The crowd was astonished. They never expected Ling Luoyi to have such an audacious idea, it was truly too bold.
Hidden families were symbols of power.
Every hidden family was a top force on this continent.
How could their Ling family possibly achieve that?!
"Big sister, do you have a fever?" Ling Luoran said, placing her hand on Ling Luoyi's forehead.
If she wasn't feverish, how could she say such things?
Ling Luoyi batted her hand away and said with a laugh, "I'm not sick. Doesn't Ran'er want the Ling family to become stronger?"
"Your idea is too crazy," Ling Qi said.
"A youth without madness is wasted. Since we are all still young, why not do something crazy?"
"This requires your grandfather's consent."
"That's why I'm saying it now. If grandfather disagrees later, you all can persuade him."
Everyone looked at her speechlessly, realizing that her intention in speaking out now was to enlist their help.
Ling Luoyi felt a bit embarrassed under their gaze and quickly changed the subject, "Let's not talk about this anymore, let's deal with the current matters first."
Speaking of important matters, Ling Qi straightened his expression and asked, "How do you plan to resolve it?"
"I plan to go to Liuyun Pavilion tomorrow to sell some things. Once I get the money, Uncle can first pay the monthly wages for the maids, servants, and guards in the manor, and then use the remainder to pay off the debts."
"Alright."
"Big sister, I'll accompany you tomorrow," Ling Luoran said, smiling as she held Ling Luoyi's arm.
"Okay."
After they finished speaking, Bai Jingzhi stepped forward and said, "Lu'er, you've been back for a while, you must be tired. Dinner is ready. After you eat, you should go rest."
With that, Bai Jingzhi had the dishes served.
Half an hour later, the Ling family members finished their meal and prepared to leave, needing time to digest what they had just heard.
Ling Luoyi stood up, also preparing to leave.
Ling Luoran again held Ling Luoyi's arm and asked, "Is Big Sister returning to Qingyin Pavilion?"
"No, I'm going to see Big Brother first."
"Oh, that's right. Big Brother hasn't left his courtyard due to his injury, so you haven't seen him yet, Big Sister. You should go see him. You haven't seen each other for ten years," Ling Luoran said with self-reproach.
Ling Luoyi didn't speak, merely smiled and rubbed her head.
Some things, only one can help oneself overcome; no amount of words from others will help.
*
Ink Study Hall, the courtyard of the eldest young master of the Ling family, Ling Luochen.
Someone had already relayed the day's events of the Ling family to him, so he had been waiting.
As the two sisters reached the entrance, they saw Ling Luochen sitting upright on the bed.
Ling Luoyi stood by the screen and smiled at Ling Luochen, saying, "Big Brother."
Ling Luochen looked at Ling Luoyi's face, which was identical to his mother's in his memory, and also smiled, "Lu'er, Ran'er, come sit."
A servant brought chairs for them to sit down.
Seeing them seated, Ling Luochen waved his hand, signaling the servant to leave.
Ling Luochen carefully examined Ling Luoyi. Seeing that she was well, he felt relieved.
He then asked, "Lu'er, where have you been all these years? Grandfather looked for you for so long without finding you."
"I... had a bit of an fortuitous encounter."
Ling Luoyi didn't say anything else, but Ling Luochen was extremely astute. Knowing she didn't wish to elaborate, he didn't press further.
"Lu'er, you severely injured Yuan Zhan today. The Yuan family will not let you off easily."
"Big Brother, do you think the Yuan family would let a cripple continue to be the family head?" Ling Luoyi retorted.
No family head was a cripple. And the next family head of the Yuan family had not yet been decided. Not to mention the main lineage of the Yuan family, within Yuan Zhan's branch alone, there were several with good potential, yet none were willing to yield to the other. Therefore, what awaited the Yuan family was a struggle for the family headship.
It was estimated that the first thing the new family head would do upon taking office would be to avenge the previous family head to consolidate their reputation.
However, she had crippled Yuan Zhan's legs under the pretext of compensation. If the Yuan family still cared about their reputation, they would have no reason to bother her, at least not openly.
