Rebirth: The Journey of an Heiress
Chapter 943 - 939: Pingan Returns to the Capital

Chapter 943: Chapter 939: Pingan Returns to the Capital

After a moment, seeing Bai Qingyan remain silent, Prime Minister Lu, kneeling on the high steps, looked up at Bai Qingyan. He saw Bai Qingyan quietly gazing in the direction of Wude Gate, her expression calm and eyes resolute, not knowing whom she was waiting for...

Seeing this, Prime Minister Lu, fearing they would miss the auspicious time, slightly straightened and loudly entreated, "Please, Your Majesty, ascend the throne!"

"Please, Your Majesty, ascend the throne!" the officials followed loudly in unison.

Bai Qingyu, standing to the side with a mask, raised his eyes to look at his elder sister, clenching his fists slightly.

He knew... his elder sister was waiting for the Bai family members who hadn’t returned yet. She hoped that when she ascended the throne, as announced in her edict to the world, the surviving Bai family army and members could hurry back to witness this moment together.

To witness... the opening Chapter of Zhou’s unification.

Bai Jinxiu and Bai Qingjue looked back with tears in their eyes toward Wude Gate, hoping Wei Zhong could bring back the surviving Bai family members and army before the Eldest Young Lady ascended to that high position.

As time passed, the sunlight grew stronger, and Dadu City inside and out shimmered with golden brilliance.

The officials whispered among themselves, and Prime Minister Lu dared to ask Bai Qingyan to ascend the throne again.

A cool breeze brushed Bai Qingyan’s diadem and the beaded protocol lightly. Her eyes, reddened and sore, finally saw someone pushing a wheelchair coming slowly from outside the golden-shrouded Wude Gate...

Xiao Ruohai was pushing Bai Qingyun, with Xiao Ruojiang walking beside him.

"Eldest Sister!" Bai Jinzhao could no longer contain himself, suddenly stood up, and called out to Bai Qingyan, tears bursting forth instantly.

Hearing the voice, Bai Qingyan clenched her back teeth and gripped the sword hilt tightly; she saw...

She saw her ninth brother Bai Qingyun and her two brothers. She restrained the surging emotions in her heart and said to Bai Qingjue, "Ah Jue... go and meet them!"

Bai Qingyan knew that back then, her ninth brother Bai Qingyun had carved a path to survival for his elder brother Bai Qingjue. This matter weighed on Bai Qingjue’s heart like a stone. His greatest hope was for A Yun’s return.

"Yes!" Bai Qingjue responded loudly, turning and running swiftly down the high steps.

Bai Qingjue’s eyes were red; on the wheelchair was A Yun! His ninth brother A Yun, who had risked his life to save him!

The once carefree and unrestrained Bai family’s ninth son now sat in a wheelchair, his youthful arrogance gone, leaving only steadiness and composure. He looked at his elder sister in imperial robes on the high steps, tears welling up as he tightly gripped his clothes.

Already at the Sihai Pavilion on Luopan Mountain, he knew his elder sister would ascend to the throne one day and unify the land.

When he saw the edict his elder sister announced to the world... ordering the remaining Bai family members and army to return to Dadu for the enthronement ceremony, he almost couldn’t hold back his tears.

The Bai family should have been like this long ago, but Grandfather was too loyal to the Emperor to betray him.

Yet if the ruler lacked the ambition for unification, a minister whose ambitions were too grand would surely face suspicion and execution.

If the Bai family wanted to achieve unification early, they could not pin their hopes on assisting a wise ruler but rather... on becoming the sovereign themselves.

Seeing his seventh brother Bai Qingjue from afar, Bai Qingyun’s lips curved into a smile, his eyes wet with emotion.

It’s so good to see Seventh Brother is still alive!

Bai Qingjue walked quickly; he went to Bai Qingyun, looking at him sitting in the wooden wheelchair... resting on Bai Qingyun’s legs, his hands clenched at his sides, his eyes blurred with mist.

