Bai Qingping just walked under the hallway veranda, and before he even had a chance to step into Bai Qihe’s study, he heard the clan elders talking about how their family had contributed the most in defending Shuoyang and should be recognized for their merits. Bai Qingyan ought to grant them a prince’s title...
"Clan Leader, do you think... Now that His Majesty has ascended the throne, shouldn’t we, as clan members who meritoriously defended Shuoyang, be properly rewarded? We don’t have a say in front of His Majesty, so we hope you can speak of our merits in front of His Majesty. After all, we are part of the royal family, shouldn’t granting us some fiefdoms and a hereditary prince’s title be reasonable?"
"Exactly, and that Madam Bai, Mrs. Dong..."
"Hey! How do you address her! She should be called the Empress Dowager now!" An elder corrected.
"Yes, yes, Empress Dowager! It’s Empress Dowager! At the time of defending Shuoyang, the Empress Dowager explicitly said that whoever contributed the most would be rewarded accordingly. Several of our families practically went bankrupt to stockpile grain for Shuoyang, Clan Leader, you know that very well!"
"Indeed, in order for the Princess of Zhen to ascend the throne smoothly, and to protect the Bai family ladies from being captured by King Liang to threaten the Princess of Zhen, we risked our lives to protect them and put in considerable effort! Think about it, if the Empress Dowager was captured... would the Princess of Zhen have ascended so smoothly? If we were to discuss merits, our Bai Clan should certainly be recognized first for the Princess of Zhen’s ascension!"
Listening to the clan elders simply fantasizing, Bai Qihe just held his tea cup, kept his eyes lowered, and drank his tea, bearing in silence.
"First merit?! I wasn’t aware... When did everyone become clairvoyant, knowing beforehand that the Princess of Zhen would ascend as Emperor? And when did everyone risk their lives to protect the Bai family ladies?" Bai Qingping spoke slowly, unhurriedly stepping in from outside the study, bowing to Bai Qihe, and addressing the clan elders, "When Li Mingrui led troops to attack Shuoyang, did everyone lead troops to the city walls to defend against the enemies, or personally shot and captured Li Mingrui? It was the Bai family’s two young ladies leading the Shuoyang Army to the city walls to defend against the enemies, and the Bai family ladies dispatched their household guards to repel the enemy! It was also Ji Tingyu leading the Bai family guards to arrive in time, preserving the heads of everyone present!"
"Although Bai Qingping is young, he has seen shamelessness, seen ingratitude, and seen repaying kindness with enmity, but has never seen such black-and-white reversal... Taking the kindness others have shown and claiming it as their own kindness towards them! You’ve truly opened my eyes." Bai Qingping’s voice was cold and stern.
The Bai Clan members had been continuously showing off their merits, and now Bai Qingping, who had led troops to defend Shuoyang fighting on the city walls, returned with such sharp words, presuming Bai Qingping was dissatisfied with them not showing their family’s merits, they bowed their heads in embarrassment.
Someone tried to flatter Bai Qingping: "Absolutely, the most meritorious should be the Clan Leader and Qingping. Surely His Majesty should grant the largest fiefdoms to the Clan Leader and Qingping."
"Regarding merits, Bai Qingping believes he cannot compare to the soldiers who fought in Hancheng against King Liang, nor can he compare to the Bai family ladies and young women in Dadu! As for all of you... protecting Shuoyang was also for protecting your lives. In this defense of Shuoyang for those who were meritorious, the Bai family ladies remember it clearly, and upon reporting to His Majesty, His Majesty will reward accordingly."
"But... if any of you overturn black-and-white again, insisting the defense of Shuoyang was entirely the merit of the Bai Clan, Bai Qingping will be the first to disagree, and will report today’s words exactly as spoken to His Majesty!"
Upon seeing Bai Qingping’s strong attitude, even flattery pushing the first merit onto his father and himself was not acceptable, making them afraid to offend these two, given that the only ones able to speak in front of Bai Qingyan were Bai Qihe and Bai Qingping.
The eldest of the clan elders smiled seeing this: "Alright, alright! Let’s not talk about competing for merits here, whether granting or not granting fiefdoms or titles, whatever happens, we are still His Majesty’s kin and elders!"
With these words, clan elders prepared to argue, but the eldest of them waved his hand signaling to calm down, then held his cane with both hands, pretended to be stabilizing himself, sighed deeply, and turned towards Bai Qihe: "Clan Leader, as we are all relatives and elders of His Majesty, there are things others cannot say, and as elders, we must concern ourselves with His Majesty’s well-being!"
Bai Qihe held his tea cup, raising his eyes with a smile: "Outside, His Majesty has his officials, inside, His Majesty has the Bai family ladies. What matter would require the concern of the clan elder?"
Even with Bai Qihe’s unkind words, that clan elder did not get angry, adopting a mature and steady demeanor as he waved his hand: "These words... officials dare not speak them, mentioning it might make the Bai family ladies sad, so it must be said by us elders, shamelessly advising His Majesty."
"Let’s hear it..." Bai Qihe rested his tea cup on the table, signaling Bai Qingping to sit.
"You see, His Majesty injured himself early in life, has no heirs! Moreover, His Majesty risked himself to save the previous Crown Prince, and during his recovery in Shuoyang, he nearly... several times." The clan elder paused with reluctance to continue and then said, "His Majesty’s health has worsened to that extent, and he cannot have heirs anymore. If an unforeseen event were to occur... our Zhou Kingdom would become chaotic. Therefore, for national stability, we need to establish a Crown Prince as soon as possible to assure the people!"
"Indeed!" Another clan member echoed, "Perhaps His Majesty could adopt a young child from the clan, designate him as Crown Prince, raise him at his knee, so if an unforeseen event occurs, the kingdom has a Crown Prince... thus maintaining stability."
"You jest..." Bai Qingping, now seated, coldly sneered, "His Majesty’s health is not your concern, and His Majesty will not adopt an heir from the clan. While His Majesty’s chances for offspring might be slim, that does not mean it’s impossible, and His Majesty has many sisters left, Bai family’s eighth daughter has been close with His Majesty since childhood, their bond runs deep!"
"Traditionally, succession has always passed to sons, never to sisters! How is that appropriate..."
"There are precedents of succession passing to brothers, the Empress becoming Emperor as a woman, why not pass succession to her sister?" Bai Qingping turned to the speaking elder, "Even if His Majesty were to adopt an heir, considering the close relatives, wouldn’t it be closer than clan destiny? Bai family’s Qin Madam has a son under her knee, why wouldn’t that resemble closeness over distant kin?