CH 70

Chapter 70 Eloping (part 1)

Old man, don’t miss me!

Dad, don’t think about me!

Older brother, don’t miss me!

Bai Jin Hang frowned. When his father sent someone to Mo Xuan Yuan just now, he guessed that his father might have agreed to Xi’r’s request to go to Qing Chen, but he didn’t expect it to be like this. Xi’r had already left, leaving only a letter.

“Father, I will immediately send people to protect Xi’r along the way in secret.”

As soon as he got up, Bai Chong Yuan had called out, “No need.”

“Father, Xi’r, she…”

“Xi girl left last night. Those people don’t necessarily know. But, if you send someone out now, it will only alert them and give them a chance. Besides, they might not find Xi girl these days.” When she was by Ming boy’s side, those people seemed to temporarily give up. The people he had sent out to investigate also found out that those people had temporarily left the capital. As long as they didn’t take any major actions, everything would return to normal shortly.

Bai Jin Hang also felt that his father’s words held some truth. His frown lessened. “Then, what should we do?”

“Do whatever you usually do.”

Bai Jin Hang nodded. “Your son knows.”

“Xi girl seems to have begun to doubt her background,” Bai Chong Yuan said, finally saying his doubts aloud.

“What? Father, you mean Xi’r, she…” Bai Jin Hang suddenly stopped speaking, his eyes filled with surprise.

Bai Chong Yuan’s face sank. “The reason why Xi girl is suspicious is thanks to you and Jie boy. I warned you time and time again that you aren’t allowed to mention this. Even the people who knew about the existence of Xi girl and her mother were disbanded one by one in order to make her life a secret forever. You both brought it up and Xi girl heard it all. Did you even take my words to heart?”

Bai Chong Yuan angrily waved his hand, the teacup flying out and breaking on the ground at Bai Jin Hang’s feet. The tea splashed on the surface of Bai Jin Hang’s black shoes. Several drops of tea also splashed on the hem of his clothes.

Bai Jin Hang was stunned, and his expressions rapidly changed.

“Father…”

“Enough, you don’t need to explain. You will remember this and I won’t mention another word later.”

“Yes, your son knows.”

“It’s not that you know, it’s that you should remember this,” Bai Chong Yuan shouted sternly.

“Yes.”

“Okay, don’t worry about Xi girl for the time being. Just do what you should and don’t stand here.” Bai Chong Yuan ordered him out.

Bai Jin Hang didn’t say anything more.

After he left, Bai Shi, who had been silent, said slowly, “Old General, you said that this secret might not be kept forever. Why are you still so angry?”

“How can I not be angry? If it was only the first time, then I might not have been so angry. But, I warned him repeatedly and he never took it to heart. Do you think that Madam Zhang suddenly changed her attitude towards Xi girl because she figured everything out?”

“Only Madam Zhang knows.” He naturally understood the meaning of the old general’s words. As long as Madam Zhang didn’t reveal this matter, it would be fine and there would be no mishaps.

“Do you think that Xi girl is a fool like the rumours say she is? I personally trained Xi girl. She is very precise, but…” Bai Chong Yuan’s eyes saddened.

“Old General.”

“Bai Shi, do you know? The moment Xi girl took off her human skin mask, I thought my Xi’r1.”

Bai Shi opened his mouth, but then said nothing.

Bai Chong Yuan suddenly clenched his hands angrily. “I shouldn’t have promised Xi’r to spare the beast back then. I should have led the troops to flatten the entirety of Xiang Yang city, or Xi girl… she would not have lived so aggrieved all these years.”

“Old General, you’ve forgotten what the imperial doctor said. You shouldn’t get angry. As for that person, he has already received his punishment. The old general shouldn’t be angry at him.”

“Hmph. Even the broken body of that animal cannot dispel the hatred in my heart.” Bai Chong Yuan loosened his clenched hands and eased the tension in his body.

“The younger one has already sent someone to inform the patriarch of the Feng family that young miss Xi has run away from home.” Bai Shi used this to distract Bai Chong Yuan, and he succeeded.

“Good, only you understand what I’m thinking.” Bai Chong Yuan shook off his sadness and smiled slowly.

In a different courtyard

“Young General, your subordinates have discovered what you wanted,” a dark figure said respectfully as he appeared.

“Speak,” Bai Yu Jie said anxiously.

“The second young miss has left the capital.”

“What?” Bai Yu Jie stood up abruptly, his face full of surprise and disbelief.

