The Leash
After Li Mu departed, the Emperor summoned the Crown Prince to the palace. He instructed him to go and reason with Bai Jingyan on his behalf.
The matter concerning Li Mu's son had already reached the Emperor's ears. Since Bai Jingyan had broken Li Mingtang's legs, they were to treat that as the punishment rendered, and with half a year of Li Mu's salary confiscated, the affair would be considered closed — that was what the Crown Prince was charged with persuading her to accept.
Furthermore, the Emperor ordered the Crown Prince to personally visit the Zhenguo Commandery Princess Estate and present Bai Jingyan with a reward. He found her grating to the eye, yet even if only for the sake of appearances before the people, he had no choice. The populace had to see that the Emperor held in high regard the Commandery Princess who had defended the common folk.
When the Crown Prince heard the news, he could not contain his astonishment. He had never imagined Bai Jingyan's methods could be so bold and decisive — without granting the slightest opening, she had gone straight for the Left Chancellor's son and smashed both his legs.
Zhen Xiangzhi, likewise unable to fathom Bai Jingyan's intent, was left bewildered. Her audacity had even wrung cold sweat from him, for Li Mu, the Left Chancellor, was by no means a man to be trifled with.
And yet Li Mu had gone so far as to enter the palace, petition for forgiveness, and admit his fault outright, while the people showered the Bai family with praise, declaring that they thought of nothing but the common folk.
Thrown by the unexpected turn of events, Zhen Xiangzhi was at a loss.
Was the Left Chancellor truly such a weak opponent? Had he genuinely been frightened of the Zhenguo Commandery Princess?
Zhen Xiangzhi narrowed his eyes. Could it be that the Commandery Princess was holding some weakness over the Left Chancellor? Might he have been left with no choice but to make this decision?
Though suspicion gnawed at him, he never voiced these thoughts to the Crown Prince. The matter touched his benefactor Bai Jingyan, and such words were not to be cast about carelessly.
Dusk had begun to fall, and lights flickered to life one by one along the street lined end to end with shops. The lamps of the taverns and tea houses burned bright, though the lanterns beneath the wind-tossed eaves had yet to be lit.
The fading sunset dyed the capital of Dadu in hues of gold.
Bearing his imperial orders, the Crown Prince came in person to the Zhenguo Commandery Princess Estate with words of praise and a reward in hand.
The Emperor himself had lauded the Commandery Princess — who in all of Dadu would now dare to call her arrogant?
By the time a single cup of tea had been drunk and set down, only one dark stripe of afterglow remained along the western sky, and the Crown Prince left the Commandery Princess Estate.
Lady Dong led her family to see him off at the gate, bowing in farewell.
The Crown Prince smiled warmly and said, "Commandery Princess, might I have a word with you a moment?"
He now considered Bai Jingyan one of his own people, and so he pressed his counsel upon her without the slightest hesitation.
Bai Jingyan offered to escort him to his carriage. As they walked, the Crown Prince spoke.
"Commandery Princess, you must be more careful from now on. You cannot go about striking people down on a whim, as if you were still on the battlefield. If something like this happens, wouldn't it be better to tell me first? I could have handled it for you. Why go out of your way to earn the Left Chancellor's enmity? He is not a man of generous spirit."
Bai Jingyan lowered her posture at once.
"I shall engrave Your Highness's words upon my heart. But with His Majesty's health grown frail, you have been shouldering the affairs of state in his stead and must be utterly exhausted — how could I presume to trouble you with such a trifling matter?
And though I may have earned the Left Chancellor's resentment, the fact remains that Li Mingtang did wrong. Had this matter been settled privately, it would have set a precedent for the Left Chancellor — and the officials of Dadu might all follow his example hereafter. Should such a practice sweep through the court, then when Your Highness one day inherits the great enterprise, the harm would fall directly upon you. Would that not be leaving behind a calamity in waiting?"
At her words, warmth flooded the Crown Prince's chest. The moment he understood that Bai Jingyan had dealt the Left Chancellor such a ruthless punishment for his sake, his heart melted with a tender, gratified feeling.
