The atmosphere in Cuihan Hall was quite lively, yet because Emperor Jinghe had paid a visit, things felt different than usual. It was hard to say exactly what was off, but a certain sense of unease lingered. Yu Yihe carefully reflected on her actions earlier, but she did not think she had offended Yu Zhaoyuan in any way.
While Yu Yihe was lost in thought with her eyes downcast, she didn’t pay attention to the conversation between the other three. She only heard Madam Yu say, “He’er, go and see your eldest sister out.”
She stood up subconsciously and followed the Madam of Nanning outside, not noticing that her mother and Yu Zhaoyuan exchanged another look after she left.
After walking her eldest sister dozens of meters away from Cuihan Hall, Yu Yihe prepared to head back, but to her surprise, the Madam of Nanning caught her by the hand.
The Madam of Nanning wore a faint smile. “I have a few sets of new clothes for young girls at my place. Come with me and take a few. Consider it an apology for the last time Yao Yao snatched Ningning’s gold bracelet.”
Upon hearing this, Yu Yihe immediately declined with a smile, “Those were originally the Imperial Consort’s things, not meant for Ningning to begin with. There’s no need to speak of apologies.”
But the Countess would not have it. She pulled Yu Yihe toward her own courtyard and scoffed, “You and I are sisters born of the same womb. What does it matter if I give you a few sets for nothing? Are you really going to refuse me?”
These words stirred a ripple of emotion in Yu Yihe’s heart. Back when her younger sister and younger brother could not yet walk, she and her eldest sister had shared a period of close intimacy.
Yu Yihe paused, no longer having the heart to refuse. “Let me go back and tell Mother and the Imperial Consort.”
The Madam of Nanning, who had just breathed a sigh of relief, had a flicker in her eyes. She hurriedly said, “No need to go back in. Just have a little maid pass the word.”
Yu Yihe nodded, agreeing it was feasible. She turned back and subconsciously called for Qingshuang, only to find no one there. Then she remembered that Qingshuang had just gone to wash her hands. Helpless, she could only say:
“It’s just a few steps. There’s no need to have your maid go. I’ll go into the courtyard and tell Zhaoyuan’s maid myself.”
Hearing that Yu Yihe only intended to speak to the servants of Cuihan Hall, the Madam of Nanning let go of her hand. She figured nothing much could be heard anyway. Little did she know that as soon as Yu Yihe reached the courtyard, she heard a voice—
“Mother, I want to back out. I don’t want Sister to…”
Before the rest of the sentence could be finished, it was interrupted by Madam Yu. “The Emperor… is the Yu family’s fortune!”
Yu Yihe’s willow-leaf brows knitted together. Even if she couldn’t hear the words clearly, she knew this matter likely concerned her, and it was no small thing.
However, before she could listen further, Huixiang, who was at the door of the main room, had already knocked on the doorframe. The voices inside immediately dropped. Yu Yihe lowered her head and smoothed her brow. By the time she reached the veranda of the main room, she had regained her usual reserved and gentle appearance, and the conversation inside was completely silent.
Even though Yu Yihe’s expression remained unchanged, Huixiang still felt somewhat uneasy. “I will go in and announce the Miss’s presence.”
Yu Yihe took note of Huixiang’s strange look and said naturally, “No need. Just inform Zhaoyuan and Mother that I am going to my eldest sister’s place to sit for a while.”
Without waiting for Huixiang’s reply, she turned and walked away.
The two people inside naturally heard this sentence. After exchanging a suspicious and uncertain look, they waited for nearly a quarter of an hour before resuming their conversation.
“Sister… she shouldn’t have heard anything, right?”
Madam Yu crumpled the handkerchief in her hand. She didn’t know if her second daughter had overheard them, but this feeling of guilt was truly unpleasant. She did not want to lose her maternal dignity in front of her youngest daughter.
“Even if she did hear, so what? She is a daughter of the Yu family. Now that she has returned home, she must naturally follow the family’s arrangements and make a contribution to the household.”
“But, Mother, I want to back out. I still don’t want another person to share the Emperor’s favor…”
As she spoke, the twenty-two-year-old Yu Zhaoyuan threw herself into Madam Yu’s arms and began to cry like a little girl.
Madam Yu held her daughter, her heart aching. How could she not know her youngest daughter’s thoughts? But a parent’s love for their child must plan for the long term. The palace was treacherous. Without an imperial heir to rely on, what would she do when she grew old and her beauty faded?
