Above all else, caution and prudence must come first.
Seeing that the young miss had been standing in the lakeside pavilion all along, Chun Tao instructed the Dong family maidservant beside her to go back and fetch a cloak for Bai Qingyan. She took small steps to stand gently behind Bai Qingyan, softly reminding her: “Miss, perhaps we should return! After nightfall, there are many flying insects here, and the night air in Dengzhou is quite heavy and cold—it’s not good for Miss’s health.”
Bai Qingyan nodded and said in a hoarse voice: “Let’s go back!”
Chun Tao stepped forward to support Bai Qingyan’s arm. Seeing the tear stains still on Bai Qingyan’s face, her heart ached with distress. She didn’t know what had happened to the young miss, and feeling anxious herself, she could only say: “Miss, this servant is clumsy with words and doesn’t know what to say to you, but if Miss has truly encountered some difficulty, you could speak with the Old Madam Dong. The Old Madam Dong truly cherishes you in her heart!”
The corners of Bai Qingyan’s lips curved into a smile: “Silly Chun Tao, it’s not a difficulty—it’s a joyful matter! When everything is settled in the future, I’ll tell Grandmother about it. However… Chun Tao, your actions are wise though your words are few, which pleases me greatly.”
Chun Tao looked up and saw that Bai Qingyan’s slightly red eyes carried very deep laughter. Hearing that the young miss was praising her, her small face reddened.
Grandmother also loved A’Yu dearly. If one day Grandmother saw A’Yu return, she would surely be delighted!
And Mother… and Aunt and the younger sisters, A’Jue and A’Yun.
If they knew that A’Yu was still alive, who knew how happy they would be?
Thinking of this, Bai Qingyan’s eyes reddened again. She closed her aching eyes, suppressed her emotions, and changed the subject to ask Chun Tao: “Today, when I wasn’t here, did that Concubine Luo send anyone to look for you?”
Chun Tao nodded: “The nanny beside Concubine Luo said she found the embroidered patterns on this servant’s clothing beautiful and asked me to come over to trace some patterns for her. However… Chun Tao followed Miss’s instructions and said I was too busy to get away, so I didn’t go.”
Indeed, this Concubine Luo had truly harbored such thoughts.
Bai Qingyan nodded: “You did very well. If others come calling in the future, respond to them in this manner. Don’t feel embarrassed about saving face! It doesn’t matter if relations become strained—do you understand?”
Chun Tao simply thought her young miss was protecting her, and her expression brightened as she nodded: “Chun Tao understands!”
This was Dengzhou’s Dong family, and Uncle’s concubine… Bai Qingyan really couldn’t interfere, so she could only have Chun Tao avoid her.
However, in the past, Chun Tao always stayed with her, so there hadn’t been any issues. She just needed Chun Tao to be more alert in case she couldn’t look after her.
Bai Qingyan returned to her courtyard and chatted with Old Madam Dong for a while, then served Old Madam Dong as she retired for the night. Old Madam Dong tirelessly reminded Bai Qingyan: “In the future, you must not be reckless, you must not bring up the rear yourself… Your mother only has you left as her daughter. If something happened to you, your mother couldn’t survive either. If you don’t care about yourself, you’re not caring about your mother—did you hear me!”
Mentioning Mother inevitably made Bai Qingyan think of A’Yu again. Her eyes slightly reddened as she looked at Grandmother’s head full of silver hair and the deep lines on her face, smiling and nodding: “A’Bao understands, Grandmother! Grandmother, please rest quickly!”
It wasn’t yet time to tell Grandmother that A’Yu was still alive.
When Bai Qingyan came out of Old Madam Dong’s room, Chun Tao stepped forward to support her, saying: “Miss, that Concubine Luo from the Dong household says she’s brought wound medicine for Miss. She insists on delivering it personally and is still waiting outside the courtyard.”
