Yu Mingyue had a dream. In the dream, she was a minor cannon fodder character who didn't survive the first three chapters of a novel.
The protagonists of the novel were the Seventh Prince and Su Wanqing. The Seventh Prince was her fiancé, and Su Wanqing was the cousin who had snatched all her honors.
She read with gritted teeth, her heart aching. She woke up crying before she could even see the ending.
Yu Mingyue sniffled, tear stains still on her face.
Her father was the Duke of Dingguo of Great Wei, and her mother was the eldest legitimate daughter of the Cui clan of Qinghe. She was the pampered little princess of the Duke's mansion, born noble.
But ever since her cousin Su Wanqing arrived, she had been snatching everything from her. Stealing things was one thing; she didn't care about those. But Su Wanqing also snatched her father's affection.
Today, her father had publicly reprimanded her because of Su Wanqing, exactly as described in the first chapter of the novel.
In the novel, after her parents divorced, her father adopted her as his goddaughter at her grandmother's instigation.
Her father became her father, and her brothers also became her brothers.
The Seventh Prince, who was betrothed to her, became her fiancé. Her brothers and sisters in the household began to revolve around her, and all the affection that should have belonged to her was taken away.
She had replaced her and become the most dazzling young lady in the Duke's mansion.
After her death, Su Wanqing, using the Yu family's influence, ascended step by step from Imperial Consort to Crown Princess, and finally to Empress.
She saw Su Wanqing, upon ascending the throne, turn her back on the Yu family without mercy. Her closest relatives left one by one. Her heart was as if being cut by knives, and she woke up crying.
Yu Mingyue rubbed her swollen, aching eyes and took a breath.
Following the trajectory of the novel, she only had two more chapters to live.
She didn't want to die so miserably.
Since heaven itself had warned her that she, a dignified Duke's legitimate daughter, was living too miserably, she couldn't let it go unheeded.
She didn't care about anything in the novel, but in reality, her father, her brothers, her status, everything that belonged to her – she would never yield again.
Qingfeng Courtyard
Madam Cui was sitting on the couch, studying a difficult endgame on the chessboard. Her temples were piled high, her skin was like congealed fat, and a floral adornment was stuck to her forehead. The tassels of her hairpin swayed with her every frown and nod, truly a beauty of unparalleled elegance and nobility.
Yu Mingyue had inherited her mother's beauty. Even at a young age, she was a budding beauty. When she grew up, her looks would likely surpass even Madam Cui's.
"Madam," Nanny Rong stood beside Madam Cui with her head lowered, her voice tinged with helplessness. "The young lady didn't eat lunch and refused service. She fell asleep crying."
Yu Mingyue had been doted on by her family since childhood, and all her wishes were granted.
Although she sometimes caused trouble, she was extremely well-behaved and kind-hearted at her core. She also got along well with her sisters in the household.
This time, she was so upset, it seemed she had indeed suffered a great injustice.
"What exactly did the Duke say?" Madam Cui asked casually, placing a chess piece.
Nanny Rong dared not conceal anything and recounted the events of that moment in detail.
Another black piece was placed. Madam Cui raised her eyes from the chessboard and said with a slightly cold tone, "Send someone to invite the Duke!"
Madam Cui had never paid much attention to the minor squabbles between the two young ladies before. Mingyue had a long road ahead and would encounter many people and many things.
She couldn't protect her forever; she had to face them herself. This Su Wanqing could be considered practice for her.
Children always grew through stumbling and falling. They learned from their mistakes and got up where they fell.
Therefore, she never intervened.
But this time was different. If an adult interfered, it was no longer a child's matter.
That old woman was blind and foolish. Was Yu Zeyan blind too?
Couldn't he see through such a petty trick?