Lu Ning’e rose early every day and had already finished breakfast, while Bai Jinse wanted to ask Miss Lu about several questions from medical texts she hadn’t understood the day before, so she left together with Lu Ning’e.

The Grand Princess was not the type of mother-in-law who enjoyed tormenting her daughters-in-law. Over the years, she had never required any daughter-in-law to stand and serve during breakfast, so she had Liu Shi sit down to eat together.

During the meal, Liu Shi somehow brought up the family affairs of Bai Qingyan’s maternal uncle, Dong Qingping, the Minister of the Honglu Temple.

“At the beginning of September, the concubine-born daughter of the Dong family just became engaged to the legitimate eldest son of the Fu family’s main branch. They exchanged horoscope cards, and I heard from Madam Huang that the fortune-telling results showed excellent compatibility. Now that such a great disaster has befallen the Fu family, I wonder if the Dong family will withdraw from this engagement for their daughter…”

Bai Qingyan had not yet heard of this matter. If the two families had exchanged horoscope cards at the beginning of September, at that time, she was accompanying the Crown Prince and had lost contact with Bai Jinxiu’s news. So when she returned yesterday… why hadn’t Jinxiu told her about this?

She thought that since she had not had a moment’s peace since returning yesterday, it was probably because Jinxiu felt sorry for her, so she hadn’t mentioned some matters.

However, Fu Ruoxi’s elder brother had only one legitimate son, and no matter how one looked at it, he was the Fu family’s eldest legitimate grandson. While there had been precedents in the capital of legitimate second sons marrying concubine-born daughters, there had never been a case of a legitimate eldest son marrying a concubine-born daughter as his wife, not even for remarriage.

Seeing Bai Qingyan raise her head with a surprised expression, Liu Shi quickly said: “A’Bao probably doesn’t know about this, right? Speaking of which… this isn’t exactly a glorious matter, and it concerns the reputation of the Dong family’s girl. I imagine Jinxiu didn’t mention it to you yesterday.”

The Grand Princess nodded and dabbed her mouth with a handkerchief, saying to Bai Qingyan: “Your uncle’s concubine-born daughter, Dong Tingfang, fell into water and was saved by the Fu family main branch’s legitimate son. Later… probably to preserve the young lady’s reputation, the two families became engaged and have already exchanged horoscope cards.”

The Grand Princess spoke tactfully, and Bai Qingyan understood what she meant.

Seeing that the Grand Princess had started the topic, Second Madam Liu Shi, who had heard some secret gossip from other madams, couldn’t contain herself. She leaned toward Bai Qingyan’s direction and lowered her voice: “Though that’s what they say, I heard from other madams that after this Dong family girl returned home, she put a white silk around her neck, saying that having been embraced by the Fu family’s legitimate son, to preserve the purity of the other Dong family girls, she sought only death. Later, Madam Dong née Song had no choice… and asked Madam Shen, wife of the Assistant Minister of War, to go to the Fu family to propose the marriage!”

The Grand Princess cleared her throat, but Liu Shi was speaking enthusiastically, her eyebrows dancing with animation.

“Some also say that the Fu family main branch’s legitimate son was already discussing marriage with his maternal uncle’s cousin, and because of this incident… had no choice but to break off this marriage between close relatives! Some say the Dong family’s concubine-born daughter is too scheming. This concubine-born daughter of the Dong family had always been close to the cousin who was originally discussing marriage with the Fu family’s legitimate son. She must have set her heart on the Fu family’s legitimate son, staged the drowning incident, and then threatened with death… forcing her legitimate mother to swallow her pride and propose marriage to the Fu family. But some also say… this Dong family concubine-born daughter is truly virtuous and chaste!”

“Second Madam…” Nanny Jiang smiled as she stepped forward to serve Liu Shi a bowl of porridge, saying with a smile, “Madam, if you don’t eat now, it will get cold.”

Only then did Liu Shi come to her senses. She carefully glanced at the frowning Grand Princess, pressed the corners of her mouth with a handkerchief, and said awkwardly: “In any case… There are a few good things said and many bad! A’Bao, you’re not yet married… be more careful. If you see that concubine-born daughter today, just be civil on the surface to avoid being implicated and having your reputation damaged.”

