Chapter 1044 - 1046: Seeking a Mountain to Rely On_1
"Very well, then I shall patiently wait for your news, but do not make me wait too long," Princess Huilan’s eyes narrowed slightly, and there was a hint of warning in her tone.
"Rest assured, Your Highness, it will be no more than three days," Bai Ruozhu said, bowing again.
After clarifying the situation, Princess Huilan allowed her to leave, though somewhat displeased and no longer as enthusiastic as before.
On the way back in the horse carriage, Nanny couldn’t hold back her indignation, "Princess Huilan is blatantly robbing us. Madam should quickly inform the master."
With a faint smile still on her face, Bai Ruozhu said, "There’s no need for now, let’s not involve Achun in this matter."
Nanny opened her mouth, but quickly realized the reason and sighed softly, closing her mouth again.
Princess Huilan is the Emperor’s own aunt; the Zheng Family’s official ranking is much higher than Jiang Yichun’s, and their wealth is incomparably greater than the Bai Family’s. Without proof, who would believe that Princess Huilan had threatened Bai Ruozhu in private? To everyone else, she appeared to be quite fond of Bai Ruozhu.
Even if the Emperor believed Jiang Yichun, it would be inappropriate to complain about such matters to the Emperor, and it would also put Yichun in a difficult position.
As for Princess Huilan, she could easily continue to pretend to like Bai Ruozhu while secretly using her and the Duke of Zheng’s influence to hinder Bai Ruozhu’s business in the Capital City.
Thinking this through, Bai Ruozhu’s gaze grew deeper. It seemed that to get by in a place like the Capital City, one needed not only strength but also powerful connections. Someone without a background like herself had to find a way to secure a powerful ally.
Rather than letting Princess Huilan unreasonably snatch away the shares, she would rather spend the money in style!
Having made up her mind, Bai Ruozhu told Nanny, "Send a petition to the palace, requesting an audience with the Empress Dowager."
"Madam, are you thinking of..." Nanny began, but her words trailed off as a look of admiration shone in her eyes.
Bai Ruozhu nodded slightly, "Rather than letting others take it and feeling honored for it, it’s better to put the item to its proper use."
"Madam is wise," Nanny said.
Bai Ruozhu did not go out of her way to discuss the day’s events with Jiang Yichun, and Yichun didn’t have the chance to ask more about it either because he had received an Imperial Decree to leave the Capital overnight and the trip had to be kept confidential.
Bai Ruozhu immediately thought of the Sheepskin Scroll and felt worried. It wasn’t only the Emperor who coveted the scroll, but there were also hidden factions vying for it, and they were so secretive that they had been able to place a spy by Yichun’s side for many years. Such an adversary was too covert, and one couldn’t help but be cautious.
She was very concerned for Jiang Yichun’s safety. Before he left, she gave him numerous medicines. Yichun smiled the whole time and finally couldn’t resist asking, "Do you want me to become a walking medicine jar? I have medicine bottles stuffed everywhere on me; I clink like a bell when I move. If I have to fight someone, the constant jingling might scare the opponent away."
He got up and took a few steps; indeed, there was a jingling sound. Bai Ruozhu couldn’t help but laugh and said, "Who told you to carry them all on your person? Just keep the essentials with you, the rest you can bring along the way."
Jiang Yichun laughed, "Alright, I know my wife cares for me."
As he spoke, he pulled Bai Ruozhu into his arms and said softly, "Be careful with your safety when I’m not around; if any trouble arises, let Chen Feng and the others handle it."
Bai Ruozhu nodded, "Don’t worry, the security in the Capital has improved a lot."
That evening, Jiang Yichun departed secretly because of the confidential nature of his mission. He didn’t even bid farewell to Mr. and Mrs. Bai Yihong. The next morning, Bai Ruozhu didn’t say much, and everyone assumed Jiang Yichun had gone to attend the early morning court session.
It wasn’t until the next evening that Bai Ruozhu mentioned Jiang Yichun would be staying at the palace for a few days to reorganize and train the Jinwu Guard.
The Bai Family didn’t think much of it, not even the demon-clever second brother paid it much attention, as he was now focused on dealing with matters at the Imperial Academy.
On the third day, the Empress Dowager finally summoned Bai Ruozhu to the palace, which greatly relieved her. She had been genuinely worried that due to the Empress Dowager’s foul mood, she wouldn’t want to see anyone. If three days had passed, she would have been forced to accept Princess Huilan’s request.
Arriving smoothly at Cining Palace, Bai Ruozhu not only met with the Empress Dowager but also encountered Princess Diao Bin.
"Ruozhu pays her respects to the Empress Dowager and Princess Diao Bin," Bai Ruozhu stepped forward to offer her greetings.
"All right, there’s no need for such formalities. Diao Bin has been quite lonely in the palace; it’d be good for you to visit her when you have the time," the Empress Dowager said with a warm smile, mistakenly thinking that Bai Ruozhu had come to visit Diao Bin.
A flicker of embarrassment crossed Bai Ruozhu’s face, and, finding it improper to continue hiding the truth, she said, "Actually, I have a business proposal I wish to discuss with the Empress Dowager."
"Oh?" The Empress Dowager smiled, amused. She owned shares of the guesthouse, which essentially meant the two of them were already business partners.
Although Princess Diao Bin had no interest in business affairs, the fact that Bai Ruozhu had sought her mother made her curious as well.
"Someone wishes to partner with me and share in the Weaving Pavilion’s profits. But Ruozhu believes that even with a partnership, mutual affinity and compatible heart natures are crucial. Therefore, I would prefer to invite the Empress Dowager to invest in Hua Xiangrong," Bai Ruozhu stated her intentions plainly.
Surprise showed on the Empress Dowager’s face, and she immediately asked, "Is someone trying to take your shares? Who might that be?"
Bai Ruozhu smiled, "It’s not so much a ’taking’ as it is that Princess Huilan invited me to the Flower Appreciation Banquet the other day, saying that I caught her fancy and that by investing, she could offer me some protection in the future."
Being of the Royal Family, Bai Ruozhu still preserved some face while speaking, trusting that the Empress Dowager and Diao Bin would understand her implications.
"How could Aunt Huilan do such a thing?" said Diao Bin indignantly, frowning in her annoyance. As she was already showing signs of aging, this expression made her look several years older all at once.
For a moment, Bai Ruozhu felt dazed. How had such a beautiful woman come to this?
She couldn’t bear it in her heart and was determined to find a way to help Diao Bin as soon as possible.
"It’s indeed inappropriate for Princess Huilan to act this way. I will speak on your behalf. As for the share matter, I will not take any; you’ve worked hard to build Hua Xiangrong, and it mustn’t have been easy," said the Empress Dowager.
Throughout the conversation, the Empress Dowager hadn’t referred to herself as "this humble one," speaking more like to a member of the younger generation, which deeply moved Bai Ruozhu.
"There’s no need for you to be polite with me, Empress Dowager. These were already my intentions. Princess Huilan asked for a forty percent silent partnership, but I can only offer you thirty percent. Please don’t refuse, so that we can truly put a stop to others harboring those thoughts," Bai Ruozhu winked at the Empress Dowager. "You might not care about the dividends, but it could also benefit the Emperor somewhat."
As Bai Ruozhu reached this point, she noticed the Empress Dowager signaling her with a look, hinting that she should not let Princess Diao Bin overhear.