“Good!” Someone among the crowd watching the commotion couldn’t help but shout out in approval, then quickly ducked their head back, afraid of being seen by Prince Liang’s people and offending the prince.

Bai Qingyan’s words allowed people to see the proud backbone and uprightness of the Bai family. From observing one corner, one could know the whole picture—it showed what kind of unwavering integrity the Duke’s Mansion Bai family possessed. With such a Duke’s Mansion that cared for the people, stood tall and upright, and was filled with noble righteousness supporting Great Jin, how could the citizens of Great Jin not feel at peace?

“Miss Bai! His Highness didn’t mean that! It’s all this servant girl acting on her initiative!” The steward of Prince Liang’s mansion bowed respectfully to Bai Qingyan with utmost sincerity. “Miss Bai must not let this servant girl harm the harmony between the Duke’s Mansion and Prince Liang’s mansion.”

“If that’s the case, then please trouble Prince Liang’s mansion to properly discipline your servants, and don’t let them come to the Bai residence again to create scandals and cause trouble! His Highness Prince Liang, as an imperial prince, should set an example for all the people under heaven, maintain upright conduct, cultivate proper character, act with integrity, and know what can and cannot be done. Don’t engage in the petty behavior of bribing servants from other households to spy on the private affairs of boudoir daughters, tarnishing the reputation of the imperial family.” Bai Qingyan sneered coldly as she glanced at Tong Ji. “Xiao Si! Release her!”

“You’re getting off easy!” Bai Jinzhi was filled with indignation, gritting her teeth as she pushed away Hong Qiao, whom she had been pressing down on her knees. If it weren’t for her eldest sister stopping her… she would have whipped this lowly slave a hundred times.

The taciturn Gao Sheng saw that Hong Qiao seemed about to pick up the hairpin to commit suicide again, and immediately stopped her.

“Guard Gao, please let me die! Originally, I knew His Highness had feelings for Miss Bai, and I thought Miss Bai refused to see His Highness because she knew I had served him. I never expected to cause such a misunderstanding between Miss Bai and His Highness! Miss Bai, it wasn’t His Highness who sent me here—I came on my own… You cannot misunderstand our His Highness!”

Hong Qiao cried most pitifully.

“Whether you came to cause trouble at the Duke’s Mansion gates on Prince Liang’s orders or from your selfish motives! In any case… bribing servants in our mansion, sending jade pendants, and privately requesting to meet my eldest sister… that was your Prince Liang!” Bai Jintong said coldly, then cupped her hands toward Prince Liang’s steward. “Please, old sir, properly discipline the servants of Prince Liang’s mansion! If this continues, I’m afraid it will alarm our grandmother, the Grand Princess…”

“Yes, yes, yes!” Prince Liang’s steward hurriedly turned to Gao Sheng. “Guard Gao, take this lowly servant away!”

Gao Sheng nodded.

Bai Qingyan stood right in front of the main gate of the Duke’s Mansion, watching Gao Sheng walk away, her eyes cold and clear.

Gao Sheng was Prince Liang’s most capable guard, and Du Zhiwei was Prince Liang’s most skilled strategist. She wondered if today’s performance by Hong Qiao was arranged by Du Zhiwei. If so… she had truly overestimated Du Zhiwei.

“Let’s go back!” she said to Bai Jintong and Bai Jinzhi.

Bai Jinzhi watched Prince Liang’s steward bow and take his leave, her eyes filled with undisguised hatred, gripping her whip tightly as she returned to the mansion.

The closer it got to New Year’s Eve, the more uneasy Bai Qingyan’s heart became. She was often awakened at midnight by nightmares of her previous life, where news came from the front lines that all the Bai family men had perished.

On the twenty-ninth day of the twelfth lunar month, just after the yin hour had passed, all was quiet, and the sound of the north wind sweeping up falling snow could be heard rustling outside the window.

Someone knocked at the courtyard gate of Qinghui Courtyard. Bai Qingyan, who slept lightly, was startled awake by the sound, hearing only the howling north wind outside her window.

She awakened abruptly from her nightmare, her heart still beating rapidly from the shock, and not seeing Chun Tao, who should have been keeping night watch beside her, she called out hoarsely: “Chun Tao…”

At the courtyard gate, Chun Tao’s face was deathly pale. Hearing Bai Qingyan call for her, she looked back toward the main room and said to Lu Ping at the door: “Miss is awake! Please wait a moment, I’ll go report to Miss immediately!”

