Chapter 968 - 970: Who Dares to Look Down on Her?_1
Today, the Old Master threw a tantrum, pretended to be ill, and refused to partake in the ancestral rites or to come out for a drink, so he hid away in his small room and didn’t even notice Bo Zheng’s arrival.
Bai Ruozhu, holding Little Dengdeng, approached closer and indeed heard the Old Lady’s voice inside.
"Yibo’s father, why don’t you quickly speak with the people from the Marquis’ Residence? As long as we acknowledge this kinship, won’t we be able to save Yibo?" The Old Lady’s tone was filled with sheer excitement, as if she truly saw hope.
Bai Ruozhu curled her lips in secrecy. The Old Lady hadn’t been so eager just a moment ago to see the Old Master; it was only when she needed his support that she ran over enthusiastically.
Little Dengdeng wriggled a few times in Bai Ruozhu’s embrace, wanting to walk on the floor. Bai Ruozhu had to put him down and carefully guarded him from behind. Fortunately, Little Dengdeng didn’t walk far, so she could still clearly hear the conversation inside.
The Old Master seemed to have little energy and said impatiently, "Who knows if it’s true or not? You can’t even trust your own son, why trust those outsiders?"
The "own son" he mentioned was Bai Yihong. Upon hearing this, the Old Lady let out a snort of ridicule, her voice carrying contempt and scorn as if Bai Yihong had utterly disgraced her.
"That’s not an outsider; that’s your mother’s own brother, even a fifth-rank Marquis from the Capital City. Acknowledge him, and from here on, our bloodline will be that of aristocrats!" said the Old Lady enthusiastically, her tone soaring once again.
The Old Master seemed to be persuaded and climbed out from the bed. After a long silence, he said, "Alright, I’ll go with you to see, but don’t get your hopes too high. What if it’s a fake?"
The Old Lady snorted, saying indifferently, "I’ve thought it through. If it’s true, we’ll gain an additional aristocratic relative and might even save the Boss. Even if it’s fake, what can they scheme against us? Even if they’re after some unearned gains, they won’t find anything on us. Besides, isn’t Yihong’s family there to bear the brunt?"
Bai Ruozhu smirked from outside the window. People say the Old Lady is foolish, but isn’t she quite shrewd at this moment?
The Old Master seemed to agree with the Old Lady’s view but, proud and haughty as he was, didn’t say a word and started heading out.
Bai Ruozhu, supporting Little Dengdeng, walked a bit further away. Soon the Old Master and Old Lady came out from the room and saw her and Little Dengdeng, but they didn’t think she could have heard anything as there was still some distance between them. After all, average people don’t have such keen hearing.
Bai Fu glanced at Little Dengdeng with a trace of disdain in his eyes. Bai Ruozhu had wanted to greet him just to be polite, but seeing that look he gave Little Dengdeng, she grew a bit angry.
How the Old Master and Old Lady treated her was one thing, but what right did they have to look down on Little Dengdeng? What had the child done wrong?
Any mother would dislike others looking at her child that way, and Bai Ruozhu felt a surge of anger, thinking of teaching them a lesson sooner or later.
The Old Lady pulled the Old Master, signaling not to waste time on Bai Ruozhu, and even turned to give Bai Ruozhu a scornful glance before pulling Bai Fu towards the Main Hall, heading straight for Bo Zheng.
All the tables were set outside by this time, and the Bai Family was serving the guests alcohol, sunflower seeds, candies, along with a spread of four kinds of cold dishes. Bai Lu reserved the main table and then went to the Main Hall to find Bo Zheng, telling him, "Steward Bo, please join the feast. Sit at the same table with our family."
Bo Zheng quickly stood up to give his respects, saying, "I am but a servant; how could I possibly sit at the same table as Master Bai? I absolutely cannot."
"A guest is a guest. You represent Old Master Bo, and since he is our elder, you should sit at the main table as well," Bai Lu said courteously, his enthusiasm genuine but without a trace of obsequiousness, prompting Bo Zheng to nod approvingly inwardly, thinking that this clan leader was indeed better than those who were fawning over him.
