Seeing this rumored reincarnation of Bai Suqiu… Lu Ninghuan was in the room, and she appeared as if she had neither seen Fu Ruoxi nor heard their conversation, maintaining a completely normal demeanor. Only then did the Empress suppress her killing intent.

Lu Ninghuan was not an ordinary palace maid. If this so-called reincarnation of Bai Suqiu died in the palace, who knew whether the Emperor would fly into a rage and conduct a thorough investigation?

The Empress feared that Fu Ruoxi would be exposed, so she claimed that the palace maid had been assigned by her to do other tasks. She had a trusted aide personally escort Lu Ninghuan back to the Bai family, instructing the aide that if Lu Ninghuan acted completely normal, then leave it be, but if she showed any abnormality, it would be better to kill wrongly than to let her go.

Lu Ninghuan had made a trip to the gates of death and back. The first thing on her mind was that she must get this news to Bai Qingyan.

She first went to Bai Jinzhi’s courtyard. Bai Jinzhi had just emerged from her medicinal bath and was sitting before a carved bronze mirror wringing out her hair. As soon as Lu Ninghuan entered, Bai Jinse dismissed everyone else, having Lu Ninghuan explain in detail what had happened.

After Lu Ninghuan entered the room, she said nothing and immediately picked up a brush to write a letter to Bai Qingyan. While writing, she said: “Fourth Miss, please trouble yourself to deliver this letter back to Shouyang for the eldest miss, but don’t rush to leave right now! If possible, go out today to meet with some friends, then buy some pastries, visit the Grand Princess at the Imperial Qing Convent, and then return to Shouyang! I estimate there are probably people watching outside the Bai mansion right now.”

“Aunt Lu, what matter, can’t you speak plainly to us two?” Bai Jinzhi asked Lu Ninghuan.

“In the capital, the less you two young misses know, the better!” Lu Ninghuan wrote rapidly, “Fourth Miss will naturally learn everything when she returns to Shouyang and sees the eldest miss. Tomorrow morning, when the Seventh Miss returns to the convent with Langhua, Ninghuan will certainly tell everything without concealment.”

Not only did Bai Jinzhi need to meet friends as usual before leaving the capital, but Lu Ninghuan also had to go out normally – to the Yushan Hall to treat those orphans, to the medicine shop to purchase some herbs, and to buy some pastries for the Grand Princess.

Bai Jinzhi and Bai Jinse were not people who couldn’t distinguish what was important. Seeing Lu Ninghuan still writing her letter, Bai Jinzhi went out to instruct servants to invite Miss Huang Arong, the granddaughter of Imperial Physician Huang, to have tea at Yanque Tower later.

Lu Ninghuan finished writing the letter, sealed it and gave it to Bai Jinzhi, then went back to change clothes. Steadying her mind, she took Bai Jinse out, chatting and laughing as they headed to Yushan Hall.

Not long after, Bai Jinzhi also rode to Yanque Tower. Just as she arrived, the Huang family’s carriage also stopped in front of Yanque Tower. Huang Arong called out to Bai Jinzhi, and the two young misses happily held hands as they went upstairs.

Everything at the Bai family in the capital was as usual.

When this news reached the Empress, she finally breathed a sigh of relief. Otherwise, killing Lu Ninghuan would require too much cleanup afterward, and she currently had few usable people at hand. Fu Ruoxi refused to help her and even advised her to give up her thoughts of forcing the palace and seizing the throne.

The Empress stood under the palace eaves, looking up at the blinding midday sun, her head seeming to be surrounded by a seven-colored halo.

Accept fate?

She had never accepted fate – otherwise, she wouldn’t have risen to the position of Empress! Her son was the legitimate heir, destined to inherit the throne. Otherwise, what was the point of abandoning her beloved, climbing to this position by any means necessary, and risking half her life to give birth to a son? Could it be just to be an Empress in name only?

·

That afternoon, the Shouyang Bai mansion received news that Dong Changlan from the Dong family of Dengzhou had entered the city.

Bai Qingping knew Dong Changlan was coming and had specifically waited at the Bai mansion for a day to help entertain Dong Changlan.

Probably because Bai Qingping had been tormented by Fang Shi these past days and couldn’t sleep at night, his eye circles were severely dark, making him look rather listless.