“Send someone to tell that Concubine Luo that I have no injuries, and her kind intentions are appreciated. Tell her that during my stay at the Dong residence, it would be best for us to peacefully coexist without incident.” Bai Qingyan’s voice was cold and clear. “From now on, regardless of what reason this concubine gives for requesting an audience, you may refuse on my behalf.”
By having Chun Tao respond to Concubine Luo in this way, Bai Qingyan was openly giving her a warning—Chun Tao was not someone whose schemes she could entertain. She should abandon such thoughts and behave honestly and properly during Bai Qingyan’s stay at the Dong residence.
Chun Tao responded affirmatively, but was quite surprised. Had this Concubine Luo displeased the young miss?
But it made sense—their young miss was Princess Zhenguo, while that Concubine Luo was merely a concubine… ultimately just a servant, with a vast difference in status. If not for their young miss staying at the Dong residence, when would it ever be a concubine’s turn—someone of such lowly servant status—to request an audience?
That night, after returning, Bai Qingyan didn’t sleep well. Her dreams were filled with A’Yu, and the next morning she woke with swollen eyes.
Chun Tao quickly fetched two eggs to roll over Bai Qingyan’s eyes. When Bai Qingyan had finished preparing herself and went to Old Madam Dong’s room to pay her morning respects, Aunt Cui Shi, young Cui Shi, and Dong Tingyun and Dong Tingzhi had all arrived.
After Bai Qingyan performed her greetings, Old Madam Dong pulled her to sit beside her, smiling warmly: “You were tired from yesterday’s rescue mission. Didn’t I tell you to rest well and that you didn’t need to come pay respects today?”
“A’Bao was thinking about the food at Grandmother’s place, so I got up,” Bai Qingyan said with a smile.
Hearing this, Old Madam Dong laughed heartily and quickly had breakfast prepared, asking Cui Shi, young Cui Shi, and the two granddaughters to also stay for the morning meal.
Knowing that Uncle had entrusted the care of the Great Yan princess to Aunt Cui Shi, Bai Qingyan asked: “Aunt, how is Great Yan’s Princess Mingcheng today?”
“Several physicians are taking turns watching over her. Currently, Princess Mingcheng of Great Yan has a persistent high fever. The physician privately said… the Great Yan princess seems to have a desire to die, and I fear the situation is more dire than hopeful!” Cui Shi felt some sympathy in her heart seeing that flower bud of a young girl.
Since ancient times, the fate of marriage alliances had never been good. At such a tender age, when she should be acting spoiled in her parents’ embrace, she had to marry far away to the barbarians. Naturally, she would feel life was unbearable. However, Cui Shi still hoped this Great Yan princess could awaken—after all, being alive was more important than anything else.
Bai Qingyan remembered what Xiao Rongyan had mentioned last night about Princess Mingcheng and Great Yan’s general Xie Xun being childhood sweethearts. She wondered if Xie Xun could come to see Princess Mingcheng, whether it might awaken the princess’s will to live.
After breakfast, Bai Qingyan learned that Uncle had already released the Great Yan officials responsible for the marriage alliance. Those people were now guarding outside the courtyard where Princess Mingcheng was housed, vigilantly protecting her as if afraid others might harm their princess.
Dong Qingyue had sent the news of rescuing the Great Yan marriage alliance princess by swift horse to the capital. Bai Qingyan worried that if Princess Mingcheng couldn’t be saved, the Emperor might blame Uncle.
Bai Qingyan was accompanying Old Madam Dong in trimming flower branches in the room when Old Madam Dong saw that Bai Qingyan had nearly trimmed her beautiful potted plant bare, and her heart ached terribly.
It was Nanny Wang who saw the situation and quickly stepped forward to stop Bai Qingyan: “Oh my, my little ancestor! This is Old Madam’s most beloved potted plant! Just look… you’ve nearly trimmed it bare! Look at Old Madam’s expression… she’s nearly dying of heartache!”