After bathing, Imperial Physician Huang came to take Bai Qingyan’s pulse. Because the Empress Dowager had given early instructions and Physician Hong had also advised Imperial Physician Huang, he was well aware that Bai Qingyan’s pregnancy was further along than everyone knew.

After examining her pulse, Imperial Physician Huang saw that only Bai Qingyan was in the room before speaking in a low voice: “Your Majesty, your fetal condition is stable and everything is well! But… this minister will tell others that Your Majesty’s fetal condition is unstable due to the jolting and fatigue of travel. I’ll prepare two copies of the pulse records – one for Your Majesty to keep here, and one for this minister to retain. Naturally, there will also be two sets of fetal stabilizing medicine. This minister will later instruct Nanny Chun Tao not to mix them up.”

Imperial Physician Huang was preparing for Bai Qingyan’s future premature delivery. Bai Qingyan understood and thanked him: “Thank you for your trouble, Imperial Physician Huang.”

“This is all within this minister’s duty!” Imperial Physician Huang had already packed his medicine chest properly and bowed to Bai Qingyan. “This minister will take his leave first. Your Majesty should rest early.”

Bai Qingyan nodded.

Imperial Physician Huang came out of the room and saw Chun Tao carrying bird’s nest soup, about to enter. He smiled and said: “Nanny Chun Tao, regarding Your Majesty’s fetal stabilizing medicine, I must trouble Nanny Chun Tao to come with this old one for a moment.”

Chun Tao understood Imperial Physician Huang’s meaning, handed the bird’s nest soup to Chun Zhi, and left together with Imperial Physician Huang.

Chun Zhi entered the room, placed the bird’s nest soup beside Bai Qingyan, and said with a smile: “Now that Sister Chun Tao is married, this servant hears others addressing Sister Chun Tao as ‘Nanny.'”

After Chun Tao married and was promoted in status, others naturally addressed her respectfully as “Nanny.”

Bai Qingyan tasted a spoonful of bird’s nest soup and smiled: “Is Chun Zhi hoping to marry?”

“Oh my, Miss!” Chun Zhi bit her lip. “Miss, please don’t tease Chun Zhi anymore. In the future, I only ask that Miss arrange a match for me nearby. I want to serve at Miss’s side for my entire life.”

Chun Zhi spoke these words sincerely, not blindly declaring loyalty by saying she was willing to remain unmarried for life. She meant for Bai Qingyan to make decisions about her lifelong matters, asking only that she not be married off too far away.

“So you do hope to marry…” Bai Qingyan dabbed the corner of her mouth with a handkerchief and said with a smile, “Rest assured, I’ll have Wei Zhong keep an eye out for a suitable candidate for you!”

Chun Zhi blushed and said nothing.

Seeing Chun Zhi’s expression, the smile in Bai Qingyan’s eyes deepened.

“I… I’ll go see how Eldest Miss’s evening meal preparations are coming along.” Chun Zhi fled like an escape, tightly gripping the black lacquered square tray in her hands, lowering her head to hide her joyful expression.

Chun Zhi knew she was simple-minded, but she could see that quite a few people had designs on her, not because they liked her as a person, but because they coveted her status as the Great Zhou Emperor’s maid!

Seeing how well Chen Qingsheng treated Sister Chun Tao, she indeed had developed thoughts of wanting to marry. As long as she was married, those with ill intentions would give up their ideas. Otherwise, with her simple mind, she didn’t know when she might be deceived. If it were just herself, that would be fine, but if she brought trouble to Eldest Miss, she would die ten thousand deaths without redemption.

But she also didn’t want to leave Eldest Miss. She hoped she could also meet someone like Chen Qingsheng who treated Sister Chun Tao well… someone who would be good to her and wasn’t trying to use her to curry favor with Eldest Miss.

After resting one night in Quwo, the procession set off again in great array, finally returning to the capital city on the ninth day of the third month.

Bai Qingyan didn’t make a grand announcement, only sending letters to her mother and aunts about the time of her return to the palace.

