Ever since Lady Ling’s return, Yonghe Hall had been livelier than usual.

The Old Madam could not bear to be parted from her daughter, and had simply invited Lady Ling to stay in Yonghe Hall. The brothers Lu Hong and Lu Qian lodged in the guest rooms and came every day to pay their respects. The various daughters-in-law, grandsons, daughters-in-law of grandsons, and granddaughters all came morning and evening to pay their customary respects; even Ling Siye and Ling Wuye had put in appearances.

Though the main hall of Yonghe Hall was spacious, with so many people crowded inside, it began to feel close and full.

The elders sat conversing. The younger generation had no seats, so they stood together, exchanging quiet words among themselves.

Ling Jingshu moved by habit to stand at Ling Xiao’s side and asked in a low voice: “A’Xiao, where were you yesterday? I didn’t see you all day.”

Ling Xiao ordinarily came to Qiushui Pavilion several times a day; yesterday he had been entirely absent.

Ling Xiao smiled as he answered: “Elder Brother took Third Brother to the family school. Seeing that I had nothing to do, he asked me to come along and sit in on the lessons.” He paused, then sighed: “But a great deal of it, I couldn’t understand.”

A shadow of dejection passed over his handsome face.

After losing his sight, he could no longer read or write. That was Ling Xiao’s greatest sorrow.

There was a literate page boy at Ling Xiao’s side who would often read books aloud to him. But with no one to explain the classical meaning within the texts, he could only grasp them vaguely and imperfectly. At the family school, more than half of what he heard was beyond his comprehension.

Something ached in Ling Jingshu’s heart. She took Ling Xiao’s hand and said gently: “A’Xiao, if you want to keep studying, it isn’t without a way.”

“A’Shu, don’t try to comfort me.” Ling Xiao muttered listlessly: “My eyes can’t see. How am I supposed to study?”

Ling Jingshu smiled as she said: “You have a page boy who reads to you every day. For anything you don’t understand, you can ask Father, or you can ask your elder cousins. Or you could petition Father to let one of the page boys go to the family school in your place each day, learn what’s taught there, and then come back and relay it all to you carefully.”

Aside from not being able to write for himself, it would not be so very different from proper study.

Ling Xiao’s face brightened at once. He instinctively gripped Ling Jingshu’s hand tighter, his voice brimming with eagerness and delight: “A’Shu, how did you ever think of such a wonderful idea!”

Seeing Ling Xiao so overjoyed, Ling Jingshu felt a warm satisfaction in her heart. “I’ve been thinking about this for some days now. A’Xiao, if you love to study, then find a way to keep studying — don’t let it go to waste. And let Father see your diligence and determination.”

She had other plans and intentions beyond this, but with so many people present, this was not the moment to speak of them with Ling Xiao.

Ling Xiao’s nature was simple and open; he could never conceal what was in his heart, and the joy he felt was plain on his face.

“Second Brother, what are you and Little Sister talking about that’s making you both so happy?”

A clear, bright young male voice spoke nearby.

Ling Xiao’s hearing was extraordinarily keen. He turned unerringly toward the sound — though “looked” was not quite the right word — and called out: “Elder Brother.”

Ling Jingshu’s smile faded slightly as she looked over.

The fifteen-year-old youth wore an apricot-colored brocade robe, with a handsome and spirited face full of smiling warmth, his gaze as he regarded Ling Jingshu and her brother quite amicable and familiar.

This young man was none other than their elder half-brother — the son born of a concubine — Ling Ting!

Ling Ting’s birth mother, Xia Yiniang, had originally been named Xia He.

Xia He had been a beauty in full bloom who had served Ling Wuye since she was young; they had a degree of real affection. She later became Ling Wuye’s personal chamber-maid. Not long after Yao Shi had entered the household as the new wife, Xia He fell pregnant.

Yao Shi was naturally vexed in her heart, but she was still a new bride who had not yet established her footing in her husband’s household, and it was not convenient to move against a chamber-maid. A few months later, Yao Shi herself fell pregnant, and occupied with preserving her own health, she had even less attention to spare for Xia He.

After Ling Ting was born, it was only natural that Xia He became Xia Yiniang.

Fortunately, within less than half a year, Yao Shi gave birth to twin boy and girl children, and the resentment she had been swallowing all at once dissipated. However much Xia Yiniang was favored, she could not threaten Yao Shi’s standing.

But Yao Shi was not fated for long life. When Ling Jingshu and her twin were five years old, Yao Shi fell gravely ill and passed from this world. A year later, Ling Wuye took a second wife — the Jishi, Li Shi.

Li Shi’s father was only a sixth-rank official; her background was inferior to Yao Shi’s. In appearance and talent, she fell far short as well. Yet Li Shi had a nimble mind and a capable hand, and by turns catering to and winning over the favored Xia Yiniang, she quickly established her position in the inner household.

Two years later Li Shi fell pregnant, handing over management of the courtyard’s small affairs to Xia Yiniang.

It was during that same year that Ling Xiao — gifted and exceptionally bright — fell while playing near the ornamental rock formation. His head struck the rocks hard. Blood poured from the wound. Afterward, his eyes went dark, and he was never able to see again.

The Old Madam was furious. She interrogated every single servant who had been nearby that day, yet no evidence could be found, and she had no choice but to let the matter rest.

Ling Wuye, heartbroken over his beloved son, directed the full force of his rage at the person who had been managing the courtyard at the time — Xia Yiniang. After berating her severely, he had her confined, and never set foot in her chambers again.

Xia Yiniang endured less than two years before she fell into a prolonged illness, grew despondent, and passed away.

