The Left Prime Minister
The first goods dispatched to Suyang were things the household used only rarely. The departure had originally been set for the fourteenth of April, but word arrived that bandits were stirring up trouble along the road, and the schedule was moved.
Old Madam Wang of the Shangshu Manor had been planning to travel down to her hometown on the twentieth of April to visit relatives. She sent a daughter-in-law who was on close terms with Lady Dong to sound her out — might it not be well for the Wang household to travel to Suyang together with the Bai caravan? A larger convoy, after all, was not so easily plundered by bandits.
After some deliberation, the two households settled on the seventeenth of April, and it was agreed that the Bai caravan and Old Madam Wang's would set out together.
Dong Changqing, being exempt from next year's examinations, volunteered of his own accord to escort the Bai caravan to Suyang, saying he would like to see the place for himself besides. He then asked his father, Dong Qingping, to go to the Bai Manor and obtain Lady Dong's consent on his behalf.
Among the old meritorious families, it was custom for a son to be sent out into the world once he reached Dong Changqing's age, to roam for a year or two and broaden his experience. But with the men of the Duke of Zhenguo's lineage losing their lives in defense of the realm, the elders of the meritorious families had come to feel that this world — outwardly an age of peace and prosperity — was more dangerous than it appeared, and they were reluctant to send their children beyond their gates.
Since a chance to travel so far came rarely, Dong Changqing resolved he must seize this one. Dong Qingping, for his part, thought it no bad thing to let his son go and broaden his horizons under the escort of Bai family guards.
Still, by rights it was Dong Changqing who was rendering service to the Bai family, so Bai Jingyan took Bai Jinchi along to see him off beyond the city gates.
Dong Changqing's ears flushed crimson with embarrassment. To be receiving a farewell from the Bai family, when it was he who would be traveling under the protection of the Bai guards — it made no sense at all.
"Eldest Sister, Jinchi — there's no need for this. I'm the one traveling under your family's escort. Why should you thank me?"
Dong Changqing asked with a laugh.
"Eldest Sister, Jinchi — is there anything from Suyang you'd like? I'll bring it back with me!"
"We'll be headed to Suyang ourselves before long, so we're quite all right!"
Bai Jinchi answered with a grin, hands clasped behind her back, charm and swagger in equal measure.
Dong Changqing hastily dropped his head, ears reddening further. He could not bear to look at Bai Jinchi for long.
"Then... if I find something fine, I'll bring it back."
"Your escort is made of Bai family guards, but still — be careful."
Bai Jingyan cautioned him.
Dong Changqing raised his cupped hands in salute.
"Don't worry, Eldest Sister."
"Eldest Miss, Fourth Miss — the Shangshu Manor's caravan has arrived. We must depart now!"
Nuo Ping offered Bai Jingyan a fist-and-palm salute.
"Eldest Miss, Fourth Miss, have no fear. I will look after young master Shaoya well."
"Thank you for your trouble, Pingshu."
Bai Jingyan said with a nod.
Dong Changqing mounted his horse behind Nuo Ping, turned to wave at Bai Jingyan and Bai Jinchi, and rode slowly away.
"Sister, let's head back too."
Bai Jingyan asked in a low voice, recalling the look in Dong Changqing's eyes as he had gazed at Bai Jinchi moments before.
"Jinchi, what do you think of Changqing?"
"Young master Dong? He's nice enough!"
Bai Jinchi's answer was brisk and clean. Yet a flicker of puzzlement crossed her eyes.
"Why? Sister, are you thinking of entrusting him with some task?"
Bai Jingyan shook her head and said nothing more. Clearly Bai Jinchi had no interest in Dong Changqing. If she were to learn of his feelings now, she would likely start avoiding the poor man at every turn. Better to let things take their natural course.
After helping Bai Jingyan into her carriage, Bai Jinchi mounted her horse and rode slowly back toward the city.
As they reached the lane leading to the Zhenguo Commandery Princess's residence, Bai Jinchi spotted the carriage of the Left Prime Minister, Li Mu.
She drew her horse close to the window of Bai Jingyan's carriage and said,
"Sister, the Left Prime Minister's carriage is back at this hour — the Emperor's headaches must have flared up again. He didn't even hold court."
The Emperor's headaches had grown steadily worse of late; he had missed court two days running.
Inside the carriage, Bai Jingyan lowered her head and ran her fingers over the thick calluses lining her palm, then spoke in a voice gone cold.
"Stop the Left Prime Minister's carriage. Tell him I have words for him."
"Yes!"
Bai Jinchi squeezed her horse's flanks hard, wheeled its head in front of Li Mu's carriage, and blocked his path.
Bai Jinchi had despised the Left Prime Minister for a long time. Long ago, at a palace banquet, Li Mu had openly humiliated the Bai family. At the time, she had wanted nothing more than to lash him with her whip.
The driver hauling Li Mu's carriage yanked hard on the reins and shouted,
"Where did this girl spring from! Out of the way! How dare you block the Left Prime Minister's carriage!"
"I am the Gaoyi County Princess, Bai Jinchi! My eldest sister, the Zhenguo Commandery Princess, has words for the Left Prime Minister!"
The driver startled, scrambled down from his seat, and bowed at once.
Inside the carriage, Li Mu had been resting with his eyes closed. At those words, his gaze grew heavy. He lifted the carriage blind and spoke with his face spread wide in a smile.
"If the Commandery Princess and the County Princess have words for me, perhaps you would care to stop by my residence?"
Bai Jingyan's carriage rolled up slowly behind Bai Jinchi and drew to a halt beside Li Mu's.
