She knew medicine, too.

The Emperor suddenly understood. No wonder that day his aunt had said Miss Lu had gone to gather medicinal herbs – it wasn’t an excuse after all.

The Emperor nodded, as if falling into some kind of nostalgic mood. It wasn’t until Gao Demao came in and spoke to the Emperor in lowered tones, saying that Concubine Qiu had personally made jujube paste hibiscus cakes and requested the Emperor to taste them, that the Emperor waved his hand to signal Bai Qingyan to leave.

When Bai Qingyan performed her courtesies and withdrew from the hall, waiting at the palace entrance was not only Minister of Revenue Chu Zhongxing, but also His Highness the Crown Prince.

The Crown Prince probably also wanted to know what Bai Qingyan would say to Chu Zhongxing, so he was waiting here.

After Bai Qingyan paid her respects to the Crown Prince, she said to Chu Zhongxing: “Minister Chu, I heard that the Minister’s mansion wants my maid as a proper concubine?”

Chu Zhongxing was startled, not expecting Bai Qingyan to bring this matter up in front of the Crown Prince. His hands hidden in his official robes tightened slightly, and he played dumb: “Has the County Princess misunderstood? My wife did mention to me… about wanting to find a proper concubine for my bastard son, but how could we… steal the County Princess’s maid!”

Bai Qingyan also put on a surprised expression: “But my maid told me that the Minister’s mansion wanted to elevate her as a proper concubine, and asked me to grant her the favor of a manumission contract. I thought the Minister’s mansion was a good place, so I agreed!”

“Who would have known that girl stole a jeweled hairpin I had placed unused in my chest. She thought I preferred plain jewelry and had forgotten about this hairpin, and wanted to steal it as her dowry! But this hairpin was a relic of the late Empress, bestowed by the late Empress to my grandmother, who then bestowed it on me!”

Bai Qingyan glanced at the Crown Prince: “I was thinking of Minister Chu’s regard for this maid, so before my grandmother returned, I let that girl go home and gave her a way out. At noon, I even sent someone to deliver her manumission contract, which made my grandmother quite displeased.”

Chu Zhongxing quickly clasped his hands in apology: “This official truly did not know of this matter. Let this official return and ask my wife. If this is true, someone with such unclean hands absolutely cannot enter my Minister’s mansion. Thank you, County Princess, for informing me!”

“That girl was usually quite well-behaved. This time, she probably got carried away thinking she was going to the Minister’s mansion! If the Minister’s wife truly likes this girl, just instruct her not to repeat such behavior in the future.”

The Crown Prince shook his head, signaling Bai Qingyan to walk with him. As they walked, he said: “You’re decisive and swift in military campaigns, so how can you be so soft-hearted toward your servants? Such a base slave dared to steal the late Empress’s relic – she should have been beaten to death directly, yet you still returned her manumission contract.”

“This was… considering Minister Chu’s face.” Bai Qingyan smiled as she looked at Chu Zhongxing, who was following on the Crown Prince’s right side.

Chu Zhongxing quickly stopped and clasped his hands in apology again, claiming he truly didn’t know.

When Bai Qingyan returned from the palace, she was immediately summoned by the Grand Princess as soon as she entered the gate.

The Grand Princess thought the Emperor had called Bai Qingyan over to ask about Miss Lu.

“Granddaughter thinks that although His Majesty hasn’t met Miss Lu yet, he still somewhat believes that Miss Lu is his aunt’s reincarnation. Otherwise, he could have issued an imperial edict to summon her to the palace directly. Why endure the hardship of meeting her himself?”

The Emperor was the sovereign of Jin – what couldn’t he do if he wished?

The Grand Princess nodded, using a silver needle to stir the incense ash in the burner: “A’Bao speaks reasonably.”

“That Concubine Qiu in the palace is also formidable. Today, before I left the great hall, I heard Eunuch Gao tell His Majesty that Concubine Qiu had made jujube paste hibiscus cakes.”

The Grand Princess’s expression darkened.