Li Shi, who had been calmly nurturing her pregnancy, appeared entirely unconnected to all of this. After Xia Yiniang was placed under house arrest, Li Shi had even interceded on her behalf, playing the role of the compassionate and generous woman to perfection.

After giving birth to her son, Ling Fou, Li Shi had at last firmly established her footing in the Ling household.

The Fifth Branch had three sons and one daughter. Ling Ting was born of a concubine, and his birth mother had fallen from favor; his standing in the household was not high. Ling Xiao was a proper legitimate son, but his blindness had made him, in the eyes of the world, useless. Ling Jingshu, though beautiful and outstanding and greatly favored by the Old Madam, was a daughter after all — she would marry out eventually. And so the youngest, Ling Fou, had paradoxically become the one of the highest standing in the Fifth Branch, and the most cherished by Ling Wuye.

After that — in the years that followed — Ling Jingshu married out into the Lu family, and Ling Xiao “died of sudden illness” before his wedding. The thorns in Li Shi’s side had at last been removed every one; the satisfaction she felt in her heart was beyond words.

Because of that accident so many years ago, Ling Xiao had gone blind, and Xia Yiniang had lost her life as a consequence.

Ling Ting never spoke of it, but it would have been impossible for no bitterness to linger in his heart. Between him and Ling Jingshu’s siblings, a surface courtesy was maintained, and they did not interact much beyond that — they were not close.

No one knew that the truth behind everything was Li Shi scheming in secret. With one stone she had struck two birds — harming Ling Xiao, and at the same time removing the favored Xia Yiniang from the picture.

Ling Jingshu had always carried a certain guardedness toward Ling Ting. But now that she had learned the truth of what had happened back then, when she looked at Ling Ting again, the old coldness and wariness had given way to something closer to pity.

“…Elder Brother, A’Shu just thought of a way for me. She suggested letting one of my page boys go to the family school in my place each day, learn the lessons, and then come back and explain them to me.” Ling Xiao eagerly told Ling Ting: “That way I can keep on studying.”

A glimmer passed through Ling Ting’s eyes. He smiled. “That really is a good idea. With your eyes as they are, going to the family school every day would be quite inconvenient. Having a page boy go in your place is sensible. You can’t practice writing and calligraphy, and you can’t sit the civil examinations — but reading more is always of benefit.”

Ling Xiao had been full of happiness, but hearing those last two sentences, the smile on his face dimmed somewhat.

That was true — what good did it do him to read more? A blind man who could not even write had no right to sit the examinations, no hope of entering official service… He could not even manage ordinary things. He could only be a helpless dependent kept within the inner household for the rest of his days!

“Reading cultivates wisdom and discernment,” Ling Jingshu’s gentle voice came to Ling Xiao’s ear: “There is always benefit in reading more. As for what might be possible in the future, or what one might wish to do — those are questions for later. There is no need to think on them now.”

As she spoke, she cast an unhurried, sidelong glance at Ling Ting.

The gaze that was ordinarily gentle and mild now carried a faint edge of cold sharpness.

Ling Ting felt a quiet shock within him, and instinctively held his tongue.

Ling Jingshu then turned back to soothe Ling Xiao, smiling: “A’Xiao, would you like me to come with you to find Father in a little while?”

After losing his sight, Ling Xiao had spent his days shut away in the household, with little contact with the outside world. His character had remained simple and genuine, without the steadiness of other young men his age — he still had something of a child’s temperament. The low spirits that had crept over him were coaxed back to brightness by a few gentle words from Ling Jingshu: “All right, I’ll do whatever you say.”

Lu Hong stood at Lady Ling’s side. With the elders talking all around him, he could not concentrate on a single word; his gaze kept drifting to Ling Jingshu some distance away.

He had no idea what she and Ling Xiao were talking about, but her face was full of warm smiles, and her eyes were gentle as spring water — enough to set a person’s heart adrift…

A pity that such warmth and gentleness was directed only at Ling Xiao. The moment her gaze moved away from him, it turned distant and cool in an instant.

Thinking back on how he had been rebuffed, Lu Hong’s heart sank further into despondency.

Sunk in his own thoughts, Lu Hong did not notice that beside him, Lu Qian was doing exactly the same — gazing steadily at Ling Jingshu.

That gaze was intent and complex, holding within it a hidden joy and an unease that dared not show itself fully.

Both brothers were distracted, their minds wandering, unable to attend to a single word Lady Ling was saying.

“A’Hong, A’Qian —” Lady Ling called out and received no response. She could not help but furrow her brow, and raised her voice: “You two — what are you thinking about? Why don’t you answer when I call you?”

Lady Ling’s raised voice drew everyone’s attention.

Lu Hong’s handsome face colored faintly, and he quickly collected himself: “Please forgive me, Mother — what is your instruction?”

Lady Ling smiled: “We set out ahead of schedule and arrived in Dingzhou early. Your father has official business keeping him, and told me at the time that he would depart a few days later. He should arrive in roughly two more days. You two have nothing particular to do here in the residence — keep an eye out for news from the docks. When the time comes, go to the dock to welcome your father.”

Lu Hong agreed without hesitation.

Lu Qian also assented, and in the same swift motion raised his head to glance at Ling Jingshu.

In an instant, Ling Jingshu’s lovely face went rigid and white; her body trembled almost imperceptibly. Not wanting to let anyone notice, she quickly lowered her eyelids, concealing all the anguish and hatred in her eyes beneath them.

Everyone was listening to Lady Ling speak. No one noticed Ling Jingshu’s reaction — no one except Lu Qian, who saw it all with perfect clarity.

In Lu Qian’s eyes there flashed a shock of recognition. Boundless pain and helplessness surged and churned within him, as though threatening to break through his frail chest.