19
Li Yue Haili stepped down from the carriage without taking Feng Yongyuan’s offered arm, though she didn’t object when he chose to walk beside her toward the entrance of the General mansion, where a large crowd had gathered.
As she approached, she saw her parents and older brother standing with two elderly figures.
Not far from them stood a young girl, with a woman about her mother’s age beside her.
Li Yue Haili quickly assessed the scene from what she could see.
“That’s He Shi, your second aunt-in-law,” Feng Yongyuan whispered, though his lips barely moved.
“And the girl in front is her daughter, your elder cousin.” This time, he didn’t mention her name.
Seeing Li Yue Haili glance at him, he quickly added, “I can’t remember her name.
All the noble ladies look the same to me—it’s hard to tell them apart.”
Li Yue Haili almost smiled at his words but managed to hold it back, causing only a slight twitch at the corner of her mouth.
However, they were walking against the wind, so although Feng Yongyuan spoke in a soft, normal conversational tone, much of what he said was carried by the breeze to He Shi and her daughter.
Li Lingran’s face flushed a deep red.
She had never been criticized by a man before and felt humiliated, while He Shi, though furious, maintained a smiling facade.
It wasn’t just the two of them who noticed; Feng Yongyuan’s comments had drawn the attention of everyone present.
As they saw the pair approaching, they were taken aback.
The young girl wore no brightly colored garments like most noble daughters.
Instead, she was dressed in a pure white gown embroidered with light blue clouds of fortune, her waist tied with a soft yellow sash.
She looked as gentle and elegant as moonlight shimmering in the daylight.
Her delicate face bore a faint smile, and a small red beauty mark at the corner of her eye added a touch of allure.
It was clear that once she grew up, she would become an enchantingly attractive woman.
Her graceful movements were slow but steady, exuding an air of nobility often seen among those who were favored in the imperial court.
Her back was straight, her head held high, with no sign of nervousness or shyness.
Li Yue Haili’s movements, her walking posture, and even the way she gestured had been ingrained through lifetimes of habit.
Having once lived in the imperial palace, though she was not an exceptional talent or a renowned scholar, when it came to poise and bearing, no young lady like Li Lingran could possibly compete.
However, Li Lingran didn’t seem too angered, as her attention was quickly captivated by the strikingly handsome figure of Feng Yongyuan walking beside Li Yue Haili.
Even Shen Xuefei hadn’t expected the young man to accompany her daughter.
“The Second Prince’s heir!” one of the townspeople exclaimed, recognizing Feng Yongyuan.
This caused many to be taken aback, and murmurs spread through the crowd.
“Now I remember.
The carriage following General Li’s convoy belongs to the prince’s estate, doesn’t it?
A carriage that luxurious must have been built by imperial craftsmen.”
Those who heard nodded in agreement, their memories jogged.
“You’re right!
I didn’t pay much attention earlier, but now that I think about it, I did see the red peony design on the carriage’s curtains.
That peony is the emblem of the Second Prince’s heir.
No one else in the capital would dare use that symbol!”
“I’ve heard that this prince is incredibly skilled.
I didn’t expect him to be so dignified and elegant.
And for him to have such close relations with General Li, allowing his daughter and Furen Li to use his carriage—it’s said that true heroes don’t associate with scoundrels.
A young man as admirable as this deserves praise.”
As the murmurs grew louder, the expressions of the Li family members worsened.
Why had they never heard that Li Taixuan had ties to this disaster-bringing star of Da Feng, a person no one dared to offend?
“Yue Ying greets Grandfather and Elder Furen.”
Amidst the somewhat chaotic atmosphere, a soft, sweet voice cut through, with Li Yue Haili’s clear, gentle tone carrying effortlessly.
Her bow of respect was perfect and graceful, but there was something unusual about her actions.
Before the others could fully gather their wits, she turned to greet He Shi, who stood at the front of the family members.
“Greetings to the Second Furen and the First Young Lady.”
Shen Xuefei quickly regained her composure and spoke, “Father, Mother, this is Ying Ying, our youngest daughter.”
Old General Li gave his granddaughter a once-over, his lips beneath his beard curling into a warm smile.
“This little girl is truly lovely.
How old are you now, and what do you enjoy doing in your spare time?”
“Seven years old, Grandfather,” Li Yue Haili replied with a charming smile.
She had no ill feelings toward this elder, so she spoke sweetly to win his favor.
“In my spare time, I enjoy reading miscellaneous books and practicing calligraphy.”
“What a sensible child,” the old general said, clearly pleased and feeling a strong affection for his granddaughter.
