46. Encouraging One Another Onward
The moment Bai Jingyan stepped out of Qinghui Courtyard, she spotted Bai Jindong standing alone at the garden gate, head tilted back, gazing blankly up at the fireworks in the sky.
At the sound of the garden door opening, Bai Jindong came back to herself and hurried over to Bai Jingyan, speaking in a hushed voice.
"Eldest Sister……"
Bai Jingyan brushed the snow from Bai Jindong's shoulders and smiled.
"Were you waiting for me?"
Bai Jindong nodded. Her eyes reddened so quickly that, fearing the tears would spill over, she hastily lowered her head.
She remembered this time last year. The Zhenguo Duke Estate had been ablaze with light. With so many children under its roof, the estate had been full of noise and laughter—servants bustling in and out of the side gates, every corner of the house alive with commotion. Inside the Zhenguo Duke Estate, there had been nothing but the sound of laughter.
The elders had passed around wine cups, while Bai Jindong and Bai Jinchi, shepherding the youngest and the little ones, had carried lanterns and chattered away in Bai Jingyan's Qinghui Courtyard. Bai Jingyan and Bai Jinxiu had talked quietly beneath the eaves. It had been a scene brimming with life.
This year, the lights of the Zhenguo Duke Estate still burned bright. And yet…… the servants, too wary of their masters' moods, did not dare speak above a murmur, and the laughter had vanished. The estate was cold to the point of desolation.
How much pain Bai Jindong must have been holding in her heart. Bai Jingyan smiled and warmed her younger sister's chilled hands between her own.
"Let's go."
Looking at Bai Jingyan's composed face, Bai Jindong felt an inexhaustible strength flowing from her eldest sister. Her own heart, too, seemed to be slowly steadying itself.
"Yes……"
As the two of them walked, Bai Jinxiu and Bai Jinchi appeared at Qinghui Courtyard, as if they had made a pact to come.
It seemed Bai Jinxiu and Bai Jinchi had also come seeking something to lean on.
The four sisters stood facing one another. Bai Jinxiu, her eyes rimmed red, pressed a handkerchief to her lips and smiled.
"So it seems we all came looking for Eldest Sister."
The glow of red lanterns spilled down onto the white snow. That light caught the four young ladies as they smiled through their tears, painting a scene that was warm and heart-wrenching all at once.
"Come. Let us go to Grandmother."
Bai Jingyan's voice was heavier than usual, and firmer.
Chun Tao stepped forward to support Bai Jingyan, her gentle voice offering a quiet reminder.
"The snow has made the path very slippery, my ladies. Please watch your step."
Watching Bai Jingyan walk ahead of them, Bai Jinxiu felt tears blur her vision faintly. Then she said in a soft voice,
"With Eldest Sister leading the way, no matter how slick the road, we have nothing to fear."
What was there to fear from a raging blizzard, when sisters walked hand in hand, heartening one another onward?
Bai Jindong nodded, then took Bai Jinxiu's outstretched hand, her throat too tight for words.
"As long as we sisters are together, there's nothing to be afraid of!"
Bai Jinchi wiped her tears, then quickened her pace to fall in step beside Bai Jingyan, walking shoulder to shoulder with her.
The fog made it hard to see what lay ahead. In her past life, she had walked this road alone—but in this life, she had her sisters beside her, and no road, however grueling, could frighten her. Even a path through a forest of blades and pits of fire, with molten lava streaming down its slopes—Bai Jingyan would not flinch from it.
When they entered the Grand Princess's Changshou Courtyard, a maidservant keeping watch in the upper chamber suddenly pointed up at the sky.
"What is that?"
They turned to look, and there in the heavens a bright lantern was drifting serenely upward. Then a second…… a third, a fourth……
Beneath the brilliantly bursting fireworks, countless lanterns rose into the sky, embroidering the night with a warm sea of flame. Upon them were written wishes: May you return in victory, May you return safely, Victory in every battle, A safe homecoming.
