New book started, thanks to the enthusiastic readers for jumping into the new pit~ Please collect and vote more, leave more messages, give Xiao Qing encouragement and support. Updated every day at 8 am, see you then~ (づ￣3￣)づ╭?～

  －－－－－－－－－－－－

  The Ling family in Dingzhou is a renowned and respected clan, with an ancestral lineage that can be traced back ten generations. The ancestors of the Ling family had held high-ranking official positions, as high as Grade 2, and possessed vast wealth and property.

  Unfortunately, with each passing generation, things have only gotten worse. By the time it reached this generation, the family business was only half of what it was in our ancestors' time.

  Mr. Ling passed away early, leaving behind four sons and one daughter. Mr. Da Ling and Mr. Wu Ling are legitimate children, while Mr. Er Ling and Mr. Si Ling are illegitimate children.

  Ling Dàyé passed the imperial examination and became a jinshi, now he is working in the Ministry of Works.

  Ling Er Ye did not achieve much in his studies and was appointed as a seventh-rank county magistrate, going to take up his post outside.

  Ling San died young. Ling Si broke his leg when he fell off a horse as a teenager, and although the fracture healed, he was left with a limp. He gave up studying and helped manage the family business instead.

  Ling Wu's father was quite talented, but unfortunately, he didn't have good luck. After becoming a juren, he couldn't make any further progress for many years. So, he became a romantic and famous scholar, spending his days drinking with friends, writing poetry, appreciating flowers, and painting. He had a great reputation in Dingzhou City.

  Mrs. Ling had been a widow for many years, guarding the ancestral business of the Ling family and raising four sons and one daughter. Although she treated her two illegitimate children not as well as her legitimate ones, it could still be considered generous.

  In the Ling family, Mrs. Ling's status is extremely high. Her sons are filial and don't need to be mentioned, several daughters-in-law are very respectful in front of Mrs. Ling, and a group of grandsons and granddaughters are vying for her favor. What Mrs. Ling values most is the eldest son of the eldest room, Ling Xi, but what she likes best is the twin siblings of the fifth room.

  Ling Jing's beauty is stunning, her talent and emotions are outstanding, she is good at understanding people's intentions, gentle and harmonious.

  Ling Xiao was intelligent since childhood and was known as a child prodigy. After unexpectedly losing his sight at the age of eight, he became even more pitied and was raised under the care of Old Lady Ling.

  Old Lady Ling naturally doted on her two siblings.

  The Ling family's ancestral home has been passed down for over a hundred years, its intricate carvings and painted beams bearing the marks of time and vicissitude. Ling Jingxu stood outside the Yonghe Hall, gazing at the familiar trees and buildings, her heart filled with desolation and melancholy rather than nostalgia or reminiscence.

  In the first three years after her marriage, she still maintained a close relationship with her natal family. At that time, except for the regret of her twin brother's early death, everything seemed to be going smoothly and happily.

  However, so-called happiness is just an illusion.

  When the ruthless wind and rain came, the people around her one by one tore off their hypocritical masks, revealing their ferocious true faces. They joined forces to push her into an abyss of no return...

  A crisp voice broke into Ling Jingxuan's chaotic thoughts: "The servant greets Ninth Miss."

  Ling Jingxu raised her eyes.

  This is Mo Kui, the senior maid beside Mrs. Ling.

  Mei Qi is sixteen years old this year, born with a fair and charming complexion, slender figure, and when she smiles, her eyes curve, quite pleasing to Old Lady Ling: "Old Lady has been thinking about Ninth Miss these past two days. Just now, I heard that Ninth Miss's body has recovered and came to pay respects. Old Lady is overjoyed. Please follow me in, Ninth Miss."

  Ling Jingxu didn't make a sound, only nodded slightly, pulled Ling Xiao's hand and stepped into the Yonghe Hall.

  Mo Qi was taken aback for a moment, feeling that today's Ninth Miss seemed somewhat different from usual.

  Somewhere different, but can't say for a while.

  Mo Ke's eyes were fixed on him, and he threw this fleeting thought to the back of his mind, quickly catching up.

  ......

