Bai Qingyan felt warmth in her heart and said to Song Shi: “Thank you, Aunt, for keeping this from grandmother.”

Fearing that Bai Qingyan’s strength was insufficient, Song Shi spoke only briefly with her before taking her three daughters to follow Liu Shi and Bai Jinxiu to the front hall.

Liu Shi didn’t know about Dong Qingfang’s desire to break off the engagement with the Fu family’s eldest son. Sitting in the front hall making casual conversation, she said: “The wedding date for the Fu and Dong families is set for after the spring examinations. The eldest son of the Fu family’s main branch is also taking the spring examinations this year. I heard that last year, because his mother fell ill before his spring examinations, the Fu family’s eldest son stayed by his mother’s bedside day and night, caring for her, so he didn’t achieve good results. But I think that child is clever—he’s sure to achieve excellent results this year!”

Although this year’s spring examinations were being retaken due to the examination fraud case, with all the troubles the Fu family had experienced last year, it was uncertain whether the eldest legitimate son of the Fu family’s main branch could achieve good results this year. Liu Shi’s words were merely meant to comfort Dong Qingfang.

When Liu Shi asked about how Dong Qingfang’s trousseau embroidery was progressing…

Dong Qingfang glanced at Song Shi, saw her picking up her teacup to drink tea, and could only timidly lower her head and respectfully answer Liu Shi: “It’s not finished yet. If it weren’t for coming to see cousin today, I probably wouldn’t be allowed to leave the house.”

Liu Shi sensed something amiss in these words. She looked at Song Shi, raised an eyebrow, and smiled: “Girls about to be married should indeed be kept at home. Before our Jinxiu got married, I kept her at home for half a year without letting her go out.”

Dong Qingfang’s lips moved silently, and she obediently agreed, not daring to say anything more.

In front of Liu Shi, First Madam Dong Song Shi couldn’t lose her temper, but she felt that Dong Qingfang was becoming increasingly unrestrained, revealing her resentment everywhere.

Take the trousseau being prepared for Dong Qingfang—Song Shi could honestly say that the dowry money she had taken from her private funds for Dong Qingfang far exceeded that of concubine-born daughters in other families by many times. She didn’t expect Dong Qingfang to be grateful, but she hoped Dong Qingfang would know that she, as the legitimate mother, had not treated her poorly.

Well then, that Dong Qingfang actually said behind her back to others: “I’m a concubine-born daughter, so it’s natural that my trousseau isn’t as good as others’!”

This made Song Shi so angry that she nearly fainted backward. She simply couldn’t be bothered with Dong Qingfang anymore.

First Madam Dong knew that Dong Qingfang didn’t want to marry, but since she had originally gone along with the scheme and willingly allowed herself to be manipulated to obtain this marriage, even if she was unwilling now, she still had to marry. She had chosen this path herself—there weren’t so many regret medicines in this world.

After visiting Bai Qingyan and having tea, First Madam Dong Song Shi rose to take her leave.

However, Dong Qingzhen said: “Mother, since I have nothing to do when I return anyway, I’d like to stay and care for cousin…”

First Madam Dong knew her daughter had always been close to Bai Qingyan, and since Dong Qingzhen’s troubles with Prince Liang had all been resolved by Bai Qingyan, First Madam Dong naturally hoped her daughter would interact more with Bai Qingyan. She smiled and nodded: “Good… I’ll have a nanny send your change of clothes later. With your aunt away, you must take good care of your cousin.”

“Mother, rest assured!” Dong Qingzhen bowed to Song Shi.

“Mother…” Hearing this, Dong Qingfang also stepped forward: “I would also like to stay and care for cousin! Please grant your permission, Mother!”

How could Bai Jinxiu not know that Dong Qingfang wanted to ask Bai Qingyan to help her break off the engagement with the Fu family? She smiled and said, “Cousin Qingfang still needs to return home to embroider her trousseau. Besides… our Bai residence isn’t without people. I, as the younger sister, am still here. How could we trouble our cousin to put aside her trousseau embroidery to care for my eldest sister? If word of this got out… who knows what people would say!”