Thus, she hardened her heart, embraced her daughter, and said, “I have already spoken with your father. How can we change an order overnight?” But seeing her daughter cry even harder, she couldn’t help but offer a glimmer of hope.
“Today, the Emperor didn’t seem to have taken an interest in your sister. We will try again. If it doesn’t work out, we’ll wait another three years… My dear daughter, your father and I are acting in your best interest. You must understand our painstaking efforts…”
How could Yu Zhaoyuan not understand this logic?
She knew that having her own biological second sister enter the palace to bear a child was the most beneficial path for her. As a twice-married woman, her sister was destined never to reach a high rank. Moreover, having already given birth, her sister was healthy, and any child born would share a strong blood bond with her. Yet, she was still unwilling.
However, she also knew that her support still relied on her natal family. She would flourish or fall with them; she couldn’t afford to make too much of a scene. Finally, she let out a low “Mhm” in Madam Yu’s arms.
Meanwhile, Yu Yihe followed the Madam of Nanning to her courtyard with a heavy heart, pondering the two sentences she had overheard throughout the walk. Zhaoyuan only had two “sisters”—herself and her eldest sister. But what did she or her eldest sister have to do with the Emperor?
Yu Yihe couldn’t help but recall the two times she had encountered the imperial carriage, but no one else should have known about those incidents…
Perhaps her distraction was too obvious, for it wasn’t long before she heard her eldest sister ask, “Sister, what are you thinking about?”
Yu Yihe turned her head. Her dark, clear eyes looked at this eldest sister whom she also hadn’t seen for many years. After some thought, she decided to keep her questions buried in her heart. Her eldest sister might also be a player in this game.
She reined in her thoughts and simply said she was worried about her daughter left in the courtyard. “I wonder if Ningning will look for me when she wakes up.”
“Ningning is a young miss of our Yu family. No one would dare mistreat her.”
The Madam of Nanning patted Yu Yihe’s hand to comfort her. Her beautiful eyes, which resembled Madam Yu’s, shifted as she added, “If you remarry in the future, the Yu family won’t treat Ningning poorly.”
These words were somewhat sudden. Although Yu Yihe had considered that Madam Yu might find her another marriage, hearing it mentioned so abruptly made her frown instinctively.
“Even if I remarry, I must find a family that can accept Ningning.” How could she leave Ningning at the Yu house? Her daughter was so small; how could she ever be at peace if the child wasn’t by her side?
The Madam of Nanning, however, didn’t seem to care much. She let out a soft laugh, her words laden with hidden meaning.
“Among the high-ranking nobility, few would allow a second wife to bring a child into the marriage. It’s better for you to leave the child with your natal family. The family wouldn’t mistreat her.”
But to Yu Yihe’s ears, these words were utterly laughable. Even with her bringing Ningning along, she had only been given a hundred taels of silver and left ignored. If she left Ningning alone at the Yu house, there was no telling how many servants would secretly mistreat her.
Thinking of this, Yu Yihe let out a cold laugh, her tone becoming sharper. “Then I shall look for a small household! A scholar from a humble family would also do!”
These words startled the Madam of Nanning, who immediately looked up to scan her usually gentle sister. Catching her gaze, Yu Yihe immediately lowered her eyelids and softened her voice. “Eldest Sister, you also have a daughter. You should understand a mother’s heart.”
This explanation immediately dispelled the Madam of Nanning’s shock. She simply thought that even the most good-natured person has their limits, but some things are simply beyond one’s control.
With certain intentions in mind, the Madam of Nanning began to offer heartfelt advice again. “Sister, you have been raised in luxury since childhood. How could a small household possibly provide for you? And if you find a mediocre husband, it will be difficult for Ningning to find a good match in the future.”
This accurately struck Yu Yihe’s worries. If she chose a high-ranking family, she would have to endure the separation from her flesh and blood. If she chose a humble household, Ningning’s future marriage prospects would not be of the highest tier.
Seeing the worry on Yu Yihe’s face, the Madam of Nanning’s lips curled slightly. she felt she was doing a good deed. If they could climb into the Imperial family, even if her niece was an orphan, people would scramble to come to the door to ask for her hand in marriage.
She simply never considered how lonely her sister would be if she did not gain the Emperor’s favor, nor did she consider that if her sister withered and died in the depths of the palace, her niece truly would become an orphan.