He nodded, and his voice softened considerably. "You speak true, but——"
"Your Highness!"
Before he could even finish, Bai Jingyan bowed low once more.
"I shall soon return to Suyang. The chances of my coming to Dadu will be few. So before I go, I wish to do whatever I can for Your Highness.
If the Left Chancellor bears a grudge, then let him aim it at me! But those who will one day serve as Your Highness's ministers must never imitate him — men who hold no emperor in their eyes, who seize private gain through power and trample even the law in the doing."
The Crown Prince pressed his lips inward. He believed Bai Jingyan now looked upon him as her master, body and soul — that she thought of nothing but his future.
His heart swelled, and he bowed in return to her. Her loyalty, given to him and him alone, moved him to gratitude.
"Your health is still weak — go inside. The wind is cold."
His kindness did not stop there.
"I have sent word to the officials of Suyang. When you return there, they will all follow your instructions. Settle the matter of the imperial clansmen with an easy mind."
Bai Jingyan bowed again. "Thank you, Your Highness!"
But when Bai Jingyan, having watched the Crown Prince's carriage recede into the distance, lifted her head once more, only a chill, cutting sharpness lingered in her eyes.
When everything unfolded precisely as she had foreseen, Bai Jinchi descended the steps in delighted, hurried strides.
"Eldest Sister! Everything is going exactly as you said it would."
"Let's go inside."
Bai Jingyan took Bai Jinchi's hand and turned to face Lady Dong, who was still fuming.
Before the Crown Prince had arrived, Lady Dong had scolded her daughter — breaking the Left Chancellor's son's legs was far too violent a measure, she had said.
Bai Jingyan had never told her mother that she held Li Mu's leash. Yet when the Crown Prince came in person and recounted how Li Mu, far from accusing Bai Jingyan before the Emperor, had instead wept openly and admitted his fault, Lady Dong realized her daughter had him by the collar.
Bai Jingyan wrapped an arm around Lady Dong's and walked her back to the courtyard. All the while, her mother's heart refused to settle, and she admonished her gently.
"They say one may offend a gentleman, but never a petty man — and you have offended the most powerful petty man there is!"
"Mother, I will never bring calamity upon the Bai family. Just wait and see. Before we return to Suyang, Li Mu is certain to come calling, scrambling to curry favor with us. All you need do then is receive him graciously."
Lady Dong turned her head to look at this daughter who was now even instructing her on how best to receive the man, and asked, "Whatever are you scheming?"
"If I have shown the hard face, then someone must show the gentle one. I have already played the ruthless part. The kindly role I now ask of you, Mother. Only then will the Left Chancellor strive to resolve things through dialogue rather than fight the Bai family to the death."
"So you truly are holding some weakness of Li Mu's, then?" Lady Dong asked.
Bai Jingyan nodded. "Grandmother gave it to me, saying it would serve to protect the Bai family. I intend to make good use of it."
"I trust you'll handle it well."
Lady Dong patted her daughter's hand.
Day had not yet broken, and the mist lay thick upon the land.
The street lamps still burned, but the capital of Dadu was silent as the grave; only the occasional bark of a dog broke the hush.
A husband and wife who ran a morning stall were already out, hoisting their carrying poles and hurrying through the fog with short, quick steps. When they reached their spot, the two fell busily to work.
The wife, tying on her apron with practiced ease, lit the lamp hanging high overhead, kindled a fire in the stove, and poured water into the pot. The husband raised a canopy of oilcloth — fabric treated with oil and clay — on its long pole and began setting out the tables and stools. He was just wiping down a table when the sound of hoofbeats came from the west end of the street.
A company of horse and rider was drawing near through the mist. Shen Qingzhu led a dozen-odd riders, clearing the way at the front, while behind them a carriage befitting a Commandery Princess's rank rolled slowly forward — luxurious and imposing.
Bai Jinchi rode a white horse, keeping pace leisurely at the carriage's flank.
Behind the carriage followed some forty guards of the Bai Estate, dressed in black with swords at their waists.
