She stood at the entrance of Changshou Courtyard, staring at the plaque in a daze, an indescribable sourness and loneliness spreading throughout her entire body.

She had originally thought that her grandmother would, like her, fight desperately to protect the Bai family and their loved ones. But grandmother was Great Jin’s Grand Princess—she bore the surname Lin… Great Jin was the Lin family’s empire!

Seeing Bai Qingyan staring at the plaque of Changshou Courtyard with reddened eyes, Chun Tao thought she was worried about the Grand Princess’s health and softly consoled: “Miss, the Grand Princess is blessed with deep fortune. She will surely recover after winter passes.”

Bai Qingyan came back to her senses, gripping her hand warmer tightly as she nodded: “Let’s go back!”

Forget it. The matter of rebirth was too ethereal to speak of—whether grandmother would believe it was another question entirely. If this caused the grandmother to become wary of her, some things would become even more difficult to accomplish.

At least, as long as it didn’t touch upon the Lin family’s Great Jin empire, when it came to protecting the Bai family, grandmother’s stance was the same as hers.

Chun Tao had just helped Bai Qingyan enter the courtyard when they saw Chun Yan standing under the corridor with a pale face, pacing back and forth anxiously.

Seeing Bai Qingyan enter, Chun Yan immediately came forward. She twisted the handkerchief in her hands as she bowed, her eyes red with urgency: “Miss, Prince Liang was assassinated on Chang’an Street today and remains unconscious, hovering between life and death! Please quickly ask Physician Hong to see His Highness Prince Liang! Physician Hong is the senior brother of Imperial Physician Huang and has a great reputation—he can surely save His Highness Prince Liang!”

Having followed Bai Qingyan to see Qin Shangzhi today, Chun Tao’s heart couldn’t help but pound rapidly upon hearing Chun Yan’s words.

Bai Qingyan’s sharp eyes looked toward Chun Yan. She wished she could tear Prince Liang apart—letting him die would be getting off easy, yet she wanted her to request Physician Hong for him… What spring dreams was she having?!

“Chun Yan, have you lost your mind?! Prince Liang was assassinated—the Imperial Medical Academy will naturally handle it! What would be the proper explanation for our Miss to request Physician Hong to see Prince Liang?! Does Miss no longer want her reputation?!” Chun Tao scolded harshly.

Chun Yan quickly knelt, tears streaming down her face: “Miss, Chun Yan knows she was wrong. Chun Yan was just anxious on Miss’s behalf!”

“The more you speak, the more deranged you become! You…”

Before Chun Tao could finish, Bai Qingyan looked coldly at Chun Yan: “How about I send you along with your contract of servitude to Prince Liang’s mansion?!”

Chun Yan was shocked and terrified, her eyes widening as she kowtowed: “This servant knows her mistake. Please calm your anger, Miss!”

“Chun Yan, don’t forget whose maid you are and where your thoughts should be focused. I cannot tolerate servants whose bodies are in Cao’s camp but hearts are with Han!”

After speaking, Bai Qingyan lifted her foot and walked toward the inner room. If not for the fact that keeping Chun Yan still had some use, she would have had her dismissed long ago.

Chun Tao glared fiercely at Chun Yan before quickly following to lift the curtain for Bai Qingyan.

Kneeling in the courtyard, Chun Yan looked back at Bai Qingyan’s retreating figure, not daring to plead further. She could only continuously wipe her tears, not understanding how Miss had become so heartless. His Highness Prince Liang was so devoted and caring toward Miss, yet now, when Prince Liang was hovering between life and death, Miss remained indifferent. Could it be that after going to the battlefield, she had truly developed an iron heart, iron lungs, and a heart of stone?!

Bai Qingyan had just finished her lunch when Bai Jintong suddenly rushed to Qinghui Courtyard. Not bothering to brush off the accumulated snow on her body, she rushed straight into Bai Qingyan’s room: “Elder sister!”

Bai Qingyan covered her mouth with a handkerchief, spitting mouthwash into the spittoon. Seeing Bai Jintong’s bright eyes that couldn’t hide her joy, her heart warmed—how wonderful it was to see third sister’s vibrant smile again!

She smiled and asked: “Have you already eaten at grandmother’s?”

Bai Jintong removed her cloak and handed it to the maid who had chased after her, walking to Bai Qingyan’s side: “Everyone, please leave first!”

“Chun Tao, guard outside…” Bai Qingyan turned to instruct Chun Tao.

Chun Tao nodded and led all the maids out of the inner room.

“Elder sister!” Bai Jintong sat on the stool beside Bai Qingyan, unable to contain her excitement as she grasped Bai Qingyan’s hand. “Grandmother gave me capital and personnel, and permitted me to disguise myself as a man to engage in commerce! Grandmother won’t force me to marry anymore!”

