The one who came to the Ling residence to escort Ling Jingshu into the palace was a female official from Jiaofang Palace.

This official looked to be about twenty, slender and graceful in figure, with delicate, pretty features. Even when not smiling, her face seemed to carry a hint of warmth. Upon seeing Ling Jingshu, she affectionately took her hand and said, “Miss Ling, I’m Rui Lian. Her Majesty the Empress specially instructed me to come escort you into the palace.”

Ling Jingshu had visited Jiaofang Palace three times before and had some impression of Rui Lian’s face. Knowing this was one of Empress Xu’s trusted confidantes, she knew better than to be careless, and quickly smiled. “Since we’ll both be serving at Her Majesty’s side from now on, Sister Rui Lian, you can simply call me A’Shu.”

Rui Lian pressed her lips together and smiled, replying with easy grace, “Very well. Since I’m a few years older, I’ll shamelessly accept being called Sister Rui Lian.” She paused, then added, “There are many rules in the palace. Once we’re in the carriage, I’ll explain them to you in detail.”

Ling Jingshu thanked her with a smile, then formally bid farewell to everyone and boarded the carriage together with Rui Lian.

The carriage gradually receded into the distance, and once it turned a corner, it soon vanished from sight.

The tears Ling Xiao had been holding back for so long finally slipped from the corners of his eyes.

Ling Ji sighed softly and patted Ling Xiao’s shoulder. “A’Xiao, don’t be too upset. A’Shu is clever and quick-witted, and she’s already won Her Majesty’s favor. Once she’s in Jiaofang Palace, she’ll surely earn the Empress’s good graces quickly—nothing will go wrong.”

If only that were so!

Ling Xiao wiped his tears with his sleeve and gave a small hum of acknowledgment.

Ling Ji encouraged him further with a smile. “You promised A’Shu you’d study hard and pass the entrance examination into the Imperial Academy as soon as possible. There’s a little over a month left until the examination—you’d better apply yourself well.”

“Cousin is right to remind me.” Ling Xiao nodded firmly. “I’ll go back to the residence and study right away.”

Ling Wuye, rarely showing such fatherly affection, said, “A’Xiao, I’ll review your studies with you. If there’s anything you don’t understand, just ask me.”

Whatever else might be said of him, Ling Wuye had earned his juren degree and had considerable accomplishment in the classics, history, and policy essays. It was only that in recent years he had taken to poetry and romantic verse, rarely studying seriously or writing proper essays anymore.

Ling Xiao’s goodwill toward his father was quite limited. Hearing this, he merely gave a flat acknowledgment, showing none of the tearful gratitude one might expect.

Ling Wuye felt a flicker of displeasure, but on second thought, he realized that Ling Xiao and Ling Jingshu shared deep sibling affection, and this was the very first time in all these years they had been separated. It was only natural that Ling Xiao’s mood would be poor.

As a father, could he really hold something so petty against his own son?

With that thought, the trace of displeasure in Ling Wuye’s heart quickly faded.

…

“There are over fifty eunuchs in Jiaofang Palace, and slightly more maids—eighty in all. The head eunuch is surnamed Sun and oversees all the eunuchs. When you see him, just call him Eunuch Sun. Eunuch Sun handles all the external affairs and miscellaneous matters of Jiaofang Palace. As for the internal matters of the palace, several female officials each manage their own portion.”

Rui Lian was indeed true to her word—once they were in the carriage, she explained the personnel and affairs of Jiaofang Palace to Ling Jingshu in detail.

“There are five female officials in Jiaofang Palace in total, each overseeing a dozen or so maids. Everyone has their own assigned duties and responsibilities.”

“Yao Huang is in charge of food and refreshments in Jiaofang Palace, Xue Su manages needlework and clothing, and Luo Yan is responsible for the duty rotations and night watches throughout the palace.”

“Qiu Shuang has the most maids under her and the heaviest workload. The sweeping and tidying of every room in Jiaofang Palace falls under her charge, and she also manages the storerooms.”

