“I know that elder cousin is the precious eldest daughter of the Bai family and now a Princess of Zhenguo who lacks nothing, but this is my heartfelt intention. Elder cousin, please don’t refuse!” Dong Tingzhen said with a smile.

Looking at this box, Bai Qingyan thought of the pair of bracelets Xiao Rongyan had given her yesterday, and her earlobes became slightly red.

She thanked her and accepted the wooden box, opening it to reveal a pair of warm jade hairpins carved with michelia flowers. The leaves were made from emerald jade ground into thin layers, densely stacked and connected with gold threads. The heart of the michelia flower was carved from a piece of emerald jade, with gold thread and pearl stamens beside it, bent into various forms so lifelike that if placed under sunlight, they would surely attract bees and butterflies.

If Bai Qingyan wasn’t mistaken, this should be Dong Tingzhen’s most treasured possession from her dowry chest.

“Our Tingzhen has such generous means,” Bai Qingyan teased Dong Tingzhen.

Knowing this was Dong Tingzhen’s sincere intention, Bai Qingyan accepted it without refusing, thinking that when Dong Tingzhen married, she would return the favor with generous gifts for her trousseau.

Dong Tingzhen’s eyes and brows were full of smiles as she covered her lips with a handkerchief: “Of course! During my time at the Bai family, I’ve received quite a few treasures from Aunt. If I didn’t bring out my finest pieces for my elder cousin’s birthday, how could I face anyone?”

Dong Shi lifted her hand and poked Dong Tingzhen’s forehead.

Soon after, Bai Jinzhi, Bai Jinzhao, and Bai Jinhua also came to celebrate Bai Qingyan’s birthday.

Bai Jinzhao and Bai Jinhua, probably because they were twins, had both secretly prepared gifts for Bai Qingyan without telling each other. When they opened them… well, both had brought the ruby hair ornaments that Consort Yu had bestowed upon them when they entered the palace two years ago, leaving Bai Qingyan not knowing whether to laugh or cry.

Subsequently, several madams also sent servants to deliver birthday gifts to Bai Qingyan.

Seeing the sisters having fun here, Dong Shi instructed Nanny Qin to have the small kitchen prepare a feast… and she rose to leave.

With elders present, the children would inevitably feel constrained. Once she left, this group of monkeys could truly let loose and play.

As soon as Dong Shi left, Bai Jinzhi revealed her true nature, sitting improperly in her chair and telling her two younger sisters how she had pretended her hand hurt yesterday to fool their mother into feeling sorry for her, thus avoiding the punishment of copying books.

Bai Jinzhao and Bai Jinhua listened with great interest, while Dong Tingzhen quickly said with a laugh that Bai Jinzhi shouldn’t lead the two younger sisters astray.

Bai Qingyan had a fine velvet blanket draped over her legs, watching her laughing and playing sisters, then turning to look out the window at the clear autumn weather with not a cloud in the sky. She felt her heart light and warm, very much enjoying this rare day of tranquility.

For some reason, she thought of the pair of bracelets Xiao Rongyan had given her and actually wanted to take them out to try on, but worried that her sisters would ask about their origin, so she only thought about it in her heart, and her eyes and brows showed more traces of a smile.

Chun Tao entered carrying a basket, smiled and bowed to Bai Qingyan, then said: “Eldest Miss, this is pastry that the mute lady made by hand and sent over. Inside is also a peace charm that she has worshipped for forty-nine days, hoping it will protect Eldest Miss’s safety.”

Hearing that it was something sent by the mute lady, Bai Qingyan’s features showed a smile: “Then let me see!”

“Is this a birthday gift the mute lady sent for her elder sister?” Bai Jinzhi also came over.

“The mute lady didn’t know today was Eldest Miss’s birthday. She heard that Eldest Miss had returned, so she sent these things over,” Chun Tao said with a smile.

The pastries were made by the mute lady’s own hands. Though not particularly refined, they were fresh, and Bai Jinzhi felt they were still warm when she touched them.

The peace charm was contained in a pouch with exquisite embroidery, decorated with a pattern of flying birds, very delicate and probably also embroidered by the mute lady herself.

