Bai Jinxiu felt disgusted even looking at this bastard son of her father for one more glance, and turned her head to order: “Force the medicine down his throat!”

Seeing two guards carrying medicine bowls approaching, Bai Qingxuan kept retreating backward: “You wouldn’t dare! I am the only male heir of the Duke’s mansion. How could grandmother bear to let me die? It must be you lowly wenches acting behind grandmother’s back to harm me!”

One guard seized the struggling Bai Qingxuan, while another guard directly dislocated Bai Qingxuan’s jaw and poured the entire bowl of muting medicine into Bai Qingyan’s mouth, then reset Bai Qingxuan’s jaw back in place.

Bai Qingxuan’s legs went weak, and he collapsed to his knees, coughing violently, desperately trying to vomit up the bitter medicine, but no matter what he did, it was useless. A burning pain spread through his throat, and Bai Qingxuan writhed on the ground in agony, hysterically screaming for help, but his voice grew smaller and smaller… more and more hoarse, until he could make no sound at all.

Sever both his arms and legs, stop the bleeding, be careful not to damage his face, then throw him into Nine Curves Alley. When Young Master Wang sees such tender-skinned and delicate young man, he will naturally take good care of him!” After Bai Qingyan finished speaking, unwilling to linger here any longer, she turned and left.

Young Master Wang of Nine Curves Alley was notorious for his preference for the disabled and his love for extremely handsome young men of lowly status. Over the years, countless lowly young men had died at Young Master Wang’s hands. Once Bai Qingxuan fell into Young Master Wang’s hands, he would likely suffer a fate worse than death.

Seeing Bai Jintong still standing in place quietly watching the crying and struggling Bai Qingxuan, Bai Jinxiu turned her head and called to her: “Jintong?”

Bai Jintong, her eyes cold as ice, emerged from the woodshed and said to the guard standing at the door: “This bastard son swung his sword to dismember Ji Liu Shi’s corpse and had it thrown out to feed the dogs, so let’s follow suit… chop off his arms and legs, and make him watch with his own eyes how he gets fed to the dogs!”

The guard was stunned for a moment, then remembered what this bastard son had done to Ji Tingyu’s newlywed wife, and gritted his teeth: “Third Miss, rest assured!”

Bai Jintong nodded. She looked up at her two elder sisters walking through the corridor where white lanterns and plain silk were swaying and drifting, then quickly followed after them.

Bai Qingyan was turning her head, slowly speaking to Bai Jinxiu: “That child Yinshuang, though she appears clumsy, has good strength and is loyal. Usually, she only has a fondness for eating snacks. Once Nanny Tong teaches her some proper etiquette, let her serve by your side. Elder sister knows your martial arts are not lacking, but having Yinshuang provides an extra layer of protection, and I’ll be more at ease with you alone in the capital! Moreover, the journey to Nanjiang is perilous… I truly have no way to bring her along.”

Bai Jinxiu nodded: “Elder sister, rest assured, I will take good care of Yinshuang and will bring her when going out.”

“With Yinshuang able to hold things together for a while, you’ll have time to train people you can use with ease.”

“Elder sister, take Xiao Si with you to Nanjiang!” Bai Jintong walked alongside Bai Qingyan, worried that her elder sister would have no one useful by her side after going to Nanjiang, so she said, “Today Xiao Si dug out the silver spear that grandfather gave her. I’m afraid… if my elder sister doesn’t allow it, she might secretly go anyway! That girl has quite the courage.”

Bai Qingyan was slightly stunned, pondered for a moment, then said: “Let me think about it.”

When the three sisters arrived at Changshou Courtyard, Dong Shi and Fifth Madam Qi Shi had not yet arrived.

Nanny Jiang had servants bring goat milk and pastries for the young ladies. Not long after, Dong Shi and Fifth Madam entered the main room together.

The charcoal braziers inside were burning vigorously. Nanny Jiang knew that Bai Qingyan feared the cold, so she had a little maid use bronze tongs to add several pieces of silver frost charcoal to the hand warmer, covered it with a hollow carved bronze cover, and moved it closer to Bai Qingyan’s direction before leading the servants out of the main room.

