The Great Zhou Dynasty has attached great importance to water transportation since its establishment. Tens of millions of people were recruited to dig rivers and canals, and develop water transportation. By the time of this dynasty, the waterways are connected in all directions, extremely convenient.

  Compared to the hardships of traveling by horse and carriage, taking a boat is faster and more comfortable. One can travel hundreds of miles in a day while also enjoying the scenery along the way. Therefore, most people choose to take boats when traveling. Ordinary commoners mostly take passenger ships or civilian ships, merchants usually have their own merchant ships, and officials above the seventh rank can take free official ships when traveling.

  According to their ranks, the grades of official ships were also different. Lin Dage was a fourth-grade official, and according to convention, he took an upper-class official ship.

  This official boat has three layers, the lower layer is where the sailors and miscellaneous personnel live. The second layer is where the maidservants and guards live. Lord Ling lives on the third layer with his family.

  The third floor has eight cabins, the ship's space is limited, and the cabin is not big, but it is arranged very delicately. Each cabin has a window, sitting by the window, you can overlook the scenery of the riverbank.

  Ling Jingyu and Ling Xiao lived in adjacent cabins, making it convenient for her to take care of him at any time.

  Ling Xiao was still on his first long voyage by boat, and at the beginning, he was so excited that he couldn't contain himself. He kept asking Ling Jingyu to describe all the scenery she saw to him. After several days passed, the novelty of being on a boat gradually wore off, and he felt too bored staying in the cabin all day. He couldn't help but grumble: "We've already been on this boat for five days, how much longer will it take to get to Beijing?"

  Ling Jingyu suddenly lost her smile: "We've only walked less than a third of the way, and we still have to walk for over ten more days! As the saying goes, reading ten thousand volumes is not as good as traveling ten thousand miles. Didn't you always want to leave Dingzhou City and take a look?"

  Ling Xiao is still indeed childish and lacks patience.

  Ling Xiao was ridiculed by Ling Jingyu, and he felt a bit embarrassed: "I just feel that staying on the boat every day, unable to go out and move around, is a bit suffocating. Forget it, I'll just read a book to pass the time."

  Ling Xiao's "reading" meant having someone read aloud to him.

  Ling Jingxiao smiled and said: "I'm also idle with nothing to do, I'll come read a book for you to listen."

  As she spoke, she ordered Bai Yu to find a book of miscellaneous travel notes and read them carefully to Ling Xiang.

  The warm and bright sunlight shines through the window, illuminating the small cabin. Ling Jingxian's gentle and beautiful voice fills the room, while Ling Xiao sits quietly and obediently beside her, intently leaning in to listen.

  Jingyu was serving tea on the side, while Baiyu had nothing to do and started sewing.

  The atmosphere is quiet and peaceful.

  A soft voice of a young maid broke the silence: "Reporting to Miss and Young Master, Madam has already prepared lunch on her side, please go over together for lunch."

  Ling Jingxuan smiled and responded, putting down the book in her hand, pulling Ling Xiao's hand out of the cabin to the dining hall.

  ......

  Living on a boat, three meals a day, breakfast and dinner are eaten in their own rooms, only lunch is eaten together by everyone.

  Sun brought two cooks from the government specifically, and their culinary skills were quite exquisite. Although there weren't many dishes for lunch every day, they were all very delicate and delicious.

  When Ling Jingyu and her brother arrived, Old Man Ling and the others were already seated around the dinner table. They had to pay their respects before taking their seats.

  To say, the population of Changfang is not complicated either.

  Ling Dàyé has two daughters and two sons. His eldest daughter, Ling Jinghao, was married a few years ago and now lives with her husband in Tongzhou. His eldest son, Ling Yurui, is currently a student at the Imperial Academy, and four years ago he married his wife Jiangshi, but they have not yet had any children. His second son died young, and there is also another daughter named Ling Jingyan.

  Sitting at the table were Mr. and Mrs. Ling, their son-in-law Sun, and their daughters Ling Jingyuan and Ling Jingxian. Adding in Ling Jingxian's younger brother, there were only seven people in total. The round pear-wood table was more than enough for them.

  Mr. Ling was serious and solemn in front of his juniors, not speaking or laughing casually. He followed the rule of "not speaking while eating and not talking while sleeping". Everyone finished their lunch in silence until Mr. Ling got up and returned to his cabin, and the atmosphere finally relaxed.

  Without needing to be told, a clever maid brought up steaming hot tea and snacks.

