C16 Her Plan

"Sister-in-law, I know you're kind-hearted and don't like to stir up trouble, but that's exactly why Aunt treats us this way."

In the story, after Bai Yun was gone, Bai Shao married into the Shang family in her place. However, six months later, Shang Lu passed away. Bai Shao then set her sights on the younger son, Shang Jing, which displeased Mrs. Qian of the second branch. When Bai Shao's true identity was uncovered, it was revealed that a fortune teller had claimed her union with Shang Lu was ill-fated, worsening his illness instead of bringing good fortune.

As a result, the Shang family blamed the Bai family for Shang Lu's death and took them to court. They pulled some strings, and the entire Bai family was exiled to the frontier. The men were sent to fight, the older women cooked, and the young women were sent to the military camps.

The third branch suffered the most. Mu Jin, known for her beauty, caught unwanted attention on the way to exile. Bai Lian, trying to protect Mu Jin, was tragically killed by a sword.

Though Mu Jin appeared gentle, she had a fierce spirit. She knew that even if she reached the camp, she would become a plaything. Determined not to be defiled, she resolved that if it came to that, she would rather bite her tongue and end her life.

Now, seeing her usually timid husband die protecting her, Mu Jin couldn't bear to live on. She ended her life by striking her head against a nearby rock.

This is the fate of the kindest branch of the Bai family, where everyone lived cautiously, yet none met a good end. Bai Yun knew her arrival would alter the course of events, but she wasn't sure if it would change just her life or if everyone would be affected by her presence.

Although she didn't have any real feelings for Mu Jin, they were the original host's brother and sister-in-law and treated her the best in the family. So, she hoped to do something before leaving the Bai family to marry into the Shaang family. She needed to find a way for Bai Lian and Mu Jin to leave the Bai family.

Bai Yun's thoughts were clear. These were uneducated country folks, and even though the novel's setting was fictional, it resembled ancient times where life was cheap. If someone like Bai Yun were killed by the Bai family, no one would care.

Now, the Shaang family wanted her as a bride to counteract bad luck, which might make Mrs. Zhao treat her a bit better for the fifty taels of silver. But if she really offended her, it wouldn't be impossible for Bai Shao to replace her as the bride. In this era, without photos, they looked somewhat alike as cousins, and she feared she'd have no chance to rise again.

So, Mrs. Zhao was her current shield. She couldn't let herself be easily bullied, but she also couldn't act too impulsively. She had to know when to bow her head and endure.

After a quick wash, she headed to the kitchen to prepare breakfast. Bai Yun was skilled in cooking, but she had never used a traditional stove before. Concerned about Bai Yun overexerting herself, Mu Jin followed her to see if she needed any help. Bai Yun gladly accepted the offer and asked Mu Jin to start the fire.

The Bai family was the largest landowner in the village, but they also had a large household. Mrs. Zhao had four sons and three daughters. While the daughters were married off, the sons, their wives, and children made for a crowded home. Mrs. Zhao was known for being frugal, always keeping a tight grip on the family finances, so the Bai family's meals were often quite modest.