Bai Qingyan nodded. Now that the overall situation had barely stabilized, the Bai family should keep a low profile and strengthen itself. If the Emperor died, it would inevitably introduce unnecessary variables, so she didn’t want the Emperor to die so quickly.

“With Aunt’s medical skills, you can surely ensure His Majesty won’t suffer from headaches and can maintain his vigor for at least five years.”

Lu Ning’e understood the implication in Bai Qingyan’s words—she wanted the Emperor to live for another five years.

She said: “When I took His Majesty’s pulse today, it seemed from his manner that… he intends to have me enter the palace to prevent headache attacks, though he didn’t force the matter. I wonder what Miss thinks… should Langhua enter the palace?”

“Discuss it with Grandmother!” After Bai Qingyan finished speaking and was about to leave, she added: “Does Grandmother know you are the external granddaughter of Imperial Physician Ji Bingfu?”

Lu Ning’e’s palm tightened. She had only shown a flaw upon seeing Ji Langhua, yet Miss Bai had actually… been able to guess.

“Why doesn’t Miss guess that… I might be his granddaughter instead?” Lu Ning’e was puzzled.

“Aunt has a set of golden needles, which you once said your maternal grandfather gave to your mother before her marriage. At the time, I only found them familiar, but after seeing Ji Langhua today, I realized… they were familiar because I had seen golden needles with the same carved patterns on the needle ends at Ji Langhua’s place.” Bai Qingyan narrowed her eyes. “But Ji Langhua said that your maternal grandfather only arranged your mother’s marriage after Censor Jian Congwen’s case…”

Since Bai Qingyan already knew, Lu Ning’e stopped hiding: “I dare not deceive Miss. My mother initially returned to the Ji family as a widow with me. Later, when the Ji family met with disaster, my maternal grandfather originally wanted me to leave with my uncles and Langhua, but I was unwilling to separate from my mother. When my mother remarried, her daughter… Grandfather was in a hurry, so the marriage wasn’t very good.”

Lu Ning’e’s hands, hidden in her sleeves, clenched tightly, her eyes reddening, already prepared for Bai Qingyan to question her further… to reopen old wounds again.

But Bai Qingyan only asked lightly: “Does Grandmother know?”

“The Grand Princess… does know.” Lu Ning’e’s eyes were cast extremely low.

She nodded and looked deeply at Lu Ning’e: “I’ll trouble you these few days to care for Miss Ji and console her…”

Lu Ning’e seemed to hear a sigh in Bai Qingyan’s voice. She watched Bai Qingyan’s departing figure, clenched her fists, then turned and went back into the room.

Bai Qingyan returned to Qinghui Courtyard to change clothes, then brought Bai Jinzhi to pay respects to the Grand Princess, and dined at her mother, Dong Shi’s, place. Just as she emerged from her mother’s courtyard, Steward Hao came to report that outside the Duke’s mansion, a Mr. Qin Shangzhi was requesting to see Bai Qingyan.

“Mr. Qin?” Bai Jinzhi frowned, remembering the strategist beside the Crown Prince during their previous journey to Nan Jiang. “The Crown Prince’s man?”

Qin Shangzhi would never seek her out without reason. His visit today was certainly not for reminiscing about old times.

She pondered carefully. Qin Shangzhi’s visit was likely related to the Crown Prince’s previous inquiry about whether to interfere with the disaster relief in Yanwo, or… her move against Left Chancellor Li Mao had produced an unexpected reaction, and he had suspicions.

It was already early summer, and bamboo curtains and gauze drapes had been hung in the Duke’s mansion corridors. Golden copper hooks were adorned with copper bells, and as the breeze carried the rich, secluded fragrance of blooming scholar tree flowers from the courtyard, the delicate, clear tinkling of bells rose and fell.

She came back to her senses and said to Steward Hao, “Please invite Mr. Qin to the main hall first.”

“Elder Sister, let me accompany you!” Seeing Bai Qingyan turn to look at her, Bai Jinzhi quickly said.

“You just returned from Shouyang. Go back and rest! You won’t have much time to rest anyway. When we return to Shouyang, you’ll need to help Elder Sister train the troops properly.”

