She understood all of Nanny Jiang’s words very clearly. It was precisely because she understood… that she was willing to suppress her murderous intent for grandmother’s sake and spare that concubine-born son’s life.
“I will handle the matter of sending away the mother but keeping the son for grandmother, so don’t let grandmother worry about it anymore,” she said.
“Nanny, is grandmother the only one having difficulties… doesn’t elder sister have difficulties too?” Bai Jinxiu tightly gripped her handkerchief, speaking tearfully on Bai Qingyan’s behalf. “That wretched creature left by my father – keeping him in the Bai family is just asking for trouble! That day on the main street, weren’t the words that creature spoke terrifying? Keeping him… who knows when he’ll bring catastrophic disaster to the family! Will my elder sister have to clean up the mess again? Elder sister’s health isn’t good to begin with, and she’s been exhausting herself worrying about this family. Today at Wude Gate, elder sister took a beating, and until now hasn’t had a moment’s rest to let Physician Hong properly check her pulse. Instead of feeling sorry for her elder sister, Nanny is here asking her elder sister to find a way to keep that wretched creature?”
Bai Jinxiu’s throat choked with emotion, tears falling like broken beads: “Since childhood, even when elder sister was injured, she never cried out in pain or complained of discomfort. Does Nanny think the elder sister is indestructible and feels no pain at all?”
Under the lamplight, Nanny Jiang seemed to wake from a dream, looking at Bai Qingyan in panic, examining her up and down, her nervous voice carrying a sob: “Elder sister, elder sister, can you still hold on? This old servant was confused… this old servant was wrong! This old servant will immediately have someone fetch Physician Hong!”
“Physician Hong is currently watching over Ji Tingyu. Ji Tingyu lost too much blood, I’m afraid…” She pressed her lips together without finishing, thinking of how Ji Tingyu had cut his barely-healed arm again for the Duke’s mansion, making her eyes sting. “I’m fine.”
Compared to Ji Tingyu, what was one beating?!
She squeezed Bai Jinxiu’s hand to comfort her: “The executioner showed mercy. Compared to family law or military beatings, it was countless times lighter. Otherwise, how could this body of mine still be standing here?”
Hearing the sound of pearl curtains rustling and beads clinking inside the room, the maids and servants quietly withdrew from the main hall.
Nanny Jiang wiped her tears and lifted the curtain for Bai Qingyan and Bai Jinxiu. Upon entering, they saw Dong Shi had already helped the Grand Princess to sit at the round table.
Dong Shi had come to report to the Grand Princess about selling the Duke’s mansion’s assets – the causes, consequences, and handling methods. Dong Shi explained everything clearly. The Grand Princess understood that Dong Shi and Bai Qingyan were planning for the widows’ future return to Shouyang and had no objections. She thought Dong Shi and Bai Qingyan were very decisive and weren’t worried about them being bullied by the clan after returning to Shouyang.
After speaking with Dong Shi, she felt much more at ease and was preparing to dine when she heard Nanny Jiang’s words outside.
The Grand Princess and Dong Shi had stood inside listening for a while before emerging from behind the pearl curtain.
The Grand Princess closed her eyes, fingering her prayer beads. The silver strands at her temples gleamed in the candlelight, making her face appear even more haggard.
“A’Bao…” The Grand Princess extended her hand, wrapped with prayer beads, toward her, eyes red.
She had just taken a step toward the Grand Princess when she was pulled into her embrace. The Grand Princess closed her eyes, tears streaming like springs. She bit her teeth hard, opened her eyes, and said loudly: “Have someone take my calling card and invite the Imperial Physician to examine A’Bao.”
So she had heard their earlier conversation. She looked at the Grand Princess: “Grandmother, I’m fine. You needn’t worry.”
“Just listen to your grandmother!” Dong Shi had long been anxious, her eyes so red they looked terrible, and the handkerchief in her hands was nearly torn apart. “In front of family, why must you act strong?!”
Today, she only knew that the Grand Princess had taken the children to beat the Petition Drum. Seeing the children return unharmed, she thought everything had gone smoothly. Who would have thought her daughter had been beaten at Wude Gate, and no one had returned to report it?!
Had she known her daughter was beaten, how could she have let her daughter exhaust herself so?
“How is it nothing serious! You’ve been like this since childhood – no matter where you hurt or what injury you have, you never cry out in pain! You insist on turning small problems into big ones before reluctantly admitting it when discovered!” The Grand Princess’s voice was stern. “If you don’t want grandmother to worry, then let the Imperial Physician examine you properly!”
With the matter of summoning the Imperial Physician decided, the Grand Princess steeled her heart and spoke: “If that wretched creature wants to leave, let him go. Our Duke’s mansion has no such worthless offspring.”
Since Bai Qingxuan was the wretched offspring of Bai Jinxiu’s father, Bai Jinxiu felt guilty: “Grandmother…”
The Grand Princess opened her red eyes, maintaining her dignified authority with determination: “Without this wretched creature, our Duke’s mansion can still hope for the child in Fifth Daughter-in-law’s belly. Even if that child is also a daughter, can’t the daughters of our Duke’s mansion uphold the Bai family name?! Sit down and eat! Nanny Jiang, send someone to the front memorial hall to call all the children back for their meal.”
Looking at the table full of vegetarian dishes, the Grand Princess’s tone brooked no argument: “Though we must observe mourning, the children are growing – how can they avoid meat and fish like this old woman?! “
“Grandmother, we’re in mourning…” Bai Jinxiu said with red eyes.
“How can you have the strength to keep vigil without meat and fish? How can you have the strength to support our Duke’s mansion? Filial piety lies in the heart, not in these empty formalities. These are all for show for the living… what’s the point of your observance! A’Bao is weak, Jinxiu is married and needs to take care of her health for the future, and your younger sisters are all still small. If you truly observe mourning for three years, what will happen to your bodies? Your health and safety – that’s the greatest filial piety you can show your grandfather and your fathers! This matter is not open for discussion. If others gossip… just say this old woman used filial duty to force you to eat!”
The Grand Princess summoned her energy and told a nearby maid: “Have the small kitchen make chicken soup noodles for the children, add some pickled bamboo shoots and matsutake mushrooms, and poach two eggs each! Steam two plates of that cloud ham prepared before New Year! Starting tomorrow, the kitchen must not lack meat broth – say it’s my order!”
“Good child, aunt knows you’re filial, but your grandmother is right!” Dong Shi patted Bai Jinxiu’s hand. “Your grandfather and the others are already gone – we can’t let your bodies be sacrificed to the word ‘filial piety’ too! Listen to your grandmother!”
After persuading Bai Jinxiu, Dong Shi instructed the maids: “Make a bowl of noodles for Second Son-in-law too, with some refreshing side dishes, and take it over. Second Son-in-law has been working so hard helping at the Duke’s mansion these past few days.”
The memorial hall couldn’t be left unattended. Bai Jintong and Bai Jinzhi brought their three younger sisters over, while their mothers and aunts all kept vigil in the memorial hall.
After the meal, the wet nurses took Fifth Miss, Sixth Miss, and Seventh Miss back to rest. The Grand Princess personally supervised as the Imperial Physician took Bai Qingyan’s pulse. Only after hearing that Bai Qingyan had no internal injuries did the Grand Princess finally feel at ease.