The story of the past life will soon surface. Welcome readers to actively leave a message, guess the story of the past life ~ Don't forget to collect votes oh ~ O (∩ _ ∩) O

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  Has Lujia arrived in Dingzhou?

  Mrs. Ling was both startled and delighted, and quickly stood up: "Quickly, quickly, quickly, have someone prepare the carriage to go pick them up."

  "Mother, aren't you forgetting that there's a carriage waiting for us at the dock?" Li Shi smiled and chimed in.

  Old Lady Ling was taken aback and burst out laughing: "Look at me, I'm so happy that I've become muddle-headed, I even forgot about this matter."

  Yue's family saw Li's family stealing the spotlight, and she couldn't help but feel a little unhappy. She immediately smiled and said: "The dock is half a day's journey from our Ling Mansion. Just now, someone came back to deliver a message. It seems that the horse carriage has already reached halfway. Who knows, it might arrive at any moment."

  "Madam Wang smiled and said, 'The guest room has been ready for a long time. Before they arrive, let the maids sweep the guest room again. Remember, your younger sister liked cleanliness the most before she got married.'"

  This last sentence won the heart of Old Lady Ling.

  Mrs. Ling looked at Wang with approval: "You're still the most thoughtful one. For the past few years, Fourth Master has been in charge of the shop and the estate, and you've followed him around and learned a lot."

  Wang smiled and replied respectfully, "Thank you for your praise, Grandma. Fourth Master often says that being able to help with some trivial matters is a son's duty. If he knew you were praising him like this, I don't know how happy he would be."

  The Yue and Li families exchanged a cold smile in their hearts, and coincidentally glanced at the Wang family.

  This Wang, usually quiet and soft-spoken, was no less skilled than the two women in coaxing the old lady.

  Wang seemed to be unaware of the hidden jealous glances from Yue and Li, and gently supported Ling's arm: "The Lu family will arrive soon, mother-in-law, why not go back to your room to rest for a while, change into new clothes, and re-do your hair, you'll look more spirited."

  Mrs. Ling nodded with pleasure.

  Li immediately supported Ling's arm on the other side: "Fourth sister is right, daughter-in-law will take care of mother-in-law to rest."

  Yue's family was too late to catch up, and they missed the opportunity to curry favor with a good attitude, gritting their teeth in anger.

  Ling Jingxu watched this familiar scene with a cold sneer in her heart.

  The Ling family had never divided. Except for the eldest house that lived in the capital Luoyang, the remaining three houses all lived in the ancestral home.

  The trivial matters in the house were handed over to her son and daughter-in-law, but the keys to the warehouse were all in Ling's hands. Each room, apart from the fixed monthly expenses, wanted to add some extra things or extra expenses, had to go through Ling's approval first.

  Among the daughters-in-law, eldest daughter-in-law Sun came from a prestigious family and brought a substantial dowry. Moreover, following her husband to live in Luoyang, she had an extraordinary status. Yue and Wang were both born as concubines' daughters, Li's family background was not prominent, and their dowries were not rich either. They had to use all their skills to please Old Lady Ling and get more benefits.

  Unfortunately, Old Lady Ling was old but not muddled. She enjoyed the flattery and service of her daughters-in-law with ease, never easily granting them any favors.

  To sum it up, a few daughters-in-law thought they could outsmart Old Lady Ling, but they're far from it!

  Yue's family angrily withdrew their gaze, just in time to meet Ling Jingxuan's understanding eyes head-on.

  Yue's face showed a hint of embarrassment and discomfiture, but she refused to lose her composure as an elder. She coughed and said, "Mei, the Lu family has arrived today, and there will definitely be a welcoming banquet tonight. You've just recovered from your illness, don't stand for too long and hurt your health."

  Ling Jingxian smiled and replied: "Younger sister, you go back to the Autumn Water Pavilion and rest first. I'll come call you when it's time."

  "No need to trouble Sister Ling," said Ling Jingyu calmly: "I'm not fully recovered yet, so I won't be attending the welcome banquet tonight. Don't want to disturb the guests' fun."

  Ling Jingyan's eyes flashed with a hint of joy, and she said: "Auntie has brought the younger brothers from afar, how can you not attend this welcoming banquet? If Grandmother finds out, she will definitely be unhappy. You'd better come and show your face!"

  Insincere words!

  Ling Jingyu pulled the corner of her lips: "In front of noble guests, losing courtesy is not losing grandmother's face. Moreover, with sister Wenyu here, whether I show up or not, I'm afraid no one will pay attention."

  A thousand holes and ten thousand holes, but no hole in a horse's fart.

  Needless to say, such words came from Ling Jingyu's mouth, who had always been superior to her.

  Ling Jing's face flashed with a hint of complacency, and she smiled hypocritically: "How could this be? You are the most outstanding among all the sisters, if you were absent from the family banquet, wouldn't it be greatly diminished?"

  Ling Jingxu was in no mood to socialize with her, so she hastily paid respects to the mother and daughter, then withdrew.

  ......

  As soon as she returned to the Qiushui Pavilion, Ling Xiao asked eagerly: "Ah Shu, your aunt and her family came to visit, why didn't you want to go out and see them?"

  Bai Yu also had a puzzled expression on her face.

