“The Grand Princess has prayed to the gods and Buddha for so many years, and Heaven has finally sent our young lady back to the Grand Princess’s side. How could the Grand Princess bear to let our young lady suffer even the slightest grievance… Your Majesty!”

Concubine Qiu’s palms tightened as she anxiously gripped her handkerchief. She knew her favor was entirely due to her resemblance to Bai Suqiu, but now the Grand Princess had someone who was supposedly Bai Suqiu’s reincarnation.

The Grand Princess was Bai Suqiu’s birth mother. If even the Grand Princess believed this was her daughter’s reincarnation, then… what about His Majesty?!

Dong Shi looked completely bewildered.

Bai Qingyan lowered her eyes. That day, she had told Nanny Jiang that Prince Liang, under the pretext of sending paintings, had placed someone resembling Aunt Suqiu in the Emperor’s bed. Today, Grandmother had made her move.

As the mother of Aunt Suqiu, Grandmother probably could least tolerate anyone exploiting her deceased daughter for their schemes, especially someone harboring ill intentions toward the Bai family.

Grandmother’s methods were far more sophisticated than Prince Liang’s pretense of sending paintings. Nanny Jiang had been completely forced into a corner… before revealing why the Grand Princess cared so much about this Miss Lu.

This Miss Lu hadn’t even appeared yet, but had already captured the Emperor’s heart. No matter what… even if the Concubine Qiu that Prince Liang had sent to the Emperor’s side didn’t completely fall from favor, she likely couldn’t maintain her previous position of supreme favor in the harem.

Watching the Emperor’s dazed expression, the corners of her lips curved slightly upward.

She had always known that as long as it didn’t threaten the Lin dynasty’s foundation, Grandmother would still protect the Bai family and its members.

That evening, until the palace banquet ended, Li Zhijie didn’t dare mention seeking to marry Bai Jinzhi again.

When Bai Jinxiu emerged from the palace gates, she supported herself on her maid Cui Bi’s hand and boarded Bai Qingyan’s carriage.

“Grandmother’s move—was it because of Concubine Qiu that Prince Liang sent into the palace?” Bai Jinxiu looked at Bai Qingyan, her brows and eyes full of joy. “Grandmother is still formidable. For men… what they can’t have is always the best. That Miss Lu hasn’t even appeared yet, but has already captured the Emperor’s heart! It seems Concubine Qiu’s fall from favor isn’t far away.”

The palace lanterns hanging from the four corners of the carriage swayed, casting Bai Qingyan’s eyes in alternating light and shadow.

She nodded: “Prince Liang is indeed formidable. He could even know such secret matters, arranging in advance to find a girl similar to Aunt Suqiu, and even make that girl loyal to him! Concubine Qiu still shouldn’t be underestimated, but what worries me more is Prince Xian—I fear Prince Xian has already conspired with Prince Liang.”

Prince Xian commanded troops, so they must guard against Prince Liang desperately staging a rebellion like in the previous life.

As for the matter of Prince Liang possibly conspiring with Prince Xian, she’d leave that for His Highness the Crown Prince to worry about!

“How did Elder Sister see through this?” As soon as Bai Jinxiu finished speaking, she suddenly remembered Concubine Qiu’s protection of Liu Ruofu and fell into deep thought.

Since Bai Jinxiu was now pregnant, she didn’t want Bai Jinxiu to overthink. She smiled and changed the subject: “Tomorrow I’ll go with Xiao Si to visit Grandmother, then go to the estate to see Ji Tingyu. You’re pregnant, so don’t follow along.”

Bai Jinxiu placed her hand over her abdomen and gently nodded to Bai Qingyan: “That’s fine. We just visited Grandmother on the fifteenth of this month, and she instructed us to visit once every three months from now on.”

“Mm…” Bai Qingyan raised her hand to touch Bai Jinxiu’s abdomen. “Taking proper care of yourself and the baby is most important.”

