The two sisters entered the main hall and dismissed the attendants, sitting down on the soft couch by the window and having the little maids tightly close the doors and windows.

Bai Qingyan took a tasseled round pillow embroidered with gold double happiness symbols and placed it behind Bai Jinxiu’s back before sitting down to carefully examine the purchasing list from Prince Liang’s mansion that Bai Jinxiu had brought.

“Prince Liang’s mansion didn’t purchase realgar, pine resin, or other such items. They only bought large quantities of saltpeter. The steward I sent to inquire learned… Prince Liang’s mansion’s buyer said that Prince Liang wanted to make ice himself to create ice sculptures to please the Emperor, which is why they bought so much saltpeter!” Bai Jinxiu leaned closer to Bai Qingyan with her elbow propped on the small table. “Elder Sister, I suspect the realgar and pine resin… Prince Liang’s mansion had the Wang family of Nine Curves Lane procure them!”

“Did you send people to investigate?” Bai Qingyan asked.

“I sent people. It shouldn’t be long before someone reports back!” After Bai Jinxiu finished speaking, she frowned. “If Prince Liang… is truly helping the Emperor refine elixirs, what does Elder Sister plan to do with this matter? I should prepare in advance.”

“No need for now. Prince Liang is currently in high favor. If this matter is exposed at this time… even if the Emperor openly punishes Prince Liang, he’ll still compensate him secretly. There’s no benefit for us,” Bai Qingyan said.

Soon, the Wang family’s purchasing lists from recent months were also delivered.

Seeing Bai Jinxiu fanning herself vigorously from the heat, Bai Qingyan ordered someone to bring in a basin of ice.

Bai Qingyan had always been sensitive to cold and never used ice in Qinghui Courtyard during summer. But since becoming pregnant, Bai Jinxiu was extremely afraid of heat, making summer quite torturous for her. At the Qin mansion, ice was never lacking.

“No need, Elder Sister! I can endure this short while,” Bai Jinxiu feared that Bai Qingyan’s body couldn’t handle it, and smiled. “If Elder Sister is worried about me being hot, just have someone bring me another bowl of chilled plum soup.”

“You’ve already had two bowls. You’re pregnant after all – show some restraint!” Bai Qingyan said while picking up the Wang family’s purchasing list to examine.

A maid brought in ice and placed it on Bai Jinxiu’s side, immediately making it much cooler.

The Wang family’s purchasing list did include realgar, but in normal quantities. This past month showed even less than the previous month.

But why had the Wang family and Prince Liang’s mansion steward been in such frequent contact?

As Bai Qingyan was lowering her head in thought, a maid from Qinghui Courtyard lifted the curtain and entered, bowing to Bai Qingyan and Bai Jinxiu from behind the jade screen: “First Miss, Second Miss, the three young ladies from the Dong mansion have come to visit First Miss. Second Madam has sent someone to summon First Miss and Second Miss.”

“Understood!” Bai Qingyan responded. “Have Fourth Miss go over first and receive the three young ladies in the lakeside pavilion.”

“Yes!”

After the maid left, Bai Qingyan lit the Wang family’s purchasing list with fire and instructed Bai Jinxiu: “The matter of contact between the Wang family and Prince Liang’s mansion steward still needs careful investigation, but we can’t alert them. If this becomes difficult for you to handle, send someone to tell Grandmother. That Wei Zhong beside Grandmother seems quite capable!”

The Grand Princess was now also on guard against Prince Liang. To investigate the relationship between Prince Liang’s mansion steward and the Wang family of Nine Curves Lane, the Grand Princess should spare no effort.

Bai Qingyan changed into light, comfortable clothing. When she and Bai Jinxiu arrived at the lakeside pavilion, Dong Tingzhen’s face was completely red. Seeing Bai Qingyan approach, she quickly stood and bowed: “Cousin, please control them!”

Bai Jinxiu covered her lips with a handkerchief and laughed: “Qingzhen has always had the best temper. To be this angry today, they must have been terrible!”

