Yu Mingyue had a cheerful and lively disposition. Despite her noble status, she did not abuse her privilege and got along well with everyone.
Of course, this "well" also included a degree of flattery due to her position.
Yu Mingyue didn't really care. Her mother had told her that for people of their status, praise was constant from birth. Those who disliked them truly did, but those who liked them might not genuinely do so.
Everyone noticed Su Wanqing's absence and inquired about it.
With a sense of superiority, Yu Miaoyan informed them, "Su Wanqing made a mistake and was confined to her quarters by my grandmother."
A group of young ladies were curious about what mistake Su Wanqing had committed, and for a moment, they all surrounded Yu Miaoyan.
Yu Miaoyan felt that she, as the legitimate eldest daughter of the Duke's mansion, was constantly overshadowed by Yu Mingyue simply because her father was born later than her uncle, thus losing the ducal title.
Yu Mingyue was one thing, but even Su Wanqing, an outsider, was favored by their grandmother more than she was. How could she tolerate this?
She wished the whole world knew that Su Wanqing was confined.
Thus, she recounted the events of that day vividly, deliberately adding many embellishments.
Yu Mingyue merely smiled without speaking. In truth, her cousin's sharp tongue could be quite useful when directed appropriately.
"Mingyue, did Su Wanqing really push you?"
"She, an orphan living under someone else's roof, bullied her host. Isn't that too much?"
"I actually thought she was pitiable due to her background, but she's so malicious."
...
For the past few days, Yu Mingyue had been dining in Cui Shi's courtyard. Cui Shi had instructed the kitchen to prepare her favorite dishes.
Regardless of her relationship with her husband, Cui Shi was always gentle and patient with her daughter, her eyes filled with warmth.
These pastries and recipes were unique, secret formulas passed down through generations of the Cui family, a prestigious lineage with centuries of history. They were never shared.
Even though the old madam had expressed her envy many times, Cui Shi had not given her the recipes.
The pastries were exquisitely made, each piece sized perfectly for a single bite, making them elegant to eat.
Although Yu Mingyue enjoyed them, she was also well-mannered and did not devour them all at once according to her preferences.
Cui Shi greatly admired her daughter's demeanor and served her a bowl of soup. While she didn't approve of gluttony, she didn't believe in dieting for the sake of maintaining a figure.
Her daughter was at an age where she was still growing. It would be a greater concern if she didn't grow tall or if her health was damaged.
After leaving her mother's courtyard, Yu Mingyue went directly to her father's. Upon arrival, she discovered he was not there. Even her persistent pleas to Uncle Zhong did not reveal his whereabouts.
Uncle Zhong, a retired soldier, considered his father's orders as military commands, absolute and unquestionable.
Yu Mingyue then asked the gatekeeper, who informed her that all four guards had accompanied her father, and they had left overnight.
Yu Mingyue frowned. She had already altered the content of the novel's second chapter, so why did her father still accept this assignment?
Her father had been severely injured during this mission. Coupled with an argument with her mother and his subsequent depression, his injuries had never healed.
The old madam had seized the opportunity to fuel the conflict, leading to her parents' eventual divorce.
No, they could not divorce.
However, she only knew that her father had gone out of the city on a mission. As they were not the protagonists, the novel did not provide many details, and she had no way of knowing where he had gone or what the mission entailed.
What should she do?
Yu Mingyue was very anxious.
Oh, right, find her brother.
Her brother was the heir of the Duke's mansion, and her father placed great trust in him. Her father often allowed her brother to sit in on his discussions with his advisors, so her brother should know where their father had gone.
Yu Mingyue ran until she was breathless, "Brother, I've finally found you."