Who would have known that when Chun Xing’s mother arrived at Zhenguo County Princess’s mansion, she immediately heard from the servants that Chun Xing had been locked in the woodshed by the county princess the previous night. She immediately felt something was wrong and hurriedly stuffed a purse into the hands of the gatekeeper woman at the side gate, lowering her voice respectfully: “Elder sister, did my girl not know her place and offend the county princess? How did I hear that my girl was locked in the woodshed?”

The gatekeeper woman weighed the purse, saw no one around, quickly tucked it into her sleeve, and said: “I heard your girl had sticky fingers and stole something from Eldest Miss, which is why she was punished.”

Chun Xing’s mother’s face turned pale: “That’s impossible! I know my daughter clearly – she would never be so short-sighted… She’s about to go to the minister’s mansion to be a concubine. What kind of jewelry couldn’t she have? Why would she need to steal from the county princess?”

Seeing Chun Xing’s mother making a scene, the woman was frightened and looked around, glaring at her: “Eldest Miss showed tremendous face by not calling in a broker out of consideration for her bond with your Chun Xing. If you don’t want to face it, just keep making a scene here!”

After saying this, the woman flicked her sleeve and turned to enter the gatehouse.

Chun Xing’s mother looked terrible, her heart anxious beyond measure. If the steward from the minister’s mansion knew that Chun Xing was a maid who had been punished and expelled from Zhenguo County Princess’s mansion, they definitely wouldn’t want Chun Xing. Then… wouldn’t the large sum of silver promised by the minister’s mansion fly away?

The Ministry of Revenue Minister’s mansion wanted a virtuous concubine – how many families were desperately trying to send their daughters to the minister’s mansion? If it weren’t because Chun Xing was a maid beside Zhenguo County Princess, how would the minister’s mansion choose her daughter for their heir?

Although he was a concubine-born son, he was still a young master of the minister’s mansion after all.

Chun Xing’s mother’s eyes darted around. Since Zhenguo County Princess still had some affection for her daughter and didn’t want to make a big scene, why not just conceal this matter for now and tell outsiders that the county princess had bestowed grace and released her daughter from the mansion?

Once her daughter married into the minister’s mansion, the deed would be done – after the minister’s mansion’s young master slept with her daughter, surely he couldn’t still have the nerve to demand silver back!

Having made up her mind, Chun Xing’s mother waited at the gate.

Before long, Chun Xing, who had spent the night in the woodshed with a haggard face, emerged from the side gate of Zhenguo County Princess’s mansion with a small bundle hanging from her arm.

As soon as Chun Xing saw her mother, tears began streaming down her face.

“Don’t say anything!” Chun Xing’s mother grabbed Chun Xing’s wrist and said in a low voice, “Eldest Miss showing grace by releasing you from the mansion is a good thing – don’t cry!”

Hearing the implication in her mother’s words, Chun Xing forced herself to hold back her tears: “But Mother, I still haven’t gotten my indenture contract.”

Her mother was stunned, glanced at the two black lacquered doors of Zhenguo County Princess’s mansion, and tightly gripped Chun Xing’s hand: “Let’s go home first and talk!”

Chun Xing nodded and got on the rented carriage with her mother, slowly leaving the back gate of Zhenguo County Princess’s mansion.

In the courtyard, Bai Qingyan had finished her horse stance and was practicing with her red-tasseled silver spear. When Nanny Tong told her that Chun Xing had been taken away by her mother, Bai Qingyan nodded and took a handkerchief from Chun Tao to wipe the sweat from her face and neck, saying: “Thank you for your trouble, Nanny. Pick another one from the household-born servants to replace Chun Xing’s position.”

“Yes!” After Nanny Tong curtsied, she continued: “Eldest Miss, there’s one more thing. Following Eldest Miss’s instructions, this old servant asked the gatekeeper woman about the situation when Chun Xing’s mother came this morning. That woman said… she told her that Chun Xing had sticky fingers, and Chun Xing’s mother made a scene at our mansion gate, saying her daughter was going to marry into the minister’s mansion to be a concubine. Later, she thought of something and fell silent. When Chun Xing came out crying, she was stopped by her mother. So this old servant took the liberty of keeping Chun Xing’s indenture contract, planning to personally deliver it after Eighth Miss’s third-day bath banquet ends this afternoon…”

“And tell Chun Xing’s neighbors that from now on, our Duke’s mansion will not employ anyone related to Chun Xing’s family, lest Chun Xing do something that brings shame to Eldest Miss! If Eldest Miss thinks this improper, this old servant will immediately send someone to quietly deliver the contract.”

Nanny Tong already knew the whole story and had originally planned to return the indenture contract to Chun Xing as Bai Qingyan instructed.

But thinking of Chun Xing’s money-obsessed mother, she changed her mind. Only by spreading this matter would Chun Xing and her family be unable to use their Eldest Miss’s name to make money for themselves.

Otherwise, if something happened in the future, others would blame their Eldest Miss.

“Nanny’s consideration is very thoughtful. Let’s do as Nanny suggests.” Bai Qingyan placed the handkerchief on the black lacquered tray Chun Tao was holding, picked up a teacup, and took a small sip. “Grandmother is returning today, so let’s stop practicing here.”

Chun Tao nodded in agreement and sent a maid to arrange breakfast.

Today Grandmother was bringing back that Miss Lu. Even if it was just for show… Grandmother had made it appear as if she cared deeply about this Miss Lu, specifically having Nanny Jiang send word back asking Dong Shi to have someone clean up Bai Suqiu’s former courtyard for this Miss Lu to live in.

Dong Shi was shocked. All these years, Bai Suqiu’s Qiushuang Courtyard had been kept in the mansion, with people cleaning it daily. Whenever the Grand Princess missed Bai Suqiu, she would go sit there. The persimmon tree that Bai Suqiu had planted in that courtyard had now grown branches that extended beyond the courtyard walls.

Everyone in the mansion was curious about this Miss Lu, even Bai Jinxiu had rushed back early in the morning specifically to see the woman who was being wildly rumored throughout the capital as Bai Suqiu’s reincarnation.

On the contrary, Bai Jinzhi, who had gone with Bai Qingyan to see the Grand Princess and Miss Lu, was the last to arrive at Changshou Courtyard. She properly paid respects to the Grand Princess and stood to one side, not even glancing at Miss Lu standing beside the Grand Princess.

Third Madam Li Shi looked at Bai Jinzhi’s composed demeanor and thought her daughter had changed after her frontier experience, feeling extremely pleased.

Everyone accompanied the Grand Princess to see the newborn legitimate granddaughter. The Grand Princess gave Bai Wanqing a set of pigeon blood ruby jewelry as a meeting gift, smiling so widely she couldn’t close her mouth.

Although the Grand Princess still felt some regret in her heart, thinking it was a pity the child wasn’t a boy.

But thinking that not being a boy might keep the family safe, her heart felt both bitter and sad.

Watching the midwife place the basin filled with medicinal bath water containing mugwort leaves, scholar tree branches and other herbs, when the elders added to the basin, the midwife spoke auspicious words. The ceremony concluded with much fanfare, and she received her reward money.

“This little girl’s appearance reminds me of when A’Bao was born…” The Grand Princess’s eyes reddened as she smiled, “She was just as rarely beautiful, fair, and clean.”

The child was held in the Grand Princess’s arms, her little hands waving and grasping the Grand Princess’s finger while giggling. Third Madam Li Shi said, “This child, like A’Bao, has a bond with Mother!”

The Grand Princess nodded, returned the child to the wet nurse, and instructed Fifth Madam Qi Shi to take good care of her.