The words the Emperor wanted to hear had also been spoken through the matter of the Shouyang clan’s coercion.

Everyone has a heart, and no matter how cold that heart… there’s always a trace of warmth that can be touched.

That day in the great hall, her fabricated words about her grandfather saying the Emperor had the great ambitions of a roc had already made the Emperor feel guilty.

She firmly believed that by letting the Emperor see the Duke’s mansion’s righteousness of “rather have all under heaven wrong me than wrong anyone under heaven,” the Emperor would surely make a decision.

“Clan coercion, selling the Duke’s mansion’s assets, helping me achieve my goals, pushing the Emperor toward a decision, paving the way for the Duke’s mansion’s future return to Shouyang without being controlled by the clan.” Xiao Rongyan rubbed the jade cicada in his hand, feeling admiration in his heart, and asked in a low voice, “The matter of clan coercion… was this also orchestrated by Miss Bai?”

This Miss Bai had consistently surprising actions that made people look at her with new eyes, yet she always had backup plans, each linking to the next in a way that left people in awe.

“The clan’s hearts are insatiable – I merely went with the flow, made minor schemes, seeking survival.”

Denying it before someone of Xiao Rongyan’s intelligence would only make him argue with her and force her to admit it – better to acknowledge it straightforwardly.

“Regardless, Miss Bai’s assistance this time – Xiao will never forget it as long as I live.”

“We each had our needs, and each gained benefits. It’s not a matter of who helped whom – consider it mutual fulfillment. Moreover, today in the Willow Pavilion, Bai Qingyan said… should you encounter difficulties in the future, the Bai family will not refuse to help within our capabilities.”

As she spoke, she had already escorted Xiao Rongyan to the side gate. She pulled her fox fur tighter and turned to look at the man standing under the lantern at the Bai family’s side gate: “If Master Xiao still feels uneasy, consider this the Bai family’s repayment for your twice coming to our aid.”

The Duke’s mansion servants had already led Xiao Rongyan’s horse to the gate. Upon seeing Xiao Rongyan, the horse snorted white mist and pawed the ground, wanting to approach.

“Master Xiao, please…”

“Farewell.” After bowing to Bai Qingyan, Xiao Rongyan stepped out of the Duke’s mansion and gracefully leaped onto his horse.

He gripped the reins with one hand and took the black-gold whip from the Duke’s mansion servant with the other, sitting tall on horseback as he looked toward Bai Qingyan at the gate.

Under the white silk lantern swaying in the wind, the woman in mourning clothes performed a shallow curtsy. Her face was pale with a somewhat frail appearance, yet even through the thin mist and snow, her stunningly beautiful and captivating appearance couldn’t be concealed, along with her brilliantly noble bearing.

Elegant and serene, composed and tranquil, with inner wisdom that was resilient and unfathomably deep in scheming and calculation.

Xiao Rongyan admired such a person.

The man’s eyes, deep as a well, gazed at her for a moment before he finally whipped his horse and departed.

“What a long day this has been!” Chun Tao supported Bai Qingyan’s arm and couldn’t help but sigh softly. “Miss must be tired?”

She nodded: “Let’s go back! First to see grandmother, then to check on Ji Tingyu.”

—

In the kitchen at the back courtyard of the Duke’s mansion, two servant women carrying winnowing baskets ran into the kitchen eaves, patted the snow off themselves, and looked up at the misty sky with sighs: “Today’s weather is truly strange! Such thick fog, and such heavy snow.”

Another woman looked around to ensure no one was nearby before whispering to her companion: “I heard that Second Master’s useless concubine-born son hired a carriage with his mother and left through the back gate with several large bundles! The Duke’s mansion doesn’t know which deity they failed to worship properly. The Shouyang ancestors are forcing the heir’s wife to bankruptcy, and if that concubine-born son runs away… the Duke’s mansion won’t even have someone to break the funeral pot.”

“It seems the work in the mansion is still too light.” The steward nanny who managed meals for the Grand Princess stood inside the kitchen doorway, hands clasped over her abdomen, naturally commanding without anger.

The two servant women were startled and quickly curtsied and retreated to the side, not daring to raise their heads.

The nanny dressed in dark azure robes with an imposing air glared at the two servant women, then stepped out of the bustling kitchen, followed by a line of maids carrying black lacquered gold-decorated food boxes, walking along the bright corridor toward the Grand Princess’s inner courtyard.

In the main room of the Grand Princess’s Changshou Courtyard, the fire burned vigorously. Serving maids were properly setting out food while the woman managing the charcoal used copper-wrapped long tongs to add quick-burning silver frost charcoal, covering the fire with a copper cover.

Nanny Jiang accompanied Bai Qingyan and Bai Jinxiu standing in the corridor, listening to the meal steward nanny tell them about Bai Qingxuan and his mother’s escape, then waved to dismiss the steward nanny.

The steward nanny nodded, respectfully bowed, and withdrew.

“I know about this.” Bai Qingyan said honestly. “The nanny from Qingming Courtyard told me early on that the concubine-born son wanted to leave, and I didn’t have anyone stop him.”

“Let him go!” Bai Jinxiu frowned deeply, her face showing clear disgust. “That woman… that concubine-born son, I don’t know how father could have…” been so blind as to fancy such a woman.

Children don’t speak of their father’s faults. Bai Jinxiu’s heart was full of anger, but she finally closed her eyes and said nothing more.

Bai Qingyan lowered her gaze, looking at the snow pattering on the corridor eaves, her tone light as wind: “What does grandmother mean? Does she want… to detain them?”

“The Grand Princess doesn’t know yet. Elder sister… all the men of the Duke’s mansion are gone. At least he’s a bit of our Duke’s mansion’s bloodline. The child’s poor character is because he wasn’t properly taught. The Grand Princess told this old servant a few days ago that once His Majesty’s edict punishing Prince Xin, Liu Huanzhang, and Marquis Zhongyong Qin Dezhao comes down, and our Duke’s mansion’s great funeral is over, she would request to renounce the title, send away the mother but keep the son, and personally discipline this concubine-born child.” Seeing Bai Qingyan keeping her eyes downcast without speaking, Nanny Jiang stepped forward and grasped her hand. “Elder sister, the Grand Princess is old… losing her husband, her son, and her grandsons – her heart is unbearably bitter! She needs some hope, something to keep her busy, so these unbearably bitter days will be easier for the Grand Princess to endure!”

“I understand everything Nanny says.” Bai Qingyan’s gentle tone concealed the murderous intent in her heart. “I did indeed deliberately let them leave, because I deeply know that with that concubine-born son’s nature of seeking advantage and avoiding harm, as soon as His Majesty’s edict punishing Prince Xin comes down, he will return to the Duke’s mansion. Nanny, trust me.”

“Trust! Of course, Nanny trusts elder sister! This old servant was overthinking… elder sister, don’t take it to heart.” Nanny Jiang curtsied to her.

“Nanny.” She sighed and supported Nanny Jiang. “Nanny, this would be my ruin. Nanny has served her grandmother for a lifetime and can be considered half an elder to A’Bao and Jinxiu. Grandmother has spent more time with Nanny Jiang than with us granddaughters. Having you worry about grandmother is our blessing.”

Nanny Jiang’s eyes reddened, and she covered her mouth with her handkerchief as tears fell: “Elder sister, second sister, you don’t know – since our Duke’s mansion met with disaster, the Grand Princess’s heart has been bitter as coptis, yet she forces herself to stay strong and not collapse. Caught between the imperial family and the Duke’s mansion, she’s torn in all directions. Her heart feels like it’s rolling in boiling oil every day, never having a moment’s peace!”