Bai Jintong knew this matter was instructed by her elder sister, so she picked up her teacup to drink tea without making a sound.

“Robbed?! Haha… even Heaven can’t stand to watch this anymore!” Bai Jinzhi couldn’t help but gloat, standing up to ask, “Covered in wounds – is he crippled?!”

Nanny Jiang, outside the screen, was amused and exasperated by Bai Jinzhi: “The front courtyard came to report, but this old servant hasn’t gone to look yet.”

Bai Qingyan lowered her eyes and let out a cold snort, speaking unhurriedly: “We Bai family widows are all women. Even when we still held noble titles, we were already declining before the Shouyang clan and couldn’t protect the Bai mansion’s estate. Now, without noble titles… what can orphaned children and widowed mothers do to make decisions for the clan? Moreover, I said before, the grandfather’s spirit tablet, that Uncle carried four hundred fifty thousand taels of silver back to Shouyang, and the journey would inevitably be unsafe. I asked them to wait until the funeral was over so we could send people to escort them back, but they insisted on going by themselves! Now they claim to have been robbed… instead of seeking the local government yamen, they come to the Bai family. I’m afraid they’re still plotting to get their hands on my mother’s and my aunts’ dowries, aren’t they?”

The always fierce Liu Shi dabbed the tears at the corners of her eyes with her handkerchief and said angrily: “I think what A’Bao said is right! Instead of seeking the local government yamen, what use is it to find us? We no longer have noble titles now – how can a household of widows make decisions for him?! When he took the silver and wanted to leave, didn’t A’Bao try to persuade him? Or does the clan truly want to snatch away our dowries as well, and won’t be satisfied until they’ve driven us orphaned children and widowed mothers to death?! Tell him to get lost!”

Dong Shi spoke unhurriedly: “Counting the time… this daughter-in-law guesses that this clan cousin should have already been to the local yamen. Coming back now, he probably wants to borrow his mother’s Grand Princess authority to pressure local officials into finding his silver for him.”

Doesn’t the Grand Princess have any anger toward the clan? Do they think the Grand Princess is an ox or horse from their Shouyang clan that they can drive around at will?!

The Grand Princess’s eyes darkened, her posture relaxed as she leaned against the cushion, her tone calm: “I am old, and will go to the imperial nunnery for spiritual cultivation on the fifteenth. My remaining energy… aside from managing the affairs of the people in this Duke’s mansion, I have neither the heart nor strength for other trivial matters.”

The meaning of these words was to tell Bai Qiyun that she didn’t want to manage clan affairs, but if matters involved her granddaughters, she would not sit idly by. This was also a warning to the clan not to think they could freely bully her granddaughters and daughters-in-law in Shouyang.

“Speaking of the Bai family estate…” Bai Qingyan turned to look in Dong Shi’s direction, “Righteous merchant Xiao Rongyan is benevolent and hasn’t sent anyone to press for the settlement of accounts and contracts yet. But our Bai family cannot delay this matter just because Master Xiao is benevolent. Since the Bai family’s major affairs are concluded, mother… send a steward to the Xiao mansion to discuss the date for reconciling accounts and transferring deeds and shops!”

“A’Bao is right, eldest daughter-in-law, this matter should be done sooner rather than later,” the Grand Princess said.

Dong Shi rose and bowed to the Grand Princess: “Mother, this daughter-in-law will first arrange this matter, then settle our clan cousin.”

“Thank you for your hard work!” the Grand Princess said sincerely to Dong Shi.

After Dong Shi left, the Grand Princess asked Bai Qingyan to stay while the others went back to rest, as everyone in the Bai family was already exhausted from all the turmoil.

Bai Jinxiu walked arm-in-arm with Liu Shi as they left Changshou Courtyard, accompanying Liu Shi back. With the nannies and maids keeping their distance, Bai Jinxiu lowered her voice to speak with Liu Shi: “Mother needn’t worry about me staying alone in the capital. Grandmother is still here! Moreover, Marquis Zhongyong is dead, and Jiang Shi has been ordered never to return to the marquis’ mansion for life, so I definitely won’t be bullied.”