“Grandmother… these jujube paste hibiscus cakes were what your aunt specially made for you when your health was poor. Not many people knew about this, and after the aunt passed away, the grandfather ordered that this pastry never again appear on the Bai family’s table. How does this Concubine Qiu even know about this?”

The Grand Princess picked up the aloe wood prayer beads from the black lacquered square table and began fingering them with closed eyes.

“Grandmother, granddaughter thinks… this Concubine Qiu probably knows of Miss Lu’s existence and is anxious. Her deliberate imitation of her aunt instead appears artificial! So Miss Lu, resembling an aunt in appearance and temperament, is enough. Perhaps we need to let Miss Lu do some things that Aunt once wanted to do but never did, or… things that you and grandfather didn’t allow her to do, to make the Emperor believe this is truly Aunt’s reincarnation.”

The Grand Princess’s hand, fingering the prayer beads, paused.

Sunlight streamed through the window lattice, the carved patterns casting yellow light and shadows on the floor. The room was filled only with curling light smoke, strangely quiet.

She heard the voices of Nanny Tong and Nanny Jiang talking outside. Rising and paying respects to the Grand Princess, she said: “If there’s nothing else, granddaughter will withdraw first. Grandmother, please rest well.”

After speaking, she respectfully stepped back two paces, went around the screen, and left the main room of Changshou Courtyard.

Only after Bai Qingyan left did the Grand Princess slowly open her eyes. Things she and Bai Weiting didn’t allow… there were too many!

Nanny Tong was telling Nanny Jiang about going to Chun Xing’s house. Seeing Bai Qingyan emerge, she quickly paid her respects.

Seeing Nanny Tong’s joyful expression, Bai Qingyan knew that Nanny Tong’s mission had been very successful.

Nanny Tong stepped forward to pay respects to Bai Qingyan, smiling: “First Miss, everything has been handled.”

After nodding to Nanny Jiang, she walked out of Changshou Courtyard with Nanny Tong.

“This old servant arrived at Chun Xing’s house just as Chun Xing’s mother was boasting to the neighbors about how their Chun Xing had gained favor with the County Princess and the Minister of Revenue’s mansion, and was going to become a proper concubine at the Minister’s mansion…”

Nanny Tong immediately had the carriage stop, put on full airs as she descended from the carriage, dabbed the corners of her mouth with a handkerchief, lifted her nose high, and announced she was the managing nanny beside the County Princess, asking who was Chun Xing’s mother.

Chun Xing’s mother was probably too frightened to speak, but some busybody helpfully pointed out Chun Xing’s mother to curry favor with Nanny Tong.

Nanny Tong sternly examined Chun Xing’s mother with a cold expression. Chun Xing’s mother quickly bowed and scraped, calling Nanny Tong an honored guest and inviting her inside to sit.

Nanny Tong coldly laughed and said, “They say birds of a feather flock together. I wouldn’t dare enter your nest of snakes and rats. Chun Xing even dared to touch the late Empress’s relic that the Grand Princess bestowed upon our County Princess. If I entered your house, wouldn’t you strip me of all my gold and silver jewelry?”

Chun Xing’s mother protested that Nanny Tong shouldn’t speak nonsense without proof.

Nanny Tong wasn’t intimidated at all, pulling out Chun Xing’s slave contract with a cold laugh: “The Grand Princess is very angry indeed! If you don’t admit it, then I’ll simply take this contract and follow the Grand Princess’s orders to have Chun Xing beaten to death!”

As soon as Nanny Tong finished speaking, she ordered the Bai family guards who had come with her to go into Chun Xing’s house to arrest her. This frightened Chun Xing’s mother half to death. She blocked the door, shouting that their Chun Xing was going to be a proper concubine at the Minister’s mansion – wasn’t the County Princess afraid of offending the Minister?

Only then did Nanny Tong step forward and throw the slave contract to Chun Xing’s mother, saying: “For the sake of the Minister’s mansion, our County Princess is sparing Chun Yan this once, but from today on, the County Princess’s mansion will not employ anyone related to Chun Yan.”