When Bai Jinzhi heard that her elder sister wanted her to help train troops, her eyes lit up as she nodded.

Bai Qingyan patted Bai Jinzhi’s head and walked toward the front hall.

Or perhaps, once war broke out in Great Liang… she and her sisters would have to rush to Chun Mushan again.

Xiao Rongyan never spoke rashly. Since he said war would break out in Great Liang, war would certainly break out.

When Bai Qingyan walked along the corridor where clear bells chimed to reach the front hall, she saw Qin Shangzhi standing before the main hall, gazing pensively at the upturned eaves of the Duke’s mansion.

Catching sight of Bai Qingyan approaching, surrounded by maids from the corner of his eye, he came back to his senses and bowed deeply toward Bai Qingyan.

Having not seen him for many days, Qin Shangzhi looked considerably more haggard. His robes seemed somewhat loose, his eyes were dark underneath, and his spirit appeared somewhat poor, as if he had been through an illness.

“How has Mr. Qin become so haggard?” Bai Qingyan gestured for Qin Shangzhi to enter.

Qin Shangzhi followed Bai Qingyan into the main hall, pressing his lips together without speaking. Bai Qingyan waved her hand to signal Chun Tao to take the maids away, and only then did Qin Shangzhi speak: “The Crown Prince, having heard Old Fang’s strategy, has already sent people to Yanwo, intending to disrupt Prince Liang’s disaster relief and incite civil unrest.”

Bai Qingyan’s hand holding the teacup tightened. She lowered her eyes to look at the tea leaves floating up and down in the cup, covered the cup with its lid, then raised her head to look at Qin Shangzhi: “After the Crown Prince saw me off that day, did he discuss this matter with you?”

“We discussed it…” Qin Shangzhi’s expression was gloomy. “But the Crown Prince ultimately still listened to Old Fang. Originally, I hoped to delay until the Duke returned to persuade the Crown Prince, but unexpectedly… the Crown Prince sent people to Yanwo that very night.”

“The day the Crown Prince saw me off, I had already advised him.” Bai Qingyan set down her teacup, only hoping that A’Jue would act quickly and could soon lead the disaster victims into Youhua Pass. “If you’ve come about this matter, I’m afraid I’m powerless to help…”

Qin Shangzhi was quite surprised. He had thought that this visit would at least persuade Bai Qingyan to go advise the Crown Prince, and even if the Crown Prince didn’t listen, with Bai Qingyan’s heart that loved the people, she would surely send people to intervene, even if it would create a rift between her and the Crown Prince.

Qin Shangzhi pressed his lips together and looked seriously toward Bai Qingyan: “There’s another matter. Li Mao is someone who must repay every slight—why would he retreat and avoid confrontation with the Duke? Does the Duke hold some leverage over Li Mao?”

Clever people would always notice Li Mao’s abnormal behavior.

“It’s not exactly leverage…” Bai Qingyan said with downcast eyes. “When the Left Chancellor’s son’s deeds were made public, the Left Chancellor’s abandonment of his son was merely to salvage some reputation and to plead for his son before His Majesty.”

Qin Shangzhi wasn’t entirely disbelieving of this explanation from Bai Qingyan, but… he still felt something didn’t quite add up.

“However, the Duke acted somewhat rashly in this matter. The Left Chancellor is someone who must repay every slight. The Duke should be careful in the future.” Qin Shangzhi offered kind advice.

“This concerns my fourth sister. If the Left Chancellor hadn’t been so eager to have his wife enter the palace to request a marriage edict from the Empress, trying to force my fourth sister to marry his good-for-nothing son, I wouldn’t have acted so decisively. After all, the Empress’s legitimate son, Prince Xin, was demoted to commoner status because of the Bai family making the Nan Jiang affair public, and he can no longer aspire to the throne! I also… could only make my conflict with the Left Chancellor into a grand spectacle, so that His Majesty and the Empress would fear the people’s talk and couldn’t issue this marriage edict.” Bai Qingyan raised her eyes to look at Qin Shangzhi, her voice steady and indifferent. “The power of public opinion can destroy metal, and people’s words are fearsome—these were lessons you once taught me!”