Chapter 699: Chapter 696: Taking Qiao_1

“Back to the Eldest Daughter, it’s the Clan Leader himself who brought people here. I guess it’s because he heard that the Eldest Daughter invited the Governor and Magistrate Zhou to our mansion, so he was coerced by the Bai Clan’s people to come over!”

When Steward Hao received the report from the gatekeeper and went out to take a look, he saw that the sedan bearers were sweating profusely in this weather, standing aside wiping their faces with sweat cloths. This showed how urgent the situation was. Even so, there were still people grumbling that the Clan Leader’s changing clothes delayed the time.

“Accept the gifts and send them directly to Bai Qingping, let him use them for the training and bandit suppression. This way, it counts as the Bai Clan contributing to the effort.” Bai Qingyan put the teacup aside, gently covered her chest with her hand, and stood up holding Chun Tao’s hand. “Let them go back. Just say I’m seriously injured and really not suitable for meeting guests.”

“Yes!” Steward Hao responded and left the main hall to deliver the message personally.

Bai Qihe, the Clan Leader of the Bai Clan, was anxiously waiting outside.

Early this morning, clan members came to block the Clan Leader’s house. They wanted him to bring them to deliver birthday gifts to the Princess of Zhen. Bai Qihe was initially unwilling to come, claiming that considering the Princess of Zhen’s heavy injury, sending someone to deliver the gifts to the Bai Mansion would be enough to convey their sentiments.

Who would have thought the clan members gathered at the Clan Leader’s home, all vying to represent the Bai Clan to deliver the gifts themselves, unwilling to back down, causing a commotion at Bai Qihe’s place.

They all believed that since Bai Qingyan saved the Crown Prince’s life this time, her status with the Crown Prince would become even more extraordinary. If Bai Qingyan could promote the younger generation in the clan, the Bai Clan could once again achieve glory.

They were hoping that Bai Qingyan would promote their descendants, so their families could regain the honor that the Duke of Zhen’s household once had.

Later, a servant from an unknown family entered to report that the Princess of Zhen’s mansion had sent someone to invite the Governor and Magistrate Zhou to the Bai Mansion. The clan members rushed here together. Bai Qihe tried to stop them along the way but couldn’t, so he had no choice but to follow, to prevent them from offending the Princess of Zhen.

Perhaps it was because Bai Qihe, the former Clan Leader’s legitimate second son, never participated in the clan’s affairs and later became completely engrossed in restoring ancient books and paintings, contributing nothing significant to the clan. Therefore, although carrying the title of Clan Leader, he was not feared by the clan members.

Soon, Steward Hao came out of the Bai Mansion, bowed deeply to Bai Qihe, and said: “Forgive us, Clan Leader. Our Eldest Daughter is seriously injured and really not suitable for seeing guests. The Eldest Daughter has ordered the gifts from the clan to be sent directly to the military camp for use in training and bandit suppression. Here, I thank you all on behalf of our Eldest Daughter.”

Some clan members, upon hearing this, hurriedly squeezed forward and shouted: “The Princess of Zhen just met the Governor and Magistrate Zhou. So why is she unable to meet her own clan members due to her injury? Is it because we are just commoners and of no use, that the Princess of Zhen is putting on airs in front of us?”

The man, looking over fifty years old, leaning on a cane, spoke with indignation, his chest heaving violently.

Hearing this, Steward Hao sneered, unwilling to respond. He just bowed deeply to Bai Qihe and turned to go inside.

But the Clan Leader refused to let it go, acting willfully and saying: “Anyway, most of the people who came are elders in the clan. Upon hearing that the Princess of Zhen had already seen Governor Shen and Magistrate Zhou, we dragged our old bodies here just to deliver birthday gifts to her and congratulate her birthday. But she accepts the gifts and refuses to see us. Where in the world is this justified?”

“Exactly… She has already seen the Governor and Magistrate Zhou. Can she really not muster the strength to meet her clan members? Who will believe this?”

Steward Hao coldly looked at the two clan elders who complained towards the Bai Mansion gate, and said with a sarcastic smile: “Then let these elders assume that our Eldest Daughter doesn’t want to meet you! Just as you said… you are all commoners, only relying on the fact that you share the same surname and lineage as our Eldest Daughter, which gives you the right to visit. But our Eldest Daughter is a noble Princess. How could she be uncomfortable and still lower herself to meet you all? What a joke…”

After saying that, Steward Hao turned to walk towards the Bai Mansion gate, deliberately speaking loudly: “Pass on the order, if anyone dares to make a fuss in front of the Bai Mansion and disturbs our Eldest Daughter’s peace while she recovers, directly get Magistrate Zhou to arrest them. Whether the Princess of Zhen can recover peacefully depends entirely on how Magistrate Zhou handles it!”

“Even if the Princess of Zhen is now highly respected, are we not of the same lineage and surname?” The old man wanted to say more but was pulled back by his son.

The scenes of how the Princess of Zhen dealt with the former Clan Leader’s younger brother and the current Clan Leader’s older brother, Bai Qiyun’s family, in the Bai Clan’s ancestral hall were still vivid in mind. It was now them trailing behind to ask favors from the Princess of Zhen, not the other way around. How could they be so arrogant?

Besides, the incident where the Bai Clan forced the Eldest Princess to spit blood in the capital was widely known in the Jin Kingdom. Many said that the Bai Clan was ungrateful.

If they made a scene outside the Bai Mansion while the Princess of Zhen was recovering, even if Magistrate Zhou arrested them, nobody would sympathize with the clan. Everyone would say it was the clan’s fault for pushing the limits.

Seeing his son’s expression, the old man’s face showed fear. He tucked his neck, leaned on the cane, and turned to leave: “Let’s go find the old Clan Leader!”

Other clan members looked at each other, some followed the old man, and others looked at Bai Qihe.

“Clan Leader, what should we do now?” Some clan members spoke directly and frankly to Bai Qihe: “We thought we could see the Princess of Zhen today. We have gone bankrupt sending these heavy gifts, hoping the Princess could support the clan’s children. We cannot watch as after this generation of the Princess, our Bai Clan has no one in the royal court!”

Bai Qihe turned to look at these anxious clan members, about to speak when someone said…

“The Princess of Zhen is seriously injured to save the Crown Prince. You see, the Crown Prince sent carts full of treasures to the Bai Mansion. At this time, if we can ask the Princess to speak kindly for the clan members, it will be more effective than ever! Besides, the Princess is a woman and it’s inconvenient for her to be in the royal court. If there are members of our clan in the court, it will also be good for the Princess!”

“Exactly. The reason why the clan is a clan is because those of the same lineage and surname must support each other. Our clan thrives and falls together. Everyone should play their part to glorify the clan!”