While waiting for news from Suiyun Pavilion, Bai Qingqing was also busy preparing for her mother's birthday banquet.

Suiyun Pavilion sent over her share of the profits—a sum so large it instantly turned her into a little rich lady. This time, she was determined to host the banquet with her own silver.

As Bai Yaoyao helped her draft the invitations, she asked, “Sister, should we invite Lord Ning?”

Bai Qingqing thought for a moment, then nodded. “Invite him. He has some ties to the Bai family; it wouldn’t seem out of place.”

Especially considering that he had helped her during the incense incident; whether out of gratitude or propriety, it was only right to extend an invitation.

Bai Yaoyao secretly laughed behind her back and quickly wrote out the invitation.

The Bai family had always kept birthday celebrations modest, inviting only close acquaintances to the house for a lively gathering. With the two daughters handling everything, Madam Qiao felt completely at ease, never once asking unnecessary questions, only feeling deeply comforted by their thoughtfulness.

In truth, Bai Qingqing and Bai Yaoyao managed everything impeccably. From the arrangement of guests to the smallest details of the menu, every part was carefully considered, all tailored to Madam Qiao’s tastes—so much so that Bai Jinghuai dropped hints several times that his own birthday wasn’t far off, and that he, as a father, wasn’t picky.

At Prince Ping’s residence, Fu Yi sent word to Bai Qingqing that the Prince's household would not be attending the banquet, lest they spoil her good mood.

Bai Qingqing was more than pleased. It felt as if after speaking openly with Fu Yi, everything had started to fall smoothly into place.

What Bai Qingqing hadn't expected was that, once Prince Ping learned of the matter, he had a fierce quarrel with the princess consort at the estate.

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The reason was that Fu Yi had, without much thought, mentioned it to Prince Ping, only saying that the princess consort was still unwell and not fit to leave the house.

Prince Ping was so furious he nearly fainted. He stormed straight to the princess consort’s quarters and unleashed a torrent of scolding. “For the sake of a wild girl, you would throw away the honor of the entire prince’s household? Compared to Fu Yi’s marriage, is that Lu Qingyun so important? Is she your real daughter?”

The princess consort's expression shifted slightly as she sat up, but Prince Ping had no interest in hearing any explanations.

“One disaster after another in this household, and you, as the lady of the house, pretend to be ill to threaten people? You even took it out on Fu Yi? Fine, fine, very well! Since that's how it is, you needn’t worry about Fu Yi’s marriage anymore! Focus on your recovery! As for the affairs of the estate, I’ll have someone else manage them!”

After storming out, Prince Ping left behind a scene of devastation. The princess consort, for the first time, smashed half the room in her rage. Her headache was so severe she could barely stand it.

“Go, bring Fu Yi to me!”

“Princess consort, the young master has left the estate on an errand. He said he’ll be gone for several days.”

The princess consort was filled with anxiety. How could it have come to this? Prince Ping, for Fu Yi’s sake if nothing else, should not have been so heartless. Besides, she hadn’t even truly refused to attend Bai Qingqing’s banquet—she had only said so in passing!

Taking a deep breath, she finally understood the gravity of the situation. She hurriedly ordered gifts to be prepared for the Bai family, only to be informed that the Bai family had already responded, politely sending over some medicinal herbs and advising her to rest well.

Not only that, but Prince Ping had assigned guards to her courtyard to make sure she truly “rested,” lest rumors spread that she had been feigning illness and disgraced the entire household.

When she learned of this, a sharp pain twisted through her chest. Her vision went black, and she collapsed onto her chair, sitting there for a long time before she could even catch her breath, her face pale as if she were truly gravely ill.

—

At the Jinyiwei office, Ning Zhao, who had yet to find the source of the rumors about the nursery rhymes, was harshly reprimanded by Ning Yan and went off with drooping head to accept his punishment.

Ning Yan, feet propped up, lazily looked over a message that had just been delivered when someone came in holding an invitation.

“My lord, is Lord Xiao Zhao not here?”

Ning Yan didn’t even lift his head.

“Is it for him? Just leave it.”