“Later, Wenjuan transferred her affections to someone else… She tricked me into saying she wanted me to accompany her to speak clearly with Fu Anze, but she was scheming against me and Fu Anze. I… harbored the thought of turning the tables on her, going with the flow! I thought I was earning myself a good marriage, fulfilling my wish to admire Fu Anze…” Dong Tingfang choked with emotion, crying softly: “Who knew that Wenjuan was two-faced, entangling herself with others on one side while telling Fu Anze on the other that I was scheming against them, making herself appear virtuous! That Fu Anze appeared clever, but he was blind in both eyes and heart, wholeheartedly believing Wenjuan, thinking I was a concubine’s daughter desperately trying to climb the Fu family’s high branch, a villain who ruined his marriage. No matter what, he found me displeasing!”

Originally, as a concubine’s daughter, she was not worthy of marrying the legitimate son of the Fu family’s main branch. But because her father was Minister of Justice, and because of the cousin relationship with the Bai family of the capital, the Fu family was willing to reluctantly accept her. Later, when Bai Qingyan was enfeoffed as Princess Zhenguo, the Fu family was finally satisfied with this marriage.

“Fu Anze’s mother, thinking that the cousin sister is Princess Zhenguo… wholeheartedly wanted me to help mediate, to seek prospects for several children of their Fu family’s main branch. I, Dong Tingfang, am merely a concubine’s daughter of the Dong family. Setting aside the fact that… I’m not as close to cousin sister as Tingzhen is, even if I were as close to cousin sister as Tingzhen, I wouldn’t want to be schemed against and used by my mother-in-law like this! I’m even more afraid that after marrying over… if the main branch madam of the Fu family discovers I cannot seek prospects for her children, my days will surely be difficult! If Tingfang must live like this for a lifetime, I’d rather marry a farmer in the fields!”

What Dong Tingfang said today was all from her heart. These words had been bottled up in her stomach with no way to tell her birth mother, who only knew how to shed tears, much less tell her father, who only knew how to scold her, and naturally… she wouldn’t tell the high and mighty legitimate mother either.

She knew… concubine’s daughters in other families living under the legitimate mother’s hand might have it even harder than living under her mother Song Shi’s hand!

But if she hadn’t seen how the concubine sons and daughters of the Bai family lived, it would have been fine. Having seen how the Bai family’s concubine sons and daughters were also valued by the family, how could she not feel envious?

Bai Qingyan nodded: “You may rise. I understand! But to withdraw from this marriage without harming the Dong family’s reputation, I’m afraid you’ll have to suffer some grievances.”

Dong Tingfang hadn’t expected that Bai Qingyan would be willing to help her. In the Dong family, no one was willing to listen to what Dong Tingfang had to say, and no one was willing to trouble themselves for her, a concubine’s daughter.

She couldn’t help but kowtow to Bai Qingyan: “Suffering grievances temporarily doesn’t matter. What Tingfang fears is suffering grievances for a lifetime! Previously… I was truly blinded by the word ‘love,’ willingly being used as a pawn by others. Now that I’ve awakened to the truth, these grievances are what I deserve to suffer!”

“Good. Knowing your mistakes and being able to change is still being a good daughter of the Dong family!” Bai Qingyan’s lips curved into a smile. “After I invite Aunt over to discuss, I’ll call the Fu family’s main branch madam to discuss withdrawing the engagement. It’s not a big deal. If you’re unwilling to stay in the capital after the engagement is withdrawn, you can come with me to Shouyang. Later, I’ll have my mother find you a good marriage in Shouyang.”

“Cousin sister…” Dong Tingfang’s face was suddenly covered in tears. She had thought that this cousin sister, who was close to Dong Tingzhen on ordinary days, also looked down on her as a concubine’s daughter of the Dong family. She hadn’t expected… cousin sister’s heart toward her was the same. She had even harbored petty thoughts, suspecting that her cousin sister was unwilling to help her, and was pondering whether to kneel without rising to force her cousin sister. Who knew that before she could speak, her cousin sister had spoken first.

In the future, she would never again harbor such suspicions about her cousin’s sister.

