Chapter 1005 - 1007: Raising the Rescue of Bai Yibo Again_1
Meanwhile, Bai Ruozhu and her family were visiting the Bo Residence, where they were received by Madam Bo Xie of the Bo Family. She was a middle-aged woman with a slightly plump figure and a round face, which made her appear very amiable and approachable.
The Bai Family paid their respects to Madam Bo and brought gifts for the visit. Madam Bo played with Little Dengdeng for a bit and also gave the child a gift for their meeting.
Bai Ruozhu glanced at the jade Guanyin pendant that Madam Bo had given and guessed that Bo Zheng must have told his wife quite a bit. Madam Bo was discreetly trying to close the gap between them with her choice of return gifts.
In the presence of such an affable elder, Bai Ruozhu couldn’t muster any dislike.
Liu Family, on the other hand, seemed exceedingly restrained. She seldom went out, and here she was in the Capital City, in the Marquis’ Residence, no less—she had no idea what the proper etiquette was and feared making any mistakes that would cause her to lose face.
And that the Marquis’ wife did not engage her in conversation specifically, but instead gave Bai Ruozhu’s child a gift without giving her anything, made her feel even more unhappy.
After the two parties sat down and drank tea together, Madam Bo inquired about their journey, asking whether they were adjusting well to the Capital City and such. Liu Family interrupted several times, which made it hard for anyone to feel fond of her. But Madam Bo kept a polite smile on her face, showing that she either had a genuinely good temperament or extraordinary patience and composure.
The Bai Family felt helpless with the Old Master but, being in public, they could only bear it. Even Tao Ren, who was serving her, couldn’t say anything out of turn, lest outsiders think that the Bai Family’s servants lacked manners.
"You all must be eager to see Bai Yihong and Bai Yibo. Let me take you to the Old Master’s yard. It happens to be an opportunity for you to meet the Old Master as well. He was talking about wanting to see you all at dinner last night," Madam Bo said cheerfully.
Liu Family immediately interrupted, "I told you we should have come earlier. My granddaughter kept saying there was no hurry, dragging her feet. I’m so sorry to have kept the Old Master waiting."
As she said this, her face showed a sycophantic smile, which made the Bai family members wish they could sink into the ground from embarrassment. The Old Master’s behavior was too shameful! Considering the familial hierarchy, she was of the same generation as Madam Bo and was even technically Madam Bo’s elder sister-in-law. Was there really a need to suck up to her that much? And stepping on her own granddaughter, was she not afraid of being laughed at?
Madam Bo smiled and said, "Sister-in-law, you really do jest."
Liu Family, upon hearing the term "sister-in-law," felt incredibly flattered and blurted out, "I’m serious. When we get back, I really need to discipline these younger generations."
Madam Bo’s expression froze; it was rare for her to encounter such an imprudent relative. For a moment, she did not know how to respond.
Bai Ruozhu, with a laugh, took the Old Master’s arm and said, "Grandma, stop joking. Didn’t you say you missed Grandpa? Let’s not delay any longer."
She looked at Liu Family with a smile and raised her eyebrows. What followed was unsaid, but she mouthed the words "Old Master Wu," causing Liu Family to wilt immediately and stop her whining.
Madam Bo sighed in relief and led the Bai Family to the Old Master’s yard. Along the way, Liu Family looked around eagerly. She noticed that the Bo Residence was much larger than the mansion she currently lived in and much more stately, truly revealing the disparity in status. Indeed, her granddaughter, no matter how good she was at making money, couldn’t compare to the prestige of the Marquis’ Residence.
Upon reaching the Old Master Bo’s yard, Liu Family believed Bai Ruozhu’s words: the Old Master’s yard was indeed situated in a quieter location.
"Father, the Bai Family has come to see you," Madam Bo said with a smile as she entered the yard.
Old Master Bo was watching Bai Fu practice his writing in the yard, with a look of satisfaction in his eyes. Hearing Madam Bo’s voice, he immediately turned with a smile, stroking his beard and said, "You’ve finally arrived! It’s wonderful that this old man gets to see the descendants of my second sister in my lifetime!"
Bai Fu set down his brush, looking somewhat displeased at Bai Yihong and his family.
Lady Bo introduced Bai Ruozhu and the others to the Old Master, and one by one, they paid their respects to him. He smiled, the wrinkles on his face deepening.
"My second sister’s great-granddaughter is already this big and has a child too, how wonderful," he said as he reached out to touch Dengdeng’s small chubby hand, and promptly took off the jade ring he was wearing to give to Dengdeng as a meeting gift.
Dengdeng was a child unafraid of strangers; he was exceptionally happy when someone gave him something. He waved the jade ring in his hand, but being unable to say "thank you," he could only make ah-ah noises.
Old Master Bo touched Dengdeng’s little head, chuckling, "This baby is clever. Look at how my second sister even has great-great-grandchildren while I don’t even have a great-grandson yet. I will have to urge Jiayang to put in more effort."
Ordinarily, Old Master Bo had been six years younger than Bo Jingru, and having experienced a catastrophe, he got married late. Furthermore, Marquis Jingping had been in the military; it was not until he was twenty-six, having established military merits and returned to the Capital to receive his rewards, that he married the eighteen-year-old Miss Bo Xie.
Bo Zheng had previously explained the Bo Family’s situation to Bai Ruozhu. The Marquis’ eldest daughter was already married, but his eldest son, Bo Jiayang, was nineteen and stubbornly refused to marry. He kept clamoring to go to the battlefield to achieve military merits like his father had done.
There was also a second young miss and several other illegitimate children, but for some reason, they weren’t present today.
"Indeed, I will keep urging him," replied Lady Bo, smiling. She didn’t seem overly anxious about it.
By her side, Mrs. Liu’s eyes flickered, and she suddenly interjected, "My mother-in-law has more than just that one great-great-grandchild. My eldest’s daughter also has a child; she’s already four years old."
"Good, good," Old Master Bo responded with a chuckle, not saying much else.
Mrs. Liu moved closer to Bai Fu and whispered, "Did you mention our eldest’s matter to the Old Master?"
The faces of Bai Ruozhu and the others turned grim. They were still thinking of ways to rescue Bai Yibo, but wasn’t this a bit too hasty?
Bai Fu had mentioned it to Old Master Bo, who had said he would have someone look into it, but then he had said nothing more about it. Bai Fu had not found the courage to bring it up again, and Mrs. Liu’s remark now provided him with an opportunity to save face.
"The Old Master has already agreed to help, so you needn’t worry," said Bai Fu, setting down the writing brush. Now he really did seem like an aged man of letters.
Thinking back, the Bo Family had once been a scholarly family, and certainly, Bo Jingru must have been an exceptional writer. This is why Old Master Bo said that Bai Fu missed his second sister the most.
Bai Lu and Bai Yixiao came out of the house just in time to overhear this, and Bai Yixiao, somewhat anxious, spoke up, "Old Master, you cannot agree to this matter lightly; it is against the law."
"What are you talking about? You just don’t wish well for our family. In the past, to save yourselves, you even expelled Yibo from the family records. That’s too heartless," Mrs. Liu exclaimed.
Old Master Bo coughed and said to Bai Lu, "What you did back then was wrong. Since we’re all part of the Bai Family, the bone may break but the sinews stay joined; who doesn’t make mistakes? You shouldn’t have cast him out of the clan."
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Thanks to Book Friends "Well-behaved child〆 not noisy or troublesome," "D?n?n?°," "Bright moon in the sky," "『if...』," and "Crazy Woman╰Just Crazy for You" for your rewards. Thank you all for your encouragement~