Ling Daye wrote the letter that same night. The following morning, Sun Shi ordered a household servant to deliver it to Dingzhou.
After the servant sent to carry the letter had gone, Sun Shi suddenly remembered something important. Since Ling Jingshu and her brother had arrived in the capital, it seemed as though — not once, not one single time — had they written a letter home.
And more than that.
In ordinary conversation, Ling Jingshu had not let slip even the tiniest trace of longing for her family back home……
Was Ling Jingshu simply someone cold at heart by nature, or was there something more to it?
When Ling Jingshu and Ling Xiao came to pay their morning respects, Sun Shi asked, with carefully feigned casualness, “A’Shu, A’Xiao — it has been over a month since you left home and came to the capital. Have you written any letters back?”
From the day she had left Dingzhou, she had never intended to return. The family members left behind in Dingzhou were, to her, no more than a blurred collection of faces.
How could she find it in herself to write letters home?
Ling Jingshu curved the corners of her mouth and answered lightly, “These past days I have been busy running about, taken up entirely with the matter of A’Xiao’s treatment. I must have let writing home slip from my mind.”
Even if Sun Shi were rather slow-witted, she could tell something was off. Her gaze swept across Ling Jingshu’s lovely face, full of searching inquiry. “Was it truly only because you were too busy to remember?”
Ling Jingshu’s eyes flickered faintly, and with a calm smile she answered with a question of her own. “What made First Aunt suddenly think to ask about this? Could it be that First Uncle has just written a letter home, and that prompted First Aunt to think of asking me in passing?”
Sun Shi: “……”
This girl — she really was born with a heart of seven clever chambers. Frighteningly shrewd and perceptive.
Sun Shi cleared her throat. “You are right — you guessed it exactly. Your First Uncle had a letter written last night, and I had someone send it back to Dingzhou first thing this morning.”
Ling Jingshu let out a measured sound of understanding, and then, with studied nonchalance, followed up with one more question: “First Uncle suddenly writing a letter home — was there something urgent?”
Sun Shi coughed, her manner slightly uneasy. “Nothing particularly urgent. Just to send word that all is well, and to let them know that A’Xiao has been fortunate enough to come under Imperial Physician Wei’s care — so they won’t be left worrying in Dingzhou.”
There was surely more to it than just that.
Given the nature of Ling Daye and Sun Shi, they were in all likelihood already fixing their sights on the Crown Prince’s residence, dreaming of becoming imperial in-laws.
Ling Jingshu laughed to herself inwardly, but made no move to expose Sun Shi. Instead she followed the direction of Sun Shi’s words and smiled. “How very thoughtful of First Aunt — A’Xiao and I are grateful.”
Sun Shi felt a twinge of guilty conscience after all. Even her thick-skinned composure was not entirely equal to it. She squeezed out a smile and swiftly changed the subject. “Imperial Physician Wei has now administered acupuncture twice, and A’Xiao has been drinking the herbal decoctions and applying the medicinal ointment every day — has he been feeling any better?”
Ling Xiao answered obediently, “There is occasional sharp pain in my head. My eyes feel hot and itchy.”
“Having sensations at all is a good sign.” Sun Shi smiled and offered reassurance. “You were blind for nearly six years — restoring your sight will take time. It certainly cannot be accomplished in just a few days.”
In the middle of this exchange, the gatekeeper’s steward came walking in with a slightly peculiar expression, and reported, “My Lady, an attendant has come from Princess Changping’s residence.”
The Ling family had no dealings whatsoever with Princess Changping’s household. Why would Princess Changping suddenly send someone over?
Sun Shi was first taken aback, but quickly recalled the encounter with Princess Changping at the Crown Prince’s residence that day. At the time, Princess Changping had said offhandedly that she would have Ling Jingshu come to the lotus-viewing banquet at the princess’s residence — could it be that this steward had come to deliver an invitation?
Whatever the reason for the visit, they absolutely could not afford to show any discourtesy.
Sun Shi immediately ordered, “Bring the steward in at once.”