Bai Jingyan was to travel to Suyang in a carriage of Commandery Princess Specifications rank. Since she was going to settle a grave matter, Lady Dong had urged her to take the bulk of the Bai Estate's guards — but Bai Jingyan had said that since the Crown Prince would assign her an escort, fifty would suffice. The smaller her retinue, the more the Crown Prince's wariness of the Bai family would ease.
A large company might stir needless suspicion in the Emperor besides.
The moment they passed through the city gate, Bai Jinchi spotted the Crown Prince's guards waiting in readiness — and the Crown Prince's carriage itself, parked there.
She bent at the waist and murmured to Bai Jingyan inside the carriage, "Eldest Sister, the Crown Prince is waiting outside the city."
Inside, Bai Jingyan had been leaning against a pillow, reading a volume by the light of a glazed lamp. She lowered the book slowly and sat up. "How many guards did he bring?"
Bai Jinchi gave the escort a cursory sweep and answered, "More than a hundred, I'd say."
Zhan Yu, standing beside the Crown Prince's carriage, saw the Bai family procession emerge from the gate and hurried up into the carriage, offering warm tea as he spoke. "Your Highness, the Commandery Princess has arrived. Take a sip of tea and gather yourself."
The Crown Prince, who had been dozing with his eyes closed inside the carriage, opened them at the words and composed himself. He accepted the warm cup and took a sip.
"Let us go."
"The wind outside is bitter, Your Highness. Allow me — your wind-cloak."
Zhan Yu drew out the cloak, draped it over the Crown Prince's shoulders, and helped him down from the carriage.
Bai Jinchi ordered the Bai family procession to halt and stepped forward first to bow to the Crown Prince. "Bai Jinchi pays her respects to His Highness the Crown Prince."
The Crown Prince smiled and bade her rise. When Bai Jinchi lifted her head again, Bai Jingyan was alighting from her carriage with Chun Tao's support and approaching him.
"I pay my respects to His Highness the Crown Prince."
Bai Jingyan bowed as well.
Shen Qingzhu stood beside the lead black horse, her gaze sweeping over the guards the Crown Prince had brought. All of them were mounted; there would be no danger of anyone falling behind.
"Commandery Princess, dispense with the formalities."
The Crown Prince said this with a smiling face, but after sweeping his eyes over the Bai family's modest procession, his brow furrowed.
"You are going to Suyang to handle a matter of great consequence — is a handful like this enough? How do you mean to cow the imperial clansmen with so few?"
"Of late, bandits have been appearing in Suyang at every hour. The Bai Estate's guards are limited besides, and on the twenty-sixth we must move a second shipment of goods. This is enough. It takes no great number of men to put the clansmen in order. Fortunately, His Majesty has conferred the rank of Commandery Princess upon me — with this, it will suffice."
Bai Jingyan answered as though it could not be helped.
"But my mother worried for me, so His Highness insisted on attaching this many. It is more than enough."
"You're still young — there's much you don't understand yet."
The Crown Prince's tone toward Bai Jingyan was kindly and familiar, like that of an elder brother.
"These are the very people who provoked your great-aunt until she vomited blood in Dadu. If you return with nothing but the rank of Commandery Princess and a mere dozen men, how will you frighten those clan elders who brazenly throw their years about?"
Suddenly the Crown Prince wore an expression of self-reproach. "This is my fault, truly……. I asked Father back then to confer the title of Princess upon you, but he named you Commandery Princess instead. I should have pressed the petition harder. With the merit you piled up — had you been a man — you would have seated yourself as the King of Zhenguo."
The Crown Prince's warm words were meant to put Bai Jingyan in his debt — and she understood that purpose better than anyone.
"I do not covet such hollow titles, Your Highness. The grace you have shown me is the truest treasure of all. I shall engrave it faithfully upon my heart."
At this breathtaking reply, the Crown Prince could not suppress his laughter.
"Yes, I know well enough you care nothing for hollow titles. Still, you seem to be taking far too few people with you to Suyang. Fortunately, I prepared in advance."