Chapter 1088 - 1090: The Person Arranged by the Emperor_1
Bai Ruozhu couldn’t help but widen her eyes, for from where she stood, she had a clear view of the person emerging from the main house just as Jiang Yichun was speaking. She had already spotted the woman he was talking about.
At that moment, she remembered the maid’s expression from earlier. Certainly, her husband’s return should have been a joyous occasion, so why did the maid look so anxious? Why did she say "You should go have a look," and what was it that the maid seemed worried to remind her of?
Bai Ruozhu’s heart instantly turned cold. The excitement and thrill she had felt before vanished completely, and she became utterly calm.
She pushed Jiang Yichun away, her voice notably chillier, "Let go, the entire household is watching, as are the guests. I don’t care if you don’t mind, but I don’t want to be stared at like this."
Jiang Yichun stubbornly refused to let go, his voice somewhat hoarse, "I told you that you need to trust me. When we get back to the room, I will explain everything to you in detail. If you’re not satisfied with my explanation, I’ll let you deal with me however you wish."
Bai Ruozhu pushed him slightly and looked into his eyes, "Alright, I’ll trust you one more time. I hope you won’t let me down. Also, that woman has been watching us for quite a while now."
Jiang Yichun suddenly turned his head, a look of displeasure flashing across his face, but it quickly disappeared.
The other members of the Bai family also came out, their faces showing indignation; but since Jiang Yichun hadn’t clarified the woman’s identity, they dared not say much, lest it was a misunderstanding. However, everyone was concerned about Bai Ruozhu, watching her nervously.
"You must be my sister-in-law," the woman said with a smile, approaching the pair. "I often hear Brother Jiang mention you. My name is Jiao Bingqin. Sister-in-law, you can just call me Bingqin." She drew near and performed a respectful greeting towards Bai Ruozhu.
Bai Ruozhu pushed Jiang Yichun away and closely observed the woman before her. She was good-looking, though not devastatingly so; rather, it was a dignified and generous look that the aristocrats of the Capital tended to prefer for their official wives.
The woman wore a simple, smoky gauze dress with a crossed collar that reached her waist, without any intricate embroidery and a very standard style. Bai Ruozhu could tell that the fabric was costly, which meant that Jiao Bingqin didn’t carry the shabby or earthy air of someone from the countryside just arriving in the Capital; on the contrary, she seemed very low-key and restrained.
When she began to speak, Bai Ruozhu couldn’t help but pay her more attention because this Miss had a way with words. "I often hear Brother Jiang mention you" – was this a reminder that Jiang Yichun often chatted intimately with her?
"Miss Jiao is too kind," Bai Ruozhu responded with a greeting, her attitude neutral. She turned her head to look at Jiang Yichun, her gaze probing, "Achun, won’t you explain Miss Jiao to me?"
Jiang Yichun felt stung by Bai Ruozhu’s piercing stare. Suppressing the annoyance in his heart, he spoke in a muffled voice, "Miss Jiao is the daughter of a loyal official. Her father was wronged and killed by a high-ranking officer in the court. She has come to the Capital to seek justice for him. Mr. Jiao once did me a favor, and since I couldn’t help him then, I hope to at least assist Miss Jiao in her quest for justice."
Lin Ping’er had previously asked Jiang Yichun the same question, and he had given the same answer. Now, repeating it, he felt increasingly bitter, especially under Bai Ruozhu’s cold scrutiny, as if his soul was being seen through.
"Then we should indeed assist Miss Jiao properly," Bai Ruozhu said. "If you need anything, just let me know. You are the daughter of Achun’s benefactor, which makes you an honored guest in our family."
Lin Ping’er was gesturing frantically to Bai Ruozhu from not too far away, signaling her not to take Jiao Bingqin in and to drive her out of the Bai Residence.
