Afterwards, Ling Jingxu didn't say another word.

  After the tea ceremony was over, everyone else withdrew. Only Mrs. Ling and her two sons, Lu Xun and his brother, stayed behind to keep Mrs. Ling company.

  Ling Jingxu pulled Ling Xiao along and went to He Xiangyuan together.

  At that time, Ling Jingxu and Ling Xiao lived in He Xiangyuan with Mrs. Yao. They were very familiar with this place. After Mrs. Yao's death, He Xiangyuan soon welcomed a new mistress.

  Li's family moved in, and Ling Jingyu and her brother found it inconvenient to live in He Xiangyuan, so they moved together to Qiu Shui Ge. Later, Ling Xiao unexpectedly became blind, and Mrs. Ling felt sorry for him, letting him move into Yonghe Hall to take care of him personally.

  Ling Jingxian goes to Yonghe Hall every day to pay respects to Old Lady Ling, and also pays a visit to Li's residence. However, she comes to He Xiangyuan less and less often.

  After rebirth, Ling Jingxu still stepped into this place for the first time.

  Mrs. Li's surface work was done thoroughly, and today Ling Wu Ye is also here, holding Ling Jing Xiu's hand to ask about her well-being, with a motherly demeanor: "...... These days, I've been constantly worried about your body, unable to eat or sleep well. Now that you're finally fully recovered, I can finally put my mind at ease......"

  Looking at Li's hypocritical and sinister behavior, Ling Jingxu felt an indescribable sense of disgust.

  Ling Jingxu suddenly lost the patience to pretend, withdrew her hand and smiled ambiguously: "I'm not a child of a few years old anymore, I can take care of myself, no need for mother to worry."

  Li said: “......”

  Li originally wanted to show off in front of Ling Wu Ye, but she didn't expect to be rebuffed so bluntly by Ling Jing Xiu. She lost face and was filled with resentment, her face turning red and white, then white and red again.

  Ling Feng watched this scene with a somewhat subtle expression.

  Ling Wu Ye also raised an eyebrow in surprise, but didn't say anything.

  At just six years old, Ling Yu didn't understand what was happening and only felt it strange that everyone had stopped talking: "Mother, why have you all suddenly stopped speaking?"

  Li's face stiffly squeezed out a smile: "Nothing." Then, as if nothing was wrong, she looked at Ling Wu Ye and smiled, saying: "It's rare for Master to be in the mansion today, with everyone gathered in He Xiang Yuan. I'll go to the kitchen to instruct them to prepare some good wine and dishes."

  Old Man Ling grunted in response.

  Going to the kitchen is a small matter that doesn't require Li to personally take action, just instructing the servant girl to run errands with one order is enough.

  Li's behavior was so enthusiastic, first to show her virtuousness in front of her husband, and secondly because she was choked by Ling Jingxu, so she avoided it for the time being to calm down.

  Having been a kind and magnanimous stepmother for so many years, she absolutely cannot show weakness in front of her husband.

  Li's forced smile disappeared when no one could see him outside the main hall, and his face turned gloomy. A chilling glint flashed in his eyes.

  .....

  "A'zhu, come here." Ling Wu Ye furrowed his brow and ordered in a deep voice.

  Ling Jingxu walked forward quietly without making a sound.

  No need to think much, and you can guess what Ling Wu Ye will say next. It's nothing more than "a woman should be gentle and quiet, not disobedient to her elders" and so on. From childhood to adulthood, she has heard these words countless times...

  "A woman should be gentle and quiet, not speaking out of turn or being rude to her elders. She must also not disobey or be unfilial." Ling Wu Ye scolded with a displeased face: "You usually understand things and listen to advice, why did you speak to your mother in that tone just now?"

  Obedient and gentle, understanding and obedient!

  It was these eight words that ruined her life. Now that she has the good fortune to be reborn, how could she bear to be as timid and reserved as she was in her past life?

  "After my mother passed away, I moved into Qiushui Building. At that time, I was only six years old."

  Ling Jingyu looked up at Ling Wuya with a calm and indifferent expression: "In the past eight years, I was fortunate to have my grandmother's care. However, Grandmother had to take care of all the trivial matters in the mansion, so she didn't have time to ask about me every day. Most of the time, I took care of myself. Father, what did I say that was wrong just now?"

  Ling Wu didn't expect Ling Jingxu to talk back, and with such a strong attitude. His anger surged up: "Ling Jingxu! What kind of manners have you learned? Is this how you speak to your parents?"

  Ling Wu Ye is thirty-two years old this year, handsome and elegant in appearance, with an extraordinary demeanor, a true gentleman's air, and refined in speech and manner. It's rare to see him get angry like this.

  Ling Wu's outburst shocked everyone.

  Ling Feng didn't make a sound, and even Ling Yu, who was the youngest, was too scared to speak.

  Ling Xiao's face turned pale, and she hastily took a few steps forward, grabbing Ling Jingyu's arm: "Ah Yu, what's wrong with you? How can you be so disobedient to Father? Don't you quickly apologize to Father?"

  At this time, the heaviest is filial piety. The word "filial piety" is so important that it can be said to outweigh a thousand pieces of gold.

  If it's a reputation for being disobedient and unfilial that falls on Ling Jingxu, then it's not a good thing.

  Ling Xiao was anxious and couldn't help but use a bit more strength than necessary.

  Ling Jingyu gently looked at Ling Xiao with a soft gaze, thinking that Ling Xiao couldn't see her, and softened her voice: "Ah Xiao, I'm not being disobedient to Father. I just explained the facts to Father, who has always been loving towards us and is most understanding, so he won't blame me."