  The young lady's body is weak, but she still has the strength to show her face at the banquet, and what she just said sounds like an excuse.

  Ling Jing was silent for a moment before speaking lightly: "Wait until I'm completely recovered, it's not too late to see them then."

  Ling's previous life returned home and stayed at the Ling's house for three whole months. She couldn't keep avoiding them forever. However, she wasn't ready to face the Lu family yet.

  In her current state, if she were to meet the enemy from her past life, she might become emotionally unstable and lose control of her emotions, revealing her true intentions and arousing suspicion.

  Before Ling Xiao could ask any further questions, Ling Jingyu changed her tone to a soft and pleading one: "Xiao, if Grandmother asks about me, can you explain things for me? Otherwise, she'll definitely be angry with me."

  Ling Xiao immediately softened and stopped asking questions, nodding his head in response: "Alright, you rest well, I'll come keep you company when I have time."

  Jingyu, who was standing aside, walked over and carefully supported Ling Xiang as he left.

  Miss, you haven't fully recovered yet, it's not good for you to overexert yourself, why don't you go back to bed and rest?

  It is also used as an excuse for being weak and frail, unwilling to go out, so it's better to play along and pretend to be fully recovered.

  Ling Jingxu nodded slightly.

  ......

  At exactly 4 o'clock, the Lu family finally arrived at the Ling residence.

  "The old lady was over 40 when she gave birth to the young mistress, and she loved her like a precious gem. Unfortunately, the young mistress married far away in Ji Zhou and hasn't returned home for many years. The reunion between the old lady and the young mistress is too moving."

  Xiao Yāo yān xīng cǎo stood beside the bed, her eyebrows flying and her face flushed as she reported the news she had heard: "I didn't dare to get close and take a good look, I just stole a few glances from afar. These are all things that other maids told me."

  "The scene at that time was truly thrilling. The old lady and the aunt were crying and laughing, the fourth master and fifth master shed tears, and several ladies all cried with red eyes. The young masters and misses also wiped away their tears, crying like a pot of porridge."

  Xiangcao was only twelve years old, with a quick tongue and agile body, usually doing errands and delivering messages. Today, being entrusted with an "important task", Xiangcao's heart was filled with joy and excitement, running around to gather information with extra effort.

  Ling Jingxu sat on the bed, covered with soft silk quilt, leaning against the thick pillow at an angle, listening absent-mindedly.

  It was almost evening at this time, and the candles in the house had not been lit yet, so the light was somewhat dim.

  Ling Jing's delicate and exquisite face seemed to be veiled with a layer of gauze, although she was clearly within arm's reach, yet somehow felt strangely unfamiliar and distant.

  Bai Yu secretly sized up her own master, thinking deeply in her heart.

  Miss, today after waking up, seems different from usual!

  At the age of ten, she was sold into the Ling household. Trembling with fear and standing together with other little maidservants, she was so nervous that she couldn't even speak properly. The six-year-old young mistress picked her out and gave her the name Bai Yu.

  From that moment on, her fate was closely tied to Miss's.

  The sale contracts of the maidservants are all in the hands of their masters. If they encounter a master with a bad temper, being scolded and beaten is a daily occurrence. What they fear most is that their master will arbitrarily marry them off or sell them out of the house, causing them to fall into a despicable place. As slaves, their fate is controlled by their master's whims.

  The master and servant had been together for eight years. The young lady treated her with kindness and tolerance. In her heart, she had long regarded the young lady as the closest and most important person.

  No matter what kind of person the young lady becomes, she will always follow with loyalty and devotion.

  Xiangcao continued to speak with great enthusiasm: "Later, the servants of the Lu family were busy moving luggage and settling in. The young lady took the two young masters to Yonghe Hall. I'm too short, even on tiptoes, I couldn't see what the young masters looked like. All I heard was that one of them had a face as beautiful as jade, with features as handsome as Pan An's, but unfortunately, I didn't get to see him in person..."

  "Xiangcao," Ling Jingyu suddenly interrupted Xiangcao's endless talk: "You've done well. Now go to Yonghe Hall again, if there's any new news, come back and report to me at any time."

  The cattail received praise and felt delighted, responding crisply and retreating with excitement.

  His face was like a crown jade, his appearance was as handsome as Pan An's, and he was Lu Jia's cousin... Ling Jingxuan sneered and curled up the corner of her mouth.

  Lovers who were destined to be together since their past lives, and have promised to spend the rest of their lives together!

  No one knows his appearance better than her!

  She had thought he would be her lifelong reliance and future. But the cruel reality gave her a fatal blow.

  After two years of sweet love, he went to Luoyang for the imperial examination. After receiving the good news that he had become a high school champion, she was so excited that she didn't sleep for several nights. Facing her only two-month-old son, she muttered: "Your father has passed the exam and will stay in Beijing as an official. He will come back soon to take us mother and son together to Luoyang..."

  But he never came back again in the following years.

  Handsome and talented, young and successful, he won the favor of the most noble princess of the Great Zhou. He wanted to climb up to a high position and enjoy wealth and glory for his whole life, so he abandoned his wife and children who were waiting for him in Jizhou.

  He abandoned her in the dirty Lu family where she suffered humiliation and died with resentment.

  Until she closed her eyes in pain and resentment, she had never seen him again.

  ......