The Zhenguo Duke Estate, which had lain as silent as though all life within it had died, suddenly stirred and bustled. Maids and servants abandoned their tasks and gathered beneath the eaves of the courtyard, gazing up at the lanterns that filled the sky. The glow of the flames warmed their hearts.
Bai Jingyan turned and spoke to Chun Tao.
"Go and find out what this is about."
Before Chun Tao could even leave, the old gatekeeper came hurrying in. Catching sight of the young ladies standing at the entrance, he announced the news with a beaming face.
"Eldest Miss, Second Miss, Third Miss, Fourth Miss! The people have been moved by our Bai family's loyalty and courage. Of their own accord, they are sending lanterns up to heaven from their homes and courtyards, offering prayers for our Bai family army in the Southern Border!"
At those words, Bai Jingyan's throat seized up. She handed her hand warmer to Chun Tao, raised her hands in a solemn salute, and offered her gratitude to the people of Dadu City.
Who had said that heroes are forgotten? The people whom generation after generation of the Bai family had given their lives to protect still remembered them.
In her past life, the Bai family had done so much and said so little—and the world had forgotten them……
Bai Jinxiu, Bai Jindong, and Bai Jinchi, tears brimming in their eyes, followed Bai Jingyan in a deep, deep bow toward the lanterns that adorned the heavens.
The sudden sound of the Zhenguo Duke Estate's servants laughing and chattering soon drew the attention of the elders in the upper chamber of Changshou Courtyard.
The Grand Princess walked out with her daughters-in-law and gazed up at the bright lanterns floating across the sky. Astonishment overcame them all.
The Fifth and Sixth Misses, still young, stood beside the Grand Princess and pointed up at the sky.
"Grandmother, what is that?"
"Your Highness the Grand Princess, it's the Fifth Miss!"
An old servant in the courtyard answered with a smile.
"Those are lanterns the people have sent up to heaven, praying for our Bai family army."
The Grand Princess's chest tightened, and her voice trembled.
"So the people of Dadu have not forgotten our Bai family army……"
Seeing the Grand Princess standing beneath the eaves, the four sisters greeted her, then stood with her, looking up at the lanterns drifting across the sky.
Just as the last of the lanterns scattered and Bai Jingyan moved to support the Grand Princess back into her chambers, Nuo Ping came rushing in together with the old servant guarding the water-and-flower gate.
Seeing all the masters standing in the courtyard, Nuo Ping stepped forward and bowed.
"Your Highness the Grand Princess, Madams, young ladies—news has arrived. The Southern City Gate has opened, and an official bearing a victory report on his back has ridden swiftly into the palace!"
A military courier with a victory report strapped to his back had entered through the Southern City Gate. The news must have come from the Southern Border.
That he had passed through the city gate without proclaiming his tidings, racing straight for the palace instead, was not a good sign.
Bai Jingyan's head throbbed. A heavy tension settled over the Zhenguo Duke Estate once more.
What was destined to come would come, sooner or later.
Bai Jingyan gripped the Grand Princess's hand tightly, then turned to look at her—her back ramrod straight, as though carved from iron.
"Grandmother. I will follow whatever you, my mother, and my aunts decide."
At Bai Jingyan's words, the aunts could no longer hold back their tears. The fifth aunt, heavy with child, bit down hard on her handkerchief; her legs gave way beneath her.
The Grand Princess's breath caught for a moment before she steadied herself. Leaning on her tiger-head staff, she drew her spine straight.
"The news was always going to come someday. Come! Let us go to the gate and wait for it there!"
Taking the lead, the Grand Princess led the women of the Bai family all the way to the gates of the estate.
Outside the Zhenguo Duke Estate, a crowd had gathered, people holding lanterns and umbrellas. Word had spread that an official bearing a victory report had ridden straight for the palace without once proclaiming the news of triumph on his way—and the people, exchanging grim looks, had come to the estate. They waited before its gates for word, murmuring in low voices among themselves.