Princess Changping was the Emperor’s most beloved princess. Wherever she went, she was never short of people fawning over her and seeking her favour. The attendants in the princess’s household naturally carried with them a certain air of superiority.
This attendant was around seventeen or eighteen years of age, rather fine-looking, though with features somewhat soft and feminine, and a voice slightly thin and sharp. Upon entering the inner chamber, he did not so much as spare Sun Shi and the others a direct glance. “This servant is from the princess’s household. You may address me as Eunuch Lu.”
Sun Shi, whatever her private discomfort, would not let even a sliver of it show. She quickly smiled and beckoned, “So it is Eunuch Lu — what an honour to have you come all this way. Please, do sit down and speak. Bring tea!”
As the wife of a government official, there was naturally no question of bowing to a eunuch. Sun Shi simply let the matter slide past without acknowledgment.
Eunuch Lu made no ceremony of it either, and took the seat of honour with a casual, self-important swagger.
Ling Jingshu and Ling Jingyan exchanged a glance — both seeing the disdain in each other’s eyes.
As the mistress, so the servants.
This saying proved absolutely true.
Eunuch Lu drank half a cup of tea at his leisure, then slowly made his purpose known. “This servant has come today by order of Her Royal Highness the Princess, specifically to deliver the invitation to the lotus-viewing banquet.”
Having said that, he drew from within his garments an eye-catching golden invitation.
Truly the Princess’s own brother’s sister — even an ordinary invitation was fashioned from gilded silk.
Sun Shi smiled and accepted the invitation with both hands, expressing her gratitude in a flurry of words. “Her Royal Highness is so very thoughtful. Many thanks to Eunuch Lu for making the journey all this way to deliver the invitation. Here is a small token — a trifling gesture, and I hope Eunuch Lu will accept it.”
With that, she pressed a small pouch into his hands.
Eunuchs who had undergone the procedure were, for the most part, lovers of money.
This Eunuch Lu was no exception.
He gave the pouch a squeeze — light and thin inside. Clearly a few bank notes.
At last a satisfied smile appeared on Eunuch Lu’s face, and his manner softened a degree or two. “All those receiving invitations are daughters of noble or marquis households. The young misses of the Ling family are most fortunate to be attending this occasion — a blessing from a former life’s virtue.”
The words were a little sharp, but they were also the truth.
For a banquet at the princess’s residence, the daughters of a mere fourth-rank official would ordinarily have had absolutely no right to attend.
After Sun Shi saw Eunuch Lu off with a thousand expressions of gratitude, she immediately turned to Ling Jingyan and Ling Jingshu, her face flushed with excitement. “A’Yan, A’Shu — attending this banquet at the princess’s residence is a splendid opportunity for the two of you. You can use it to make acquaintances among the daughters of distinguished families. If you could get to know a commandery princess or two, so much the better.”
Ling Jingyan pursed her lips. “If they are all like Commandery Princess Fumin, we would be better off not making any acquaintances at all.”
Ever since hearing of Commandery Princess Fumin’s many misdeeds, she had secured for herself, in Ling Jingyan’s estimation, an uncontested first place.
Thinking of Commandery Princess Fumin, Ling Jingyan could not help but feel a touch anxious. She turned to look at Ling Jingshu. “A’Shu, you already have a falling-out with Commandery Princess Fumin. At the banquet, if we run into her — what do we do?”
Commandery Princess Fumin and Princess Changping were cousins, and the two saw each other frequently. This lotus-viewing banquet — there was an eight or nine out of ten chance Commandery Princess Fumin would be there too.
Ling Jingshu had anticipated this from the outset. She answered calmly, “Running into her is nothing to worry about. If she takes the initiative to provoke us, I simply won’t engage.”
To draw upon the power of the Eastern Palace in exacting her revenge, there was no avoiding dealings with Princess Changping. Given how often they would be encountering each other in the future, she would also inevitably run into the wilful and imperious Commandery Princess Fumin. Simply hiding from it all was not a solution.