“Today, your second aunt’s dowry manor sent some seasonal fruits. The honeydew melon is especially sweet. Though you don’t like sweet foods, you could try some for novelty!”

After speaking, Old Madam Dong had Nanny Wang prepare a chess board and had the maids cut a plate of fruit.

Bai Qingyan pretended not to notice Old Madam Dong’s tears, only feeling her heart ache. She lowered her eyes and nodded, concealing her reddened eyes.

Since Old Madam Dong was in rare high spirits, Bai Qingyan accompanied her in several games. Nanny Wang and several maids from Old Madam Dong’s room joined in the fun, saying that Bai Qingyan’s chess skills were exquisite and renowned throughout the capital, while Old Madam usually had superior chess skills too. They suggested everyone place bets on who would win!

Seeing her grandmother’s high spirits, Bai Qingyan deliberately lost by just one or half a stone each time to please the old lady.

Unexpectedly, Old Madam Dong gathered the white stones from the board into the chess box and smiled at Bai Qingyan, “I’m truly old now. My mind isn’t as nimble as young people’s. I lost!”

Chun Tao, who was standing behind Bai Qingyan holding a teapot, was straightforward by nature and quickly said, “But Old Madam won!”

Nanny Wang covered her mouth and laughed, “You little silly! Can’t you see that your young miss is deliberately letting Old Madam win!”

Called a “little silly” by the cheerful and kind Nanny Wang, Chun Tao’s face turned completely red. She asked quietly, “Then does Old Madam count as winning or losing? I bet with the other sisters outside that our young miss would win!”

This comment from Chun Tao caused everyone in the room to burst into laughter, with Nanny Wang calling Chun Tao a little money-grubber.

Nanny Wang sighed inwardly that Old Madam’s quarters hadn’t been this lively in a long time, all thanks to the Young Miss’s visit.

After this commotion in Old Madam Dong’s room, Bai Qingyan helped Old Madam Dong with her afternoon nap. However, the nap never happened, as Bai Qingyan was instead pulled into private conversation by Old Madam Dong.

Old Madam Dong sat leaning against cushions on the couch, dismissed the servants, and tightly grasped Bai Qingyan’s hand. Her piercing gaze fixed on Bai Qingyan as she spoke about the current emperor’s incompetence.

“Once the Lin imperial power ends in your hands, have you considered how to face your grandmother?” Seeing Bai Qingyan frown and remain silent, Old Madam Dong sighed and pulled Bai Qingyan into her embrace, patting her back like comforting a child. “It’s not that Grandmother wants to deliberately pierce your heart. Your grandmother is the Grand Princess of the Lin family. The imperial house is her natal family—how could she not protect it? Your grandmother was born into the imperial family and has both backbone and pride. She won’t fear becoming a princess of a fallen kingdom if the Lin imperial power falls, but the one who destroys the Lin imperial power… absolutely cannot be her descendants, especially you… whom she raised in her arms from childhood.”

Old Madam Dong looked down at Bai Qingyan in her embrace and asked gently, “Do you understand?”

Bai Qingyan pressed her lips together and remained silent in Old Madam Dong’s arms. In terms of closeness… Bai Qingyan was undoubtedly closer to the Grand Princess than to Old Madam Dong. She had never imagined that one day such words would come from her grandmother, which showed how truly Grandmother cared for her.

Old Madam Dong brought up this matter with Bai Qingyan because of what Dong Qingyue had told her about Bai Qingyan’s ambitions the previous night.

Old Madam Dong feared… that with the Grand Princess’s temperament, if Bai Qingyan truly destroyed the Lin imperial power with her own hands, the Grand Princess might very well take a white silk cord and go apologize to the ancestors.

But if that truly happened, what immense pain would it leave in this child Bai Qingyan’s heart? Especially since this child valued relationships and loyalty so deeply, it would likely become a lifelong burden, making her believe that her lack of filial piety had killed her most beloved grandmother.

Rather than trying to console Bai Qingyan afterward, it was better to speak clearly with the child early, letting her have psychological preparation and defenses.

“Granddaughter understands!” Bai Qingyan nodded dully in Old Madam Dong’s embrace. Though she said she understood, she still hadn’t figured out what to do if it came to that point—how to speak to Grandmother, how to comfort her. She hadn’t thought it through.

Old Madam Dong gently stroked Bai Qingyan’s back, “Grandmother would like to make the trip to persuade your grandmother for you, but doing so would only make your grandmother’s heart colder, feeling that you, the granddaughter she raised in her mouth from childhood, had grown distant from her. The one who ties the bell must untie it. A’Bao… you must understand this principle.”

Bai Qingyan remained silent, only nodding in Old Madam Dong’s embrace.

After the grandmother and granddaughter shared intimate conversation for a while, Bai Qingyan finally helped Old Madam Dong lie down.

Just as Bai Qingyan emerged from Old Madam Dong’s room, she saw Dong Qingyun enter the courtyard with a smile, followed by a maid carrying a bamboo food box.

“Cousin!” Dong Qingyun smiled and asked, “Has Grandmother retired?”

Bai Qingyan nodded, “She has retired.”

“Then I won’t go in and disturb her. Cousin, are you free? I have newly brewed rose grape wine here, and lotus pastries made by my aunt. Would your cousin like to try some?” Dong Qingyun turned to take the food box from her maid’s hands, clearly intending to sit and chat with Bai Qingyan. Her gaze inconspicuously glanced at Chun Tao, who stood properly behind Bai Qingyan, and she smiled somewhat nervously, “I also have some matters to discuss with cousin!”

Dong Qingyun had never been to the Bai family in the capital nor to Dengzhou. She didn’t know about the relationships between legitimate and concubine-born children in the Bai family. But in families like theirs, the hierarchy between legitimate and concubine-born children was clearly defined. As a concubine-born daughter… when elders were present, she could exchange a few words with legitimate daughters, who would respond out of respect for the elders.

But in private, legitimate daughters generally looked down on concubine-born daughters, let alone this cousin who was once the precious legitimate eldest daughter of Duke Zhenguo’s mansion, a true daughter of heaven, and now held the honor of princess rank. Dong Qingyun didn’t know whether Bai Qingyan would look down on her for this presumptuous invitation or find an excuse to leave. Her heart was anxious.

Hearing this, Bai Qingyan nodded.

Seeing that Bai Qingyan didn’t refuse and showed no signs of reluctance, Dong Qingyun’s smile became even brighter and more joyful. “Then, how about we go to the Mountain Water Pavilion? The scenery there is excellent!”

Chun Tao stepped forward to take the food box from Dong Qingyun’s hands, then retreated behind Bai Qingyan, following them toward the Mountain Water Pavilion.

The Mountain Water Pavilion, as its name suggested, was built against mountains and beside water, situated atop an artificial hill. On one side lay shimmering lake water where lotus flowers bloomed and koi fish chased each other, while on the other side stood deep green towering trees.

Chun Tao and Dong Qingyun’s maid arranged the lotus pastries and a plate of crabapple pastries, brought out a white jade wine pot containing Dong Qingyun’s brewed rose grape wine, and set out slender carved silver chopsticks and wine cups.

Once everything was properly arranged, Chun Tao and Dong Qingyun’s maid bowed and withdrew.

In the Mountain Water Pavilion, where cool breezes blew and gauze curtains swayed, Dong Qingyun poured a cup of wine for Bai Qingyan and smiled, “Before cousin came to Dengzhou, you probably didn’t even know you had a sister like me!”

“Mother had already told me before I came,” Bai Qingyan’s voice was even. She then asked, “I wonder what matters cousin wishes to discuss with me?”