Dong Shi’s features were extremely beautiful and refined, her bearing noble and dignified. She possessed the natural commanding presence of a household matron, inspiring awe without anger.

The two little maids were startled and quickly curtsied: “Reporting to Madam, Miss ordered us to bring out the sandbags she used for martial arts practice when she was young.”

Dong Shi’s brow furrowed with inevitable worry about Bai Qingyan’s health. Without another word, she walked toward the main room.

Chun Tao quickly stepped forward to lift the curtain for Dong Shi.

Entering the room, Dong Shi saw Bai Qingyan leaning against the spring pillow. She removed her cloak, took a food box from a maid’s hands, and walked toward Bai Qingyan: “Is A’Bao tired?!”

Having spoken so much with Bai Jintong earlier, Bai Qingyan was thoroughly exhausted. Especially thinking of grandmother’s attitude in protecting the Great Jin imperial family, Bai Qingyan’s heart ached even more. Based on her understanding of grandmother… if she had truly uttered the word “rebellion” then, she would probably have been immediately sent to the family temple by grandmother to be confined for life, never to see daylight again.

Looking up to see her mother, the unbearable surge of bitter emotions in Bai Qingyan’s heart nearly made her unable to suppress her tears. She wished she could throw herself into her mother’s arms.

She suppressed the burning discomfort in her chest and quickly smiled as she rose to greet her: “With such heavy snow, why did Mother come?”

Helping Dong Shi sit on the soft couch, she stood beside her mother, holding her mother’s hand and refusing to let go, her eyes reddening: “Second sister got married, and Mother has been working so hard for so long. Why don’t you rest properly?”

“I’ve been so busy lately that I haven’t had time to come and accompany A’Bao!” Dong Shi raised her hand to gently stroke her daughter’s black hair. “Come, sit down! This is the black chicken soup Mother stewed for you!”

She nodded and sat on the other side of the small table, watching as Dong Shi personally opened the food box, took out the soup bowl, and placed it before her. Using a small spoon to taste a sip, she lowered her extremely long eyelashes to hide the redness in her eyes.

How wonderful—Mother was still here!

Bai Qingyan’s nose tingled with emotion, and tears fell into the soup. She quickly lowered her head even more, afraid that Dong Shi would notice.

“Why did you have the little maids in the courtyard bring out the sandbags?” Dong Shi asked softly.

Bai Qingyan kept her head lowered, not daring to raise it, and took a sip of soup: “My body hasn’t been getting better, and it’s also because I’ve been lying in bed too much these past two years. I want to move around…”

“Wanting to move around is good, but with the harsh winter cold, let’s wait a bit longer! It won’t be too late to move around when spring comes with warmer weather!” Dong Shi’s brow tightened as she advised.

When her daughter was young, the Duke had raised her like a son, having her wear sandbags daily while practicing military boxing and horse stance, enduring countless hardships.

Back when Bai Qingyan was in good health, Dong Shi had felt heartbroken watching her suffer. How could she bear to see her daughter go through those childhood hardships again when her health was still poor?

Bai Qingyan’s heart warmed as she smiled with narrowed eyes: “Mother, your daughter knows what she’s doing and won’t overexert herself. Besides, practicing calligraphy indoors with wrist weights—how could that cause me to catch a cold?”

“That would still be too taxing! Mother fears your body can’t handle it…”

She looked at Dong Shi with eyes full of laughter. She pretended to be scalded and choked, coughing violently with large tears streaming down, her heart unable to bear the overwhelming emotion.

“Quickly bring your miss a cup of water!” Dong Shi hurriedly stood and walked behind Bai Qingyan to help her breathe easier. “Such a grown person, how can you still choke on drinking soup?”

Not wanting her mother to worry, Bai Qingyan looked up and took the handkerchief Chun Tao handed her, wiping away her tears with a smile: “Mother, I may have been injured and lost my martial arts, but you can’t pamper me like a sickly person. I’m the legitimate eldest daughter of the Duke’s mansion—I must set an example for my younger siblings.”

These were words the Duke had once said when raising Bai Qingyan.

Dong Shi took out a handkerchief to wipe Bai Qingyan’s mouth and sighed: “In all of the capital… only the daughters of our Duke’s mansion have the hardest lives!”

“With Mother stewing soup for your daughter, how could I suffer!” Bai Qingyan grasped Dong Shi’s hand, placing her face in her mother’s palm and nuzzling it affectionately, displaying intimacy and reluctance to let go.

