Rebirth: The Journey of an Heiress novel Chapter 348

Chapter 348: Chapter 345: Holding the Chess Pieces and Arranging the Layout_1

"Fourth Sister..." Nanny Jiang was taken aback and asked Bai Qingyan, "Eldest Sister, what is Fourth Sister doing?"

"Grandmother worked hard to put on a show. Naturally, its effect should be maximized," Bai Qingyan said.

Nanny Jiang nodded, feeling her teeth itch with hatred towards the overly oppressive clan.

"The Eldest Princess requests Eldest Sister to enter and speak..." Nanny Jiang quickly held the curtain open for Bai Qingyan.

After entering and bypassing the screen, Bai Qingyan respectfully saluted and sat down at the lower seat of the Eldest Princess. The Eldest Princess then said, "The matter of apologizing to the ancestors and expelling the clan should not be done now. Grandmother knows you don’t care about your reputation, but grandmother does, and so does your mother!"

Bai Qingyan looked at the Eldest Princess, her spine slightly hunched, and her neatly combed silver hair at her temples. She nodded, "Grandmother, when do you think it would be appropriate?"

"Grandmother is already aware of what you did upon returning to Shuoyang, but remember, common people often sympathize with the weak. This time the clan used the power of the Bai family in Dadu to force the local officials in Shuoyang to release the prisoners. They bullied the Eldest Princess into coughing up blood. If this news spreads, the Bai family in Dadu will further condemn the clan for disrespecting the ancestors and expelling them. The world will see the Bai Clan in Shuoyang as reckless, forcing the Bai family in Dadu to act accordingly."

The Eldest Princess patiently instructed, "But, for the Bai family, expelling the clan is not the only path. When you return to Shuoyang, as the Commandery Princess, you can open the ancestral hall and expel the guilty individuals from the clan! Choose a clan leader who understands the propriety and is in awe of you. This way, the clan can be used for your benefit. Even scoundrels have their uses when used appropriately to benefit the Bai family."

The Eldest Princess did not hold on to the so-called clan. Since the Bai family was down to just these widows and orphans returning to Shuoyang, it was always better to have more helpers than more enemies.

"What grandmother said is exactly what I thought." Bai Qingyan nodded in agreement, "There are many scoundrels in the clan, and these people like to scheme behind the scenes, using sinister methods to harm others. Unless they are completely eradicated, there is no guarantee they will not cause trouble in the future! The Bai family in Dadu has shallow roots in Shuoyang. If we can expel the pests in the clan and intimidate the remaining useful clan members, we can then free our hands to do other things."

The Eldest Princess’s hand, which was playing with the Buddha beads, paused. Her slightly cloudy eyes looked at Bai Qingyan, "Other things?"

Her fingers inside her sleeve tightened slightly, and she nodded, "Today, Mr. Xiao came to the mansion and said a batch of white tea transported from Shuoyang to Daliang had been hijacked. He sought help from the Crown Prince, but the Crown Prince said that with the famine in Yanwo and the troops of Daliang and our frontier being on the brink of war, they were probably too busy to deal with mountain bandits! When I returned from Shuoyang, the local County Governor wanted to send people to escort me back to Dadu, saying there were bandits in the area and many people had already been robbed, including the son of the clan leader of the Bai Clan in Shuoyang."

"I worry that if this continues, the bandit problem will harm the people. To prevent future disasters, it would be better to train the people as soldiers in advance. If the Imperial Court suppresses the bandits in the future, it will be good as it can strengthen the people’s physique. But if the Imperial Court delays, then I cannot just watch the mountain bandits wreak havoc on the people." Bai Qingyan’s tone was solemn.

The Eldest Princess looked at Bai Qingyan deeply and nodded, her eyes moistening slightly. Her granddaughter was very much like her husband, Bai Weiting, taking the welfare of the common people as her own duty.

Bai Qingyan knew her grandmother still had some reservations about her. Rather than arousing more suspicion when she trained soldiers in the future, it was better to be honest with her now. Those in high positions, accustomed to being the chess players, often became arrogant.