Chapter 536 - 536 533 Tianzhis Proud Daughter_1

Chapter 536: Chapter 533: Tianzhi’s Proud Daughter_1 Chapter 536: Chapter 533: Tianzhi’s Proud Daughter_1 　　”Today, your second aunt sent some seasonal fruits from her dowry estate. The melon is especially sweet. Although you don’t like sweet food, you can still give it a try!”

After speaking, Madam Dong asked Nanny Wang to prepare a chessboard and also asked a maid to cut a plate of fruits.

Bai Qingyan pretended not to notice Madam Dong’s tears, feeling a pang in her heart. She lowered her eyes and nodded, hiding her reddened eyes.

It was rare for Madam Dong to be in such high spirits. Bai Qingyan accompanied her in playing several rounds of chess. Nanny Wang and other maids in Madam Dong’s room chimed in, saying that Bai Qingyan’s chess skills were renowned in Dadu, and that Madam Dong, with her exceptional skills, should go ahead and place bets to see who would win!

Seeing her grandmother in high spirits, Bai Qingyan would deliberately lose by a piece or two each time to make the elder happy.

Unexpectedly, Madam Dong picked up the white pieces from the chessboard and placed them into the chess box, smiling at Bai Qingyan. “In the end, I am old and not as sharp as the younger generation. I lost!”

Chun Tao, standing behind Bai Qingyan holding a teapot, was straightforward and quickly said, “But Madam, you clearly won!”

Nanny Wang covered her mouth and laughed. “You little fool! Can’t you see that your lady is purposely letting Madam win!”

Called a little fool by the cheerful and amiable Nanny Wang, Chun Tao’s face instantly turned bright red. She then asked in a low voice, “So did Madam win or lose? We placed bets on our lady winning!”

Chun Tao’s words brought laughter to everyone in the room, with Nanny Wang calling her a little miser.

Nanny Wang sighed inwardly, thinking that it had been a long time since Madam Dong’s place had been this lively. All thanks to Bai Qingyan’s visit.

After all the commotion in Madam Dong’s room, Bai Qingyan helped Madam Dong with her afternoon nap. However, the nap did not happen; instead, Madam Dong pulled Bai Qingyan in for a private conversation.

Leaning against the couch with an embroidered pillow, Madam Dong dismissed everyone and tightly held Bai Qingyan’s hand, her intense gaze on Bai Qingyan as she spoke of the monarch’s foolishness.

“If the Lin family’s imperial power ends at your hands, have you thought about how to face your grandmother?” Seeing Bai Qingyan frown and remain silent, Madam Dong sighed and hugged Bai Qingyan like a child, patting her back soothingly. “It is not that Grandmother is aiming to pierce your heart. Your grandmother, the Eldest Princess of the Lin family, considers the Royal Family her maternal home. How could she not care? Your grandmother, born of royalty, is proud and dignified. The fall of the Lin family’s imperial power… can happen. She does not fear being a princess of a fallen kingdom. But she cannot bear that it should be her descendants who bring it about, especially not you… when you were raised so close to her heart.”

Madam Dong looked down at Bai Qingyan in her arms and asked softly, “Do you understand?”

Bai Qingyan, lips pressed together, stayed silent in Madam Dong’s arms. Compared to closeness… she was even closer to the Eldest Princess. She had never imagined that such words would come from her grandmother. It showed how much her grandmother truly cared for her.

Madam Dong brought up the matter with Bai Qingyan because last night Dong Qingyue had spoken of her aspirations.

Madam Dong feared… with the Eldest Princess’s temperament, if Bai Qingyan were to end the Lin family’s reign herself, the Eldest Princess might take her life in apology to the ancestors.

But if so, it would leave a deep wound in Bai Qingyan’s heart, especially since she was someone who valued emotions and loyalty. She would believe it was her lack of filial piety that caused her grandmother’s death.

Rather than comforting her afterward, it was better to explain early and let her be mentally prepared and have some defenses.

“Granddaughter understands!” Bai Qingyan murmured in Madam Dong’s arms, nodding. Though she said she understood, she still had no plan on how to explain or comfort her grandmother if it ever came to that point.

Madam Dong gently stroked Bai Qingyan’s back. “Grandmother wishes she could go and persuade your grandmother on your behalf. But doing so would only make your grandmother feel more estranged, thinking her beloved granddaughter is drifting away. Only the one who tied the bell can untie it, Kid. You must understand this principle.”

Bai Qingyan did not speak, only nodding in Madam Dong’s arms.

The two talked for a while longer, until Bai Qingyan finally helped Madam Dong lie down.

Just as Bai Qingyan stepped out of Madam Dong’s room, she saw Dong Tingyun merrily entering the courtyard, with a maid carrying a bamboo food box.

“Older cousin!” Dong Tingyun smiled and asked, “Has Grandmother gone to rest?”

Bai Qingyan nodded. “She has.”

“Then I won’t disturb her. Older cousin, if you have time, I have some newly brewed rose grape wine and some lotus pastries made by my aunt. Would you like to try them?” Dong Tingyun turned to take the food box from the maid, clearly intending to sit with Bai Qingyan. Her gaze discreetly fell on Chun Tao standing properly behind Bai Qingyan, smiling a bit shyly. “There are some things I’d like to discuss with you.”

Dong Tingyun had never been to the Bai family in Dadu or Dengzhou. She was unaware of the relationships between the legitimate and concubine-born members of the Bai family. In families like theirs, the distinction between legitimate and concubine-born was significant. As a concubine-born child… when speaking with a legitimate daughter in the presence of elders, the legitimate daughter would respond out of respect.

But in private, legitimate daughters typically looked down on concubine-born daughters. Let alone her cousin, once the legitimate and precious eldest daughter of the Duke of Zhen, now respected as a princess. Dong Tingyun was anxious, unsure if her cousin would disdain her and find an excuse to leave after her impromptu invitation.

Bai Qingyan nodded.

Seeing that Bai Qingyan did not refuse or appear reluctant, Dong Tingyun’s smile grew even brighter and happier. “Then let’s go to Shanshui Pavilion! The scenery there is excellent!”

Seeing this, Chun Tao stepped forward to take the food box from Dong Tingyun’s hand and then retreated back behind Bai Qingyan, following along to Shanshui Pavilion.

True to its name, Shanshui Pavilion was nestled among hills and water, set on a rockery, with one side facing a lotus-filled lake with rippling water and darting koi fish, and the other side a lush, green forest.

Chun Tao and Dong Tingyun’s personal maids set out the lotus pastries and a plate of Haitang pastries, and then placed the white jade jug of rose grape wine brewed by Tingzhen, along with slender, ornate silver chopsticks and wine cups.

Once everything was arranged, Chun Tao and Dong Tingyun’s maid paid their respects and stepped back.

A gentle breeze moved the gauzy curtains in the Shanshui Pavilion. Dong Tingyun poured a cup of wine for Bai Qingyan with a smile. “Before you came to Dengzhou, older cousin, you probably didn’t even know you had a sister like me!”

“Mother already told me before I came,” Bai Qingyan replied calmly and then asked, “What is it you’d like to discuss?”