Lady Li looked at her daughter, stepped forward to touch her daughter’s little face, then pinched her daughter’s shoulders and arms. With tears mixed in her smile, she choked out: “You’ve grown quite a bit taller… It seems the clothes your mother made for you won’t fit anymore!”
“That’s right! Ever since my daughter went off to war, I eat more every day and am more active too. It would be hard not to grow taller—isn’t that what father said!” Bai Jinzhi looked proud. “Give me another half year, and I’ll be taller than my eldest sister!”
“You heartless little thing! Just back and already wanting to go wild for another half year! Completely disregarding whether mother misses you or not!” Lady Li pretended to be angry and scolded.
In front of her eldest sister, Bai Jinzhi wasn’t embarrassed at all. She took Lady Li’s arm and rubbed her head against Lady Li’s shoulder: “When I’m not here… there’s no one to make mother angry, and besides, mother still thinks of me—how wonderful!”
Lady Li poked Bai Jinzhi’s forehead with her finger: “You! When will you ever grow up? Even if you learned just a tenth of what your eldest sister has, mother wouldn’t worry so much!”
“Third Aunt, A’Bao cannot agree with those words. Our little fourth… has a lively and spirited nature. If everyone in our Bai family were truly steady and composed, wouldn’t we lose much laughter and joy?” Bai Qingyan said with a smile.
“Exactly, exactly!” Bai Jinzhi nodded repeatedly.
“You’re always one to climb up when given a pole!” Lady Li poked Bai Jinzhi’s forehead again. “Alright, alright! Now that you’ve finished discussing serious matters with your eldest sister, don’t be mischievous here anymore. Your eldest sister is carrying twins now—you need to help your eldest sister, not cause her trouble! Now that mother has seen you… You stay here to help your eldest sister organize memorials! Keep your eldest sister company! And watch over your eldest sister… after half an hour, you must make your eldest sister get up and rest!”
“Third Aunt, let little fourth go back to accompany you! I’ll work a little longer here and promise to rest properly!” Bai Qingyan smiled. “I estimate in at most half a cup of tea’s time, Fifth Aunt will send Nanny Zhai with little eighth over…”
Ever since Bai Qingyan became pregnant, these experienced aunts had been timing their visits daily, sending servants to remind her to rest. They always sent capable nannies from their households… either bringing soup or bringing pastries, and they had to watch Bai Qingyan obediently finish everything and get up to move around before returning to report back.
These nannies had all watched Bai Qingyan grow up and were like elders to her. How could she dare disobey? She could only eat the pastries and stand up to move around.
Not to mention, there were also Physician Hong and little Yinshuang constantly watching.
As soon as Bai Qingyan finished speaking, sure enough, Nanny Zhai came leading little Eighth, Bai Wanqing.
Upon entering, Nanny Zhai bowed to Lady Li, Bai Qingyan, and Bai Jinzhi, then smiled and said to Bai Wanqing: “Eighth Miss, this is your fourth sister…”
Bai Jinzhi looked at the child with two little blessing knots in her hair, wearing a red ruby necklace, a pale pink cloud silk crossed-collar Confucian shirt, and a frost-colored gauze skirt. Her eyes like black grapes blinked, making her look exactly like a little blessing doll, extremely adorable.
Bai Jinzhi bent down to touch Bai Wanqing’s head: “Little eighth, I’m your fourth sister!”
“Fourth sister!” Bai Wanqing called out sweetly, then let go of Nanny Zhai’s hand and, holding up her gauze skirt, pattered toward Bai Qingyan. Her pronunciation still unclear, she called out softly: “Eldest sister, eldest sister can’t review memorials anymore! Time to relax now…”
Seeing the little one skillfully run to Bai Qingyan’s side, then climb up from under Bai Qingyan’s arm into her embrace, sitting in Bai Qingyan’s lap and mimicking her by opening bamboo scrolls to read—if she hadn’t held them upside down, one might think this little one could understand them.
Perhaps having seen such scenes often, no one scolded little Eighth for not being careful of Bai Qingyan’s condition. Bai Qingyan casually set the bamboo scroll aside, took out blank bamboo scrolls, and let little eighth grab the brush to scribble and draw randomly, even praising how well little eighth drew, her affection and indulgence completely unconcealed.
“Little Bai looked ugly as a little monkey when she was born, but now she’s become so pretty!” Bai Jinzhi said.
Lady Li immediately pinched Bai Jinzhi’s arm, making her cry out in pain. Nanny Zhai was still here—what kind of talk was that!
“Mother, why are you pinching me?”
“You’re the monkey! Still a monkey now! Dark and thin, and you have the nerve to criticize little eighth!”
Nanny Zhai smiled broadly: “All babies are wrinkled when they’re born—no wonder Fourth Miss spoke so. They look better when they fill out! Eighth Miss looks exactly like Fifth Master—cut from the same mold.”
Bai Jinzhi frowned and looked at Bai Wanqing, clearly feeling that Bai Wanqing looked more like Fifth Aunt. Pointing at little eighth, she spoke without thinking: “Where does she look like Fifth… Ow! Mother, why are you pinching me?”
“Stop disturbing your eldest sister here. Come back with your mother first. Smell yourself—you’re covered in sweat. Go bathe first…” Lady Li grabbed Bai Jinzhi’s arm and started walking out.
“Third Aunt, farewell…” Bai Qingyan placed Bai Wanqing aside and rose to bow to Lady Li.
“Sit down quickly! What are you doing, carrying twins!” Lady Li hurriedly waved at Bai Qingyan.
“Eldest sister, I’m leaving first. After bathing, I’ll come over…” Bai Jinzhi said hurriedly.
Bai Qingyan waved at Bai Jinzhi, thinking that Bai Jinzhi probably wouldn’t be able to come over tomorrow. Seeing that Bai Jinzhi had gotten quite dark, Third Aunt would apply various fragrant balms to Bai Jinzhi after her bath, trying to make her fair again.
After all, little Fourth’s maternal grandmother and uncle, and aunt had brought their second son to the capital, preparing for the two children to meet. Bai Qingyan knew about this matter in her heart. She wondered if little Fourth would be so anxious she’d quarrel with Third Aunt when she heard about it.
Nanny Zhai respectfully saw off Lady Li and Bai Jinzhi, then quickly walked to the desk carrying a black lacquered gold-decorated food box, taking out soup bowls and a plate of exquisite pastries: “Eldest Miss, please try these. This is the bird’s nest golden thread cake and red date soup that Fifth Madam just made…”
“Thank you for Fifth Aunt’s thoughtfulness!” After Bai Qingyan spoke, she saw Bai Wanqing eyeing the bird’s nest golden thread cake and drooling, tugging at her sleeve.
She smiled and took a piece to feed to Bai Wanqing: “Eat! Nanny, prepare a bowl of milk for little eighth…”
“Eldest Miss spoils Eighth Miss too much!” Nanny Zhai said this, but was extremely happy in her heart.
Meanwhile, the black-clad man who had returned with Bai Jinzhi, named Sun Wenyao, had been standing under the sun outside Wude Gate. By evening, when darkness fell, no one from the palace had come to summon him inside.
Sun Wenyao clenched his hands, finally leaving Wude Gate as night fell, his expression gloomy yet also seeming relieved.
Sun Wenyao led his horse, walking along the red-lantern-lit streets of the capital. If he had met Bai Qingyan, would he truly have had to end the Empress’s life with one blade?