My Darling, Coax Me.

CHAPTER 65: Calm And Peaceful.

　　With those words, he turned and left.

　　And this time, there was no one guarding the door.

　　The Imperial Guards had also withdrawn with him.

　　This meant he wasn't going to force her anymore.

　　Yun Ling watched his figure gradually disappear into the deep night before slowly closing her eyes.

　　The Imperial Guards surrounding the Xiao residence had all withdrawn, and the estate returned to its usual tranquility. After the rain ceased and the wind died down, the servants swept up the fallen leaves in the courtyard as if nothing had happened.

　　Yun Ling ordered Xiao Qibai to issue a strict decree: all servants aware of the matter must remain silent, or they would face severe punishment.

　　The next day, Grandmother returned and came to visit early in the morning. Seeing Yun Ling's pale face, chapped lips, and swollen eyelids, she was very worried. “Ah Ling, what's wrong? Are you sick?”

　　Yun Ling shook her head, not intending to tell her about what happened with Xie Jue. She didn't want her grandmother to worry. “I'm fine. I just had a bad dream last night and was a little frightened. But it's alright now, Grandmother, you don't need to worry.”

　　Old Madam Xiao lovingly touched her hair. “Why are you having nightmares again? Grandmother will have the kitchen make you a bowl of calming soup. Drinking some at night will help.”

　　“Okay,” Yun Ling nodded obediently.

　　Old Madam Xiao continued, “Your grandfather and I went to arrange your placement on the family register. This is a significant matter, so your grandfather and I specially chose a good day for you.”

　　“From now on, Ah Ling will be the officially recognized eldest Miss of our Xiao family,” Old Madam Xiao's voice paused. “Grandmother knows things haven't been easy for you at home. After Lady Lin's passing, your father married Lady Liu, and he hasn't been very attentive to you.”

　　“And then there’s Mingrong…” she sighed. “She was the only girl in the household, so we never really put any restrictions on her. She’s spoiled and unruly. Seeing you come back, she’s afraid you’ll steal her affection and feels unbalanced. While she’s not inherently bad, we can’t let her continue like this. Your grandfather and I have discussed it, and we’re going to hire a—”

　　Before she could finish, Xiao Mingrong walked in, looking pale and dejected.

　　Old Madam Xiao was startled by her appearance. “You too…? What happened?”

　　Xiao Mingrong pouted, “My brother punished me.”

　　“What did you do?” Old Madam Xiao’s face instantly turned serious. While Qibai disliked his stepmother, Lady Liu, he was always lenient towards his sister and had never punished her severely.

　　Since he had punished her so harshly this time, it meant she must have done something terribly wrong.

　　Xiao Mingrong felt a chill remembering what happened yesterday. The Crown Prince had almost killed her!

　　But her brother had instructed her, “Grandfather and Grandmother are old. We can’t let them worry about our affairs anymore.”

　　She secretly glanced at Yun Ling, then quickly lowered her head. Her voice was muffled. “Yesterday… I insulted elder sister. I was disrespectful to her. Brother sent me to Guanyun Temple to reflect.”

　　Old Madam Xiao’s face darkened, and she was furious. “You, you! What was it for this time? At such a young age, why are you so unbearable? Ah Ling is your own sister! She’s finally returned, you should be happy! What did Grandmother tell you before?”

　　Xiao Mingrong hung her head, dejected after being scolded by her brother and grandmother. She wiped her tears. “Granddaughter was wrong. Granddaughter will remember and won’t do it again.”

　　Old Madam Xiao asked, “If you’re wrong, what should you do? Who should you apologize to?”

　　Xiao Mingrong’s body stiffened, then she turned to Yun Ling and bowed. “I’m sorry, Elder Sister. Mingrong was wrong. Mingrong apologizes.”

　　Yesterday, if it hadn’t been for Xiao Yun Ling pulling him back, the Crown Prince’s sword would have been at her throat.

　　Yun Ling wasn’t easily going to forgive her, but she was too lazy to bother with her. She looked at her calmly. “I’ve told you before, if you don’t watch your words, you’ll suffer great consequences in the future.”

　　“Even if I overlook your young age and don’t hold it against you, if you continue like this, no one will be able to protect you.”

　　Xiao Mingrong’s tears flowed freely. “I know I was wrong.”

　　Old Madam Xiao sighed. “I pitied you, not wanting you to be separated from your birth mother. I never thought that my momentary softness would allow your personality to become like this.”

　　“Listen to your brother. Go to Guanyun Temple to reflect for a while.”

　　Xiao Mingrong, her face pale, replied, “Yes.”

　　After she left, Old Madam Xiao’s gaze was distant. She took Yun Ling’s hand and patted it. “You just got home, Grandmother wanted you to be happy, so I didn’t tell you much about your stepmother. I thought that a family should always get along, but I didn’t expect it to turn out like this.”

