In the middle of the night, heavy snow began to drift down.
When everyone rose at the third night watch, the sky was still dark, and outside, a thick layer of snow had already blanketed the ground.
As Bai Yu dressed Ling Jingshu’s hair, she murmured worriedly, “Miss, this snow doesn’t look like it’ll stop anytime soon. Traveling by carriage in such weather will be quite inconvenient!”
Ling Jingshu sighed softly. “There’s nothing to be done about it. Today, even if it weren’t just snow but hailstones large enough to kill a person falling from the sky, I would still have to go to the palace.”
Bai Yu knew there was no use complaining, so she carefully continued dressing Ling Jingshu’s hair, then instructed Qiao Yun, “Go to the cabinet and bring that sable fur cloak.”
Going out in such cold weather meant dressing warmly was essential.
Qiao Yun acknowledged her and quickly brought the sable fur cloak over, helping Ling Jingshu put it on. Bai Yu also thoughtfully prepared a hand warmer for her.
Even so, the moment the door was pushed open, Ling Jingshu couldn’t help but shiver involuntarily.
It really was bitterly cold today. A biting wind mixed with flurries of snowflakes struck her face, chilling her to the bone.
Ling Jingshu quickly stopped in her tracks and said in a low voice, “Bai Yu, you and Qiao Yun hurry back inside and find thick cloaks to put on before you come back out.”
Bai Yu’s heart warmed at this, but she laughed and said, “Miss, there’s no need to worry. This servant has thick skin, I’m not cold at all.”
Their young miss going out wearing a sable fur cloak was both warm and elegant. But what maid would wear a cloak too? Not only would it be cumbersome and inconvenient to walk in, it would simply look improper.
Qiao Yun also laughed and said, “If Bai Yu doesn’t mind the cold, then I certainly don’t either. I’ve practiced martial arts for years, so I can endure cold better than ordinary people. Miss, there’s no need to worry.”
Both maids insisted on refusing, and Ling Jingshu had no choice but to let the matter drop.
By the time they reached the inner hall, Sun Shi was already fully dressed. Her makeup was more solemn than usual, and the jade headdress she wore sparkled brilliantly.
Ling Jingyan and Ling Jingshu arrived at the inner hall almost at the same time. Seeing Sun Shi, Ling Jingyan’s mischievous streak surged up, and she teased with a grin, “Mother, you’ve finally decided to part with that set of jewelry you’ve kept hidden at the bottom of your chest all this time.”
She winked at Ling Jingshu. “This was part of my mother’s dowry when she married into the family. Usually she won’t even let me look at it for long.”
Ling Jingshu couldn’t help but laugh.
Looking closely, Sun Shi’s set of jade ornaments was indeed a rare treasure. The color was a vivid emerald green, the craftsmanship exquisite — clearly no ordinary piece.
Sun Shi was in excellent spirits and didn’t bother arguing with Ling Jingyan. “Alright, it’s getting late, we can’t afford to delay. Let’s set out now!”
…
The sky had begun to lighten, but the wind and snow hadn’t stopped — if anything, they seemed to be intensifying. The snow on the ground grew thicker and thicker, and the carriage simply couldn’t move quickly.
This was Sun Shi’s first time entering the palace in her life, and fearing they would be delayed, she kept lifting the carriage curtain to peer outside. She muttered from time to time, “The capital gets snow every year, but we haven’t seen snow this heavy in years.”
“With snow this deep on the road, the carriage can only crawl along. At this rate, we’re going to be late…”
“Mother, please stop fretting.” Ling Jingyan’s head was starting to ache from listening, and she couldn’t help pleading, “You’ve been talking nonstop the whole way, my ears are practically callused from it.”
Sun Shi didn’t know whether to be annoyed or amused, and shot Ling Jingyan a glare.
Ling Jingshu smoothed things over with a smile. “Weather like this really isn’t suitable for traveling. It’s not just us — everyone else heading to the palace is in the same situation. Even if we’re a little late, Her Majesty the Empress surely won’t hold it against us.”
