The Emperor’s remaining brothers sought only wealth and glory—they were all people without ambition.

There was one more prince—a prince of a different surname… the Idle Prince of Nandu.

The Emperor currently had no intention of reducing the power of feudal lords, so the Idle Prince dominated his territory. But what if he had greater ambitions and wanted to use Prince Liang?

However, since Prince Liang was cooperating with the other party by wanting to destroy the Bai family utterly and ruin their reputation completely, Bai Qingyan thought that besides the Idle Prince, princes from enemy nations were also possible!

After all, on the surface, she was currently Jin’s most capable fierce general. Wouldn’t other countries want to eliminate her as quickly as possible?

Liang was possible, Xiliang went without saying, Wei was also possible, and Great Yan… wasn’t entirely without such thoughts either.

Bai Qingyan wasn’t afraid of open attacks, but she feared hidden arrows aimed at the Bai family, especially since Bai Jinxiu was now pregnant and in the capital… She would return to Shuoyang tomorrow. If hidden arrows came for Bai Jinxiu, that would be terrible.

“Take him away first!” the Grand Princess said to Wei Zhong.

Wei Zhong nodded and led the man away.

Bai Jinxiu’s brows furrowed tightly as she gripped the handkerchief in her hands: “Back then… Prince Liang was raised under Consort Tong’s knee!”

“Why didn’t you bring Yinshuang with you when you went out today?” Bai Qingyan suddenly asked this question while looking at Bai Jinxiu.

“Does Elder Sister miss Yinshuang? When we return to the city later, I’ll have Yinshuang come pay respects to Elder Sister.”

Bai Qingyan shook her head: “Whether Prince Liang is cooperating with enemy nation princes or the Idle Prince, regardless, Prince Liang’s determination to destroy the Bai family is so firm. Since you’re in the capital and pregnant, you still need to be cautious. Take Yinshuang with you when you go out—it’s safer!”

“Elder Sister, rest assured, I understand!” Bai Jinxiu nodded, her gaze falling on the Grand Princess as she smiled and said, “Regardless, with Grandmother in the capital, she will certainly protect me!”

Nanny Jiang nodded with a beaming smile, very gratified that Bai Jinxiu could say such words.

These words weren’t false. Bai Jinxiu was the Grand Princess’s granddaughter, so naturally, the Grand Princess would protect her.

Soon after, Bai Jinzhi, who had returned from picking osmanthus flowers with Bai Jinse, quietly moved close to Bai Qingyan and said: “Elder Sister, when I was climbing the tree to pick osmanthus flowers just now, I saw Mr. Xiao drinking tea outside. Is he waiting for Elder Sister?”

Bai Qingyan patted Bai Jinzhi’s head, then followed Nanny Jiang to remove her battle armor and change into ordinary clothes. After serving the Grand Princess to rest, she walked around the nunnery with Bai Jinxiu, explaining some matters.

“Now there are three things to investigate. First… whether Prince Liang’s mansion has purchased realgar, saltpeter, pine resin, and similar items. Second… find out exactly why the steward of Prince Liang’s mansion has dealings with the Wang family on Jiuqu Lane!” Bai Qingyan said.

“Then… should we also investigate the Idle Prince to rule out one possibility?” Bai Jinxiu still very much wanted to find out who was cooperating with Prince Liang. Otherwise, being completely in the dark and only knowing about Prince Liang would inevitably put them at a disadvantage.

“You needn’t worry about this matter. I’ll find a way to investigate!” Bai Qingyan glanced toward the outside of the nunnery. Xiao Rongyan’s intelligence sources were far more numerous than the Bai family’s.

“You go back to rest with Grandmother first. I’ll go and return shortly,” Bai Qingyan said to Bai Jinxiu.

Since Xiao Rongyan hadn’t left yet, he must have important matters to discuss with her.

Bai Jinxiu knew Elder Sister was probably going to see Mr. Xiao. Although it wasn’t proper for men and women to meet alone, Elder Sister always acted with propriety, so Bai Jinxiu said no more, bowed, and left.

