Ling Wan returned to her room and sat on a chair, lost in thought for a long time. It wasn't until Concubine Bai called her name several times that Ling Wan snapped back to reality and responded.
"Mother, what is it?"
"What is wrong with you today, child? You've been sitting there spacing out since you got back. I called you several times and you didn't answer."
Concubine Bai found it increasingly strange. Her daughter had never seemed so lost before when she returned.
"I'm fine, Mother. What were you calling me for?"
"The young madam sent a tailor over to take your measurements for some new clothes. And Cai Qing just brought some jewelry, which I've had them put in your room."
"I'll go get measured." Fearing further questions, Ling Wan hurried out.
After the tailor finished taking her measurements, Ling Wan confirmed the styles before they left.
"Why did the young madam specifically send a tailor to make clothes for you today? And those hairpins and ornaments, each one is more precious than the last."
Merely looking at the hairpins made Concubine Bai's eyes blur. She quickly pulled Ling Wan's hand and asked, "Tell me, why did the young madam send you those ornaments?"
"It's nothing. Didn't my elder sister-in-law send us many things before? This is no different from usual. Mother, I'm tired. I'm going back to rest."
"Don't try to fool your mother. Do you think I'm foolish? How can this be the same as before? Just look at how precious those ornaments are; I've never seen anything like them. Hurry up and tell me the truth."
Concubine Bai keenly sensed something unusual and held Ling Wan's hand, determined to get to the bottom of it.
Unable to refuse, Ling Wan finally revealed the whole story: "It's... it's my elder sister-in-law who wants to arrange a marriage for me. Coincidentally, the Marquis of Wenchang is hosting a polo match the day after tomorrow, and my elder sister-in-law wants to take me to see it. That's why she sent these things."
"This is all good news! If the young madam is taking you to the polo match, you must present yourself well. If you happen to find a good match, and the young madam vouches for you, she will surely let you be the principal wife. You'll live with dignity, which is much better than being a concubine like me."
Concubine Bai's greatest wish in this life was for Ling Wan to marry into a good family and become a proper principal wife, escaping the fate of being a concubine.
"Mother, I am merely a concubine's daughter. What respectable family would marry such a lowly concubine's daughter as their principal wife?"
Ling Wan knew her status and constantly kept her position in mind, reminding herself of it. Only then could she survive in the bloodthirsty inner courtyard.
"It's all my fault. I am useless and have dragged you down. It's a pity you have a mother like me. If you were born to the principal wife, who would dare look down on you? But you were born to me, a concubine."
If Ling Wan had been born to the principal wife, with her talents, how many people in the entire capital could compare? It was just a pity that she had her as a mother, dragging her down for a lifetime.
"A parent's nurturing grace is greater than heaven. Mother gave birth to me and raised me. How can I blame you for this? This is my fate. I've never dared to ask for anything, nor have I dared to fantasize about marrying into a noble and powerful family. Even a farming family, if they treated me sincerely, I would be willing to marry him."
From childhood, she had witnessed her mother enduring differential treatment and cold stares precisely because she was a concubine. Ling Wan had secretly vowed in her heart that even if she had to marry into a poor family and eat coarse food in this life, she would never marry into a family of dukes and marquises as a concubine.
"The young madam dotes on you so much. I'll go beg her; she will definitely help you."
In the vast Ling Mansion, only Feng Jin could help their mother and daughter. Even if she had to cast aside her pride, she had to seek a good marriage for her daughter.
"Mother, my elder sister-in-law has already helped us a lot. Please don't trouble her with these small matters anymore. I will handle this myself, so please don't worry about it."
Ling Wan gently pressed Concubine Bai, who was about to stand up, back into her chair. Her elder sister-in-law was already exhausted just taking care of the two children; she couldn't burden her with her own small issues.
"But..."
"I have my own plans for this. Mother, please let me handle it, and don't trouble the young madam anymore."
As Ling Wan finished speaking, a maid rushed in: "It's bad... it's bad... something has happened..."
Ling Wan's eyes widened, and her body froze. She hurried forward and grabbed the maid's shoulders: "What happened? Speak slowly."
"It's... it's the two young masters. I heard from the people attending to the young masters that they fell ill because they wore clothes sent by the second miss..."
"Fell ill because...? Hurry and explain what happened. What exactly happened?"
Ling Wan's current concern was not whether this matter was related to her, but entirely about the condition of the two children.
"This servant did not gather precise information, only that the young masters have fallen ill."
"You..." Ling Wan glared at the maid with disappointment and then rushed out. She had to see the children herself to be at ease.
"Wan'er, you..." Concubine Bai's words of obstruction went unsaid as Ling Wan disappeared.
Why was this child so impulsive? Rushing off without even finding out what had happened.
"Hurry and follow her. If anything happens, report back to me immediately."
"Yes, concubine, this servant will go now."
Ling Wan ran almost the entire way, panting as she searched for a familiar figure in the courtyard. Upon seeing Ling Muzhu outside the door, she quickly stepped forward and asked, "What happened? Are the children alright?"
Ling Muzhu's gaze fell upon Ling Wan. The incident had indeed occurred because the children wore clothes sent by Ling Wan. It was likely that anyone else would have done the same.
"Why are you looking at me like that? I'm asking you, what is happening with the two children now?" Ling Wan asked anxiously.
With a creak, the door opened from the inside, and Cai Qing escorted a white-haired doctor out.
Ling Wan seized the opportunity and squeezed into the room.
"Elder sister-in-law, how are the children?" Cai Qing quickly inquired.
"They are fine. A bit of medicine will help them recover."
"Elder sister-in-law, I truly did not tamper with the clothes. You must believe me, I never intended to harm the children."
Ling Wan quickly explained. She had never harbored any intention of harming the children, yet the incident had started because of the clothes she had sent.
All the evidence pointed to her; no matter how she explained, no one would believe her.
"I believe you would not harm the children, but the person behind this intended to use a borrowed knife to kill. The clothes you sent were smeared with a medicine that causes skin to fester. Fortunately, I had Cai Qing wash the clothes beforehand, which diluted the medicine. Fortunately, they are unharmed, only experiencing some allergic symptoms."