Qiao Yun was also caught off guard.
She had not expected the Crown Grandson to give her deed of bondage to Ling Jingshu.
What this meant — she of course understood perfectly well.
Since the Crown Grandson had sent the deed of bondage, he would never take it back. Her duties as a hidden guard could be laid down entirely. From this day forward, she was simply a maid at Ling Jingshu’s side.
No more being torn between loyalties. No more quiet inner conflict. She need only wholeheartedly attend to Young Miss in service.
Qiao Yun recovered quickly, knelt down respectfully, and said with firm resolution: “This servant is willing to remain at Young Miss’s side. From this day forward, this servant will forget everything from before, and be loyal to Young Miss alone.”
Ling Jingshu looked steadily at Qiao Yun and asked unhurriedly: “Is that truly what you wish? Once I marry, I will be living a quiet life devoted to family. Staying with me, you can only be an ordinary inner household maid. What little skills you have will mostly go unused. Looking back on today’s choice in the future — you won’t regret it?”
Qiao Yun’s expression had already grown calm: “This servant has thought it through clearly, and will never regret it.”
After a pause, she added with a touch of self-deprecating humor: “If given a choice, who would not prefer a peaceful and comfortable life? This servant was an orphan; had it not been for the hidden guard company taking me in and teaching me their skills, I would not have survived to this day. Whatever the master commands, this servant obeys. That has been this servant’s duty and purpose — and the reason this servant has lived until now.”
“I will not conceal this from Young Miss: to step away from the hidden guard company and live an ordinary life has always been this servant’s greatest wish. Now that the Crown Grandson has shown such exceptional grace in allowing me to follow Young Miss, this servant’s heart is filled with more joy than she can say.”
“I humbly ask that Young Miss accept this servant!”
Qiao Yun pressed her forehead deeply to the floor.
Ling Jingshu rose and walked to Qiao Yun’s side, gently helping her up, her expression warm and her gaze full of kindness: “Get up. We have a long stretch of days ahead of us together — there is no need to kneel at every turn.”
Young Miss had accepted her.
Qiao Yun rose as she was helped, and the delighted smile that broke across her face, radiating from within, was no pretense.
Ling Jingshu’s last remaining worry was set completely to rest.
If she were to speak honestly, Qiao Yun was thorough and careful in everything she did, bold of spirit yet sharp of mind, and trained in martial arts. She was genuinely indispensable at Ling Jingshu’s side. Yet Qiao Yun’s identity as a hidden guard had been like a thorn caught in the throat. Simply bringing Qiao Yun along to the Wei residence as things stood left her feeling unsettled and uneasy inside. But to send Qiao Yun away without good reason would also risk offending the Crown Grandson.
This outcome — so unexpected — was perfectly satisfying on every side.
Ling Jingshu gave Qiao Yun a faint smile: “Qiao Yun, I have a task for you right now. You must see it done properly.”
Without hesitation, Qiao Yun replied: “Please give your instructions, Young Miss. This servant will do everything in her power.”
Ling Jingshu first set Qiao Yun’s deed of bondage to one side, then gathered all the land deeds and banknotes together, arranged them neatly, and placed them back into the case.
Qiao Yun had a faint inkling of what was coming.
Sure enough, Ling Jingshu placed the case in Qiao Yun’s hands and said with serene composure: “Return this case to the Crown Grandson on my behalf.”
Qiao Yun’s expression remained unchanged, but her voice dropped slightly: “This servant does not mean to disobey Young Miss’s command. Only — things that the Crown Grandson has sent out, he is unlikely to take back. Would Young Miss not consider accepting this gesture of goodwill from His Highness…”
“Send it back.”
Ling Jingshu cut Qiao Yun off with quiet finality.
Qiao Yun swallowed every remaining word and instead gave a low: “Yes.”
…
The following day, the case reappeared before the Crown Grandson.
Lu Cai did not dare lift his head to look at the Crown Grandson’s darkened expression, and reported in a low voice: “Your Highness, this was sent back by Qiao Yun. She also conveyed Young Miss Ling’s verbal message — that she cannot accept such generosity without having rendered service to deserve it.”
