When Ling Qingwan came back, Old Madam Ling was so busy talking to her eldest granddaughter who had been missing for many years that she didn't notice Ling Xiao at all.
Seeing Ling Xiao, Old Lady Ling smiled and asked the two to come closer.
"My grandson met Wanwan outside Luoan City, and then asked the Seventh Prince to escort Wanwan back to Beijing first. In about two or three days, the Seventh Prince should be back." Ling Xiao said with a smile.
When Ling Qingwan saw this scene, she felt a warm feeling in her heart.
The kind-hearted and compassionate Madam Ling, the ambitious and high-spirited young master Ling Xiao, and this lively family. Only by seeing them die one by one, and the most prominent family of Dayue finally becoming a victim of the struggle for power, can one understand Ling Qingwan's current mood.
"I heard from your father a few days ago that the prince went to Mobei, which is probably the same day as the seventh prince's return to the capital. The palace is bustling now." Old Madam Ling said with emotion.
Hearing the name Song Zhiqing, Ling Qingwan came back to her senses.
The more she thought about how Song Zhiqing had ruined the Marquis's Mansion, the more she hated him. In the end, it was God who opened her eyes and allowed her to return to this world.
This time, she would definitely not suffer from Song Zhiqing and Ling Chuchu again.
"My grandson has no right to interfere in matters of the palace. All I know is that my sister is back." Ling Xiao said as he turned his head to look at Ling Qingwan, grinning with an exceptionally bright smile.
If only my brother could always be this happy, Ling Qingwan thought.
"Yes! Family reunion is the most important thing." Ling Shen spoke gently, and when she looked at Ling Qingwan, her eyes were full of smiles.
For Ling Qingwan in her previous life, the time she first returned to the Marquis' Mansion was the happiest. At that time, she had the love of her grandmother and grandfather, her mother, and her brother who regarded her as a treasure. Ling Chuchu also treated her well. Even though she was wrapped up in the cumbersome rules and human relationships in the mansion, Ling Qingwan felt extremely happy.
It was not until she married Song Zhiqing and moved to the palace that she was locked in the courtyard every day. It was only by thinking about this memory that she avoided dying on the night she learned of her brother's death.
"Madam, Madam." The old housekeeper stood outside the door, shook off the snow on her shoulders, and then stepped into the room carefully. "The master is back."
"It's freezing cold, but he is not afraid of trouble and insists on going hunting in the mountains outside the city. I want to see what he can bring back." Madam Ling said this, but her tone was very happy.
"Now that Xiao'er is back, I'm afraid the master will have to visit more often in the future." Ling Shenshi agreed with a chuckle.
Everyone in the room was talking and laughing, having a great time.
"Is the food ready in the kitchen?" Old Madam Ling casually asked her personal maid.
"To answer the old lady's question, the chef in the kitchen has been very busy since he learned that the second young lady is coming back today. I heard that he even made your favorite crystal braised pork." The maid spoke in a crisp voice, which made the old lady Ling very happy.
Old Madam Ling stood up and took Ling Qingwan's hand affectionately.
"Come on, I'll take you to meet your father."
Father
Ling Qingwan hadn't seen him for a long time. In the previous life, he teamed up with Ling Yun to kill his grandfather's family, and even shot Ling Xiao's life with his own hands. Ling Qingwan hated him to the bone, no less than Song Zhiqing.
Now that she saw Ling Feng again, it was really difficult for her to pretend nothing had happened and call him "Father".
"Take this deer to the kitchen and roast it for my dinner."
Before they entered the hall, they heard Ling Feng ordering the servants to do something.
"The food is ready. If you cook it now, you will have to wait until tomorrow morning to eat it." Old Madam Ling said with a smile.
After saying that, Madam Ling took Ling Qingwan around the screen, with Ling Shenshi and Ling Xiao following closely behind.
"Mother." Before Ling Feng could even sit down, he hurriedly stood up and helped Madam Ling to take a seat.
As for Ling Qingwan, he didn't even look at her.
"Wanwan, quickly pay your respects to your father." Ling Shen greeted Ling Qingwan softly.
Ling Qing lowered her head and walked in front of Ling Feng, then bowed to him respectfully.
"Your daughter Qing Wan greets your father."
This was also how she remembered it. Ling Feng had never treated her well since the first time he saw her. The first time he spoke to her in a gentle voice was on her wedding day.
She thought Ling Feng was kindhearted despite his stern appearance, and that he loved her. However, she never imagined that Ling Feng's words of teaching her how to be a wife were just to make Song Zhiqing happy.
"Wanwan has grown so big." Ling Feng chuckled and reached out to pat Ling Qingwan's shoulder.
Ling Qingwan dodged subconsciously.
"Wanwan was meeting her father for the first time, so she must have been too nervous and scared." Upon seeing this, Ling Xiao hurried to smooth things over for Ling Qingwan.
Ling Feng didn't say much, after all, he didn't care about Ling Qingwan. After exchanging a few pleasantries with Ling Qingwan, he went to talk to Old Madam Ling.
"Is Wanwan scared?"
Ling Xiao pulled Ling Qingwan to a corner and said to her in a soothing voice, "Father is a little strict, but he is not a bad person. Just follow the rules and he won't make things difficult for you."
After saying that, Ling Xiao straightened up and patted his chest proudly.
"If you have anything to say, just tell me. In the future, I will support you in the mansion, and no one will dare to embarrass you."
Ling Qingwan couldn't help but smile when she saw Ling Xiao like this.
The food was served one after another, and the whole family gathered and sat around the dining table.
The Marquis's Mansion was a large and prestigious family in Da Yue. If the seats were full, the table would have to be queued outside the Marquis' Mansion. Some unpopular concubines and illegitimate young masters and young ladies could only stand outside and wait until the meal was over before they could sit at the table.
Because of the complicated rules of the Marquis' Mansion, Ling Qingwan had made many embarrassing mistakes in the past.
Today, Ling Qingwan came back, and as the second legitimate daughter, she was able to sit next to Ling Shenshi. Even with Ling Chuchu, the eldest legitimate daughter, there were several people between them.
"I asked the kitchen to use northern flavors when cooking. You can try it and see if it suits your taste." Old Madam Ling was very concerned about Ling Qingwan.
As soon as he finished speaking, Ling Xiao picked up a piece of duck meat and put it into Ling Qingwan's bowl.
Ling Qingwan glanced around and noticed that many people looked strange, as if they wanted to drive her out.
"It's delicious!" Ling Qingwan took a bite of the food and nodded heavily.
Most of the conversation at the dinner table was about Ling Qingwan, asking her how she had been doing over the years, how she lived her daily life, and saying a few polite words that were half true and half false.
"Xiao'er, now that you have returned to the capital this time, do you know whether the emperor has issued any documents? What position will be assigned to you in the court in the future?" Ling Feng spoke, turning the topic to Ling Xiao.
Actually, today is the day Ling Xiao returns, but Ling Qingwan overshadows him.
"That's not the case." Ling Xiao answered truthfully. "See if the emperor will mention it to grandfather when he is in the palace these days."
Ling Xiao had no intention of attending the court now. Ling Qingwan had just returned to the capital, and he was busy taking care of her. He also wanted to ask the emperor for permission to rest for a few days.
"Xiao Ge'er works under the Seventh Prince and is a second-rank commander of the Northern Army. He has made great contributions in guarding the border. The Emperor will not treat him unfairly."