"Master, do I have to go too?" Qiu Zhi, the young Daoist, looked conflicted.
Bai Ruozhu rolled her eyes at him, "No, you’d better stay ho and avoid getting conned without realizing it."
Qiu Zhi looked relieved; while he wasn’t afraid of demons and ghosts, he was a bit intimidated by crowds, especially when large groups tempted him to mischief.
The group set off on horseback at a swift pace. On the way, Bai Ruozhu discussed the situation and shared her plan.
"Just let know when it’s ti to take action," Fo Lanying said excitedly.
"Alright, but I didn’t say we were fighting. None of you should act rashly," Bai Ruozhu emphasized.
"Of course, definitely," Fo Lanying quickly agreed.
Lao Wan didn’t choose a nunnery outside of the Capital City; instead, she found a small nunnery in the city called Zhenxin Nunnery, not far from the Du Wang Residence. It was convenient for the Lao family to get there, and it didn’t take Bai Ruozhu and her group much ti to reach either.
By now, darkness had fallen, and the lanterns outside the nunnery were lit. A crowd gathered outside, seemingly residents from nearby judging by their attire.
Yizi asked curiously, "Don’t these people have to go ho for dinner? What’s so interesting about this commotion?"
"Many people have never seen the Prince, nor the famous lady rumored to shave her head, so they’re extrely curious," said Jianqi, who despite his cold nature was very warm towards Yizi.
Fo Lanying pouted, "I guess they all want to know what a beauty looks like after shaving her head. Even I’m curious."
Bai Ruozhu led the way, while Jianqi cleared the path in front, shouting, "Make way, Chief Doctor Bai is here! Everyone, clear a path!"
The onlookers excitedly stepped aside, making a path while all eyes turned to Bai Ruozhu, looking at her as if she were the star of a scandal.
Bai Ruozhu disliked being watched but couldn’t bla these gossipers, so she confidently walked inside.
"Ruozhu, why are you here? This has nothing to do with you, go back quickly!" As soon as Bai Ruozhu entered, Du Zhongshu looked at her with a "heartfelt" expression.
Madam Lao suddenly turned to Bai Ruozhu, wiping the corners of her eyes, "Oh, my poor daughter, bullied by a female officer. Otherwise, how could she be so heartbroken at such a young age?"
Bai Ruozhu glanced at her briefly, thinking Madam Lao was truly foolish. Shouldn’t anyone with half a brain be more interested in seeing her and Du Zhongshu at odds? Why was Madam Lao playing the front-runner?
"Madam Lao, you’re really a good mistress. Why didn’t you show more love to Lao Wan, your illegitimate daughter, while she was in the Lao Residence? What good does crying do now?
"Oh, right, I rember you prepared Lao Wan’s dowry. There wasn’t even a piece of fine silk among the fabrics. The only brocade was old stock, already faded and moldy in places."
Bai Ruozhu spoke slowly, "Even I couldn’t stand it. I thought of adding so to Miss Lao Wan’s dowry, but then I realized if I did, wouldn’t it embarrass the Lao Family?"
Madam Lao indeed skimped on Lao Wan’s dowry, thinking Lao Wan would just be a concubine, unlikely to win much favor. Even a shabby dowry wouldn’t be noticed, and Lao Wan dared not shout about it, as it would disgrace herself. But Madam Lao never expected Bai Ruozhu would bring this matter to light.
"This, this is impossible!" Madam Lao cried out, "I’ve always cherished Wan’er the most; who in the household doesn’t know that?"
Bai Ruozhu laughed, "If you truly cherished her, why didn’t you ever take this talented and beautiful illegitimate daughter to gatherings? I’ve been in the Capital for so ti and never saw Miss Lao at any banquets. Of course, I dare not ddle in the Lao family’s affairs, but Madam Lao, before insinuating that soone hard Lao Wan, reflect on yourself. Why keep up the facade when it’s co to this?"
Her words were utterly blunt. Today, she was here to wreak havoc, stopping at nothing.
Fo Lanying and Yizi watched, their eyes sparkling. They hadn’t known before that their master was so eloquent. A woman like Madam Lao dreaming of outsmarting Bai Ruozhu was a fool’s errand.
Fo Lanying suddenly pinched her own palm. Why did she call her "master" again? Argh! She must have been enchanted by Bai Ruozhu’s personal charm.
Lao Wan, held back by the maid, tearfully said, "It’s nothing to do with mother, I’m just utterly despondent, unwilling to be a burden on anyone. I only want to devote myself to Buddha from now on."
Bai Ruozhu cast her a glance and raised her voice, "How strange, a weak woman like Lao Wan with no strength could still not be stopped? Even if the nuns at Zhenxin Nunnery dared not touch her, weren’t there plenty from the Lao family and Du Wang Residence? How could they not stop a concubine prone to impulsive whims from shaving her head?"
Fo Lanying chid in at the right mont, "Yeah, haven’t those maids and matrons eaten? Or are they frozen here performing for soone?"
The onlookers couldn’t help but laugh. If the Lao family didn’t want Lao Wan to beco a nun, why not just pull her ho? Could they not handle one woman?
Bai Ruozhu turned to Du Zhongshu, "Prince Du, as an Imperial Court officer, if nothing else, shouldn’t you abide by the Imperial laws? According to the law, a concubine cannot leave the main household at will, let alone shave her head to beco a nun. If Prince Du can’t control a concubine, won’t he face objections from the Censors tomorrow?"
Du Zhongshu looked at Bai Ruozhu with deep affection, "Ruozhu, how could you say that about ? You know why I don’t want to stop her, why I keep her at ho as re decoration."
"Prince Du, mind your words. Please address as Chief Doctor Bai or Lady Bai; we’re not familiar enough for you to use my given na so casually," Bai Ruozhu sternly replied.
The phrase "we’re not familiar" stung Du Zhongshu, and he showed a pained expression, "Chief Doctor Bai, I was presumptuous."
By appearing understanding, he made Bai Ruozhu seem sowhat cold-hearted.
But Bai Ruozhu was unfazed; she was here to pick a fight, not caring about reputation.
"It was I, I slipped out secretly; it has nothing to do with the Prince. I just really don’t want to remain a decoration in the Wang Residence, hindering the Prince from taking a proper wife. Becoming a nun is better," Lao Wan said hesitantly.
Bai Ruozhu couldn’t help but laugh, "You’re already a decoration, how could you hinder him from marrying a princess? But you keep talking about being a decoration. Are you complaining he hasn’t yet consummated the marriage with you?"
The crowd burst into laughter; no one expected Bai Ruozhu to ask so directly.
Madam Lao expressed her disdain, "Chief Doctor Bai, how could you..."
The implication was that Bai Ruozhu disgraced womanhood, being too indecorous.
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