The Crown Grandson was silent for a moment, then opened the case. The land deeds, shop deeds, and banknotes were all there without a single piece missing — only Qiao Yun’s deed of bondage was gone. Should he count himself fortunate that she had at least not returned everything?
The Crown Grandson tugged at the corner of his lips, a flash of bitterness crossing his eyes.
He had no ulterior motive behind any of this.
He had simply thought — she was about to wed, and there was nothing else he could do for her — so he would send her these things to keep as her own private reserves, as a safeguard. It was just this small gesture of care, and even that she would not accept.
She must be worried about Wei Yan becoming jealous and resentful.
Wei Yan — what virtue, what capability do you possess, that you have earned every last piece of her wholehearted devotion?
In the days to come, even if he became Crown Prince and gained the realm entire, even if he took new wives and welcomed many a beautiful woman into his household, nothing could ever fill the ache of having lost the woman he loved.
Lu Cai waited a long while without receiving any command, and quietly looked up.
The Crown Grandson’s face bore an expression of desolate and bitter anguish that left even Lu Cai’s heart aching in sympathy.
What an exalted and noble station His Highness held — and yet in this world there was something even he could not obtain.
Lu Cai, protectively loyal to his master, felt a surge of dissatisfaction toward Ling Jingshu’s cold and unfeeling conduct, and, summoning his courage, ventured to say: “If Your Highness wishes to send a bridal gift, why do it in secret? Better to send it openly and openly to the Ling residence. Young Miss Ling could hardly send the gift back under those circumstances.”
The Ling Family receiving a gift, after all, would only be able to kneel and offer their thanks.
The Crown Grandson glanced at him: “Are you suggesting this prince should use power to bully those weaker?”
Lu Cai: “……”
Lu Cai’s face flushed crimson in an instant, and he dropped to his knees at once to beg forgiveness: “It is this subordinate who spoke out of turn. I humbly beg Your Highness’s pardon.”
The Crown Grandson’s expression betrayed no particular emotion: “Given that your loyalty and devotion to your master are genuine, this time it shall pass. Know better how to conduct yourself. You may withdraw.”
Lu Cai knelt in gratitude, then retreated in chastened embarrassment. Once outside the door, he wiped the cold sweat from his brow with his sleeve.
Not far away, Wang Tong had witnessed everything and could not help but feel quietly startled. He walked to Lu Cai’s side and asked in a low voice: “What happened? Did you offend His Highness?”
The Crown Grandson’s temper was not especially mild, yet Wang Tong and Lu Cai were both trusted men close to him, and it was rare for them to face a scolding.
Lu Cai gave a rueful smile: “Don’t ask. I spoke out of turn and said what I shouldn’t have. That His Highness didn’t truly punish me, only dismissed me — that in itself is something to be grateful for.”
Wang Tong’s curiosity swelled, and he pressed for the full story.
Lu Cai hesitated briefly, then recounted the matter in a low voice.
Wang Tong, hearing everything, rolled his eyes: “You really are an idiot. How could you speak out of turn about something like this! You had it coming.”
Well, quite. Lu Cai laughed at himself with a rueful smile.
…
Ling Jingshu waited two days, and when no reaction of any kind came from the Crown Grandson, the anxiety in her heart at last settled back into place.
Those bridal gifts sent by the Crown Grandson — she would never have accepted them under any circumstances.
One should not accept a reward one has not earned.
What she had done for the Crown Grandson had already received its due recompense. Lu An and Lu Ping were dead; the Lu Family would be exiled beyond the frontier pass in a matter of days. Between the two of them, all accounts were now settled and clear.
If she had accepted such a lavish bridal gift as that — what would Wei Yan think when he found out?
Even setting Wei Yan aside entirely — she still would never have accepted it. To cut off the Crown Grandson’s lingering feelings, one had to make the break clean, without leaving the smallest foothold for attachment.
Call her hardhearted if one wished. Call her cold and unfeeling if one must.
This was, for both of them, the best possible ending.