Since the founding of the Dazhou dynasty, the imperial court had placed great emphasis on canal transport and waterways — conscripting hundreds of thousands of laborers to dig canals and build water routes. By the current reign, the waterway network was extensive and extraordinarily convenient.

Compared to the jolting misery of carriages, river travel was faster and far more comfortable. A hundred li a day — with the added pleasure of the scenery along the way. Thus most people chose to travel by boat. Common folk generally took passenger vessels; merchants usually had their own commercial ships; officials of seventh rank and above could travel free of charge on official government boats.

The grade of official boat varied according to rank and status. Ling Daye held a fourth-rank official position — accordingly, he traveled on a first-class official vessel.

This official boat had three decks: the bottom deck housed the crew and miscellaneous servants; the second deck was for maids, matrons, and household guards; Ling Daye and his family occupied the third deck.

The third deck had eight cabins. Space on the boat was limited, so the cabins were not large — but they were exquisitely appointed. Each cabin had windows; sitting by one, you could gaze out at the riverside scenery.

Ling Jingshu and Ling Xiao were placed in adjacent cabins for easy care.

It was Ling Xiao’s first time leaving home by boat. At first he was too excited to contain himself, constantly asking Ling Jingshu to describe all the scenery she could see. But after several days, the novelty of boat travel began to wear off — and feeling cooped up in the cabin, he couldn’t help grumbling: “We’ve been on this boat five days already — how much longer before we reach the capital?”

Ling Jingshu laughed: “We’ve barely covered a third of the distance! There are still more than ten days of travel ahead. They say reading ten thousand books is no match for traveling ten thousand li — isn’t this what you always wanted, to leave Dingzhou and see the world?”

Ling Xiao, still a child at heart, had little patience. He flushed a little with embarrassment: “I just feel cooped up — no going out for a walk. I suppose I’d better read to pass the time.”

For Ling Xiao, “reading” meant having someone read aloud to him.

Ling Jingshu smiled: “I’m at leisure too — let me read to you.”

She instructed Bai Yu to fetch a book of miscellaneous anecdotes and travel writing, and read it aloud to Ling Xiao, slowly and steadily.

Warm, bright sunlight streamed through the windows, filling the small cabin with light. Ling Jingshu’s gentle, melodious voice filled the cabin; Ling Xiao sat beside her, docile and well-behaved, listening with rapt attention.

Jingyu served tea nearby; Bai Yu, with nothing to do, took up her needlework.

The atmosphere was peaceful and tranquil.

A little maidservant’s voice broke the stillness: “Miss, Young Master — Madam has lunch prepared and invites the Miss and Young Master to come and eat together.”

Ling Jingshu smiled and put down her book, taking Ling Xiao’s hand as they left the cabin for the dining room.

On board, breakfast and supper were taken separately in their respective cabins; only the midday meal was shared together.

Sun Shi had thoughtfully brought two cooks from home — both highly skilled. Each day’s noon meal was modest in number of dishes but exquisitely prepared and delicious.

By the time Ling Jingshu and her brother arrived, Ling Daye and the others were already seated at the table. Greetings had to be exchanged before taking their seats.

The First Branch’s family was not complicated in number.

Ling Daye had two daughters and two sons. The eldest daughter, Ling Jingao, had married a few years prior and now lived with her husband at his post in Tongzhou. The eldest son, Ling Ji, was currently a student at the Imperial Academy — he had married his wife Jiang Shi four years ago and they had no children yet. The second son had died in childhood. There was also a younger daughter, Ling Jingxian.

Seated at the table were Ling Daye and Sun Shi, Ling Ji and his wife Jiang Shi, and Ling Jingxian — plus Ling Jingshu and her brother, making seven in all. The round pearwood table was more than spacious enough.

Ling Daye was stern and unsmiling before the younger generation, a firm believer in eating and sleeping in silence. Everyone ate the noon meal in quiet, and only when Ling Daye rose and returned to his cabin did the atmosphere relax.

Without prompting, attentive maids brought out steaming hot tea and refreshments.

With the long journey ahead and little to do but stay on the boat, chatting made for excellent pastime.

