Madam Qiao affectionately tapped Bai Qingqing’s nose. “I love you too, but that doesn’t mean I would keep you in this household forever. Precisely because I cherish you, I hope you’ll find a good match. Now, only Princess Huai Fu remains unmarried. The excuse of sibling affection may hold for a while, but if she delays too long, the best years of a woman’s life are fleeting.”

Bai Qingqing didn’t understand. Madam Qiao explained, “I heard this from others back in the day. When Princess Huai Fu was born, it wasn’t long after you. People said there was an auspicious purple light in the east, divine birds circling the city. I didn’t see it myself, but the stories spread like legend.”

“Later, there were whispers that the late emperor had a divination cast for the newborn princess. The reading supposedly declared, ‘He who possesses Huai Fu shall possess the world.’ Though the rumors were quickly suppressed, many still heard of it.”

“You’re young and uninterested in court affairs, so you wouldn’t know—back then, the one most likely to ascend the throne was not the current emperor. But among all his siblings, he was the closest to Princess Huai Fu. And in the end, it was indeed he who took the throne. One has to admit, that prophecy carries some weight.”

Bai Qingqing was stunned. She had never heard any of this before. “Then shouldn’t the emperor treasure Princess Huai Fu even more?”

“The higher one stands, the more they fear such things to be true. If that prophecy truly played a role in securing the throne, then once Princess Huai Fu marries, she will belong to another household. And if—”

Bai Qingqing fell silent.

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She had never considered this possibility. It was so absurd that it almost seemed unreal.

“This is just something I’m telling you in private. It may not hold any truth, so take it as mere hearsay. Once you step outside this door, forget everything. Princess Huai Fu favors you—that is your fortune. To gain her affection can only be to your benefit.”

Madam Qiao was deeply reassured. When she first learned that Princess Huai Fu would be visiting Qinghan Temple, she had wondered if there was an opportunity to establish a connection. She wasn’t the only one—wasn’t it clear from the sudden influx of young noblewomen at this year’s prayer gathering? Many shared the same thought.

Yet she had held little hope. She knew Bai Qingqing’s temperament well—impatient, disinclined to fawn or flatter. Who could have expected that, among all those present, it was Bai Qingqing whom Princess Huai Fu singled out?

“Rest assured, Mother. The princess is warm and genuine. She truly enjoys the fragrances I craft, and we get along very well. She even said she will summon me to the palace after her return.”

Madam Qiao’s heart swelled with joy. If things were as Bai Qingqing said, the status of the Duke’s household in Xuancheng was bound to rise.

…

As the days of prayer came to an end, the noblewomen all made their way home one by one.

But the most talked-about event of this trip was none other than the bond between the Duke’s daughter and Princess Huai Fu.

The princess’s open and unreserved admiration for Bai Qingqing was truly striking. She even invited Bai Qingqing to ride with her in the imperial carriage, speaking with her at length in private.

Such an honor was unheard of in the Xuan Dynasty—even Princess Huai Fu’s own sisters had never received such favor.

The story quickly became the hottest topic in Xuancheng. With so many noblewomen present as witnesses, there was no room for exaggeration—it was an undeniable fact.

For the Duke’s household, it was a moment of unprecedented prestige. No matter where they went, they were now treated with an even greater measure of respect.

When news reached the ears of the Princess Consort of Prince Ping, she merely let out a sigh. But she was not surprised.