Princess Chang loved fragrances, and Bai Qingqing was skilled in making them, so their bond was not entirely without reason. However, it was a pity. The princess consort had initially thought that Bai Qingqing's gentle nature would render her friendship with the princess meaningless. Instead of letting Bai Qingqing benefit alone, it would have been better to use her as a bridge to bring Princess Chang closer to the Ping Prince’s residence.

  "Princess Consort, I have heard that after the prayers, many people have been subtly inquiring about Bai Qingqing’s marriage prospects. What do you think…?"

  The consort's expression shifted slightly. She picked up a teacup, leisurely swirling the lid to stir the floating tea leaves. "She is quite lucky. I had thought her only worth lay in being the daughter of the Duke's household. But since she now holds additional value, I suppose she is worth a bit more of my effort."

  After a brief moment of contemplation, she ordered, "Send an invitation to the Duke of England’s residence. I will visit with Yi’er in the coming days."

  The nanny smiled in agreement. "Your Highness is wise. After this move, those who were hesitating will likely withdraw. Who would dare compete with the Ping Prince's residence?"

  The consort scoffed. "She is merely a woman. There is no need to compete. I simply dislike having something I set my sights on be coveted by others."

  When Bai Qingqing returned home, the next day, a visitor arrived from the palace. It was a maid serving Princess Chang personally. Without a word, the maid collected the fragrance Bai Qingqing had prepared and handed her a small, round bronze token.

  "Her Highness wishes to express her gratitude. In the future, if Miss Bai has any requests that Her Highness can fulfill, this token will serve as proof."

  Bai Qingqing watched the maid leave, then stared at the token in her hand, momentarily dazed. But soon, a surge of joy filled her heart. She had not intended to gain anything from Princess Chang after learning of her circumstances. Simply borrowing her influence was already a great fortune. Yet unexpectedly, this unintentional act had led to an even greater reward—a personal promise from the princess herself.

  Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

  Carefully, Bai Qingqing stored the token away, feeling a great sense of reassurance. Perhaps she truly could help the Bai family avoid the impending disaster!

  "Miss."

  Zidai entered the room, closed the door, and quickly stepped closer, lowering her voice. "I have investigated thoroughly. While I was away, Qinglian and Xueyue took turns serving you, and they were also responsible for handling the spoiled fragrances. However, according to Xiaotao, who does the cleaning, there were a few days when Xueyue was unwell. Qinglian took pity on her and handled all the work alone, including disposing of the ruined fragrances."

  After a pause, Zidai added, "Previously, Qinglian asked me several times about your fragrance-making process. I did not think much of it at the time and assumed she was just curious…"

  Bai Qingqing pondered for a moment. "I remember that purchasing supplies for the courtyard is Qinglian's responsibility, correct?"

  "Yes."

  "Switch her with Xueyue. If Qinglian wishes to see me, do not stop her."

  Managing purchases was an important duty that was rarely reassigned. Before long, Qinglian appeared outside Bai Qingqing’s room, requesting an audience.

  She entered with swollen, tear-streaked eyes, looking pitiful as she knelt before Bai Qingqing. "Have I done something to displease you, Miss? If you wish to punish or reprimand me, I will accept it willingly. Just please, do not dismiss me. Do not take away my duty of serving you."

  Bai Qingqing gazed at the frail figure kneeling on the ground. Suddenly, she remembered—

  In her previous life, when she married into the Ping Prince’s residence, she had been allowed to bring two personal maids. Qinglian had knelt before her just like this, begging to be taken along.

  Thinking she was loyal, Bai Qingqing had agreed, taking both Qinglian and Zidai. However, once in the prince's residence, she had not been favored. At first, she had hoped to rely on the Bai family for support and had sent Qinglian back home to deliver messages.

  Yet each time Qinglian returned, her words only brought disappointment. Eventually, Bai Qingqing gave up hope.

  Later, Qinglian had pleaded to return home, claiming that her mother was gravely ill and she wished to fulfill her filial duties. Bai Qingqing had granted her request. From that moment on, only Zidai remained by her side.