Bai Qingyan had been raised from childhood under the Grand Princess and the Duke’s guidance, developing a dignified and mature manner. Even when young, she rarely acted so coquettishly with Dong Shi.

Today, seeing her daughter suddenly display such intimate and charming behavior made Dong Shi’s eyes redden instead. She chuckled softly and tapped Bai Qingyan’s forehead with her finger: “How is it that the older you get, the more you regress, still acting spoiled with Mother!”

“Mother, no matter how old your daughter gets, she’s still Mother’s daughter…” Bai Qingyan spoke affectionately, though her heart had already become a pool of bitter water.

In this life, she would never let Mother reach the point of taking her own life, even if it meant being crushed to pieces!

All the maids and nannies in the room were also seeing Bai Qingyan act coquettishly for the first time, all covering their lips with handkerchiefs and laughing.

“I know you well enough—you’re trying to get me to allow your mischief!” Dong Shi flicked her handkerchief and sat on the other side of the small table, pushing the soup closer to Bai Qingyan. “Fine, fine, if you want to practice, then practice! Just remember to know your limits and don’t force yourself!”

Bai Qingyan nodded obediently: “A’Bao understands.”

Not seeing Nanny Tong, the steward nanny of Bai Qingyan’s room, in Qinghui Courtyard, Dong Shi asked: “Hasn’t Nanny Tong returned yet?”

“Nanny Tong’s son was seriously injured this time. Before lunch, I had Chun Yan take silver to Nanny Tong’s house to tell her to return to duty only after her son recovers.”

Both being mothers, Dong Shi nodded and said, “Your room can’t function without a steward nanny. Before Nanny Tong returns, perhaps…”

“Mother, although Nanny Tong isn’t here, Chun Tao is steady and experienced, very capable. I’d like to use this opportunity to give Chun Tao more training. Please don’t worry about matters in your daughter’s room!”

Hearing Bai Qingyan’s words, Chun Tao was overwhelmed with gratitude and quickly curtsied: “Miss trusts me—this servant will not disappoint Miss.”

Dong Shi nodded: “Chun Tao is indeed steady.”

“Madam flatters me. This servant is honored,” Chun Tao became even more respectful.

Dong Shi looked back at Bai Qingyan with a smile at the corners of her lips. Thinking of today’s grand occasion of Bai Jinxiu’s wedding while her own daughter’s marriage remained distant, her heart filled with unbearable bitterness. Afraid her daughter would notice and become sad as well, Dong Shi sat for only a short while before taking her leave.

***

The next morning at cockcrow, a cleaning servant woman yawning and carrying a wooden basin from her room saw Bai Qingyan practicing horse stance in the courtyard. Startled, she swallowed her yawn and quickly curtsied: “Miss!”

“Do whatever you’re supposed to do and mind your tongue!” Chun Tao instructed.

Bai Qingyan wore thin practice clothes, sweat dripping from her chin drop by drop. Steam rose from her head and body. Chun Tao stood nearby with a worried expression, not daring to say much, only continuously wringing the handkerchief in her hands and frequently glancing at the water clock, hoping time would pass more quickly.

Bai Qingyan was drenched in sweat with half her clothes soaked. She had been in horse stance for half an hour already, and this was without even wearing sandbags—she seemed to have reached her limit.

Now, if Bai Qingyan wanted to recover her lost martial arts, she had to endure all the hardships she had suffered as a child again. No matter how difficult, she had to persevere!

In her previous life, to be able to don armor and return to battle, Bai Qingyan had endured even greater hardships, nearly losing her life several times, surviving purely on a burning hatred.

In this life, with all her beloved relatives still alive, even if she had to bear suffering a thousand or ten thousand times heavier than her previous life, she could endure it and must endure it. She absolutely could not be just a useless person when the Bai family faced difficulties, watching her entire family perish before desperately fighting to regain her martial arts.

Heaven had shown mercy to the Bai family by letting her return, not to let her return and accomplish nothing while watching the Bai family collapse before her eyes again.

Bai Qingyan held her breath with determination in her chest, persisting through sheer willpower.

As soon as the hour was up, Chun Tao quickly ran to Bai Qingyan’s side to support her: “Miss, the hour is up!”

Bai Qingyan was completely soaked, her legs weak as mud. She had barely stood up when she nearly stumbled and fell.

“Miss, be careful!” Chun Tao’s eyes reddened with heartbreak.

“Have them prepare water!” Bai Qingyan instructed in a hoarse voice.

“Yes…” Chun Tao responded.