"Seventh Brother..." Bai Qingyun called out to Bai Qingjue with a hoarse voice.

Bai Qingjue struggled to smile, nodded, took over Bai Qingyun’s wheelchair from Xiao Ruohai, and pushed him toward Bai Qingyan.

The wheelchair stopped below the jade steps of the main hall. Bai Qingyun propped his hands on the wheelchair armrests, trying to stand. After two unsuccessful attempts, sweat oozed from his forehead. He signaled to Xiao Ruojiang and Xiao Ruohai to step forward; the two understood and helped Bai Qingyun up...

Standing on the high steps, when Li Zhijie saw Bai Qingyun’s face, his expression changed slightly. He glanced at Bai Qingyan in imperial attire, then his gaze returned to Bai Qingyun, opening and fanning with an iron-boned folding fan absentmindedly.

Even now, Li Zhijie didn’t know which son of the Bai family this was, but it appeared... Bai Qingyan had been waiting for this Bai family member.

Li Zhijie felt a bit troubled inside. King of Baishui failed to assassinate Bai Qingyan, and before Bai Qingyan ascended to the top steps of Qiankun Palace, Second Young Lady Bai Jinxiu had already dealt with him thoroughly, leaving no trace. Given Bai Qingyan’s high regard for this Bai family member with broken legs, could the peace talks between Xiliang and Zhou face obstacles?

Bai Qingyun clenched his teeth, slowly straightened, supported onto one knee at the steps, struggling to maintain himself before cupping his hands and loudly declaring, "Youlong Cavalry Camp, ninth son of the Bai family... Bai Qingyun, returns to the Capital safely!"

Bai Qingyun’s resonant and solemn voice echoed across the heavens and the earth.

Though he had lost his legs, he still had his hands... and his mind. He no longer wanted to waste time at Sihai Pavilion. He wanted to return... to aid his elder sister, unify the land, and fulfill the generations-long ambition of the Bai family.

Bai Jinzhao and Bai Jinhua burst into tears, Bai Jinxiu looked at Bai Qingyun with tears in her eyes, showing a smile uglier than crying.

A Yun... finally managed to return in time for the Eldest Young Lady’s enthronement!

The words "returns to the Capital safely" nearly broke Bai Qingyan’s calm; she raised a hand to signal Bai Qingyun to get up...

A Yun had returned; was it possible there were other surviving Bai family members who could hurry back? Walk through the golden-shrouded Wude Gate and say they had returned safely to the Capital.

Bai Qingyu’s hands tightened behind his back, his gaze focused on his elder sister. He... still owed the Bai family a "return safely to the Capital."

Today, Bai Qingyu stood here, alongside his brothers and sisters of the Bai family; he also wanted to see more Bai family members return and say here... that they had returned safely to the Capital.

"Ninth Brother!" Bai Jinzhao stood and ran down the steps.

Bai Jinhua couldn’t hold back either, followed her toward Bai Qingyun.

The two girls in military attire rushed to Bai Qingyun, tightly embracing him as Xiao Ruojiang and Xiao Ruohai tried to hold him steady, and burst into tears.

The tear-blurred eyes of Bai Qingyan saw that someone seemed to be heading straight for Wude Gate, apparently led by Wei Zhong. Her palm, gripping the hilt of the imperial sword, became clammy with sweat...

It could be expected that A Yun was returning, but if another Bai family member could return, Bai Qingyan would truly need to thank Heaven for its compassion.

Bai Qingyan did not know who was returning; her heart was caught in her throat.

The Bai family awaited with bated breath.

With a gasp, Bai Jinxiu’s eyes widened, filled with hope. She turned, choking back sobs, to call Bai Qingyan, "Eldest Sister..."

Bai Qingyan composed herself and nodded. Bai Jinxiu forced herself to maintain composure and turned back to look toward Wude Gate.