Xie Jiayan curled his lips into a sneer, thinking that arriving in the capital at this moment could change anything.
It was pure wishful thinking.
Night had completely enveloped the land.
Yu Mingyue had been in good spirits for some time now. Apart from her daily worries about Youzhou and Jizhou, nothing else could stir her emotions.
The spring hunt at the end of March was probably the liveliest event in the capital. Although Duke Dingguo had been demoted, the Duke's mansion was still on the list of accompanying officials.
With the Duke and the Heir absent, and the second and third masters not skilled in archery, it was up to the second young master to lead his three younger sisters.
Yu Mingyue had been twice before. Hunting itself was not the novelty; the key was that many stories happened every year, making it quite exciting.
During this period, Yu Miaoyan had been diligently learning etiquette from her governess at home, appearing much more refined. Yu Miaoling, attending for the first time, was full of excitement.
Yu Miaoyan wanted to scold Yu Miaoling for being unaccomplished, but as the words reached her lips, she saw Yu Mingyue's expression and wisely stopped.
Forget it, this girl was both fierce and ruthless; she shouldn't speak.
In fact, for this spring hunt, Concubine Mei had wanted the second and third daughters to accompany them, and had even secretly packed their belongings.
Second Uncle had clearly softened and agreed, acting intentionally. Since the luggage was already packed, it was difficult to refuse.
Sixth Daughter said nothing, merely glancing at Second Uncle.
Yu Erye's heart skipped a beat under his niece's gaze. He couldn't afford to hesitate any longer and immediately changed his tone.
"Nonsense! How can a concubine-born daughter be qualified to accompany us? Hurry back!" Yu Erye waved his sleeve, his face cold.
The second and third daughters were on the verge of tears from the scolding, and Concubine Mei had to apologize.
Yu Miaoyan saw the second and third daughters being scolded for the first time. She had never felt such satisfaction since her birth.
Yu Miaoyan quietly observed Yu Mingyue. Although two years younger, her calm and composed demeanor made it seem as if she were the elder sister.
The carriage traveled for nearly three hours before reaching the royal hunting grounds. The Northern Army had already cleared the area in advance and made all preparations.
Upon arrival, eunuchs were assigned to guide each mansion to their respective tents.
The Duke's mansion's tent was well-situated and quite spacious.
A young eunuch from the Imperial Household Department was particularly perceptive and liked to leave a good impression: "Lord Xie mentioned that Sixth Young Lady prefers quiet, so he specifically instructed me to reserve a spacious tent for you. If you have any needs these days, Sixth Young Lady, please do not hesitate to find me."
Yu Mingyue smiled and said, "Then I shall trouble you, Eunuch. May I know your name?"
After receiving the purse from Chidan, the young eunuch's smile grew even wider: "Young Lady may call me Little Li Zi."
"Thank you, Eunuch Li."
No wonder the eunuch from the Imperial Household Department was so courteous; it turned out Xie Jiayan had made arrangements in advance.
Yu Mingyue felt even more brilliant and mighty. Indeed, having connections in court made things easier.
Not only the tents but also the meals were better.
Yu Miaoyan, eating the steaming dishes, tentatively asked, "Are you and Lord Xie next door very familiar?"
While tents might be somewhat understandable, such meals were extremely rare in the wilderness.
They had traveled for over three hours, and everyone was tired. Each family had few servants, and they were busy arranging their belongings. Forget hot meals; even a cup of hot tea would be good.
She also had close friends who heard that the food sent by the Imperial Household Department was cold, and they could only make do with a meager meal.
Yu Mingyue smiled charmingly, "What does Eldest Sister want to know?"
Yu Mingyue's frankness made Yu Miaoyan blush. She had indeed been curious.
"I didn't..." Yu Miaoyan explained softly.
"It's best if you didn't. Neighbors are better than distant relatives. Eldest Sister should be grateful to be able to eat hot food and soup." Yu Mingyue's smile remained, without any hint of accusation, yet Yu Miaoyan felt her cheeks burn.
Yu Miaoling quickly lowered her head to eat, feeling an urge to laugh. Sixth Sister's tone of speaking was a bit like Mr. Xie's.