  The journey is long and tedious, spending all day on the boat, chatting idly is also a great way to pass the time.

  Ling Jingyan smiled and chatted with Ling Jingxiao about the interesting medical stories of Wei Taizhen: "Wei Taizhen founded Hui Chun Tang before he was 16 years old, taking in patients. At first, those patients saw that Wei Taizhen was too young and didn't trust him at all. Not only did Wei Taizhen not charge a consultation fee, but also gave away medicine for free, which is why those poor patients who couldn't even afford medicine stayed..."

  "Now, Wei Taizhen's reputation is spreading throughout the capital. On the first and fifteenth of every month, the patients waiting outside Huichuntang can fill up two streets." The young woman sitting beside Ling Jingyan also chimed in with a smile.

  This young woman was about twenty years old, with a beautiful and elegant appearance that moved people. She was exactly Ling Xi's wife, Jiang Shi.

  Jiang's family is of noble descent. His father was the nephew of the late Duke of England, and the current Duke of England is Jiang's paternal uncle. The two families are of the same clan, closely related, and interact frequently.

  The British Gong Mansion is the most prominent noble mansion of the Great Zhou Dynasty. When the Great Zhou was founded, the Duke of England was one of the founding heroes. Now that the Great Zhou has been passed down for over 200 years, the British Gong Mansion has also existed for over 200 years. The late Empress Jiang was the youngest daughter of the late Duke of England and is the biological aunt of the current Duke of England.

  The current Crown Prince of Donggong is a first cousin of the Duke of Britain.

  Jiang was only a concubine's child, but he was exceptionally talented and handsome. When Jiang had not yet married, there were countless people who came to ask for his hand in marriage.

  Ling Dàyé was a jinshi by birth, studying the teachings of Confucius and Mencius, believing in the orthodox tradition of the Crown Prince. He disapproved of the Emperor's indulgence towards his youngest son, the King of Yan, and had always wanted to stand under the Crown Prince's gate. To form this alliance with the Jiang family, he had indeed put in a lot of thought.

  Also at that time, when Jiang's family had just married, her husband respected her, and her parents-in-law were also quite close to this daughter-in-law.

  It didn't last long.

  Jiang had been married for four years and still hadn't borne any children. Sun had long been dissatisfied, but was constrained by the Jiang family's influence and didn't dare to take a concubine for Ling Xi. However, whenever they spoke, she would inevitably find fault: "This time when we return to the capital, Ah Jiao will accompany Ah Xiao to seek medical treatment, you should also go with them. It's a good opportunity to ask Wei Taiyi to prescribe some medicine to regulate your body, perhaps you'll soon become pregnant."

  Jiang's smile froze, and he responded with a single word before lowering his head.

  There are three ways to be unfilial, and having no descendants is the worst.

  No matter how high-born, talented and beautiful one is, what's the use? Having never been able to conceive a child had become the greatest source of pain for the Jiang family. As soon as Sun spoke up, she hit the Jiang family's sore spot.

  Ling Jingxu had a good impression of her humorous and witty sister-in-law, and couldn't bear to see her so embarrassed. She smiled and helped her out: "A child's birth also depends on heaven's blessing and fate, you can't rush it. Sister-in-law is still young, as long as she takes good care of herself, maybe she'll get pregnant soon."

  Jiang's heart warmed up and he looked at Ling Jingxu with gratitude.

  Ling Xi and his wife Jiang were quite loving, and he said with a smile: "To think of it, I'm to blame. For more than half of the month, I've been staying at the Imperial Academy, and my time back at the mansion is scarce. Often leaving my wife to guard an empty room alone."

  Husband and wife have no time to be together, where did the children come from?

  Her husband's behavior warmed Jiang's heart. As for her mother-in-law Sun's nagging, she didn't need to take it to heart.

  Ling Jingyu and Ling Xi continued to defend the Jiang family, so Sun couldn't say much more. To avoid showing her sharp tongue in front of everyone, she quickly changed the subject: "Tomorrow when the boat arrives at the dock, the cooks will go ashore to buy some ingredients, and the sailors will also take a half-day break on shore. If you want to take the opportunity to get off the boat and get some fresh air, that's fine too."

  As soon as this was said, everyone was excited.

  Especially Ling Xiao, immediately pulled on Ling Jingxu's sleeve and shook it: "Ah Xiu, let's get off the boat and take a walk too!"

  Ling Jingxu was also somewhat moved, and smiled in response.

  ......