Bai Qingyan’s already pale face was frighteningly white today, her brows showing exhaustion, yet her gaze remained resolute.

“That day, we thank Young Master Lu for resolving the siege at the Duke’s mansion. After our Bai family’s major affairs are concluded, we will certainly visit to express our gratitude,” Dong Shi said gently.

“Madam, you honor Yuanpeng too much! It was merely a coincidence! Madam need not dwell on it.” Lu Yuanpeng was very proper in his conduct today.

Dawn was just breaking, and the goose-feather snow was gradually stopping.

Just as the common people were about to freeze stiff, they faintly heard the sound of horse hooves coming through the white mist.

Soon, a four-horse carriage with lanterns hanging from its four corners came slowly forward, escorted by guards carrying Prince Xin’s banners on both sides.

Second Madam Liu Shi’s legs went weak, but fortunately Bai Jinxiu was quick to support her. She gripped Liu Shi’s hand tightly, tears streaming down her face.

Dong Shi took a deep breath, instinctively gripping Bai Qingyan’s hand tightly.

Prince Xin’s guards saw from afar that the area around the southern city gate was bright with lantern light. They quickly rode fast to the gate, circled once, roughly understanding the situation, and hurriedly returned to the carriage, lowering their voices: “Your Highness, the Bai family widows and the capital’s common people are all at the southern gate…”

Prince Xin, who was embracing a beautiful concubine in his arms, lifted the carriage curtain upon hearing this and peered toward the southern gate. Seeing the bustling mass of bright lights, he immediately felt guilty and shrank back into the carriage, his palms breaking out in cold sweat.

This time, he had only brought back the remains of Duke Zhenguo Bai Weiting, Bai Weiting’s fifth son, Bai Qichuan, and the Bai family’s Sixth Master and Seventeenth Master. To humiliate the Bai family for the court ministers to see, Prince Xin had deliberately used the lowest grade coffins for them.

Prince Xin wiped his palms with a handkerchief, staring at the bronze tripod incense burner, his face dark as he pondered for a moment before saying: “In a while, just say this prince is severely injured and it’s inappropriate to dismount from the carriage. Go directly into the city!”

“Yes, this subordinate understands!” Prince Xin’s guard nodded.

The beautiful concubine in the carriage, seeing Prince Xin’s gloomy expression, smiled and took out fine wine that had been warmed over the brazier, pouring a cup and bringing it to Prince Xin’s lips: “The Bai family men are all dead. They’re just a group of women – why should Your Highness care?”

It was indeed an enchanting beauty smiling at him like a blooming flower. Prince Xin squinted his eyes, and the unease in his heart dissipated as he drank the wine from the cup through the beauty’s white, scallion-like fingers.

Yes, the Bai family men were all dead. What waves could a group of women possibly make?

Besides, it was his imperial father who could not tolerate the Bai family. As the ancient saying goes, when the ruler wants a minister to die, the minister has no choice but to die. The Bai family could be considered to have died for a worthy cause – what was there for him to fear?!

Thinking of this, Prince Xin leaned back comfortably against the soft pillow, playing with the beauty’s small hands that seemed carved from white jade.

The carriage swayed and rocked to the city gate. Dong Shi led the Bai family members in bowing to Prince Xin’s carriage: “We pay our respects to Prince Xin.”

“Cough, cough, cough…” came the sound of Prince Xin coughing from within the carriage. “This prince has done his utmost, yet could only bring back the Duke and General Bai Qichuan, along with Sixth Master and Seventeenth Master! This prince is severely injured, and it’s inconvenient to dismount, cough, cough, cough, cough! Let the soldiers escort the Duke and the others back to the Duke’s mansion!”

Having said this, the carriage began to move.

So, none of Dong Shi’s husband or sons had returned. Dong Shi’s figure swayed, and she quickly supported her: “Mother!”

Looking at Dong Shi, who was so shocked she couldn’t recover, Bai Qingyan felt her heart twist in pain.

Second Madam Liu Shi’s husband and two biological sons had also not returned!

