Chapter 131: Reward Upon Reward

Chapter 131: Reward Upon Reward

"There's no need for my aunt to introduce us; I know this must be my good sister-in-law, Lady Lu!" The woman in white showed no signs of mourning at all and spoke directly.

She stepped forward warmly and familiarly, without any pretense, and quickly established a rapport with Lu Lingyun.

"Sister-in-law."

Lu Lingyun looked at the woman in front of her and smiled. "Miss Shaojing, you've endured a long journey. It's no wonder they say ladies from prestigious families are extraordinary. Miss Shaojing, you've truly shown me what it means to be as noble as your mother."

Lu Lingyun humbly elevated her guest while also complimenting Lady Qin, pleasing both with a single sentence.

Hearing her words, Qin Shaojing narrowed her beautiful eyes slightly and immediately replied, "Sister-in-law, as my aunt has told me, you are a precious daughter-in-law carefully chosen by her. With such good taste, you can't be anything less. I still have much to learn from you in managing the household."

Displaying high emotional intelligence, Qin Shaojing quickly elevated Lu Lingyun with a few well-chosen words. By noting that Lu Lingyun had been carefully chosen by Lady Qin and praising Lady Qin’s good judgment, she subtly implied Lu Lingyun’s excellence. By expressing a desire to learn from her, she swiftly bridged the gap between them.

Following this exchange, Lu Lingyun realized that Miss Shaojing was truly exceptional.

Qin Shaojing's words were flawless and very appropriate, but generally, a guest visiting the host's home for the first time wouldn't speak this way. They would either hold back or shyly agree, as they are unfamiliar with the host and should defer to them. Especially since she was still in mourning. The last time Lu Lingyun visited the Duke of Xu’s mansion, she had spoken as little as she could, deferring the spotlight to her mother-in-law and the elder Madam Cui. When someone praised her, she would deflect the compliment to her mother-in-law, giving her the honor.

For a moment, Lu Lingyun reflected on the decline of the Qin Duke’s household.

"This must be Miss Shaojing!" Lu Lingyun raised an impeccable smile and warmly welcomed the woman stepping down from the carriage.

Holding Little Bing'an, Lady Qin looked up and smiled. "That's right, this is Shaojing. Come here quickly, Shaojing, let me properly introduce you. I've found a precious daughter-in-law for our family!"

Without any sign of mourning, Qin Shaojing stepped forward warmly and familiarly, almost as if she were a hostess rather than a guest.

"Sister-in-law, coming here feels like coming home. Of course, I need to get along with my sister-in-law!"

As expected, Qin Shaojing continued to lead the conversation.

Listening to their exchange, Lady Qin didn't sense anything amiss, laughing heartily. "I knew the two of you would hit it off!"

Indeed, Qin Shaojing's words made it sound as if she was not just a guest but somewhat of a hostess.

This was no ordinary guest.

After entering the mansion, it was still Qin Shaojing who spoke the most.

The two walked and chatted, laughing together. Lu Lingyun, observing the scene, quietly stepped back, giving them the spotlight. She interjected occasionally, keeping herself in the background.

Lu Lingyun first led them to the courtyard prepared for Qin Shaojing.

"Miss Shaojing's courtyard is beside my mother's Ningxin Courtyard, formerly known as Caitang Pavilion."

Hearing this, Lady Qin nodded satisfactorily. "A good choice."

"I appreciate your effort in preparing the courtyard for me, Sister-in-law. Actually, I forgot to mention earlier, I brought many things with me, and I might need to rearrange once I'm settled. You see, I can be quite particular," Qin Shaojing said, holding onto Lady Qin's arm. "Aunt, you know, I'm just as particular as you were when you were young!"

"I know, you little girl is just as particular as I was!" Lady Qin said affectionately, poking her forehead. "If there's anything you're not satisfied with, just replace it."

"But that would go against Sister-in-law's good intentions."

"Your **elder** sister-in-law is not as narrow-minded as you are," said Lady Qin, looking at Lu Lingyun.

At that moment, a vague, indescribable feeling arose in her mind.

She had specifically told Lu Lingyun to prepare the room with the finest furnishings, everything with the best quality. After all, Qin Shaojing was her niece, and not only were they close by blood, but she also wanted to give her the best. Moreover, both she and Qin Shaojing were young misses of the Qin Ducal Estate.

She was very picky.

If Lu Lingyun had arranged the room carelessly, and Qin Shaojing found it inferior in every way to the Qin Ducal Estate, it would have been a disgrace for her.

At that moment, as they were about to enter the room, Lady Qin felt a touch of nervousness.

Qin Shaojing, now wide awake, was ready to find fault with the Ningyang Marquisate later. She intended to assert her status and subtly put Lu Lingyun in her place.

However, as she entered the room with Lady Qin, at first glance, she saw the magnificent red coral from the Eastern Sea displayed in the hall.

There were four ram’s horn mother-of-pearl lamps, an ivory carving of a hundred blessings at the corner, and a jadeite and white jade cabbage. Even the curtains in her room were made of flowing cloud gauze!

The room's grandeur rivaled that of the Qin Ducal Estate at its peak!

Every item in the room met the standards of a ducal mansion, and she was utterly astonished.

Now, even in the Qin Ducal Estate, her own room couldn’t compare to this level of luxury.

The Qin Ducal Estate had declined rapidly over the past decade. The emperor disfavored them, and the title of Duke was only posthumously bestowed on her father. The noble families no longer associated with the Qin Ducal Estate, yet they still had to maintain a grand facade.

They had long been spending beyond their means.

While her mother was alive, they had started using her mother’s dowry to cover expenses, and after her mother passed away, more items were pawned. At first, they would redeem some items when funds became available, but later, they lost more than they could retrieve.

Now, her own room in the Qin Ducal Estate contained only items for show. Looking at the room Lu Lingyun had prepared for her, Qin Shaojing found she couldn’t point out a single mistake.

Upon seeing the many items that she had previously bestowed upon Lu Lingyun being used so generously to decorate Qin Shaojing’s room, Lady Qin’s eyes lit up.

"Lingyun, you’ve really put in a lot of effort for this room!"

"Mother, you flatter me. You said that Miss Shaojing is an esteemed guest, so I naturally couldn’t afford to be negligent. I’ve also prepared two senior maids and four general maids for Miss Shaojing, all according to Yunshuo’s standards. If Miss Shaojing feels the staff is insufficient, I can make further arrangements."

"Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful!" Lady Qin was thoroughly satisfied.

Looking at Lu Lingyun, she couldn’t be more pleased.

Her always satisfactory daughter-in-law had never made a mistake!

This occasion had greatly enhanced her prestige.

When the time comes, more rewards will be given!

After carefully touring the room, Qin Shaojing couldn’t find any fault. After all, most of the items in the room were from the Qin Ducal Estate. If she were to find fault, it would be like criticizing her own home!

She turned to Lu Lingyun with a smile. "Thank you, Sister-in-law. I’m very satisfied with this room."

"I’m glad you’re satisfied, Miss Shaojing. If anything in the room isn’t to your liking or if you need more maids or servants, please let me know."

"Oh, my dear sister-in-law, please don’t call me Miss Shaojing anymore. Just call me Shaojing!" Qin Shaojing grabbed Lu Lingyun’s hand. "From now on, I’ll see you as my own sister."

"Certainly," Lu Lingyun was smiling faintly.

"Come to think of it, why haven't I seen Brother Yunshuo for so long?"