In other words, Empress Xu alone had over a hundred people serving her!

Ling Jingshu quietly committed all this to memory, then asked tentatively with a smile, “I wonder, Sister Rui Lian, what are you in charge of?”

Rui Lian smiled faintly. “Her Majesty has to oversee the affairs of all six palaces, and naturally there must be someone to run errands and relay messages. My talents are mediocre, and I can’t do much else, so these errand-running tasks were given to me.”

This was clearly a remark of false modesty.

The ability to deliver Empress Xu’s verbal decrees to the various palaces on her behalf was more than enough proof of how highly the Empress valued and trusted Rui Lian. Among the female officials, Rui Lian undoubtedly held the highest standing.

To establish herself quickly in Jiaofang Palace, she absolutely could not afford to offend Rui Lian, who sat before her now.

“Sister Rui Lian is far too modest.”

Ling Jingshu’s eyes were full of admiration. “This duty represents Her Majesty’s own face and dignity. If the Empress didn’t trust you so exceptionally, she would never have entrusted such an important task to you, Sister. I’m young and inexperienced, so I hope Sister Rui Lian will guide me often in the days ahead, so I don’t carelessly make some mistake that displeases Her Majesty.”

In her daily life moving through the palace, Rui Lian encountered plenty of people who flattered and fawned over her—she was hardly the type to bare her heart after a couple of flattering words. Hearing this, she pressed her lips together and smiled. “We’ll both be serving at Her Majesty’s side from now on, seeing each other morning and night, so let’s skip these polite formalities.”

“I’ve simply had the advantage of arriving a few years earlier. With your cleverness and quick wit, given time, you’ll surely surpass me by far.”

As Rui Lian spoke, she smiled warmly again. “The maids and female officials of Jiaofang Palace are only selected once every three years. You, on the other hand, were specially summoned into the palace as a companion because Her Majesty favors you so greatly—your status is simply not the same as ours.”

Ling Jingshu immediately displayed the humility and respect befitting a newcomer. “When Sister Rui Lian puts it that way, I truly feel uneasy and ashamed.”

“Winning Her Majesty’s favor was entirely unexpected to me as well. Being fortunate enough to serve in the palace is Her Majesty’s grace, and even more so, the blessing I must have earned in a past life. I’m completely unfamiliar with how things work in the palace and understand nothing. I’ll have to ask Sister Rui Lian for guidance in everything from now on. I’ll follow your lead in all things, Sister.”

She really was a sharp, perceptive young woman.

In such a short time, she had already worked out her standing within Jiaofang Palace and shown proper respect and deference toward her as a “senior.”

With her support, Ling Jingshu would be able to quickly understand and become familiar with the personnel of Jiaofang Palace, and soon gain a firm footing.

In that case, there’d be nothing to fear from Yao Huang, Qiu Shuang, and the others either.

A flicker of knowing amusement crossed Rui Lian’s eyes, but she didn’t respond right away, only saying with a smile, “I couldn’t possibly accept that. Since we’ll be serving together at Her Majesty’s side, it’s only natural that we look out for one another. As for guidance and following my lead—I really couldn’t bear such a thing.”

Ling Jingshu hadn’t actually expected to win Rui Lian over so quickly in such a short time anyway.

That little display just now was only meant to show her sincerity and deference—a gesture of respect toward a senior.

As long as Rui Lian didn’t deliberately make things difficult for her or secretly trip her up, this first step could be counted as the right one.

The two chatted and laughed the whole way. When they reached the palace gate, the moment Rui Lian appeared, the guards on duty didn’t even bother checking her waist tally, and said with a smile, “Oh, it’s Miss Rui Lian. Open the palace gate, quickly.”

Among those who served in the palace, who didn’t know that Rui Lian was Empress Xu’s foremost and most trusted confidante?

Rui Lian thanked them with a smile, then turned to call to Ling Jingshu, “Come along with me!”

Ling Jingshu acknowledged and silently followed along.