Abandoned Woman Busy Farming

Chapter 1609: Chapter 1609: Rumors Flying Everywhere

”You should ask Zepei about this; he is now the close minister of the Emperor.” Someone joked.

Bai Zepei smiled very humbly and said, ”The Emperor has never mentioned this, so it seems it hasn’t been decided yet. Perhaps we’ll wait until you return to the Capital, Tang Feng, and consult your opinion.”

He himself had been asked by the Emperor, so he thought the Emperor might also inquire Tang Feng’s opinion.

Tang Feng seemed to let out a breath, but Lin Xufei next to him laughed and said, ”Tang Feng, could it be that you have someone you fancy, and fear the Emperor will mistakenly pair you?”

Everyone laughed uproariously, and they all pressed on to ask which family’s lady had caught Tang Feng’s eye.

Tang Feng waved his hand with a smile, saying, ”There’s no one I fancy; if there was, I would have taken action long ago.”

As he said this, for some reason, he glanced at Bai Ruozhu. The people around didn’t think much of it, but seeing Bai Zepei’s eyes, his heart couldn’t help but tighten.

In his heart, his little sister was naturally an excellent woman, so Tang Feng, a genius, being enamored with her was normal. But seeing Bai Ruozhu’s view, it was another matter.

She saw it clearly; Tang Feng admired her and felt kinship as fellow transmigrators, but it was not a romantic feeling. Probably because Tang Feng is too smart and rational, which makes it very difficult for him to be moved.

And Tang Feng’s glance at her likely didn’t mean much; he just felt that Bai Ruozhu, being a modern person, should understand him.

”Anyway, if you have a girl you fancy, quickly ask the Emperor for permission, lest you delay and can’t be with the one you love, which is indeed a sad situation.” Lin Xufei said.

People beside him laughed again, asking him if he was with someone he loved?

Lin Xufei and Gu Xue’an’s faces reddened, and it was Bai Zepei who helped him change the subject.

But speaking of it, not many have submitted memorials to the Emperor in the Capital, saying they want to marry their daughters to Tang Feng, so his second brother has overshadowed Tang Feng.

Bai Ruozhu heard that, on one hand, it was because Tang Feng’s roots were in Jiangnan, and some families feared he would be sent out back to Jiangnan in the future, which would mean separation from their daughters.

On the other hand, it was because Tang Feng’s mother, Lianluo, was too renowned. Although she was a famous scholar in Jiangnan, she had an unmarried child and never married, and her tea house was always bustling with literati, so in the eyes of people in the Capital, it had a different flavor.

There’s gossip that Tang Feng’s family customs are improper, so who would be willing to marry their daughter into such a family?

Bai Ruozhu watched the cheerful Tang Feng, curious about what kind of wife her ”old acquaintance” would marry in the future.

After a while of lively chatter, the group dispersed in the afternoon. On the way back to the Palace with her second brother, Bai Ruozhu suddenly asked, ”Second brother, are you truly willing to marry Si Yihuan? Lin Xufei said that not being with the person you like is indeed a sad thing. Do you have someone you like?”

She hadn’t thought much initially, but suddenly, in a moment, she remembered that when Lin Xufei said this, her second brother seemed somewhat forlorn.

Bai Zepei’s whole body tightened, his heart almost jumped out of his chest; the suppressed feelings surfaced again, why would she bring this up?

After quite a while, he tried to respond calmly, saying, ”I don’t have someone I like; marrying someone suitable is fine.”

Bai Ruozhu glanced at him, ”But you seemed to have some fondness for Tu Ying.”

”That’s just fondness, not like,” Bai Zepei directly denied it, after all, he merely showed an apparent interest back then.

Bai Ruozhu made a sound of acknowledgment, her heart couldn’t help but feel a little regret, but thinking that if her second brother had someone he liked, but had to marry Si Yihuan, that would be a regret.

Soon, the horse carriage arrived at the Palace Gate, and the two got off and entered the Palace, no further mention of the topic as they parted ways at the junction.

When he walked far, Bai Zepei secretly breathed a sigh of relief, slowly releasing his sweaty palm hidden in his sleeve, showing how nervous he actually was.

He was afraid that his thoughts would be discovered by his little sister, she would be shocked at his filthiness, even angry and distanced from him; he feared this so much he could hardly speak, but now, calming down, he told himself once again, not to make another mistake.

Bai Ruozhu was unaware of her second brother’s inner conflicts; she took a group of Tian Fang to diagnose patients, quietly asking Tian Fang along the way, ”What’s Hao Baishuang been up to these past few days?”

”She’s still intimate with Liu Fei; I’ve been watching her in secret and won’t let her have the chance to harm our Female Physicians Institution.” Tian Fang said indignantly.

Bai Ruozhu laughed, ”She’s not likely to harm the institution, after all, she’s a deputy; if she were to harm anyone, it would only be me.”

”That’s not okay; you are our leader. Harming you means harming us.” Tian Fang spoke earnestly, not flattering Bai Ruozhu, but genuinely respecting her.

Now everyone at the Female Physicians Institution has made great progress; even when Bai Ruozhu is not in the Palace at night, the staff can manage simple consultations as needed.

Bai Ruozhu took a group of Tian Fang to see the patients and after guided them a bit, then returned to the Female Physicians Institution.

As soon as they entered the institution, they felt something was off, especially Bai Ruozhu noticed many from the Imperial Medical Hospital secretly watching her, their expressions curious, even probing, or skeptical and disdainful.

Bai Ruozhu immediately realized someone was stirring trouble behind her back but maintained a composed demeanor entering the institution.

”You’re back, sir,” Wei Tianzhen hurried over and whispered, ”I’m not sure who is spreading slanderous rumors about you—it sounds very harsh.”

”No wonder the people at the Imperial Medical Hospital were acting strange when they looked at me; what are they saying?” Bai Ruozhu asked.

Wei Tianzhen’s face flushed slightly, awkwardly saying, ”Promise me you won’t get angry; we don’t believe it.”

Bai Ruozhu glanced at her, ”Just tell me, I’m not sure how they’re fabricating things about me, how else can I turn it around?”

”They’re saying you secretly meet with an outsider, and Jiang Daren caught you, even saying you’re hugging that man, Jiang Daren wants to divorce his wife, things like that.” Wei Tianzhen said cautiously.

Bai Ruozhu’s heart skipped a beat, the incident has spread!

She tried hard to remain calm, seemingly unintentionally asking, ”Outsider? Did they mention who it was?”

”No, they’re saying it happened at the Yingke Tea House, with many people hearing Jiang Daren and that man arguing.” Wei Tianzhen murmured, ”It sounds vivid; I suspect it was Hao Baishuang spreading it. I saw her chatting with a servant this morning—she’s usually too proud to chat with them.”

Bai Ruozhu quietly breathed a sigh of relief, fortunately, the person spreading rumors is unaware of Sangta’s identity, or the rumors wouldn’t just be like this.