Bai Qingyan didn’t refuse. After thanking the Grand Princess on Ji Tingyu’s behalf, she left the elegant small courtyard behind the Imperial Pure Nunnery with Bai Jinzhi.

Nanny Jiang saw Bai Qingyan and Bai Jinzhi to their carriage, her eyes red as she repeatedly wanted to speak but hesitated, wanting to offer counsel but not knowing where to begin.

Through the azure curtains hanging from the carriage, Nanny Jiang said: “Nanny knows that the eldest young lady is a child who understands propriety and sees the bigger picture—otherwise she wouldn’t have rushed to Nan Jiang during Jin Kingdom’s crisis to resolve the nation’s peril! But why can’t the eldest young lady show understanding for your grandmother, the Grand Princess? The Grand Princess raised you like a treasure in her palm, cherishing you in her mouth! Her husband, sons, and grandsons are all gone—the Grand Princess is the one whose heart suffers unbearably, the truly pitiful one!”

Rushing to Nan Jiang, Bai Qingyan had never done it for Jin Kingdom’s royal family, but for the Bai family’s fundamental survival, for the pity of the border people. But such words… she could no longer speak truthfully to Grandmother.

Every time she thought of her grandmother the Grand Princess, her heart was filled with mixed emotions, sour and difficult to bear.

She knew and understood the Grand Princess, but as grandmother and granddaughter who had been personally raised together with deep mutual affection, she could not forgive her grandmother.

Bai Jinzhi turned to look at Elder Sister, whose eyes were reddened but her expression calm, and called out softly: “Elder Sister…”

Bai Jinzhi didn’t know why Elder Sister wouldn’t tell Grandmother the news that their two brothers were still alive. If Grandmother knew… she might feel somewhat better.

But… Elder Sister always had her reasons for what she did. Bai Jinzhi deeply trusted Elder Sister.

“Perhaps it’s because I once wholeheartedly gave all my trust and dependence to Grandmother, considering Grandmother the most reliable person in this world, believing Grandmother would never abandon what should be the deepest blood kinship bonds in this world! But Grandmother… was first the Jin Kingdom’s Grand Princess, and only then our grandmother! Rather than continue believing in the deep blood kinship between Grandmother and me, letting this affection wear away in mutual wariness and calculation, making each other appear hateful, it’s better to cut the Gordian knot swiftly.”

Nanny Jiang stood stunned.

“Nanny is a loyal servant. A’Bao deeply believes Nanny can take good care of Grandmother. Please console her often and help Grandmother find some relief.” Bai Qingyan lowered her eyes and spoke softly. “Uncle Ping, let’s go…”

Chun Yan and Nanny Tong bowed to Nanny Jiang before following alongside the carriage.

Nanny Jiang stood at the entrance of the Imperial Pure Nunnery, watching that carriage grow more distant, her heart aching like being cut with a dull knife.

The carriage swayed as it entered the village where the roads weren’t spacious. Children playing in the village saw the beautiful large carriage approaching and chased after it with laughter and chatter.

Following the Kingdom road for horses and carts, the Bai family’s carriage procession headed west, stopping before a small courtyard that still hung white lanterns.

Nanny Tong helped Bai Qingyan down from the carriage. Lu Ping went to knock on the door while Nanny Tong had people carry out all the food and daily necessities prepared for Ji Tingyu from the rear carriage.

Lu Ping saw that no one answered after a long time, so he peered through the door crack and saw a human figure inside.

He called out: “Ji Tingyu, it’s Lu Ping… the eldest young lady has come to see you. Quickly open the door!”

From the small courtyard overgrown with weeds came Ji Tingyu’s extremely cold voice: “My humble dwelling is dirty and messy. I dare not trouble Your Highness. Please return!”

