Watching Zhou Yuanning's carriage disappear into the distance, Bai Zheng turned around and found a figure standing behind her.
"Lan Xun?" Bai Zheng raised her eyebrows and called out.
Lan Xun was still dressed in a cyan robe. His handsome and elegant face wore a calm smile. Hearing Bai Zheng's voice, he gave a faint smile and bowed to her. "Miss Bai."
"You haven't left yet?"
Lan Xun nodded.
Last night, when their group rushed from Qinghe County to Yongding and passed by Bandit Mountain, it was he who guarded Zhou Yuanning and safely escorted him to the estate in Yongding.
Now that everything had settled down and Feng Linyuan had gone to Yunyan Mountain to get cured of the poison, as the master of Tianyi Pavilion, Lan Xun could be said to have successfully completed his task and should have returned to Tianyi Pavilion.
But why was he still here?
As if knowing where Bai Zheng's doubts came from, Lan Xun lowered his eyes and said respectfully, "Before the marquis left, he repeatedly instructed me to convey a message to Miss Bai. With Uncle Zhu and Doctor Zhou there, there won't be any major problems with the treatment. Please don't worry, Miss Bai.
As for the numerous trivial matters in Yongding City that need to be taken care of, since the marquis is away and Brother Mo Li has also gone to Yunyan Mountain to attend to him, and he doesn't trust others with these matters, he has to trouble Miss Bai to take care of them on his behalf.
The marquis was worried that Miss Bai might not be familiar with the affairs in the mansion and not know where to start, so he specifically ordered me to assist from the side."
Bai Zheng was not surprised by this explanation because Zhou Yuanning had already conveyed the same message to her.
In fact, she also knew that there was nothing she could do about Feng Linyuan's illness. If she followed him to Yunyan Mountain, she would only be worried and scared for nothing.
Bai Zheng considered herself not a delicate and clingy person. Since Feng Linyuan didn't want her to worry, she might as well stay obediently in Yongding and make the most of her value here. This could be considered as not wasting Feng Linyuan's painstaking arrangement.
She nodded. "In that case, it's fine."
Lan Xun was a little surprised that Bai Zheng accepted this arrangement so calmly, but he didn't show it on his face. He just respectfully stretched out his hand. "This way, Miss Bai."
Bai Zheng didn't move. Instead, she turned back and looked at the magnificent and solemn main gate of the Marquis of Dingyuan's Mansion.
This was the first time she had seriously observed this place. The vermilion main gate was wide open on both sides, and above it hung a black golden silk nanmu plaque with four powerful characters inscribed on it - "Marquis of Dingyuan's Mansion".
"Marquis of Dingyuan's Mansion," she murmured softly, parting her cherry lips.
This mansion, which had stood in Yongding City since the founding of the Great Zhou Dynasty, had supported the border peace of the Great Zhou for more than a hundred years with the flesh and blood of its descendants from generation to generation.
But now, the only ones left to support this mansion were Feng Linyuan, who was in Yunyan Mountain getting cured of the poison, and this slender girl standing in front of the Marquis of Dingyuan's Mansion.
Perhaps this was the price of marrying Feng Linyuan.
It was destined that her future life would never be peaceful. But -
There was nothing to be afraid of, was there?
Bai Zheng curled her lips and said calmly, "Let's go."
In Yongding City, everyone's attention was drawn to the Marquis of Gaochang's Mansion and the Nanxun Hall in the palace, so no one noticed that on this day, an eagle that had been dormant for seven years had found his wings.
Moreover, a fledgling that had been scorned by everyone no longer concealed her talent. Like a phoenix spreading its wings, she amazed everyone.
From this day on, the historical trajectory of the Great Zhou Dynasty had a completely different development.
There weren't many things left for Bai Zheng by Feng Linyuan, and the most important one was Zheng Yan's funeral.
Although Zheng Yan was only the legitimate daughter of a marquis's mansion, due to her special status, on this day, the entire Yongding City was in mourning for her funeral.
The avenue leading to the Marquis of Gaochang's Mansion was filled with a dense array of sedan chairs and carriages.
Without exception, all these carriages and sedan chairs were hung with white lanterns, each with a big blue character "Mourning" written on it.
The guests, one by one with solemn expressions, came to the mansion with their mourning gifts.
Bai Zheng got off the carriage behind Bai Yinan and looked at the snow - white Marquis of Gaochang's Mansion in front of her. She recalled that the last time she came here, although it was the end of winter and the beginning of spring when all things had not yet recovered, there had been a vibrant atmosphere in the marquis's mansion.
But this time, because of Zheng Yan's death, even though it was the beautiful spring of March, the marquis's mansion was lifeless and desolate.
Bai Zheng sighed silently in her heart and followed Bai Yinan forward.
In the mourning hall, everything was white.
In front of a small memorial tablet, the flame of the eternal lamp flickered slightly. The light of the fire was reflected on the calm but pale face of the Marquis of Gaochang. The Princess of Pingyang beside him was so haggard that Bai Zheng could hardly associate her with the well - maintained noblewoman she had first met.
Bai Yinan looked solemn. He offered a stick of incense to Zheng Yan's memorial tablet, and at the same time, Bai Zheng handed her mourning gift to the butler of the marquis's mansion beside her. Then she followed Bai Yinan forward.
"Your Grace, please mourn with resignation," Bai Yinan said in a deep voice.
The Marquis of Gaochang didn't raise his head. It seemed that no matter who said something to him, it couldn't catch his attention. He just nodded mechanically.
Bai Zheng sighed silently in her heart. She turned her head. A gentle breeze blew, lifting a corner of the white cloth hanging in the mourning hall. One could clearly see a delicate and magnificent golden silk nanmu coffin lying behind it.
All the guests were crowded in the courtyard of the marquis's mansion. After Bai Zheng offered incense, she stood among the guests with Bai Yinan, waiting for the time to carry the coffin.
"Little sister actually has the guts to come?"
Suddenly, a shrill voice rang out.
Hearing the sound, Bai Zheng turned around and saw Bai Di in a water - blue dress not far away, looking at her with disgust on her face.
Bai Zheng raised her eyebrows. She hadn't even settled the score with this good cousin about the bandit incident, but she actually had the nerve to come and pick a fight first?
"Second sister's words are strange. I haven't done anything wrong. Why wouldn't I dare to come?" Bai Zheng suppressed the anger in her heart and replied with a faint smile.
"Whether you have done it or not, heaven and earth know, you know, and Miss Zheng also knows in the underworld. Today is Miss Zheng's funeral day. Her soul may still be wandering in the Marquis of Gaochang's Mansion. If she sees you, the one who stole her beloved, what do you think she will do?"
There was a hint of cruelty in Bai Di's eyes.
Bai Zheng smiled indifferently. She looked around and then fixed her eyes on the back of Bai Di. Her tone was leisurely. "Second sister's words are very reasonable.
Miss Zheng's soul may still be in the marquis's mansion today. Maybe it's right beside you and me. You said that it's been so many days since she died. Shouldn't it be time to find out who the real culprit is?"
"What do you mean by that!" Bai Di felt a chill down her back, frightened by Bai Zheng's eyes. She subconsciously looked behind her.
"I'm just agreeing with sister's words. I don't mean anything else. Why is sister so nervous?" Bai Zheng said with an innocent look on her face.