Chapter 1049 - 1051: Meeting Senior Fox Again_1
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Until Princess Huilan left the Palace, she kept mulling over the suspicion that it was Bai Ruozhu who was playing tricks. After carefully interrogating the people around her, she indeed found that everything matched what the Empress Dowager had mentioned, making her feel it was no longer appropriate to cause trouble for Bai Ruozhu.
If Bai Ruozhu was doing the Empress Dowager’s bidding, troubling Bai Ruozhu would mean showing disrespect to the Empress Dowager, and poaching Bai Ruozhu’s business would amount to poaching the Empress Dowager’s business. It’s true that the Empress Dowager has a gentle disposition and seldom gets angry with people, but she is, after all, the Empress Dowager, deeply respected by the Emperor. It would be wise not to provoke her without good reason.
Princess Huilan gritted her teeth, feeling the loss of forty percent of the profit from Hua Xiangrong; indeed, she felt quite the sting.
But she did not stop to consider that it was never hers to begin with; what was there for her to feel hurt about?
Three days passed in the blink of an eye. With no move from Princess Huilan, Bai Ruozhu knew the Empress Dowager had already taken care of Princess Huilan for her.
That morning, as Bai Zepei was about to leave for the Imperial Academy, a servant boy came to report that a Holy Edict had arrived!
The Bai Family went to the yard to receive the Edict, and the eunuch delivering it read in a shrill voice, "By the mandate of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: the wife of Jinwu Guard’s Right Guard Officer, Jiang Yichun of the Bai Family, has contributed significantly to the healing of the imperial heir, is hereby rewarded with one hundred taels of gold and ten bolts of brocade. As her mother has demonstrated commendable virtues and excelled in raising her daughter, she is specially bestowed the title of fifth-rank lady by Imperial command, entitled to the corresponding stipend. Let this be known."
The Bai Family collectively received the Edict and expressed their gratitude. Bai Ruozhu stepped forward to accept the Edict and gave a generous Red Envelope to the eunuch who announced it.
The eunuch, noticing her liberal generosity, cheerfully ordered to set down the official attire and the rewards for the lady by command before taking his leave.
Lin Ping’er, with a look of bewilderment on her face, said, "Am I dreaming? Do I have an Imperial command now?"
Bai Ruozhu stepped forward to take her mother’s arm, saying, "Mother, I’ve earned you an Imperial title even before Second Brother has. Aren’t you going to praise me a little?"
Bai Zepei looked at her helplessly, glancing at her from the side. Was it necessary to drag him into this, making it seem as though he, the Second Brother, was somewhat incompetent?
"Praise is definite!" Lin Ping’er started to laugh, but still puzzled, she asked, "But how could this title be conferred upon me?"
Before Bai Ruozhu could figure it out, Bai Zepei explained, "There has always been an unwritten rule in Danliang Country that if the rank of the person being rewarded is not high enough to be elevated further, the reward will be bestowed upon their mother or wife as a non-governing title. This shows special favor without breaking Court etiquette. Little Sister has already received a fourth-rank command, and to confer a higher one would exceed Brother-in-law’s rank, so the reward has now been bestowed upon Mother."
Bai Yihong’s face flushed with delight as he jokingly said to Lin Ping’er, "Well now, you have a rank too. Should I perform a salute when I see you from now on?"
Lin Ping’er, blushing, hit him lightly and said, "Stop teasing me. I am not here to be an officer’s wife. Though the idea of that stipend does sound more substantial."
Bai Ruozhu looked at her father and thought that she hadn’t earned any particular accolade for him. However, such had always been the custom in Danliang Country, and it was generally not easy to further confer titles on the elder patriarchs of official’s families since they were already associated with office.
Bai Zepei, more aware of court matters than Bai Ruozhu, caught her eye and suggested, "Father, why don’t you accompany Mother to try on the official wife’s attire? If it does not fit well, you should have it adjusted quickly, as you might need to wear it to express gratitude later on."
Upon hearing this, Lin Ping’er immediately became nervous and took the official garments to try them on for size.
