"Rest assured, Miss, I will arrange everything properly."

Bai Qingqing raised her eyes to look at her. "Am I being too unfeeling?"

Zi Dai spoke gently, "Miss, you’ve been too kind before, never holding their small mistakes against them, but they shouldn’t take advantage of your soft heart to wrong you. She did wrong, and punishment is only fitting."

As she spoke, Zi Dai let out a sigh of relief. "I used to worry that your gentle nature might lead to you being taken advantage of, but now I’m finally at ease."

Bai Qingqing was amused by her words, and her heart lightened considerably. In her past life, only Zi Dai had always been by her side. Without her, Bai Qingqing felt she might not have made it through that time.

"Don’t worry, I won’t let myself be wronged again, and I won’t let you be wronged either."

Zi Dai: "?" Though she didn’t fully understand, as long as the Miss was happy, it was all fine.

Qinglian completely disappeared from the Duke’s household. Bai Qingqing’s courtyard became much quieter than before. Those who had relied on her soft-heartedness to get away with things no longer dared to act out and quietly did their duties.

When Madam Qiao heard the news, she laughed heartily. "I told you to manage them properly, but you didn’t listen. Always indulging them. A lesson like this will make them understand how to be cautious."

Bai Qingqing humbly accepted the advice. Madam Qiao never asked her about the reason for Qinglian and her family’s departure. Seeing her daughter upset meant it must have been something significant.

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"By the way, I asked you to come today because I have something to discuss."

Madam Qiao became serious, holding Bai Qingqing’s hand. "The day after tomorrow, Princess Ping will be visiting our residence."

Bai Qingqing’s heart skipped a beat, but her face remained calm. "Princess Ping is of high status, we must entertain her well and not let her feel slighted."

"This isn’t the key point. What matters is that she’ll be bringing her son along, Qingqing, do you know what that means?"

Bai Qingqing: "…"

What was Princess Ping trying to do?

Seeing that Bai Qingqing didn’t speak, Madam Qiao thought she hadn’t understood and patiently explained, "Although you’ve told your father and me that you don’t want to get engaged so soon, after the blessing at Qinghan Temple, many families have quietly inquired with me. I’m not being proud, but Xuan Cheng’s families are eager to marry into ours—they could even break down our door to get to us."

"Princess Ping has only one legitimate son, who is now of age to marry. Many families in Xuan Cheng have already set their sights on him. Now that she’s coming with him, it’s likely she wants to discuss a marriage proposal."

"Impossible."

Bai Qingqing shook her head firmly. "Mother, you must be overthinking it. The Ping Prince’s household is of such high standing, and the princess is very proud—there’s no way she would look down on our family."

Madam Qiao was displeased. "What’s wrong with our family? We’re only slightly lower in rank than they are. Your maternal grandfather’s loyalty and righteousness are well-known, and everyone in his family has achieved success. What makes our family inferior to the Ping Prince’s?"

Bai Qingqing leaned against her mother’s shoulder and smiled charmingly. "It’s my mistake, Mother. What I meant was, Princess Ping has only one precious son—she would never easily settle on an engagement for him. She’s bound to choose someone she finds suitable. I’ve met her before, but we barely exchanged a few words."

"Mother never considered the Ping Prince’s household. The rules there are too strict, and you’re used to being more laid-back. I wouldn’t feel at ease if you went there. But now that the princess is taking action, I can’t help but think about it. We’ll see her intentions the day after tomorrow, but for now, I have to ask you: How do you feel about the princess’s son?"

"I have no interest in him."

Bai Qingqing’s firm stance reassured Madam Qiao, who then relaxed. "Then I understand."