The Grand Princess planned to bring back the grandson raised on the estate. After the fifteenth day of the first month, she would take the Bai family sisters to Qing’an Temple to pray to Buddha. At that time, under the pretext of praying for the Great Jin, she would remain at Qing’an Temple, with the Bai family’s third miss Bai Jintong attending her, so she could properly educate this grandson she hadn’t seen for many years in the temple.

Bai Qingyan lowered her head with a smile, warming Bai Jintong’s fingertips that had grown cold from running against the wind, then asked: “Did grandmother tell you the reason?”

Bai Jintong spoke cheerfully: “Grandmother said that our Bai family has seventeen young men who will eventually establish separate households and divide the family property. Since I have a talent for commerce, she’s entrusting me to earn a substantial family fortune for my brothers! Although grandmother didn’t speak the full truth, I could tell, but what does it matter? Following the merchant’s path is what I desire!”

Bai Qingyan lowered her eyes, thinking of her grandmother’s questioning today about whether she harbored rebellious intentions, her agitated emotions, and the killing intent that inadvertently leaked out. Her eyes reddened, and her throat tightened until she could barely breathe.

She suppressed the pain in her heart, poured a cup of hot tea for Bai Jintong, and pushed it in front of her. Looking up seriously, she said: “Today’s words come from my mouth to your ears alone. After hearing them, just keep them in mind…”

There were some things Bai Qingyan couldn’t say to her grandmother but had to tell Bai Jintong. They were both daughters of the Bai family, and Bai Qingyan deeply believed that Bai Jintong had the same determination as her to protect the Bai family.

Bai Jintong looked at Bai Qingyan with a serious expression: “Please speak, elder sister.”

“Grandfather’s achievements threaten the throne. He is upright and straightforward, not knowing how to adapt, and has long been at odds with the sycophants who constantly attend the emperor. The current emperor listens to slander and views the Bai family as a fierce tiger beside his couch, wanting to eliminate us! Grandfather’s situation in Nanjiang is extremely perilous…”

Bai Jintong tensed up, looking at Bai Qingyan’s reddening eyes that were generating deep killing intent, feeling terrified: “Elder sister?!”

Her throat rolled as she gripped Bai Jintong’s hand tightly, signaling her to listen: “Having you change your name, assume a false identity, and travel in male disguise is to protect you, and also to place the Bai family’s retreat path in your hands! Why is the foreign wealthy merchant Xiao Rongyan an honored guest of our Great Jin’s princes and noble families? Because wealth can preserve life… and reach the heavens.”

Bai Jintong, who had originally only thought about displaying her commercial talents, suddenly felt the burden on her shoulders weigh a thousand pounds, making it somewhat difficult to breathe.

Bai Qingyan’s voice was hoarse: “Our Bai family, being a family of officials for generations, lacks not silver or worldly possessions, but escape routes. Grandmother handles affairs within the mansion, the outside is entrusted to you. How far you can go with your intelligence is both your fortune and the Bai family’s fortune. Elder sister hopes you understand the gravity of the situation.”

Bai Jintong clenched her fists, no longer having the high spirits she’d shown when rushing into Bai Qingyan’s room earlier. She became considerably more composed, rising to bow formally to Bai Qingyan: “Elder sister, rest assured! Jintong will exert all her strength.”

Bai Jintong left Bai Qingyan’s place with a heavy heart. Her chief maid quickly came forward to drape the cloak over Bai Jintong’s shoulders, and she looked down at her feet with a delayed reaction.

Elder sister had a steady and cautious personality and would never speak without basis…

Bai Jintong stood outside Qinghui Courtyard, looking at the ornately decorated Duke’s mansion, and broke out in a cold sweat. Perhaps the Bai mansion’s fame in the capital was so brilliant and magnificent that it had blinded not only her but everyone in the mansion. If her elder sister hadn’t pointed it out, she would never have carefully considered that the Duke’s mansion might already be causing the emperor apprehension.

Chun Tao saw off Bai Jintong and was about to lift the curtain to enter the room when she spotted two little maids at the door carrying sandbags that the steward nanny had already put away. Her brow furrowed as she looked back at the main room, then gathered her skirts and quickly walked down the steps, lowering her voice to ask: “Why did you bring these things out?”

Ever since Bai Qingyan was injured, Bai Qingyan’s mother, Dong Shi, fearing she would be saddened by seeing these items, had Nanny Tong, the steward nanny of Qinghui Courtyard, put them away.

“Bring what things out?”

Dong Shi, supported by Nanny Qin, stepped through the main gate of Qinghui Courtyard.

“Madam!” Chun Tao quickly curtsied.