Bai Shengyi glanced at the steward.
The steward's smile faltered, his voice softening as if to appease, "The Duke has been waiting for you for a long time."
He clearly didn't know that Bai Shengyi was someone who wouldn't back down even if the other party was weak.
Bai Shengyi lightly tossed back, "Later. I have some real business to attend to first."
"Young Madam..." The Duke's matters are also real business!
Watching the young madam stride towards Bai Murong's courtyard, the steward felt a surge of intense worry. He slapped his forehead and hurried to report to the Duke of Rong.
Bai Shengyi stormed into Bai Murong's courtyard and grabbed a maid to ask, "Where is Bai Murong?"
The maid stammered, "Reply... Reply to the Young Madam, the second young lady went to the別院 (biéyuàn - separate residence) today."
"The 別院?" Bai Shengyi gave a cold laugh. "Which 別院?"
The maid couldn't speak clearly. Seeing that she was about to cry, Bai Shengyi let her off.
"I sent her to the 別院, A'yi. Don't cause trouble. Don't listen to others' nonsense, lest you chill your family's hearts."
The Duke of Rong's voice suddenly sounded from behind Bai Shengyi.
He had arrived quickly.
With this realization, Bai Shengyi paused, turned around, and asked, "Old Master, what do you mean?"
Old Master?
The Duke of Rong frowned slightly. Previously, when Bai Shengyi called him that, he could understand it as Bai Shengyi being dissatisfied with his neglect over the years. But now that she was the Young Madam of the Bai family and had been given everything she deserved, what else could she be unhappy about?
Did such a distant and polite address mean, as Murong claimed, that Bai Shengyi's heart was no longer with the Bai family? Was she merely using the Bai family to pave her own way?
"What, is it difficult to say?" Bai Shengyi said in a deep voice. "Then allow me to ask the Old Master, in what way am I causing trouble? Whose heart am I chilling? Which 別院 did Bai Murong go to?"
"Bai Shengyi!" The Duke of Rong frowned tightly, feeling she was too aggressive. "Your second sister was unwell. It was I who sent her to the 別院 to recuperate and also to look after your elder brother."
"Oh, I didn't see her so eager when it came to saving people... Oh, no, that's not right. After all, it was because she informed the Grand Princess about my elder brother that he suffered such a great misfortune. She should be taking good care of him to make amends. Otherwise, how could she still have the face..."
"Silence!"
The Duke of Rong interrupted Bai Shengyi. "How can you maliciously speculate about your sister like this! Murong merely mentioned unintentionally seeing the驸马 (fùmǎ - imperial son-in-law) chasing you. It was the Grand Princess herself who misunderstood and sought revenge. Besides, the grudges of the Grand Princess's manor all started because you struck Princess Mingyu in the first place."
"Moreover, Murong already knows she was wrong, and your elder brother has forgiven her. I have also punished her by sending her out to recuperate. Let this matter be put to rest. Do not bring it up again."
Although the Duke of Rong was old, his body did not show signs of aging due to his cultivation. His sharp eyes swept over the rattan whip in Bai Shengyi's hand, and he slowly said, "A'yi, I hope you understand that Murong is your sister, your family."
"Your whip should be aimed at outsiders, not family," the Duke of Rong said. "Calm yourself. You handled the matters at the Grand Princess's manor very well, but you must also clean up the aftermath properly so as not to affect the Duke of Rong's manor."
Bai Shengyi looked at the Duke of Rong's retreating back and felt a chill from head to toe.
"Master?"
The Reincarnation Brush had clearly seen everything from beginning to end and looked at Bai Shengyi with some concern.
Bai Shengyi stood still.
"The Duke of Rong means that Bai Sicheng already knows that it was because Bai Murong spoke out that he was taken away by the Grand Princess, but he still forgave Bai Murong?"
"Bai Murong is not wrong, and I am wrong. When facing the difficulties from Princess Mingyu back then, I should have endured it silently?"
"Master, you..." At this moment, the Reincarnation Brush really wished that the sweet-talking Qing Meng Teng was present. If it were, it would definitely not be like itself, wanting to comfort the master but having nothing to say.
Not to mention Bai Shengyi, even the Reincarnation Brush felt incredibly angry and disheartened hearing the Duke of Rong's words.
