She held a soup spoon in her hand, staring blankly through the half-open window lattice at the large tree in the back courtyard that had already sprouted green buds, her expression wooden.
Bai Qingyan walked around the screen and called out softly: “Fourth Aunt.”
Fourth Madam Wang Shi came back to her senses, placed the spoon on the soup bowl lid, couldn’t help coughing twice, and lifted the thin quilt covering her legs. Just as she was about to get down from the couch, Bai Qingyan stopped her: “Fourth Aunt, I’ll just say a few words and then leave.”
Ling Yun entered carrying hot tea, served tea to Bai Qingyan, then retreated outside the screen to await instructions.
Chun Tao smiled at Nanny Guan: “Nanny Guan, a few days ago, you mentioned wanting to show me an embroidery pattern. Ling Yun should come take a look too!”
The meaning of these words was that First Miss had something to discuss privately with Fourth Madam. How could Nanny Guan be so tactless as to stand there? She quickly responded and left the main room with Ling Yun and Chun Tao.
“Fourth Aunt, on this trip to the southern border, I had a tremendous discovery…” She looked at Fourth Aunt Wang Shi with a gentle smile. “A’Jue is still alive!”
Fourth Madam Wang Shi’s entire body trembled, tears instantly gathering in her eyes, her face full of disbelief: “What? A’Bao, what did you say?!”
“Fourth Aunt!” She grasped Fourth Aunt’s hand. “Fourth Aunt should know how the Bai family men died on the southern border, so… at present, the fact that A’Jue is still alive cannot be made public, and A’Jue has no way to return to the capital. But Fourth Aunt, rest assured—A’Jue will soon join our Bai family army under an assumed name. For A’Jue’s safety, Fourth Aunt… you must keep this matter in your heart! You cannot speak of it!”
“A’Bao! A’Bao, is what you’re saying true?!” Fourth Madam Wang Shi cried out, speaking incoherently: “You’re not deceiving Fourth Aunt, are you? Am I dreaming? You really… aren’t deceiving Fourth Aunt, are you?”
Thinking that all her sons had perished in the southern border, no one knew how much pain Wang Shi carried in her heart. She lived each day like a walking corpse, not a single day passing without wanting to join her husband and children in the underworld. But Bai Qingyan returned, saying A’Jue was still alive!
Her eyes reddened as she nodded and struggled to smile at Fourth Madam Wang Shi: “Fourth Aunt, I swear by the spirits of Grandfather and Father in heaven that A’Jue is still alive! If there’s any falsehood… may I die without an intact corpse!”
“Fourth Aunt believes you! Good child… Fourth Aunt believes you!” Fourth Madam Wang Shi gripped Bai Qingyan’s hand tightly, wiping away her tears with her hand. Not knowing whether to cry or laugh, she looked at her with an ugly expression: “A’Bao, thank you! Thank you!”
“So Fourth Aunt, for A’Jue’s sake… You must pull yourself together!” She pulled out a handkerchief to wipe Fourth Madam Wang Shi’s tears. “Live your days as you should, and never let anyone notice! The fewer people who know… the safer A’Jue will be! When we return to Shouyang and things are relatively stable, A’Jue will surely have someone send word back to Fourth Aunt! If the opportunity is right, A’Jue will also return to see Fourth Aunt.”
“Understood!” Wang Shi nodded while crying, her expression solemn. “Fourth Aunt understands! Fourth Aunt understands everything!”
“So Fourth Aunt, since you’re feeling unwell, you should take medicine! Otherwise, when A’Jue returns and finds that Fourth Aunt has ruined her health, what would that accomplish? A’Jue would be heartbroken!”
Wang Shi bit her teeth to control her sobs. She opened her mouth wanting to respond but couldn’t say a word, only managing to pat Bai Qingyan’s hand forcefully, not knowing where to begin with her words of gratitude.
As Bai Qingyan left Lishui Courtyard, she heard Nanny Guan calling for Ling Xiu to fetch a physician. She looked back at Lishui Courtyard with a gentle smile and walked back, supporting Chun Tao’s hand.