Lu Ping was about to knock again when Bai Qingyan stopped him. She stood at the door and spoke to those inside: “Ji Tingyu, it’s the Bai family who wronged you, wronged your wife! You risked your life for the Bai family… yet the Bai family nearly took your life too. I know that even executing that bastard son cannot bring back your wife! The Bai family owes you greatly. In this lifetime, Bai Qingyan will do everything in her power to try to repay you. If you don’t wish to see me, then please accept this food and daily necessities.”

Bai Qingyan turned and instructed people to place all those items and food at the door. After walking a few steps, she tucked the five hundred taels of banknotes that Grandmother had given to Ji Tingyu into a neatly folded brocade quilt.

Inside the house, Ji Tingyu’s eyes reddened.

He knew this matter wasn’t the eldest young lady’s fault. Moreover, when he was nearly finished off by the Grand Princess, it was the eldest young lady who risked offending people… risked breaking with the Grand Princess to save him.

He still remembered that while unconscious, he vaguely heard the eldest young lady having people snatch Physician Hong back from Marquis Yongding’s mansion for her, saying he was the Bai family’s benefactor. Anyone who dared compete with him for the physician… the eldest young lady would exterminate their entire clan, leaving no chickens or dogs alive.

He heard the eldest young lady order that doctor’s finger joints broken one by one…

Later, he also heard that the eldest young lady drew her sword and charged toward the mourning hall, arguing with the Grand Princess for his sake, swearing that if that bastard son didn’t die, the eldest young lady herself would not die well!

She even severed their grandmother-granddaughter bond.

The eldest young lady had fought so hard for his justice—if he hated even the eldest young lady, what wrong had she done?

He should understand. The reason he pledged loyal service unto death to the Bai family was because of the Bai family’s character, the loyalty and righteousness passed down through generations, the Bai family’s courage to sacrifice themselves to protect the people.

What the Grand Princess had done truly chilled his heart.

But didn’t the young ladies of the Bai family embody all these qualities? Weren’t they worthy of his sworn allegiance unto death? Just because of one person’s actions—the Grand Princess—should he abandon his previously unwavering faith?

Just as Nanny Tong was helping Bai Qingyan into the carriage, the two wooden doors creaked open slowly.

Bai Qingyan’s movement of bending to enter the carriage paused. She turned back to see Ji Tingyu, who had lost an arm, emerging from inside with red eyes.

She straightened up and looked toward Ji Tingyu, her throat constricting, her eye sockets burning.

Ji Tingyu bit his teeth tightly, lifted his garment hem, and knelt before Bai Qingyan, kowtowing heavily.

She came down from the carriage and said to Lu Ping in a low, hoarse voice: “Uncle Ping, help Ji Tingyu up.”

“Right away!” Lu Ping quickly helped Ji Tingyu to his feet.

Bai Jinzhi looked at Lu Ping and rubbed her reddened eye sockets: “Ji Tingyu, won’t you invite Elder Sister and me to sit inside?”

Ji Tingyu looked at Bai Jinzhi, who had been tanned black from the Nan Jiang journey, then turned his gaze to Bai Qingyan, biting his teeth tightly as he stepped aside and made a gesture of invitation.

The Ji family’s courtyard was probably overgrown with weeds due to a lack of care, but inside the house, Ji Tingyu had kept things neat and clean.

Bai Qingyan and Bai Jinzhi sat down at the black lacquered square table while Ji Tingyu used one hand to lift the teapot and pour them water.

She didn’t stop him, only nodded in thanks and inquired about Ji Tingyu’s physical condition.

“Everything is fine, just very idle…” Ji Tingyu lowered his eyes, his voice desolate. “I’m missing an arm, so I’m useless for many things. I don’t know what I can do in the future!”

Upon hearing this, Lu Ping quickly said: “Tingyu, you can’t think like that. It’s not that we’re not arranging work for you—we want you to properly recover your health first!”

Bai Qingyan pursed her lips and turned to look outside at the servant women and matrons helping Ji Tingyu tidy the courtyard.