  Two high hats were worn away, and the anger on Ling Wu's face indeed faded slightly.

  Ling Jingyu's expression changed as she turned to look at Ling Wuyi, her calm and collected demeanor replaced by a sincere and genuine one: "Father, I've been bedridden for days, and Mother has come to visit me. As my stepmother, being able to do these things is already enough to make me grateful. Just now, when I said those words to Mother, I didn't mean to mock her."

  Ling Wu Ye listened to these words, and a hint of discomfort flashed across his face.

  Ling Jingyu has been ill for so many days, and Li Shi had even gone to visit her once. Yet, this biological father of hers hadn't set foot in the Autumn Water Pavilion...

  Once a person is intimidated, they don't have the confidence to speak up. Ling Wu's tone softened: "Let it go this time. Just be more mindful of your attitude when speaking in the future."

  Ling Jingxian slightly lowered her eyelids and softly replied: "Daughter obediently follows father's teachings."

  Still with a gentle and respectful tone, no different from before.

  That sharp and cold Ling Jingyu from just now seemed like an illusion of everyone's.

  Ling Wu's anger dissipated completely, and he couldn't help but ask a few concerned questions.

  Ling Jingxu answered one by one, but in her heart she was coldly laughing repeatedly.

  When Madam Yao was alive, Ling Wu Ye and Madam Yao had a good relationship, and they also loved their two legitimate children very much. Unfortunately, Madam Yao's life was short-lived, and she left behind her two siblings to become orphans early on.

  After Li entered the door, she quickly won over Ling Wu's heart. Ling Jing and her brother moved out of He Xiangyuan again, and they had fewer opportunities to contact Ling Wu in their daily lives. After Ling Yu was born, Ling Wu's attention was mostly focused on Ling Yu, and his concern for Ling Jing and her brother decreased even more.

  If it weren't for Ling Jingyu's efforts to please Old Lady Ling, and gaining her favor and care, the sister and brother wouldn't have their current situation.

  In Ling Wu's heart, his future and face were the most important things. In those years, the Lu family had her under house arrest in the mansion, and in order to shut Ling Wu's mouth, they specially arranged for him to take up the position of Zhengzhou Tongpan. After weighing it carefully, Ling Wu accepted the "good intentions" of the Lu family and happily took his wife and children to take office.

  Utterly disregarding the daughter who suffered humiliation at the Lu family's hands.

  What a pathetic father!

  ......

  Thinking of past events, Ling Jingxuan's grievances surged in her heart.

  But now is not the time to tear our faces apart. To deal with Li, we must start with Ling Wu Ye. Even for Ling Xiao's sake, I have no choice but to force myself to endure for now.

  "Today I and Ah Xiao came over on purpose, there is an urgent matter that I want to ask Father." Ling Jingyu started the conversation but didn't continue: "Ah Xiao, you tell Father yourself!"

  Father, I've been idle at home every day, wasting my time, and I really feel ashamed. I want to continue studying!

  Ling Wu Ye was somewhat taken aback and subconsciously replied: "Your eyes can't see anymore, how can you still read books?"

  The tone of disapproval made Ling Xiang's already nervous heart feel a chill, and his smile also froze on his face. The next words also got stuck in his throat.

  "His eyes are gone, but his ears can still hear." Ling Jingxu quickly picked up the conversation: "A Xiao has always had a literate servant by his side, who often reads books to A Xiao. However, the servant's knowledge is limited and he only knows how to read without understanding the meaning. If we could find someone who is not only literate but also clever, to replace A Xiao in attending family school every day, listening and then coming back to tell A Xiao about it, with A Xiao's intelligence, it would be very beneficial."

  The family learning of the Ling family in Dingzhou was quite famous, and most of the scholars who lectured in the family school were renowned scholars invited with heavy salaries. The children and grandchildren of the same clan as the Ling family all studied in the family school, and some relatives and distant relatives also came to the family school through various connections.

  It's naturally not a difficult task for Ling Wu Ye to arrange for a young servant to come and study at home.

  "Ah, Ah Xiao wants to read books, that's a good thing. Even if he can't take the imperial exam in the future, reading more books will still be beneficial. I'll send someone to tell you later, and tomorrow you can pick a young servant to go to the family school."

  I didn't expect this matter to be resolved so easily.

  Ling Xiao was overjoyed in his heart and hastily expressed gratitude: "Thank you, Father."

  Jing Xiao was so happy, and Ling Jingxiao also felt relieved.

  Ling Wu praised Ling Xiao for a few words, then looked at Ling Ting: "Ah Ting, this year you will participate in the Tongsheng trial. These days need to work harder. Look at Lu Hong, only one year older than you, has passed the county test and the prefectural test, and has the title of Xiucai. You also need to work harder."

  Ling Feng respectfully replied.

  Ling Zhi was only six years old and had just started learning to read last year. Fifth Master Ling wouldn't scold him, he just asked a few questions. Mrs. Li went to the kitchen and quickly returned, coincidentally running into Fifth Master Ling questioning Ling Zhi.

  Ling Yu's answer was very much like a model, and Ling Wu Ye was quite satisfied in his heart.

  Mr. Li also felt a sense of pride and satisfaction, and his previous unhappiness was instantly swept away, leaving him feeling secretly pleased with himself.

  Ling Feng is just a bastard son, and Ling Xiao has become a useless person after losing his eyes. In the future, won't the five houses still have to rely on Ling Yu to support them?