Chapter 352
Miss Shen felt a lump in her throat that was hard to bear. She entered with tears in her eyes and saw Bai Qingyan smiling at her, softly saying, “You’re back.”
Miss Shen’s eyes brimmed with tears. She knelt on one knee, suppressing her sobs, “I am back.”
Bai Qingyan gently leaned her silver spear against the column behind her, walked to Miss Shen, and bent down to support her arms, helping her up. “It’s good that you’re back…”
Miss Shen grasped Bai Qingyan’s trembling arm and felt the iron sandbag wrapped tightly around it. With a slight squeeze, she could feel the dampness of the sweat.
Startled, she looked up at Bai Qingyan and saw that sweat was dripping from her chin.
She had heard from Xiao Ruohai about the journey to the southern border, where the Eldest Young Lady had picked up the Sun-shooting Bow, causing her chest to twist in pain!
But she never imagined that the Eldest Young Lady would practice the spear in such an extreme way!
“Stand up!” Bai Qingyan said.
Miss Shen stood up, her eyes red as she looked at Bai Qingyan. “Eldest Young Lady…”
“Let’s talk inside.”
“I’ll make Miss Shen her favorite Da Hong Pao tea and prepare some food for her,” Chun Tao said, equally happy.
Bai Qingyan led Miss Shen inside, wiping her sweat with a handkerchief while unwrapping the iron sandbags on her body. “Did you come straight back from Luopan Mountain?” she asked.
Miss Shen knew Bai Qingyan was worried about Bai Qingyun. She nodded, placed her sword aside, and knelt beside Bai Qingyan, helping to take off the soaked sandbags from her legs.
“We and Wei Gao, along with the death warriors, escorted the Ninth Young Master to Luopan Mountain. He told us to return, fearing that the Eldest Young Lady and the Seventh Young Master would be left unguarded. The Ninth Young Master assured us that he wouldn’t be in danger at Luopan Mountain! We tried to follow him, but the rules of Sihai Pavilion at Luopan Mountain didn’t allow us to enter. Only the Young Master could go in! I left Wei Gao and the others waiting at the foot of the mountain while I returned first.”
Thinking of Bai Qingyun’s legs, Bai Qingyan asked quietly, “Is A Yun… alright?”
“Eldest Young Lady, rest assured. The Ninth Young Master… still has his spirit and determination! He didn’t want you to worry by seeing him in his current state, so he went straight to Luopan Mountain! He said that Luopan Mountain’s Sihai Pavilion has many skilled people. He sincerely asked Gu Yijian, hoping they could save his legs. If not, he would apprentice under Gu Yijian!”
“The Ninth Young Master said even though his sister, despite her frail health, took up arms for the Bai family’s honor and the border people, enduring hardships to wield the Sun-shooting Bow. As a Bai man, even with paralyzed legs, he still has his hands! As long as he’s alive, he doesn’t want to be a useless burden to his family. The peace that the Bai family has strived for generations to achieve, he, as a Bai descendant, must contribute! He hopes that when they meet again, their mother and eldest sister can be proud of him, rather than saddened!”
Hearing this, Bai Qingyan’s nose tingled, and tears filled her eyes.
Bai Qingyun, no matter when, was always a good son of the Bai family.
With such a son, the Bai family… would not fall.
“You’re back and must be tired! Go rest! Once you’re well, we’ll talk more…” Bai Qingyan said, seeing Miss Shen’s dusty and tired face, knowing she had rushed back day and night. “There’s much to do later, and I’ll need you!”
Miss Shen didn’t resist, nodding. “Alright…”
When Chun Tao came in with the Da Hong Pao and saw Miss Shen leaving, she was surprised. “Miss Shen isn’t staying a bit longer? Nanny Tong is preparing a banquet.”
“Let Qingzhu rest first and tell Nanny Tong to prepare the banquet tonight.” Bai Qingyan instructed.
“Understood!” Chun Tao said as she lifted the curtain for Miss Shen. “I’ll escort Miss Shen…”
Bai Qingyan watched through the lattice window as Miss Shen left Qinghui Courtyard, her eyes falling on her own bleeding palms. She clenched her hands into fists slowly.
The distance between her and her brother was vast.
When she was injured, she was pampered, but her brother lost his legs and never lost his fighting spirit or the Bai family’s legacy!
A faint smile appeared in her reddened eyes. Now, both siblings were striving, and she hoped that the next time she met Bai Qingyun, she too could make him proud rather than… sad.
Bai Jinzhi hurried over when she heard Miss Shen was back, only to find she had gone to rest.
Bai Jinzhi sat beside Bai Qingyan, holding a stitch stand, watching Chun Tao braid Bai Qingyan’s hair. “I heard the Emperor’s headaches have worsened, and only Lady Qiu’s massage can help. The Imperial Medical Bureau is at its wits’ end. Dr. Huang had recommended Doctor Hong to treat the Emperor, yet for some reason, the Emperor hesitates!” fɾeewebnoveℓ.co๓
“I think it’s because Doctor Hong is affiliated with the Bai family, so the Emperor is cautious. Now the Emperor is willing, but Doctor Hong’s wife has left Dadu.” Bai Jinzhi gloated.
Bai Qingyan lifted her gaze from the book in her hand, looking at Bai Jinzhi. “Where did you hear this?”
“I heard it from Dr. Huang’s granddaughter, Arong. I snuck out this morning to see Cousin Changsheng’s wedding and met Arong, who was also sneaking out for the event!”
Bai Jinzhi took a sip of tea. “We sat at the teahouse, and Arong said that yesterday evening, someone from the Imperial Palace went to Dr. Huang’s residence, asking him to invite Doctor Hong to the palace. But Dr. Huang said Doctor Hong had left Dadu days ago to wander, and now no one knows his whereabouts! Arong was curious why the Emperor didn’t directly come to our house to invite Doctor Hong, but went to Dr. Huang’s instead.”
Since the news came from Dr. Huang’s residence, it was credible.
The Emperor had headaches, and only Lady Qiu’s massage could alleviate them…
Bai Qingyan tapped her hand with the book. She didn’t recall the Emperor ever having headaches before.
And the Emperor’s intermittent headaches seemed to start after Lady Qiu entered the palace.
She thought for a moment, then looked at Bai Jinzhi. “Little Four, find an opportunity to casually mention to Arong that Miss Lu, our grandmother’s adopted daughter, is highly skilled in medicine. Many long-standing ailments of our maids and servants were cured by her.”
Bai Jinzhi’s eyes lit up. This was a task from her elder sister. She nodded. “Don’t worry, Eldest Sister! Arong left her handkerchief at my place. I’ll wash it and return it to her tomorrow.”
Bai Qingyan nodded. Once her hair was dry, she asked Nanny Tong to style it casually, then went to Changshou Courtyard.