Rebirth: The Journey of an Heiress

"Big Miss!" Chun Yan responded, lifting the heavy curtain and coming in from outside. She saw Bai Qingyan sitting on the bedside and quickly grabbed a cloak lined with thin cotton to drape over Bai Qingyan, saying, "Sister Chun Tao went to help Mrs. Luo at the madam's place and hasn't returned yet."

Seeing that Bai Qingyan didn't look well, Chun Yan couldn't hide her worry. "Why did you get up without calling someone to assist you?"

"What time is it?"

"It's past noon." Chun Yan pulled up the bed curtains on both sides. "Do you want some shredded chicken porridge? Mrs. Fang has been simmering it in the small kitchen, and the aroma is quite tempting."

She adjusted the cloak. "Help me get up."

With the call of, "Big Miss is up," the once-quiet courtyard quickly became lively. Those sweeping snow continued sweeping, and those preparing water continued their tasks.

Soon, the maids in charge of washing lined up under the eaves, holding rinse water, spittoons, copper basins, and towels. Chun Yan then ordered the curtain to be lifted and led the maids in.

Chun Tao returned to Qinghui Courtyard. Hearing that Big Miss was up, she dusted off the snow on her body and quickly entered to serve. Seeing Bai Qingyan dressed in a plain, white jacket and skirt embroidered with flowers, draped in a white fox fur cloak looking ready to go out, Chun Tao hurriedly stepped forward to fasten her cloak.

"It's snowing heavily outside, Miss. You're still ill. Where are you going?"

"To visit Grandmother."

Chun Tao hesitated but helped Bai Qingyan put on the cloak. She took a hot coal from the brazier and put it in a hand warmer. She knew that no matter how she tried to convince her, it was futile against their determined Big Miss.

Bai Qingyan took the hand warmer from Chun Tao and held it to her chest. She instructed, "Later, when I am with Grandmother, you need not serve us. Instead, discreetly go to the front courtyard and have Lu Ping wait for me by the rockery corridor in the back courtyard in half an hour. I have something to tell him."

"Yes!" Chun Tao responded.

Bai Qingyan took a few steps, tightened her grip on the hand warmer, and glanced back at Chun Yan, who was tidying up the clothes trunk. Currently loyal to her, she said, "Chun Yan, ask Qingzhu to come find me at the hour of the rooster."

Considering the timing, she feared the men of the Bai family were all lost. But since fate had given her another chance, Bai Qingyan wanted to strive with all her might. If she could save even one, it would be better than doing nothing at all.

"Got it! I'll finish packing and then go find Miss Shen!" Chun Yan replied cheerfully.

The snow had not yet stopped. She walked through the snow, the smart little maid sweeping snow outside Changshou Courtyard spotted her from afar and hurried inside to report.

Bai Qingyan hadn't even reached the courtyard entrance when Nanny Jiang, who served her grandmother, rushed out to meet her.

"Big Miss, the snow hasn't stopped. Why are you here?" Nanny Jiang held an umbrella and, with a group of maids, walked briskly to Bai Qingyan. Naturally, she took the half-warm hand warmer from Bai Qingyan and replaced it with a new, warm one, personally holding the umbrella for Bai Qingyan.

Years ago, Bai Qingyan had been stabbed in the abdomen and fell into the water, leaving her with a condition that made her intolerant of the cold. Everyone in the household knew this.

Nanny Jiang had served by her grandmother's side since she was seven. She never married and later followed her grandmother in death by swallowing gold. Her loyalty was evident.

"Nanny..." Bai Qingyan queried while walking towards Changshou Courtyard with Nanny Jiang. "Has Grandmother woken from her nap?"

"The Eldest Princess is awake. She is currently praying to Buddha for the safe return of the Duke and the Crown Prince."

"How has Grandmother's health been lately?"

"You needn't worry. The Eldest Princess has been well cared for by the Imperial Medical Bureau's director. The only issue is the nearing year's end. With the Duke, the Crown Prince, and the brothers not yet back, the Eldest Princess hasn't been sleeping well." Nanny Jiang reported.

Bai Qingyan nodded and entered the warm room to adjust her clothes. Nanny Jiang methodically instructed others to change Bai Qingyan's snow-drenched shoes and socks and to bring hot water for her to wash her hands.

