She remembered that the Bai family was accused of treason, of colluding with the enemy. At the time, Bai Qingqing couldn't believe it—she was sure it was a mistake. How could her father have betrayed the country? Her father was a loyal minister of the Xuan Dynasty!
"Alright, keep this to yourselves. Someone will handle this matter," Bai Jinghuai concluded the family meeting. He didn’t want his precious daughters worrying about it. "Bai Rui, from now on, stay home more. Don’t go out causing trouble."
Bai Rui, who hadn’t said a word, looked aggrieved. "Why am I the only one being singled out?"
"Who else in this family behaves like you, with no sense of propriety? If you go out and cause trouble again, I’ll break your legs."
The usual chaotic ending to family discussions made Bai Qingqing feel a bit relieved. It should have nothing to do with the Bai family.
Three days later, a letter from Fu Yi sent a chill down Bai Qingqing’s spine.
The letter asked her to meet him, with the location to be decided by her. Fu Yi wrote that the trouble the Bai family encountered had all started with this very nursery rhyme.
Bai Qingqing’s hand trembled as she held the letter. She forced herself to calm down. She had to meet him. She needed to find out exactly what had happened to the Bai family.
Bai Qingqing arranged to meet Fu Yi at Yanlai Pavilion. She arrived early, sitting in a private room, looking as if she were lost in thought, but in reality, she was going over in her mind all the questions she needed to ask.
Soon enough, Fu Yi arrived as promised. Bai Qingqing stayed seated and didn’t move, gesturing for him to close the door.
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"What do you mean by what you wrote in your letter? I've never heard of any nursery rhyme, how could it be related to the Bai family?"
When Fu Yi saw Bai Qingqing again, he couldn't suppress the surge of emotions within him. It really was her, not a figment of his imagination. The Bai Qingqing he knew, alive and well, was sitting right in front of him.
He took a few deep breaths. "I’m not sure why it came up now, but there was indeed a nursery rhyme back then. You wouldn’t know about it, as you were in the royal residence at the time and unaware of these events."
Bai Qingqing’s face tightened. Not only did she not know about the nursery rhyme, but she was almost completely unaware of what was happening outside the manor. She had spent her days in gloom and solitude, with only the fragrances to alleviate her frustration.
"So, what does this nursery rhyme have to do with the Bai family?"
According to Fu Yi, the nursery rhyme was just the beginning. The rhyme was catchy and easy to remember, spreading not only throughout Xuan City but also to surrounding towns, causing a great stir.
Some in the court petitioned to reopen the investigation, while others opposed it, causing a huge uproar. The emperor, overwhelmed, handed the matter to the Ministry of Justice, which dared not take it lightly. They reopened the case files from that time and sent people to the southwest to inquire and investigate. They actually uncovered some clues.
Fu Yi paused, seemingly troubled. Bai Qingqing, growing impatient, urged him, "What happened next? You’re not suggesting these clues are related to my father, are you?"
Under Bai Qingqing’s intense gaze, Fu Yi hesitantly nodded. Bai Qingqing’s pupils contracted sharply. "This is impossible!"
"My father thinks the same," Fu Yi continued. "He petitioned several times, but the emperor ordered him not to attend court anymore. Even so, the evidence is overwhelming. There are witnesses from the southwest. Although the person died suddenly on the way to Xuan City, there is still his personal blood-written letter as proof…"
Bai Qingqing shook her head in disbelief. "This can’t be! It’s impossible! Someone must be framing my father, framing the Bai family!"
Fu Yi sighed. "I don’t believe it either. The witness from Lingjun suddenly died. I wanted to go investigate, to confirm whether he was murdered, but before I could, his body was burned beyond recognition, leaving nothing behind."