Today was the day for Bai Jinxiu’s three-day return visit to her natal home. Second Madam Liu had risen early to arrange for her daughter’s return to the mansion. Though she sat in the Grand Princess’s room, her heart had long flown to the mansion’s entrance, constantly craning her neck to look outside, waiting for servants to announce that her daughter and son-in-law had arrived.

“Why haven’t they returned at this hour?” Second Madam Liu put down her teacup and turned to dispatch her chief maid, Qing Shu, to the front to welcome them.

Fifth Madam Qi, who was pregnant, couldn’t help but cover her lips with a handkerchief and laugh: “Sister-in-law is too anxious. Second Sister and the new son-in-law are still newlyweds, so naturally they might rise late. We’ve all been through this—you should understand.”

“Look at Fifth Sister-in-law, daring to speak so carelessly even in Mother’s presence!” Third Madam Li teased.

Dong Shi sat below the Grand Princess, smiling without speaking, only lowering her eyes to stroke the jade bracelet on her wrist, feeling somewhat uncomfortable inside, as this should have been her daughter’s marriage after all.

The Bai family’s several young ladies also sat on stools, chatting warmly and cheerfully.

Bai Qingyan looked at the liveliness filling the room, her heart both warm and happy.

Soon, Qing Shu from Second Madam Liu’s side hurriedly stepped through the gates of Changshou Courtyard, followed by Nanny Wu from Marquis Zhongyong’s mansion.

Nanny Wu was the most favored nanny serving the Marquis’s wife. Seeing Nanny Jiang standing under the corridor, she quickly walked up to her and curtsied: “Elder sister…”

“Why has Nanny Wu come today? Did our Second Sister and son-in-law oversleep?” Nanny Jiang politely helped Nanny Wu up, asking with a smile.

Nanny Wu’s expression grew increasingly troubled as she said awkwardly: “Yesterday, while playing with our mansion’s Second Miss, our Young Madam slipped and fell into the lake, choking on water. It wasn’t serious at first, but this morning, somehow, she suddenly developed a fever! So she can’t return today…”

Nanny Jiang’s heart jumped in alarm as she quickly said: “Nanny Wu, please wait a moment while I go inside to report to the Grand Princess.”

Inside the room, upon hearing the news, Second Madam Liu was so shocked she stood up: “What?! What is wrong with the Qin family?! Jinxiu fell into the lake yesterday, and they only send someone to tell us today—are they bullying us because the Duke and Jinxiu’s father aren’t here?!”

Bai Qingyan’s grip on her teacup tightened as she looked up through the partition screen at Nanny Wu outside, who was wringing her handkerchief. She immediately clenched her teeth, fury blazing within her.

In her previous life, the legitimate second daughter of the Minister of Personnel had married into Marquis Zhongyong’s mansion and also couldn’t return on her visit day, reportedly because she slipped while playing with her sister-in-law and fell into the lake.

She remembered how the Minister of Personnel’s legitimate second daughter had died in melancholy before age thirty, and she gripped her teacup tightly, her face slightly pale.

Could it be that even with Bai Jinxiu marrying into Marquis Zhongyong’s mansion, she couldn’t escape this fate?

Bai Qingyan’s hand holding the teacup trembled with weakness, whether from training too hard these past few days or from being too angry.

“Second Aunt, don’t panic!” Bai Qingyan steadied herself, put down her teacup, and stood up. “Grandmother, please let Second Aunt take Physician Hong to Marquis Zhongyong’s mansion to check on Second Sister!”

“But this… we’ve just gotten married. If our natal family brings a physician to the in-laws’ house, won’t Marquis Zhongyong’s mansion think our Duke’s mansion is too arrogant and harbor resentment?” Fourth Madam Wang, who was always gentle by nature, asked cautiously.

“Second Sister has excellent martial arts skills and is a good swimmer! Is it believable that she slipped while playing and fell into the lake, choking on water? There must be an inside story to this.” Bai Qingyan’s voice rose, unable to conceal her anger. “Grandmother, you and Mother—one is the current dynasty’s Grand Princess, the other holds an imperial title—indeed, aren’t suitable to bring Physician Hong there! But Second Aunt’s deep love for her daughter… would not be surprising at all.”

