Ling Muzhu looked joyfully at the two exquisite babies in the cradle, reaching out to tickle them from time to time.
“Eldest sister-in-law, these are gifts I prepared for my two nephews.”
He took out a brocade box from his travel pack. The box was wrapped in a layer of cloth, very securely. After opening layer after layer, he revealed a pair of jade pendants.
“Eldest sister-in-law, these jade pendants were blessed by a master at a temple and received incense offerings before the Buddha for seven days. Wearing them can bring peace to the children.”
Feng Jin accepted the jade pendants with a smile. “You’re very thoughtful, Muzhu. I’ll put them on them right away.”
After placing the jade pendants on the children’s chests, the two little ones immediately grabbed them, shaking them around and playing with them.
“Eldest sister-in-law, these are all small trinkets I collected along the way. They’ll be perfect for them to play with when they grow up.”
He opened another bundle, revealing a collection of delicate and exquisite small toys.
He had bought these items one by one wherever he passed places that had interesting toys on his way back, which was how he had gathered so many. “Eldest sister-in-law, this little wooden figure is the most clever; it can walk on its own with a touch. I originally wanted to buy a few more for them to play with, but unfortunately, only these two were left.”
“This is already very good. You’ve put a lot of thought into preparing these things.” Feng Jin could tell that every item was carefully prepared by Ling Muzhu, and his thoughtfulness was already greatly appreciated.
“Eldest sister-in-law, I was ignorant before and made many mistakes, always talking back to you. I beg for your magnanimity and hope you won’t hold it against me.”
Having spent time in Yingzhong Commandery, he had personally experienced the warmth and coldness of human relationships and the various facets of life. Reflecting on his past actions, he now realized how incredibly wrong he had been.
He was also grateful for eldest sister-in-law’s careful guidance. Without her, he would have become an utterly wicked person by now.
He had known he was wrong before, but due to a sense of pride, he had refused to admit it. On his way back from Yingzhong Commandery this time, he had made up his mind to personally apologize to Feng Jin.
“It’s all in the past, and there’s no need to mention it again. The fact that you can recognize your mistakes and correct them is already very good. It also shows that my guidance these past few days has not been in vain.”
Seeing Ling Muzhu mend his ways, Feng Jin felt that her efforts had paid off.
“Muzhu, being able to see you reform and now capable of standing on your own has lifted a great weight from my heart.”
Ling Muzhu’s affairs had always been a significant concern for him. Now, seeing Ling Muzhu’s repentance, he could finally feel at ease.
“Grandfather, I was unfilial before, causing you to worry about me. I truly feel ashamed in my heart.”
Old Master Ling held Ling Muzhu’s hand, saying with relief, “Good child, the past is the past. We won’t mention it again. Go and see your father first, then we’ll have dinner. I’ll have the kitchen prepare some of your favorite dishes.”
“Grandfather, I’ll go and see Father first. I’ll take my leave now.”
“Alright, go.”
After Ling Muzhu left, Old Master Ling gazed at his retreating figure, his gaze lingering for a long time.
“Will Second Uncle mention the matter of Madam Zhao to Muzhu? What should we say if Muzhu asks about Madam Zhao later?”
Feng Jin finished speaking and looked back and forth between Ling Mohan and Old Master Ling, waiting for them to devise a strategy.
“Just tell him the truth. Second Brother wouldn’t dare to stir up trouble with Muzhu, and Muzhu wouldn’t believe his lies anyway,” Old Master Ling snorted. He knew Second Brother’s petty thoughts; he was too calculating but lacked the capability to handle major affairs, which was why, even in middle age, he remained in an awkward position, never achieving anything significant.
“Don’t worry, Second Uncle won’t fabricate anything,” Ling Mohan said, putting an arm around Feng Jin’s shoulder. His words inexplicably made Feng Jin feel very secure.
…
“Young master is back, Master… Young master is back.” As soon as Ling Muzhu entered the courtyard, the servant boy spotted him and shouted loudly.
The Second Master Ling inside the house heard the commotion and for a moment thought he had misheard, until the servant boy came in to report, “Master, Young master is back.”
Ling Er Ye’s hand, holding a teacup, froze. He hadn’t reacted for a moment. After a pause, he asked again, “What did you just say?”
“Young master is back, Young master is back,” the servant boy reported again.
Muzhu is back. The teacup in Second Master Ling’s hand fell to the ground with a ‘crack!’ He stood up abruptly, about to go out, when he saw Ling Muzhu’s figure appear at the doorway.
“My son pays his respects to Father. I have not been able to fulfill my filial duties by your side. I beg for your forgiveness, Father.”
“Muzhu, quickly rise. Let your husband have a good look at you.”
Second Master Ling quickly helped Ling Muzhu up, his eyes full of tears as he examined him. “Why have you lost weight and gotten darker? Yingzhong Commandery is a harsh place, having just gone through war and natural disasters. Why were you so foolish as to insist on staying there? I have worried about you every day since I learned of this.”
In his life, he only had this one son, Ling Muzhu, and this child was born prematurely and had been sickly since birth. He had never dared to be careless, raising him with great care and never letting him suffer any hardship. He held him in his hands for fear of dropping him, and kept him in his mouth for fear of him melting, terrified of any mishap.
Who would have thought that he would be schemed against by Feng Jin, making him stay in that harsh place, Yingzhong Commandery, to suffer and toil.
“Father, it was my own decision to stay in Yingzhong Commandery. Please don’t blame Eldest Brother or Eldest sister-in-law. Moreover, I learned a great deal in Yingzhong Commandery, and only then did I realize how foolish my previous actions were.”
Second Master Ling was not greatly moved by Ling Muzhu’s words. Instead, he felt that Ling Muzhu had been brainwashed by Feng Jin.
“How have you become like this, my child? Have Feng Jin and the others threatened you or done something to you? Tell your father, and I will seek justice for you.”
“Father, Eldest sister-in-law has never done anything to me. Rather, it is because of Eldest sister-in-law’s teachings that I have shed my bad habits.”
“You truly have been bewitched by Feng Jin. Do you know that your mother was forced to be divorced by your grandfather because of Feng Jin’s machinations? And your sister…”
“Enough! Father, please stop slandering Eldest sister-in-law. My sister and mother met their fate due to their own actions, and Eldest sister-in-law cannot be blamed for any of it.”
Before returning to the Ling family, Ling Muzhu had already inquired about the entire sequence of events. If his mother had not gone to find eldest sister-in-law and had not beaten Ling Wan, she would not have angered their grandfather.