Bai Jinxiu couldn’t help but think of her second brother, Bai Qingqiong, her eyes reddening as she said: “If Second Brother were still alive, how wonderful that would be! Elder Sister… wouldn’t have to work so hard.”

Dealing with Western Liang and maneuvering with the Crown Prince—Elder Sister was truly working hard, yet she couldn’t help but share Elder Sister’s burden in these matters.

“When we return to Shuoyang, everything will get better!” Bai Qingyan said.

Early the next morning, Nanny Tong ordered the carriage prepared. Chun Yan prepared tea sets and refreshments, then accompanied Bai Qingyan and Bai Jinzhi onto the carriage. Under the protection of a team of guards led by Lu Ping, they headed to the Imperial Pure Nunnery to visit the Grand Princess.

Bai Jinzhi remembered how on this day last year her brothers had secretly taken her to the Guping Town temple fair. She said to Bai Qingyan, “Elder Sister, after visiting Grandmother and Ji Tingyu, let’s go to the Guping Town temple fair! Last year on this day, my brothers secretly took me to the temple fair. Originally, we were going to eat Baoxiang Duck that Baoxiang House only makes during temple fairs, but Father discovered us and dragged me back by the ear. I never got to eat it…”

Bai Jinzhi lowered her head and rubbed her eyes with the back of her hand. She wasn’t being greedy—she just missed her brothers.

“Alright. After we leave the Imperial Pure Nunnery, we’ll first go to the estate to see Ji Tingyu. If there’s enough time, Elder Sister will accompany you to eat Baoxiang Duck.” Bai Qingyan spoke gently.

“Elder Sister is the best!” Bai Jinzhi raised her head with a smile.

The morning mountain air still carried a chill. Birds flew and perched on the azure tile eaves in the morning light, chirping and chattering as they looked down at the servants and maids in the small courtyard below, bustling about under Nanny Jiang’s direction.

Learning that Bai Qingyan and Bai Jinzhi would come to visit the Grand Princess today, Nanny Jiang had been rushing in and out with barely her feet touching the ground—ordering people to prepare clear oil pastries, preparing teas that Bai Qingyan and Bai Jinzhi liked to drink, having people move flowers inside, then having people lay soft cushions on the stone bench with the best courtyard view, worried about the cold affecting the two young ladies.

Seeing Nanny Jiang bustling about preparing lunch for the two young ladies, Wei Zhong, standing to one side, said to Nanny Jiang: “Nanny, you don’t need to be so busy. I suspect… the eldest young lady won’t stay long.”

Hearing this, Nanny Jiang’s happy expression froze for a moment before she smiled again: “No matter how long the eldest young lady stays, we servants must attend to her properly.”

Wei Zhong shook his head and no longer tried to stop her, standing to one side.

The Grand Princess, her silver hair combed without a strand out of place, sat before the Buddhist shrine, fingering prayer beads and chanting sutras. White mist rose curling from the three-legged auspicious beast incense burner, the calming and peaceful scent of sandalwood.

Last night, the Emperor had come to the Pure Nunnery in plain clothes under Jin army escort, saying he requested an audience with the Grand Princess, but the Grand Princess knew it was to see that girl who looked almost identical to Bai Suqiu.

But the Grand Princess hadn’t let the Emperor succeed, only telling him that the child had gone to gather herbs and would return in about two or three days. The Emperor drank a cup of tea, asked detailed questions about the Grand Princess’s Miss Lu, then left, saying he would return in three days.

The Grand Princess understood her nephew too well. For the Emperor, what he couldn’t have was always the best…

The Grand Princess wanted the Emperor to think about her, yet not obtain her.

If it weren’t for Prince Liang sending a fake Bai Suqiu—Concubine Qiu—into the palace, such behavior disgusting the Grand Princess, she wouldn’t have wanted to employ such methods.

But Prince Liang was scheming and ruthless. If she didn’t act this way, who knew how Prince Liang would use that Concubine Qiu to humiliate the Bai family?

Nanny Jiang glanced at the hourglass, seeing it was about time, lifted the curtain and entered, just as the Grand Princess was about to rise.