　　“As you know, your stepmother, Lady Liu, came in after your mother passed away. At that time, you fell off the cliff. We searched for a long time and couldn’t even find your body; we all thought you were dead. Your mother passed away, and your grandfather was ill for more than half a year. Your father said the house was too filled with sorrow and wanted to marry Lady Liu to bring good luck.”

　　“I didn’t want to agree, but at that time, Qibai was still young. He lost his mother and his sister, and at such a young age, he became silent and withdrawn. I felt so sorry for him, so alone and lonely, so I thought it would be good for him to have someone to take care of him, and I agreed.”

　　“Lady Liu was indeed a virtuous woman. At first, she took very good care of your brother, and she and your father had a good relationship. But a year later, she gave birth to Mingrong, and for some reason, your brother and she became estranged.”

　　“Over the years, I can’t say for sure. Lady Liu’s personality is sometimes sharp, but she hasn’t made any major mistakes. I didn’t expect her to be so narrow-minded. Mingrong’s behavior is mostly due to her influence.” Old Madam Xiao sighed and shook her head. “Don’t worry, Grandmother won’t let you suffer any injustice. Grandmother will talk to Lady Liu.”

　　Old Madam Xiao’s words sent Yun Ling into deep thought.

　　Compared to the affection shown by her grandparents and brother, Yun Ling knew that her father’s kindness towards her was only superficial.

　　After all, she had been raised in her grandparents' quarters since she was a child. Her father wasn't even present at her birth, and she probably hadn't spent much time with him before the age of four. Naturally, he didn't love her as much.

　　But after her mother's death, the reason her father remarried so quickly was supposedly to bring good luck. For some reason, she felt everything was too convenient, too smoothly orchestrated.

　　Xiao Mingrong probably heard about Lin Ling from her father.

　　It wasn’t surprising that her father, as her mother's husband, would know this.

　　But did he also believe it was an ominous sign? If so, why did he marry her mother?

　　Her head felt a little dizzy, and Yun Ling couldn't figure it out for a moment.

　　Seeing that she didn't look well, Old Madam Xiao didn't disturb her further. After comforting her a few more words, she left.

　　Yun Ling also felt unwell. Her eyes ached terribly, and her throat was hoarse.

　　She felt completely listless and lacked the energy to think about anything else. She even developed a fever that night.

　　The fever wasn't high. The doctor took her pulse, prescribed medicine, and advised her to think less and rest well.

　　Seeing this, Old Madam Xiao thought she was upset by what happened with Xiao Mingrong and felt terribly sorry for her. To cheer her up, she even invited a theatrical troupe to the house the next day, letting Yun Ling choose whatever play she wanted to see.

　　Yun Ling didn't want her grandmother to worry, so she cheered herself up and went.

　　Several spring rains passed, washing away the damp and sticky gloom, and the sky cleared again, warming people's hearts.

　　Yun Ling's health also improved. Xiao Mingrong was sent to Guanyun Temple, crying, and it was said that Lady Liu made a fuss about it, but to no avail.

　　Yun Ling and Xie Jinjia were making little baby shoes together. Sunlight streamed in through the window, warm and peaceful.

　　These days were peaceful, calm, and uneventful.

　　Xie Jinjia looked at Yun Ling hesitantly, and after a long while, tentatively asked, “Ah Ling, you and the Sixth Brother…”

　　Only now did she realize that her cold and ruthless sixth brother's furious outburst and the massive manhunt three years ago were all to capture Yun Ling.

　　Yun Ling hadn't been banished from the Palace; she had engineered her escape.

　　And a few days ago, the Sixth Brother's Imperial Guards had surrounded the Xiao residence again, also for Yun Ling.

　　Between Yun Ling and the Sixth Brother… there was love!

　　No wonder. Thinking about it, Xie Jinjia suddenly understood a lot of things. At that time, she felt that the Sixth Brother's favoritism towards Ah Ling was unusual, and the way he looked at Ah Ling was different too. But sometimes the Sixth Brother's attitude towards Ah Ling wasn't good; sometimes he was even cold to her. She hadn’t thought much of it then.

　　But now, thinking back, the Sixth Brother's deep gaze wasn't just indifference.

　　“You and the Sixth Brother… what happened?” Xie Jinjia finally managed to ask.

　　It wasn't out of curiosity or a desire to pry; she was simply concerned, because what happened that day didn't seem simple.

　　Yun Ling paused her work, her head lowered, seemingly lost in thought, her long lashes casting shadows.

　　After a long while, she said, “I lied to him about some things before, and I’ve told him everything now. It’s alright, don’t worry.”