Little Eight, Bai Wanqing, learned from Fifth Aunt Qi Shi that Bai Qingyan would return today. From early morning, she kept chattering “Elder Sister, Elder Sister” non-stop to her wet nurse.

The wet nurse smiled as she applied fragrant cream to Little Eighth’s chubby, fair face after washing it, saying with a laugh: “Our Eighth Miss loves Your Majesty the most. As long as Eldest Miss is here… she clings to Eldest Miss’s embrace!”

“Indeed! Even when Eldest Miss is reviewing memorials, she holds Eighth Miss in her arms. Our Eighth Miss will surely be like Eldest Miss in the future – capable in both literature and martial arts!” The wet nurse smiled and tapped Little Eight’s nose. “Isn’t that right, Eighth Miss!”

Bai Wanqing lifted her chin, obediently letting the wet nurse fasten her buttons, looking at her wet nurse with determination: “Elder Sister said… as long as Little Eight works hard enough! Little Eight will be more capable than Elder Sister!”

Bai Wanqing’s chubby little face was full of determination. Elder Sister’s words were never wrong. Mother said… Elder Sister had always suffered greatly to support the Bai family, and Mother told her to work hard so that when she grew up, she could share some of Elder Sister’s burdens.

Mother also said she didn’t expect her to be as capable as Elder Sister – having even half of Elder Sister’s abilities would be good enough.

But Bai Wanqing believed that one day she would be more capable than Elder Sister, shielding the entire Bai family from wind and rain.

She was just a small child, but those eyes were bright and resilient, making people dare not underestimate her.

The wet nurse, seeing Bai Wanqing like this, felt that perhaps in the future, Bai Wanqing truly could become a figure like their Great Zhou Emperor Bai Qingyan.

“Good! As long as our Eighth Miss works hard, she’ll be more capable than Eldest Miss!” The wet nurse coaxed Bai Wanqing. “Then today, this servant will style our Eighth Miss’s hair into two absolutely beautiful little blessing buns. Eldest Miss will surely be delighted when she sees them!”

“Mm!” Bai Wanqing nodded vigorously.

“She’s back! She’s back!” An eleven or twelve-year-old careless little palace maid ran into Bai Wanqing’s palace, calling out loudly: “Eighth Miss! Your Majesty has returned! The carriage has already entered through Wude Gate and is heading toward the bedchamber! Empress Dowager and the madams have all gone to wait!”

Hearing that Bai Qingyan had returned, Bai Wanqing jumped down from the bed and ran outside.

“Ai ai ai ai! Eighth Miss… your hair isn’t done yet!” The wet nurse lifted her skirt hem and ran after Bai Wanqing.

Under the golden-tiled corridor with stone lotus column bases and red lacquered pillars, the little one ran extremely fast, with the palace maids and wet nurse behind completely unable to catch up.

Dong Shi and several madams stood in front of Bai Qingyan’s bedchamber, anxiously looking toward Wude Gate.

“Didn’t they say she’d already passed Wude Gate? Why isn’t she here yet…” Fourth Madam Wang Shi kept fingering her prayer beads, extremely anxious. “Going to battle with a big belly, then traveling for days continuously – I don’t know if A’Bao and the child are both well.”

“Going to battle with a big belly is simply… nonsense!” Dong Shi’s heart felt like it was hanging in her throat whenever she thought of this matter.

There was also when Xiliang’s veteran General Cui Shanzhong led troops to besiege Jiangzi City, and she didn’t light the beacon fires. When Dong Shi saw that battle report, although Xiao Rongyan had led troops to provide relief and resolved the crisis, she was still so frightened that she could barely stand.

How could she not understand the daughter she bore? She could always receive frontline battle reports and roughly analyze the situation. Her daughter was afraid that if news of her being trapped reached Yecheng Pass, A’Yun at Yecheng Pass would lose composure and lead troops out, allowing veteran General Cui Shanzhong to set an ambush. Not only that, but with Yecheng Pass empty, Cui Shanzhong could bring Xiliang’s main force to seize Yecheng Pass, thereby cutting off A’Yu and the others’ supply line.