The Grand Princess, sitting on a lotus-patterned eight-blessing soft cushion and leaning against a golden-embroidered auspicious cloud pillow, spoke in a low voice: “The Bai family’s major affairs are concluded. I have already reported to His Majesty and requested to relinquish my noble title. The Bai family widows will return to Shouyang. On the fifteenth, I will go to the imperial nunnery for spiritual cultivation, keeping only Third Sister Jintong by my side to serve. Tomorrow, the eldest daughter-in-law will send several capable stewards back to Shouyang to repair the ancestral home. I expect that after all repairs are completed and properly aired out, it won’t be habitable until May or June. By then, the fifth daughter-in-law will have given birth and finished her confinement period, and you will all return to the old home in Shouyang with the eldest daughter-in-law.”

The Grand Princess had already hinted at this matter long ago, so Dong Shi, Second Madam Liu Shi, Third Madam Li Shi, Fourth Madam Wang Shi, and Fifth Madam Qi Shi all knew about it and had no objections.

Moreover, if the Bai family remained in the capital, they would indeed continue to be constantly schemed against by others.

Today, fortunately Prince Liang’s attempt to frame the Bai family for treason did not succeed, otherwise… the entire Bai family would likely not have survived.

“Or… do any of you wish to return to your maternal homes?” The Grand Princess opened her eyes and inquired gently, without any hint of blame.

With no outsiders in the room, even Nanny Jiang was standing guard outside, the Grand Princess was simply giving any daughter-in-law who wanted to leave the Bai family a way to save face.

“Mother…” Second Madam Liu Shi, with reddened eyes and clutching her handkerchief, choked up as she spoke, “This daughter-in-law has no intention of leaving the Bai family, but with Jinxiu in the capital, I don’t want to leave. How about I accompany mother to spiritual cultivation!”

Liu Shi’s husband, legitimate son, and even bastard son had all died in Nanjiang. She only had Bai Jinxiu as her precious flesh and blood. Not being able to see her constantly, not knowing if she was safe and well – how could Liu Shi feel at ease?!

Bai Jinxiu grasped Liu Shi’s hand and softly persuaded: “Mother, although His Majesty posthumously granted grandfather the title of Prince Zhenguo, it was because our Bai family made the gesture of withdrawing from the capital. Grandmother is the Grand Princess, so naturally, she remains in the capital. I have married into the Qin family, so naturally I cannot leave the capital either! But mother is different… at least for now, mother must go with the eldest aunt! Fortunately, there are still several months, and it’s not asking mother to leave immediately!”

“Second aunt need not worry. Who can say what the future holds? Perhaps our Bai family will be able to return someday!” Bai Jintong, knowing her elder sister’s plans, comforted Liu Shi.

Liu Shi gripped her daughter’s hand tightly without speaking. Once they returned to Shouyang, to come back to the capital… how could it be so easy?!

“Second daughter-in-law, you go back to Shouyang with your elder sister-in-law first. If you truly cannot let go of Jinxiu and want to return to the capital, once the three-year mourning period is over, I will personally discuss with your in-laws and decide to give you a divorce document, allowing you to return to your maternal home. How about that?”

The Grand Princess lowered her posture and spoke gently with Liu Shi in a consultative tone.

With her mother-in-law adopting such a humble attitude, Liu Shi was deeply moved and said tearfully, “Mother, I truly don’t want a divorce document. I just cannot feel at ease about Jinxiu! Thinking that once we return to Shouyang… we’ll be so far from Jinxiu! Forget it, forget it! If we return to Shouyang, then we return to Shouyang. As Third Sister said, it’s not like there’s no chance to return to the capital!”

Just as Liu Shi finished speaking, Nanny Jiang lifted the curtain and entered. She stood behind the eight-treasure screen inlaid with jade and coral without coming forward, only saying in a low voice: “Grand Princess, Master Bai Qiyun from the old home in Shouyang encountered bandits on the road and has returned in a sorry state, covered in wounds. He claims that the silver granted by the Duke’s mansion to the clan was robbed, and seeks the Duke’s mansion to make decisions for him.”