Rebirth: The Journey of an Heiress novel Chapter 982

Chapter 982: Chapter 978: Granting a Name

Bai Qingyan couldn’t bear to interrupt her mother, watching as her mother held onto A Yu and silently wept, her sobbing breaths barely audible. She quickly wiped away her own tears, softly saying, "Alright, alright... everyone get up. If others see this, it won’t be good for A Yu."

Mrs. Dong, hearing this, hurriedly released A Yu, wiped her eyes with a handkerchief, and nodded.

Her son had finally returned, so she must not reveal his identity due to her inability to hold back. 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

Her daughter founded the Zhou dynasty, and her son was strategizing for unity among the Rong. Even if she, as their mother, could not help, she must not add to her children’s troubles.

Bai Qingyan helped Mrs. Dong to her feet and signaled A Yu to sit, knowing that many heartfelt concerns couldn’t be spoken, nor could past events be inquired about. Asking would only cause the Shouhe Palace to be flooded with tears today.

"You cannot linger long in the palace today, so sister will only speak of the important matters," Bai Qingyan gazed steadily at Bai Qingyu, "Jintong has been imprisoned in Xiliang. A Qi has already gone to Xiliang to rescue Jintong, but we currently don’t know what Jintong arranged in Xiliang, nor why he was imprisoned. Therefore, Jintong’s identity must not be rashly revealed!"

Mrs. Dong was quite surprised. She had long suspected that Jintong might not be beside the Eldest Princess, but she never imagined Jintong had gone to Xiliang.

"Because the situation is unclear, it is necessary to detain Li Zhijie in Dadu City. This morning, when Li Zhijie came forward, I told him that the benefits for Zhou from forming an alliance with Xiliang are not many. I asked him to send someone back to inquire what more their Empress of Xiliang can offer Zhou. If Xiliang considers Jintong as a bargaining chip, now would be the time to reveal it, yet Li Zhijie seemed unaware. I promised him... I would keep the masked Prince of Rong in Dadu City, giving his people the time to make a round trip between Yunjing and Dadu."

Bai Qingyu nodded and then said, "I fear Xiliang might use this opportunity to make other moves. If I am not in Xiliang to counter Rong, the Rong might become unsettled..."

"That is exactly my concern!" Bai Qingyan stared intently at Bai Qingyu, "We need you to work hard to prepare early, and even... force Xiliang’s hand if necessary. If Xiliang truly acts, I have already spoken with Li Zhijie; it is Zhou that keeps the masked Prince of Rong in Dadu City. Should Xiliang use this chance to create trouble, Zhou will naturally see it through to the end."

Bai Qingyu understood his sister’s meaning. Rescuing Bai Jintong is of utmost importance, so... she first kept Li Zhijie in Dadu City. Keeping him there serves as an excuse not to openly confront Xiliang and Zhou right now, which would not be beneficial for rescuing Bai Jintong.

Secondly, with the masked Prince in Dadu City, Xiliang might be tempted to act first. However, if Xiliang acts, it grants Zhou legitimate reason to ally with Rong and attack Xiliang.

Bai Qingyu’s lips parted slightly, yet he did not speak again, fearing his voice would cause his mother to shed tears once more. After a moment, he silently nodded.

Bai Qingyan saw how A Yu tightly clutched his own hem, noticing the burn scars on his neck that couldn’t be covered, tears welled up in her eyes. Unable to suppress it, she reached out to touch A Yu’s head, clasped his shoulders, and hung her head, choking on her words, "You have suffered!"

Bai Qingyu bit his lip hard, struggling not to cry out loud. His throat felt blocked as if stuffed with vinegar-soaked cotton, aching intensely.

His suffering was of little concern, but he could hardly imagine how his sister had held the Bai family together during their hardship, reaching where they were now.

Unable to care for his mother, aunt, and sisters, he felt he had failed his grandfather and father’s teachings, which filled him with sorrow.

Bai Qingyu’s eyes were sore and uncomfortable, standing up and bowing: "Thank you, Mother, for bestowing the name."

Mrs. Dong quickly turned away, using a handkerchief to wipe her tears, striving to control herself. Yet, she could not restrain her sobbing, shoulders quaking visibly.

To avoid unnecessary trouble, Bai Qingyu stayed in Shouhe Palace no longer than a brief tea break before rising to leave. Mrs. Dong composed herself, ensuring that after Bai Qingyu’s departure, she did not show any emotion on the surface, only stating... her dislike for the parrot sent by the Xiliang envoys, asking Bai Qingyan to send it away.

Xiliang’s embassy was thrown into chaos upon hearing the news.

The Empress Dowager and the Emperor of Zhou invited the masked Prince of Rong to breakfast together, and then the Empress Dowager of Zhou ordered the parrot given by Li Zhijie to be removed, which were all signs of Zhou growing close to Rong, even evidence.

"Do not spread alarm!" Li Zhijie remained composed in his chair, "I had just visited the Empress of Zhou, and then the masked Prince of Rong hurried to meet her upon receiving the news. It was coincident with the Empress of Zhou and Empress Dowager having breakfast, so it was not appropriate to let the masked Prince wait outside, according to etiquette."

"As for saying the Empress Dowager does not favor Xiliang..." Li Zhijie looked up at his envoys, "If your husbands and sons had died in the war with Zhou, would you favor Zhou? The same reasoning! Why must the Empress Dowager favor Xiliang..."

"The Empress of Zhou is now indeed the Empress of Zhou. She will not let herself be bound by personal grievances. She hinted this morning... her intentions are none other than to gain more cities and benefits for Zhou!" Li Zhijie tapped his head with a fan, closing his eyes wearily, "Upon departure, the emperor instructed us, as long as we can form an alliance with Zhou, the king can self-evaluate what Xiliang can offer as a price, but still, someone must be sent back to Xiliang to inform the emperor, at least... Zhou can keep the masked Prince at bay for a while!"