"Second Uncle! What brings you out in this freezing cold?"
"The courier came through, but they say no one heard the official proclaim his report. So I've come to wait for word at the estate. What about you?"
"Same here! When I heard the courier had ridden straight to the palace, I couldn't help fearing the worst, so I'm waiting too!"
"That's right! I came after hearing the same thing. If he crossed the city gate without shouting the news, it can't be anything good! Heaven must protect them. Nothing can be allowed to happen to the old Duke's household and the men of the Bai family!"
A line of red lanterns hung along the crimson-painted doors of the Zhenguo Duke Estate. The great gates swung slowly open, and the Grand Princess herself emerged with the women of the Bai family behind her, shielded by her guards, to await the news in person.
"Eh? The estate's gates are opening!"
"I suppose the Bai family has come out for the news as well?"
"Isn't that Her Highness the Grand Princess?"
The people hurriedly dropped to their knees and bowed.
"Your Highness the Grand Princess……"
Recalling the bright lanterns that had drifted across the sky mere moments before, the Grand Princess felt her heart swell. She passed her tiger-head staff to Nanny Zhang, then led the women of the Bai family in a deep bow toward the assembled people.
When she straightened, Bai Jingyan caught sight of Chen Gengsheng standing among the crowd, nodding to her—his work, it seemed, had all been seen through to the end. She gave him a small nod in return.
"Steward Hak!"
Lady Dong turned to the steward and gave her orders.
"Have the kitchen prepare hot soup and savory meat pancakes, and pass them out to everyone standing here. We don't know when word will arrive from the palace, and on New Year's Eve of all nights, we cannot let the people who are keeping vigil with us shiver in the cold."
"At once, Madam!"
Steward Hak hurried back to the residence to make the arrangements.
Before long, two horses came galloping toward the Zhenguo Duke Estate. The crowd's hearts leaped into their throats—but the riders who dismounted were Bai Jingyan's uncles, Dong Qingping and Dong Qing'e.
Dong Qingping handed the reins to an estate servant and cast a single glance over the people gathered before the gate. Then he and Dong Qing'e ascended the steps and bowed to the Grand Princess.
"Brother, Qing'e—what brings you here?"
Lady Dong's eyes reddened.
"We heard the news only a little while ago. They said the official with the victory report entered through the Southern City Gate without reporting the state of the battle, and Mother was so worried that she sent Qing'e and me at once!"
Even as he spoke, the corners of Dong Qingping's mouth were pressed into a tight line.
Warmth flooded Bai Jingyan's heart, and she bowed respectfully to both her uncles.
Dong Qing'e came over to Bai Jingyan and ruffled her hair.
"Don't you worry. Your father and your brothers will come through this unharmed!"
Bai Jingyan nodded.
Barely half a cup of tea's time had passed before Jin Lang arrived on horseback as well. He bowed courteously to the elders, then went to Bai Jinxiu's side and steadied her. Seeing her eyes rimmed with red, he murmured his comfort in a gentle voice.
On New Year's Eve, the long avenues were ordinarily lined with nothing but red lanterns and were all but deserted of people—for this was the hour when every family saw the old year out together.
And yet before the gates of the Zhenguo Duke Estate, people who had heard the news drifted in one after another, and young scions of distinguished families came calling in place of their grandfathers and fathers to learn what tidings the night might bring. The young heir of Marquis Zhengyong seemed rather startled by the sight of so many people standing before the estate's gates.
Before long, the third son of Earl Mingda arrived as well.
Bai Jingyan looked out at the sons of great houses who had come through the whirling snow, and at the common folk standing in it alongside the Bai family, waiting together. At the sight, she knew: the moment had come to seize this momentum to protect the Bai family—and to use the tide of favor now flowing toward them to bring pressure to bear upon the Emperor.