In Qinghui Courtyard, Bai Jinxiu had been waiting for Bai Qingyan for quite a while.
Seeing Bai Qingyan return, she stood up with a smile and curtsied: “Elder Sister, I originally came to see you, thinking if you were resting, I’d come back later, but I didn’t expect Elder Sister had gone to Fourth Aunt’s place.”
Bai Jinxiu was perceptive—hearing that Bai Qingyan had gone to Fourth Aunt’s place, she knew there was good news.
Bai Qingyan smiled and supported Bai Jinxiu, looking her over with eyes full of joy: “How come you haven’t gained weight but seem thinner instead?”
“In response to First Miss, our young lady was sick during the second month of pregnancy, naturally losing quite a bit of weight! However, the young master dotes on our young lady and tries every way to get her to eat. She’s gained back quite a bit now!” Qing Shu curtsied and said with a smile.
“Elder Sister, don’t listen to her nonsense!” Bai Jinxiu looked at Qing Shu.
Qing Shu quickly stepped back two paces and lowered her head in panic. How could she have forgotten… this marriage was originally meant for First Miss? Seeing how close First Miss and Second Miss were, she had spoken truthfully because she feared First Miss would worry about Second Miss, but forgot about this matter.
“Why are you glaring at Qing Shu?” She took Bai Jinxiu’s hand and walked into the room, saying with a smile, “Fate is predetermined by heaven. Even if Elder Sister once had an engagement with Qin Lang, it was fate without destiny, and it’s the fate between brother-in-law and sister. You don’t need to avoid this matter.”
Bai Qingyan spoke openly to prevent Bai Jinxiu from always feeling awkward about it.
Bai Jinxiu was startled, then smiled and nodded: “Elder Sister is right!”
Chun Tao served tea to both young ladies, saying with a smile: “Nanny Tong knew Second Miss likes sour things, so she had sour jujube tea prepared for Second Miss. Please try it and see if it suits your taste.”
Bai Jinxiu picked it up and tasted it: “Mm, it’s good. Nanny Tong is still so thoughtful.”
“Select some sour plums and bring them over.” Bai Qingyan picked up her teacup and instructed Chun Xing beside her.
“Yes!”
Soon Chun Xing entered carrying a black lacquered square tray containing not only pickled sour plums but also several plates of exquisite and refreshing seasonal pastries, along with two pairs of fine silver chopsticks.
Chun Xing was perceptive—after setting things down, she obediently went out, closed the partition doors, and left the main room.
Seeing Chun Xing leave, Bai Jinxiu couldn’t wait to ask: “Elder Sister, is there… some good news?”
She nodded: “A’Jue and A’Yun are still alive!”
As soon as Bai Qingyan spoke these words, Bai Jinxiu felt half her body go numb. She quickly covered her mouth with a handkerchief, fearing she might cry out loud. Her reddened eyes smiled through tears, and she couldn’t help but stand up and pace around the room several times before asking: “I’m not… I’m not dreaming, am I?!”
She took Bai Jinxiu’s hand and had her sit down: “This matter shouldn’t be publicized. I’ve already instructed Little Four not to tell anyone. It’s fine that you and Fourth Aunt know, but you cannot mention it to anyone else.”
Bai Jinxiu nodded vigorously but still couldn’t help weeping with joy.
After a long while, once Bai Jinxiu had calmed her emotions, she took out a letter from Bai Jintong: “This is from Jintong. By my calculations, she’s been at sea for half a month now.”
With Bai Qingyan in the southern border where sending letters was difficult, Bai Jintong had been sending all her letters to Bai Jinxiu.
According to what Bai Jintong wrote in her letter, this trip would last at least half a year, and the next correspondence wouldn’t be until half a year later.
Bai Jintong was doing well in all respects, just worried about Bai Qingyan in the southern border, instructing Bai Jinxiu to take good care of the Bai family so that Bai Qingyan in the southern border wouldn’t have additional worries about home.