Rebirth: The Journey of an Heiress

Mrs. Li looked at her daughter, stepped forward to touch her daughter's little face, then pinched her daughter's shoulder and arm, smiling with tears, and spoke chokingly, "You've grown quite a bit taller... it seems the clothes I made for you don't fit anymore!"

"Indeed, ever since I went off to war, my food intake increased, and I've been more active, so it's hard not to grow taller—didn't father say so!" Bai Jinzhi said with a smug look on her face, "Give me another half a year, and I'll definitely be taller than the Eldest Young Lady!"

"You ungrateful child! Just returned and already thinking about running wild for another half year! You entirely disregard whether your mother misses you!" Mrs. Li pretended to be angry and scolded.

Bai Jinzhi, not embarrassed in front of the Eldest Young Lady, hooked her arm around Mrs. Li's and rubbed her head on Mrs. Li's shoulder, "If I'm not around... it's not like there'll be anyone to upset mother, and mother still thinks of me. Isn't that wonderful!"

Mrs. Li poked Bai Jinzhi's head with her finger, "You! When will you grow up! Even if you could learn one-tenth from your Eldest Young Lady... I wouldn't be so worried!"

"Aunt, I must disagree with that. Our Little Fourth... has an exuberant and vivacious nature. If everyone in our Bai family were truly that steady, wouldn't we miss many moments of laughter and joy!" Bai Qingyan said with a smile.

"Exactly, exactly!" Bai Jinzhi nodded repeatedly.

"You're always one to go along with it!" Mrs. Li poked Bai Jinzhi's head again, "Alright, alright! Once you've finished speaking with your Eldest Young Lady, stop being mischievous here. Your Eldest Young Lady is now expecting, you must help her, not create trouble! I've seen you... now help your Eldest Young Lady sort through the memorials! Accompany her! Also keep an eye on her... make sure she takes a break in half an hour!"

"Aunt, let Little Fourth go back and keep you company! I'll make sure to take a good rest after working a bit longer!" Bai Qingyan said with a smile, "Probably in no more than a little tea time, Aunt Fifth will send Nanny Zhai to bring Xiao Ba over…"

Ever since Bai Qingyan became pregnant, these experienced aunts would constantly send people over to remind her to rest. They sent capable nannies by her side... bringing either soup or snacks, and watched Bai Qingyan obediently finish them and get up to stretch before returning to report back.

These nannies had watched Bai Qingyan grow up and were like elders to her, she couldn't possibly disobey and would just get up and move after the snacks.

Let alone Doctor Hong and Xiao Yinshuang who kept a close watch all the time.

Just as Bai Qingyan finished speaking, sure enough, Nanny Zhai led Bai Wanqing and Xiao Ba in.

Upon entering, Nanny Zhai saluted Mrs. Li, Bai Qingyan, and Bai Jinzhi, then smilingly said to Bai Wanqing, "Miss Eight, this is your Fourth Sister..."

Bai Jinzhi looked at the little one with two small blessing buns, wearing a ruby collar, a fei-colored silk cross collar blouse, and a frost-colored gauze skirt. Her eyes, like black grapes, blinked lively, an adorable little blessing baby.

Bai Jinzhi bent down and touched Bai Wanqing's hair, "Xiao Ba, I am your Fourth Sister!"

"Fourth Sister!" Bai Wanqing sweetly called out, then let go of Nanny Zhai's hand, lifting her skirt as she toddled towards Bai Qingyan, her pronunciation still unclear, softly insisting, "Eldest Young Lady, Eldest Young Lady must not read memorials anymore! Time to relax, time to relax..."

Seeing the little one, familiar with the way, run to Bai Qingyan's side, then climbed under Bai Qingyan's arm into her lap, sitting there mimicking Bai Qingyan in opening the bamboo slip to read through. If she didn't hold it upside down... one might think the little one truly understood.

Perhaps such scenes had been seen many times, no one reprimanded Xiao Ba for taking care of Bai Qingyan so diligently. Bai Qingyan casually set the bamboo slip aside, took out a blank bamboo slip, and let Xiao Ba grab a brush and scribble as she pleased, even praising how well Xiao Ba drew, her affection and indulgence barely hidden.

"When Xiao Bai was born, she was ugly as a little monkey, now she's grown so pretty!" Bai Jinzhi remarked.

Mrs. Li immediately pinched Bai Jinzhi's arm, causing Bai Jinzhi to cry out in pain, saying what when Nanny Zhai was still there!

"Mother, why did you pinch me!"

"You are the monkey! Still a monkey now! Dark and skinny, yet you have the nerve to talk about Xiao Ba!"

Nanny Zhai chuckled, "All children are wrinkled when they're born; it's no wonder Fourth Miss says so... they grow out nicely! Miss Eight looks just like Fifth Master."

Bai Jinzhi frowned as she looked at Bai Wanqing, clearly thinking Bai Wanqing looked more like Fifth Aunt, pointing at Xiao Ba she opened her mouth, "How does she look like Fifth... ow! Mother, why did you pinch me!"

"Don't make noise around your Eldest Young Lady, go back with your mother, and smell yourself with all the sweat, go bathe first..." Mrs. Li pulled Bai Jinzhi's arm to go outside.

"Take care, Aunt..." Bai Qingyan placed Bai Wanqing aside, stood up, and bowed to Mrs. Li.

"You sit down promptly! With your condition, what's this all about!" Mrs. Li hurriedly waved at Bai Qingyan.

"Eldest Young Lady, I'm leaving first, I'll come over after I bathe…" Bai Jinzhi hurriedly said.

Bai Qingyan waved at Bai Jinzhi, thinking Bai Jinzhi likely wouldn't come over until at least tomorrow. Considering that Aunt would make Bai Jinzhi apply various fragrant balms on her after bathing, wanting her complexion to return.

After all, Little Fourth's maternal grandmother, uncle, and aunt brought their second son to Dadu City, contemplating a match for the two; Bai Qingyan was aware of it, but didn't know if Little Fourth would get upset with Aunt over this.

Nanny Zhai respectfully saw off Mrs. Li and Bai Jinzhi, then quickly walked to the table with a lacquered food box, taking out a soup bowl and a plate of exquisite snacks, "Miss, please try, it's bird's nest cake with golden threads and red date soup newly made by Fifth Madam..."

"Thank you for Fifth Aunt's kindness!" Bai Qingyan said, just in time to see Bai Wanqing eyeing the bird's nest cake with golden threads, tugging at her sleeve.

She smiled and brought a piece to Bai Wanqing's mouth, "Eat, Nanny will prepare a bowl of milk for Xiao Ba..."

"Miss just indulges Miss Eight so!" Nanny Zhai said, though she was inwardly very pleased.

As for the man in dark clothes called Sun Wenyao, who returned with Bai Jinzhi, had been standing outside Wude Gate in the sun, and even as night fell, no one from the palace came to summon him.

Sun Wenyao clenched his hand a bit, finally leaving Wude Gate as darkness fell, looking somewhat gloomy, yet relieved.

Sun Wenyao led his horse, walking down the red light street of Dadu City, wondering if he really met Bai Qingyan, would he truly have to end the life of this Empress?