　　Xie Jinjia’s mouth gaped in shock. “You… How dare you lie to the Sixth Brother? He…”

　　Everyone in the capital knew that the Crown Prince couldn't be deceived, and he was notoriously tyrannical and bloodthirsty. Who would dare to lie to him?

　　Yun Ling gave a wry smile. “It’s a long story. Even now, I don’t know if I regret deceiving him.”

　　If she hadn’t been so hesitant and cautious back then, if she had been firm and brave enough to tell him the truth, what would the outcome have been?

　　She didn’t know.

　　She wasn’t all-seeing; she also hesitated and didn’t always know what to do.

　　But now she’s been honest with him, telling him everything she was thinking. In the end, he withdrew his troops and stopped forcing her.

　　She was finally free.

　　Let things be as they are between them.

　　——

　　After the Crown Prince returned to the East Palace, he was swamped with affairs. Besides political and military matters, he was also busy preparing for the ancestral temple sacrifices.

　　As the Crown Prince overseeing the government, he carried a heavy burden and truly had no free time.

　　Even Xiao Qibai was extremely busy. The date they had set to visit their mother's grave together with Yun Ling had been postponed several times.

　　Finally, on a day with beautiful sunshine, Xiao Qibai took Yun Ling to pay their respects to their mother.

　　Standing before Lin Ling's tomb, Yun Ling looked at the inscription on the weathered stone, the characters faded after more than a decade, desolate and lonely.

　　She didn't know how to describe the feeling in her heart, only a profound bitterness.

　　When she first heard the name Lin Ling, those two unfamiliar words flooded her mind, and she only thought rationally that perhaps Lin Ling was her mother, without much emotional impact.

　　Later, as the truth gradually unfolded, she finally confirmed that Lin Ling was her biological mother. Hearing of her death and finally standing before her tomb, a wave of emotion washed over her.

　　After sixteen long years, she finally stood here.

　　Xiao Qibai sighed, “Ah Ling, bow to Mother.”

　　“Okay.”

　　Yun Ling knelt down and solemnly kowtowed three times.

　　……

　　Yun Ling has been very busy these days. Lady Liu couldn't bear to see Xiao Mingrong suffer, so she packed her bags and followed her to Guanyun Temple. (T/N: This Lady Liu is not entirely bad if she loves her daughter this much in my opinion.)

　　With no one to manage the household, and her grandmother being old, she had no energy to take care of things. Yun Ling didn't want her grandmother to be so tired, so she shouldered the responsibility.

　　She had once managed the Six Bureaus of the East Palace's inner court, so managing the household and accounts wasn't difficult for her. It had just been over three years, so she was a little rusty at first.

　　Gathering all the servants of the Xiao residence in the courtyard, Yun Ling recognized them all, noting what work they did, whether they were born into the family or bought from outside, and the terms of their contracts.

　　After going through everyone, she had a good grasp of the situation.

　　Managing a household required a balance between strictness and leniency. You couldn't be overly strict and drive the servants to desperation, nor could you be too lenient and allow them to deceive and become arrogant.

　　Lady Liu also came from a noble family, so she naturally had experience managing a household. Yun Ling didn't need to put in much effort, but there were a few rebellious servants who tested her because of her youth, whom she easily dealt with.

　　……

　　In the blink of an eye, more than half a month passed.

　　The grass grew, the birds sang, and the spring breeze blew gently. Yun Ling was busy with household matters and rarely went out.

　　Furthermore, she wasn't very familiar with the noble ladies of the Capital, so she declined the invitations to flower viewing gatherings and polo matches, preferring to stay at home.

　　Today, Shen Chunxiang came to the residence to invite her.

　　“I heard you haven't been out much these days.”

　　“Don’t you want to learn how to ride a horse? The weather is lovely today; it’s perfect for learning,” Shen Chunxiang said with a smile. “I’ll pick a gentle mare for you; you definitely won’t fall.”

　　“With me, Shen Chunxiang, teaching you, I guarantee you’ll learn to ride in a few days. Come on! What’s the point of staying in the house all the time?”

　　Yun Ling hesitated for a moment, remembering that she had said she wanted to take Shen Chunxiang as her teacher, and agreed.

　　“I’ve never ridden a horse before, so I’m afraid I’ll be a slow learner.”

　　“It’s alright, I’ll teach you!” Shen Chunxiang assured her.

　　They had only gone halfway from the residence when, unfortunately, the weather turned against them. The clear sky suddenly turned dark, and heavy rain began to fall. Learning to ride horses was out of the question in this weather.

　　It was a long way back to the Xiao residence, but they were close to the Shen residence. Shen Chunxiang said, “Why don’t you come to my house for a while?”

　　Yun Ling thought for a moment and nodded in agreement.

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