Chapter 545 - 545 542 Childhood Sweethearts_1

Chapter 545: Chapter 542: Childhood Sweethearts_1 Chapter 545: Chapter 542: Childhood Sweethearts_1 Everything had to be approached with utmost caution.

Chun Tao saw that the young lady had been standing at the Huxin Pavilion for a long time. She instructed the maid from the Dong Mansion who was beside her to go back and fetch a cloak for Bai Qingyan. Chun Tao approached Bai Qingyan with small steps and softly reminded her, “Young Lady, why don’t we go back? After nightfall, there are many insects here. Besides, it gets rather chilly in Dengzhou at night, which isn’t good for your health.”

Bai Qingyan nodded, her voice hoarse. “Let’s go back.”

Chun Tao stepped forward to support Bai Qingyan’s arm. Seeing the tear stains still on Bai Qingyan’s face, she felt a pang of sorrow. Not knowing what had troubled the young lady but feeling anxious herself, she said, “Young Lady, I am clumsy with words and don’t know what to say to you. But if you truly encounter any difficulties, you can talk to Madam Dong. Madam Dong cares deeply for you!”

Bai Qingyan’s lips curled into a smile. “Silly Chun Tao, it’s not something difficult, but something happy! I’ll tell Grandmother once everything has settled. Still… Chun Tao, your clumsy words but diligent actions are very much to my liking.”

Chun Tao looked up and saw Bai Qingyan’s eyes, still slightly red but filled with a deep smile. Realizing that the young lady was praising her, her own face flushed red.

Grandmother also loved A Yu very much. If one day she saw A Yu back, she would certainly be overjoyed!

And Mother… and Aunt, and the younger sisters, Ah Jue and A Yun.

If they knew A Yu was still alive, they would be ecstatic beyond measure.

Thinking this, Bai Qingyan’s eyes reddened again. She blinked her swollen eyes, controlling her emotions, and shifted the topic to ask Chun Tao, “Since I wasn’t here today, did Aunt Luo send anyone to look for you?”

Chun Tao nodded. “The nanny beside Aunt Luo said the embroidery pattern on my clothes was pretty and asked me to go over and trace it for her. However… I followed your instructions and said I was too busy to go.”

As expected, Aunt Luo had indeed had this thought.

Bai Qingyan nodded. “You did well. If anyone else calls for you in the future, respond the same way. Don’t worry about face; it’s okay to tear some faces, understand?”

Chun Tao, thinking that the young lady was protecting her, smiled with her brows and eyes. “Chun Tao understands!”

This was the Dong family in Dengzhou, and her uncle’s concubine… Bai Qingyan really couldn’t interfere much and could only advise Chun Tao to avoid her.

However, Chun Tao had always been by her side, so it wasn’t much of a problem. Just in case she couldn’t watch over Chun Tao, she just needed to keep her alert.

Bai Qingyan returned to the courtyard to chat with Madam Dong for a while, then served her as she prepared to rest. Madam Dong repeatedly exhorted Bai Qingyan, “From now on, you mustn’t act recklessly; don’t fall behind on your own. Your mother has only you left as her daughter; if anything happens to you, your mother won’t be able to live. If you don’t care for yourself, you’re neglecting your mother. Do you hear me?”

At the mention of her mother, Bai Qingyan inevitably thought of A Yu again, her eyes turning slightly red. She looked at her grandmother’s silvery hair and wrinkled face and nodded with a smile. “Kid understands, Grandmother! Grandmother, please rest!”

It wasn’t yet time to tell her grandmother that A Yu was still alive.

When Bai Qingyan came out of Madam Dong’s room, Chun Tao stepped forward to support her. “Young Lady, Aunt Luo said she brought some injury medicine for you and insisted on giving it to you personally. She’s waiting outside in the courtyard.”

“Send someone to tell Aunt Luo that I have no injuries. I appreciate her kindness but inform her that while I am at the Dong Mansion, it’s best we remain at peace.” Bai Qingyan’s voice was cold. “In the future, no matter the reason, refuse any requests from her on my behalf.”

By having Chun Tao respond this way to Aunt Luo, Bai Qingyan was explicitly warning her to abandon any ideas and to behave appropriately while she was still at the Dong Mansion.

Chun Tao agreed, though she was quite surprised. Had Aunt Luo upset the young lady in some way?

But it made sense. Their young lady was the Princess of Zhen, while Aunt Luo was merely a concubine… Just a servant in the end, worlds apart in status. If their young lady weren’t staying at the Dong Mansion, when would a lowly concubine like Aunt Luo ever get a chance to request an audience?

That night, Bai Qingyan didn’t sleep well. Her dreams were filled with A Yu, and she awoke the next morning with swollen eyes.

Chun Tao hurried to fetch two eggs to roll over Bai Qingyan’s eyes. Bai Qingyan had just finished freshening up when she went to pay her respects to Madam Dong. When she arrived, her aunt Mrs. Cui, little Mrs. Cui, and her cousins Dong Tingyun and Dong Tingzhi were already there.

After greeting them, Bai Qingyan was pulled to sit beside Madam Dong, who smiled and said, “You exhausted yourself rescuing someone yesterday. Didn’t I tell you to rest well and not come to pay respects today?”

“Kid missed the food here, so I got up.” Bai Qingyan smiled.

Madam Dong laughed heartily at this and quickly asked for breakfast to be served, inviting Mrs. Cui, little Mrs. Cui, and her two granddaughters to stay for the meal.

Bai Qingyan knew that the task of caring for the Princess of Yan had been entrusted to her aunt Mrs. Cui, so she asked, “Aunt, how is Princess Mingcheng of Yan today?”

“Several doctors are taking turns watching over her. Currently, Princess Mingcheng’s fever won’t break. The doctors privately say… it seems the princess wishes to die. I’m afraid her chances are slim.” Mrs. Cui, looking at the girl as delicate as a flower bud, couldn’t help but feel some pity.

The fates of princesses sent to marry for political alliances were never good. Such a young girl should have been in her parents’ arms, being doted on, but she had to marry far away to the Rong. Naturally, she felt life was unbearable. However, Mrs. Cui still hoped the Princess of Yan would survive; after all, staying alive was more important than anything else.

Bai Qingyan remembered Xiao Rongyan mentioning that Princess Mingcheng and the Yan general Xie Xun had been childhood sweethearts. She wondered if seeing Xie Xun could ignite some will to live in Princess Mingcheng.

After breakfast, Bai Qingyan heard that her uncle had released the people in charge of sending Princess of Yan for marriage. These people were now strictly guarding the courtyard where Princess Mingcheng was, afraid someone would harm their princess.

Commander Dong had sent a message to the Capital urgently, informing about the rescue of the Yan princess. Bai Qingyan feared that if Princess Mingcheng didn’t survive, the Emperor would hold her uncle accountable.

Bai Qingyan was trimming flower branches in the room with Madam Dong when Madam Dong noticed Bai Qingyan almost trimming her prized bonsai bald. She felt heartache.

Nanny Wang saw this and hurriedly stopped Bai Qingyan. “Oh, my little ancestor! This is Madam’s favorite bonsai! Look at this… you’ve almost trimmed it bare! Look at Madam’s face… she’s heartbroken!”