The Comeback of the Cannon-Fodder Supporting Actress

Anning was stunned after hearing the royal decree.

Bai En stood there, ”Princess Rong’an, accept the decree.”

Anning quickly bowed, ”I accept the decree with gratitude, Your Majesty.”

She received the decree, stood up, and smiled at Bai En, speaking in a voice only the two of them could hear, ”Father, come inside for tea.”

”Alright, let’s go inside for tea, inside...”

Bai En took hold of Xiao Yuan’s arm, ”I have some words to discuss with Young Master Wei.”

Xiao Yuan smiled as he helped Bai En into the room.

Once seated, Bai En began to explain the matters inside the palace to Anning and Xiao Yuan, ”I spoke to His Majesty and revealed everything about you. His Majesty’s Hidden Guards are formidable. Unless we have no contact whatsoever, they would eventually find out. It’s better to be honest with His Majesty, this way, I can openly take care of you.”

Anning sighed, ”I’m afraid I’ve troubled you and mother.”

Bai En waved his hand, ”What trouble? At worst, your mother and I will be more discreet from now on. The palace is so vigilant that even a stone there seems to have eyes.”

At this point, he looked a bit dejected.

Anning rose and went inside the room, coming out with a small white jade bottle.

She poured a pill from inside and handed it to Bai En, ”Father, take this.”

Bai En didn’t ask what it was and took it immediately.

After giving Bai En the pill, Anning put the white jade bottle away, ”Mother has already been given hers quietly. Now that father has taken yours, I won’t have to worry about either of your health.”

She spoke to Bai En further, ”Once my husband takes the Imperial Examination, we probably won’t stay in the Capital for long. We might only reunite in five or six years.”

Bai En felt a bit sentimental hearing this, ”No worries, you will still be living in the Capital for a long time. Whenever I’m on leave, I can visit you, or you can come to see me so we can have more time together.”

”Mhm.”

Anning nodded.

She then asked Bai En, ”Father, what are your plans for the Miao Family?”

Speaking of the Miao Family, Bai En laughed.

Taking this opportunity, he revealed the situation regarding the Miao Family, thus enabling him to take unrestricted measures against them.

After all, compared to someone like him who saved Emperor Jianyuan’s life and remains loyal and trusted, a Miao Family is insignificant in Emperor Jianyuan’s eyes — just an Assistant Prefect of Wuyuan. If they’re gone, so be it. There are plenty of scholars eager to become officials, easily replaceable.

Bai En didn’t elaborate on his plans for the Miao Family, but Anning and Xiao Yuan understood.

Bai En looked at Anning, pleased with her intelligence, ”Sure enough, you are my daughter, as smart and clever as I am.”

”That’s right, I’m the smartest.”

Anning raised her eyebrows, full of pride.

After seeing Bai En off, Xiao Yuan went to the study to write a letter.

He wrote to Mr. Wei, advising him to keep away from the Miao Family, selling off any Miao Family servants at the Wei Residence, and to sever any official ties with Assistant Prefect Miao as much as possible.

Of course, Xiao Yuan explained the reasons, though not entirely. He only stated that Assistant Prefect Miao once stole Chief Bai’s wife and killed his relatives, and now Chief Bai seeks revenge, so Mr. Wei should be cautious.

He entrusted this letter to a trusted aide to deliver swiftly on horseback, instructing him to hand it directly to Mr. Wei.

At the Wei Residence

Mrs. Wei has been quite busy these days, preparing for Mr. Wei’s wedding, leaving her exhausted and achy.

Mrs. Wei complained to the maid and old lady servant, ”If not for my son and grandson, I wouldn’t be so worn out. Since my daughter-in-law passed, my son remained single, living alone, which makes my heart ache. With Yuan’er going to the Capital, he can’t have no woman managing the household, and since Yuan’er likes his wife, I can’t deny him this, well... once the new madam arrives, I can rest easy.”

Even while complaining, she sent freshly made jewelry to the Xin Family.

Xin Lan has been living well recently.

After her engagement with Mr. Wei, he specially invited the best doctor from Wuyuan for Scholar Xin’s treatment. The Wei Family also provided some silver coins, easing Xin Lan’s finances, allowing her to buy medicine for Scholar Xin and also have some leftover to eat well and dress up.

Of course, she guarded this money tightly, leaving no chance for Xin Hui to gamble with it.

Over this period, Xin Lan visibly looked healthier and even gained some weight, as did the young girl Xin Yun.

Xin Lan thought, this isn’t too bad. Frankly, Mr. Wei is much better than Wei Yuan. Mr. Wei is an Advanced Scholar, a Magistrate, whereas Wei Yuan lagged far behind, taking many attempts in his previous life to pass the Imperial Examination when he was quite old. By the time he became an official, Wei Xing had also passed, forcing him to resign and return home to make way for his son.

In the past, Wei Yuan accomplished nothing significant, simply relying on having a good father and a good son to live a stable life.

Thinking this way, Xin Lan’s affection for Wei Yuan slightly waned.

She now just wants to marry into the Wei Family quickly, and while Wei Yuan takes Anning to the Capital, she plans to seize control of the household management and thoroughly control the Wei Residence before Anning returns, intending to torment her afterward.

Instead of returning home immediately after leaving the government office, Mr. Wei went to visit the Xin Family to see his young fiancée, exchanged a few words with Xin Lan, and then returned home.

Upon returning, he was informed that a letter had arrived from the Capital.

Mr. Wei hurriedly called the letter bearer into the study.

He took the letter, sent Xiao Yuan’s trusted aide to rest, checked to ensure the wax seal was intact, confirmed the letter hadn’t been opened, and then read it carefully.

Upon reading, Mr. Wei was utterly shocked.

What did Assistant Prefect Miao do? To snatch another’s wife, he killed the entire family, such atrocities!

Speaking of this, Mr. Wei, having served as an official for so many years, though not a renowned upright official, really never accepted bribes or did anything against his conscience thanks to the family fortune accumulated by the Wei Family in earlier years.

He progressed from county magistrate to Magistrate with a reputable track record, and from Mrs. Wei to even the household servants, none behaved maliciously nor oppressed common folk.

Therefore, Mr. Wei despised wrongdoers the most.

Initially, he had no knowledge of Assistant Prefect Miao’s vicious deeds. Now aware, it disturbed him, thinking had he known, he wouldn’t have let his son marry into the Miao Family.

Reading further, he learned Bai En wasn’t dead, had reached the Capital, and even castrated himself to serve in the palace as a eunuch, now being the Chief Steward, leading Mr. Wei to gasp in realization — Assistant Prefect Miao was doomed.

He even contemplated advising Xiao Yuan to divorce Anning, but upon learning that Anning wasn’t Assistant Prefect Miao’s daughter but rather Chief Bai’s biological daughter, Mr. Wei was amused, ”One shouldn’t commit sins. See, even fate couldn’t stand it, letting him unknowingly raise another’s daughter for over a decade.”