Chapter 269: Chapter 267: Joy in the Heart_1 Chapter 269: Chapter 267: Joy in the Heart_1 Heh, what future does the Fourth Prince of Yan Kingdom have?

If by chance something happens to the Yan Emperor’s legitimate eldest son, a profligate returning to reign over Yan, that would indeed make Yan quite lively.

Seeing that the Crown Prince understood his meaning, the Emperor raised his hand and patted the Crown Prince’s hand. “My son, you have truly matured!”

The Emperor grew increasingly satisfied with this son.

“The Yan Emperor has come this time also with the intention to ally through marriage. He desires a noble lady from Jin Kingdom for his blood brother, the Ninth Prince of Yan. Xiliang, too, has sent a princess, so we should choose carefully! King Yan of Xiliang, Li Zhijie, might also seek marriage ties, so be observant.” The Emperor reminded the Crown Prince.

The Crown Prince’s heart skipped a beat, thinking of Bai Qingyan: “Father, do you think… they might seek Bai Qingyan’s hand in marriage?”

The Emperor paused, then smiled: “Bai Qingyan has vowed never to marry. Even I cannot force her into it. But if the Ninth Prince of Yan and King Yan of Xiliang don’t mind joining our family, then… I would consider it a good match!”

*
Inside the yew carriage, Mrs. Dong held her daughter’s hand, carefully advising: “Our family’s return to Shuoyang is set for the first day of May. It’s a lucky day for everything. Once we return to Shuoyang, with the Emperor far away, we have nothing to fear! So during the palace banquet… if the Emperor mentions the burning and execution of surrendered soldiers and makes you feel aggrieved, you must endure it to prevent him from harboring further ill will.”

“Mother, don’t worry, Kid understands!”

Mrs. Dong, looking at her daughter’s outstanding appearance and bearing, tucked a loose strand of Bai Qingyan’s hair behind her ear. She anxiously anticipated taking her daughter back to Shuoyang, fearing that the Emperor might whimsically bestow a marriage decree upon her daughter. What would her daughter do then?

She wanted to mention Dong Changyuan to her daughter again, but feared her daughter’s resistance, so she held back the words.

Feeling the calluses in her daughter’s palm and the iron sandbag around her wrist, Mrs. Dong’s mouth turned bitter. She felt her daughter had endured too much hardship.

The carriage stopped at the palace gate. Bai Qingyan helped her mother, Mrs. Dong, down from the carriage. The ladies of General Zhang Duanrui’s family and Zhen Zeping’s family, who had arrived earlier, quickly approached. They politely exchanged greetings with Mrs. Dong and the three Madams from the Li family, continuously praising Bai Qingyan and Bai Jinzhi for being as capable as men.

As soon as Bai Jinzhi got off the carriage, she whispered to Bai Qingyan, “Just received news that King Yan of Xiliang, Li Zhijie, and Princess of Pingyang won’t be coming today.”

It was clearly Jin Kingdom’s victory celebration against Xiliang. What were the Xiliang people doing here? Li Zhijie was rational.

The daughters of the Zhang family and Zhen family stood properly behind their mothers. Seeing Bai Qingyan’s stunning beauty left them in awe. They never expected that the Bai family’s eldest daughter, praised at home for her wisdom and bravery, possessed such captivating beauty.

Several girls wanted to greet and befriend Bai Qingyan and Bai Jinzhi. But recalling that Bai Qingyan was known for her cold-heartedness in burning and killing ten thousand people, they hesitated.

It wasn’t until Mrs. Zhang and Mrs. Zhen urged their daughters forward that they timidly bowed and greeted Bai Qingyan.

Miss Zhang Six, looking at Bai Qingyan, who returned the greeting with a smile, whispered to Miss Zhen Three, “This Bai family sister is truly beautiful. How does she… seem capable of killing ten thousand people?”

Bai Qingyan had trained with her grandfather since childhood. After being injured and recovering in Dadu City, she rarely went out. The noble daughters of Dadu City were thus unfamiliar with her appearance.

Though the city’s profligates often rumored about Bai Qingyan’s celestial beauty, these noble daughters scoffed, thinking it exaggerated. Could Bai Qingyan be more beautiful than Princess of Nandu, Liu Ruofu?

Seeing her today, the daughters of the Zhang and Zhen families realized those profligates hadn’t exaggerated at all. The Bai family’s eldest daughter, Bai Qingyan, surpassed Liu Ruofu’s beauty by far, exquisite in every aspect.

Except for her temperament, like that of an untouchable high mountain flower.

“You can’t judge a person by their appearance. Anyone who’s been on the battlefield… has even severed heads. What’s there to be soft-hearted about?” Miss Zhen Three whispered, her eyes shining. “But my father says, if you don’t kill those Xiliang soldiers, our Jin Kingdom soldiers would be the ones dying! My father also says that only ignorant commoners would call burning and killing surrendered prisoners cruel. On the battlefield, even if it’s a child, once they pick up a blade, they’re the enemy. It’s either you kill them, or they kill you. There’s no room for compassion!”

Miss Zhang Six, younger and confused, understood the term “ignorant commoners.” Not wanting to be seen as such, she pretended to understand and nodded.

Meanwhile, Miss Zhang One scoffed, blatantly eyeing this “God of Slaughter.”

Feeling a hostile gaze, Bai Qingyan looked over calmly, her gaze as deep as an ancient well.

Miss Zhang One’s palms tightened. Her heart inexplicably raced. Frowning, she retracted her gaze, pressing a handkerchief to her chest, feeling that Bai Qingyan’s aura was too menacing. It was better to stay away from her.

At the palace banquet, the Empress did not attend. Since King Xin’s incident, the Empress had been ill. The Consort Yu, the Crown Prince’s birth mother, handled all harem matters. Today, accompanying the Emperor was Consort Yu and the newly promoted Lady Qiu.

Perhaps due to her son’s favor, Consort Yu appeared more imposing than usual, wearing a phoenix hairpin and luxurious attire. She seemed quite formidable, a stark contrast to her previously reserved appearance during the last palace banquet when Bai Qingyan saw her.

In the hall, dancers holding wooden swords, dressed in armor, performed a sword dance.

The music evoked a sense of battlefield intensity, but the dancers, holding wooden swords, appeared weak, more concerned about their graceful movements than their aura of ferocity.

Bai Qingyan, uninterested in the song and dance, focused on Lady Qiu beside the Emperor. Lady Qiu was extraordinarily beautiful. Bai Qingyan had no impression of her aunt Bai Suqiu, but Lady Qiu’s bright, lively eyes resembled the aunt in the paintings.

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Lady Qiu noticed Bai Qingyan, smiled brightly, and raised her wine cup towards her.

Bai Qingyan, not daring to be disrespectful, lightly sipped from her cup.

The Emperor, seeing Lady Qiu’s action, glanced at Bai Qingyan and affectionately leaned closer to Lady Qiu, asking softly, “Do you like Bai Qingyan?”

“Yes!” Lady Qiu’s smile was radiant. “For some reason, seeing Miss Bai fills me with affection!”

The Emperor gently stroked Lady Qiu’s hand. He remembered that when Bai Qingyan was born, Bai Suqiu was very fond of her. Perhaps… Lady Qiu was indeed Suqiu reincarnated. Otherwise, why would she be so delighted by Bai Qingyan?