Bai Qingyan pushed the pastries toward Bai Jinzhi for her to enjoy and asked Chun Tao to help her store the peace charm safely.

“Fourth Sister, you’ll depart for Anping Military Camp the day after tomorrow. Are all your preparations complete?” Bai Qingyan picked up her teacup and asked Bai Jinzhi with a smile.

“Elder sister, rest assured, everything is packed properly! Uncle Ping has already selected the people, and I’ve reviewed them all… It’s just that Mother isn’t at ease and is still checking for anything missing. I think there’s nothing else that needs to be brought.” Bai Jinzhi looked confident.

Bai Qingyan nodded: “Since everything is packed, spend more time with Third Aunt today. The day after tomorrow, when you leave… who knows how long it will be before you return. Third Aunt will certainly be worried.”

Bai Qingyan hadn’t consulted with Third Aunt in advance about the decision to send Bai Jinzhi to Anping Military Camp, but Third Aunt had still agreed. Tomorrow Bai Jinzhi would depart. Though today was Bai Qingyan’s birthday, she felt Bai Jinzhi should spend more time with her mother.

Bai Jinzhi nodded: “I’ll accompany elder sister for lunch in a while, then go to Mother’s place.”

“I’ll also go accompany Aunt in a while!” Dong Tingzhen said.

Bai Jinzhi was departing for Anping Military Camp, and Dong Tingzhen was also returning to the capital.

Nanny Tong entered carrying a plate of honey oranges, smiling as she said these were sent by the Old Madam of Dengzhou by express horse. Dong Shi had already distributed them to each courtyard, and she had brought this plate for the young ladies to taste first.

Old Madam Dong remembered her granddaughter’s birthday. Besides sending someone to deliver honey oranges to the Bai family, she had also brought birthday gifts for her granddaughter. Nanny Tong placed the fruit plate in front of the young ladies, then walked with small steps to Bai Qingyan’s side, lowering her voice: “Eldest Miss, the Old Madam of Dengzhou and your uncle sent Shi Huishu to deliver your birthday gift. Lord Shi wishes to request an audience with Eldest Miss.”

Shi Huishu wanted to see her? Could it be that Uncle had Shi Huishu bring a message?

Bai Qingyan’s gaze turned toward Dong Tingzhen, Bai Jinzhi, Bai Jinzhao, and Bai Jinhua, who were playing, and she said: “The time is about right. Fourth Sister… you take Tingzhen and Fifth Sister, Sixth Sister to Shaohua Courtyard. The weather is good today, so we can admire the ginkgo trees. I’ll come after changing clothes.”

“Cousin, can you move about?” Dong Tingzhen was somewhat worried.

“It’s no problem. The weather is good today, and I’d like some fresh air too.”

“Then alright, I’ll take Cousin Tingzhen and Fifth Sister, Sixth Sister over first! Elder sister, don’t rush!” Bai Jinzhi said.

After watching several younger sisters leave, Bai Qingyan had Chun Tao help her change clothes while Nanny Tong went to invite Shi Huishu over.

When Bai Qingyan was properly dressed and seated in the main hall, Nanny Tong brought Shi Huishu into Boyun Courtyard.

Shi Huishu was not yet forty, but looked old-fashioned and stern, still the same as when Bai Qingyan had seen him in Dengzhou—dark, robust, and heroic, walking with purpose, emanating the killing aura of a military general.

Seeing Bai Qingyan in a frost-colored brocade silk shirt and mugwort-green lower garment, Shi Huishu was somewhat startled. He hadn’t expected that after just a few months, his young cousin would have become so thin. Could this injury be so severe?!

When Shi Huishu had fought alongside Bai Qingyan against Nanrong in Dengzhou, he had seen Bai Qingyan’s heroic bearing on the battlefield and witnessed her martial skills. On the road, hearing that Bai Qingyan was injured, even though everyone was saying that Bai Qingyan had blocked an arrow for the Crown Prince and been pierced through the chest with little hope of survival, Shi Huishu hadn’t been particularly worried…