Although Bo Zheng was the steward of the Marquis’ Residence and disfavored the flattery from the third son and Liu Family, he maintained a smile on his face, not losing his decorum. Meanwhile, the third son and Liu Family covertly exchanged glances as if to signal that he had a good impression of them.
If we consider the relations, both Bai Fu and Bai Lu are sons of Bo Jingru and nephews to the Old Master of the Marquis’ Residence. They could certainly gain favor from both families, but we can’t allow Bai Lu, the clan leader, to dominate the spotlight and take all the advantages for himself.
"What’s the hurry, Second Uncle?" Liu Family interjected. "Your older brother just came out to speak with Steward Bo, and you called him away—what is the meaning of this?"
Bai Lu’s face strained to suppress his anger. He said, "Since Big Brother has recovered, he should go to the main table and eat. Whatever needs to be discussed can be said at the table. Let’s not keep the villagers waiting too long."
Sanlang commented from the side, "Those are people from your village; we don’t even know them. Who cares about them?"
A displeased look flashed in Bo Zheng’s eyes. He thought, how could they be so ignorant of basic hospitality? Yet, he maintained a smile on his face and quickly concealed the turmoil in his eyes.
Bai Fu, more observant than the Lius, immediately cut off Sanlang’s words. He said, "Let’s take our seats at the table. We shouldn’t keep the guests waiting."
Bai Lu took the lead and walked out. Turning to Bai Ruozhu in the yard who was with Little Dengdeng, he said, "Ruozhu, bring Dengdeng to the main table as well."
Bai Ruozhu was about to refuse, fearing Dengdeng’s mischief might disrupt the meal, but before she could speak, Sanlang said, "The clan leader is too biased, isn’t he? What business does a woman have at the main table?"
Bai Lu glared at him and said, "Ruozhu is a fifth-rank bestowed lady and also the female scholar who took first place in Arithmetic at this year’s Eight Academy Competition. How is she not qualified to sit at the main table?"
Bai Ruozhu swallowed the words at the tip of her tongue. If she didn’t sit, should she let someone like Sanlang sit there instead?
Sanlang was somewhat at a loss for words, yet he muttered, "Who knows if it’s true? She loves to gild her own face."
Bai Ruozhu cast him a faint glance and turned to walk towards the main table, saying, "If you don’t believe it, you can inquire at the Study Palace of Beiyu."
Sanlang gritted his teeth. Was this a mockery of his never having been to Beiyu City, of his lack of worldliness?
Bo Zheng listened with some surprise; he had not known that Bai Family’s young Miss was so formidable.
When Bai Ruozhu took her seat at the main table, her father and two brothers had already settled themselves. The oldest brother even specially allowed her to sit next to him and helped hold Little Dengdeng.
Bai Zehao, seeing Dengdeng, missed his own daughter. But as the Bai Family performed ancestral rites, the male family members had to attend, and since he was the eldest son of the second house, he had to endure being away from Caiyue and his child for a few days.
Bai Lu, the village leader, and several elders were also seated at the main table. Adding Bo Zheng and Bai Fu, the table was already packed.
Bai Yixiao and other relatives sat at adjacent tables. Sanlang, wearing a displeased expression, grumbled about how a woman like Bai Ruozhu could sit at the main table, claiming himself to be a guest as well and questioning why he couldn’t.
Bai Yixiao shot a sharp look at him and said quietly, "Even your Uncle Boss isn’t seated there; who do you think you are?"
Sanlang, never one to fear trouble, would have continued if not for Bai Fu giving him a look, prompting him to shut his mouth.
The village leader from Maple Leaves Village had already exchanged a few words with Bai Yihong and Bai Zepei. Upon seeing Bai Ruozhu, he immediately beamed and said, "Ruozhu, I heard you went to Jiangnan and brought glory to our Northwest, even besting many men. That’s truly formidable!"