The lead secret guard said that they were sent by the Crown Prince to escort the Great Yan prince Li back to Great Yan.

The Yan envoy respectfully bowed to the Crown Prince’s men, first respectfully performing a long bow toward the direction of the capital city, then expressing gratitude to the Crown Prince’s men… conveying their appreciation for the care shown by the Jin Emperor and Crown Prince toward their Prince Murong Li. Only then did he say… their Prince Li, worried about Emperor Yan’s health and finding the carriage too slow, had already ridden ahead swiftly back to Great Yan.

After the Crown Prince’s mansion secret guards sent one person back to report to the Crown Prince, the group spurred their horses along the official road to pursue Murong Li.

On the morning of October 25th, the dawn light was faint.

Wei Zhong had been waiting early in Qinghui Courtyard, watching the maids and servants bend over carrying washing and grooming utensils, filing into the upper chambers of Qinghui Courtyard in an orderly line.

Today was the day Bai Qingyan would depart to return to Shouyang.

The sedan chair Wei Zhong brought would carry Bai Qingyan out from Qinghui Courtyard.

Wei Zhong came personally also because he had already investigated the Du residence in Jiuchuan Alley that Bai Qingyan had asked him to look into.

That residence had always been under Li Mingrui’s name, but hung lanterns with “Du Residence” written on them. It was said that previously, someone would occasionally return to that courtyard to stay for some time, appearing to be a frail scholar, accompanied by a cold-faced guard.

That guard appeared stern-faced, but was actually warm-hearted, always giving candy to children and helping widowed elderly in the alley carry water. However, the guard didn’t like to talk, so they didn’t know what the guard was called, only knowing his surname was Gao.

Seeing this lead was difficult to investigate, Wei Zhong checked the previous three owners of this residence. Before being transferred to Li Mingrui’s name, this residence had been purchased by someone called Yang Dong, and Yang Dong had bought it from someone surnamed Du, named Du Zhiwei.

Wei Zhong followed this lead to investigate the person surnamed Du, only then discovering that this Du Zhiwei was originally a strategist in the rebellious Second Prince’s mansion. Later, when the Second Prince’s uprising failed, the Du residence fell into Yang Dong’s hands.

Wei Zhong found Yang Dong, who had already established roots in the capital city and moved to live in the western part of the city. He learned that later, a steward had paid a high price to buy this residence from Yang Dong’s hands, saying the original owner of the residence wanted to buy it back. Who knew that when selling the house later, it wasn’t sold to someone surnamed Du? Yang Dong, curious, asked an extra question and was told this residence was originally something their young master wanted to respectfully offer to his teacher, but unexpectedly, the teacher wouldn’t accept it, so it could only be temporarily placed under their young master’s name.

Now, the relationship between Du Zhiwei and Li Mingrui was crystal clear.

Seeing Bai Qingyan emerge from inside the room, Wei Zhong hurriedly bowed forward to pay respects, then helped Bai Qingyan sit in the four-person sedan chair. After Wei Zhong and Chun Tao lowered the curtains hooked on the silver hooks, they walked alongside the sedan chair toward the outside.

Only then did Wei Zhong lower his voice, carefully telling Bai Qingyan about the matter of the residence in Jiuchuan Alley.

“So it seems Du Zhiwei… is Li Mingrui’s teacher?” Bai Qingyan held a hand warmer in her hands, stroking the silver-carved handle of the hand warmer through the warm cover.

If the two were master and disciple, this wouldn’t be strange. Back then, Li Mao instigated the Second Prince’s rebellion; naturally, he was on good terms with the Second Prince. His son taking Du Zhiwei as a teacher also made sense.

To truly understand this matter, once back in Shouyang, she could call that strategist Cai Ziyuan sent by the Li mansion and question him thoroughly to get clarity.

“You’ve worked hard!” Bai Qingyan raised her hand to lift the curtain, looking at Wei Zhong walking respectfully beside the sedan chair. “After I return to Shouyang, I’ll trouble you and Nanny Jiang to take good care of grandmother.”