“I even… I even harbored petty thoughts! I originally wanted to throw away all face and kneel without rising to force my cousin sister to save me. Cousin sister… Tingfang doesn’t deserve cousin sister treating me so well!” Dong Tingfang’s voice choked with emotion.

“Alright, get up!” Bai Qingyan said with a smile. “This soup is getting cold.”

“Let me feed cousin sister!” Dong Tingfang hurriedly stood up.

“I’m not that delicate. Help me add another cushion behind my back so I can lean more comfortably.”

Dong Tingfang, not bothering to wipe her tears, responded and hurriedly placed a cushion behind Bai Qingyan’s back, then handed the spoon to Bai Qingyan’s side: “If cousin sister likes it, Tingfang will stew medicinal cuisine for cousin sister every day!”

“Then I’ll trouble you…” Bai Qingyan smiled faintly at Dong Tingfang, lowered her head, and scooped a spoonful with the soup spoon to taste. The flavor was indeed good.

Before long, Bai Jinxiu came in, smiling as she said to Dong Tingfang, “Cousin sister Tingfang, go rest. There are servants, maids, and nannies here to serve the eldest sister, and Tingzhen is already waiting for cousin sister Tingfang.”

Dong Tingfang could see that Bai Jinxiu wanted to speak privately with Bai Qingyan and wanted her to leave. She nodded and bowed to Bai Qingyan: “If cousin sister needs anything, send someone to call me.”

Bai Qingyan nodded: “Go rest.”

Watching Dong Tingfang leave, Bai Jinxiu lifted her skirt and stepped on the yellow rosewood footstool to sit beside Bai Qingyan’s bed, lowering her voice: “Eldest sister, General Fu Ruoxi quietly came over and is requesting to see eldest sister at the side gate.”

Bai Qingyan, who was having her medicinal cuisine, didn’t raise her head: “Why did he come at this time? Did he say if there was something urgent?”

“General Fu said there was something important to see the eldest sister about, but didn’t say anything else.” Seeing Bai Qingyan put down her soup spoon, Bai Jinxiu handed her the handkerchief nearby.

Bai Qingyan took the handkerchief and dabbed the corners of her lips: “You go invite General Fu over. Speaking through the screen will suffice.”

“Alright!” Bai Jinxiu lifted her skirt and stood up, personally going to invite General Fu.

After Bai Jinxiu left, Bai Qingyan called the maid from the outer room to come in and clear away the soup bowl and small table. She heard movement from the hidden guards and got up to walk to the window lattice, raising her hand to push open a crack in the window.

“Greetings, Master!” Seeing Bai Qingyan push open the window, the hidden guard immediately knelt and kowtowed.

This hidden guard was one Bai Qingyan hadn’t seen before. She asked: “What’s the matter?”

“Master, someone secretly left Prince Liang’s mansion today. This subordinate doesn’t know the person’s identity. Originally intending to follow and investigate in detail, it turned out that person’s martial arts were extremely high. This subordinate followed for an hour, but that person led this subordinate in circles. In the end, this subordinate carelessly lost track, but before this… this subordinate saw General Fu Ruoxi following behind that person. Please punish this subordinate, Master!”

Bai Qingyan’s brows furrowed tightly. It seemed… Fu Ruoxi had come precisely because of this matter.

But what kind of person could make a hidden guard with such excellent lightness skills lose track, yet allow the one-armed Fu Ruoxi to follow? This… was rather intriguing.

“I understand. Be more careful watching Prince Liang’s mansion in the future! Since we need people right now, I’ll save your punishment for later. Go!” Bai Qingyan said.

The hidden guard acknowledged and disappeared from the corridor.

Before long, Bai Jinxiu brought Fu Ruoxi, who was wearing a black cloak with a hood, into Qinghui Courtyard.

All the people in Qinghui Courtyard were loyal old servants left behind before the Bai family returned to Shouyang. Bai Jinxiu didn’t need to avoid them and directly brought him into the main room of Qinghui Courtyard.

Fu Ruoxi, covered in cold air, entered the room and knelt on one knee behind the screen, saluting: “Greetings to Princess Zhenguo!”