"Nanny, don't busy yourself just yet. I have something to tell you." She untied her cloak and handed it to Chun Tao, then sat by the brazier. "Everyone else, leave us..."

Nanny Jiang, being shrewd, knew Bai Qingyan had something important to say and stood quietly to the side.

"Nanny, there's news from the southern frontier..."

Nanny Jiang held her breath, sensing something bad, her face paling. "Is it about the Duke..."

Bai Qingyan stared into the brazier, extending her hand for warmth, and after a moment of silence, said, "I need you to take out the life-saving medicine the Empress Dowager bestowed upon Grandmother last time, and also prepare some ginseng slices."

Nanny Jiang nodded, her face pallid.

A crisp "crack" sounded, and Bai Qingyan turned to look out the carved wooden window. A tree branch, weighed down by snow, had snapped.

Her icy fingers tightened, and she pressed her lips together. "Also, have someone take Grandmother's name card to invite Doctor Huang to be on standby."

"Big Miss, truth be told, the Eldest Princess hasn't been sleeping well lately and might have had a premonition!" Nanny Jiang's eyes reddened. "The Eldest Princess has always been strong. There's no need to summon the Imperial Physician. She can hold on."

"Nanny, let's still have the doctor come." Bai Qingyan lowered her eyes, her tears becoming visible.

Her previous life had already taught her how strong her grandmother was and how much she could endure.

In this life, she was too afraid of losing her loved ones. She knew that with Grandmother's wisdom, even if she used the excuse of a prophetic dream, Grandmother might still guess some of the truth. She had to be fully prepared.

"Could it be... the Crown Prince is also in trouble?" Nanny Jiang held onto the doorframe, her legs nearly giving way.

The Crown Prince, as Nanny Jiang referred to him, was Bai Qingyan's father and the Eldest Princess's legitimate son.

She looked at Nanny Jiang, her eyes wet and red, but her back straight. "Nanny is not an outsider. I'm not afraid to confide in you. In the future, the entire Bai family might have to rely on Grandmother. You must understand the gravity of this. Before the official Imperial Court battle report arrives, I plan to use the pretense of a dream to prepare Grandmother in advance. Grandmother will still need your care, so you must stay strong."

Nanny Jiang felt her head buzzing and broke into a cold sweat. She nodded, understanding the seriousness of the matter. If a child could endure this, she, who had survived the palace's intrigues, had no reason not to be as strong as a child.

Nanny Jiang gathered her spirits and immediately had someone take the Eldest Princess's invitation to summon Doctor Huang.

In the side room, Bai Qingyan warmed herself to drive away the chill. Estimating that Doctor Huang should have arrived, she then asked Nanny Jiang to report her arrival to the Eldest Princess.

"Kid, you're not well. Why did you come in the snow?"

The Eldest Princess scolded lightly upon seeing Bai Qingyan, though her tone was reproachful. The Eldest Princess still reached out to touch Bai Qingyan, checking her warmth before her expression softened.

Seeing her grandmother again and hearing her call her childhood name, Bai Qingyan felt like she had been separated by a lifetime...

She suppressed the lump in her throat and said, "Grandmother, I just wanted to see you."

The Eldest Princess looked at Bai Qingyan's childlike demeanor, pretended to be angry and tapped Bai Qingyan's forehead with a finger, pulling her into her arms. She checked Bai Qingyan's hands for warmth and kindly said, "In about an hour, the court painters will arrive. Everyone else is tidying up in their rooms, yet you're running to see me!"

Tomorrow, the second sister of the Duke of Zhen would be married. She was the first daughter of the Duke of Zhen to be wed. Grandmother specially invited several court painters to paint portraits of her granddaughters.

Embracing the Eldest Princess and smelling the sandalwood scent on her, Bai Qingyan felt even more sorrowful, fearing that this news, once spoken, would lead to the same outcome as in her past life.

Seeing Nanny Jiang enter with the curtain, nodding at her, Bai Qingyan knew Doctor Huang had arrived, and that Nanny Jiang had sent away the people at the door.

"Grandmother..." She looked up at the Eldest Princess. "I had a dream at noon today. I dreamt that Grandfather, Father, our uncles, and brothers couldn't return from the southern frontier. You fell ill from the shock, and someone accused our Bai family of collusion. We were left with only women, and without your protection, we were at the mercy of others."