Having waited a long time without seeing Bai Qingyan come out, Xiao Rongyan’s accompanying guards had spread a layer of azure patterned cloth under the osmanthus tree. On a small sandalwood table sat a chessboard, a set of white jade tea service that Xiao Rongyan commonly used, and several plates of exquisitely made pastries.

Beside the pastries, on a jade chopstick rest carved with plum blossoms, lay two pairs of fine silver chopsticks with carved gold inlay. Next to the small sandalwood table was a portable small stove with flames flickering inside, the tea water bubbling noisily.

He knelt under the osmanthus tree, holding bamboo slips in his hand, drinking tea and playing chess—quite leisurely indeed.

The imperial nunnery was surrounded by mountains on all four sides, but different flowers were planted on each side, with blooms in all four seasons. Whichever gate corresponded to the seasonal scenery would be opened.

According to legend, Emperor Gaozu Mingzhao never established an empress in his lifetime because his beloved chose to cultivate herself in this nunnery and wouldn’t marry him. Emperor Mingzhao had promised that if his beloved would consent to marry him, he would welcome her with the honor of empress. Thus, even the noble consorts around Emperor Mingzhao were only posthumously granted the title of empress.

To win his beloved’s favor, the Emperor planted flowers of different seasons on all four sides of this nunnery, so his beloved could see blooming flowers regardless of the season.

Yue Shi stood behind Xiao Rongyan, holding a sword. His ears suddenly twitched as he turned his head toward the nunnery entrance.

Xiao Rongyan made his move, put down the piece in his hand, and gradually stood up, brushing off the osmanthus flowers that had fallen on his robes, smiling as he looked toward the nunnery entrance.

Seeing that Bai Qingyan had changed into plain everyday clothes and come out, Xiao Rongyan bowed deeply: “Miss Bai…”

Bai Qingyan’s gaze swept over the stone table, her voice calm: “Mr. Xiao, you seem quite at ease.”

“Yan knows Miss Bai has just returned from the northern frontier and surely has much to discuss with the Grand Princess, but Yan also has important matters to discuss with Miss Bai, so I could only play chess here to pass the time, waiting for Miss Bai to come out.” Xiao Rongyan was composed and collected, his deep eyes gazing at Bai Qingyan as he made a gesture of invitation. “Miss Bai, please!”

Across from the small sandalwood table was placed a dark blue cushion embroidered with auspicious clouds in gold thread, with some osmanthus flowers scattered on it. Xiao Rongyan had anticipated she would come out.

Yue Shi very tactfully bowed to Bai Qingyan, then led the guards to retreat thirty steps away, not disturbing Xiao Rongyan and Bai Qingyan’s conversation.

Bai Qingyan knelt across from Xiao Rongyan. She saw his well-defined fingers pick up a handkerchief, use it to grip the teapot handle, and pour tea for her.

“What important matter does Mr. Xiao have?” Bai Qingyan asked.

Xiao Rongyan lowered his eyes to place the teapot back on the small stove, then looked toward Bai Qingyan: “Miss Bai… you must be very careful of Prince Liang!”

Bai Qingyan’s hands, resting on her legs, tightened slightly. She suddenly thought of what the eunuch had just said about a black-clothed man secretly meeting with Prince Liang, whom Prince Liang had addressed as “Your Highness.”

Bai Qingyan’s mind suddenly became clear, and she couldn’t help but smile: “So, Prince Liang… came to cooperate with Mr. Xiao?”

Xiao Rongyan seemed somewhat surprised, but he didn’t hide it. He nodded: “To be precise, he came to cooperate with Great Yan’s Ninth Prince.”

“Mr. Xiao means that Great Yan’s Ninth Prince personally came to cooperate with Prince Liang, while Mr. Xiao remains the wealthy merchant Xiao Rongyan from Great Wei in Prince Liang’s eyes?”

If Xiao Rongyan hadn’t cooperated with Prince Liang using his true identity, then… it meant he wasn’t truly intending to cooperate with Prince Liang.

Bai Qingyan was intelligent—no matter what Xiao Rongyan said, she was quick to understand.