“Miss!” Chun Yan responded and lifted the thick curtain as she entered from outside. Seeing Bai Qingyan sitting on the edge of the bed, she hurried to get a cloak lined with thin cotton and draped it over Bai Qingyan’s shoulders, saying, “Sister Chun Tao went to help Nanny Luo at Madam’s place and hasn’t returned yet.”
Noticing Bai Qingyan’s poor mental state, Chun Yan couldn’t help but worry: “Miss, why did you get up without calling for someone to attend you?”
“What time is it?”
“It’s the hour of the Goat.” Chun Yan gathered up the bed curtains on both sides. “Miss, would you like some chicken silk porridge? Mama Fang in the small kitchen has been simmering it over low heat – the aroma is quite tempting.”
Bai Qingyan pulled her cloak tighter: “Help me get up.”
With the call “Miss is up,” the previously quiet courtyard quickly became lively, with people sweeping snow and preparing water.
Soon, the maids attending to washing stood in a proper row under the eaves, holding mouthwash, spittoons, copper basins, and towels. Only then did Chun Yan have someone lift the curtain and lead the maids in one by one.
When Chun Tao returned to Qinghui Courtyard and heard that Miss had risen, she hurried to brush the snow off herself and entered through the curtain to attend her. Seeing Bai Qingyan dressed in plain white embroidered with diamond patterns and wearing a white fox fur cloak as if preparing to go out, Chun Tao quickly stepped forward to help tie the cloak.
“The snow is heavy outside, Miss. You’re still ill – where are you going?”
“To see Grandmother.”
Chun Tao wanted to say something but held back, helping Bai Qingyan put on her cloak properly. She took burning charcoal from the brazier and placed it in a hand warmer, knowing that their Miss had always been strong-willed, and even if she wore out her lips arguing, it would be useless.
Taking the hand warmer Chun Tao handed her, Bai Qingyan tucked it into her bosom and instructed: “In a while, when I’m with Grandmother, you won’t need to attend me. Avoid the others and personally go to the front courtyard. Have Guard Lu Ping wait for me in the corridor by the artificial mountain in the back courtyard in half an hour – I have something to instruct him.”
“Yes!” Chun Tao responded.
Bai Qingyan took two steps, then gripped the hand warmer tightly and turned back to look at Chun Yan, who was organizing a clothing chest. Sizing up Chun Yan, who was still relatively loyal to her, she said: “Chun Yan, have Qing Zhu come find me at the hour of the Rooster.”
Calculating the time, the Bai family men had probably already perished, but… since Heaven had allowed her to return, Bai Qingyan still wanted to give her all to try. What if she could save even one of them? It was better than doing nothing at all!
“Alright! I’ll go find Miss Shen as soon as I finish organizing the clothing chest!” Chun Yan said cheerfully.
The snow had not yet stopped, and Bai Qingyan walked through it all the way. The little maid sweeping snow outside Changshou Courtyard was quick-witted – seeing Bai Qingyan from afar, she went into the courtyard to report.
Before Bai Qingyan even reached the courtyard gate, Nanny Jiang from Grandmother’s side hurried out to meet her.
“Miss, the snow hasn’t stopped yet – how did you come?” Nanny Jiang held an umbrella and quickly walked to Bai Qingyan with a group of maids, naturally taking the new hand warmer from a maid’s hands to replace the half-cold one in Bai Qingyan’s hands, personally holding the umbrella for her.
Everyone in the entire mansion knew that Bai Qingyan had been stabbed in the abdomen and fallen into water years ago, leaving her with health problems and particularly sensitive to cold.
Nanny Jiang had served by Grandmother’s side since she was seven years old, never married, and later when Grandmother passed away, Nanny Jiang swallowed gold to follow her in death not long after, showing her loyalty.
“Nanny…” Bai Qingyan asked as she walked toward Changshou Courtyard with Nanny Jiang, “Has Grandmother awakened from her afternoon nap?”
“Grand Princess has awakened and is praying to Buddha, asking Buddha to bless Duke and the Young Master’s safe and triumphant return.”
“How has Grandmother’s health been recently?”
“Miss, don’t worry. Grand Princess’s health is being looked after by the Imperial Medical Academy’s chief physician, so there’s no major problem. It’s just that with the New Year approaching and Duke, Young Master, and the young masters not having returned, Grand Princess hasn’t been sleeping well,” Nanny Jiang said.
Bai Qingyan nodded and first entered the warm pavilion to arrange her clothing. Nanny Jiang methodically instructed people to change Bai Qingyan’s snow-soaked shoes and socks and brought hot water for her to wash her hands.
