Since the establishment of the Great Zhou Dynasty, it has paid great attention to water transportation and waterways. Hundreds of thousands of civil servants were called to dig rivers and canals and build water transport. In this dynasty, waterways extend in all directions, which was extremely convenient.

Compared with the hardships of traveling in a horse carriage, taking a boat was faster and more comfortable. People could travel hundreds of miles a day and enjoy the scenery along the way. Therefore, people mostly chose to travel by boat. Ordinary common people mostly took passenger boats and civilian boats, and most merchants had their own merchant ships. Officials with a rank of seven or above could take free official boats when they travel.

According to the different ranks and statuses, the ranks of official ships were also different. Uncle Ling was a fourth-rank official, and according to the usual practice, he took a first-class official ship.

This official ship had three floors, and the bottom floor was where the crew and servants lived. The second floor was the residence of maids, servants, and guards. Uncle Ling lived on the third floor with his family.

There were eight cabins on the third floor. The space on the ship was limited, and the cabins were not too big, but they were very delicately arranged. Each cabin had a window, sitting by the window, you can overlook the scenery of the river.

Ling Jingshu and Ling Xiao lived in adjacent cabins so that she could take care of Ling Xiao at any time.

It was Ling Xiao’s first time traveling by boat, and at first, he was so excited that he couldn’t hold back. So Ling Xiao always asked Ling Jingshu to describe to him the scenery she saw one by one. After several days in a row, the novelty of taking the boat gradually faded away, and he felt that it was too boring to stay in the cabin all day, so he couldn’t help but muttered: “I’ve been on the boat for five days, how long will it take to get to the capital?”

Ling Jingshu was amused: “It’s less than one-third of the journey, and it will take more than ten days! As the saying goes, it’s better to travel ten thousand miles than to read ten thousand books. Haven’t you always wanted to leave Dingzhou City and see the world?”

Ling Xiao was still a child at heart, and he didn’t have much patience.

Ling Xiao was made fun of by Ling Jingshu, and he was also a little embarrassed: “I just feel a little bored when I stay on the boat every day and can’t go out for a walk. Forget it, I’d better read a book to pass the time.”

Ling Xiao’s “reading” is to make people read to him.

Ling Jingshu smiled and said, “I have nothing to do, I’ll read to you.”

With that said, she ordered Bai Yu to find a book of miscellaneous travel notes and read it to Ling Xiao carefully.

The warm and bright sunlight shined through the windows, illuminating the small cabin brightly. Ling Jingshu’s gentle and soft voice sounded in the cabin, and Ling Xiao sat beside Ling Jingshu submissively and obediently, listening intently.

Jing Yu was serving the tea, while Bai Yu had nothing to do and started sewing.

The atmosphere was quiet and serene.

A little girl’s call broke the tranquility: “Miss and Master, my wife has prepared lunch, please come to have lunch with them, Miss and Master.”

Ling Jingshu responded with a smile, put down the book in her hand, and pulled Ling Xiao’s hands went out of the cabin to the dining room together.

…

Living on the boat, three meals a day, morning and evening, were eaten in the room separately, and only at noon, everyone ate together.

Madam Sun specially brought two cooks from the mansion. These two cooks were quite skilled in cooking. There were not many dishes for lunch every day, but they were very delicate and delicious.

When Ling Jingshu’s siblings arrived, Uncle Ling and the others had already sat down around the dining table. It was a must to greet them properly before sitting down at the table.

Speaking of which, the population of the Eldest Ling’s family was not complicated.

Uncle Ling had two daughters and two sons. Luckily, the eldest daughter, Ling Jing, was married a few years ago, and now she followed her husband to take office in Tongzhou. The eldest son, Ling Ji, was now a supervisor of the Imperial Academy. He married his wife, Madam Jiang, four years ago, and they didn’t have any children yet.

The second son died in infancy, and the second daughter, Ling Jingyan was sitting at the table with Uncle Ling, Madam Sun, Ling Ji, and his wife. Including Ling Jingshu and her brother, there are only seven people. The round pear wood table was more than enough.

Uncle Ling had a serious temperament in front of the juniors, and he was reserved. The practice was to eat without talking and sleep without speaking. Everyone finished their lunch in silence until Uncle Ling got up and went back to the cabin. As he left, the atmosphere was relaxed.

There was no need to order, and the clever maid served hot refreshments.

It was a long journey, and staying on board all day, chatting was an excellent pastime.

