The carriage stopped partway at an inn for the midday meal before continuing the journey.
By evening, they finally arrived at the Ling family’s residence.
It was a three-courtyard residence, with a modest garden tucked within the inner quarters — not a particularly large estate. Still, land in Luoyang was worth its weight in gold. That they had managed to secure such a residence was thanks to Ling Daye’s position at the Ministry of Works, which had eased the way in many respects.
After half a month on the boat and a full day in the carriage, everyone was utterly exhausted.
Sun Shi roused herself and said, “A’Shu, you and A’Xiao will stay in A’Yan’s courtyard for now. If you find it uncomfortable, we’ll arrange something else tomorrow.”
Ling Jingshu hurried to answer with a smile, “Staying with Cousin Yan in the same courtyard suits me perfectly — there’s nothing uncomfortable about it. Thank you for troubling yourself over this, Aunt.”
In truth, Ling Jingshu would have preferred a small courtyard just for herself and Ling Xiao. But since they were guests in someone else’s household, she could hardly afford to be picky.
Seeing how sensible and considerate Ling Jingshu was, Sun Shi was quite pleased. She immediately ordered the servants to move the siblings’ luggage to Luoxia Courtyard.
Luoxia Courtyard was located in the third and innermost courtyard. It was not large, but it had been kept tidy and tastefully arranged. With dusk approaching, Ling Jingshu hadn’t had time to look it over carefully.
Ling Jingyan lived in the east wing, Ling Jingshu took the west wing, and Ling Xiao moved into the side chamber attached to the west wing. The two siblings’ rooms were separated by only a single wall.
The maids and young manservants stayed in the row of servants’ quarters at the very back of Luoxia Courtyard.
The rooms had already been cleaned thoroughly, and Bai Yu led several maids in giving everything another careful sweep.
The main kitchen sent over dinner, and the siblings hurriedly ate a few bites before washing up and going to bed.
Perhaps because she was simply too exhausted, Ling Jingshu slept deeply that night, and the nightmares that had plagued her for so long were nowhere to be found.
The next morning, Ling Jingshu woke early.
Being young and having a sound constitution, after a solid night’s sleep, most of her strength had already returned.
“Why is Miss up so early?” Bai Yu asked as she helped Ling Jingshu dress and wash up. “Last night the Madam said that after all the hardship of the journey by boat and carriage, it would be fine to sleep in today — there’s no need to go pay respects. I haven’t heard a single sound from the east wing yet!”
Ling Jingshu smiled faintly. “It’s fine if Cousin Yan sleeps a little later. If we don’t go to pay our respects, Aunt won’t be the least bit displeased. But as her niece, if I were to be just as lazy, she would surely feel unhappy about it deep down. Better to go pay respects early.”
That was true enough.
Between mother and daughter there was no need to observe such formalities, but as a niece, she couldn’t afford to be careless, lest she give people something to talk about.
Ling Jingshu then instructed, “Have Xuan Cao go next door and wake A’Xiao up.”
Bai Yu acknowledged this and called out for Xuan Cao to come in.
Xuan Cao received the order and hurried next door. A short while later, a neatly dressed Ling Xiao arrived.
“A’Xiao, let’s go pay our respects to Uncle and Aunt,” Ling Jingshu said with a smile. “Once we’ve paid our respects, we’ll come back and have breakfast.”
Ling Xiao nodded obediently in agreement.
The two siblings had just stepped out of Luoxia Courtyard when they ran straight into Ling Ji and his wife.
“Cousin,” Ling Jingshu greeted them with a smile, “Cousin-in-law. You must be going to pay your respects too! Perfect, let’s go together.”
Ling Ji laughed. “Mother specifically said yesterday that there was no need to come pay respects today, and that you should sleep in. Why are you two up so early?” As for Ling Jingyan, she had “obediently” stayed in bed, true to form.
Ling Jingshu pressed her lips together and smiled. “Aren’t Cousin and Cousin-in-law also up as usual?”
Ling Ji let out a helpless laugh but said nothing.
Jiang Shi, blushing slightly, explained, “It was I who insisted on getting up to pay respects to my parents-in-law. Your cousin had no choice but to come along with me.”
As a daughter-in-law, she had no right to be willful or indulgent.
If she truly failed to come pay her respects today, Sun Shi wouldn’t say anything aloud, but she would inevitably feel a knot of resentment in her heart.
Ling Jingshu and Jiang Shi exchanged a smile, sharing an unspoken understanding.
With her son, daughter-in-law, nephew, and niece all coming early to pay their respects, Sun Shi was indeed quite delighted, though she naturally still had to scold them a little: “Look at the lot of you — didn’t I say there was no need to come pay respects? We’re all family, why all this fuss over formality?”
Ling Ji answered playfully, “My heart only feels at ease once I’ve paid respects to Mother. Otherwise, I always feel like something’s missing.”
“Such sweet talk! All day long you just say nice things to please me.” Sun Shi, thoroughly charmed, gave her son a sidelong glance, her eyes brimming with affection. Then, with mock displeasure, she turned to scold Ling Jingyan: “The whole family is here, and only she is missing. Lucky for her she’s still unmarried — if she were a daughter-in-law with such laziness, how could her parents-in-law possibly be pleased?”
So was this scolding really meant for Ling Jingyan, or was it deliberately said for Jiang Shi’s benefit?
Fortunately, Jiang Shi had come to pay respects in time.
Otherwise, the person Sun Shi was scolding right now would certainly have been her.
Jiang Shi was also quick-witted and eloquent. At these words, she smiled faintly. “A’Yan was probably tired and so slept a little later. She normally comes to pay respects on time, so it’s hardly laziness. Besides, A’Yan looks like someone destined for good fortune — I’m sure she’ll be just as fortunate as I am one day, marrying a husband to her liking, with parents-in-law who are considerate of the younger generation.”
That flattery was masterfully done.
Sun Shi’s brow smoothed out, and a smile appeared on her face.
Ling Jingshu took in this whole scene, and a memory from her past life suddenly surfaced.
Being a daughter-in-law was no easy thing — that much was certainly true.
Back when she had married into the Lu family, Lingshi had imposed rule after rule on her, and she had truly suffered for it. She had been so naive back then, believing that Lingshi’s strictness came from genuine goodwill toward her. She hadn’t realized that from the very beginning, Lingshi had been scheming to control her, and had only pushed the marriage forward with that purpose in mind…
Ling Jingshu steadied herself, forcing these heavy, unpleasant memories from her mind.
In this lifetime, all she wanted was revenge, and to take good care of Ling Xiao, watching him grow up, marry, and have children of his own.
As for herself — she would not, and could not, ever marry again!
“A’Shu, A’Xiao, did you two sleep well last night?” Sun Shi looked over with a smile. “If there’s anything you’re not used to, just speak up.”
Ling Jingshu answered with a smile, “Everything was fine, nothing to feel uncomfortable about. Thank you for your concern, Aunt.”
Between the two siblings, it was usually Ling Jingshu who did most of the talking in response, while Ling Xiao spoke little — everyone had grown used to it by now.
Sun Shi asked a few more caring questions, then finally had breakfast laid out.
No sooner had breakfast been set out than Ling Jingyan arrived.
“Better to arrive at the right moment than too early,” Ling Jingyan said, looking thoroughly pleased with herself. “Just in time for breakfast. Big Brother, Sister-in-law, A’Shu, A’Xiao — none of you are nearly as clever as I am. I timed it perfectly before getting up and coming over.”
Everyone: “…”
We’re not just less clever than you — we’re also nowhere near as shameless!