Before Song Yiqing could finish his words, Bai Fu rushed in hastily.
Bai Zheng frowned and asked, "What's wrong, Uncle Fu?"
Bai Fu took a breath before saying, "Miss, someone from the palace has come. They said they're here to deliver an invitation."
"Where's Father?" Bai Zheng stood up and casually wiped the tea stain from the corner of her lips with her sleeve.
In the past, matters related to the palace had nothing to do with Bai Zheng. As the steward, Bai Fu should have been extremely busy at the front and would never have come to call her specifically.
But now, since Bai Yinan was at home and Bai Fu knew she was entertaining a guest yet still came to find her, it was obvious that this invitation from the palace was most likely intended for her.
Song Yiqing stood up politely, bowed and said, "Since a noble guest from the palace has come to your mansion, I won't disturb you any longer. I'll follow everything Miss Bai said. We can discuss the specific matters another time."
Bai Zheng nodded and didn't try to persuade him to stay. She then ordered someone to escort him out.
After Song Yiqing left, Bai Fu replied, "Master has gone to the gate to welcome the noble guest from the palace. But that noble guest said he has to wait for you, Miss, to go there so that he can hand the invitation to you personally before he can consider his task completed."
"Hand it to me personally?" Bai Zheng raised her eyebrows. "Since the noble guest has said so, if I don't go to the gate to welcome this precious invitation, it would be inappropriate. Let's go!"
With that, she stood up and walked towards the door.
Bai Fu quickly followed.
It was the drowsy time in the afternoon, and there were few passers - by on the street.
Bai Zheng stepped out of the mansion gate. Not far from the gate, on the deserted street, there was a rather low - key and simple sedan chair parked.
Her father, Bai Yinan, was standing beside the sedan chair looking extremely nervous. It seemed that the person inside was still asking something, and Bai Yinan bowed from time to time to answer a few words.
"Father." Bai Zheng walked forward slowly and called out obediently.
When Bai Yinan saw Bai Zheng coming, a relieved smile immediately appeared on his face. He quickly reached out his hand towards the sedan chair and said, "Hurry up and pay respects to the noble guest."
"Yes." After Bai Zheng obediently replied, without looking around, she immediately lowered her eyes and saluted the sedan chair, saying, "Bai Zheng pays respects to the noble guest."
As soon as Bai Zheng finished speaking, a hearty laugh came from inside the sedan chair. "Hahaha... Good, very good! I can't believe it. Are all the people in this world blind? They actually say that the third Miss Bai is talentless, ugly and immoral. Minister Bai, you've clearly raised a wonderful daughter!"
Hearing someone praise his beloved daughter, Bai Yinan couldn't hide his pride on his face, but he still modestly said, "My daughter is lacking in talent and plain in appearance. I'm making the noble guest laugh."
"Where is that? Minister Bai is being too modest." The person in the sedan chair laughed and then said to Bai Zheng, "Miss Bai, come here."
Bai Zheng obediently stepped forward.
Then she saw that the originally tightly - sealed sedan chair suddenly cracked a small slit from the side curtain, and an invitation was stretched out from inside.
Bai Zheng quickly and respectfully took it with both hands. Before she could look up to see clearly, the slit closed.
Then she heard the person say, "Five days from now is Princess Mingzhao's birthday. Originally, it was planned to hold a grand celebration. But now, Miss Zheng Yan passed away early, and the Fourth Prince is seriously ill. Concubine Zhao really has no mood for it. So the palace can only settle for a small birthday banquet and specially invite the close official's daughters to attend. Miss Bai, you and Miss Bai and the others are all cousins. Since the invitations have been sent to them, there's no reason to leave out the third Miss. So the noble concubine sent this servant here and ordered me to hand the invitation to the third Miss personally. At that time, I hope the third Miss will do us the honor and come to congratulate Princess Mingzhao on her birthday."
Hearing this, a look of being flattered immediately appeared on Bai Zheng's face. She smiled coquettishly like a fifteen - year - old girl and said, "Is this invitation really for me? That's great! Thank you, noble guest, and thank you, Concubine Zhao!"
"Hehe." The person in the sedan chair clearly laughed happily. "Now that the invitation has been handed to Miss Bai, this servant has completed the task. There are still several other young ladies to deliver invitations to, so I won't stay any longer."
As soon as the words fell, the palace servant beside let out a long, shrill cry, "Lift the sedan chair -"
Bai Yinan and Bai Zheng quickly knelt down and saluted, saying, "Take care on your way, noble guest."
The sedan chair swayed and slowly moved away from Bai Zheng's sight.
Bai Zheng raised her head, squinted her eyes slightly, and stared at the sedan chair as it moved away.
A gentle breeze blew, lifting a corner of the sedan curtain. The thick curtain was blown open, revealing a corner of a light purple robe inside.
Bai Zheng tilted her head. She didn't slowly withdraw her gaze until the sedan chair completely disappeared around the street corner.
When she turned around, she saw that the smile on her father's face had somehow been replaced by a worried look.
"What's wrong, Father?" Bai Zheng asked with concern.
Bai Yinan frowned and looked at the invitation in his hand. "During this period, I'm afraid our Bai Mansion won't have any peace."
Although the noble guest who delivered the message had given a grand - sounding reason, Bai Yinan still keenly sensed something was wrong.
Over the years, not to mention Concubine Zhao, even Zhao Shi, who was married to Bai Yizhang, had always looked down on Bai Yinan's family.
If it was a grand banquet, due to Bai Yinan's status as a third - rank minister, they might be invited. But now it was just a small birthday banquet for Princess Mingzhao. How could they specifically come to find Bai Zheng?
I'm afraid it's another treacherous banquet.
Thinking of this, Bai Yinan felt extremely anxious. "Where is Marquis Dingyuan? If he were by your side, I'd feel more at ease."
Somehow, Feng Linyuan, this prospective son - in - law, had completely won Bai Yinan's favor. At least in Bai Yinan's opinion, Feng Linyuan really valued his daughter.
Moreover, he had the support of the Marquis Dingyuan Mansion. Although it was now in decline, a starved camel is still bigger than a horse. He could protect Bai Zheng better than her useless father.
Bai Zheng couldn't help but burst out laughing. "Father, why are you suddenly mentioning him? Didn't the noble guest just say that this small banquet only invited the official's daughters in the city? Not to mention that Linyuan is not in Yongding now. Even if he were here, it wouldn't be appropriate for him to attend the banquet openly with me."
"He's not in Yongding?" Bai Yinan was slightly stunned. "His health is so poor, yet he still runs around?"
Bai Zheng turned her head, her eyes looking into the distance. A bright smile that she had never had before appeared on her face. "His health will get better soon."
Not far away, new buds were sprouting on the willow branches one after another. The scattered azaleas by the roadside were gorgeous and charming. The on - coming wind was filled with the fragrance of camphor trees.
Bai Zheng closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She felt that her chest and lungs were filled with all the fragrances in the world.
This was the most beautiful March in the world.
Everything was so full of vitality.