Bai Ruozhu shook her head slightly towards her mother, signaling her to stay calm. She knew that if she threw a tantrum, it would ensure that Jiao Bingqin couldn’t stay in the Bai Residence; after all, this was the Bai Residence, not the Jiang Residence, and she certainly had the right to send someone away.
However, she also sensed that there was something unusual about the situation, and that making a commotion might not be the appropriate course of action. Jiang Yichun had returned under an Imperial Decree on a secret mission, and the woman he brought back could very well be involved with the Emperor.
Even though she trusted Jiang Yichun, that did not mean she wasn’t angry, for the current predicament was exceedingly embarrassing for her.
"Sister-in-law is too courteous, my father’s kindness to Brother Jiang doesn’t mean I have any, I truly am disturbing you both by being here," Jiao Bingqin said politely.
"What disturbance? It just so happens that the old madam’s yard has become vacant, so Miss Jiao can stay there for the time being," Bai Ruozhu finished speaking and looked toward Jiang Yichun to see what he thought.
The old madam’s yard was secluded in one corner, separate from the main courtyard, which meant that Jiao Bingqin didn’t have to constantly be in front of everyone, and Bai Ruozhu felt more at ease about it.
However, she noticed Jiang Yichun’s brows slightly furrow, as if he found the arrangement unsuitable, but in the end, he did not speak up and did not directly voice any objections.
"Dengdeng should be awake by now, right? I haven’t seen my son for so long; I’m going to see Dengdeng first. Bingqin, you should go to your place and get some good rest first," Jiang Yichun said.
Bai Ruozhu glanced at him, feeling even more displeased in her heart. Bingqin, Bingqin, did they have to be so intimate?
But Jiao Bingqin said, "I’m not tired, anyway. I have always wanted to see the Little Dengdeng that Brother talked about; do you mind if I come along? I also need to give the child a meeting gift."
Bai Ruozhu didn’t know why, but she suddenly became alert, perhaps because of Wu Wanqing’s incident with casting a spell on Dengdeng, which cast a shadow over her heart. Hearing Jiao Bingqin say this, she immediately became full of wariness.
"Dengdeng is cranky when he gets up and cries more when he sees unfamiliar people. It would be a bother to Miss Jiao later on. Let’s meet at a later time," Bai Ruozhu rushed to speak before Jiang Yichun could accept her offer, worried he might agree.
Jiao Bingqin’s face stiffened for a moment, but she soon put on a dignified and virtuous smile, nodded, and said, "Sister-in-law is right. Then I’ll go and settle in first."
After speaking, she bowed to Bai Yihong and the others, her manners impeccable, and then followed the maid out.
As soon as she left, Bai Yihong strode over and said, "Yichun, your father knows you’re not that kind of man, but since the girl is still unmarried, you still have to keep some distance."
Lin Ping’er wasn’t so courteous, giving Jiang Yichun a glare and saying, "If you want to help the benefactor’s daughter, you should give her some silver to stay at an inn; otherwise, others will not know what to think. Going out and bringing back a woman, you really are capable!"
Jiang Yichun’s face turned red and then pale. He bowed respectfully to Bai Yihong and Lin Ping’er, saying, "Father, mother, I will explain well to Ruozhu; please also trust me this time."
Bai Ruozhu, anxious to know what was going on, said to her parents, "Father, mother, let’s go see Dengdeng now, and we’ll join you for dinner later."
Lin Ping’er, worried about saying too much and upsetting her daughter, quickly said, "Then hurry along, and have a good talk between yourselves."
Bai Ruozhu nodded. Her mother was afraid that they would argue. But if she was really angry, she wouldn’t argue at all—she would simply ignore him.
Jiang Yichun took her hand and hurried toward the yard. On the way, seeing that no one was around, he spoke in a low voice, "She is arranged by the emperor."
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Bai Ruozhu: Is the author a stepmother? Keeping a husband and wife apart for so long, and just when they finally reunite, another woman is brought into the picture. That’s downright outrageous; a good thrashing is in order...