“Is the hot water for First Miss’s bath ready?! Chun Xing… the clothes First Miss will change into, have you prepared them?!”

Chun Xing covered her mouth and smiled: “Don’t worry, Nanny. Sister Chun Tao has everything ready!”

Chun Tao called over a little maid to watch the bird’s nest soup and came out of the small kitchen herself: “I’ll go check the temperature of the bath water.”

Not long after, Dong Shi escorted Bai Qingyan, still in military attire, through the main gate of Qinghui Courtyard.

Nanny Tong led the maids and servants of Qinghui Courtyard to stand inside the courtyard. Upon seeing Bai Qingyan, they quickly curtsied: “Congratulations to First Miss on your triumphant and safe return!”

Chun Tao looked at First Miss, dressed in armor, her eyes welling up with tears that fell drop by drop.

Bai Qingyan gazed at all these familiar faces filling the courtyard, a smile appearing in her eyes: “While I was away these days, thank you, Nanny, and everyone, for watching over Qinghui Courtyard!”

Dong Shi dabbed at her tears with a handkerchief, her eyes and brows full of smiles: “Alright, go wash up quickly.”

Chun Tao hurried forward to take the Sun-Shooting Bow from Bai Qingyan: “First Miss, the water is ready. This servant will attend to First Miss’s bath!”

She squeezed Chun Tao’s hand and nodded with a smile.

Chun Tao attended to Bai Qingyan’s bath and saw the wounds on her body. Tears fell like broken beads, but because Dong Shi was sitting in the outer room, Chun Tao feared making Dong Shi sad, so she bit her lower lip and silently attended to Bai Qingyan’s bath without making a sound.

After the bath, Dong Shi personally twisted Bai Qingyan’s hair dry while quietly discussing court matters with her daughter: “Your uncle says that regarding this southern border battle where you burned and killed one hundred thousand Western Liang surrendered prisoners… some in court have already submitted memorials wanting the Emperor to severely punish you, but the Emperor has kept the memorials without issuing them. Your uncle fears the Emperor is waiting for you to return before punishing you, so he sent word for you to be extremely careful in your response.”

“Mother, don’t worry. I know what I’m doing.” Bai Qingyan gripped her mother’s hand and turned to look at Dong Shi. “Your daughter is unfilial for making Mother worry!”

Dong Shi smiled with reddened eyes and raised her hand to embrace her daughter: “If your father knew that A’Bao protected the border people, he would be proud of A’Bao. Mother… is also proud of A’Bao!”

Her eyes were red as she gently encircled her mother’s waist and nuzzled against her like a child: “Mother, when I was in the southern border… A’Bao originally planned to bring Father home after the great victory, but A’Bao thought… Father’s heart was always with the border people, so I quietly buried Father at Tianmen Pass together with Little Four and the generals of the Bai family army.”

Dong Shi nodded. She understood: “Compared to being buried in the capital, your father would certainly prefer to guard the Great Jin border people at the frontier.”

“Alright, after your hair dries, sleep well! At noon, Mother will host a banquet at Fanhua to welcome you and Little Four.” Dong Shi smiled gently.

After Dong Shi left, Bai Qingyan sat before the bronze mirror and said to Chun Tao, who was tidying the bed: “Chun Tao, send someone to ask Uncle Ping to come in half an hour. I have things to ask.”

Chun Tao put down her work and turned around: “Won’t First Miss sleep for a while?”

“I’m going to see Fourth Aunt.” Bai Qingyan said.

Nanny Tong twisted Bai Qingyan’s hair while looking at her in the mirror: “Although First Miss has become darker and thinner, your complexion is better than before!”

“Yes! Physician Hong also said that having me rest quietly before was probably wrong! So… as they say, what seems like misfortune may be a blessing in disguise.” There was a gentle smile in her eyes.

After her hair dried, Nanny Tong arranged Bai Qingyan’s thick black hair into a slanted crescent moon bun, secured with a white jade hairpin. Bai Qingyan was still in mourning, so she changed into a plain white silk dress with silver trim, covered by a layer of moon-white semi-transparent gauze as thin as light mist. The gauze was embroidered with golden and silver threads outlining ginkgo leaves that shimmered brilliantly in the light.

