Rebirth: The Journey of an Heiress-Chapter 1540 - 1535: Infighting

Bai Jintong sighed. The spies she had painstakingly placed beside the Empress Dowager of Yan with significant effort and silver coins were now uncertain whether they were dead or alive.

As the carriage swayed and meandered into the famous alleys of Nanchang, a shivering figure hidden in the shadows caught sight of the lantern with the character ’Cui’ on the carriage and immediately rushed out.

But before getting close, the accompanying guards drew their swords to block the way...

Startled, Meng Zhaorong’s face turned pale under her hood.

She watched as the carriage carrying snow seeds was about to pass by her, widened her eyes, disregarded the glinting blades before her, and softly called out: "Gongxing! Gongxing! Gongxing, it’s me! Gongxing... I’m Zhaorong!"

The Meng family had already fallen, and Mrs. Meng had paid a great price to ensure her escape, instructing her to forget she was the daughter of Minister Meng and to live under an assumed name for the rest of her life. Otherwise, she would end up in the Imperial Music Bureau with Mrs. Meng and them, and her life would be over.

On the night Meng Zhaorong was sent away, Mrs. Meng dressed a close maid in Zhaorong’s clothes, strangled her in the cell, and after watching the remaining women of the Meng family hang themselves, she too departed this life.

Terrified, Meng Zhaorong was heartbroken upon hearing news of her mother’s suicide, unsure of where to go... She could only think of Cui Fengnian, who had once helped her at all costs and sought his protection.

Inside the carriage, Bai Jintong heard Meng Zhaorong’s suppressed voice, unable to shout loudly. She opened her eyes but did not stop the carriage. Instead, she lightly brushed the curtain aside with her fingers, glimpsed Meng Zhaorong attempting to chase the carriage but fearing the guards, then quietly let the curtain fall, pretending not to have heard, gently clutching the hand warmer intricately engraved with plum blossoms in her hand.

Bai Jinzhi didn’t consider herself heartless, but even if benevolence... one must not use it in the wrong place.

Watching the Cui family’s carriage move further away, Meng Zhaorong still tried to pursue, only to hear the guards sternly reprimand: "Miss, if you continue to pester us, we will have no choice but to take you to the authorities!"

Upon hearing the word ’authorities,’ Meng Zhaorong’s expression was more frightened than seeing a ghost, and she staggered as she turned and ran.

Bai Jinxiu returned to the Cui Mansion by carriage and got out to find Danzhi and a close maid waiting at the main gate, smiling as they greeted him.

"Husband is back..." Danzhi’s voice was soft and pleasant. She handed the hand warmer to the maid, took the oiled paper umbrella from her, lifted her skirt with one hand, and held the umbrella in the other, welcoming Bai Jinxiu as he descended from the carriage.

The Cui Mansion’s entrance was adorned with lanterns hung for the new year, casting a festive red glow. Danzhi wore her hair in a simple bun and was dressed in a pomegranate-red gold-threaded jacket, which appeared ordinary but was accented with lustrous pearls at the fastenings, matching the earrings by her ears, resembling the wives of high-ranking officials.

"Didn’t I say I’d be back late tonight and that you should rest early..." Bai Jinxiu took the umbrella from Danzhi, covering her with his own cloak, perfectly embodying the affectionate rich husband caring for his concubine.

"This is what I should do!" Danzhi’s earlobes turned red, and she spoke softly, as if bashful.

Protectively escorting Danzhi back to the main chamber, Danzhi assisted Bai Jinxiu as he bathed, when news came that the Empress Dowager had left the palace for the temporary residence, with many family members from the Murong clan personally seeing her off.

Bai Jinxiu sat in the steam-filled bath, while the messenger waited outside the door.

Originally, this Empress Dowager of Yan was to be sent to the temporary residence after the Regent Prince unearthed the matter of her conspiring with Minister Meng to poison the Emperor. At that time, senior members of the Murong Imperial Clan interceded, asking the Emperor to let her stay in the palace for the new year before leaving.

Now that the new year had passed, the Empress Dowager had to leave... Even though they knew the Empress Dowager committed such a grave mistake as poisoning the Emperor, some from the Murong Imperial Clan still stopped the Empress Dowager’s carriage, and it’s unclear what she said to them, causing some to enter the palace to see the Emperor, while others stayed by the palace gates with him.

"This Empress Dowager of Yan is indeed formidable, holding such influence within the Murong clan. Even knowing she was being sent to the temporary residence for house arrest, they dared to wield their seniority to stop the carriage!" Bai Jinxiu’s hand rested on the bath’s edge. "I wonder if there’s a way to find out what the Empress Dowager said to those Murong clan elders?"

"Subordinates will send someone to try!"

"Be cautious. Our Cui Mansion is closely watched now, so we mustn’t expose ourselves." Bai Jintong advised.

Currently, the Cui Mansion was under strict surveillance, even though her brother-in-law, the Regent Prince of Yan, was not in the capital of Yan.

Even the news about the Empress Dowager leaving tonight had to be delivered as a guise that Bai Jintong was attending a friend’s banquet in Yan’s capital, with her people posing as servants bringing her a left-behind Jade Pendant.

·

The Empress Dowager of Yan left for the temporary residence amidst the snow, escorted by imperial guards, creating a massive stir within the Murong Imperial Clan. The clan couldn’t understand why Murong Li, after ascending to the throne as Emperor, would treat his mother so harshly. Couldn’t he wait until tomorrow to send her away, given the heavy snow?

Thus, the elders of the Murong Imperial Clan entered the palace at night to wield their seniority, forcing Murong Li through the principle of filial piety to not send the Empress Dowager to the temporary residence, capitalizing on Xiao Rongyan’s absence.

Though their Regent Prince, also of the Murong clan, Xiao Rongyan was not as soft-hearted as Murong Yu. He sheltered Murong Li from offending the Imperial Clan, charging ahead himself to discipline them, all under the guise of his regency.

When they first helped little Ah Li to ascend, clan elders who created trouble were banished by Xiao Rongyan to the former capital, Liyi. Those who disobeyed were executed, families wiped out without mercy, thus instilling a greater fear of Xiao Rongyan in the Imperial Clan. They behaved meekly, like clawless cats before him.

Previously, when Xiao Rongyan was present, the Murong clan members were very obedient, doing as he commanded, always appearing respectful and compliant to his orders.

It was precisely because Xiao Rongyan saw the clan had gradually grown obedient, combined with the fact that while the Murong clan often had internal strife, they were extraordinarily united against external forces. For instance, during Yan’s most trying times, members of the Murong Imperial Clan generously donated their wealth, leaving nothing hidden.