Rebirth: The Journey of an Heiress-Chapter 78 - 77: Leading the Way_1
Chapter 78: Chapter 77: Leading the Way_1
Bai Qingyan’s already pale face looked even more ghostly today. Though her brows bore signs of weariness, her gaze remained resolute.
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“Thank you, Young Master Lu, for resolving the situation in front of the Duke’s residence that day. After our family’s affairs are settled, we will surely visit to express our gratitude,” Mrs. Dong said gently.
“Madam, you give Yuanpeng too much credit! It was just a coincidence. Madam need not worry,” Lu Yuanpeng replied politely.
The sky was just beginning to lighten as the heavy snowfall gradually ceased.
Just when the citizens thought they would freeze, they faintly heard the sound of horse hooves through the fog.
Soon, a four-horse-drawn carriage with lanterns at its corners appeared, slowly approaching, escorted by guards carrying King Xin’s banners.
...
Mrs. Liu’s legs gave way, and it was only thanks to Bai Jinxiu’s quick reflexes that she was caught. Holding Mrs. Liu’s hand tightly, she was in tears.
Mrs. Dong took a deep breath and instinctively gripped Bai Qingyan’s hand.
From afar, King Xin’s guards saw the bright lanterns illuminating the south gate. They hurried over, realizing the situation, and rushed back to the carriage, whispering, “Prince, the Bai family’s widow and the citizens of the capital are all at the south gate…”
King Xin, carrying a beautiful concubine in his arms, lifted the curtain to glance at the bustling lights. Feeling guilty, he quickly withdrew, his palms sweaty.
This time, he had only brought back the bodies of Duke Bai Weiting, Bai Weiting’s fifth son, Bai Qijing, and Bai family’s sixth and seventeenth sons. To humiliate the Bai family for the court officials to see, King Xin had deliberately placed them in the lowest-quality coffins.
King Xin wiped his sweaty palms with a handkerchief, stared at the bronze incense burner, and thought for a moment before saying sternly, “Tell them I am severely injured and cannot get off the carriage, and to proceed directly into the city.”
“Yes, understood!” King Xin’s guard nodded.
The beautiful concubine in the carriage, seeing King Xin’s somber expression, laughed as she took a cup of warm wine from the stove and offered it to King Xin’s lips. “The men of the Bai family are all dead. It’s just a group of women; why should you worry, Prince?”
The alluring beauty smiled radiantly at him, and King Xin, feeling a bit more at ease, drank the wine from her delicate hand.
Yes, the men of the Bai family were all dead. What could a group of women possibly do?
Furthermore, it wasn’t he who held a grudge against the Bai family but his father. The ancient saying goes that when a ruler wants a minister to die, the minister has no choice but to die. The Bai family died for a cause. Why should he be afraid?
Thinking this, King Xin leaned back comfortably on the soft cushion, playing with the beautiful woman’s delicate hand.
The carriage swayed as it arrived at the city gate, where Mrs. Dong led the Bai family members in a salute. “Greetings, King Xin.”
“Cough, cough, cough…” King Xin’s coughing sound came from the carriage. “I tried my best, but I could only bring back Duke and General Bai Qijing, along with the sixth and seventeenth sons. I am severely injured and cannot get off the carriage. Let the soldiers take them back to the Duke’s residence.”
With that, the carriage began to move.
Mrs. Dong, realizing none of her husband or sons had returned, swayed and had to be supported. “Mother!”
Watching Mrs. Dong, who was in shock, Bai Qingyan felt a sharp pain in her heart.
Mrs. Liu, whose husband and two sons also did not return, fell backward in shock. If not for Bai Jinxiu’s quick reflexes, she would have collapsed. Mrs. Liu, now in tears, could not utter a single word.
Her husband and sons, were they really… just bones now?
“Seventeen! My little Seventeen!” Fourth Lady Wang could no longer contain herself. She stumbled towards the smallest coffin at the back. Despite the slippery path, she fell twice but got up each time, finally embracing the snow-covered coffin, utterly heartbroken.
“Sixth Son…Mother is here! I’ve come to take you home!” Third Lady Li, choked with emotion, moved forward with Bai Jintong supporting her, wanting to touch her son’s cold coffin and bring him home.
Fifth Lady Qi, heavily pregnant, managed to control her emotions. She wanted to move quickly to her husband’s coffin but restrained herself, pressing her palm against her abdomen, tears in her eyes. “Sister-in-law…let’s go home first!”
Wounded Bai Jinzhi, supported by her maid, also walked towards her brother Bai Qingming’s coffin.
Mrs. Dong clenched her fists tightly, her heart filled with hatred, yet she had to express gratitude. “Thank…you, Prince.”
Bai Qingyan tightly clenched her fist. Just like in her previous life, only her grandfather, fifth uncle, brother Ming, and little Seventeen returned. But King Xin claimed to be severely injured…
She watched as the luxurious carriage’s wheels passed before her, catching a faint scent of wine and sandalwood from the window. She stood upright, her piercing gaze catching a corner of the curtain lifted by the wind. Inside, she saw a beautiful woman draped in disheveled clothes leaning against the ‘severely injured’ King Xin.
Standing apart from the crowd, Xiao Rongyan, always sharp-eared, heard the whispered words and turned his icy gaze towards his guard.
The guard nodded and left quickly.
Bai Qingyan turned to look at the soldiers carrying the coffins. None were from the Bai family army. They all belonged to King Xin. Her hand clenched tightly inside her sleeve.
King Xin’s personal guards placed the coffins down and followed the carriage back into the city, leaving the four coffins outside the city gate.
Mrs. Dong struggled to maintain her dignity and composure, refraining from breaking down in tears.
She led the Bai family women to kneel, knocking their heads to the ground in respect. “Bai family’s eldest daughter-in-law, Mrs. Dong, and the Bai family women, welcome father and our Bai family’s fallen heroes home!”
Bai Qingyan knelt with tears in her eyes, heavily bowing her head.
Citizens knelt as well, crying out for the Duke, their continuous wails resonating through the cloudy morning sky.
With Nanny Qin’s support, Mrs. Dong stood up, standing firmly in front of her grandfather’s coffin. She bit her lip and tearfully commanded, “Raise the coffins! Scatter the money! Lead the way!”
The Bai family servants immediately surrounded the four coffins, lifting the coffin poles. Dong Qingyue, a robust man, threw down the reins he had been gripping tightly, personally hoisted the coffin onto his shoulder, and shouted in a thunderous voice, “Raise the coffin!”
“Raise the coffin!”
Following the shouts, the weeping of the citizens grew even more heart-wrenching.
Officials never personally carried coffins, not even for their own family.
But Dong Qingyue was different. He was still a soldier under the Duke’s command, with a heart full of unyielding loyalty.
Bai Qingyan took the paper money, looked deeply at the four coffins, and stood at the forefront, throwing the money high into the air…
Following her, Bai Jinxiu also took the paper money, scattering it to guide the Bai family’s heroic spirits on their journey back.
