The Duke of Ling's Mansion.
When Song Zhiyu arrived at the Duke's Mansion, there were already many carriages parked at the gate. Every guest who got off the carriage was a prominent figure in the capital, including some soldiers who had served under Madam Ling.
Now, they have long since risen to the rank of third-grade officials and established themselves firmly in the imperial court, yet they have not forgotten the kindness and support they received from Madam Ling.
In previous years, Madam Ling's birthday banquet was not a grand affair; it was simply a family gathering for a meal.
This year, they finally managed to hold a big celebration, so naturally they had to cancel everything else to come and offer their congratulations as a sign of respect.
As expected of the first female general of the Lintian Dynasty, Madam Ling had quite the presence; almost all the prominent families in the capital came.
After all, the Duke of Ling's mansion is currently at its zenith and highly valued by the Emperor. Who wouldn't want to be on good terms with them?
Moreover, Ling Yuan's legs have recovered, and it's only a matter of time before he returns to the battlefield.
He rose to fame at a young age and made great contributions to the dynasty. If he hadn't been ambushed by the enemy three years ago, Ling Yuan would now be standing at a height that they could not reach.
But it is precisely because of his crippled legs that he is unwilling to burden a good family's daughter, and he has been unable to marry and have children until now, and he doesn't even have a concubine or maidservant.
Such a virtuous and upright young general is hard to find even with a lantern.
Of course, they had to plan ahead, lest someone else snatch it away.
*
The vast Lingguo Duke's mansion was decorated with lanterns and colorful streamers, and the melodious sounds of string and wind instruments filled the air, creating a festive and peaceful atmosphere.
The ebony round table in the courtyard is neatly arranged, and the dazzling array of delicious dishes on it is so fragrant that it makes one's mouth water.
The steward, who was standing at the gate to greet guests, saw Song Zhiyu and hurriedly came up to her with a smile, "Miss Song, the old lady instructed me that if you come, she will take you to the inner courtyard first, as she would like to see you first."
After saying this, Song Zhiyu was respectfully invited into the inner courtyard by the butler.
This woman is not only the young general's savior, but also the old lady's goddaughter, so he has to take good care of her.
Shen Jinhua, who lagged behind, did not receive such good treatment; she was only greeted by a servant.
She stared fiercely at Song Zhiyu's departing figure, her teeth almost grinding to powder.
It's astonishing how much Madam Ling values Song Zhiyu. Not only did she send a carriage to pick her up, but now she's even having the steward personally escort her to the inner courtyard.
Let Song Zhiyu be smug for a while longer; she'll be in for a good cry later.
Before anyone knew it, Tan Yingying walked up to Shen Jinhua and said softly, "Since we've run into each other, let's go together."
Shen Jinhua nodded and walked beside Tan Yingying, as a servant led them to their seats.
"Is there a good show to watch today?" Tan Yingying couldn't wait to know if Shen Jinhua had succeeded.
“Of course, I definitely won’t let you down.” Shen Jinhua raised her chin high, her face full of certainty.
She saw the things being put in with her own eyes, how could it be fake?
"That's good." Tan Yingying was relieved. She hadn't expected that Shen Jinhua, that idiot, would actually be of some use.
Making the people of the Marquis of Chengen's mansion kill each other is much simpler than her going to great lengths to deal with them.
My elder sister is right. Using someone else to do the dirty work won't get your hands dirty. Even if things go wrong, the blame will fall on Shen Jinhua, since she's the one who did it.
She was just closer to Shen Jinhua, but she knew nothing about it.
Once she gets rid of Song Zhiyu and vents her hatred, her next target will be that bitch Ye Linxi.
Shen Jinhua was still gloating, waiting to see Song Zhiyu make a fool of herself, completely unaware that she herself had been tricked.
*
Meanwhile, Song Zhiyu was unaware of the schemes the two were plotting. At this moment, she was leisurely following the butler into the inner courtyard, where he led her toward Old Madam Ling's courtyard.
Although she didn't know what the old lady wanted to see her about, she was planning to deliver the medicine pouch to the old lady ahead of time.
“Young lady, the old lady’s courtyard is just ahead, you…”
Before the butler could finish speaking, a shrill female voice interrupted him, full of accusation, "Why won't the old lady see me?"
Before she arrived, her voice preceded her; the woman's shrill questioning voice was laced with a fierce and aggressive tone.
She walked very fast and bumped into Song Zhiyu and the other two at the corner.
Song Zhiyu instinctively pulled Lu Bai next to her, but she was still a little too slow. The two of them collided heavily. Lu Bai felt a strong force hit her shoulder, and she stumbled, falling to the ground along with the congratulatory gift in her hand.
"That blind fool blocked my way!" The woman rubbed her aching shoulder with one hand and pointed at Lu Bai's nose with the other, cursing.
The butler noticed that Qin Yue seemed to have a headache. "Miss Qin, this Miss Song is a distinguished guest of the Duke's mansion. The old lady specifically instructed me to take good care of her."
Fearing that Qin Yue would make things difficult for Song Zhiyu, he hurriedly brought up the name of Old Madam Ling.
Qin Yue's mother, Ling Suxin, was from a collateral branch of the Ling family. After the old lady's youngest daughter went missing, the elders of the clan had been planning to adopt Ling Suxin into the old lady's family.
However, in the old lady's heart, no one could replace the great-aunt's position, and she never agreed, so the matter was left unresolved.
Ling Suxin was shrewd. With a face that bore a slight resemblance to her great-aunt, she frequently visited the Duke's mansion, hoping to use the Duke's name to secure a better future.
Because of Ling Suxin's face, the old lady took good care of her, and as long as it didn't cross any lines, she would usually turn a blind eye.
Even after getting married, Ling Suxin did not forget to maintain her relationship with the Duke's mansion. She often brought her daughter to visit, ostensibly to see the old lady, but in reality, she was seeking benefits for her husband.
This Miss Qin was always good at pretending to be obedient and flattering in front of the old lady. After getting a few good looks from the old lady, she became extremely arrogant and domineering in front of the servants.
The housekeeper couldn't help but worry. Miss Song looked easy to bully, and he was afraid she would suffer if she went up against Qin Yue.
"You're Song Zhiyu? The female doctor who cured Brother Lingyuan?" A hint of jealousy flashed in Qin Yue's eyes. She had only heard of Song Zhiyu's name before, but had never seen her in person.
I thought she was just a plain, unassuming country girl, but she turned out to be so graceful and charming, with every smile and gesture so beautiful it seemed unreal.
She had heard that the Duke's mansion, to thank Song Zhiyu for saving their lives, had sent over a dozen boxes of treasures and rare calligraphy and paintings, and had even declared that they would protect Song Zhiyu, effectively becoming her protector.
She had never seen anyone from the Duke's mansion treat an outsider so highly.
"Looks like nothing special." Qin Yue snorted coldly, glanced at her contemptuously, and turned to leave.
She couldn't cause trouble at the old lady's courtyard gate, lest she incur the old lady's displeasure, so Qin Yue had no choice but to suppress her displeasure for the time being.
She'll teach Song Zhiyu a lesson when she gets the chance next time.
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