Chapter 62: Ennobled as Duke of Ling

Chapter 62: Appointed as Duke of Ling

"Sis, why the sigh?"

Jiang Han blinked her large eyes, not quite grasping what troubled her sister. Jiang Yaozu, ever the carefree one, had already torn open a paper package and was munching on a pastry.

"Big sis, this chestnut cake is really tasty. Why don't you try a piece?"

"It's nothing. Go on, enjoy your snacks. I'll rest for a bit—I'm feeling a little dizzy."

"Oh."

The siblings nodded obediently in unison.

Somehow, without them realizing when it started, they had become exceptionally compliant with their eldest sister's words.

From Maocheng to the capital, the journey wasn't actually that far—only about 250 miles. But with so many young and old in tow, and all the complications of traveling as a large family, they ended up wasting a lot of time.

They had set out at the beginning of the month and only reached the capital by month’s end.

The emperor, having received his wife’s letter in advance, personally led his retinue out of the city to welcome them.

Jiang Wan knelt alongside her parents, chanting "Long live the Emperor," though she hadn’t quite learned to keep her head properly bowed. She quietly watched as the emperor reached out his right hand toward Lady Qiao, only for her to step back and avoid it. Then he extended his left hand toward Lady Zhao, and the two stood side by side.

As she watched the three figures standing ahead, she suddenly felt a pang of sympathy for the two ladies of the Li family.

Perhaps because she too was a woman, she couldn’t help but side with them. She found Li Chengxiu’s father… difficult to assess.

Even though she knew in her heart that all parties were in a difficult position, human nature is selfish, and one instinctively differentiates between insiders and outsiders.

Lady Qiao sensed a gaze on her from behind and slowly turned her head, meeting a pair of charming almond eyes. Without much thought, she could guess who this big-eyed young girl was.

And the unmistakable sense of indignation in her eyes, not quite hidden, made Lady Qiao find it amusing. With a slight narrowing of her eyes, she signaled the bold little girl, who promptly lowered her head.

"Hahaha, everyone rise!" The emperor laughed heartily, stepping forward to personally pull Jiang Huailiang to his feet and gave his shoulder a hearty clap.

"As expected of the Duke of Ling, personally appointed by me—you never fail to put my mind at ease. You’ve safely escorted the Empress and the Imperial Noble Consort to the capital, and for that, I’ll record another great merit for you. The title of Duke of Ling shall be hereditary, never to be reduced in rank!"

Even though he had already learned the news in advance from his eldest daughter, having the ducal title officially bestowed upon him still left Jiang Huailiang utterly overjoyed and disoriented.

With a thud, he knelt once again, loudly expressing his gratitude.

"Your servant kowtows in thanks for the imperial grace!"

The emperor pulled him up again, patting his shoulder with deep emotion.

"Second Brother, how many times did you carry me out of piles of corpses back in the day? When we kowtowed and swore brotherhood, we made an oath:

In this life, we share blessings and hardships alike!

Last time, you said you didn’t want to be enfeoffed as a prince of a different clan. Big Brother appreciates your thoughtfulness."

He blinked, wiping away tears, then pulled Jiang Huailiang along as he gestured to their surroundings.

"Look, this is the kingdom we brothers fought for!

As long as you don’t do something foolish like betray me someday, I promise you this:

The Duke of Ling’s estate shall endure as long as the kingdom itself!"

Jiang Huailiang also burst into loud sobs.

"Big Brother! If I, Jiang Huailiang, ever betray you, may I be pierced by ten thousand arrows and die, never to find peace after death!"

These two old brothers were both equally ruthless—no wonder they made it to the top!

Jiang Wan watched her honest father weeping bitterly in the emperor’s embrace and found the whole scene quite awkward. She shifted her posture, properly kneeling on both knees, and looked again.

Hey, that looked much better.

She gazed respectfully at her bear-like father and Li Chengxiu’s sly-fox father, crying and hugging each other as they put on a live performance for all the civil and military officials—a testament to their unwavering loyalty, like green mountains and sturdy pines, never betraying each other in this lifetime.

The two of them really knew how to put on a show, tsk.

How had she never noticed before how clever her own father was? Look how perfectly he’d handled the situation for the emperor—so heartfelt and sincere. He’d definitely be a master at navigating tricky situations in official circles in the future.

"Second Brother, come, let’s go into the city with Big Brother!"

"Alright!"

Everyone watched as these two newly honored sworn brothers, arms linked, walked off together with deep affection, drifting away casually. A perfect performance of brotherly love and harmonious ruler-subject relations concluded flawlessly outside the city gates.

Left behind, the Empress and the Imperial Noble Consort exchanged a smile, politely stepping slightly apart as they each took their turn boarding the phoenix carriage.

Next, several princes rode ahead on horseback, followed by the officials' family members, entering the city in an orderly procession.

The Jiang family’s carriage was guided by servants who were waiting for them to a grand residence located in the busiest section of Chunhe Avenue.

Jiang Huailiang was taken directly to the palace by the emperor, so Xu Shi took the rest of the family home first.

"Oh my! Is this… is this really going to be our house from now on?"

Old Wang Shi, supported by her daughter-in-law, stood at the entrance staring at the imposing gate, almost afraid to step inside.

"Of course it is, Mother. Look up—those strong, elegant characters on the plaque will be the Old Jiang family’s public face from now on."

Xu Shi’s eyes held mixed feelings—both joy and sorrow; nostalgia, but also hope.

Back then, her sister had sacrificed greatly to help her escape the capital in panic and disgrace. She never could have dreamed that she, Xu Ruoyu, would one day return!

Indeed, times change.

Remembering the few families they had encountered outside the city, a cold smile appeared in Xu Shi’s eyes.

"Daughter-in-law, why are there so many characters up there?"

The old man was illiterate, but he could count.

"Earlier outside the city, the Prince of Huai—oh, no, no—the emperor said he enfeoffed our family as the Duke of Ling, right? So why are there five characters on this plaque? Did we come to the wrong house?"

Brought back to the present, Xu Shi smiled and said, "Don’t worry, Father. This is definitely the right place."

She then turned back and gave the three children a meaningful look.

"Let me test you three. Do any of you know what these five characters on the plaque mean?"

The Jiang family's boy-girl twins looked up simultaneously and shook their heads, then turned their gaze to their eldest sister. In their hearts, it seemed their eldest sister could do anything and knew everything.

"Weren't you two paying attention in class?"

Jiang Wan’s face fell, with all the authority of an eldest sister.

"“Imperially Commissioned Duke of Ling’s Residence”—don’t you recognize these characters?"

"I don’t know the first one."

"I know all the characters, but I don’t understand the meaning."

Jiang Laosan was clearly much sharper than Jiang Laosan, and his excuse was quite reasonable.

Xu Shi listened with a smile as her eldest daughter taught her younger siblings.

"“Imperially Commissioned” means it was built on the emperor’s orders. Basically, it means our family’s residence was bestowed by the emperor. It’s an honor, but also a warning!"

Jiang Wan then lifted her eyes to her mother.

"Mother, how long has the emperor been in the capital with his entourage? Could such a grand mansion have been built so quickly?"

"The house couldn’t be built so fast, but the plaque could. Mother, watch your step over the threshold."

Xu Shi helped the old lady as she stepped into the Duke of Ling’s residence.