The subsequent development of the embezzlement case was just as Bai Zheng had expected.
After she was implicated and imprisoned, Lord Zhao, the grand councilor, and the Duke of Qing fully utilized their connections and influence accumulated over the years. Every day, many court officials petitioned, and Concubine Zhao and Princess Anyang even went to Feng Linche every day, crying and pleading.
The minister of the Supreme Court was so frightened that he didn't know what to do. Feng Linche had no choice but to order the crown prince, Feng Jingye, to investigate personally.
Under multiple pressures, Feng Jingye really managed to uncover quite a few corrupt officials and arrested a group of spies from the Western Liang. Eventually, the case was closed with the claim that the Western Liang spies had intended to drive a wedge between the emperor and his ministers of the Great Zhou.
All in all, it only took four or five days.
Bai Zheng waited at the gate of the Supreme Court for Bai Yinan, who was about to be released. She was calculating in her mind that the ten - day period was almost up, and it was time to bring up the matter of the three thousand taels of silver.
Bai Nianming lay prone outside the gate of the Supreme Court, his round head peeping in and out. "Sister, when will Father come out?"
Bai Nianjin reached out and gently patted Bai Nianming's head. "What's the hurry? Father will be out soon."
"Father!"
Hearing Bai Nianming's cheer, Bai Zheng quickly looked up. She saw Bai Yinan walking towards them in a dark - blue cloth robe. After hearing Bai Nianming's cry, a hint of joy appeared on his originally calm face.
He quickened his pace, walked out, and picked up Bai Nianming in his arms. "Nianming, my good boy..."
"Father..." The moment she saw Bai Yinan, Bai Zheng's eyes turned red.
In her previous life, since she went abroad to study at the age of fourteen, her schoolwork was so heavy that she rarely went home. Later, her father got ill and passed away when she was twenty - two.
At that time, she was in the middle of her doctoral thesis defense and didn't even have time to rush back to see her father for the last time.
In her previous life, her father - daughter relationship was short. In this life, she would definitely cherish it doubly.
Bai Yinan turned his head and found Bai Zheng standing beside Bai Nianjin. Bai Zheng clearly saw that the moment his eyes touched her, there was affection and a barely perceptible sense of relief in his eyes.
Bai Yinan put down his son and hurriedly stepped forward to look Bai Zheng over carefully. After confirming that she was okay, he said with relief, "Zheng'er is back! It's good that you're okay, it's good that you're okay."
Bai Nianjin, who was left out, felt a bit sad. He took a deep breath to calm his emotions, then smiled and pulled Bai Nianming. "Let's go back quickly. Mother must be waiting impatiently at home."
On the way, at Bai Yinan's request, Bai Zheng half - truthfully told her experience during her disappearance. Bai Nianming also mentioned the matter of Chu Feng breaking off the engagement that day. All the way was filled with laughter, and soon they arrived at the gate of the Bai Mansion.
Bai Nianjin got out of the carriage first and then carried Bai Nianming out. Just as Bai Yinan lifted the curtain, he heard the voice of the butler, Bai Fu. "Master, Miss, the old lady of the General's Mansion requests that you two go there immediately."
Bai Nianjin's face darkened. He had no good impression of He Shi because she had always been partial. So he said coldly, "Father has just come back. He should go in and rest first. Can't we go tomorrow?"
But Bai Yinan sat back in the carriage without hesitation. "I should pay my respects to Mother now that I'm back. Zheng'er, have you visited your grandmother since you came back?"
Bai Zheng shook her head with a faint smile.
She thought to herself that this step - father of hers was really filial and affectionate. He always responded to every request from his mother, who extremely favored the eldest son, and his siblings, who never regarded him as a brother.
No matter how much these aunts, uncles, and cousins bullied their family, he only remembered that blood was thicker than water. Sometimes, he even felt fortunate that he still had a little value and could be called a brother by them.
Zhu Ling, who was waiting at the gate, looked worried. "Miss, when the old lady calls for you at this time, did the second miss say something to her?" She always felt that the matter between the miss and the second miss in the General's Mansion last time was not over yet.
Hearing this, Bai Yinan asked, "Do you mean the matter of the broken engagement?"
Bai Zheng nodded. Anyway, it couldn't be because the old lady cared about her and her father. Because of the embezzlement case, He Shi, who should have come to settle the score earlier, had only managed to spare the time now. It was already quite late.
Bai Nianjin knew that it was not just about the broken engagement. The framed letter was clearly planted by the second sister. But in order not to worry Bai Yinan, Bai Zheng didn't let him tell the truth about how the siblings had saved their father.
"I haven't paid my respects to my grandmother since I came back from Ningcheng. It's okay to go. Coincidentally, the matter of the broken engagement should be completely settled."
Bai Yinan gently patted Bai Zheng's shoulder and said, "Don't be afraid, Zheng'er. If it's about the broken engagement, Father will support you."
Bai Zheng felt a warmth in her heart. She leaned her head on her father's shoulder and said coquettishly, "With Father here, Zheng'er is not afraid."
The father - daughter pair talked and laughed all the way, and before they knew it, the carriage arrived at the gate of the General's Mansion.
At this moment, in the General's Mansion, the old lady He Shi was sitting in the main hall, talking with a young gentleman in a dark - yellow robe.
Although there were quite a few people sitting in the main hall, one could still clearly hear the young gentleman's voice. "This is originally a family matter between the old lady Bai and my grandfather. As the crown prince, I shouldn't interfere. But since the marriage was arranged by the emperor back then, and now that my grandfather has asked the emperor to make a decision, my younger brother and I have come to bother you. Please don't blame us, old lady."
Bai Zheng couldn't help twitching the corner of her mouth.
It seemed that for this feast with hidden dangers, He Shi had not only invited the prime minister Chu but also specially invited the crown prince Feng Jingye and the fifth prince Feng Jingyi.
It was said that Feng Jingye was the prime minister Chu's grandson. It seemed that He Shi had no intention of letting her go this time.
Bai Zheng lowered her head and murmured to herself, but her steps didn't stop. She followed Bai Yinan into the main hall. When they came in front of everyone, they bowed in turn and said, "Greetings to Your Highness the Crown Prince, Your Highness the Fifth Prince, Prime Minister, and Grandmother."
As soon as Bai Zheng appeared, everyone in the main hall fell silent. Except for Feng Jingyi, who looked gentle, the others all had gloomy faces and coldly sized up Bai Zheng.
Although Bai Zheng had her head down, her slender body was straight, as if she was completely unaware of these cold looks.
He Shi frowned deeper and deeper. Finally, she slapped the table hard and shouted, "Kneel down for me!"