“A’Bao will remember. Thank you for Second Aunt’s guidance,” Bai Qingyan nodded to Liu Shi.

Liu Shi didn’t dare respond, lowering her eyes to drink porridge while silently lamenting how she couldn’t control her mouth.

After finishing breakfast, Liu Shi changed into plain clothing and made slight adjustments. At the hour of Si, she departed with Bai Qingyan and Bai Jinse to go to the Fu mansion.

·

In front of the Fu mansion, white silk lanterns with the character for “memorial” had already been hung. The vermilion gates stood open, with white mourning silk hanging from the Fu mansion’s upturned eaves, long corridors, and entrance, fluttering in the wind.

All the servants in the mansion had changed into white clothing.

The servants standing outside the vermilion gates to receive guests seemed to know that there would certainly be no guests visiting today, and their expressions showed much laziness.

At this moment, the Fu family masters were kneeling on both sides of Old Madam Fu’s coffin, some weeping sorrowfully, others wailing loudly. Some cried for Old Madam Fu, others… cried for their uncertain future of life and death.

Fu Ruoxi’s eldest sister-in-law was gripping the clothing at her chest tightly, crying while hurling abuse at Fu Ruoxi’s wife, Lady Luo.

They say husband and wife are one body. The deeds Fu Ruoxi had committed implicated the entire family. Lady Luo silently endured the abuse for Fu Ruoxi, only covering the ears of the young child in her arms, who was still crying from grief over losing his grandmother. She lowered her reddened eyes and smiled at her son, trying to comfort him, but tears wouldn’t stop flowing.

From afar, the Fu family’s gatekeeper servants saw a carriage with azure curtains slowly approaching. When they saw it was the Bai family’s carriage, they quickly sent someone inside to report to their masters that the Bai family had sent people.

The cursing and crying in the mourning hall immediately stopped. Lady Luo straightened her back and looked toward the entrance. The servants said the Bai family had come, but she didn’t know if Princess Zhenguo had come.

Last night, before Old Madam Fu’s body was sent back, Old Madam Fu’s maidservant had returned to give Lady Luo a message, telling her to trust Princess Zhenguo.

Beyond that, she hadn’t said another word.

Later, when Old Madam Fu’s body was sent back, the maidservant who had served Old Madam Fu for many years was greatly shocked. She kowtowed to Lady Luo, saying she had no father or mother and had been raised by Old Madam Fu. Now that Old Madam Fu was gone, she too wanted to follow…

If not for Lady Luo’s maidservant’s quick reflexes, Old Madam Fu’s maidservant would probably also be a corpse by now.

Soon, Lady Luo saw the Bai family’s Second Madam Liu Shi dressed in plain clothes, followed by Princess Zhenguo Bai Qingyan, and the Bai family’s Seventh Miss Bai Jinse entering together.

Lady Luo’s tears immediately flowed like broken pearls, her heart filled with mixed emotions.

Originally, when the Bai family suffered their calamity, her mother-in-law, Old Madam Fu, had wanted to go pay respects, but she and her eldest sister-in-law had together found ways to stop Old Madam Fu. Since none of the noble families in the entire capital had gone to pay respects, if they went forward… and His Majesty learned of it, they feared it would bring disaster to Fu Ruoxi, who was far away at Anping Military Camp.

But now, Fu Ruoxi had drawn his blade against the Crown Prince. His guilt certainly could not be escaped, and the Fu family had also ended up with no one daring to come pay respects. Even Old Madam Fu’s maternal nephews didn’t dare come, yet the Bai family had come.

Lady Luo felt both sad and guilty.

“It’s Princess Zhenguo!” Fu Ruoxi’s elder brother straightened his spine, lowered his eyes as he knelt there, and said in a low voice, “Everyone kneel properly!”

The four words “Princess Zhenguo” made the other Fu family members treat her like a formidable enemy…

Fu Ruoxi’s sister-in-law, who had just been full of imposing anger while cursing Lady Luo, now felt her throat constrict as she knelt to one side, not even daring to cry aloud.