Yu Mingjing gave Yu Mingyue a look that clearly said, "Do you really expect me to believe that?"
Indeed, what a strong wind, one that could easily blow one's tongue out.
Seeing her brother's disbelief, Yu Mingyue quickly raised her small hand and swore, "Really, I'm not lying to you, brother."
Upon hearing the word "old man," Kong instinctively looked towards his young master. Xie Jiayan's gaze made Kong lower his head, holding his broom and standing there.
"Is your leg injured?" Yu Mingjing, after all, was concerned for his sister.
Yu Mingyue seized the opportunity to act spoiled, "Yes, it hurts so much."
Xie Jiayan's eyes lowered, and something flashed in them, too quickly to be caught.
Yu Mingjing picked up his sister and bid farewell to Xie Jiayan, "My little sister is injured, so we won't overstay our welcome today. We will come to thank you again another day."
Xie Jiayan cupped his hands and smiled, "I shall eagerly await your visit!"
After personally seeing Yu Mingjing off, Xie Jiayan turned. After a few steps, his pace suddenly stopped. "The rice porridge lately has been rather bland. You will personally prepare some rice and send it to the kitchen."
"Yes!" Kong dared not refuse, saying with a pitiful tone.
Yu Mingjing carried his sister back to the courtyard and quickly ordered, "Hurry and fetch Su Mu."
He then turned to scold his sister, "See if you dare to be mischievous again. If you break your leg, you won't be able to go out for the Lantern Festival this year."
"It hurts!" Yu Mingyue frowned, her eyes welling up with tears.
Yu Mingjing noticed that the fabric on his sister's lower leg seemed to have been cut by something sharp, and blood was seeping out.
Indeed, when he lifted her trouser leg, there was a horizontal cut on her shinbone, consistent with the marks on the fabric.
It didn't look like a fall injury.
"Miss's injury appears to be a cut from a sharp object. Although it doesn't seem to bleed much, the wound is quite deep. Just a little more and it would have injured the tendons and bones. She will need to rest for a period," Su Mu said after examining the wound.
"Are you sure it's a cut?" Yu Mingjing's gaze deepened, an indescribable coldness in his eyes.
Su Mu quickly replied, "Yes!"
The maids in Yu Mingyue's room also quickly knelt and begged for punishment, "We failed to protect our mistress, please punish us, Young Master."
"Who was present at the time?" Yu Mingjing's innate air of authority, even in an ordinary tone, was incredibly oppressive.
Chi Dan and the others began to recall the events, telling Yu Mingjing everything in detail.
It was clear that Yu Mingjing suspected someone had hidden in the shadows to harm his sister.
As the heir of the Duke's mansion, he bore heavy responsibilities and naturally considered many things.
"From the angle the young lady was standing, the sharp object should have come from the direction of the neighboring house," Zhu Yu said.
Zhu Yu practiced martial arts and had a keener sense of perception than most.
"Brother, I hit a pebble when I landed, and I suppose the pebble was sharp and cut me," Yu Mingyue said pitifully, looking at her brother.
Yu Mingyue actually knew very well why she had fallen from the ladder.
It was because her leg was suddenly struck by something, catching her off guard and causing unbearable pain.
Yu Mingyue looked at the wound on her leg. It was very thin, but deep. However, she was certain there was no sharp object at the time.
And also...
And the pain in her leg at that moment occurred after someone had shouted that name.
Yu Mingyue didn't know who it was, but she didn't want her brother to suspect Xie Jiayan.
Because she knew Xie Jiayan was a good person, incapable of harming others, let alone attacking a child her age.
Yu Mingjing looked at his sister, a hint of doubt in his eyes. Could a pebble cause such a neat wound?
"Brother, don't you believe me? I've already been embarrassed enough today. You're still scolding my people in front of me. How can I, as their mistress, maintain any dignity?" Yu Mingyue twisted her small face away, feigning anger.