On the dining table in the front hall, a dazzling array of delicacies was spread out.
Today, Princess Consort Kang and her party were not in the Imperial Mansion, so Bai Daoyan could finally have a good meal alone with his younger sister.
"Zhi’er, try this." He picked some meat and stir-fried bamboo shoots with his chopsticks and placed it in the little one’s bowl.
Bai Zhi’er ate heartily, holding her small bowl and eating, lifting her head, her cheek adorned with a grain of rice.
Seeing this, Bai Daoyan laughed and helped her remove it.
"Brother, what illness does Sixth Brother have?" The little one was very curious.
They were family, and Bai Daoyan did not intend to hide the truth.
He spoke with a heavy tone: "When Sixth Brother was born, his health was poor, he was always sick, and our mother spent much effort caring for him."
"When he was four years old, my parents argued about his medication; in a moment of anger, my mother said something she now regrets."
"She said, she really shouldn’t have given birth to him for my father and that otherwise, the child would not suffer so much."
"It’s not my mother’s fault; at that time, Father spent his days outside, drinking and reveling with friends, and rarely accompanied Sixth Brother."
"My father was also very angry at the time, so he replied with some unpleasant words, which unexpectedly, Sixth Brother overheard."
Bai Daoyan sighed lightly, his brows filled with deep concern.
"From then on, Sixth Brother’s personality changed, becoming reclusive, strange, and liking to hurt himself."
"Whenever he was upset, he would hurt those nearby; no matter how much we comforted him or sought out expert physicians, it was to no avail."
"Gradually, we feared he might have an accident if he left the house, so our parents seldom let him out."
Bai Zhi’er listened up to here, her small face showing sympathy.
"Sixth Brother is so pitiful."
The parents’ quarrel, inadvertently involving him, with talk of him being an unwanted child.
Hearing that, anyone would find it difficult to accept!
Bai Zhi’er thought of her own mother.
She remembered her mother saying that when she was still in her mother’s womb, her father would talk to her mother’s belly every day.
Calling her "precious daughter" or "Father’s little darling, and your mother is the big darling," and such were plentiful.
She was born with her father and mother’s anticipation, even though separated for a time from Bai Xilie.
Yet, Bai Zhi’er still felt she was a happy child!
So, she could understand, if her own parents said they did not like her, she too would be heartbroken.
Bai Daoyan looked at his sensible and well-behaved younger sister’s face, fondly.
He smiled lightly: "Actually, Sixth Brother is just sensitive and needs delicate handling; Zhi’er, if you’re free, you could spend more time with him."
Bai Zhi’er nodded vigorously: "Sixth Brother is very good, he just reminded Zhi’er to crawl away because he didn’t want to hurt me!"
Bai Daoyan was taken aback, only able to offer a helpless smile.
The little one was full, recalling why she came to Prince Kang’s Mansion, quickly taking out a pre-prepared prescription from her sleeve.
"Fourth Brother, can you help me see, can this prescription sell for one hundred pieces among the people, each priced one tael?"
Bai Daoyan took it and glanced over it.
"Mountain Gardenia two qian, coptis one tael..." He raised his head suspiciously: "Zhi’er, what kind of prescription is this?"
Bai Zhi’er sweetly smiled: "To treat colds~ I heard from Sister Qingmei that every winter, people catch colds and then infect each other, turning into chronic illnesses."
"Recently, I’ve been somewhat short of silver; last time, Fourth Brother helped me send out roasted potatoes, and the response seemed good, so I thought of selling prescriptions, just for a small bit of money."
Bai Daoyan laughed: "How much do you need?"
Bai Zhi’er hadn’t answered yet.
Bai Daoyan just waved his hand, calling his followers, he calmly said: "Go bring two gold boxes here."