“Nanny, don’t busy yourself yet. I have something to tell you.” Bai Qingyan untied her cloak and handed it to Chun Tao, sitting down by the brazier. “You all go down first…”
Nanny Jiang was a shrewd person and knew Bai Qingyan had something to say, so she stood quietly to one side.
“Nanny, news has come from Nanjiang…”
Nanny Jiang held her breath, having a bad premonition, her complexion turning poor: “Is it Duke…”
Bai Qingyan gazed at the brazier, extending her hands to warm them, and after pondering for a moment said: “Please trouble you to take out the life-saving medicine that the Empress Dowager bestowed upon Grandmother last time and have it ready, and also prepare some ginseng slices.”
Nanny Jiang nodded, her face pale.
Bai Qingyan heard a crisp “crack” and turned to look out the carved wooden window, seeing that accumulated snow had broken a tree branch.
Her cold fingertips tightened as she pressed her lips together: “Also, have someone take Grandmother’s name card and ask Imperial Physician Huang to come and wait.”
“Miss, actually, during this period, Grand Princess hasn’t been sleeping well and has had a vague premonition! Grand Princess has always been strong-willed – there’s no need to have an imperial physician come. Grand Princess can endure it.”
“Nanny, please still have the imperial physician come.” Bai Qingyan lowered her eyes, tears already forming in them.
Whether Grandmother was strong-willed or could endure it, Bai Qingyan had already learned in her previous life.
In this life, Bai Qingyan was too afraid of losing her loved ones. She knew that with Grandmother’s level of wisdom, even if she used the excuse of dreams, Grandmother would probably be able to guess something. She had to make complete preparations.
“Could it be… that Young Master has also met with misfortune?” Nanny Jiang grasped the door frame, her legs nearly giving out.
The Young Master that Nanny Jiang spoke of was Bai Qingyan’s father, the Grand Princess’s legitimate son.
Bai Qingyan looked at Nanny Jiang, her eyes wet and red, but her spine remained straight: “Nanny, you’re not an outsider. I’m not afraid to be frank with you – I’m afraid that from now on, the entire Bai family will have to depend on Grandmother. Just keep this in your heart. Before the official battle reports from the court arrive, I plan to use the excuse of dreams to let Grandmother prepare in advance. Grandmother will still need your care, so you must hold on.”
Nanny Jiang felt her mind buzzing and was covered in cold sweat. She nodded, knowing the gravity of the situation. If a child like Miss could hold on, and she had survived the treacherous palace life, there was no reason she couldn’t be as strong as a child.
Nanny Jiang pulled herself together and quickly had someone take Grand Princess’s invitation to request Imperial Physician Huang.
Bai Qingyan warmed herself in the side room to dispel the cold from her body. Estimating that Imperial Physician Huang should be arriving soon, she had Nanny Jiang report her arrival.
“A’Bao, your health isn’t good – why did you come through the snow?”
Upon seeing Bai Qingyan, Grand Princess scolded her, but though her words were reproachful, she still reached out to pull Bai Qingyan over and touched her hands as usual. Seeing they were reasonably warm, her expression softened.
Seeing Grandmother again and hearing her call her pet name, Bai Qingyan felt as if lifetimes had passed…
She suppressed the choking in her throat and said, “Grandmother, I just missed you.”
Grand Princess looked at Bai Qingyan’s childlike appearance, pretended to be angry and tapped Bai Qingyan’s forehead with her finger, then pulled her into her embrace and stroked her head lovingly: “In another hour, the court painters will arrive. Everyone else is in their chambers tidying themselves up, but you’re the only one running to Grandmother’s place!”
Tomorrow, the second daughter of the Duke’s mansion would leave for her wedding. This was the first daughter of the Duke’s mansion to marry, so Grandmother had specially invited several court painters to paint portraits of the sisters.
Truly embracing Grand Princess and smelling the sandalwood scent on her, Bai Qingyan became even more sorrowful, afraid that telling this news would result in the same outcome as in her previous life.
Seeing Nanny Jiang lift the curtain and enter, nodding to her, Bai Qingyan knew that Imperial Physician Huang had arrived and that Nanny Jiang had also cleared away the people at the door.
“Grandmother…” Bai Qingyan looked up at Grand Princess, “I had a dream at noon today. I dreamed that Grandfather, Father, all the uncles, and brothers couldn’t return from Nanjiang. You couldn’t bear the shock and fell ill, and then someone falsely accused our Bai family of treason. With only women left in the Bai family, without Grandmother’s protection, we could only be at the mercy of others.”