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墨書 Inktalez
"It is almost dawn." Madam Bai said softly as she was supported to the entrance of Ouyang Xuan's Mansion, gazing at the rising sun that was about to leap into the sky.
Liu Ying and Liu Lu exchanged glances and cautiously asked, "Matriarch, please forgive us for being presumptuous. Earlier in the tavern, you mentioned the eldest young lady..."
Madam Bai chuckled lightly, turning to look at the two maids who showed genuine concern. It seemed she had not misjudged them; they truly cared for Ouyang Zixin. Thus, she decided not to hide anything and said, "Indeed, I did mention your eldest young lady, who is my granddaughter, Ouyang Zixin."
"Matriarch, it has been over half a month since the eldest young lady entered the Millennium Ruins. Do you have any news about her?" Liu Lvy's face lit up with joy upon hearing this. The sudden appearance of Young Master Haoran had caught her off guard, and she had failed to gather any information. If she could learn about the eldest young lady from Matriarch now, that would be wonderful. Surely, the master and mistress would be very happy to hear it as well.
Seeing the two maids filled with anticipation, Madam Bai felt a bit reluctant to dampen their spirits. However, in reality, she had no news about Ouyang Zixin; everything was mere speculation, and not very good speculation at that. Madam Bai gently patted the hands of the two maids supporting her and looked at them with tired eyes. "I do not know, but I believe we will find out soon."
To avoid alerting the doorman about their late-night outing, Liu Ying and Liu Lu did not knock but instead helped Matriarch enter through the Side Door. This door led directly to the eldest young lady's Yuexin Pavilion. From there, they could return to the courtyard without being seen by others. As for how to report Madam Bai's late-night outing later on, that was another matter; for now, it was best to avoid drawing attention.
"I will rest for a while; there is no need for breakfast. Please ask your mistress to come see me during lunch," Madam Bai said after returning to her room and waved Liu Ying and Liu Lu away before lying down to rest. After all, she was getting older. A sleepless night while thinking about those complicated matters would surely take a toll on her spirit.
After helping Madam Bai close the door, Liu Ying said, "You stay here with her. In case Matriarch needs anything, there will be someone here. I will go see the mistress."
Liu Lvy nodded in agreement and assured Liu Ying that she would keep a close watch over Matriarch.
Inside the room, even though the two maids lowered their voices, Madam Bai still heard their conversation. She smiled faintly and turned over to sleep.
"Mother, you called for me." As lunchtime approached, Bai Su brought Lin Ma to Madam Bai's room. Seeing that her mother did not look well, she scolded, "You really shouldn't be going out at night at your age. I came looking for you last night and couldn't find you anywhere." With that, Bai Su stepped forward to help the Matriarch sit up against the pillow, making her more comfortable.
A hint of gratitude appeared on Madam Bai's wrinkled face; her daughter was still concerned about her health, which brought her a rare warmth. After so many years in the Ancestral Hall, aside from her Old Sister who had been by her side for years, no one had truly cared for her. Unfortunately, now that she was free, Old Sister...
Thinking of this made Madam Bai's eyes misty. She gently patted Bai Su's hand and said, "Mother is very happy to have you care for me like this."
The mother and daughter exchanged some heartfelt words before gradually steering the conversation back on track. Bai Su had already learned about what happened last night from Liu Ying, although Liu Ying had left out many details. Since her mother had called her here, it was likely that she was prepared to tell her.
"So how much did that girl tell you?" Madam Bai asked as she took a sip of tea from Lin Ma. Smiling, she added, "Did she leave you confused?"
"Mother," Bai Su pouted playfully, "Do you think I'm that confused in your eyes?"
Madam Bai shot her a glance; it had been years since she felt her daughter’s playful affection. But she knew her daughter well enough to realize that Bai Su must be getting more confused the more she heard; otherwise, she wouldn't be acting coy. Madam Bai chuckled and asked, "Then tell me, what was I doing out last night?"
According to Liu Ying's account, Madam Bai had gone out to meet old friends—five of them in total. From their mutual addresses, they seemed to be brothers. But when did Mother have friends in the Capital of the Departed Nation? This was something she had never figured out. Additionally, through Liu Ying's description, they were supposed to be examining a white stone and discussing its patterns for quite some time. They even mentioned something related to the injuries of a Legitimate Daughter of the Bai Clan. At this point, Bai Su guessed that the stone must be the Treasure of the Bai Clan—the Bright White Stone—but what was this Legitimate Daughter of the Bai Clan? More importantly, they even mentioned her daughter, Ouyang Zixin. This truly puzzled Bai Su; how could the Legitimate Daughter of the Bai Clan possibly have any connection with her daughter?
"Haha, so you really are confused!" Madam Bai laughed as she tapped Bai Su's nose. Her daughter always got muddled when faced with matters like these; without someone guiding her, she'd end up thinking about things far removed from reality. It was amusing that even now that she was grown and a mother herself, this bad habit hadn’t changed.
"Mother!" Bai Su wanted to act cute again but blushed when she saw Lin Ma stifling a laugh nearby. She stomped her foot and said, "You just like to bully me."
"Alright, alright, just listen to what Mother has to say." Madam Bai handed her teacup to Lin Ma and gestured for Lin Ma to step outside before taking Bai Su's hand and saying slowly, "Susu, if I told you that Ouyang Zixin might be this generation's Legitimate Daughter, would you believe it?"
"Impossible!" The title of Legitimate Daughter of the Bai Clan had been passed down through generations within the Bai Clan itself. But Xin'er was not a daughter of the Bai Clan; she bore the surname Ouyang. How could she possibly be the Legitimate Daughter of the Bai Clan? This was absolutely impossible. Bai Su shook her head vigorously; there was no way she would believe such a thing.
"Hey, let me finish speaking. This is just a temporary guess. You know that your unreliable brother also had a daughter, who is honored as the Legitimate Daughter of the Bai Clan. However, she has not received the recognition of the Bright White Stone, and there are no other eligible young women in the clan. That's why Madam and the Five Elders took the risk to come to the Capital of the Departed Nation, to find out whether the Legitimate Daughter of the Bai Clan is Baike or Ouyang Zixin." Madam Bai sighed deeply after speaking. Susu was severely affected by this position of the Legitimate Daughter of the Bai Clan back then, and now she had to tell Susu that her daughter might very well be the Legitimate Daughter of the Bai Clan. How could she possibly accept that? (To be continued.)
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