That was much more reassuring to hear.
Sun Shi’s mood settled at once, and her restless anxiety eased.
Around the hour of Chen, they finally arrived outside the palace gates.
The carriage stopped while still quite far from the palace gates.
Sun Shi poked her head out to look and couldn’t help but exclaim, “So many carriages!”
Ling Jingshu followed Sun Shi’s gaze and looked as well.
In the open space outside the palace gates, carriages from various households were lined up in orderly rows. Only after the guards stationed at the gates had questioned and inspected each one could the ladies disembark and enter through the palace gates.
Many palace maids stood inside the gates, and once the ladies entered, the maids would come forward to lead them further into the palace.
Ling Jingshu watched for a while, then said, “At this pace, we’ll still have to wait another half hour or so.”
Sun Shi was calm about it now. “Well, as long as we’re not late, it doesn’t matter that we’re all waiting in line here. We’ll just wait it out.”
Sure enough, it was nearly half an hour before it was their turn.
By the time they got out of the carriage, the snow filling the sky had finally lightened somewhat. Snowflakes landed on their faces, bringing waves of cold.
The guards and palace maids at the gate were stern and unsmiling, and the towering vermilion palace gates along with the high surrounding walls created an inexplicably oppressive feeling. Although Ling Jingyan was lively and spirited by nature, she found herself growing involuntarily timid at this moment, instinctively drawing closer to Ling Jingshu.
Ling Jingshu noticed Ling Jingyan’s unease, and quietly reached out to take her hand, soothing her in a low voice, “Don’t be afraid. No one’s going to stare at you forever, there’s no need to be so on edge.”
Ling Jingshu had been holding her hand warmer the whole time, so her hand was still warm.
Ling Jingyan’s inner fear and unease finally eased a little. Then, thinking of how Ling Jingshu had entered the palace alone several times before, facing Empress Xu and Wei Jieyu without showing any fear, she couldn’t help but feel deep admiration.
Mother was right.
Compared to A’Shu, she really did fall far short.
…
The rest of the way passed in silence.
They quietly followed the palace maid all the way to Jiaofang Hall. However, they were not yet qualified to enter the main hall for an audience. The palace maid led Sun Shi and the others to a side hall to wait.
The side hall was somewhat smaller than the main hall, but it could still hold several dozen people. The furnishings were luxurious and exquisite, and charcoal braziers burned in several corners, mingling with the elegant scent of sandalwood incense to create a warm and thoroughly comfortable atmosphere.
The maids weren’t permitted to enter the side hall and could only wait in another empty room.
By this time, quite a few people had already gathered in the side hall.
At a glance, there were a few familiar faces among them.
Sun Shi’s gaze swept the room and landed on the Duchess of Yingguo, beside whom stood a bright, charming young lady — none other than Jiang Rongyue.
Sun Shi quickly led Ling Jingyan and Ling Jingshu forward.
Ever since Jiang Rongyue’s wedding date with the Crown Grandson had been set, the Yingguo Duke’s household had grown even more influential than before. The moment Jiang Rongyue and her mother stood there, people flocked around to speak with them, creating quite the spectacle of stars surrounding the moon.
Sun Shi waited patiently for a while before finally getting the chance to exchange pleasantries.
The Duchess of Yingguo was somewhat surprised to see Sun Shi’s group, though she didn’t let it show on her face at all. She chatted with Sun Shi for a few moments with a smile, remarking on the rare heavy snowfall they’d had in years.
Since becoming engaged, Jiang Rongyue had reined in her lively nature considerably. She gave the Ling sisters a faint smile. “I didn’t expect the two of you to be coming to the palace today as well.”
Ling Jingyan, being somewhat more familiar with Jiang Rongyue, replied with a smile, “That’s right! Yesterday Her Majesty the Empress specially sent a phoenix decree to the Ling family. We were quite surprised ourselves when we received it!”
Just as they were speaking, another familiar figure came into view.