Hearing these words, Dong Qingfang simply knelt directly before Song Shi: “Mother, I’m about to be married. After marriage, it won’t be like being in my natal home, and cousin is far away in Shouyang… it’s rare to see her once. Please fulfill your daughter’s wish, Mother!”

Dong Qingfang kowtowed to Song Shi.

First Madam Dong glanced at Second Madam Bai Liu Shi and stopped hiding her feelings: “Second Madam Bai isn’t an outsider, so since you’ve spoken to this extent and insist on staying, let’s speak plainly!”

“Qingfang, I, as your legitimate mother, can honestly say I haven’t treated you poorly. Considering that you’re joining the Fu family’s main branch and marrying the legitimate son, I’ve prepared your trousseau at several times the amount of other families’ concubine-born daughters! This marriage was ultimately something you went along with and obtained through your scheming. Now, seeing that the Fu family has fallen into trouble with no possibility of recovery, you can’t break off the engagement! The Dong family has always valued trust and kept promises!”

First Madam Dong looked at Dong Qingfang with disgust and pulled out her handkerchief to dab her eyes: “Your cousin is now so severely injured that she’s in such a state. If you dare to disturb your cousin’s recovery with your private affairs, then, as your mother, I will naturally help you decline this marriage. Afterward, I’ll send you and your birth mother to the family temple, where you’ll spend the rest of your life with oil lamps and Buddha statues. That would also count as a Dong family daughter being resolute!”

Dong Qingfang’s whole body trembled, her kneeling figure becoming unsteady.

“If you think I’m just frightening you as your mother, go ahead and try! You know clearly in your heart what the status of concubine-born daughters in the Dong family is…” First Madam Dong looked down at Dong Qingfang with disdain.

Dong Qingyu, also a concubine-born daughter standing to one side, twisted the handkerchief in her hands, her face pale.

First Madam Dong didn’t want to handle family matters in someone else’s home, but who told this concubine-born daughter to be so worthless, selfishly calculating only her petty interests?

If she didn’t speak now, there was no guarantee this worthless concubine-born daughter wouldn’t kneel and refuse to rise, forcing A’Bao to help her break off this engagement. Given A’Bao’s condition just now, she couldn’t bear to trouble her… how could she let this disgraceful thing cause such trouble!

Those raised by concubines often cared less about face and were more willing to sacrifice dignity.

“I’ll ask one more time: are you coming back with me, or staying at the Bai family?” First Madam Dong asked again.

“Sister, you…” Dong Qingzhen frowned and advised: “Since it’s like this, I won’t stay at the Bai residence to impose either. I’ll return with my mother together. Sister, let’s go home!”

Dong Qingfang quickly kowtowed to First Madam Dong Song Shi: “Your daughter… your daughter truly only wants to stay and care for cousin, with absolutely no other thoughts. Please fulfill your daughter’s devotion to her cousin, Mother!”

First Madam Dong’s cold gaze fixed on Dong Qingfang. After a long while, she turned around and bowed to Liu Shi: “I’ve made Second Madam laugh at us. Since it’s like this… I’ll leave these two children to care for A’Bao. I’ll send someone to fetch them early tomorrow morning. Thank you for the trouble, Second Madam…”

“We’re all family—what’s this talk of two families! I know that First Madam Dong has always truly cared for Qingyan. I’ll certainly be careful to look after the two children, don’t worry!” Liu Shi knew that First Madam Dong Song Shi had always genuinely loved Bai Qingyan. She glanced at Dong Qingfang kneeling on the ground.

After seeing First Madam Dong out, Liu Shi said to Dong Qingzhen: “A’Bao is sleeping now. Why don’t Qingzhen and Qingfang come sit at my place?”

Liu Shi was determined not to let Dong Qingfang go to Bai Qingyan’s Qinghui Courtyard.