Ling Jingyan smiled and chatted with Ling Jingshu about the anecdotes of Imperial Physician Wei’s medical practice: “Imperial Physician Wei established the Rejuvenation Hall before he was sixteen to house patients. In the beginning, those patients saw that Imperial Physician Wei was too young, so they didn’t trust him at all. Imperial Physician Wei not only did not charge consultation fees but also donated medicines for free, which is why those poor patients who can’t even afford medicines are left behind…”

“The Imperial Physician Wei is now famous in the capital city. On the first, fifteenth, and twenty-second of every month, there are so many patients waiting outside Huichuntang that they can fill two streets,” the young woman sitting next to Ling Jingyan chimed in with a laugh.

This young woman was about twenty years old, with an outstanding and charming appearance. She was Ling Ji’s wife, Madam Jiang.

Madam Jiang had a very respectable family background. Her father was the nephew of the late Yīngguó Gōng^[1]The highest ranking Duke, just below Imperial Prince rank. Generally given to outstanding generals, ministers, and others who helped to found a dynasty., and the current Yīngguó Gōng was her uncle. The two noble houses were of the same clan and bloodline, with close ties and frequent interactions.

The Yīngguó Gōng’s Mansion was the most prominent noble mansion in the Great Zhou Dynasty. When the Great Zhou dynasty was established, the Yīngguó was the founding father of the dynasty. Now the Great Zhou Dynasty has been passed down for more than two hundred years, and the Yīngguó Gōng has also existed for two hundred years. Empress Jiang, who died of illness, was the youngest daughter of the late Yīngguó Gōng and the direct aunt of the current Yīngguó Gōng.

The current Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace was a direct cousin of the Yīngguó Gōng.

Madam Jiang was from a concubine branch, but she had outstanding talent and appearance. Back then when she was not out of the boudoir, many people came to ask for marriage.

Uncle Ling was a Jinshi, who studied the teachings of Confucius and Mencius and believed in the legitimacy of the Crown Prince. He did not approve of the Emperor’s favoritism towards his younger son, the Prince of Yan, and was determined to gain a position under the Crown Prince. To secure the marriage alliance with the prestigious Jiang family, he devoted a great deal of effort.

Because of this, when Madam Jiang first entered the family, her husband respected her, and her parents-in-law were quite friendly to their daughter-in-law.

It was just that the good times didn’t last long.

Madam Jiang had been married for four years and was childless. Madam Sun had been dissatisfied for a long time, because of the prestige of the Jiang family, it was inconvenient to take a concubine for Ling Ji. Typically, it was inevitable to criticize.

Madam Sun said: “This time back to the capital, Ah Shu is going to accompany Ah Xiao to seek medical advice, and Madam Jiang, you also go with her. Just ask the imperial physician Wei to prescribe a prescription for you to recuperate your body, maybe you will get pregnant soon.”

Jiang’s smile froze, she replied and then lowered her head.

There were three types of unfilial piety, the greatest of which was having no descendants.

No matter how tall and talented she was born, so what? Not being able to conceive a child had become Jiang’s biggest pain. When Madam Sun opened her mouth, she hit Jiang’s sore spot.

Ling Jingshu had a good impression of this witty and humorous Tángsǎo^[2] Wife of cousin brother from father’s side., and couldn’t bear to see her in such embarrassment. So she helped her out with a smile: “The children’s affairs also depend on God’s gift and fate, and there is no need to rush. Tángsǎo is still young, as long as you take good care of your body, you might get pregnant soon.”

Madam Jiang’s heart warmed when she heard this, and she gave Ling Jingshu a grateful look.

Ling Ji and his wife, were very affectionate, so they took advantage of the situation and said, “It’s my fault. I spend more than half a month in the Imperial Academy, and the time to go back to the mansion is very little. I often let my wife stay alone in the empty room.”

There was no time to get together, where will the child come from?

Her husband defending her like this made Jiang’s heart warm. There was no need to pay attention to mother-in-law Sun’s nagging.

Ling Jingshu and Ling Ji defended Madam Jiang one after another, and Madam Sun couldn’t say anything more. So as not to show a mean face in front of everyone, she quickly changed the subject: “Tomorrow the boat will arrive at the dock, and the cooks are going to buy some ingredients. The boatmen will also go down to the pier to rest for half a day. If you want to take the opportunity to get off the boat and get some fresh air, it’s okay.”

As soon as these words came out, everyone was excited.

Especially Ling Xiao, who immediately tugged at Ling Jingshu’s sleeve and shook it: “Ah Shu, let’s get off the boat too!”

Ling Jingshu was also quite moved and agreed with a smile.