When Ling Jingyan left, her eyes were red and swollen from crying.
Ling Jingshu held up slightly better than Ling Jingyan, but her face was still streaked with tears.
Bai Yu stood to the side, silently weeping for a long while. She offered no words of comfort, only quietly brought over warm water and a towel. After washing her face clean, Ling Jingshu’s mood settled considerably.
After Ling Jingyan left, Ling Xiao came.
“A’Shu,” the moment Ling Xiao opened his mouth, his eyes reddened. “Once you’re in the palace, you must be careful and take good care of yourself.”
The two siblings had grown up together since childhood, relying on each other, and had never once been apart. Thinking that from tomorrow they would be separated, Ling Xiao’s tears welled up at once.
Ling Jingshu had already cried earlier and her mood had since calmed considerably. She used a handkerchief to wipe away Ling Xiao’s tears and said gently, “A’Xiao, don’t cry. Truthfully, I’m entering the palace willingly this time.”
Ling Xiao froze, forgetting to cry, and looked at Ling Jingshu with a puzzled expression. “You’re just saying that to comfort me, aren’t you!” How could A’Shu possibly want to enter the palace?
Ling Jingshu gazed at Ling Xiao, her eyes calm. “I’m not comforting you. Do you remember what I told you before? I came to the capital for two reasons—first, I hoped to cure your eye condition, and second, there was something very important I needed to do. Now that your eyes have been healed, the thing I worried about most is resolved. Next, I need to go do what I ought to do.”
A flash of cold, resolute determination crossed Ling Jingshu’s eyes.
Seeing Ling Jingshu like this made Ling Xiao feel as though she were somewhat unfamiliar to him. “A’Shu, what are you talking about? I don’t understand a word of it.”
Ling Jingshu softened her expression and smiled at Ling Xiao. “It’s fine if you don’t understand. You just need to know that I’m willing to enter the palace.”
Was A’Shu truly willing?
Ling Xiao looked at Ling Jingshu, his feelings a tangled mess, and for a moment he didn’t know what to say.
Ling Jingshu spoke softly again. “Lady Jieyu and Princess Anya will look after me, and I’ll protect myself well too, so you needn’t worry. You should put all your effort into your studies and pass the entrance examination into the Imperial Academy as soon as possible.”
Ling Xiao solemnly agreed. “A’Shu, I will definitely work hard.”
Ling Jingshu hummed in relief, comforted.
The two siblings talked quietly together for a long while before Ling Xiao finally left.
…
That night, Sun Shi and Jiang Shi each sent someone to deliver silver.
Of all places in the world, the imperial palace was the one place that never lacked for silver, and yet it was also the place that most required spending it. Entering the palace to serve meant being unfamiliar with the people and affairs within, so silver would inevitably be needed to smooth the way.
Ling Jingshu didn’t stand on ceremony and accepted all of it.
She kept a few thousand taels in banknotes on hand for ready use, while for the remaining thirty thousand taels, the careful Bai Yu divided the notes into three portions and sewed them into the hidden pockets of a silk jacket.
Qiao Yun, being tactful, made herself scarce while Bai Yu was occupied with this task.
By the time all this was finished, night had fully fallen.
Ling Jingshu instructed Bai Yu in a low voice, “Go call Qiao Yun over. I have something to ask her.”
Bai Yu never asked unnecessary questions. She acknowledged the order and went to fetch Qiao Yun. Once Qiao Yun entered the room, Bai Yu quietly stepped outside and stood guard at the door.
“You called for this servant, my lady. What are your instructions?” Qiao Yun asked respectfully.
Under the bright candlelight, Ling Jingshu’s gaze was sharp and clear. “There’s no one else here, just the two of us, so there’s no need to beat around the bush. You’ve already sent word to His Highness the Crown Grandson about my entering the palace tomorrow, haven’t you?”
Qiao Yun answered candidly, “Yes. Such an important matter—this servant wouldn’t dare conceal it. In truth, even if this servant hadn’t sent word, His Highness the Crown Grandson would have found out regardless.”
With the Emperor gravely ill, the Crown Grandson entered the palace every day to attend to him, so it was impossible he hadn’t heard of this.
Ling Jingshu’s lips curved slightly, though no smile reached her eyes. “Then His Highness should also know that I plan to bring you into the palace with me. I wonder if His Highness has given any special instructions?”
Qiao Yun considered for a moment before answering, “His Highness sent this servant an order—to protect my lady’s safety at all costs.”
Ling Jingshu remained unmoved, saying flatly, “Aside from that, didn’t he also instruct you to secretly gather information from within Jiaofang Palace?”
Qiao Yun said nothing, which counted as a tacit admission.
Planting eyes and ears within the imperial palace to gather information was by no means an easy task.
Empress Xu had managed the palace for many years; her informants were everywhere, her eyes and ears in every corner—it would not be an exaggeration to say the rear palace was Empress Xu’s domain. Jiaofang Palace in particular was guarded with especially tight precautions.
That Qiao Yun could now enter Jiaofang Palace alongside Ling Jingshu this time was an unexpected stroke of good fortune.
“Even without His Highness’s order, I had this intention myself.”
Ling Jingshu’s tone eased considerably. “While I remained confined to the women’s quarters, though I wished to serve His Highness, I was willing but unable—it was difficult to gather any useful information. Now that I can serve in Jiaofang Palace, it counts as fortunate. You and Bai Yu will both come with me into the palace. Bai Yu will see to my daily needs, while you will secretly make connections with the maids and eunuchs of Jiaofang Palace and gather information.”
“I’m not yet certain what duties I’ll be assigned, but since I’m entering as a female official, I’ll have the chance to see Empress Xu often, and to deal with the other female officials of Jiaofang Palace as well. I’ll tell you everything I learn, and you’ll secretly pass the information on to His Highness the Crown Grandson.”
“If His Highness has anything he wishes me to investigate, he need only give the order. I will never refuse.”
“The reason I called you here tonight is to tell you all this. You may as well relay it to His Highness in full, word for word.”
This was Ling Jingshu’s way of demonstrating her sincerity and resolve to the Crown Grandson!
Qiao Yun understood at once and solemnly agreed, “This servant will follow my lady’s instructions exactly. I’ll go prepare now and send the message back tonight.”
…
On the night before her departure, Ling Jingshu had expected her thoughts to race endlessly, making sleep impossible. Yet unexpectedly, once she lay down, she fell asleep quickly.
A dreamless night, a peaceful sleep.
The next morning, Ling Jingshu washed up and dressed neatly, then led Bai Yu and Qiao Yun to the inner hall.
This was the important day Ling Jingshu would leave the household and enter the palace. Everyone in the Ling household, high and low, had gathered together to see her off.
All the words that needed saying had already been said these past days, and all the tears that needed shedding had already been shed.
With the parting now at hand, even Ling Jingyan, who cried the most easily, forced out a smile and said in a cheerful tone, “A’Shu, from today on you’ll be a female official at the Empress’s side. You’d better serve well in the palace—if you win Her Majesty’s favor, I, your cousin, will gain face too. From then on, whenever I go out visiting, I’ll be able to hold my head high, and who knows how many people will come scrambling to flatter and curry favor with me.”
Everyone burst out laughing.
Ling Jingshu smiled too. “Yes, yes, for Cousin Yan’s sake, I’ll be sure to serve well and do my best to win Her Majesty’s favor.”
Ling Jingyan laughed and leaned in close, quickly hugging Ling Jingshu, whispering in her ear, “A’Shu, take care of yourself!”