“The second young miss has left the capital, and she left a letter for her maid to pass on to the old general. The general has just left the old general,” the shadow reported.

“Then can you find out why Xi’r left the capital?” This is what Xi’r discussed with his father and grandfather. Why didn’t she tell him? And why did Xi’r leave the capital suddenly? And all alone? Still…

“This subordinate doesn’t know, but…”

“Go on.”

“None of the hidden guards from the mansion have been sent out or ordered to be sent out to protect the second young lady.”

Bai Yu Jie left the study quickly. Even when he met his new wife, Yao Xin Ya, at the entrance of the yard, he ignored her and continued walking out in a rush.

“Husband…”

“Young madam, something big must have happened, so the eldest young master didn’t see the young madam.”

“Really?” Was that really the case? She had a feeling that her husband didn’t like her and that he had another woman in his heart. She felt that the reason why he left in such a hurry was that woman.

“Yes, that must be it.”

Yao Xin Ya shook her head and smiled. “Let’s go. It’s time to please my mother.”

Bai Yu Jie left quickly. Instead of going to Mo Xuan Yuan, he went to Bai Xi’s courtyard, Xi Yuan. When he didn’t see her familiar figure, he felt a pain in his heart.

His Xi’r was no longer here, but why didn’t she tell him? Last night, Xi’r and grandfather clearly talked about this. It had nothing to do with those bonsai. His father and grandfather knew, but why wasn’t he told? Why?

“Eldest… Eldest young master.” Mu Qiu looked at Bai Yu Jie, who suddenly appeared in the young miss’s room with surprise. Strange, why did the eldest young master come to Xi Yuan so early?

“Where is your young miss?”

“Eh? This… That… This servant… doesn’t know.” Mu Qiu’s heart hammered.

“Speak.”

Mu Qiu stepped back in fear, not knowing what to do. She promised that young master that she wouldn’t reveal anything about the young miss, but…

“The young miss eloped,” Mu Qiu finally said after she thought about it for a long time. Since she had time to think about it all night, she thought that it felt wrong. How could the young miss like that young master? She had never heard the young miss mention that person and she had never met him.

“Eloped?” Bai Yu Jie glanced over at a certain direction subconsciously. The haze in his eyes suddenly deepened a bit.

“Yes… Yeah, that’s what that young master said.”

“That young master? Have you met him?” It wasn’t Feng Ming? Who was it? What was going on?

Mu Qiu suddenly knelt on the ground and kowtowed. “This servant has only seen him once. Eldest young master, this servant is begging you to send someone to find the young miss. This servant is really worried about the young miss.”

Eloped? Impossible. How could Xi’r elope with another man? And she let dad and grandfather know before leaving? But why did Xi’r leave the capital and where did she go? Bai Yu Jie hurriedly left again. A figure in the corner also quickly left and went to Luo Yue Xuan.

Luo Yue Xuan

Feng Ming, who was dressed in a crescent-white brocade robe, stood in front of the window with his arms by his sides. His golden eyes seemed to be admiring the scenery outside. After a long time, he suddenly turned around and sat back on the armchair next to the desk.

“Go on.”

“Yes, General Bai sent someone to say that young miss Bai Xi ran away from home,” Wu Ying said respectfully.

Feng Ming’s expression didn’t change. His gold eyes fell on the place where his white jade fingers were lying on a pile of silver bills.

“Master… Master, it’s not good,” Qing Wu yelled anxiously. When he saw the master that he worshipped, the anxiety on his face only increased. “Master, something big has happened and it isn’t good.”

Wu Ying moved aside after hearing those words.

“Master, this matter is not good. The madam, she… she has eloped.”

Wu Ying fiercely raised his head to look at Qing Wu. What did he say?

“Master, this news is definitely true,” Qing Wu said positively.

Feng Ming didn’t seem to have heard him as he continued to tap the banknotes. He didn’t have a trace of anger on his face and still looked indifferent.

“Master…”

After a long time, an indifferent voice said, “Prepare the carriage.”

“Eh? Is master going to look for the madam?”

“No.”

“Eh?”

“Eloping.”

1(熙兒) Xi’r. This Xi’r is a different character from Bai Xi (汐). It is also the same Xi character used for Xi Yuan. I presume the courtyard was named after Xi’r (熙兒). This may also explain why Bai Chong Yuan always calls Bai Xi ‘Xi girl’ rather than Xi’r, like the others.