Chapter 9: The Bai Family - Rebirth of the Noble Daughter
Chapter 9: The Bai Family
It was Bai Sifu's wife who came out to tell jokes. Among the sisters-in-law, her background was the best, with the identity of the Princess of Wenyi County, which even the noblewomen in the palace would have to look up to.
But she never used her status to deceive people. She was gentle and kind, with a first-class temperament. Therefore, the people of the Bai family both respected and liked her.
However, every time she saw Feng Jinlin, she would always tease him a few times. Perhaps it was because of the difficulty in having children of her own, she felt the need to pay extra attention to such a clever child.
The whole family entered the house laughing and joking around, but Shen Shi, who was still outside, glanced at Feng Jinlin with disdain and snorted heavily.
Another one who follows the wind, treating him as if he were nothing.
She didn't like Feng Jinlin's behavior very much, but it wasn't appropriate to make a scene at this moment. She brushed off the hanging red-gold hairpin on her head and swaggered inside.
Sitting in the main hall was an old woman with silver hair and a kind face. She was the protagonist of the birthday celebration, Old Lady Bai.
Wearing a dark blue brocade jacket embroidered with the Five Blessings, her silver hair was tied up with a few simple jade hairpins. With her well-proportioned features and gentle temperament, she was a perfect match for the dignified and generous Bai family.
"Grandmother, I pay my respects to you. I wish you eternal youth and longevity."
After saying this, she knelt down on the ground and kowtowed three times before getting up, her face full of smiles, which made Madam Bai unable to stop laughing.
"Grandmother is already sixty, and you still wish for eternal youth. You naughty monkey, you only know how to please your grandmother."
Feng Jinlin cheekily approached, and Madam Bai playfully hit him, making everyone burst into laughter.
However, Bai Sihan, who was standing nearby, looked at his back with a somewhat distracted expression, feeling a sense of familiarity.
Today, Bai Sihan had also dressed up deliberately, wearing a pleated skirt like smoke and butterflies, which complemented her peach-like face and snow-white skin.
Originally a top-notch beauty, coupled with those fox-like eyes that were extremely charming, just a glance from her could make one's bones turn soft.
When Feng Jinlin looked over in their direction, she immediately perked up and shyly smiled at him, intending to say something. However, she saw his gaze shift away without hesitation.
Damn it!
When she was in Qiongzhou, how many young masters had fallen for her charm? How could this cousin Feng be completely unmoved?
Feng Jinyao, living another life, looked at the familiar faces of the Bai family today, feeling a momentary nostalgia as memories from her past life flooded her mind.
When the Feng family fell on hard times, the Bai family had spared no effort to help, only to be harshly reprimanded by the Emperor and Empress.
Uncle Bai Cha'an boldly spoke up for the Feng family in court and was subsequently demoted. Uncle Bai Chaohai wrote a petition at Yunqi Academy, which spread among the people. The Emperor was furious, and if it weren't for the pleading of Prince Kang and Princess Wen, they might have lost their lives long ago.
Grandmother, Uncle's wife, and Fourth Uncle's wife also wore mourning clothes and repeatedly went to the palace to plead for the Empress Dowager and Empress to intercede for the Feng family. Unfortunately, they knelt for three days in a row, and the palace gates never opened once. Madam Bai returned home with a serious illness, and ever since then, she never left her side, not as lively as before.
Feeling a thousand emotions at once, she felt bitter in her heart but didn't know how to express it or how to repay the Bai family's kindness.
She could only solemnly pay her respects to Madam Bai and the other elders.
"Grandmother, today is your sixtieth birthday. I specially wrote a couplet for you, wishing you happiness and longevity."
After saying this, she respectfully kowtowed to Madam Bai.
At this moment, Madam Bai looked at Feng Jinyao kneeling in front of her, feeling a surge of emotion.
Although Feng Er resembled Madam Feng the most, he was still a man after all. Now that she saw Feng Jinyao, she felt as if she were seeing her daughter from many years ago, and many memories came rushing back to her.
"Good child, get up quickly."
Her loving appearance made Feng Jinyao unable to hold back her tears, and Bai Lin immediately came forward to hand her a silk handkerchief.
"This child is always so sentimental. Today is a day of celebration, so it's not good to cry, you know?"
"Grandmother is right, it was impulsive of me."
Madam Bai waved her hand and pulled her to sit beside her, handing her the golden warming stove in her hand.
"How is your mother? Is she feeling better after taking the doctor's medicine?"
The person behind the poisoning of her mother had not yet been discovered, and Feng Jinyao did not intend to reveal it prematurely, so she made up an excuse to dodge the question.
"She's better, but the cold winter weather occasionally causes some relapses. Mother specifically instructed us to come earlier today to see if we could help. She said that after the weather warms up a bit, she will invite grandmother and the aunts to the mansion for tea. Grandmother's favorite, the newly acquired Jingming tea."
"Your mother always worries about these things, that's why her condition keeps relapsing. You should persuade her more. Your eldest daughter-in-law has been in the Eastern Capital for several years now, always confined to the courtyard, which is not good. It would be better to let your mother take her around more, take care of the family's affairs, and it will be better for her."
"Yes, I will talk to my mother about it."
Madam Bai touched Feng Jinyao's black hair affectionately, overflowing with love.
However, a seventeen-year-old girl sitting below was not happy. Pouting, she said, "Grandmother is partial. As soon as Jinyao comes, she doesn't see me, her legitimate granddaughter."
Princess Wen Yi covered her mouth and chuckled, "You have no shame. In the past, grandmother left nothing good for you. Now, you even envy your own cousin."
A young woman in a golden embroidered jacket and a pale white skirt stepped forward, pushing Feng Er aside and affectionately leaning against Madam Bai, coquettishly saying,
"Sister Jinyao, today I'll share grandmother's love with you, and tomorrow it'll be mine again."
Haha, her quick-witted words amused everyone.
The speaker was Princess Wen Yi and Bai Siruo.
Thanks to the Emperor's love for her mother, she had received the title of County Princess several years ago, and she was born with a beautiful and charming appearance, elegant and generous.
Although she was young when she was bestowed the title of County Princess, and even received a county princess mansion outside, she was very upright and never used her power to oppress others.
Apart from that, Feng Jinyao didn't have a very strong impression of her.
In the previous life, they were only acquaintances. Her attention was taken up by Miss Wen and her group, so she only knew that after she got married, she had a bad relationship with her husband and often returned home in anger, causing the entire Eastern Capital to know about it and making fun of her.
Her husband was even the eldest grandson of Prince Kang, and as a result, the relationship between Prince Kang's Mansion and the Bai family became tense.
She thought to herself that if she had the chance in this life, she could help her.
Avoiding this feud-ridden marriage would also be a way to repay Fourth Uncle and Fourth Aunt. After all, they only had one daughter, and they must also hope she would live happily.
With a plan in mind, Feng Jinyao deliberately approached and joked a few times.
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