Liu Shi tearfully grasped her daughter’s hand: “But now Young Master Qin Lang has also lost his heir position! You… mother truly cannot feel at ease with you alone!”

“Mother…” Bai Jinxiu’s eyes were red as she gripped Liu Shi’s hand in return, “If mother is doing this for her daughter, then go back to Shouyang with eldest aunt. Mother is impulsive and easily angered – in all matters, listen more to the eldest aunt. Eldest aunt is magnanimous and protective of her own, and will surely protect mother well! Mother… wait quietly for the future. Jinxiu will await mother’s and eldest aunt’s return here in the capital.”

“Jinxiu, what do you mean by these words… mother doesn’t quite understand?” Liu Shi was somewhat confused, but her heart rose to her throat, “Are you… Are you planning to do something dangerous?!”

“Mother, the one taking risks isn’t me, it’s my elder sister!” Bai Jinxiu gripped her mother’s hand tightly, walking with very steady steps, “Elder sister is going to Nanjiang! This matter will surely be impossible to hide from Mother in the future, so I’m telling Mother in advance today. Mother mustn’t spread this around.”

“What?!” Liu Shi’s heart skipped a beat.

Bai Jinxiu lowered her voice: “Elder sister is the natural-born military genius that grandfather praised! The Emperor wants the elder sister to go clean up the mess in Nanjiang, and the elder sister agreed! Moreover, she requested a favor from His Majesty for her daughter – elder sister wants to use the military achievements from this Nanjiang campaign to ask His Majesty to bestow upon her daughter the title of First-Rank Lady.”

Liu Shi’s steps halted, her reddened eyes widening. After a moment of stunned silence, she shook her head: “No! We can’t let your elder sister go! Your elder sister is no longer the martially gifted… Little General Bai, who could personally behead enemy generals! Moreover, Nanjiang is full of remnant and defeated soldiers! If your elder sister goes and… and also can’t come back, could you feel at ease accepting this First-Rank Lady title? I could never face your eldest aunt! This won’t do! Absolutely not!”

Little General Bai… was the teasing nickname the generals in the Bai family army gave to Bai Qingyan after she beheaded the Shu Kingdom’s Grand General Pang Pingguo.

“Mother!” Bai Jinxiu gripped Liu Shi’s hand so tightly her knuckles turned white, “The Emperor’s imperial edict cannot be disobeyed! Moreover, going to Nanjiang to avenge my grandfather and all the uncles and brothers is my elder sister’s wish! Though her elder sister has lost all her martial arts, her wisdom and strategic thinking are unparalleled. I believe in my elder sister! Mother, you must also believe in your elder sister!”

Liu Shi felt panicked, heartbroken, and deeply moved. Before going to Nanjiang, Bai Qingyan had still requested a First-Rank Lady title for Bai Jinxiu, truly keeping Bai Jinxiu’s difficulties and prospects in the capital close to her heart.

“Mother, if you feel uneasy… then pray to the gods and Buddha in the mansion, asking the deities and the Bai family’s heroic spirits to protect elder sister’s safe return! Nanjiang is perilous, yet my elder sister doesn’t forget to find ways to protect me before departing. The future in Shouyang may not be peaceful either – mother must protect the eldest aunt well!”

Bai Jinxiu understood her mother. Though the eldest aunt had inner strength and didn’t need her mother’s protection, she still needed to give Liu Shi something to do.

·

Inside Changshou Courtyard.

Bai Qingyan sat upright beside the Grand Princess, watching Wei Zhong, who was kowtowing.

The candle flame within the glass shade burned intensely, shooting straight upward.

Wei Zhong knelt in the center, eyes downcast, never raising his head to look directly at the Grand Princess and Bai Qingyan.

The Grand Princess, already in her twilight years, had her silver hair combed neatly. Holding prayer beads in her hand with a compassionate and benevolent appearance, her eyes held the steely resolve of decisive killing: “On this journey, when the eldest miss rushes to Nanjiang, you must protect the eldest miss and ensure her complete safe return without error! I have already given half of the black jade dragon pendant to the eldest miss. From now on… You have no relationship with this old woman. The eldest miss is your master, and you must protect her with your lives!”