Bai Qingyan hadn’t received news from Bai Jintong for too long, so she casually asked Wei Zhong: “Has Wan Ruozhong sent any news?”

Wan Ruozhong was the leader of the secret guard team grandmother had given him. Later, when Bai Jinxiu wanted to go out, Bai Qingyan had Wan Ruozhong take people and follow Bai Jintong.

“Replying to master, there hasn’t been any.” Wei Zhong said.

Bai Qingyan let the curtain fall, leaning back in the sedan chair with deeply furrowed brows. Jintong had risked going to sea… she had been gone long enough, and there had been no news all along. How could she not feel anxious?

Bai Qingyan sat in the layered-curtain sedan chair until reaching the gate, where she was helped by maids and servants to board a horse carriage.

Grand Princess’s eyes were red with tears as she instructed Bai Jinzhi to take good care of Bai Qingyan throughout the journey.

Liu Shi again instructed Lu Ping that on the road back to Shouyang, to prioritize stability over speed and take care of Bai Qingyan’s health. She approached the carriage window to speak with Bai Qingyan: “A’Bao, tell your mother for Second Aunt that before December, Second Aunt will return to Shouyang.”

Bai Qingyan, lifting the curtain, smiled and shook her head at Liu Shi: “The capital’s Bai mansion needs someone to watch over it. Grandmother, Jinxiu, and Wang Ge’er are all in the capital. There can’t be anyone here to look after things. I’m afraid Second Aunt will still have to work hard, staying in the capital to oversee things. Second Aunt needn’t rush back to Shouyang.”

“But…”

“Even if Second Aunt writes to Mother, Mother would certainly say the same thing!” Bai Qingyan comforted Liu Shi’s heart. “Otherwise, if Second Aunt returned to Shouyang and there was no one watching over the capital’s Bai mansion, mother would also be worried!”

How could Liu Shi not know that Bai Qingyan said this because she could see Liu Shi couldn’t bear to part with Bai Jinxiu and Wang Ge’er? Liu Shi turned to look at Grand Princess, and seeing Grand Princess also nod, Liu Shi finally said: “Then… A’Bao, please thank eldest sister-in-law for me. I’ll trouble eldest sister-in-law to bear the burden in Shouyang!”

Nanny Jiang also wiped her tears with a handkerchief: “Why must you leave so quickly? Can’t you wait until the eldest miss recovers her health?”

Grand Princess knew Nanny Jiang was feeling sorry for Bai Qingyan. She raised her hand to pat Nanny Jiang’s hand, forcibly suppressing the countless reluctance in her own heart. After Physician Hong bid farewell to Grand Princess and Second Madam, he boarded the small carriage behind.

The group watched as the carriage slowly began moving, traveling toward the main street, their hearts filled with mixed emotions.

Grand Princess knew her granddaughter had grown up, had great ambitions in her heart, and lofty aspirations. She was clear about how the path ahead should be walked. She also knew that with all the Bai family sons having perished, the burden of the Bai family rested on her shoulders. She dared not and could not let herself truly come to harm.

Therefore, Grand Princess felt heartache, but not worry.

After all, this was the granddaughter she had raised and taught. She understood her deeply.

Only after standing outside Princess Zhenguo’s mansion until they could no longer see the convoy returning to Shouyang did Second Madam Liu Shi dab the corners of her eyes with a handkerchief: “Mother, let’s go back! It’s cold and windy – we wouldn’t want you to catch a chill.”

“We won’t go back…” Grand Princess turned and nodded to Wei Zhong in indication. Wei Zhong hurriedly bowed and withdrew to lead the horse carriage.

“Is Mother going to the nunnery now?” Second Madam Liu Shi still felt reluctant.

Grand Princess nodded: “The chaotic affairs in the capital have been settled, and A’Bao has left… Only when I also leave can the Emperor and Crown Prince feel at ease!”

Second Madam Liu Shi didn’t understand these matters, but knowing Grand Princess said this, there must be her reasons. She could only tearfully see off Grand Princess and Bai Jinse, continuously instructing Bai Jinse to take good care of Grand Princess and Bai Jintong, who was seriously ill and recuperating in the mountains.