She needed to know who… wanted to harm her younger brother and sister! She would certainly have this person cut into a thousand pieces, skinned, and tendons extracted!

“Wei Zhong, prepare the carriage!” Bai Qingyan said in a hoarse voice, “Summon Grand Commandant Lu, Minister Shen, and Minister Dong to enter the palace immediately!”

“Yes!” Wei Zhong responded and hurried to make preparations.

The Bai family soldier, kneeling on the ground, suddenly raised his head: “Young Marshal…”

Could it be that Young Marshal was going to Xiliang?

But Young Marshal had just given birth!

Dong Shi knew that Bai Qingyan was… about to depart for Xiliang. She gripped tightly the handkerchief in her hand that was already soaked through, tears streaming out, not knowing how to persuade her, nor whether she should persuade her.

Bai Qingyan lowered her gaze to look at the two children, bending down to kiss their soft cheeks.

The two children appeared smaller than ordinary babies, and the daughter was much smaller than the son. Her earlier cries were so weak… like those of a newborn kitten. Her heart was full of heartache, guessing that it was because she had gone to battle while pregnant that the children had suffered in the womb.

The Imperial Physician and Dong Shi had always noticed that Bai Qingyan’s belly wasn’t very large, never thinking it would be twins. Even Bai Qingyan herself hadn’t expected it. She remembered when Fourth Uncle’s concubine was pregnant with Fifth and Sixth, she had seen her once, and that belly was very large, but she didn’t seem to show much.

Bai Qingyan felt remorseful and reflective in her heart. Previously, she had always felt the children in her womb were well-behaved, hardly moving at all. It was probably… because she was exhausted and didn’t pay attention to her diet, causing the children to suffer weakness in the womb while she remained unaware.

“Don’t worry…” Dong Shi said softly to Bai Qingyan, “The Imperial Physician has examined them and said that although the two children were born small like kittens, with weaker constitutions than other babies, if we take good care of them and gradually nurse them back to health, they’ll recover.”

The twin children were naturally weak at birth, their cries soft like little cats, unlike other children who were born with loud voices. The little granddaughter’s constitution was weak beyond measure – when the wet nurse fed her earlier… she even spit up milk once.

Afraid that saying this would worry Bai Qingyan, Dong Shi had the Imperial Physician keep it secret.

She only hoped heaven would bless them, that the ancestors of the Bai family would protect them, and that after some time of the Imperial Physician’s care, the two children would recover.

“Mother, the two children… the older brother shall be called Bai Haiyan, the younger sister Bai Heqing, taken from ‘seas calm and rivers clear.’ Their pet names… shall be Xile and Kangle. Please, Mother, help care for Xile and Kangle. Mother… I will certainly bring A’Yu and Xiao Qi back safely! Let A’Yu properly kneel before Mother and say… ‘safely returned!'”

Dong Shi could no longer hold back her tears as they fell like broken strings, holding her daughter and crying bitterly.

Nanny Tong led Chun Tao forward, kneeling before Dong Shi and Bai Qingyan.

“Madam, First Miss, this time First Miss has just given birth and is going to Xiliang. This old servant cannot stop you, so this old servant requests to accompany and care for First Miss along the way!” Nanny Tong’s voice was firm, kowtowing heavily, “If Madam and First Miss do not agree, this old servant will not rise today! I’ll kneel until First Miss returns!”

“This servant too!” Chun Tao kowtowed as well, tears dripping down, “If First Miss is leaving, Chun Tao must follow! First Miss’s body is so weak now – how can she go without someone to care for her? First Miss must take this servant along!”

“This servant too!” Chun Zhi quickly knelt as well, “Chun Zhi has already gone with First Miss once, so this time will be more familiar. First Miss, please definitely take this servant along!”

Dong Shi turned to look at Nanny Tong and Chun Zhi, seeing such loyal servants, her heart was filled with emotion.

“Nanny Tong need not follow!” Bai Qingyan looked at Nanny Tong through her tears. Chun Tao had to be brought – if not, Mother wouldn’t be at ease, and Chun Tao would worry constantly. But Nanny Tong was getting on in years and couldn’t endure such jolting travel.

Seeing Nanny Tong straighten her back to argue, she said: “The two children still need Nanny Tong to help care for them! I was raised by Nanny Tong’s own hands – Nanny has experience caring for children. I’m already very guilty about not being by the children’s side… Please, Nanny, help my mother take good care of the two children!”

Hearing these words, Nanny Tong indeed stopped arguing. She nodded and kowtowed to Bai Qingyan: “First Miss, rest assured, this old servant… will do everything in my power!”

Bai Qingyan nodded: “I’ll take Chun Zhi and Chun Tao!”

Dong Shi nodded: “Good! But Mother must emphasize one thing. Mother knows you’re concerned about A’Yu and Xiao Qi, but you must remember you’ve just given birth – you cannot ride horses… You must obediently stay in the carriage! Chun Tao, Chun Zhi, you two must take good care of First Miss! Other times are one thing, but now First Miss has just given birth – she cannot catch a wind or cold, and absolutely cannot ride horses! If she rides a horse… when you return and I find out, I may not be able to do anything to your First Miss, but I will certainly hold you two accountable!”

Chun Tao’s expression became solemn as she kowtowed: “Madam, rest assured, Chun Tao would risk her life before allowing First Miss to ride a horse! If First Miss wants to ride a horse… she’ll have to step over Chun Tao’s corpse first!”

“Chun Zhi is the same!” Chun Zhi also hurriedly kowtowed.

Dong Shi gripped her daughter’s hand tightly, nodding, then turned to instruct Nanny Qin: “Nanny Qin, go prepare A’Bao’s carriage. The carriage cannot let in drafts, and bring enough charcoal! Oh, and… Lu Ping, where is Lu Ping?”

Nanny Qin quickly said, “Lu Ping had his day off yesterday and returned to the Bai residence. He should have received news of First Miss’s successful delivery by now.”

Dong Shi nodded: “Go have Lu Ping accompany A’Bao this time! We don’t need Lu Ping to guard us in the palace!”

“Madam, rest assured, this old servant understands and will arrange everything properly!” Nanny Qin bowed and hurriedly left to pack Bai Qingyan’s luggage.

Turning back, Dong Shi saw her daughter staring at the two children. She knew her daughter was reluctant to leave the children – after all, they had just been born – but she also couldn’t abandon her younger siblings.

Dong Shi couldn’t help but try to persuade her daughter: “You don’t have to go, A’Bao. You’ve just given birth, and your uncle has already dispatched the Dong family’s secret guards…”

Bai Qingyan shook her head: “Even if there’s only a one in ten thousand chance that A’Yu and Xiao Qi were captured by Xiliang, I must go! And I must have the news spread!”

How could her reluctance to part with the two children compare to A’Yu and Xiao Qi’s lives hanging in the balance?

She had been reborn and returned to this life to protect her mother, aunt, and younger siblings. How could she let anything happen to A’Yu and Xiao Qi?

Moreover, the two children were safe within the capital city. Their safety need not be worried about – no matter what, Mother and Aunt would never let the two children suffer the slightest grievance.

She gazed at the two children. She had to part from them just after their birth. In the future… once the realm was stabilized, she would certainly make it up to them, stay by their side, and properly teach them.

Imperial Physician Huang and the eunuch carrying medicine entered.