But now, she was no longer the person who always looked down on others. She had envy, but not jealousy.
At first, she thought of sending a congratulatory gift to Princess Wenyi, but felt that everything she had at the Bai residence was given by others, so there was no point in sending it. It would be better to do something herself.
Food was handled by dedicated staff, so she decided to make some swaddling clothes for the infant.
Her embroidery skills were quite good, and she had guidance from the skilled embroiderers at the Bai residence. Moreover, swaddling clothes were not difficult to make, so completing them was not a problem.
After finishing, she even took them to show Madam Lin, fearing there might be any taboos that needed to be avoided beforehand.
Seeing Bai Si Han becoming more sensible, the First Madam was also very pleased.
However, she remembered the letter received from Bai San Lang a few days ago and did not know how to show it to her.
A father could no longer be a daughter's father, nor did he care.
A husband whose wife was divorced, he did not care even more.
The letter repeatedly mentioned that he was unaware, that he was deceived, and asked Prime Minister Bai to believe him.
Such heartlessness and disloyalty, truly a skillful move!
Fortunately, both children were now far from him, otherwise, who knew what they would be taught.
After much thought, she decided not to mention it.
From now on, life would be lived peacefully in Dongdu City.
So, she began to tell her about what Bai Si Ruo had mentioned a few days ago.
The banquet at Prince Kang's residence was tomorrow. Princess Wenyi was certainly unable to attend due to her condition, so if they were to attend, it would be Madam Lin taking Bai Si Han.
Upon hearing about her nephew's matter, Bai Si Han blushed.
"Everything is up to my aunt's discretion. Si Han will not disobey."
"That's not right. This is a matter of your entire life. One must choose wisely. I have also inquired carefully about the other party, and he is indeed very good.
Although he has no parents, you will be in charge of the household once you marry. His family is well-off, so you will not suffer much hardship. If you can also encourage him to study and achieve success early, then his future will be limitless."
With the Princess's Mansion and the Bai family supporting them, who would not give them some face?
However, she did not say this to Bai Si Han for the time being, fearing that they might overthink it in the future.
After speaking, she handed him the letter detailing his situation.
Bai Si Han read it carefully and found it indeed quite good.
Although the social status was a bit lower, it offered tangible benefits and was more suitable for married life than those her mother had chosen for her.
Not to mention anything else, if he wanted to advance, he would have to rely on the Bai family and the Princess's Mansion. Therefore, he had to maintain good relationships with both sides. The Bai family was her maternal family, and the Princess's Mansion had a close relationship with the second cousin's wife, Feng family, who was about to marry in. Thus, this marriage would be of great benefit to her.
So, Bai Si Han nodded shyly, her expression showing satisfaction.
Seeing her like this, Madam Lin knew it was almost certain.
"If that's the case, then we will go tomorrow to see how he is. If he is good, then we will set the engagement early, to avoid any further complications."
The "further complications" Madam Lin was referring to was the Emperor's sudden death, after which the entire country would observe a year of mourning.
If the engagement was set, they would only need to prepare the dowry during this period.
If it wasn't set, who knew what other troubles might arise then.
Therefore, it was more practical to act swiftly.
Fortunately, Bai Si Han had already come of age, so everything was proceeding smoothly.
Thus, they sent word to Prince Kang's residence, letting them know they would make their own arrangements.
Early the next morning, Madam Lin, along with Bai Si Han, prepared some gifts and headed to Prince Kang's residence.
The Bai family and Prince Kang's residence had a relationship of kinship upon kinship, so they were treated as honored guests here.
Following Madam Lin to visit relatives, Bai Si Han learned what it meant to be treated with kindness under the guise of social equality.
In the past, when she accompanied her mother to banquets, she was either ostracized or ignored.
If she shamelessly approached and spoke with those ladies and young ladies, it was as if she was trying to curry favor with them, and she never received a good look.
Now, it was different when she was by her aunt's side.
Everyone looked up to her, and each of them praised her for being gentle, dignified, and courteous.
Upon seeing them arrive, Bai Si Ruo immediately went to greet them.
"Greetings, Aunt. Second Sister is dressed very beautifully today."
Bai Si Han was suddenly praised and lowered her head shyly.
She was confident in her beauty, but in the past, her radiance was obscured by heavy makeup and gaudy attire. Today, her clothing and hair accessories were simple, which instead highlighted her own presence.
No wonder several ladies had looked at her with favor just now. Even if they didn't consider her for their sons, they could at least consider her for their nephews.
Not everyone was fortunate enough to marry into the Bai family.
"Has the Grand Princess arrived?"
"She has. She is in the main courtyard speaking with her mother-in-law."
Then, she mysteriously lowered her head and whispered in Madam Lin's ear.
"I took a close look. The nephew is truly handsome. Aunt will surely like him."
"What are you talking about? Aren't you afraid of causing trouble for yourself!"
She gave him a playful glare and then said.
"Take me to pay respects to the Grand Princess. Later, you take Si Han to the flower hall to sit. You are all young men and women, and you will have more to talk about."
"Yes!"
Bai Si Ruo glanced at Bai Si Han and was genuinely happy for her.
If this marriage could truly be settled, she could also be more at ease.
After sending Madam Lin off, the two sisters went to the flower hall.
On the way, Bai Si Ruo asked about her mother's recent situation. Bai Si Han answered fluently.
These days, she frequently visited Princess Wenyi's room. Eight out of ten times, she would encounter Madam Lin there. The three of them did not have awkward silences, and through these interactions, she gradually came to understand more about the family's affairs.
Before they even reached the flower hall, they saw someone approaching them.
Bai Si Han had never seen such a handsome man. His handsomeness was an absolute dominance of his facial features.
It had nothing to do with his demeanor or his background.
As the man approached, he also saw Bai Si Ruo and Bai Si Han. He was generous and paid his respects to both of them in person.
"This humble scholar, Wan Zixian, greets the Second Young Madam and Miss Bai."
"You have sharp eyes. How did you recognize us?"
The man smiled slightly, as warm as the spring breeze in March.
"This humble scholar heard the Princess mention you at home."
It seemed that he had secretly seen a portrait of Bai Si Han, otherwise, how could he have recognized her at a glance.
Bai Si Ruo observed the two of them and found them to be a well-matched couple.
She had to admit that her aunt had arranged a very good marriage.
Bai Si Han was a little reserved and shy at first, but Wan Zixian had a refined conversation. At one moment, he spoke of the customs of other regions, and at another, he spoke of the snacks in the capital. Especially when he mentioned that he had been to Qiongzhou and lived there for a few months, their conversation became lively.
As they talked back and forth, they became engrossed.
It seemed that the two of them had taken a liking to each other. Bai Si Ruo found an excuse to withdraw.