  Just as she walked to the outer hall, she heard a lovely and charming girl's voice: "......Grandma, it's half a month before your 70th birthday. I made a handkerchief for you myself. If my needlework is not good, please don't be disappointed, Grandma."

  Mrs. Ling's laughter came out: "Made by Sister Yan herself, how could I not like it?"

  Ling Jingxu's footsteps paused slightly.

  There's still half a month to go before Grandma's 70th birthday... All the tragedies of her past life began with this birthday. Heaven has let her be reborn at this time, it's for her to open her eyes and make a new choice!

  This time, she will never repeat the same mistake!

  Ling Xiao didn't know why Ling Jingxuan stopped, and asked in a low voice with confusion: "Ah Xuan, what's wrong?"

  Ling Jingyu quickly regained her composure, knowing that Ling Xiao couldn't see her, and still managed to squeeze out a nonchalant smile: "Nothing's wrong, let's go in and pay our respects to Grandmother."

  The first thing that caught her eye was Mrs. Ling sitting at the head of the table.

  Mrs. Ling was already seventy years old, her hair had turned white early on, and her forehead and eyes were full of wrinkles, but her eyes had not become dull with age, occasionally flashing a thread of sharp light.

  Sitting on Old Lady Ling's left was Second Aunt Yao.

  Beside the lady in white was a young girl about fifteen years old, with a pink face and sparkling eyes, who was none other than Ling Jingyan, the eighth sister of the Ling family, who had just been coquettish with Old Lady Ling.

  On the other side of Old Lady Ling sat Fourth Aunt Wang. Beside her stood a lovely young girl in her late teens, gentle and refined, who was Sixth Sister Ling Jingwan.

  Ling Jingxu's gaze swept quickly over the crowd and landed on the face of a woman wearing a silver-red cheongsam.

  About twenty-seven or eight years old, with slightly small eyes and a slightly wider mouth, there is also a small red mole at the corner of his lips. The five senses are not particularly beautiful when looked at separately, but when combined together, they have a different kind of charm.

  This woman was none other than Ling Jingxu's stepmother, Li Shi.

  The familiar face flashed before her eyes, and Ling Jingyu almost couldn't control the surging hatred, subconsciously tightening her grip on Ling Xiao's hand.

  Ling Xiao was caught off guard, took a deep breath of cool air, and cried out in pain, but swallowed it back. He turned his hand over to grasp Ling Jingyu's continuously trembling right hand, secretly worrying in his heart.

  Today after waking up, Ah Shu seems a bit strange...

  Better not to make it public, lest grandmother be displeased.

  ......

  Ling Jingxu quickly regained her composure, took a deep breath in her heart, and then smiled as she walked forward to pay respects to Old Lady Ling: "Jingxu wishes Grandmother good health."

  Fever for two days, the heat just retreated, the voice is lower and hoarser than usual, still pleasant to hear.

  Mrs. Ling looked at Ling Jingxuan with a glance, smiled and beckoned to her: "Jingxuan, come quickly to Grandma's side, let Grandma take a good look."

  Her smile was as gentle and warm as ever.

  It was as if she was still being doted on by her grandmother.

  She clearly remembered that when she fled back to her parents' home in despair after being humiliated at her husband's house, this face was so cold and ruthless, ordering people to tie her up and send her back to her husband's house without any sympathy.

  In Ling Lao Tai's heart, the family business and reputation of the Ling family always came first. A mere married-out granddaughter, no matter how much humiliation she suffered, would not be taken to heart.

  Ling Jingyu's fingertips were icy cold, but a gentle and respectful smile spread across her face as she pulled Ling Xiao along to stand before Old Lady Ling.

  Mrs. Ling grasped Ling Jingxu's hand and immediately furrowed her brow: "Your hands are so cold, didn't you wear enough clothes?"

  Hands are cold again, how can they match the chill in one's heart.

  Ling Jingyu lowered her eyes and replied softly: "It's Jingyu's fault, making Grandmother worry."

  "Yes, Ling Jingxiao has been ill for the past two days, and it's worrying Grandma to death." Ling Jingyan chimed in with a smile, gazing at Ling Jingxiao whose complexion was slightly pale and thin but not losing any of her beauty, with a flicker of jealousy in her eyes.