Dong Qingyu smiled: “Yes, yes, yes! It’s all my younger sister’s fault. I’ll never tease my elder sister about marriage matters again!”

“Oh my! We’re all family sisters! What’s wrong with a little teasing!” Bai Jinzhi winked at Dong Tingzhen. “Sister Qingzhen, tell us… have you met Grand Tutor Chen’s grandson? I heard that… if not for this imperial examination cheating scandal, Chen Zhaolu would have been the top scholar!”

Dong Tingzhen’s face grew even redder as she pretended to be angry: “If you keep this up, I won’t pay attention to any of you!”

“You are something, treating a young lady’s marriage as gossip material!” Bai Jinxiu tapped Bai Jinzhi’s forehead.

“Has Grand Tutor Chen sent a matchmaker to propose?” Bai Qingyan asked Dong Tingzhen with a smile.

Dong Tingzhen’s brows showed some irritation. She sat down at the table with a red face, nodded, and fidgeted with her handkerchief: “This morning, Old Madam Tan came to speak with Mother about this matter. Mother only said… she needed to discuss it with Father, and nothing has been decided yet! But these two are gossiping everywhere!”

“Sister, don’t be angry. I’m not gossiping everywhere! These are all family sisters, so I was just having fun! Sister, don’t be angry – I won’t say anything more!” Dong Qingfang also covered her lips with a handkerchief and laughed.

“Is it Imperial Teacher’s Old Madam Tan?” Bai Qingyan asked again.

Although Imperial Teacher Tan Song had retired, he was truly respected and esteemed in the capital. If Grand Tutor Chen had asked Old Madam Tan to serve as a matchmaker, it showed genuine sincerity.

“Chen Zhaolu is someone I’ve heard Qin Lang mention. He’s an upright gentleman with the talent of a top scholar. So many noble families in the capital are watching him. If he truly makes a good match with younger sister Qingzhen, it would be an excellent marriage.”

Dong Tingzhen frowned even more tightly, tugging at her handkerchief and turning to look at the lake surface, seemingly displeased in her heart.

“Qingzhen… do you already have someone in your heart?” Bai Qingyan asked.

Dong Tingzhen was startled, straightening her back. Her eyes flickered as she lowered her gaze to stroke the finger-wide jade bracelet on her wrist: “No, Cousin is overthinking!”

“Qingzhen, once marriage is decided, it’s for life. Uncle and Aunt have always doted on you and certainly wouldn’t want to see you compromise yourself in marriage. If you truly have feelings for someone, you should tell Uncle and Aunt early. If it’s a good match… Uncle and Aunt surely wouldn’t force you to marry Chen Zhaolu just because he’s the top scholar choice, going against your wishes.”

Listening to Bai Qingyan’s gentle counsel, Dong Tingzhen thought carefully, then looked up at Bai Qingyan: “Cousin, rest assured. I’m just feeling uncertain. If I truly have someone I fancy, I’ll tell Father and Mother! Oh, by the way… Brother Changyuan learned that Cousin and Fourth Cousin would be enfeoffed and had us three bring congratulatory gifts.”

Dong Tingzhen changed the subject, handing brocade boxes to Bai Qingyan and Bai Jinzhi respectively. Each contained a seal carved from Shoushan stone that Dong Changyuan had personally crafted.

“Oh my! What beautiful seals! Please thank Cousin Changyuan for me!” Bai Jinzhi couldn’t put it down, touching the lifelike little cat carved on top of the seal, and couldn’t help sighing: “Are all the Dong family people this skillful? The young ladies are… and even the young master is too.”

Bai Qingyan’s seal was carved with plum blossoms, quite elegant indeed.

Looking at the exquisitely carved seal in her hands, Bai Qingyan inevitably thought of the jade hairpin Xiao Rongyan had personally carved, her earlobes growing warm.

She placed the seal back in the brocade box.