Chapter 597
She speculated that Madam Fu might have some evidence of the Empress exploiting Fu Ruoxi. If Madam Fu handed this evidence over to the Crown Prince, proving that the Empress continued her connections with Fu Ruoxi even after becoming the Crown Princess Consort, then the Empress would have no chance of recovering.
“Uncle Ping…” Bai Qingyan called softly.
Lu Ping stepped forward, “What can I do for you, Miss?”
“Send someone to quietly follow Madam Fu,” Bai Qingyan instructed.
“Yes!” Lu Ping responded and turned to give the order.
It was already the end of the You hour. The yellowish glow looked like tea stains on a porcelain cup that hadn’t been cleaned for a long time, blanketing Qinghui Courtyard. The streets, bathed in the light, appeared expansive, and the passing carriages and horses seemed prominent. But it was still the setting sun, casting a dim light. Despite the lanterns hanging on the long streets filled with shops, the Capital was not as bright as it was at noon.
After all…the sun was setting.
Chun Tao saw Bai Qingyan standing at the main entrance with her hands behind her back for a long time. She turned and instructed a maid to prepare food for Bai Qingyan. The maid replied, “Miss Chun Tao, rest assured, the Second Madam has already instructed the kitchen to prepare food for Miss.”
Bai Qingyan had not rested since her return and couldn’t even sit down for a proper meal. This was all for the Bai family. The Second Madam, Mrs. Liu, understood this very well. She couldn’t help in other matters, but in these small daily things, Mrs. Liu took good care of everything.
Hearing this, Chun Tao felt grateful to the Second Madam. She lifted her skirt, prepared to walk up the steps, and call out to Bai Qingyan, who was lost in thought while looking at the long street, to come back and have something to eat.
“Miss Chun Tao!”
Chun Tao turned around and saw Cuibi, who was by Bai Jinxiu’s side, running over hastily. After she bowed, she said, “Yingshuang is awake. I came to inform Miss.”
Chun Tao was delighted and nodded, “Good, I’ll inform Miss.”
“Miss, Yingshuang is awake,” Chun Tao walked to Bai Qingyan’s side and said happily.
Bai Qingyan nodded upon hearing this, “Let’s go and see Yingshuang.”
As she walked down the steps, Bai Qingyan said, “Tell the kitchen to prepare some sweets. Yingshuang likes sweets.”
“Don’t worry, Miss. I had them prepared already, just waiting for Yingshuang to wake up,” Chun Tao replied cheerfully. She subconsciously reached out to support Bai Qingyan down the steps but saw Bai Qingyan smiling and said to her, “Chun Tao, my health has improved a lot. I’m no longer the sickly person who always needed your support.” frёeweɓηovel.coɱ
Chun Tao, however, insisted on supporting Bai Qingyan, “This is the Capital. It would be better if you appear a little frail, Miss.”
Having spent so much time with Bai Qingyan, Chun Tao had often seen Bai Qingyan, unadorned, using scented powder to appear weaker when meeting the Crown Prince on purpose.
Although Chun Tao didn’t understand the reason at first, she now realized that Bai Qingyan’s demeanor was to reduce the Crown Prince’s suspicion.
But since it was an act, it had to be done thoroughly.
Seeing Chun Tao’s determined expression, Bai Qingyan nodded and let Chun Tao help her down the steps.
Yingshuang, after waking up, looked for the pack of pine nut candy she had for Miss. She sat obediently under the corridor waiting for Miss to return, to present her with the candy. However, she craved one badly and wanted to eat one.
As Yingshuang was battling her urge, she saw Chun Tao supporting Bai Qingyan coming in from outside Qinghui Courtyard.
“Miss!” Yingshuang stood up suddenly. Remembering the time when she was reprimanded by the Qin family’s two young ladies in the palace for being rude and shaming the second Miss, she quickly bowed to Bai Qingyan. In her rush, the pine nut candy slipped from her hands and scattered on the ground, “Oh no!”
Yingshuang exclaimed and quickly squatted down to pick up the fallen candy.
Cuibi glanced at Bai Qingyan and hurried over to help Yingshuang pick up the candy. As she picked them up, she said, “Yingshuang, these candies are dirty now. Be good, sister Cuibi will get you some new ones later…”
Before Cuibi could finish her sentence, Yingshuang had already blown the candy clean and presented it to Bai Qingyan, “Miss… have some candy!”
Seeing the one-eyed Yingshuang smiling brightly at her, an ache surged through Bai Qingyan’s heart. Yingshuang had lost her eye for the sake of Jinxiu and Brother Wang’s lives.
Lowering her eyes to look at the candy in Yingshuang’s small hands, Bai Qingyan sighed internally.
Cuibi, shocked, quickly stood up to stop Yingshuang. How could they let Miss eat dirty candy!
Unexpectedly, before Cuibi could stop her, Bai Qingyan had already taken a piece and put it in her mouth, smiling at Yingshuang, “Mm, very sweet!”
Cuibi, taken aback, swallowed her words back.
Yingshuang beamed, showing her big white teeth in a very happy smile.
Once, Qingzhu sister had told her that Miss had a tough life, and Yingshuang just wanted to make Miss happy.
Bai Qingyan raised her hand, gently patted Yingshuang’s head, and led her inside, instructing Chun Tao, “Bring some snacks and milk curd.”
After entering the room with Yingshuang, Chun Tao had the food and the prepared snacks for Yingshuang brought in.
Seeing Yingshuang eating plenty of snacks, Bai Qingyan handed her a towel to wipe her hands, smiling, “Yingshuang, would you be willing to follow Doctor Hong in the future?”
Yingshuang swallowed the steamed cake in her mouth, took the towel, and asked, quite puzzled, “Miss said I had to stay with the Second Miss all the time.”
Thinking for a moment, Yingshuang added, “In the mansion, I don’t need to follow her outside. Yingshuang remembers everything!”
Bai Qingyan nodded, “Yes, you did well. That’s why I want to ask if you’d be willing to follow Doctor Hong and return to Shuoyang with me?”
Yingshuang’s eyes lit up. Her willingness was almost about to spill over, yet she swallowed it back, asking, “Then… who will stay with the Second Miss and Brother Wang? What if someone kicks the Second Miss’s stomach, fiercely and brutally, and wants to stab her with a knife while Yingshuang is not around?”
Bai Qingyan felt a tug at her heart. Bai Jinxiu had never disclosed the details of her perilous situations in the palace to Bai Qingyan. Knowing Jinxiu didn’t want her to worry, but hearing it from Yingshuang, she realized how dangerous it had been.
Clenching her teeth, Bai Qingyan’s eyes darkened.
Yingshuang thought for a moment and said, “Sister Qingzhu said, if I take good care of the Second Miss, Miss can be at ease. So Yingshuang will continue taking care of the Second Miss and Brother Wang.”
Cuibi’s eyes reddened hearing Yingshuang’s naive words, “Silly Yingshuang, sister Cuiyu and I can also take care of the Second Miss!”
“You are not as good as I am!” Yingshuang said seriously.
“You can’t take care of both Second Miss and Brother Wang alone. And now you like to sleep like a little kitten!” Cuibi laughed, “What if you fall asleep when following Second Miss outside? Second Miss would have to worry about protecting you if there is any danger. Don’t you agree?”
Yingshuang thought for a moment and nodded, “Then I’ll listen to Miss’s orders.”
“Then follow Doctor Hong,” Bai Qingyan said. “In a few days, let’s return to Shuoyang together. It’s closer to sister Qingzhu.”