Old Madam Qi hurriedly wiped her tears and nodded to Dong Shi, choking with gratitude.

“But Fifth Sister-in-law and I, aside from being daughters and mothers, are also wives of the Bai family. We both bowed to heaven and earth with our husbands and made vows of never parting in life or death. Moreover, the Fifth Sister-in-law has just given birth. As a mother herself, how could Old Madam Qi bear to see Fifth Sister-in-law separated from her daughter?”

“I will never leave the Bai family!”

Dong Shi’s voice came from behind the screen, startling both Old Madam Qi and Dong Shi.

“You…” Old Madam Qi gripped the table edge and stood up in shock. “Have you gone mad? Don’t you know you’re still in your confinement month? How can you leave your room?”

Dong Shi hurried around the screen to see Qi Shi, pale-faced and thinly dressed, wrapped in a cloak, standing there with clenched fists, followed by trembling maids who dared not raise their heads.

Dong Shi supported Qi Shi and turned to shout, “Where is Nanny Zhai? How could you let Fifth Madam come here during her confinement month, exposed to the wind?! Nanny Qin, quickly… bring my great cloak and light a brazier in the room!”

Qi Shi stood firm, tightly gripping Dong Shi’s hand: “Elder Sister-in-law, coming to your courtyard during my confinement is already presumptuous of me. I won’t go inside!”

“What are you saying at a time like this! We’re family, not outsiders who need to observe such taboos!” Dong Shi was angry that Qi Shi didn’t value her health and scolded her with a stern face.

She pulled Qi Shi inside, settled her on her bed, wrapped her in brocade quilts, then turned to sternly question Qi Shi’s maids: “How are you serving Fifth Madam? Don’t you know Fifth Madam is in her confinement month?”

“Elder Sister-in-law…” Qi Shi tugged at Dong Shi’s sleeve, her eyes reddening. “Don’t blame them. When I heard Mother was coming to see you, I was afraid she was secretly coming to request a divorce letter, so I was worried and followed.”

Speaking thus, Qi Shi looked toward Old Madam Qi.

Old Madam Qi’s tears fell like broken beads as she pressed her handkerchief to her chest and sat down on the soft couch: “Who am I doing all this for?!”

“Mother, I’ve already spoken very clearly. I will never leave the Bai family in this lifetime. Setting aside my feelings for Fifth Master, not to mention my daughter, who was just born! I cannot let the world see… that the Bai family, who showed complete loyalty and sacrificed themselves to protect the people of Jin, ended up with their family broken and non-existent!”

Qi Shi’s eyes stung with tears, her words firm and resolute. This was something she had once overheard in a conversation between her sister-in-law and her own mother, and Qi Shi was deeply moved by it.

After hearing her daughter’s words, Old Madam Qi’s lips trembled, but she ultimately said nothing. Her fingers gripped tightly to the black lacquered wooden table beside her. After a long silence, she finally couldn’t help but cover her mouth and nose with her handkerchief, crying with heartbreak.

Because she knew she could no longer take her daughter away…

Not just today – even if she begged the Empress to grant an imperial edict of divorce, her daughter would not leave. She had already taken root in the Bai family.

But this was her only daughter!

Old Madam Qi’s two daughters-in-law saw her emerge from the main room and hurried forward to support her on both sides.

“Mother, I just saw younger sister come over. Did Mother, younger sister, and the First Madam reach an agreement? Can younger sister return home after her confinement month?” asked the second daughter-in-law of the Qi family.

Old Madam Qi shook her head: “Your younger sister won’t leave…”

“Ah? Mother…” The eldest daughter-in-law of the Qi family looked back toward the main room, not seeing Dong Shi come out to see them off. She lowered her voice: “Could it be that Dong Shi refused? Why don’t we go to the Imperial Qing’an Temple to find the Grand Princess and request a divorce letter?”

Old Madam Qi looked up at the swaying lanterns under the covered walkway, closed her eyes, and tears flowed down the furrows beside her eyes: “Your younger sister refuses to leave! So be it… If she’s unwilling to leave, then she won’t. From now on, you sisters-in-law should take better care of her!”

