The next morning, in the side hall of the Bai family, Bai Ruoxi, wearing a long white dress that outlined her slender figure, sat on a chair drinking morning tea, exuding a noble and elegant temperament.
Beside her, a beautiful woman who bore a resemblance to Bai Ruoxi but had a few more crow's feet on her face held a teacup. The beautiful woman was dressed in a more mature style than Bai Ruoxi, with a fuller figure and a charming face.
She put down her teacup and seemed to be in a good mood as she turned to her daughter and said with a smile,
"Ruoxi, I've told you that as long as you step forward, there's no way that boy from the Mu family won't help."
Bai Ruoxi shook her head slightly and replied, "This matter has nothing to do with me. He only helped the Bai family because something happened to Master Mu."
"Yes... rescuing the Bai family was the right thing to do. Mu Zhian's main purpose was not to save the Bai family but to divert conflicts. The conflict with the Gongsun family was shifted from Mu Zhian to the man in the black robe,"
Bai Yuanfeng said, glancing meaningfully at her daughter. She continued, "Ruoxi, tell me the truth, is there something between Mu Zhian and you?"
Bai Ruoxi glared at her mother in embarrassment, shook her head, and said, "Mom, what are you talking about? Master Mu has never made advances towards me."
Bai Yuanfeng looked puzzled and said doubtfully, "That's strange... Does he really have no feelings for you?"
"He once said that I can't be used as a bargaining chip... because I am a human being," Bai Ruoxi replied, secretly observing her mother's reaction with a glimmer of hope in her eyes, as if she wanted to hear something reassuring from the beautiful woman.
Bai Yuanfeng shook her head and said with a smile, "Men often say such things. Those words can only deceive a three-year-old. Don't take them seriously."
Bai Ruoxi fell silent for a moment, nodding slightly but remaining silent. Regardless of whether Mu Zhian's words were true or not, he had said them and acted accordingly. Throughout the ordeal, they had only held hands and nothing more. If it had been any other man, he probably wouldn't have been able to resist from the first moment they were in the carriage.
"Mom, now that the Bai family is safe for the time being, the Gongsun family and the Dawn Chamber of Commerce may still pose a threat in the future..."
Bai Ruoxi suddenly spoke up, "Since the Tongmai Pill may not be needed in the coming years or even decades... should we still use it for trade?"
After finishing her question, Bai Ruoxi raised her head and looked at her mother, her eyes filled with a glimmer of hope. However, Bai Yuanfeng's response shattered Bai Ruoxi's hopes.
"What nonsense are you talking about? The Tongmai Pill may be useless now, but it won't do any good if we hand it over to the Mu family. If the Mu family uses the Tongmai Pill to reach the Nascent Soul Realm, the Bai family will truly be in trouble," Bai Yuanfeng said, picking up her teacup and taking a sip.
She glanced at her daughter and added, "You should just marry into the Mu family honestly. That way, our families will be connected, and there won't be as many complications."
Bai Ruoxi remained silent and quietly sipped her tea. Bai Yuanfeng looked at her daughter suspiciously and remarked, "Before, when I asked you to marry into the Mu family, you always said you would never agree, even if it meant death... Why do you seem less opposed to it now?"
Bai Ruoxi's eyes flickered slightly as she softly replied, "What's the use of objecting? It won't change anything, right?"
She wasn't sure if she had accepted her fate or something had changed... She no longer seemed to detest the idea of marrying into the Mu family as much as she did initially.
"By the way, why do you think the Gongsun family and the Dawn Chamber of Commerce have temporarily halted their attacks on the Bai family?"
Bai Yuanfeng suddenly brought up the topic. She had only heard from her daughter that the Bai family was safe for the time being, but she was unaware of the full details.
Bai Ruoxi explained, "It's related to the raid on Gongsun Zan's residence yesterday..."
Bai Yuanfeng pondered for a moment and said, "So I heard that Gongsun Zan led a raid on a residence yesterday but was killed by Mu Zhian instead?"
"Could it be that the reason the Gongsun family and the Chenxi Chamber of Commerce have postponed their actions against the Bai family is because they are targeting the Mu family? But they probably lack the courage..."
Bai Yuanfeng looked at her daughter in confusion. Bai Ruoxi nodded slightly.
Bai Yuanfeng shook her head and said, "That's impossible. Even if the people of Tianxuan City believe such claims, the Gongsun family wouldn't buy into it."
Just then, a maid rushed in to report urgent news. "Madam, Miss!" she exclaimed.
Bai Yuanfeng, slightly irritated by the maid's urgency, asked, "What's the rush? What happened?"
The maid replied, "It's about Gongsun Zan..."
Bai Yuanfeng interrupted, "I already know about yesterday's events. There's no need to repeat them."
The maid clarified, "It's not about yesterday... It's about this morning."
Bai Yuanfeng's interest was piqued as she inquired, "What happened this morning? Has there been a development?"
The maid revealed, "Gongsun Zan's death has been reevaluated."
Bai Yuanfeng pressed, "Reevaluated? What do you mean? Are you saying that Mu Zhian may not be responsible for his death...?"
The maid confirmed, "Gongsun Zan was not killed by Master Mu. He was merely defending himself. The true culprit behind Gongsun Zan's death is a mysterious man in a black robe."
Bai Yuanfeng was taken aback by this revelation.
She questioned the accuracy of the information, to which the maid responded, "Members of the Gongsun family have come forward to confirm the truth. Even the eldest daughter who was present at the Chen family's residence, as well as the servants and staff, have attested to the presence of a man in a black robe."
Bai Yuanfeng was stunned by the news. Could it be true that there was indeed a man in a black robe...? But even so, why would the Gongsun family help confirm the news in favor of the Mu family?
Bai Yuanfeng regained her composure, dismissed the maid, and took a sip of tea thoughtfully. Shortly after, she prepared herself and left the Bai family in haste.
Meanwhile, news of the mysterious black-robed monk's involvement in Gongsun Zan's death spread throughout Tianxuan City early that morning.
The identity of the man in the black robe became a topic of discussion in every inn and teahouse. People began praising Mu Zhian for his sense of justice and condemning Gongsun Zan for his misconduct towards women.
Speculations about the man in the black robe's appearance and motives were rampant. As Mu Zhian had predicted, no one cared about the details of Gongsun Zan's demise.
As the discussions continued, a man in a black robe descended the stairs of an inn, his face mostly concealed under a hood. He listened to the conversations around him as he made his way down.
The man in black robe overheard various opinions about the recent events, some praising Mu Zhian's actions while others remained skeptical. Suddenly, someone mentioned the man in the black robe, sparking curiosity among the crowd.
All eyes turned to the mysterious figure descending the stairs. Whispers filled the room as people speculated about his identity and appearance.
The Gongsun family had issued a reward for the capture of the black-robed man, making him a target of interest. Sensing the hostile gazes and whispers around him, the man in black robe cursed inwardly, dropped some coins, and swiftly left the inn without a word. Monks who had been trailing him were left puzzled as they reached the inn's entrance, only to find the man in black robe had vanished. From that day on, Tianxuan City never saw the man in black robe again.