  Fourteen-year-old Ling Jingxu not only has a stunning appearance, but also has the extraordinary skill of cultivating and planting famous peonies, making her sisters pale in comparison.

  Ling Lao Tai Tai's favoritism towards Ling Jing Yu is known to all.

  She had put in a lot of thought and was just coaxing her grandmother into a good mood. But as soon as Ling Jingxu arrived, her grandmother's eyes immediately only had Ling Jingxu in them.

  Ling Jingxian chuckled and said: "With Sister Xuan in Grandmother's favor, how would she still remember me?"

  Ling Jingxian was only one year older than her, and had always been competitive, vying with her in every aspect, even falling for the same man. Unfortunately, Ling Jingxian's life was marked by bad luck, and she never won.

  Old Lady Ling listened to her two granddaughters bickering, feeling greatly comforted, and laughed out loud: "Alright, you two are both Grandma's darlings, can't do without either of you."

  The daughters-in-law and granddaughters all burst out laughing.

  The children and grandchildren of the Ling family all studied at home during the day, even the youngest, Ling Yu, had started learning to read. Normally, there were only women in the house, the only male was Ling Xiao.

  Mrs. Ling anxiously asked Ling Jing a few questions, then looked at Ling Xiao and said with concern: "Sister has been ill for two days, you've also been worried and unable to eat or sleep. Now that she's better, shouldn't you be relieved?"

  "Yes, grandson has worried grandmother."

  Old Lady Ling smiled and said: "Grandma is born to be a hard worker, worrying a bit more doesn't matter. As long as all of you are doing well, Grandma's heart will be at ease."

  The affection of love and pity overflows in words and expressions.

  On the side, Li's eyes flashed a hint of jealousy and resentment, but her face was filled with a smile: "Mother-in-law is indeed a Bodhisattva, all of us in this big family hope to be praised by mother-in-law. Even I, as a daughter-in-law, am also eagerly waiting for mother-in-law's sympathy!"

  The old lady was amused by this witty remark and burst out laughing.

  Among the four daughters-in-law, Eldest Daughter-in-law Sun lived with her husband in the capital city, while the remaining three daughters-in-law all resided at the Ling family's old residence.

  The second daughter-in-law, Madame Yue, is astute and calculating, while the fourth daughter-in-law, Madame Wang, is clever and quick-witted.

  Li was of humble origin and was also the second wife of Ling Wu Ye. However, as the daughter-in-law of a legitimate son, she was inherently more important than Yue Shi Wang Shi in the heart of Old Lady Ling.

  Li's words were as sharp as a knife, and her tongue was as smooth as a flute. She deliberately flattered Old Lady Ling, who soon shifted her attention from Ling Jingyu and his sister to Li.

  "Grandma's 70th birthday is approaching, and Eldest Uncle's family left the capital more than half a month ago. Calculating the days, they should arrive in Dingzhou in another seven or eight days."

  Mr. Li was well aware of Mrs. Ling's thoughts, and deliberately chose to say what Mrs. Ling loved to hear: "The Lu family also made a special trip from Hebei Province to come back. My daughter-in-law has been married into the Ling family for eight years now, but she has never seen her younger sister who was married far away! This time is a great opportunity for them to get close."

  Mentioning her young daughter who had been married to a distant place in Ji Province for many years and hadn't returned home, Mrs. Ling's gaze suddenly softened: "Yes, Ahui was married to Ji Province, and over the past twelve years, we've only exchanged letters. I haven't seen her in a long time either. If it weren't for my seventieth birthday this time, she probably wouldn't have come back."

  Li immediately smiled and took over: "Take advantage of this time, let's keep Xiao Jie here for a few more days."

  Yue's family and Wang's family also smiled and echoed in unison.

  Ling Jingxu heard the two words "Lu Family", her expression unchanged, but her right hand in the wide sleeve clenched tighter.

  Fingernails digging into the palm of the hand, wave after wave of sharp pain.

  Fury and hatred surged like molten lava in his mind, roaring and churning ceaselessly, almost bursting out of his chest.

  At this moment, the housekeeper ran in with a joyful face to report: "Report to the old lady, the steward who was waiting at the dock has sent back a message, and the boat that the young lady is taking has arrived at the dock."

  ......