Bai Li’s Dream – Chapter 159

Chapter 159: Deliberation

Bai Ying certainly knew what he was talking about.

She used to think that if she married Prince Changyang, even as a concubine, she would become a noble who would never be trampled on again.

But she also saw with her own eyes that even someone as noble as the Crown Prince could be trampled on at will in the face of power, as lowly as an ant.

What was even more unbelievable was that this power was held in the hands of a woman.

Empress Jiang.

A dancing girl of even lower birth than her.

If Empress Jiang could do it, why couldn’t she?

She could also get the Emperor’s favor.

And she also had an advantage that Empress Jiang didn’t have, or rather, luck.

She had an heir.

She had the Emperor’s child, and she would become the Emperor’s mother.

She could naturally have the power that Empress Jiang had.

But this was the deepest secret in her heart, something she would never say out loud, let alone reveal at this time.

Did Zhou Jingyun guess that she had ulterior motives from the fact that Zhang Ze was working for her?

But, a guess was just a guess. Zhou Jingyun was not Zhang Ze, who could put someone to death by fabricating charges, and she was not someone who could be easily framed.

Bai Ying looked at Zhou Jingyun with a helpless expression.

“Does the Marquis’s Heir want to drag me down with you as a member of Empress Jiang’s faction, so that we both face inevitable punishment?” she said, with a hint of sorrow. “Have you forgotten that I am indeed a member of Empress Jiang’s faction? My father and my entire family have been convicted, some dead, some exiled. The reason I am alive now is because of the heir. In fact, I am still living under a sentence.”

Zhou Jingyun did not correct her that being a member of Empress Jiang’s faction and wanting to become Empress Jiang were two different things. He picked up her words and said lightly, “But I am not a member of Empress Jiang’s faction, I was deceived.”

Deceived? Bai Ying looked at him. What? Did he want to say that he didn’t know the wife he married was Bai Li? That was even more childish. Could he just say he didn’t know and get away with it? It was too late.

Zhou Jingyun’s voice came.

“Master Zhuang and his wife deceived me, and she also deceived me. It wasn’t until the beginning of the year that I accidentally saw her letter to Madam Zhuang and sensed something was wrong. I sent someone to Dengzhou to interrogate Madam Zhuang, and only then did I learn her true identity.”

Master Zhuang and his wife? Bai Ying thought. It seemed that Zhang Ze had mentioned them, and they were also on the list of people who had interacted with her father, but she had no impression of them. They should belong to the category of people who were not very close, and Zhang Ze had not found any problems after investigating them.

It seemed they were indeed very secretive.

For this scourge, her father really spent a lot of effort.

Bai Ying sneered in her heart and was not interested in listening to Zhou Jingyun anymore. “It’s useless for the Marquis’s Heir to tell me this. Tell Zhang Ze, if he believes it, he believes it.”

“I am not saying this to escape punishment. I am telling Your Ladyship the cause.” Zhou Jingyun said, “Whether it was respecting my teacher, being infatuated with beauty, or saving people from suffering, I admit it. It has become a fact, and now I can only find a way to change the outcome.”

Bai Ying looked at him, half-smiling. “So you came to threaten me, asking me to help you cover it up? So that the outcome of your entire family being executed can be changed to you and my sister living a happy life together, a loving couple growing old together? I am also living under a sentence. Once this heir is born, I will not be able to live either. I have no good outcome. The Marquis’s Heir thinks too highly of me.”

“I do think highly of Your Ladyship.” Zhou Jingyun said, “Your Ladyship was able to save your life when your entire family was sentenced to death as members of Empress Jiang’s faction. This is extraordinary intelligence. Your Ladyship was also the first to become pregnant when His Majesty had no children for many years. This is destiny.”

He looked at Bai Ying, his eyes scrutinizing, yet with admiration.

“Your Ladyship is a person with the right time, the right place, and the right people. No wonder Zhang Ze is willing to work for Your Ladyship.”

Bai Ying was stunned, then burst into laughter, her eyes curving.

“Marquis’s Heir,” she looked at Zhou Jingyun, “you are really likable. No wonder the late Emperor and Empress Jiang favored you, especially Empress Jiang. She bestowed an official position on you, you refused, and she didn’t even chop off your head, but let you go.”

Zhou Jingyun said lightly, “If I hadn’t refused, my head would be off my neck now.”

He said, gently stroking his neck.

“It’s not easy to be human. I still want to live longer.”

