When Bai Qingqing returned home, it was still early. Whenever something weighed on her mind, she would lock herself in her room to work on her incense blends.
The intoxicating scents helped clear her mind, allowing her emotions to fade away. By the time Bai Yaoyao returned to the house to look for her, there was no trace of anything unusual on her face.
"Sister, was Yanlai Tower lively? Was the green cloud pastry delicious? I heard there's a famous dancer there, someone named Yue. Did you see her?"
Bai Qingqing paused for a moment, trying to recall the taste of the green cloud pastry, but her mind was blank.
However, her face remained calm as she picked a point to respond. "I was lucky. I actually got to see Miss Qi Yue dance. She was like a startled swan, as graceful as a dragon swimming in the water. I was completely mesmerized."
"Really? Ahh, I wish I could see it for myself!"
Bai Yaoyao was excited, and Bai Qingqing asked her, "Did you have fun at the poetry gathering?"
Bai Yaoyao's exuberant mood was mostly due to the poetry gathering. She could hardly wait to share it with her sister. "I saw Master Fenghe today. He was truly elegant, a noble figure among men! You don't know, I even talked to him! There were so many people, and only I spoke to him for a few moments. Yuan Yin and the others were all jealous of me!"
Bai Yaoyao was reluctant to boast in front of her friends, but with her sister, she had no inhibitions. She regretted only having one mouth to express all her excitement.
"Sister, you should've gone with me. Although Yanlai Tower is nice, it's definitely not as exciting as the poetry gathering!"
Bai Yaoyao wore a look of regret. Bai Qingqing thought for a moment and then nodded. "You're right."
Had she not gone to Yanlai Tower, she wouldn't have met Ning Yan, and she wouldn't have felt so ashamed and angry every time she thought back on it. But, in a way, it was better to clear things up now rather than face even more awkwardness later.
Bai Qingqing smiled. "If I get the chance in the future, I’ll definitely go with you to join the fun."
Bai Yaoyao was overjoyed. Her sister had always shown little interest in the distinguished young men that admired her, but now, it seemed like she had changed. "That's great! This time, the poetry gathering didn't result in a winner, so they've agreed to meet again next month. I’m sure there will be even more people attending. Don’t forget to come with me to see it!"
With Bai Yaoyao's distraction, the suffocating embarrassment that had gripped Bai Qingqing’s heart eased a little. For her family, for her lovely sister, she had done nothing wrong—just a little too naïve, a little too self-assured.
That night, lying in bed, Bai Qingqing found it hard to sleep. Every time she closed her eyes, the last image of her departure from her family in her previous life flashed before her. She hadn’t even had the chance to say goodbye properly.
Throughout the night, she drifted in and out of dreams. In them, she saw the tragic fates of her parents and siblings after they were imprisoned. She saw the news of her death reach their ears, and her mother fainting in grief. She saw herself begging for help from Fu Yi, but the scene slowly transformed into her begging Ning Yan. In the end, the outcome was always the same...
At the first light of dawn, Bai Qingqing had already risen and sat on her bed. Her eyes were sore and stinging from lack of rest, but she stared blankly at her hands as if, having been reborn at this moment, she had just awakened.
She could no longer have any expectations of others, nor could she rely on anyone to protect the Bai family. This was her family! No one would sacrifice everything for the Bai family except for the Bai family itself. From the very beginning, she had been mistaken.
Mrs. Qiao felt that her daughter had changed somewhat in recent days, though she couldn't quite pinpoint why. She just felt that the delicate daughter she once had suddenly seemed to have grown up.
"Qingqing, are you really going to accompany me to Qinghan Temple to pray for blessings? Maybe it's better not to. We'll be staying there for several days, and it's crowded with people. You might not be able to bear it."
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Spring had arrived, and according to Xuan Dynasty customs, the women of noble families were expected to go to Qinghan Temple to pray for blessings. Mrs. Qiao had always been reluctant to let her daughters endure hardship. The guest rooms at Qinghan Temple were nothing compared to their own home, with no distractions and the place being extremely quiet. Young children usually couldn't stay there for long.
But Bai Qingqing was determined to go. "In the past, I was lazy, and you indulged me. Now, I can't keep avoiding work. Besides, wouldn't it be nice to accompany you and chat to ease your boredom?"
Her sweet smile made it impossible for Mrs. Qiao to refuse. She quickly instructed the servants to pack Bai Qingqing's things, making sure everything necessary was included and not a single item was forgotten.
Bai Qingqing was intent on going to Qinghan Temple because she knew that this time, Princess Huaifu of the Xuan Dynasty would also be there.