Ling Jingxian cheerfully shared some amusing anecdotes about Imperial Physician Wei’s medical practice: “Wei Taiyi opened Huichun Hall before he was even sixteen, to take in sick patients. At first patients refused to trust him because he looked so young. He not only waived consultation fees but gave out medicine free of charge — that was how the poorest patients, who couldn’t even afford medicine, began to stay…”

“Now Wei Taiyi’s name resounds throughout the capital. On the first and fifteenth of each month — his consultation days — the line of patients outside Huichun Hall stretches for two full streets.” The young woman seated beside Ling Jingxian chimed in with a smile.

This young woman was about twenty, strikingly beautiful, with elegant, graceful bearing — she was Ling Ji’s wife, Jiang Shi.

Jiang Shi came from a genuinely distinguished family. Her father was the nephew of the late Duke of Ying; the current Duke of Ying was her paternal cousin-once-removed. The two households were of the same clan — closely connected and in frequent contact.

The Duke of Ying’s household was the most illustrious and noble family in all of Dazhou. At the founding of the Dazhou dynasty, the Duke of Ying had been one of the founding meritorious lords. Now, over two hundred years since the dynasty’s founding, the Duke of Ying’s household had endured two hundred years as well. The late Empress Jiang, who had passed away, was the youngest daughter of the previous Duke of Ying — the blood aunt of the current Duke of Ying. The current Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace and the Duke of Ying were first cousins on the maternal side.

Jiang Shi was of concubine birth, but gifted in both talent and appearance. When she had not yet left home to marry, there had been countless families petitioning for her hand.

Ling Daye had passed the imperial examinations as a jinshi graduate — a disciple of Confucian principles, a firm believer in the legitimacy of the Crown Prince’s succession. He had been quietly displeased by the Emperor’s excessive indulgence of the younger Prince Yan. Hoping to forge ties with the Jiang family, he had exerted considerable effort to secure this match.

And so when Jiang Shi first came through the door, her husband treated her with respectful devotion, and her in-laws received her with considerable warmth.

But good fortune did not last.

Four years had passed since Jiang Shi married into the family, and still there were no children. Sun Shi had long been dissatisfied in her heart; constrained by the Jiang family’s prestige, she had not been able to arrange a concubine for Ling Ji. But in day-to-day conversation, the little barbs were inevitable: “On this return to the capital, A’Shu is accompanying A’Xiao to seek medical treatment — Jiang Shi, you should go along as well. This is a good opportunity to ask Wei Taiyi to prescribe you a course of treatment to regulate your body. Perhaps you’ll be with child soon.”

Jiang Shi’s smile stiffened. She murmured agreement and lowered her head.

Of the three forms of unfilial conduct, the greatest is to leave no heir.

No matter how distinguished one’s birth, no matter how gifted in talent and beauty — what did it count for, when there had been no child? The failure to conceive had become the deepest wound in Jiang Shi’s heart. Sun Shi had only to open her mouth, and she had struck directly at it.

Ling Jingshu had taken a genuine liking to this witty, warmhearted sister-in-law and could not bear to see her so humiliated. She smiled, coming to the rescue: “The matter of children is a question of Heaven’s grace and timing — one cannot rush it. Cousin-in-law is still so young. As long as you take good care of yourself, you’ll likely be expecting before long.”

Jiang Shi felt a warmth in her chest and cast Ling Jingshu a grateful glance.

Ling Ji, who cared deeply for his wife, added in turn: “Speaking of which, it’s also my fault — more than half of every month is spent at the Imperial Academy, and I’m home so rarely. My wife has often had to sleep alone in an empty room.”

No time together — where would a child come from?

Her husband’s defense of her filled Jiang Shi with warmth. The mother-in-law Sun Shi’s nagging no longer seemed so hard to bear.

With both Ling Jingshu and Ling Ji coming to Jiang Shi’s defense one after the other, Sun Shi could hardly press further without revealing a mean-spirited face before the whole table — she quickly changed the subject: “Tomorrow the boat will stop at a dock. The cooks need to go ashore to buy fresh provisions, and the boatmen will also have a half-day’s rest. If any of you want to go ashore to get some fresh air, that’s perfectly fine.”

At these words, everyone brightened with excitement.

Ling Xiao in particular instantly tugged at Ling Jingshu’s sleeve: “A’Shu! Let’s go ashore for a walk!”

Ling Jingshu was equally tempted, and smiled in agreement.