Whether it was some natural connection between Bai Qingjue and Fourth Madam as mother and son, Fourth Madam Wang Shi was certain that Bai Qingyan had brought her some news about Bai Qingjue, and quickly came out from inside the house.

Just as she reached the courtyard gate to greet her, she saw Bai Qingyan entering.

“Why is Fourth Aunt outside?” Bai Qingyan asked with a smile.

Fourth Madam Wang Shi gripped the Buddhist beads in her hand tightly: “Hearing that you came, I came out to greet you. Lingyun, bring a plate of the freshly made goat milk pastries for the eldest miss.”

Nanny Guan quickly lifted the door curtain, respectfully inviting Bai Qingyan inside. Being very perceptive, she didn’t go in herself, but instead had Lingxiu bring two small embroidered stools, pulling Chun Tao to sit under the corridor to discuss embroidery patterns.

Bai Qingyan sat down with Fourth Madam Wang Shi on the soft couch by the window. She handed the letter hidden at her chest to Fourth Madam Wang Shi.

Fourth Madam Wang Shi looked up at Bai Qingyan, her eyes reddening, her hand clutching the Buddhist beads trembling. After a long while, she dared to put down the beads and extend her hand to take the crumpled but smoothed letter, her throat swelling with pain.

The moment her fingertips touched the letter paper, Fourth Madam Wang Shi couldn’t hold back her tears. She hastily dabbed at them with her handkerchief, afraid of wetting the paper.

She unfolded the letter. Inside was only one sentence, but it was Bai Qingjue’s handwriting.

Fourth Madam Wang Shi’s hand holding the handkerchief forcefully clutched at her chest, biting her lip hard to prevent herself from crying out, yet tears fell in large drops. Her nostrils flared as she struggled to open her eyes wide and look at Bai Qingyan, as if seeking confirmation from her whether she had seen the living, breathing Bai Qingjue.

Bai Qingyan nodded to Fourth Aunt: “His injuries have healed. He’s much thinner than when he left home, but his spirit remains strong.”

Hearing these words, Fourth Madam Wang Shi nearly sobbed aloud. She forcefully covered her mouth, pressing the letter to her heart. Her frail shoulders shook continuously, tears falling like broken strings, her weeping extremely suppressed, afraid others might hear her cries.

“Fourth Aunt, I brought this back for you to see, but it must be burned…” Bai Qingyan’s voice was extremely low.

Fourth Madam Wang Shi nodded through her tears. She understood… she understood that even keeping the letter with her wouldn’t be safe. The safest thing was to read it once and keep it in her heart.

She wanted to say words of gratitude to Bai Qingyan, but feared that once she opened her mouth, she wouldn’t be able to suppress her sobs.

She thanked Bai Qingyan for not deceiving her, thanked her for bringing back Ah Jue’s letter, letting her know that Ah Jue was truly still alive. She could only extend her hand and grip Bai Qingyan’s hand with all her strength, squeezing as tightly as she could.

When Bai Qingyan left Fourth Aunt’s Lishui Courtyard, it was already an hour later. That wrinkled letter paper had been burned by Fourth Aunt’s hand.

Fourth Aunt said she would continue eating vegetarian food and chanting Buddhist prayers, praying for heaven’s protection over Ah Jue and all the Bai family members for peace and stability in their remaining years.

The news that the Shouyang Bai clan had driven the Grand Princess to vomit blood spread throughout the entire capital within an hour, shocking the common people. The Shouyang Bai clan’s audacity was truly great – they had driven even the Grand Princess to vomit blood.

At the Qin residence, Bai Jinxiu, upon hearing the news, couldn’t sit still and had someone prepare a carriage to rush back to the Pacifying Princess’s mansion.

Only after Bai Jinxiu returned to the mansion did she learn it was a false alarm – it was merely grandmother’s method of dealing with the clan. Only then did she breathe a sigh of relief and came to Qinghui Courtyard.

Bai Qingyan was currently reviewing the list of items from Qinghui Courtyard that Nanny Tong had organized over the past few days, to be transported back to Shouyang with the first convoy.

