Chapter 261: Chapter 259: Avoiding Taboo Titles_1 Chapter 261: Chapter 259: Avoiding Taboo Titles_1 She held the soup spoon, staring blankly at the large tree in the backyard, which had already sprouted green buds through the half-opened window lattice.

Bai Qingyan walked past the screen and called softly, “Fourth Aunt.”

Mrs. Wang, the fourth lady, snapped back to reality. She placed the soup spoon on the lid of the soup pot and couldn’t help but cough twice. She lifted the thin blanket draped over her legs and was about to get up when Bai Qingyan stopped her: “Fourth Aunt, I just have a few words to say, and then I’ll leave.”

Lingyun came in with hot tea and, after serving Bai Qingyan tea, retreated outside the screen to wait for instructions.

Chun Tao smiled at Nanny Guan and said, “Nanny Guan, a few days ago you mentioned a flower pattern you wanted me to look at. Why don’t you and Lingyun go check it out together?”

The implication was that the Eldest Young Lady had something to say in private to the Fourth Lady. Understanding the cue, Nanny Guan quickly agreed, and she left the room with Lingyun and Chun Tao.

“Fourth Aunt, I made a huge discovery on my recent trip to the Southern border…” She looked at Mrs. Wang with a gentle smile. “Ah Jue is still alive!”

Mrs. Wang trembled all over. Her eyes instantly filled with tears, and she was full of disbelief. “What? Kid, what did you say?!”

“Fourth Aunt!” She grasped the Fourth Aunt’s hand. “You should know how the men of the Bai family met their end in the Southern border. So… right now, we can’t make it public that Ah Jue is still alive. Ah Jue also can’t return to Dadu. But rest assured, Fourth Aunt. Ah Jue is keeping his identity secret and will soon join our Bai family army. For Ah Jue’s safety, Fourth Aunt, you must keep this matter close to your heart and not speak of it!”

“Kid! Kid, is what you say true?!” Mrs. Wang cried out incoherently. “You’re not deceiving your Fourth Aunt, right? Am I dreaming? You’re really… not deceiving your Fourth Aunt, are you?”

Mrs. Wang thought all her sons had perished in the Southern border. Her pain was known to no one. She lived each day like a walking corpse, always thinking about joining her husband and children in the afterlife. But Bai Qingyan’s return said Ah Jue was still alive!

Tears brimming in her eyes, she nodded and tried to smile with difficulty at Mrs. Wang. “Fourth Aunt, Kid swears on the spirits of our grandfather and father in heaven that Ah Jue is still alive! If Kid is lying… may she die without a complete body!”

“Fourth Aunt believes you! Good child… Fourth Aunt believes you!” Mrs. Wang tightly gripped Bai Qingyan’s hand, wiping away her tears with her hand. Not knowing whether to cry or laugh, she looked at her with a contorted expression. “Kid, thank you! Thank you!”

“So, Fourth Aunt, for Ah Jue’s sake… you must pull yourself together!” She took out a handkerchief and wiped Mrs. Wang’s tears. “You must carry on as usual, not letting anyone notice! The fewer people who know… the safer Ah Jue will be! Once we return to Shuoyang and settle down, Ah Jue will surely send a letter to you! If circumstances permit, Ah Jue will even come back to see you.”

“Understood!” Mrs. Wang cried and nodded, looking solemn. “Fourth Aunt understands! Fourth Aunt understands everything!”

“So, Fourth Aunt, since your health is poor, you should take medicine! Otherwise, how will your health hold up when Ah Jue returns? Ah Jue will be heartbroken!”

Mrs. Wang restrained her sobs and opened her mouth to respond but found herself unable to speak a word. She could only tightly grip Bai Qingyan’s hand, her gratitude difficult to express.

As Bai Qingyan left Lishui Garden, she heard Nanny Guan calling Lingxiu to fetch the official. She turned back to glance at Lishui Garden, her brows filled with a faint smile as she held Chun Tao’s hand and walked back.

Inside Qinghui Courtyard, Bai Jinxiu had been waiting for Bai Qingyan for a while.

Seeing Bai Qingyan return, she smiled and stood up to greet her. “Eldest Young Lady, I was planning to come to see you. If you had already rested, I’d have come later. I didn’t expect you to go to Fourth Aunt’s place.”

Knowing Bai Qingyan had gone to see the Fourth Aunt, Bai Jinxiu could tell there was good news.

Bai Qingyan smiled as she looked Bai Jinxiu up and down with joy in her eyes. “You’ve lost weight instead of gaining any!”

“In response to the Eldest Young Lady, our young lady has been terribly ill during her second month of pregnancy. Naturally, she’s lost quite a bit! But the master dotes on her and has tried everything to get her to eat. She has gained quite a bit back now!” Qingshu greeted and smiled.

“Eldest Young Lady, ignore her nonsense!” Bai Jinxiu glared at Qingshu.

Qingshu hurriedly stepped back, bowing her head in fear. She had forgotten… this marriage was initially meant for the Eldest Young Lady. Because the Eldest Young Lady and the Second Young Lady were so close, she had told the truth, worrying that the Eldest Young Lady’s concern for the Second Young Lady might be misunderstood.

“What are you glaring at Qingshu for?” She took Bai Jinxiu’s hand and walked inside, smiling. “Fate is determined by heaven itself. Even if I had a marital agreement with Qin Lang, it was not meant to be. This is destiny between a sister’s husband and sister-in-law. You don’t need to avoid this matter.”

Bai Qingyan’s candid words also relieved Bai Jinxiu from her reservations.

Bai Jinxiu paused briefly and then smiled and nodded. “Eldest Young Lady is right!”

Chun Tao served tea to the two young ladies, smiling and saying, “Nanny Tong knew the Second Young Lady likes sour food, so she served sour jujube tea. Second Young Lady, try it and see if you like it.”

Bai Jinxiu took a sip. “Hmm, not bad. Nanny Tong is always so considerate.”

“Bring some sour plums over.” Bai Qingyan gave the tea order to Chun Xing beside her.

“Yes!”

Shortly, Chun Xing came in with a black lacquered tray. Besides the marinated sour plums, there were several plates of exquisite and refreshing seasonal pastries and two pairs of fine silver chopsticks.

Chun Xing, perceptive and clever, quietly left after setting the items, closing the folding screens behind her as she exited the main room.

Once Chun Xing left, Bai Jinxiu impatiently asked, “Eldest Young Lady, is there… good news?”

She nodded. “Ah Jue and A Yun are still alive!”

As Bai Qingyan spoke, Bai Jinxiu felt half her body go numb. She quickly covered her mouth with a handkerchief to keep from crying out. Her eyes were brimming with tears of joy as she stood up and paced back and forth before asking hurriedly, “I’m not dreaming, am I?!”

She took Bai Jinxiu’s hand and had her sit down. “This matter shouldn’t be spread widely. I’ve already instructed Xiao Si not to say a word. Only you and Fourth Aunt need to know! No one else can be told.”

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Bai Jinxiu nodded firmly, yet she couldn’t help but cry with joy.

After a long time, when Bai Jinxiu had calmed down, she took out a letter from Bai Jintong. “This is from Jintong. According to the dates, she has been at sea for half a month.”

When Bai Qingyan was in the Southern border, sending letters was difficult. Thus, Bai Jintong sent all her letters through Bai Jinxiu.

According to Bai Jintong’s letter, she would be away for at least half a year. The next communication would be six months later.

Everything was well with Bai Jintong. She just worried about Bai Qingyan’s safety in the Southern border, admonishing Bai Jinxiu to take care of the Bai family, so there would be no additional worries for Bai Qingyan.