Old Madam Qi wasn’t foolish. She had just seen that Dong Shi’s scolding of her daughter was genuine, and her care was also genuine. Her daughter was not living in the misery and helplessness she had imagined in the Bai family, nor was she refusing to leave because she feared being despised by her sisters-in-law if she returned to her natal family.

It seemed her daughter was living very well in the Bai family, which was why she was unwilling to leave.

“Mother… please rest assured. Younger sister will always be the younger sister of me and the eldest brother. No matter when, as long as the younger sister wants to return home, the doors of our Qi family will always be open for her! If younger sister wishes to stay in the Bai family, our Qi family will support her and ensure no one dares to bully her!” The eldest daughter-in-law of the Qi family gripped Old Madam Qi’s hand tightly, her eyes red as she spoke.

Hearing these words, Old Madam Qi’s nostrils flared with emotion. She was deeply moved and forcefully squeezed her daughter-in-law’s hand, nodding: “Mother knows! Mother knows you and eldest son are both good!”

The second daughter-in-law of the Qi family stood properly to one side. Her husband was a concubine-born son, so even if she expressed her feelings… Old Madam Qi probably wouldn’t believe her. It was better to say nothing at all.

At noon, after the midday meal, Nanny Zhai took advantage of the bright sun to carry Qi Shi back to her courtyard in a soft sedan.

Originally, Dong Shi didn’t want Qi Shi to move again, but all of Qi Shi’s necessities were in her courtyard, and moving everything would be troublesome. Since Qi Shi insisted on going back, Dong Shi couldn’t obstruct her and could only let Qi Shi move back.

Just as Qi Shi was being helped into the soft sedan, Dong Shi heard Nanny Qin report that the front gatehouse had just come to announce that the Fourth Prince of Great Yan had presented his calling card requesting to see Duke Zhenguo’s Princess.

Now that the Bai residence had become Duke Zhenguo’s Princess residence, her daughter Bai Qingyan was the master of this mansion. It was proper for the Fourth Prince of Great Yan to request to see Duke Zhenguo’s Princess.

But Dong Shi was uneasy and sent Nanny Qin to the front to see what the Fourth Prince of Great Yan wanted with her daughter.

After all, he was a prince of another Kingdom, and Dong Shi feared arousing suspicion from the Crown Prince or Emperor.

Murong Li sat in the main hall of Duke Zhenguo’s Princess residence, drinking tea, accompanied by Feng Yao. Upon seeing Bai Qingyan arrive, Murong Li stood up, lowered his posture, and bowed to Bai Qingyan first.

Bai Qingyan stepped aside to avoid half the courtesy, then returned the bow with a smile: “I wonder what guidance the Fourth Prince seeks in calling upon me?”

Following his ninth uncle’s instructions, Murong Li bowed deeply to Bai Qingyan and spoke solemnly: “Li has heard that Duke Zhenguo’s Princess residence has a Physician Hong whose medical skills are exceptional. Li presumptuously calls today to seek medical treatment for Father Emperor. I hope Duke Zhenguo’s Princess will grant this favor.”

This matter had already been agreed upon by both parties – it was just going through the motions, performing a play for those who wanted to watch.

“I wonder how the Fourth Prince learned of Physician Hong in my residence?” Bai Qingyan asked.

“Li heard that Imperial Physician Huang, the head of the Imperial Medical Academy in the Great Jin palace, has a senior brother whose medical skills are brilliant, far surpassing Imperial Physician Huang’s and could be called a divine physician. After careful investigation and inquiry, Li learned that this Physician Hong is in Duke Zhenguo’s Princess’s residence, which is why I presumptuously came to request the Princess’s help.”

Bai Qingyan sighed: “Physician Hong’s medical skills are indeed exceptional, but they’re not as miraculous as the rumors suggest! However… since the Fourth Prince has personally called, Yan… can let Physician Hong accompany the Fourth Prince.”