Chapter 83: Granddaughter

They were going to Kyoto, and not only were the masters happy, but even the servants who heard the news were excited.

The older ones were not necessarily thrilled by the prospect of travel; going to Kyoto didn’t make much difference to them compared to staying in Qinghe County.

Previously, they had traveled with the masters to Qinghe County, and it was a long and tiring journey.

Not everyone was eager to repeat that hardship.

Those who were happy were mainly the young maids and servants who were curious about the new experiences.

The maids in Wen Ruyu’s household all longed for the bustling city of Kyoto, whispering among themselves about it.

As they chatted, they started reminiscing about old friends.

Qiuying softly said, “It’s a pity that Chuntao is already married here and can’t come with us.”

Xiazhu, upon hearing this, tempered her excitement, saying, “We might not even have the chance to meet again in the future.”

Fen’er, who was standing by, waiting for Wen Ruyu’s instructions, didn’t join in the conversation.

She was definitely going to Kyoto with Wen Ruyu, especially considering her connection with Lu Ke there.

Since she didn’t have a strong bond with Chuntao, Qinghe County held no particular people or memories that made her nostalgic. It wasn’t where she had grown up.

For her, leaving didn’t mean much. There was nothing worth holding onto.

After the family had dinner, the maids helped the elderly lady to bed.

Fen’er didn’t need to stay with her tonight, so she returned to her parents’ house.

Their home wasn’t as brightly lit as the elderly lady’s, but they still had lamps—two lamps in one room with lampshades to make the path visible.

Fen’er freshened up, and since it was hot, she wore just an undergarment. She then took out the hairpins that Lu Ke had given her earlier.

She stared at the two hairpins, mesmerized by them.

Her younger sister, already lying on the bed, noticed her staring at the hairpins and sighed. “You’ve been looking at them all day. Do you think the hairpins will magically change?”

“Is this gift from Third Master really that wonderful?”

Fen’er didn’t reply but just continued to look silently.

The hairpins Lu Ke had given her earlier were silver-plated, but now he had gifted her ones made of pure silver.

She had thought she would be happy upon receiving the gift, but instead, her heart felt calm, without a ripple of excitement.

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When Lu Ke, Lin Xiaoyin, and Aunt Qian returned to their room, Lu Ke noticed Lin Xiaoyin seemed a bit down.

He realized that if the whole family went to Kyoto, Lin Xiaoyin would only be able to keep in touch with her family through letters.

The journey would take over a month, and the situation was unstable, making travel dangerous. They would also need to hire bodyguards.

It was uncertain if Lin Xiaoyin would ever see her parents again.

Although Aunt Qian was illiterate, she wasn’t foolish and had already noticed Lin Xiaoyin’s mood.

On the way back, she subtly signaled Lu Ke, encouraging him to comfort his wife.

Lu Ke was attentive and noticed the subtle signs.

After they returned home, after washing up, Lu Ke and his wife lay in bed, and he tried to comfort her, “Your brother is going to take the imperial exam too. Maybe our families will meet in Kyoto. Don’t be too sad yet; things aren’t set in stone.”

Lin Xiaoyin felt a bit relieved by his words.

Lu Ke gently reached out and held his wife’s hand.

Lin Xiaoyin was momentarily stunned but didn’t pull away.

The next day, after confirming their plans for buying a house, they celebrated Lu Songnian’s success in the imperial exam with a banquet.

Prominent figures from Qinghe County attended.

Qinghe County was not a large place, and among the many counties in the area, it was rare to have one or two people pass the imperial exams every few years.

Lin Qiaofeng’s brother had gone to a academy for better education since the local teaching resources were poor.

The local gentry in Qinghe County were either wealthy landowners, descendants of officials, or families with a tradition of producing scholars.

Once someone became a “ju ren” (successful candidate in the imperial exam), if they didn’t seek further education, there were almost no teachers left in Qinghe County, so most people had to study on their own.

Lu Songnian’s good fortune came from meeting a former editor from the Hanlin Academy, an excellent teacher who helped them with their studies.

This teacher, named Geng Bianxiu, was invited to the banquet to celebrate.

He didn’t decline the invitation, as he had a good relationship with Lu Songnian and his family, and there was also a sense of teacher-student affection.

During the banquet, Geng Bianxiu and Lu Songnian discussed his future plans, though specifics would have to wait for another opportunity.

The political situation was unstable, and Geng Bianxiu, knowing his connection to Lu Songnian, was willing to lend a hand if needed.

However, discussions at the banquet were limited, and they couldn’t talk too much about the future. They planned to catch up on things later when the opportunity arose.

After the celebrations, Lu Songnian and Lu Ke would soon be heading to Kyoto.

Since the Lu family would be moving north, this farewell didn’t have the same emotional intensity as previous goodbyes.

Lu Songnian felt regretful knowing he wouldn’t be able to see his newborn child.

Though reluctant, he still set out for Kyoto with Lu Ke.

Lu Songnian had work in Kyoto, so he had to leave mundane tasks like buying a house to others, and it was not suitable for women to travel, so Lu Ke accompanied him.

The family had initially planned to send the third daughter-in-law along as well, but since the first daughter-in-law was about to give birth, they decided against it. Wen Ruyu would already be busy managing the shop and the household, so adding more responsibilities would be too much.

Lu Mingzhu had just started learning to manage the household, but she was still not ready to fill the gap left by Lin Xiaoyin.

Aunt Qian was illiterate and unqualified to manage such matters, so it was decided that Lin Xiaoyin would stay home for now. Her family was in Qinghe County, and she was more willing to stay until later, when the first daughter-in-law’s postpartum period ended.

After everything was settled, the family would travel north together.

There were plenty of servants at home, so they left some behind to manage things, and others would join the journey.

After a busy period of preparations, the family began packing for the move.

They wouldn’t take everything, especially not Wen Ruyu’s precious furniture, but would likely have to send some things to Kyoto later.

The journey to Kyoto would involve bringing along gold, silver, jewelry, and essential furniture, while everything else would be left behind.

With so many people and bodyguards, they would need multiple carriages. Lin Xiaoyin was asked to prepare for two more carriages to ensure everything could fit.

Most of the luggage would be transported in the carriages, and at night, they would stop and rest where possible.

The Lu family’s business had grown, and Wen Ruyu’s little treasury was also fuller, so there was a lot to manage.

During this time, Zhao Shu went into labor.

Wen Ruyu had a midwife called, and experienced women were also called in to help.

The birthing room was thoroughly prepared, and after a brief wait, the child was born.

It was a girl.

“Congratulations, Lady,” the midwife said, presenting the baby.

Wen Ruyu was overjoyed, holding the little girl in her arms.

Her grandson and granddaughter were both born, and everything seemed perfectly timed.

“She’s so small, and I’m sure she’ll grow up beautifully,” Wen Ruyu said softly.

Her son, Lu Qing, commented that his sister looked a bit like a monkey, but Wen Ruyu gently teased him, saying that he had looked even worse when he was a baby.

The entire family was excited about the new arrival, and life moved forward with the preparations for the journey.