“I’ll go too!” Fourth Miss Bai Jinzhi stood up and bowed to the Grand Princess. “Grandmother, I’m worried about Second Sister! I want to go too!”

“Grandmother, I want to go too!” Third Miss Bai Jintong also stood up.

“I want to go too! I want to go too!”

Several young ladies in the room clamored to go see Bai Jinxiu.

“Mother!” Second Madam’s eyes reddened. “Please let me go! I’m worried about Jinxiu!”

The Grand Princess kept a stern face, fingering the sandalwood prayer beads in her hands. Her second daughter-in-law had an impulsive personality, and the children were too young to remain calm. This matter clearly had inside story—Bai Jinxiu had probably suffered some grievance. Having more people go… would also let Marquis Zhongyong’s mansion know that the Duke’s mansion was not to be bullied.

She looked at Bai Qingyan, and after a long moment said: “Second daughter-in-law, take our family’s young ladies to see Jinxiu. A’Bao… you go along to find out exactly what happened. Our Duke’s mansion’s daughter didn’t marry into Marquis Zhongyong’s mansion to suffer grievances! Nanny Jiang, you accompany Second daughter-in-law.”

Nanny Jiang curtsied in acknowledgment.

Second Madam Liu gratefully bowed to the Grand Princess. To some extent, Nanny Jiang represented the Grand Princess, and having her accompany them would let Marquis Zhongyong’s mansion know that the Grand Princess valued Bai Jinxiu.

Hearing that her daughter was to go, Dong Shi quickly said: “Mother, A’Bao’s health…”

“Mother, your daughter is fine. If you don’t let me go see Second Sister, I won’t be at ease either!” Bai Qingyan comforted Dong Shi. Her heart was now like oil in a hot pan—if she didn’t go see for herself, how would she know how Bai Jinxiu was, how would she know if Bai Jinxiu could remain in Marquis Zhongyong’s mansion?

As the legitimate eldest daughter of the family, Bai Qingyan had been cherished by Second Madam Liu when the family had no children. Naturally knowing Bai Qingyan’s steady personality and careful mind, having Bai Qingyan along meant that whatever Bai Jinxiu couldn’t tell her mother, she would surely tell Bai Qingyan.

Though Dong Shi was extremely reluctant, she still had her attendant Nanny Qin arrange the carriages and horses.

Hearing that Second Madam Liu wanted to bring a physician and the Duke’s mansion’s young ladies to the mansion to see Bai Jinxiu, Nanny Wu from Marquis Zhongyong’s mansion panicked. She quickly said she would return to report so their Marquis’s wife could prepare, then hurriedly left in a carriage.

Dong Shi followed Bai Qingyan back to Qinghui Courtyard, selected a cloak with very dense fur trim, and fastened it properly for Bai Qingyan before seeing her off: “Mother didn’t want you to go to Marquis Zhongyong’s mansion, but you insisted! When you get there, don’t be sharp-tongued or competitive… otherwise if word spreads, people will say you’re narrow-minded and can’t bear to see Second Sister marry the Marquis Zhongyong’s heir, understand?”

“Mother, don’t worry! Your daughter knows what she’s doing!”

At the side gate of the Duke’s mansion, several spacious and luxurious carriages slowly began moving, heading in the direction of Marquis Zhongyong’s mansion.

At Marquis Zhongyong’s mansion, seeing her daughter lying on the bed with a deathly pale complexion, Second Madam Liu’s legs went weak and she nearly fainted. Sitting by the bedside, she grasped her daughter’s hand and called her name: “Jinxiu! Jinxiu… Mother is here! Open your eyes and look at Mother!”

Nanny Luo, the steward nanny beside Second Madam Liu, supported Liu and said with reddened eyes: “Second Madam, let Physician Hong examine Second Miss first.”

Seeing Bai Jinxiu’s appearance with more breath going out than coming in, Bai Qingyan’s hands, hidden in her sleeves, clenched tightly, her hands trembling with rage. Uncontrollable fury burned and boiled in her blood—she wished she could draw a blade and cut down the hypocritical, beastly, poisonous woman that was Marquis Zhongyong’s wife.