Chun Tao, not caring about the snow and cold air on her body, ran toward the main room with quick, sliding steps.

Seeing that Bai Qingyan was already sitting on the edge of the bed, Chun Tao curtsied and spoke: “Miss, Miss Shen Qingzhu sent Wu Zhe back to deliver a message to you. Wu Zhe is bleeding continuously and probably doesn’t have much time left. Guard Lu Ping was afraid of delaying Miss’s important matters, so he could only come to request your presence in the middle of the night!”

Her scalp tightened, and she suddenly stood up, her voice trembling uncontrollably: “Bring me my cloak! Quickly!”

Bai Qingyan, wearing only white undergarments, threw on her cloak and hurried out the door against the wind.

The cold wind was like knives, carrying snow that struck her face head-on, immediately penetrating her entire being.

“Miss!” Lu Ping performed a deep bow.

She pulled Lu Ping up with one hand: “Where have you placed him? Quickly take me to see him!”

Seeing Bai Qingyan’s face as cold as iron, Lu Ping dared not delay and led the way with a lantern. She gripped Chun Tao’s hand tightly, stumbling every few steps, braving the snow as the three of them hurried toward the corner gate.

The fierce wind and snow struck her face and eyes… even though it cut like knives, she felt no pain, only her heart in chaos.

The three reached the corner gate, and Bai Qingyan, having come through the wind and snow, was already frozen stiff all over, her face turning blue.

The guard watching over Wu Zhe by the bedside saw her and struggled to get up: “Miss!”

“M-Miss!” Wu Zhe struggled to rise, blood spurting from his mouth with every word he spoke, a shocking sight to behold.

Her eyes reddened, and disregarding the proprieties between men and women, she rushed forward, her bone-chillingly cold hands supporting Wu Zhe: “I’m here…”

Lu Ping quickly placed a cushion behind Wu Zhe.

After Wu Zhe caught his breath slightly, he said urgently, “We traveled day and night straight to Nan Jiang. Just after passing Chongluan Ridge, we encountered Fang Yan, the battalion commander of the Bai Family Army’s Tiger Battalion, who was being pursued by killers. Cough, cough, cough! We fought desperately and only managed to save the bamboo scrolls that Battalion Commander Fang Yan was protecting… the bamboo scrolls recording the battle situation kept by the accompanying historian! Battalion Commander Fang Yan said ‘Treacherous officials have harmed my Bai Family Army… cough, cough, cough, then breathed his last! The killers kept coming endlessly. To protect the bamboo scrolls, Miss Shen led Ji Tingyu and Wei Gao to draw the killers away, instructing us that even if we died, we must deliver the bamboo scrolls to the capital and personally hand them to Miss!”

As Wu Zhe spoke, he lowered his head, his hands trembling with dried blood scabs as he untied his clothing. The bamboo scrolls, stained red with his blood, were tightly bound to his body: “Wu Zhe has fulfilled his mission!”

Chun Tao covered her mouth, seeing the bamboo scrolls almost embedded in Wu Zhe’s mangled flesh, and broke out in goosebumps all over her body.

“The bamboo scrolls that the brothers protected with their lives have been safely delivered. Wu Zhe can now face them underground with honor! Cough, cough…”

She bit her teeth tightly, moving her gaze away from the bamboo scrolls, her heart filled with bitter anguish as she looked at Wu Zhe, whose lips curved in a smile.

“Miss, Wu Zhe doesn’t fear death. I only ask that the Grand Princess and Miss never let go of the treacherous officials who caused the death of my Bai Family Army!”

Her lips pressed into a tight line, tears streaming down uncontrollably like broken strings. Struggling to steady her emotions, her trembling hand gently patted Wu Zhe’s shoulder as she choked out: “I thank you on behalf of the tens of thousands of Bai Family Army! Rest well and recover. I will let you see the wicked receive their retribution!”

Wu Zhe smiled weakly: “Miss, in the next life… Wu Zhe will still serve the Bai family!”

Just as he finished speaking, Wu Zhe spat out another mouthful of blood.

She supported Wu Zhe, her scalp tightening as she shouted: “Uncle Ping! Go get Physician Hong! Go get Physician Hong immediately!”

Wu Zhe collapsed in Bai Qingyan’s arms, his blurred vision seeing her white fox fur cloak stained by the blood he had spat out. He opened his mouth wanting to apologize, but in the end said nothing before his breath scattered.

“Miss, Wu Zhe is gone!” Lu Ping knelt on one knee on the ground, looking up at Bai Qingyan with a choked voice.