Chun Tao saw Bai Jinxiu approaching and went inside to inform Bai Qingyan, then followed Nanny Tong out of Qinghui Courtyard’s main gate to greet Bai Jinxiu.

Bai Jinxiu was now five months pregnant, her belly already showing, though perhaps due to her martial arts background, her movements were still relatively agile.

Nanny Tong supported Bai Jinxiu as they walked inside: “Second Miss, please take it slow – you’re carrying two lives now.”

“Godmother!” Yinshuang bowed to Nanny Tong.

Cuibi, the personal maid attending Second Miss, also quickly smiled and bowed to Nanny Tong and Chun Tao: “Greetings, Nanny Tong! Greetings, Miss Chun Tao!”

Nanny Tong nodded.

“It’s fine. Where is the eldest sister?” Bai Jinxiu asked.

“She was just going over the list of items for the first shipment back to Shouyang with Nanny Tong,” Chun Tao smiled as she lifted the door curtain for Bai Jinxiu. After sending Bai Jinxiu inside, she ordered someone to bring red date tea for her.

“Eldest sister…”

Seeing Bai Jinxiu enter, she put away the list and asked: “You heard about grandmother’s situation and came over?”

“Yes!” Bai Jinxiu nodded, sitting down beside her.

“Eldest Miss!” Yinshuang bowed to Bai Qingyan upon seeing her.

She smiled at Yinshuang: “Quickly get up!”

Nanny Tong, afraid the sisters might have private matters to discuss, smiled and said: “Eldest Miss and Second Miss chat first. This old servant will take Yinshuang and Cuibi to have some goat milk steamed cakes.”

She nodded: “When they leave later, have some packed for them to take.”

Nanny Tong thought Yinshuang would be happy, but unexpectedly, the girl waved her hand and stood closely by Bai Jinxiu’s side: “No! I must stay by Second Miss’s side every step of the way!”

Hearing this, Cuibi covered her lips and laughed: “Eldest Miss, please do something about Yinshuang! You told Yinshuang to never leave Second Miss’s side, and last night, this girl wouldn’t even let Second Master into the room, standing by Second Miss’s bed like a door god. She even…”

“Cuibi!” Bai Jinxiu’s ears reddened as she scolded.

“Even what?” She pressed for an answer.

Before Cuibi could answer, Yinshuang looked very proud and said: “Even when Second Miss uses the privy, I follow her! Never leaving her side!”

Nanny Tong and all the maids in the room couldn’t help but laugh, covering their mouths. Yinshuang looked at Bai Qingyan with bright, sparkling eyes, her expression seeming to wait for Bai Qingyan’s praise.

Bai Jinxiu looked at Yinshuang with helpless amusement: “Eldest sister, please do something about this! If it weren’t for Cuibi being so capable, the entire mansion would probably know that Yinshuang, following orders, is protecting me closely and won’t let Qin Lang… sleep in the room.”

Bai Jinxiu couldn’t bring herself to say the words about not letting Qin Lang get close.

After her initial shock, she couldn’t help but laugh softly. Bai Jinxiu was gentle and mild-mannered, so it wasn’t hard to imagine she was probably very embarrassed, yet had to consider the little maid’s self-esteem, caught in a difficult position.

“Yinshuang is doing very well!” She smiled and spoke to Yinshuang, “But Yinshuang must listen to Second Miss’s instructions. Usually, taking close care of Second Miss is very tiring work. When Second Miss tells you to rest, you must rest; otherwise, when Second Miss goes out, how will you have the energy to care for her? Isn’t that right?”

Yinshuang thought about it and nodded: “Yes!”

“So Yinshuang should listen to Second Miss,” Chun Tao couldn’t help but smile as she added.

Yinshuang nodded: “I understand! When Second Miss goes out, I’ll stay close and never leave her side. When Second Miss returns to the mansion, I’ll listen to her instructions!”

“Yinshuang is so clever!” She smiled and nodded.

Bai Jinxiu sat briefly with Bai Qingyan before getting up to return to the Qin residence. Bai Jinxiu had left in such haste that many affairs at the Qin residence still needed proper arrangement.

She escorted Bai Jinxiu to the gate and had Chun Tao call Lu Ping over.