After all, great families cared most about their reputation.
If she hadn't cared about the Ling family's reputation, she would have directly burned Yuan Zhan to death.
"Lu'er, the old family head of the Yuan family and several Grand Elders are all high-level Spirit Masters. However, the strong practitioners of the Ling family all died ten years ago. Currently, the strongest in the Ling family is Grandfather, but Grandfather hasn't returned yet, and you..."
Ling Luochen also knew about this matter, but he feared they might resort to underhanded tactics.
"Big Brother, please rest assured, I haven't taken them seriously yet."
"Lu'er..." Ling Luochen was still worried and wanted to give her more advice.
"Alright, Big Brother, let me check your leg first."
"No need. My leg is already like this."
Ling Luochen didn't want his sister to worry anymore, especially since he knew the condition of his own leg very well, and also...
"Only if your leg is healed will Uncle let me treat his leg. Moreover..."
Ling Luoyi didn't finish speaking, but glanced at Ling Luoran, who had been silent since they entered. The meaning was clear: only if your leg is healed will Ling Luoran stop blaming herself.
Ling Luochen was about to say that even if she couldn't heal his leg, his uncle would still ask her to treat him. But upon seeing that glance, he understood.
"Then, you can examine it."
Ling Luoyi, having received permission, immediately stepped forward, took his pulse, and examined him.
As her fingertips touched Ling Luochen's wrist, Ling Luoyi's expression sharpened, and a hint of killing intent flashed in her eyes, disappearing in an instant.
Ling Luoran, standing behind Ling Luoyi, didn't see this, but Ling Luochen, facing her, saw it clearly.
Ling Luochen looked at Ling Luoyi, who was examining him, with an unreadable expression.
His sister was indeed not what she appeared to be on the surface. What had she experienced all these years?
Thinking of this, Ling Luochen affectionately stroked Ling Luoyi's head.
Feeling the weight on her head, Ling Luoyi looked up in confusion, met his concerned gaze, and smiled faintly.
"Big Sister, how is it?" Ling Luoran asked busily, seeing Ling Luoyi look up.
"It's nothing serious, just a broken bone. It can be healed with a Grade Three Bone-Mending Pill."
"Grade Three Bone-Mending Pill? Grade Three pills are uncommon in the Tianwu Kingdom. Only the Alchemist Guild and Liuyun Pavilion sell them, but the Ling family cannot afford them."
Ling Luoran sat down in disappointment.
"Why buy them? Don't I have them?" Ling Luoyi took out two medicine bottles of different colors. "The blue one is for mending bones, and the white one is for nourishing the spirit."
As she spoke, she gave Ling Luochen a deep look.
Ling Luochen understood and nodded slightly.
He then took the medicine bottle, opened the blue one, poured out a pill, and took it.
The medicinal effect took effect quickly. Ling Luochen felt a tingling sensation in his leg, with little pain.
In just a few breaths, his leg had recovered.
Ling Luochen stared blankly at his leg, then at the blue medicine bottle. This pill was likely more than Grade Three.
"It's... it's healed." Ling Luoran stared foolishly at the injured part of Ling Luochen's leg, which had already returned to its original state.
"Ran'er, Big Brother is fine now."
"Ah!" Ling Luoran couldn't hold back and burst into tears.
The siblings quickly comforted her.
After finally calming her down, they both panted with exhaustion.
"Lu'er, are you confident about what you said?"
"I don't do things I'm not confident about."
"Then, Big Brother supports you."
"Thank you, Big Brother. Everything has to wait until Grandfather returns."
"Don't worry, we will find a way to persuade Grandfather."
"Then thank you, Big Brother, in advance. It's getting late, we won't disturb your rest. We'll leave now."
Ling Luoyi gave Ling Luochen a meaningful look.
Ling Luochen understood and said, "Alright, be careful on your way."
"Ran'er, let's go." Ling Luoyi led Ling Luoran away.
Ling Luochen watched them leave the courtyard, then closed the door, sat back on the bed, opened the white medicine bottle, poured out a pill, and took it without hesitation.