Instead, it made people feel that the Bai family’s everyday life was enviably heartwarming.

The young men and women of the Bai family sitting here all had impeccable dining etiquette that left no room for criticism. Their spoons made no clinking sounds against dishes or bowls, and they drank soup without the slightest rustling noise—even Cui Shi couldn’t achieve such perfection.

Cui Shi recalled that when she was at her maternal home, when grandmother dined, mother had to attend on the side; when mother dined, the concubines had to attend on the side. It was cold and quiet with only the sound of chopsticks picking up food—nothing like the warmth of the Bai family.

Not long after finishing breakfast, Third Madam Li Shi, Fourth Madam Wang Shi, and Fifth Madam Qi Shi, holding Eighth Miss Bai Wanqing, all coincidentally gathered at Dong Shi’s Qinghe Courtyard.

The sisters-in-law chatted and laughed together, while the young ladies sat together playing and frolicking.

Watching the now vibrant Bai family, Bai Qingyan felt deeply moved. She was grateful that Heaven had given her another chance to see the Bai family’s current situation.

In the future… when Bai Qingjue and Bai Qingyun returned home, she believed the Bai family would present yet another splendid scene.

While the room was lively, Chun Tao entered with small steps, lifting the curtain, and whispered in Bai Qingyan’s ear: “Eldest miss, Steward Hao says there’s news from Powder Lane!”

Bai Qingyan nodded, placed the azure glazed flower-rimmed teacup in her hand on the small table beside her, rose calmly and left the main room, stepped out of Qinghe Courtyard’s gate, and headed toward the corridor.

Steward Hao waited in the corridor. Seeing Bai Qingyan approach, he stepped forward and bowed: “Eldest miss, news has come back from both Powder Lane and the capital.”

“Please tell me…” Bai Qingyan looked steadily at Steward Hao.

“The person who left Powder Lane for the capital some days ago—our people watched him enter the Left Chancellor’s mansion, then was personally escorted to the side gate by a blue-robed strategist from the Left Chancellor’s mansion. After that person returned, he gathered together with Bai Qiyun, the Bai clan member who was expelled from the family.”

Hearing Steward Hao’s report, Bai Qingyan wasn’t surprised. She gazed outside the gauze curtains… at the flowing water and moss swaying in the sunlight, and said: “Li Mao still won’t stay quiet!”

“This old servant has already sent people to watch the expelled Bai clan members closely, absolutely not allowing them to cause trouble!”

“No need for such trouble.” The depths of Bai Qingyan’s dark eyes were filled with unnoticeable but fierce killing intent. “Just send all the heads of those sent by the Left Chancellor’s mansion back.”

Steward Hao responded without hesitation.

“Also, send someone to tell Second Miss that Left Chancellor Li Mao has extended his hand to Shouyang, probably because the deterrent isn’t enough. Tell her not to confront Li Mao directly, but to pick one of Li Mao’s personally written letters to the Second Prince, have someone copy it, and scatter it throughout the capital. Make everyone in the capital… discuss the Second Prince’s forced palace incident from back then.”

“Yes!”

Steward Hao was about to leave to make arrangements when he saw the thoughtful Bai Qingyan raise her hand to stop him from leaving, adding: “Also, tell Second Miss—whatever paper and ink Prince Liang’s mansion uses, use the same paper and ink for the scattered letter. It would be even better if traces of Prince Liang’s mansion could be left.”

After Bai Qingyan finished speaking deliberately, she turned to face Steward Hao again: “Remember to have Second Miss carefully find someone to copy out a letter, then have someone deliver Li Mao’s original handwritten letter to Prince Liang in the name of Great Yan’s Ninth Prince! If Prince Liang receives the letter and remains inactive… so be it! But if he takes action, have Second Miss deliver the letter that mimics Li Mao’s handwriting… to Grand Censor Elder Pei, catching Li Mao completely off guard!”

“Yes!”

Steward Hao responded and left to instruct the Bai family servants.

Compared to the difficult situation in the capital back then, retreating to Shouyang was beneficial for the Bai family now—she could act without being so constrained.

Li Mao already had dirt in the Bai family’s hands. The Bai family didn’t even need to warn Li Mao—sending back the heads of those Li Mao sent to Shouyang to the capital would surely make Li Mao understand where the Left Chancellor’s mansion’s troubles originated.

The reason Bai Qingyan wanted to draw Prince Liang into the situation was naturally to plant seeds of mutual suspicion among the Emperor, Prince Liang, and Li Mao.

When there were signs indicating that the wind spreading this letter blew from Prince Liang’s mansion, even if Li Mao suspected this was her handiwork, even if he knew Prince Liang had no such motive, he would naturally harbor suspicions about Prince Liang.

If Prince Liang hid this letter well for future use, when time passed and Prince Liang brought out this letter to use… what would Li Mao think? Would he still consider Prince Liang’s original motive for doing this? Of course not… he would only conclude that Prince Liang had harmed him back then.

If Prince Liang brought out this letter now to bribe Li Mao or have Li Mao do other things for him, but then the Grand Censor presented the copied letter, could Li Mao join hands with Prince Liang without any reservations?

Prince Liang was skilled at copying others’ handwriting and was even a master at it—Li Mao wouldn’t be unaware of this.

And even if the letter the Emperor received was a forged copy, given his suspicious nature, he would still suspect Li Mao, wondering whether Li Mao had truly surrendered to the Second Prince back then, only switching sides to protect the throne when he saw the Second Prince’s forced palace attempt failing.

The murkier the troubled waters of the capital’s court became, the more stable it would be for the Bai family… and the Bai army far away in the southern frontier.

Li Mao’s son had recently been appointed Assistant Minister of Revenue, probably making him happy, and with some free time on his hands, he dared extend his reach to Shouyang.

This reminded Bai Qingyan that she needed to keep those eyeing the Bai family and Bai army busy, so they’d have no time to cause trouble.

At one end of the corridor, a woman from the Bai family’s gatehouse hurried over, bowed to Bai Qingyan, and said: “Eldest miss, Master Xiao has arrived.”

Xiao Rongyan?

Why did he come again today? Wasn’t he visiting too frequently?

Bai Qingyan’s palm tightened slightly as she nodded: “Let’s go see!”

Xiao Rongyan had been invited to the main hall and was sitting there drinking tea.

From the corner of his eye, seeing the tall, slender Bai Qingyan enter the main hall, Xiao Rongyan rose, his deep eyes smiling, and bowed formally toward Bai Qingyan: “Miss Bai…”

Bai Qingyan, wearing a water-green diamond-patterned gauze dress, nodded in return. Seeing Xiao Rongyan wearing the goose hairpin identical to hers, her cheeks warmed slightly: “I wonder what brings Master Xiao to our door today?”

A maid entered to serve Bai Qingyan tea, then withdrew from the main hall.

Seeing only the two of them remained in the main hall, with maids standing guard outside, Xiao Rongyan lowered his voice: “I heard today is Madam’s birthday, so Yan… specially came to present birthday gifts to Madam.”

“Mother didn’t plan to hold a banquet—even the Bai clan members don’t know, yet Master Xiao knows it’s today.” Bai Qingyan lifted her teacup, the clear tea reflecting her smiling eyes and brows.

With no one else in the main hall, Xiao Rongyan became bolder, lowering his voice: “Since we’ll eventually become one family, I must investigate thoroughly and show much favor, so that in the future… I won’t make things difficult for you.”