Dong Shi brought Dong Tingshen and Bai Qingyan to greet Dong Changlan and his wife at the gate. From afar, they could see the handsome young man riding a white horse at the front of the convoy.

“Brother Changlan! It’s Brother Changlan!” Dong Tingshen lowered her voice and pointed into the distance for Dong Shi.

Although Dong Changlan couldn’t compare to his younger brother Dong Changyuan in refined features, he was still born with a straight nose and deep eyes, extremely handsome.

He wore a jade crown and a bamboo-green robe with cloud patterns and dark embroidery in left-opening style. His left hand gripped the reins while his right hand, hanging at his side, held a black gold horse whip. He looked steady and handsome, very eye-catching.

Seeing her nephew, Dong Shi, was naturally overjoyed. The last time they met was during Changlan’s wedding on the ninth day of the third month last year. In the blink of an eye, more than a year had passed, and the Bai family had undergone tremendous changes – from a distinguished family with many descendants in the capital to lonely daughters and widowed mothers forced to retreat to Shouyang. Everything had been turned upside down.

Dong Changlan saw Dong Shi and Dong Tingshen from afar, as well as Bai Qingyan standing with her hands behind her back, her slender and tall figure. His eyes showed a smile, and he turned to order the convoy to go faster, then spurred his horse forward alone. He leaped down from his horse, lifted the hem of his robe, and knelt on one knee in salute: “Changlan… pays respects to Aunt!”

Like his uncle Dong Qingyue, Dong Changlan had two prominent canine teeth. When he smiled, showing these teeth made him look slightly cute, somewhat diminishing his composed bearing.

Dong Shi lifted her skirt and quickly walked down the high steps to help Dong Changlan up, smiling as she looked him up and down: “Brother Lan looks taller than when we met last year, and darker too!”

“Brother Changlan!” Dong Tingshen smiled and bowed to Dong Changlan.

“Cousin…” Dong Changlan bowed deeply to Bai Qingyan.

Dong Changlan was only about a month younger than Bai Qingyan. Being the eldest son, he appeared reserved and gentle.

Bai Qingyan smiled and nodded, introducing Bai Qingping to Dong Changlan: “This is my clan younger brother, Bai Qingping…”

Bai Qingping quickly bowed deeply to Dong Changlan: “Cousin!”

Dong Changlan had heard about the shameful deeds of the Bai clan, but since Bai Qingping was personally introduced by Bai Qingyan, he must be different from those other Bai clan members.

“Cousin!” Dong Changlan gave face by smiling and returning the bow.

The carriage carrying Dong Changlan’s wife, Cui Shi, slowly stopped in front of the Bai mansion. A Dong family maid opened the carriage door and lifted the curtain. Cui Shi, wearing a clear blue silk gauze shirt and a silver-threaded bamboo-patterned bordered silk skirt, gracefully descended from the carriage and generously bowed to Dong Shi, Bai Qingyan, and Dong Tingshen: “Aunt, cousin, sister Tingshen.”

This was the first time Bai Qingyan had seen Cui Shi. She was a striking beauty – fair and slender, her skin seeming to gleam with pearl-like luster in the sunlight. Dressed in cool-toned clothing, she was like a clear mountain spring in the blazing summer, very pleasing to look at.

“Sister Rong is getting more and more beautiful!” Dong Shi took Cui Shi’s hand and said, “Come! Let’s go inside and talk!”

Bai Qingping smiled and made a gesture of invitation to Dong Changlan: “Please, cousin!”

Dong Changlan didn’t stand on ceremony, nodded, and followed behind Dong Shi as he stepped across the Bai mansion threshold.

After the masters entered through the main gate, Nanny Qin and Steward Hao quickly came down from the high steps to arrange for the travel-weary guards who had come with the Dong family, having Bai family servants move Dong Changlan and Cui Shi’s trunks inside, warmly chatting with the Dong family nannies who had accompanied Dong Changlan and Cui Shi to Shouyang.

Dong Shi walked in front holding Cui Shi’s hand. Cui Shi was sweet-tongued, telling Dong Shi jokes about how Old Madam Dong wished she could move all of Dengzhou over when they were leaving, making Dong Shi laugh continuously.