Sure enough, you can’t judge a book by its cover. Bai Ying looked at Zhou Jingyun meaningfully. It turned out that this elegant and immortal-like Marquis of Dongyang’s Heir also had such worldly calculations.

“Immortal?” Zhou Jingyun smiled, “That’s because I was born in a Marquis’s Residence, with my father’s merits, with fine clothes and food, with countless servants and maids. I could keep my ten fingers clean from spring water, and I had the opportunity to be held by my parents to see the Emperor from a young age. The Emperor’s praise, his golden words, everyone’s admiration. If I were born in an ordinary family, struggling to survive just for a mouthful of food, where would the immortal aura come from? I wouldn’t even have the chance to be seen by the Emperor.”

He looked at Bai Ying.

“Your Ladyship must also feel this deeply.”

“If you were born in a Duke’s or Marquis’s Residence, with such beauty and talent, you would be the Empress now. There would be no need to walk in front of people with a big belly.”

Bai Ying looked at Zhou Jingyun, a smile appearing on her lips. This smile was different from the previous one.

The previous one was timid, absent-minded, and fake. This smile was relaxed, calm, and sharp.

“The Marquis’s Heir doesn’t need to say that.” She reached out and gently stroked her belly. “Relying on my belly is also a skill. Without this belly, the Marquis’s Heir wouldn’t even look at me.”

She no longer refuted Zhou Jingyun’s words, nor did she pretend to be weak and confused.

Zhou Jingyun nodded. “Yes, destiny is also a skill. That’s why I came to see Your Ladyship and tell you this.”

Bai Ying looked at him, half-smiling. “Is it not because you can’t hide it anymore, and Zhang Ze is about to find out?”

“Yes, before he finds out, I came to ask Your Ladyship to think about it.” Zhou Jingyun also smiled. “Is it beneficial for Your Ladyship to destroy a Marquis’s Residence, or to win over a Marquis’s Residence?”

Bai Ying looked at him without speaking.

Zhou Jingyun stood up.

“I will go see His Majesty first.” He said, bowing to Bai Ying. “Your Ladyship, please take your time to consider.”

He turned and walked out.

Bai Ying’s voice came from behind, cold and indifferent.

“Did she ask you to come?”

Zhou Jingyun turned his head. “Your Ladyship, at this time, it’s no longer about anyone’s will, but about how to resolve the crisis of the Marquis of Dongyang’s Residence.” After saying that, he walked past Wang Degui and went out.

Behind him came Wang Degui’s low and urgent voice, “Your Ladyship, he—”

Then there was silence.

Zhou Jingyun did not look back again, and walked slowly to the door of the Imperial Study.

Gao Shi’er looked at him with a smile. “Marquis’s Heir, won’t you stay a little longer?”

Calculating the time, he hadn’t even had a cup of tea.

Since he had paid his respects, why not exchange a few pleasantries?

Zhou Jingyun didn’t mind his fake smile, and said lightly, “It’s enough to be polite.”

What courtesy was there to discuss with a palace consort? It was too early to be courteous to an unborn heir. Flattery. Gao Shi’er curled his lip inwardly, pretending to be confused, and glanced inside the Imperial Study. “Today, His Majesty and Minister Qin seem to be having a pleasant conversation.”

He didn’t offer to go in and announce him.

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Zhou Jingyun didn’t seem to hear what he meant, and nodded. “Yes, it sounds quite lively, which is good…”

As he spoke, he stepped forward.

“I’ll take advantage of His Majesty’s good mood to talk about the autumn tax.”

Gao Shi’er was stunned, and subconsciously let out a sound, reaching out to stop him.

Zhou Jingyun had already stepped over the threshold and called out, “Your Majesty, the matter you asked me to investigate has been investigated—”

The laughter inside stopped abruptly, and then the Emperor’s voice rang out.

“Jingyun, come in quickly.”

At the same time, the voices of other officials also rang out. “The Marquis’s Heir is here.” “Assistant Secretary is here.” “Assistant Secretary talks about money as soon as he arrives.” Another official came out and took Zhou Jingyun’s hand. “Come, come, Jingyun, take a look at my new poem. On such a festive day, after talking about money, we should also talk about poetry.”

Zhou Jingyun entered with a smile.

Gao Shi’er awkwardly withdrew his raised hand.

However, Gao Shi’er snorted inwardly. The Marquis’s Heir, who had been stained with the smoke and fire of the world, would inevitably lose his brilliance. By then, the Emperor would also dislike him.

The Emperor’s side’s excitement lasted until the afternoon, when the Empress sent someone over.

