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墨書 Inktalez
“Matriarch, where are you going so early?” Liu Ying rubbed her sleepy eyes. If it weren't for the young lady's return, she would have slept soundly, but her excitement kept her restless, and she almost didn't notice Matriarch's movements.
Madam Bai was already dressed and looked a bit surprised at Liu Ying's arrival. Logically, with such light footsteps, she shouldn't have been heard. But since Liu Ying was already there, she couldn't hide it anymore and said, “Perhaps I didn't rest well last night. I want to go out for a walk and get some fresh air.”
Liu Ying quickly replied, “Matriarch, please wait. I'll prepare right away.” With that, she turned and hurried away.
However, Madam Bai had no intention of waiting for her. As Liu Ying turned to leave, she stepped toward the front door and soon disappeared from sight.
At this time, the sky had not fully brightened, and the streets appeared quite desolate. Madam Bai walked steadily among them, contemplating how to speak when she met the Five Elders later. After her conversation with Ouyang Zixin yesterday, she was certain that her granddaughter was not someone easy to handle; she might be even harder to control than Baike. If that were the case, her plans might need to change.
“Ah.” A long sigh echoed in the dimly lit street, sounding somewhat eerie.
Standing at the door of Room One, Madam Bai felt a bit regretful; her visit today seemed somewhat impulsive.
Just as she was about to turn away, the door opened from within, and the Grand Elder stepped out with a smile. “Matriarch visiting so early must mean there's something important? Please come in.”
With no choice but to proceed, Madam Bai nodded and followed the Grand Elder inside. Once seated, she asked, “Have there been any unusual occurrences these past few days?”
Last time she had firmly sent someone away from Ouyang Xuan's Mansion. This time, Madam Bai personally came over with a much lower posture. This made the Grand Elder somewhat puzzled; could something have happened?
“Matriarch need not worry. Aside from Baike still not waking up, there hasn't been anything major,” the Grand Elder personally poured tea for Madam Bai and then stroked his beard while smiling. “After that day, I thought Matriarch wouldn't come to see us again.”
“Grand Elder is too kind,” Madam Bai said somewhat uncomfortably. Initially regretting her impulsive visit, she now regretted it even more. By coming here, she had already lost some ground. She feared that things wouldn't go as smoothly from here on out.
Seeing Madam Bai looking troubled, the Grand Elder calculated in his mind but did not reveal anything on his face. He simply sat quietly without saying a word.
A moment of tea passed quietly...
The sky gradually brightened. The streets began to buzz with activity, with people opening their shops, going out to buy supplies, and bustling about. It was a stark contrast to the tranquility inside the room.
"My granddaughter returned yesterday."
In the end, it was Madam Bai who spoke first. After all, she had taken the initiative to come forward.
"Oh?" The Elder was genuinely surprised by this news, as they had stationed people outside the Millennium Ruins. However, no one had reported that anyone had been teleported out. He didn't expect Ouyang Zixin to have already returned home. "Have you seen her?"
"Yes, I have." Madam Bai nodded. Knowing what her granddaughter was like, perhaps it would have been better not to see her at all.
The Elder sensed something off in Madam Bai's tone; it seemed devoid of the previous certainty and anticipation. He immediately stood up and said, "Matriarch, please wait a moment. I will go fetch the other Four Elders."
Madam Bai opened her mouth as if to stop him but ultimately said nothing.
Before long, the Four Elders arrived, each finding a seat. The Elder acted as the representative and inquired, "Matriarch, did you ask her if she was injured in the Millennium Ruins?"
It was already a foregone conclusion that Baike had been injured in the Millennium Ruins. To say that the dark patterns were unrelated to Baike was impossible. The current focus shifted to Ouyang Zixin; if she was also injured, then the chances were fifty-fifty for her and Baike. If she wasn't injured, then the dark patterns displayed on the Bright White Stone must point directly to Baike.
The first concern of the Five Elders indeed aligned with Madam Bai's.
"She was injured too," Madam Bai affirmed. "Don't look at me like that; I have no reason to deceive you."
"Matriarch, you are being too modest. We naturally believe what you say." The Elder smiled and waved his hand. If he had previously suspected a change in Madam Bai's attitude, he could now be certain that her feelings toward her granddaughter had not only changed but had likely changed significantly.
"Since that's the case, what brings you here today, Madam Bai?" Elder Five was most annoyed by their roundabout way of speaking. Although he understood, he found it bothersome and directly interjected, "Can't you just say what you mean?"
"Old Five!" Second Elder shot him a glare. Even though Madam Bai had lowered her stance today, they could not afford to be disrespectful.
Elder Five muttered under his breath in defiance but remained silent.
"I came here today not for anything else but to ask how you view the Alien Manifestation and the matter of the Legitimate Daughter," Madam Bai said. She didn't mind Elder Five's words; it wasn't that she didn't want to be direct, but she had long been accustomed to this way of speaking and couldn't change it overnight. Since they preferred straightforwardness, she would speak plainly.
"The Alien Manifestation is unusual, and The Return of the Legitimate Daughter is no different. Therefore, for the sake of that half chance, we have already sent Baike into Leaving the Royal Palace for protection," the Elder said after some thought, not hiding Baike's whereabouts any longer since their real concern was not the Matriarch.
"What? You sent her to the palace of the Exiled Nation?" Madam Bai was taken aback; she hadn't expected that within just a few days, Baike would already be out of their control. "But what happened?"
"To be honest, Bai Zhan has already sent several groups of people trying to take Baike away. We had no choice but to send her away," he explained. This was not a time for concerns about face; if they couldn't even protect her, what was there to worry about?
"He really couldn't wait." Madam Bai knew her son too well. Now all circumstances were in his favor; if he could hold his temper, he wouldn't be called Bai Zhan. "Especially at this time, we should protect Baike well. Her father is not a good person; who knows what he might do to his own daughter for power? Back then, he could even harm his own sister..."
The six of them discussed how to protect Baike and guard against Bai Zhan in the room, gradually resolving their previous misunderstandings. After all, regardless of Madam Bai's purpose for coming today, their unified goal was for the good of the Bai Clan, so everything progressed relatively smoothly.
However, in a dark corner outside the tavern, a figure emerged after Madam Bai left. Watching her retreating figure disappear before vanishing again...
(To be continued.)
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