Bai Ruozhu turned to her brother with a wry smile and said, "I’m free today, let me accompany you, Second Brother."
"Alright."
The siblings walked unhurriedly out of the residence. Bai Zepei glanced at Bai Ruozhu and said, "This reward is both a blessing and a curse. You’ll have to be extra cautious from now on, especially when entering the Palace. Second Brother has no office now and cannot help you."
Bai Ruozhu nodded. By healing Concubine Le, she had been thrust into the mire. The Emperor, whether deliberately or inadvertently, had put her even more in the spotlight with this reward.
"It was my willfulness that brought trouble to the family." Bai Ruozhu said somewhat sheepishly, imagining that the trouble would definitely affect her second brother’s situation.
Bai Zepei suddenly raised his hand and rubbed her head, dislodging her hairpin in the process.
"There are things a gentleman does and things he does not. If you had truly been heartless and ignored someone in need, you wouldn’t be the little sister I know," Bai Zepei said with a smile.
Bai Ruozhu also smiled, grateful that her second brother understood her so well.
After seeing off her second brother, Bai Ruozhu had the maid send regards to her parents. She then went out to check on the shop and to take a look at the newly purchased premises. She planned to renovate them thoroughly before opening the Beauty Pavilion.
Bai Ruozhu first visited Hua Xiangrong. While the business wasn’t as booming as in Beiyu City, it was still doing quite well. Bai Ruozhu had no intention of fanning the flames any further as standing out too much in the Capital City wasn’t good.
Then, she went to the Toy House, where she saw a few children playing in the game area, all apparently from common families. The corners of her mouth turned up slightly; providing a place for the children of common folk to play was indeed part of her original vision.
She turned to look at the counter and suddenly saw a familiar figure busying himself with something there, seemingly interested in a toy.
Approaching the counter, Bai Ruozhu could now clearly see his profile. It was indeed Senior Fox.
"Xu Huilin, what brings you here?" Bai Ruozhu asked with a smile as she neared him.
Seeing that the shopkeeper recognized the visitor, he hurriedly said with a beaming smile, "Young Master, if you like this Rubik’s Cube, I can give you a thirty percent discount."
Bai Ruozhu waved her hand, "Don’t bother with the discount, give it to him as a gift. Young Master Xu is my husband’s senior."
Xu Huilin raised the Rubik’s Cube in his hand and said, "If I had known you were so generous, I wouldn’t have chosen the most common one. I should have picked one with gold thread."
"Fine, I’ll give you one with gold thread, to thank you for helping get the toothpaste into the Palace," Bai Ruozhu said, smiling.
Xu Huilin had managed to get Bai Ruozhu’s batch of toothpaste to the Capital City well in advance. He had also been assigned a job by the Emperor and had been dispatched out of the city. Bai Ruozhu and the others had entered the Capital City just after he had left, which is why they hadn’t met.
Now, it was good timing for him to return, but Jiang Yichun had left the Capital.
"So generous? Then I won’t be polite," he said as he accepted the gold-threaded Rubik’s Cube from the shopkeeper.
Bai Ruozhu was quite generous to Xu Huilin for a reason. Afterwards, she sent her subordinates to follow Xu Huilin secretly. Sure enough, trouble arose along the way, and Xu Huilin nearly lost his life. Fortunately, her subordinates intervened at the critical moment and saved him.
Xu Huilin was immensely grateful to Bai Ruozhu in his heart, but she felt that it was because of this assignment that Xu Huilin had almost been harmed.
"I heard that some of my younger brothers and sisters have been troubling you?" Xu Huilin suddenly asked.
Bai Ruozhu took a moment to realize he was referring to Meng Jinse and Meng Hanhong, then replied with some emotion, "No, it was the Wang Family that came looking for trouble. They even stepped in to take away the Wang Family people."
"Hmph, the mourning period is over, and they are still mingling with the Wang Family. Sooner or later, they will bring big trouble upon themselves," Xu Huilin said unhappily.