Dressed in women’s clothing again, Bai Qingyan’s features showed less of the heroic spirit from when she wore armor and more of a woman’s noble and gentle aura.

“First Miss, Guard Lu Ping is already waiting outside the courtyard.” Chun Tao came in through the curtain to report.

It was already late March, and the weather was gradually warming. Bai Qingyan looked at the brazier still burning in the room and said, “Nanny, have someone remove the brazier.”

“Yes!” Nanny Tong replied with a smile.

Bai Qingyan stepped out of the courtyard gate with Chun Tao’s support. Lu Ping came forward to pay his respects: “First Miss.”

“Uncle Ping, speak while we walk…”

“Yes!” Lu Ping nodded and followed half a step behind Bai Qingyan.

“How is Ji Tingyu?” Bai Qingyan asked.

Lu Ping pressed his lips together, gripped the sword at his waist tightly, and said in a low voice: “When Ji Tingyu learned of his newlywed wife’s tragic death, he left the Bai family that very night, saying he wanted to return to the estate to pay respects to his wife. He hasn’t returned since. I went there personally and told Ji Tingyu that First Miss had already dealt with that bastard son to seek justice for their couple, but Ji Tingyu still refuses to return to the Bai family.”

Bai Qingyan’s steps paused momentarily. She closed her eyes and continued walking.

The Bai family had still broken Ji Tingyu’s heart.

“How is Ji Tingyu’s health? What did the physician say about his recovery?”

“Any poison damages the body. It’s impossible for him to completely recover to his former state. Fortunately, Ji Tingyu is young. If he wants to recover well, he’ll need several years of careful care…”

She nodded: “I just returned and have many matters to attend to. In a couple of days, I’ll personally visit Ji Tingyu and have someone take good care of his daily needs.”

Ji Tingyu was a benefactor who risked his life for the Bai family. He shouldn’t have ended up this way.

Lu Ping nodded: “Madam gave the same instructions. First Miss can rest assured.”

Tomorrow, the Emperor will host a banquet in the palace, followed by the Emperor’s birthday celebration. However, Bai Qingyan still had to find time to personally meet with Ji Tingyu once.

Ling Yun, the senior maid serving Fourth Madam, had just returned from the kitchen with rock sugar stewed pears for Fourth Madam when she saw from afar what looked like First Miss Bai Qingyan heading toward their Lishui Courtyard. She hurried back to the courtyard and entered the warm pavilion through the curtain to report to Nanny Guan: “Nanny, First Miss is coming to our Lishui Courtyard.”

Nanny Guan had just reached the courtyard gate when Bai Qingyan arrived with Chun Tao. She turned to instruct Ling Yun: “Quick, go inform Fourth Madam that First Miss has come…”

“Yes!” Ling Yun responded and left.

Nanny Guan stepped forward to welcome her: “First Miss just returned. Why don’t you rest a bit?”

Bai Qingyan smiled at Nanny Guan: “Where is Fourth Aunt?”

Nanny Guan led the way, speaking about Fourth Madam with slight concern: “Fourth Madam has had a mild cough recently but refuses to take medicine. This old servant instructed Ling Yun to fetch rock sugar stewed pears from the kitchen, which she was just about to have.”

Ling Yun, who had already informed Fourth Madam, stood at the door. After greeting Bai Qingyan, she lifted the curtain: “First Miss, please enter.”

Upon entering, through the silk curtains decorated with intertwining lotus patterns and the jade screen with hundred birds design, she saw Fourth Aunt wearing a light green dress embroidered with cloud and water patterns, sitting on a red sandalwood soft couch by the window, leaning against a small golden nanmu wood table with a thin quilt embroidered with diamond patterns covering her legs.

Fourth Madam Wang Shi’s cheeks were gaunt, with deeply sunken eye sockets surrounded by obvious dark circles, her spirits clearly poor.