Mr. Ling is dead.
Although Ling Qingwan knew this day would come, she still couldn't bear it when she saw with her own eyes the once lively person now skinny and lying stupidly on the bed.
She suddenly remembered that on the day after the annual banquet, she went into Fuluxuan and talked to Mr. Ling. At that time, Mr. Ling couldn't even say a word.
The funeral was held as scheduled, and the plaque of the mansion was replaced with a new one made by a craftsman. The words "Ling Mansion" on it were dazzling.
The red lanterns celebrating the end of the year were taken down, and then the white lanterns were hung up. After this incident, some people left the mansion one after another, and the remaining ones either could not find a good way out after leaving the Ling Mansion, or had feelings for the Ling Mansion.
Ling Shenshi was a good person. If someone wanted to leave, she would return the indenture she had held for half her life. Before leaving, everyone would kowtow to Ling Shenshi respectfully.
Seeing that the weather was gradually getting warmer, it started to rain heavily two days after Mr. Ling's death. This time, it rained for three or four days.
As the eldest son of the Ling family, Ling Xiao had a lot of things to do, so he had no time to visit Ling Qingwan these days. Ling Qingwan stayed in the Iris Pavilion, and she didn't think about Ye Yun's affairs. She would tease Hongdou when she woke up, and eat when she was tired, over and over again.
Qiao'er and Mingyue felt heartbroken, but there was nothing they could do. Things in the world are unpredictable, and people always have to experience the pain of separation and death.
Plum Garden.
Ling Chuchu had just returned from Old Madam Ling's place, and because she was in a hurry, her skirt was stained with mud. Zhiqin squatted down to wipe it for her, but Ling Chuchu was upset for no reason and kicked Zhiqin away.
"Nothing goes as planned." Ling Chuchu was so angry that she sat down on the couch.
The maids did not dare to delay and hurried forward to serve.
The mansion had just fallen into decline, and the old man had died. No one could bear the blows one after another. Several maids thought Ling Chuchu was sad about her grandfather's death.
"Has the prince come to visit the mansion these days?" Ling Chuchu thought about it and became more and more uneasy. She grabbed a maid by the collar and asked impatiently.
"To answer the young lady's question, I have been serving in the inner courtyard, and someone has come to visit every day in the past few days. I really can't remember whether I have seen the prince." The little maid was embarrassed and answered hurriedly.
"He definitely didn't come. If he did, why wouldn't he come to see me?" Ling Chuchu said to herself.
The maids didn't dare to say anything and just stood there trembling.
"If you hear that the prince has come to the mansion, tell me immediately. Do you understand?" Ling Chuchu ordered sternly.
She had never cared about Mr. Ling's serious illness when he was alive, let alone after his death. Ling Chuchu only cared about her family's decline and whether Song Zhiqing would look down on her and break off the engagement midway.
It doesn't matter if the Marquis's Mansion falls into decline, she's going to become the Crown Princess anyway.
According to Dai Viet customs, on the seventh day after the death of a deceased person, relatives should kneel in front of the mourning hall for a whole night to bid farewell to the deceased. The candlelight was dim, and everyone knelt in an orderly manner.
Ling Shen's eyes were red, and it was obvious that she had just cried. She was supported and knelt in front of Ling Qingwan.
In this huge mourning hall, only Madam Ling, Ling Shen and Ling Xiao were truly sad for Grandpa Ling.
Ling Qingwan was just daydreaming when suddenly, a stack of paper money hit her hard in the face.
The sky is full of white flowers.
"It's all your fault! You jinx! Ever since you returned to the Marquis' Mansion, there has not been a single peaceful day in the Mansion. It's all your fault that we have become what we are now." Old Madam Ling couldn't help it any longer and yelled at Ling Qingwan.
For a moment, the people around had different expressions. But except for Ling Shen and Ling Xiao, no one stopped Madam Ling.
"Get out of here! Get out! The Marquis' Mansion doesn't need you! It's bad luck if you stay here!" Old Madam Ling was very excited and pretended to push Ling Qingwan forward several times.
Ling Qingwan knelt motionlessly, as if she was out of the matter.
"Mother! Father hasn't been buried yet! He hated the quarrels in the backyard when he was alive. The whole family was in chaos. You should let him go in peace." Ling Shenshi advised earnestly. "Since it has happened, we should reflect on what we did wrong in the past, and then find out what we missed and make up for it. Life will get better."
As she spoke, Ling Shen came forward and supported Old Madam Ling. But Old Madam Ling refused to accept and pushed Ling Shen away fiercely.
"If the old man knew that it was this jinx who brought our family to this state, he would definitely want to kick her out. Life will never be good with her around." Old Madam Ling gritted her teeth and glared at Ling Qingwan viciously, wishing she could eat Ling Qingwan alive.
"Grandmother..."
"You three are of one mind, I've seen that for a long time." Old Madam Ling interrupted Ling Xiao. "Look for yourselves, in the entire mansion, besides you, who is on Ling Qingwan's side, who is speaking for her."
"Grandmother, the Marquis' Mansion has become what it is now because my father was unfaithful and secretly harbored the daughter of a criminal. My grandfather died of a serious illness. Which of these two things is related to Wanwan?" Ling Xiao was so angry that he spoke for Ling Qingwan despite Madam Ling's attempts to stop him.
"Brother, the Marquis' Mansion has encountered misfortunes one after another, and the one who is most sad is grandma. It is true that accidents have occurred one after another in the mansion since Wanwan came back. Grandmother is angry, and it is understandable that she would vent a few words. You should just say less." Ling Chuchu spoke at this time, advising Ling Xiao not to help Ling Qingwan.
What a reasonable person. Ling Qingwan felt disdainful.
"Wanwan, why don't you go out and live for a while. Don't you have a grandfather who is a general? General Shen shouldn't say anything if you stay with him for a few days." Then, Ling Chuchu proposed to Ling Qingwan.
To put it nicely, Ling Chuchu is no different from Old Madam Ling, except that Old Madam Ling is more straightforward.
In this way, he was going to secretly drive her away. Ling Qingwan found it funny.
"You don't need to tell me. I will also take my granddaughter back to the general's mansion."
A loud voice came from outside the hall, and Shen Chengzhou strode in, pulled Ling Qingwan up and blocked her behind him.
In front of her was Shen Chengzhou's broad and strong back, and Ling Qingwan felt warm in her heart.
That was enough. With Ling Shenshi and Ling Xiao speaking for her and Shen Chengzhou protecting her behind her, that was enough.
"Dad! Dad!" When Ling Feng saw Shen Chengzhou coming, his eyes lit up. He stood up happily, rushed to Shen Chengzhou and saluted him.
Before Mr. Ling's body was cold, Ling Feng called Shen Chengzhou "Dad" so earnestly in front of his spirit tablet that Mrs. Ling felt a lump in her chest and fainted again immediately.
The hall was in chaos, Shen Chengzhou was upset and wanted to take the mother and son away immediately. Ling Shen thought that she was still the eldest lady of the Ling Mansion and she was needed to take care of the backyard, so she refused to leave. Ling Xiao had many things to do, so Shen Chengzhou had no choice but to take Ling Qingwan, the "idle person", away with him.