Chapter 130: Miss Qin of the Qin Family Estate

Chapter 130: Miss Qin of the Qin Family Estate

The Qin family estate has now fallen into an utterly desolate state.

Qin Shi hurried back to mourn her brother. The deceased was the current head of the Qin family estate.

Ironically, it was only after his death that the emperor posthumously awarded him the title of Duke of Qin.

He had been the heir apparent all his life, and after his death, the title of Duke of Qin still remained uninherited.

The emperor's attitude clearly showed his disdain for the Qin family estate.

The Qin family estate had truly fallen into utter neglect.

This time, Qin Shi brought her niece, Qin Shaojing, the young miss of the Qin family estate.

"Lingyun, my daughter, prepare the courtyard in advance, have the maids and servants ready, and use the finest furnishings in the rooms. Shaojing is the young mistress of the Qin family estate and must not be slighted."

After reading the letter, Lu Lingyun arched her eyebrows slightly.

Qin Shaojing.

So, Qin Shi's niece was arriving.

As the young mistress of the Qin family estate, the furnishings had to be top-notch. She certainly had quite the grandeur.

Lu Lingyun smiled faintly. "Prepare the Caitang Pavilion beside the Ningxin Courtyard. Open the main storage room, select the newest utensils and ornaments, and take out a batch of items from my private storeroom."

"Yes."

Lu Lingyun personally supervised the room preparations, choosing the best items from the marquis's estate and adding some from her private collection.

Many of these items had been gifts from Qin Shi. She chose the large red coral decorations, the jadeite cabbage, an ivory carving of a hundred blessings and auspicious clouds, flowing cloud gauze curtains, gourd bead crystal curtains, and carved flower mica horn lamps, among other items.

Lu Lingyun was extremely generous, choosing the most beautiful and grand items.

After all, these furnishings would ultimately remain hers.

The guest would come and go without being able to take anything with her. These decorations wouldn’t wear out.

Of course, consumables such as bedding, quilts, personal cups, and utensils were taken from the estate’s storage.

Lu Lingyun used the best of everything, newly purchased at the estate’s expense.

She went to great lengths to prepare the room for Qin Shaojing.

Then, she selected a group of maids from the estate: two senior maids and four junior maids for rough work, all prepared according to the standards of Cheng Yunshuo’s quarters.

She treated Qin Shaojing as if she were the young mistress of the marquis's residence.

After the courtyard and servants were prepared, she asked, "Has the heir returned?"

"The heir is still staying at the House of Fragrance. He said he isn’t going anywhere."

Lu Lingyun sighed softly, "Forget it, let him be."

Lu Lingyun dispatched someone for a visit to the Prefectural Commandant Manor and requested a leave of absence for Cheng Yunshuo for a period of time.

Fortunately, Cheng Yunshuo’s role at the Prefectural Commandant Manor was an idle position. If he wanted to work, there was plenty to do; if not, no one would urge him.

The court rarely assigned tasks to the Prefectural Commandant Manor, and the higher-ups never took the place seriously, seeing it as somewhere noble scions could while away their time. Since Cheng Yunshuo didn’t go, no one cared.

Not bothering with Cheng Yunshuo, Lu Lingyun focused on waiting for Lady Qin and the old Marquis to return.

In less than two days, their carriages returned to the capital and to the manor.

Lu Lingyun, along with everyone in the manor, including the three children, went to the gate to welcome them.

"Lingyun!"

Lady Qin got off the carriage and looked at Lu Lingyun with joy.

In her letters, Lu Lingyun had informed her about the major events in the manor during this time.

Including the fact that Xing Dairong had died from difficult childbirth, leaving a pair of male-female twins for the family.

To Lady Qin, this was truly a double stroke of good fortune.

She had never liked Xing Dairong, considering the woman a disaster for her precious son, nearly ruining the entire Ningyang Marquisate. Her death was a great joy to her.

If not for the two children she bore for the Marquisate, Lady Qin wouldn’t have allowed her spirit tablet to be placed in the Marquisate.

Lu Lingyun managed this household remarkably well.

"Let me see the children quickly."

After getting off the carriage, Lady Qin first went to see the children held by the wet nurses.

Lu Lingyun had arranged for wet nurses for Xing Dairong’s twins and had carefully nurtured them. Now they were thriving, though they were still frail.

"Mother."

"This is our little Bing'an!" Lady Qin first looked at the eldest, Bing'an.

Bing'an, now a month old, was plump and fair, incredibly adorable.

"Yes."

"He looks just like our Shuo'er!"

"It’s truly wonderful!"

Lady Qin held Bing’an tightly, only giving a brief glance to Xing Dairong’s children. After all, to her, there was a difference in affection and closeness. Since she disliked the birth mother, she naturally treated the children differently.

Lu Lingyun noticed Lady Qin’s favoritism but didn’t say much. "These two children are frail and shouldn’t be exposed to the wind. Shall we take them back inside?"

Lady Qin glanced at the two children again. "Take them back and care for them well."

"Yes." Lu Lingyun gave the nannies a look, signaling them to take the children back first.

The atmosphere of this family's harmonious reunion grew even stronger.

At that moment, a brisk voice rang out from the carriage.

"Aunt, won't you let me see the children?"

Lu Lingyun looked in the direction of the voice and saw the last woman to descend from the carriage.

The woman was dressed in a white spring dress. She was still in mourning, so she wore white. However, the fabric was not ordinary; it was high-quality cloud brocade, finely embroidered with silver threads that sparkled subtly under the sun. The white dress further highlighted her flawless complexion, making her look strikingly beautiful.

She wore a head ornament adorned with black gemstones and silver filigree, and a large Hetian jade and gold necklace, with a central jade stone that looked invaluable and extremely precious. Two jade pendants hung from her waist, each an exquisite piece of fine jade.

At a glance, Lu Lingyun was immediately impressed by the woman’s noble presence.

Despite her simple attire, she wore all the appropriate accessories, leaving nothing out. The simplicity of her white mourning attire only accentuated her unmistakable wealth.

However, Lu Lingyun soon realized that this wealth was only superficial.

Having been to Duke Xu's Mansion and met Lady Da Cui, Lady Xiao Cui, and her close friend Li Niyue, she noticed that while the woman’s attire and accessories were extravagantly valuable and she was dressed appropriately, upon closer inspection, she seemed to be trying too hard.

Leaving aside the fact that she was in mourning and didn’t need to be so elaborate, none of her accessories were of the latest styles. They were all antiquated pieces, giving the impression of trying too hard to maintain appearances.

In that moment, Lu Lingyun realized that the Duke of Qin's estate had truly fallen on hard times.

"This must be Miss Shaojing, right?"

Lu Lingyun raised an impeccable smile and generously extended a welcome to the woman descending from the carriage.

Lady Qin, who was holding Bingan, immediately looked up with a smile on her face. "That's right. This is Shaojing. Come here quickly, Xiao Jing. Let me make a proper introduction."