considered how to get along with Ling Xun. He was now a prince, so naturally she couldn't act the same way as before.
But Ling Xun looked completely serious, without a trace of pretense, and spoke so pitifully that she finally softened.
Never mind, take it slow. She'll withdraw when Ling Xun really doesn't need her anymore.
Bai Xuerou thought so.
The letter arrived exceptionally quickly via the express post station. Bai Qingrong, however, was traveling slowly by carriage with his luggage, and it took him ten days to reach Chang'an.
Upon receiving the news, Bai Xuerou went to meet him outside the city in person. When she saw him from afar, she couldn't help but step forward.
The coachman of the Bai family naturally recognized Bai Xue Rou, not to mention the group of very conspicuous guards from the Zhenbei Prince's Mansion. Upon seeing them from afar, they relayed the message to the back, saying, "Young master, there are people from the Zhenbei Prince's Mansion ahead. It must be Seventh Lady who has come to pick you up."
Upon hearing this, Bai Qingrong immediately lifted the carriage curtain to look. Seeing the figure approaching, she exclaimed happily, "It is indeed Seventh Sister! Come quickly!"
Yu Kai looked over and saw the figure standing in front of the pavilion, with snow-white skin and a beautiful face, her beauty captivating.
Just then, a gentle breeze stirred the hem of her skirt and the shawl draped over her arm, and she was momentarily stunned, her beauty breathtaking.
It took him a while to come to his senses. Seeing that Bai Qingrong was only focused on his sister and hadn't noticed his absent-mindedness, he couldn't help but feel relieved.
He never expected that he would be so captivated by a woman. He felt ashamed, yet he couldn't help but look again.
The coachman slowed down and soon approached. Bai Qingrong had already lifted the curtain and jumped out before the carriage had come to a complete stop, striding towards Bai Xuerou.
"Seventh Sister!" he exclaimed joyfully.
Bai Xuerou was startled by his actions, went over and patted him, saying, "You're such a grown man, how can you be so reckless? You didn't wait for the car to come to a complete stop before getting out!"
"Seventh Sister, there's no need to worry. I've been training outside for many years, so I'm strong and healthy. I've even killed some bandits." Bai Qingrong said dismissively.
Bai Xuerou's heart tightened upon hearing this, but when she looked at him again and saw that he was safe and sound, she felt relieved.
Scholars today are not as frail as they were in later generations. They all have to learn riding, archery, and the Six Arts. In addition, Bai Qingrong often travels with his master to study, so his skin is not as fair as the young men in Chang'an. It is a slightly darker wheat color. He is also cheerful and easygoing, and looks very sunny.
"In this world, you should bring more people with you next time you go out." Bai Xuerou sighed inwardly. She wanted to tell him not to go out, but in such a vast world, he couldn't be confined to his home. If he liked staying at home, that would be fine, but Bai Qingrong was someone who couldn't stay still. Confining him would probably not make him happy either.
That's enough.
"Don't worry, sister. I know that our teacher hires wandering knights to take us on our study tours. Moreover, he has a very high status, and everyone treats him with great respect wherever we go. Nothing will happen," Bai Qingrong explained, trying to reassure Bai Xuerou.
Bai Xue Rou couldn't really relax, but she hadn't seen her brother for a long time and didn't want to talk about those unhappy things, so she didn't mention it again. Her eyes lit up and she saw the person standing a few steps away.
Tall and elegant, handsome and gentle, with a refined and noble air cultivated by his scholarly background, he possessed both good looks and graceful demeanor.
"Greetings, Madam." Yu Kai nodded slightly in greeting, his heart pounding.
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