Rebirth: The Journey of an Heiress novel Chapter 60

Chapter 60: Chapter 60: Entrusting Life and Death_1

Mrs. Dong tightly bit her lips, gently patted Bai Qingyan’s hand that was holding her, her nostrils flared, and she closed her eyes as tears immediately streamed down.

On the twenty-ninth of December in the Xuanjia period, heavy snowfall, the wives of the master of the Duke of Zhen’s Mansion—Mrs. Dong and the second wife, Mrs. Liu, the third wife, Mrs. Li, the fourth wife, Mrs. Wang, the fifth wife, Mrs. Qi—learned one after another that all the men of the Duke of Zhen’s Mansion had perished in the Southern Frontier. The pain was unbearable.

While the entire Dadu City brimmed with festive joy, the Duke of Zhen’s Mansion was shrouded in gloom. The concubines, maids, and older servants within the mansion, sensing something unusual, kept to themselves and did not dare to make noise.

In the upper room of the Eldest Princess Changshou Courtyard, Mrs. Dong, the princely heir’s wife, managed to maintain her composure. She firmly held the hand of her daughter Bai Jinse, consoling her not to be afraid.

The second wife sobbed endlessly, wiping her tears. The third wife sat there as if her soul had left, her face devoid of color.

The fourth wife, inherently weak in character, would have collapsed if it weren’t for the twin daughters, the fifth and sixth girls, holding her hands tightly.

Only the fifth wife forced herself to stay strong like Mrs. Dong, sitting upright with a straight back, her eyes red, hands protectively covering her belly, biting her lips and saying nothing.

Bai Qingyan, Bai Jinxiu, Bai Jintong, Bai Jinzhi, Bai Jinzhao, Bai Jinhua, and Bai Jinse all sat by their respective mothers.

The Eldest Princess fiddled with the Buddha Beads in her hand, her eyes closed. The tears she couldn’t hold back eventually traced down her cheeks.

“Fifth son’s wife is heavily pregnant. Fourth daughter-in-law’s timid nature renders her incapable. This Duke of Zhen’s Mansion has flourished for a hundred years, and now this far, the way forward… has to rely on the eldest, second, and third daughters-in-law to support!” The Eldest Princess looked weary. “Start preparing what needs to be prepared! Do not wait until… until the news arrives to catch us off guard.”

“Yes, daughter-in-law understands!” Mrs. Dong nodded with tears.

“The Duke, the eldest, second, third, fourth, fifth sons, and… seventeen children! The coffins transported back will undoubtedly be makeshift!” The Eldest Princess kept her eyes closed, yet tears constantly flowed out. “The Duke’s coffin had long been prepared! Today is the twenty-ninth of December, the coffin shops might all be closed. Eldest daughter-in-law…”

Before the Eldest Princess could finish, Bai Qingyan spoke up: “Then we wait for the news to return, and we go borrow, we borrow from the whole world…”

The Eldest Princess slightly opened her eyes, the candlelight stinging her sore, swollen eyes.

“Grandmother, only by placing the heroic spirits in the harshest condition and letting the world see what our Bai family has done for this country and its people can we make those who wronged the Bai family feel guilty. So the current Emperor can remember our Bai family’s contributions, treat our Bai family’s widows kindly, and protect them from harm.”

Bai Qingyan knew clearly, as long as it benefitted the Bai family without revolting, her grandmother would agree.

The Eldest Princess looked at Bai Qingyan and nodded: “Do as Kid says.”

“After the major affairs are settled, if any concubines in the family wish to seek a different future, return their indentures and give them five hundred taels of silver, let them leave! Everyone should settle in your own rooms, do not trouble your eldest sister-in-law.” The Eldest Princess, with her remaining bit of compassion, hesitated for a long time before speaking again, “If you do not wish to stay in this home either, you can choose to leave then! Do not be afraid… even if you leave the Duke’s Mansion, as long as I live, the Duke’s Mansion will always be your home.”

The words of the Eldest Princess moved the second wife, Mrs. Liu, the third wife, Mrs. Li, and the fourth wife, Mrs. Wang, to tears again. The three of them covered their mouths, crying for their husbands and sons. Even though they had cried countless times, thinking again of their husbands and sons still tore at their hearts.

“Mother, I promised Big Brother. He guarded Jin for the people, I guard the Bai family for him, sharing honor and disgrace, life and death, and I will not fail in this life.” Mrs. Dong spoke of her husband with an indescribable gentleness, “Although he has died, the vow remains. I will not fail the Bai family, alive I am the Bai family’s matriarch, and dead a spirit of the Bai family.”