A slender white hand lifted the carriage blind — and there, conveniently in view, was the window of Li Mu's carriage.
At the sight of Bai Jingyan's exquisite face wreathed in smiles, Li Mu, seated within, smiled in return.
"If you have something to say, Commandery Princess, allow this old servant to invite you to my humble residence."
"I heard that Wen Jingang's wife paid you a visit, Left Prime Minister. A few words are all I need to pass along — there's no need to go so far as your residence. Your lady wife might grow anxious, after all."
Li Mu did not take Bai Jingyan for some ignorant woman who wandered about gossiping with nothing better to do. She had brought up Wen Jingang's wife — she must certainly have something to say.
The look in Li Mu's eyes as he regarded her was placid and cold. He fingered lightly, with one fingertip, the flowers embroidered on his official robes, smiled, and spoke.
"I'm afraid I don't follow what you mean, Commandery Princess."
"I heard that Wen Jingang's wife came to see you that day. I imagine she showed you a letter or two..."
Bai Jingyan went on slowly, watching Li Mu's composed face.
"But there was more than one letter. I happen to have quite a few myself. Only after reading them did I come to understand — the relationship between His Highness the Second Prince and you, Left Prime Minister, was never an ordinary one."
At this sudden blow, a tide of cold dread rushed down Li Mu's spine. His heart lurched violently.
How could Bai Jingyan have learned of that matter?
Could it be that Wen Jingang's wife had gone to Bai Jingyan as well?
Li Mu clenched his fists tight and feigned ignorance.
"I truly do not know what you mean, Commandery Princess."
"It doesn't matter if you don't."
Bai Jingyan still had not lost her smile as she looked at him.
"You need only know what I hold in my hands, Left Prime Minister. And that it could be used to threaten you."
"Commandery Princess, what do you mean by this?"
The smile at the corners of Li Mu's eyes faded somewhat.
"Nothing in particular. I only hope you will know your place. If you bring harm upon our Bai family and put me in a foul temper, then I might, in turn, spoil yours. Safety and peace — that is my wish. Is it not yours as well, Left Prime Minister?"
Bai Jingyan threatened Li Mu to his face, without a shred of disguise.
Li Mu pressed his lips inward, then let out a low laugh.
"I confess your words remain beyond my understanding, Commandery Princess. But the Bai family has shown loyalty through the generations, and this old servant hopes only to keep good ties with them. Safety and peace — is that not what we all wish for?"
"Since the Left Prime Minister says so, my mind is considerably eased."
Bai Jingyan gazed at Li Mu with deep, unreadable eyes.
"Then let me offer a word of advice, in good faith. Do not come after me, and do not try to steal those letters. You cannot deceive me, that much goes without saying — and even I cannot say what I might do. That much, Left Prime Minister, you know full well."
Li Mu's hands, resting in his lap, seized the hem of his robe and crushed it hard. But the smile never left his mouth.
"As if I could fail to know."
Ever since calamity had struck the Bai family, every move Bai Jingyan made had shaken the world. Things that should have been buried in darkness, never to see the light again, she dragged out one by one into broad, glaring daylight. She was a person who would die before she bowed her head — bold, unyielding, and afraid of nothing under heaven.
She was the one who had struck the Dengwen Drum and forced the Emperor to punish the King of Xin severely. To outward eyes she seemed to march into every fight with no plan at all, sheer stubborn recklessness — yet her daring resolve and her willingness to stake her very life had brought about strange and extraordinary results every single time.
To scheming men like Li Mu, who loved the shadows, watching her actions filled them first with unease, then with dread.
The more cunning and sinister a man was, the more he feared death. They feared exposure to the light, and above all they feared those who feared nothing — not even death.
For those who survived treacherous roads had always been the ones who did not fear dying.
Bai Jingyan nodded to the Left Prime Minister with a smiling face, then lowered the blind. And she gave her driver the order.
"Go."
Bai Jinchi fell in behind Bai Jingyan's carriage on horseback.
Li Mu let the blind fall and shut his eyes tight. Long after, the suffocating, restless feeling would not settle. When the secret one most wishes to hide is dragged into the open, few can keep their composure.
Did Bai Jingyan truly hold those letters?
Just how much did she know?
His mind tangled itself in knots; he pressed his nails hard into his palm, struggling to summon calm.
He turned her words over again. She did not seem to intend to corner him. She wished only for safety and peace, she had said...
Then why did Bai Jingyan tell him to know his place?
Li Mu pressed his lips into a hard line. Could it be — had Bai Jingyan discovered that Chu Chongxing, the Minister of Revenue, was his man?
Li Mu gripped the hem of his robe even tighter.
In truth, after Bai Weiting's death, Li Mu had had no intention of driving the Bai family into a corner. But for reasons of his own, the Liang King wanted Bai Jingyan dead, no matter what it cost. Left with no choice, Li Mu had wound his way around the matter and settled on a strategy: first seize the maidservant who had attended Bai Jingyan, and keep her in reserve to be used when the time came.
But who could have foreseen it would come to this...
Li Mu thought of the departed Bai Weiting, King of Zhenguo. Though they had never stood in the same faction, somewhere in the depths of his heart he had admired and respected the man's character. Bai Weiting had been truly upright to the marrow, a man brimming with righteousness who carried himself with unfailing honor.
Bai Jingyan was the granddaughter he had treasured most. Even if she had not inherited his backbone in full, Li Mu had believed her no treacherous, crooked little schemer. And yet — she held the letters exchanged between himself and the King Xin, and she does not report it to the Crown Prince?
Li Mu clenched his teeth. This matter, he decided, would have to be settled after he had consulted the advisors of his residence.