“The evening banquet is ready. Please come back to the inner palace, Your Majesty, to have a look.”

The Emperor said, “It’s up to the Empress.”

The palace maid said, “The Empress said she wouldn’t trouble Your Majesty, but for a family banquet, the master of the house still needs to come and check it out.” She smiled again. “Your Majesty is busy with state affairs and forgets to eat and sleep, but Consort Bai’s body can’t stand it. You should go back and rest for a while.”

That’s right, there was also Consort Bai in the side hall.

The Emperor looked pleased. The Empress was really different from before.

The courtiers also nodded. “The Empress is becoming more and more reliable in her work.”

“Good, good, we will continue drinking tonight.” The Emperor said to everyone.

The courtiers got up and bowed to take their leave.

Walking out of the hall, Consort Bai was being helped by a palace maid and standing at the door. She had obviously also learned that she was to return to the inner palace.

The courtiers didn’t look at her, chatting and laughing, discussing whether to find a place to continue drinking. “When the late Emperor was alive, the palace banquets would start during the day and last all night.”

Zhou Jingyun walked at the end.

“Marquis’s Heir,” a voice came from behind, “you dropped your pouch.”

Zhou Jingyun turned around and saw Wang Degui bending down to pick up a pouch from the ground, then smiling and respectfully holding it out.

The others glanced at it and then looked away, continuing to walk forward.

Zhou Jingyun stopped and waited for Wang Degui to approach, reaching out to take the unfamiliar pouch.

Wang Degui held it up with both hands and whispered, “Her Ladyship said that she needs to see the person first before she can verify what the Marquis’s Heir said.”

Zhou Jingyun knew very well who this person referred to.

He couldn’t just say it was Bai Li and have it be so.

As Bai Li’s older sister, Bai Ying wanted to see for herself.

Zhou Jingyun whispered, “She will attend the banquet tonight. Please let Her Ladyship do as she pleases.”

Wang Degui didn’t say anything more, bowed, and stepped back.

Zhou Jingyun looked back and saw that the Emperor had already come out. Bai Ying stepped forward, and the Emperor held her hand, gently and concernedly asking her something. Bai Ying responded timidly.

Zhou Jingyun looked away and walked out.

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“The Marquis’s Heir is back.”

The maids said happily, lifting the curtain.

Zhou Jingyun walked into the room and saw Zhuang Li sitting in front of the dressing table, combing her hair.

“Marquis’s Heir.” Zhuang Li smiled at him through the mirror, hesitated for a moment, and asked, “Did you get things done?”

Zhou Jingyun smiled at her in the mirror and nodded. “Everything is done.”

Because the hair combing couldn’t be interrupted, the maids and servants in the room were all present. Zhuang Li couldn’t say anything else. “There’s still some time. Marquis’s Heir, go and rest for a while.”

Zhou Jingyun hummed in agreement, took off his outer robe, changed into casual clothes, but didn’t go into the inner room. He lay down on the Arhat bed next to him.

“Would the Marquis’s Heir like to eat something?” Zhuang Li asked, tilting her head slightly to look at him. “The banquet will be long tonight, and the food won’t be good.”

Zhou Jingyun shook his head. “No, I already ate at His Majesty’s place.”

Zhuang Li was reminded by the woman combing her hair to sit up straight.

“This is the hair combing lady sent by my mother.” Zhuang Li sat up straight. She couldn’t look at Zhou Jingyun, but she continued to talk to him.

Zhou Jingyun hummed in agreement. “Mama Wang’s skills are excellent.”

The hair combing lady smiled and thanked him. “This servant will definitely comb a beautiful hairstyle for the Young Madam.”

Zhou Jingyun didn’t say anything, lying on his side and watching Zhuang Li comb her hair. Her hair was thick and dense, black and shiny. Her hair should be real, right? She said her face wasn’t her real appearance.

The maids in the room were also busy, hanging up the clothes to be worn, carefully checking them, and ironing them.

“Are the Marquis’s Heir’s clothes ready?” Zhuang Li asked again.

Chun Yue said, “They are ready. The clothes, shoes, socks, and hat are all new.”

Zhuang Li took advantage of the hair combing lady putting in hairpins and turned to look at Zhou Jingyun. “Would the Marquis’s Heir like to try them on?”

Zhou Jingyun shook his head. “No need.” He smiled. “I look good in anything.”

Zhuang Li laughed heartily. “The Marquis’s Heir is right.”

The hair combing lady and the maids all laughed. The afternoon room was filled with laughter, warmth, and joy.