Upon hearing this, Liu Shi rigidly fell backward. If not for Bai Jinxiu’s quick reflexes in supporting her, she would have fallen. Liu Shi’s tears flowed like a spring, yet her whole person seemed to have gone mad, unable to even speak.

Her husband and sons… were their bones truly scattered without a trace?!

“Seventeenth! My little Seventeenth!” Fourth Madam Wang Shi could no longer restrain herself and stumbled toward the smallest coffin at the very back. Having snowed all night, the road was slippery and difficult to traverse. Wang Shi fell twice, got up, and stumbled forward again, finally embracing that small coffin covered with snow, her entire being torn with grief.

“Sixth Master… Mother has come! Mother has come to take you home!” Third Madam Li Shi, supported by Bai Jintong, choked with emotion as she stepped forward, wanting to touch her son’s cold coffin, wanting to help escort her son’s coffin home.

Fifth Madam Qi Shi, with her protruding belly, seemed to maintain her composure. She had wanted to quickly step forward to her husband’s coffin, but forcibly restrained her emotions, pressing her palm firmly against her abdomen, tearfully choking: “Elder Sister-in-law… let’s go back first!”

Bai Jinzhi, injured and supported by her maid, also walked toward the coffin of her blood brother Bai Qingming.

Dong Shi clenched her fists tightly. Though her heart was filled with towering hatred, she still had to express gratitude: “Many… many thanks to Your Highness.”

Bai Qingyan’s fists were tightly clenched. Just like in her previous life, only her grandfather, fifth uncle, brother Ming, and little Seventeenth had returned. But Prince Xin being “severely injured”…

She watched the wheels turning as the luxurious carriage swayed past her eyes, smelling the faint wine and sandalwood scent drifting from the window. She straightened up, her sharp gaze lifting. As the cold wind lifted a corner of the carriage curtain, she saw the beauty inside, delicate as a peony, leaning against the “severely injured” Prince Liang’s embrace, her clothes disheveled.

Xiao Rongyan, wrapped in fox fur and standing outside the crowd, had always possessed exceptional hearing. His ears twitched as he heard the coquettish voice of a woman from within the exquisite carriage. His deep, dark eyes became even more ice-cold as he turned his head toward the guard protecting his side…

The guard understood, nodded, and hurriedly departed.

Bai Qingyan turned to look at the soldiers carrying the coffins. Not one was from the Bai family army – they were all… Prince Xin’s subordinate soldiers. She clenched tightly the hands hidden in her sleeves.

Prince Xin’s soldiers set down the coffins and followed Prince Xin’s carriage into the city, leaving the four coffins right outside the city gate.

Dong Shi exerted all her strength to maintain her dignified composure and not collapse in tears!

She led the Bai family women in kneeling, performing the grand ceremony of kowtowing: “The eldest daughter-in-law of the Bai family, Bai Dong Shi, leading the Bai family women, respectfully welcome father and our Bai family heroes home!”

Bai Qingyan knelt with tears, kowtowing heavily.

The common people also knelt, crying in unison, their mouths calling out in anguish for the Duke. The endless sounds of weeping, in this morning shrouded by dark clouds, resounded through the nine heavens.

Dong Shi, supported by Nanny Qin, stood up and positioned herself at the front of the grandfather’s coffin. Biting her teeth hard, she tearfully called out loudly: “Raise the coffins! Scatter the money! Lead the way!”

The Bai family servants immediately stepped forward, positioning themselves around the four coffins to lift the carrying poles. Dong Qingyue, being a rough man, red-eyed, threw away the reins he had been clutching in his palm and stepped forward to personally shoulder the coffin, his voice booming like a great bell: “Raise the coffin!”

“Raise the coffin!”

With the voices that rose in response, the people’s cries became even more heart-wrenching.

No official had ever been willing to help carry someone’s coffin, not even for their family members!

But Dong Qingyue was different – he, too, was a soldier who had served under the Duke, and the hot blood in his heart had not yet been extinguished.

Bai Qingyan took the paper money, looked deeply at the four coffins, stood alone at the very front, and threw the paper money high into the air…

Bai Jinxiu followed behind Bai Qingyan, also personally taking the paper money to scatter money and lead the way for the Bai family heroes’ spirits.