Chapter 32: Ensuring Safety at All Costs

Bai Yiran was greatly alarmed. Grabbing Lin Jinyan's hand, she asked

"Yan'er, are you saying that you fell into the water because someone harmed you? Who did it?"

Lin Jinyan replied, "Don't be anxious, Aunt. I cannot remember how I fell into the water, so I cannot be certain that someone harmed me. It is just that I saw many terrifying things during my nightmare, and I feel a bit unsettled."

Bai Yiran felt slightly more at ease. "If someone truly did harm you, you must tell me, alright?"

Lin Jinyan said, "I know. You treat me as if I were your own flesh and blood; I would not hide anything from you, no matter who else I might hide things from. However, I will still need your help to find a maidservant. But please, do not tell Grandfather, Uncle, or my cousin. I only wanted to seek peace of mind, and I do not want to cause them unnecessary worry in the end."

Bai Yiran reached out to stroke Lin Jinyan's face.

"How could I not worry? Qinglan passed away the day after she gave birth to you and An'er. At that time, I was accompanying your uncle on his military campaign when I received news of her pregnancy. Once the war stabilized, I calculated her due date and rushed back ahead of schedule.

But I still wasn't fast enough; she drew her last breath right before your grandfather and me... Your uncle couldn't even see her one last time... I have always felt so guilty toward her. If only I could have returned sooner... perhaps..."

As she spoke, Bai Yiran's eyes reddened and she choked up. Lin Jinyan's eyes also reddened; she stood up, used a handkerchief to wipe away Bai Yiran's tears, and comforted her

"Aunt, you must not think that way. You are a physician, not a goddess. For a woman, childbirth is already like stepping through the gates of hell, let alone my mother, who was carrying twins—it was even more perilous.

If my mother knew of this in the afterlife, she would surely be grateful to know how much you love my brother and me. Seeing you blame yourself like this would surely make her sad as well."

Bai Yiran stopped her tears and held Lin Jinyan's hand.

"Good child. I won't be sad, so don't be sad either. It was all just a nightmare and it is over now. Don't be afraid, Yan'er; I will certainly ensure your safety. Finding a female physician to ensure someone's safety shouldn't be difficult if I send word to Mount Cang Sheng, but finding a woman with decent martial arts skills will be harder."

Lin Jinyan smiled. "Just keep an eye out for me, Aunt. I am in no hurry to use someone; if we truly cannot find anyone, then there is nothing to be done."

Bai Yiran agreed. The two chatted intimately for a while longer until she managed to coax a smile back onto Bai Yiran's face. Lin Jinyan then suggested she wanted to go watch her cousin play chess.

Bai Yiran sent someone to escort Lin Jinyan to the front courtyard, while she remained in the room to write a letter to Mount Cang Sheng.

Upon arriving outside the pavilion, Lin Jinyan dismissed the servants and entered the pavilion alone.

An Zhixian and Gu Yichen were in the middle of a tense chess match. Gu Yichen had a deep frown, while An Zhixian maintained a calm and indifferent expression.

Lin Jinyan stood beside Gu Yichen, tilted her head to look at the board, shook her head, and then sat down on the stool next to him.

Gu Yichen turned his head to look at Lin Jinyan, placed the pastries on the table in front of her, and asked, "Finished talking to my mother? What did she say after checking your pulse? Do you still need medicine?"

Lin Jinyan replied, "Aunt said I am fine now and don't need to take any more medicine."

An Zhixian glanced at Lin Jinyan. "Is Miss Lin ill?"

Gu Yichen smiled. "Not ill, she just fell into her own lotus pond on Mid-Autumn Night."

Lin Jinyan said indignantly, "If I had your invincible skills, Second Cousin, there is no way I would have fallen into the water."

Gu Yichen laughed. "You don't need to say such things to needle me. In front of Brother An, I wouldn't dare boast about my skills."

Lin Jinyan looked at An Zhixian in surprise. "Master An looks so scholarly, yet he actually knows martial arts?"

Gu Yichen replied, "I'm afraid Brother An's martial arts are not inferior to your Eldest Cousin's."

(End of Chapter)