The eldest brother was tall and well-built, his hair bound with a silver crown. He gave the impression of being untouchable. Beneath his sword-like brows were a pair of eyes that were cold and proud, devoid of light and without the slightest trace of a smile.
His features were clearly handsome, yet for some reason, people instinctively felt he was not someone to be trusted.
Ye Yunmian glanced at him quietly, her expression remaining calm and unshaken.
She had some understanding of her elder brother’s personality.
The few lines he wrote each year in his letters were cold and blunt, nothing like warm familial affection. The real person standing before her now was even less likely to be gentle.
Aside from her eldest brother, the others were not worth much attention.
Her second uncle had also arrived, but his presence was extremely faint. He merely nodded awkwardly at her before sitting down to drink tea. He appeared mild-mannered and even somewhat deferential in front of her eldest brother. His wife, Madam Fan, forced out a polite social smile that revealed no flaws.
At the very back stood his two children.
Her cousin Ye Yunwan had just turned eighteen and was already engaged. In the storyline, she was a close friend of the female protagonist. She was described as playful, interesting, generous, and loyal.
Her cousin Ye Weiting was only a few days different in age from Ye Yunmian’s younger brother, and the two were often compared.
Compared to the confident and radiant expressions of her cousin pair, her own younger brother clearly fell short.
At the same time, Ye Yunwan and Ye Weiting were also staring at her.
Ye Yunwan, in particular, made no attempt to hide her curiosity and impatience. She stared directly at Ye Yunmian, and upon noticing her plain clothing, a mocking smile appeared on her lips.
“Elder sister came back from the frontier looking like a beggar? How can you dress so poorly? Even my maid wears better fabric than what you have on,” Ye Yunwan said sharply.
It was the first time in all these years that she had seen this cousin.
If Ye Yunmian had been born into another family, she would not have targeted her so openly. But the problem was that she came from the main branch.
And in her eyes, no one from the main branch was any good.
Ye Yunmian looked at her calmly.
“Clothes are merely superficial. No matter how fine a fox wraps itself in human skin, one can still smell the stench beneath. Cousin’s outfit is indeed fine—but the smell is a bit strong.”
The moment she said this, everyone in the room was stunned.
Even her cold and distant eldest brother seemed to show a flicker of reaction.
“Eldest girl, that is going too far!” Madam Ge immediately scolded sharply. “You are a young lady of the Duke’s household, not some vulgar street shrew. How can your words be so filthy?”
At her outburst, Ye Yunmian’s younger brother flinched, his face turning pale.
“I was raised in a rough place and don’t know how to speak politely,” Ye Yunmian said without caring about anyone’s judgment. “I simply felt cousin’s attire was too refined—like a clay pot inlaid with gold—and spoke a little too frankly. I hope you won’t take offense.”
She truly did not care.
According to the original plot, within a month her younger brother would die, within three months her eldest brother would lose his title, and soon after both her second brother and eldest brother would die in succession. The fact that she could still sit here speaking peacefully was already quite restrained.
“You… you truly lack manners!” Ye Yunwan said angrily.
How could there be such a crude woman? Her grandmother and father were right there—how could she be so disrespectful?
“I, my grandfather, my father, and my eldest brother are all dukes,” Ye Yunmian replied evenly. “Even if I dress plainly, it is not for you to point fingers at me. Wouldn’t you agree?”
Ye Yunwan froze, her face flushing red.
“I’m still alive!” the old madam snapped suddenly, slamming her hand on the armrest. “And you already can’t stand seeing your sister well? We are all family—can’t you show some kindness?!”
She looked as though she had suffered a great injustice.
At that moment, Ye Yunmian felt she was beginning to understand what it meant to be the “villain’s biological sister”—and the pettiness that came with it.
“Indeed. It is still too early to say such things,” she said with a faint smile.
The old madam began coughing in anger, as though she could not catch her breath. To her, Ye Yunmian’s words sounded like she was waiting for her to die.
What an annoying wretch!
“I’ve come a long way and I’m tired. Eldest brother, is my courtyard still available?” she asked, turning to Ye Weiyin.
“I’m already living there!” Ye Yunwan quickly said, her expression uneasy. “You’ve been away for so long, I thought you weren’t coming back. Just choose another courtyard.”
“Then you move out. The East Courtyard belongs to the main branch. That is ancestral rule—don’t you understand?” Ye Yunmian frowned, not yielding even half a step.
The Duke’s residence was vast. The second branch had long been assigned to a separate western courtyard. This arrangement had been decided by their grandfather when he was alive.
“I… I’ve lived there for many years already. Can’t you just let it go…” Ye Yunwan said unwillingly.
That courtyard was spacious and exquisitely decorated—she had poured years of effort into it.
“I cannot. You have three days to clear it out. Otherwise, I will personally throw everything out,” Ye Yunmian said coldly.
Ye Yunwan’s dislike turned into outright hatred at that moment.
It was just a courtyard—there were so many empty ones in the residence. Why couldn’t she simply choose another?
Why must she take it from her?
She tried to suppress her anger, but thinking about all the effort she had put into decorating it made her emotions spiral. Moreover, her wedding was only a few months away. If her bridal courtyard was taken from her, where would her dignity go?
In the end, she said nothing more, only glaring at Ye Yunmian.
She refused to move. She did not believe anyone in this household would truly dare to throw her out.
Ye Yunmian showed signs of fatigue, and soon after, the eldest brother ordered someone to prepare a temporary courtyard for her to rest in and led her away.
He still did not speak much—no one could tell what he was thinking.
Ye Yunmian’s understanding of him came only from those sparse letters and the descriptions in the storyline.
According to the plot, Ye Weiyin had once been a favored prodigy, a martial genius. At five years old he began training under his father, destined to become a great general. But at eight, tragedy struck the family—his parents and younger sister all died, and his personality changed drastically.
Later, it was written that he was competitive by nature, always striving against others. At around ten years old, he was kidnapped by bandits. Though he survived, he endured three years of brutal suffering, which made him even more distant and violent. He was said to be drawn only to bright, lively things—and after meeting the female lead, he fell in love at first sight, to the point of wanting to imprison her and keep her forever.
Ye Yunmian had only been back in the capital for a short time, but she already felt that many things did not match the storyline.
“Eldest brother, I want to audit the household accounts,” Ye Yunmian said as she followed beside him.