This favoritism was simply too blatant!
"Heh! To hell with him!" Bai Shengyi sneered and inwardly inquired about Qing Meng Teng's whereabouts.
Did the Duke of Rong think this would make her obey him, ignore the impact of Bai Murong's actions on her, and become a well-behaved granddaughter?
Get lost!
Her whip should be aimed at enemies!
The more Bai Shengyi thought about the entire incident, the more furious she became. But the more furious she was, the calmer she became.
Earlier, after Qing Meng Teng found Bai Sicheng, it transformed into vine leaves and hid on Bai Sicheng. Following Bai Shengyi's instructions, it had been protecting Bai Sicheng. Since Bai Murong was currently looking after Bai Sicheng, it was just a matter of confirming Qing Meng Teng's location.
"They said it's Xiyuan Mountain Villa."
"I know." Bai Shengyi returned to her courtyard with a somber face and found only Bai Yunsong and Bai Ling there. "Where are the others?"
"Autumn Aunt sent the eldest young master to the 別院. As for the others, they received orders from the Duke, and I don't know where they went," Bai Yunsong replied honestly.
Bai Ling tentatively asked, "Young Madam, do you have any instructions?"
Bai Shengyi: "Yes, you two assist Bai Yuyue, and also pass a message to him. He doesn't need to consider the Bai family. I only hope that in the future, the Grand Princess's manor will cease to exist in the capital."
After saying that, she leaped into the air, drew a long sword from somewhere, and flew away with it.
Bai Ling and Bai Yunsong, two honest individuals, looked at each other.
Bai Ling worriedly asked, "This... has the Young Madam fallen out with the Duke?"
"It's none of our business. Since we are now the Young Madam's people, we should work for the Young Madam. Look at elder brother Yuyue and sister Autumn, their choices are always correct," Bai Yunsong said in a slow voice.
Bai Ling: "You're right. Then let's go find brother Yuyue quickly."
Bai Shengyi was unaware of Bai Ling and Bai Yunsong's attitude, but she now had an understanding of the situation of these eight people and knew who could be used and who could not.
Xiyuan Mountain Villa was not far from the suburbs. It made sense; how far could they have run in such a short time?
Not to mention, the Duke of Rong surely thought she would obey him and stop bothering Bai Murong. Therefore, Bai Murong being nearby was not a big issue, and it also made it convenient for Bai Murong to return to the manor later.
Thinking of this, Bai Shengyi let out a mocking laugh.
Inside Xiyuan Mountain Villa.
Bai Sicheng woke up after a short sleep. Bai Murong had been watching over him. Seeing him awake, she said softly, "Big Brother, let me feed you medicine."
Her eyes were red, her face pale, and her entire being exuded a fragile and delicate weakness.
Bai Sicheng said with distress, "I can drink it myself."
"Big Brother, do you still resent me in your heart..."
As Bai Murong spoke, large drops of tears fell. "I really didn't do it intentionally. I was injured on my way back and was saved by people from the Grand Princess's manor. Thinking of repaying their life-saving kindness, I didn't think much and just spoke about the驸马 matter."
"I also didn't expect the Grand Princess to be so unreasonable and misunderstand immediately. I actually went to explain after I returned, but she wouldn't listen to me..."
Bai Murong choked out, "I truly know I was wrong..."
"Murong, I don't resent you."
"Then let me feed you. Otherwise, I won't be able to rest easy," Bai Murong said quickly.
Bai Sicheng looked at Bai Murong's pitiful appearance and sighed softly, saying gently, "Alright."
Bai Murong fed Bai Sicheng the medicine sip by sip, wiped his mouth, and tucked him in. Bai Sicheng felt unaccustomed to it.
He thought for a moment and said, "Since you know you were wrong, then apologize to A'yi when you get back."
Bai Murong's gaze flickered. How could she apologize to Bai Shengyi?
Her thoughts shifted, and she said in a soft, gentle voice, "I'm afraid A'yi won't accept my apology, Big Brother. A'yi will kill me!"
As she spoke, her face seemed to have seen something terrifying, and her emotions gradually became agitated. She repeated several times: "She will really kill me!"