Princess Huaifu was the emperor’s most beloved younger sister. It was said that when she was born, purple qi descended from the east, a most auspicious omen, so she was named Huaifu.
Strangely enough, after Princess Huaifu's birth, the Xuan Dynasty experienced fewer droughts and floods, and as a result, her status in the palace was extraordinarily elevated. She had been very close to the emperor when he was still a prince, and since he ascended the throne, he had been exceptionally indulgent towards her, granting all her requests without question, making her a legendary figure in the Xuan Dynasty.
However, Princess Huaifu's health was frail, and she rarely left the palace. Bai Qingqing knew that she was going to Qinghan Temple to pray for blessings this time because of her previous life.
At that time, Bai Qingqing's only skill was incense-making, which caught the attention of the princess's consort. From time to time, the consort would ask her to create delicate and elegant blends, which Bai Qingqing later realized were for Princess Huaifu.
The princess had no other particular interests but was quite fond of pleasant fragrances. The Prince of Pingyuan used Bai Qingqing's incense to win her favor, gaining many benefits for his family. Bai Qingqing only learned later that the reason the Prince of Pingyuan was able to build a relationship with Princess Huaifu was because of this Qinghan Temple prayer gathering.
The incense used at the gathering was her own creation—Spring Jiao.
By then, Bai Qingqing had already fallen for Fu Yi, and all she could think about was how to gain his attention. She had gone to great lengths to send an invitation to the Prince of Pingyuan's household, only to be told that the consort had gone to Qinghan Temple and could not meet with her.
This time, Bai Qingqing was fully prepared. In addition to Spring Jiao, she brought several other incense blends that would not be easily overpowered by the temple's incense and would not be too conspicuous.
On the day she went to Qinghan Temple, Bai Qingqing wore a pale moon-white outfit, and her hair was adorned with simple yet elegant pearl flowers, which did not diminish her beauty. Even Mrs. Qiao couldn't help but praise her, "I really know how to raise children. Just look at my daughter—any divine being from the heavens would be ashamed in comparison."
"Mother, stop teasing me. There will probably be many people going out of the city today."
"Yes, yes," Mrs. Qiao quickly ordered the servants to prepare the carriage and turned to reassure Bai Qingqing, "It’s the same every year—traffic will be heavy, and we’ll have to stop and go. Sometimes, we’ll need to get out and walk to stretch our legs, faster than the carriage. But it’s fine, I've had the servants prepare plenty of tea and snacks, and little trinkets to pass the time."
Bai Qingqing thought her mother was exaggerating, but before they had even left the city, the carriage came to a halt.
The ladies of the household had to bring a lot of things when traveling, so there were several carriages, even as many as a dozen, all squeezed together, with people packed inside, not moving an inch for half the day.
Although the carriage was warm, the longer she sat, the more stifling it became. Bai Qingqing got out to take a breath of fresh air.
As she stepped off the carriage, she looked ahead and saw nothing but a sea of people. She couldn't help but sigh softly, then noticed a stall selling sugar-coated fruits by the street. She had Zi Dai buy a bag of them.
The little round red fruits were coated in a layer of sugar glaze. When she put one in her mouth, it was cool and sweet, and when she bit into it, a subtle sourness seeped out, creating a delightful taste.
Bai Qingqing gave Zi Dai one as well and walked ahead while eating. Many others had also gotten off the carriage to get some fresh air. If they ran into someone they knew, they would chat, creating a lively atmosphere.
Bai Qingqing didn’t walk far. In addition to the sugar-coated fruits, she now had a bag of steaming hot chestnuts. She peeled off the yellow shell, and the soft, sweet flesh made it impossible to stop eating.
She held the chestnuts and walked on but didn’t notice that she collided with someone coming out of an alley. She lost her grip on the sugar-coated fruits and chestnuts, spilling them all over the ground.
"Are you alright, miss?"
Zi Dai quickly checked on her. Bai Qingqing shook her head, but when she raised her face, she froze for a moment. Then, she gave a shallow bow, said nothing, and turned away, walking off with Zi Dai. Only when they had gone some distance did she instruct her to find someone to clean up the mess on the ground.
Ning Yan watched her turn away without looking back. He had the maid buy another snack and sent it up to the Bai family's carriage. The way she looked at him felt like she was seeing a stranger.
"Are all these people going to Qinghan Temple to pray for blessings?"
"Yes, sir. Princess Huaifu will be going as well. The Emperor has asked that you keep an eye on things when you have the time, and make sure nothing happens to the princess."
"Understood. Head to Jin Xiu Lou first."
Ning Yan glanced one more time at the Bai family's carriage before turning and leaving.