“I’ll have someone send you a white jade inkstone from the city of Dian to your quarters.”
“Thank you, Grandfather.
You are so kind,” the young girl replied in a bright, clear voice.
Her lack of hesitation only made her seem even more adorable, causing the elderly man to laugh heartily with joy.
Meanwhile, the faces of the other relatives darkened, especially Li Lingran, who had long coveted the precious inkstone.
The smile she tried to maintain twisted in frustration, and even the elder Furen stood momentarily stunned.
It was one thing for Li Zhengqing, as a male heir, to receive such a gift, but for Li Yue Haili, a granddaughter, to receive it meant that the elder Furen’s plans had been completely thwarted.
The opportunity to present a first-meeting gift had been snatched away, leaving all her schemes in ruins.
Seeing that the conversation between the grandfather and granddaughter had gone on long enough, Shen Xuefei turned to introduce Feng Yongyuan.
“Father, this is the Second Prince’s heir, who happened to travel to the capital with us.
Along the way, my husband and I received a great deal of assistance from him.
If it weren’t for the prince, our journey would have been much more difficult.”
“We owe you many thanks,” the old general said to the young man.
“How has your father been these past few years?”
“He’s doing well, still enjoying his hobby of collecting all sorts of rare and unusual items.”
“That’s good to hear.
That rascal Ruxue… Ah, well.
Regardless, since you’ve helped us this time, my household will always welcome you in the future.”
“Thank you, Elder.
I’ll be sure to visit and pay my respects,” Feng Yongyuan replied confidently.
Though his words sounded proper, they made Li Yue Haili inwardly wince.
She wanted to tell him not to come again but could only maintain a polite smile on her face.
In truth, by proper etiquette, the Second Prince’s heir should have taken his leave by now, but instead, he continued to stand by Li Yue Haili’s side as if completely unconcerned with anyone else.
His behavior was rather arrogant, but who would dare to ask him to leave?
The Li family could see that he was lending his support, and they wouldn’t embarrass him.
As for Li Yue Haili, she was too resigned and tired to even bother commenting.
Shen Xuefei, holding her daughter and son’s hands, led them over to introduce them to the other branches of the family.
The second, third, and fourth branches were headed by Li Han, Li Jing, and Li Rui.
Li Han held a position in the Ministry of Rites as Zangsi, a mid-level official.
While his position wasn’t particularly high, it wasn’t low either.
Though he didn’t wield much real power, he held some influence due to the Ministry of Rites’ control over significant ceremonial events and religious matters throughout the realm.
Taoist priests, who were revered by the people and the emperor alike, often had great weight behind their words, far more valuable than a thousand taels of gold.
As a result, positions in the Ministry of Rites were highly coveted, with fierce competition for them.
Li Han’s wife, He Shi, had given birth to two daughters, while their only son was born to a concubine in the household, who was originally one of He Shi’s maids.
After giving birth, the maid’s child was raised as He Shi’s own.
The third branch of the family, led by Li Jing, the second son of the elder Furen, was headed by the Third Master.
His wife, Yang Shi, had given birth to one son, but due to her frail health, she was unable to have any more children.
The Fourth Master, Li Rui, was still young and had a carefree, indulgent nature.
He had yet to marry and spent most of his days outside, rarely staying at the family residence.
As expected, he was absent today, but since everyone had grown accustomed to his irresponsible behavior, no one raised any complaints.
“Yue Ying greets Third Uncle and Third Aunt-in-law,” Li Yue Haili said softly, turning then to Li Han.
“Greetings to the Second Master and First Young Lady.”
Her voice was calm and measured, like still water, and few noticed anything strange in her tone.
But by the time she finished greeting the remaining relatives, including a round-faced child who seemed no older than three or four, some had begun to sense that something was amiss.
“Third Young Lady, Second Young Master, and Little Third Brother.”
Summing it up, the Li family had three young ladies: Li Lingran, Li Yue Haili, and Li Ling An.
They also had three young men: Li Zhengqing, Li Lingluo from the third branch, who was younger than Yue Ying, and Li Xuanhong from the second branch, who was still very small.
Finally, when the elder Furen, He Shi, and others heard Li Yue Haili’s last words, they realized what was wrong.
Feng Yongyuan, who had been smiling in amusement since the beginning, clearly saw through it all long before the others.
The young girl had addressed the elder Furen and the second branch of the family as though they were outsiders, making it clear that she did not consider them part of her family.
Even a child as young as she was behaved with a cold distance, openly revealing that she had been mistreated before.
The onlookers among the townspeople began to wonder.
Shen Xuefei, sensing that the situation was taking a bad turn, was about to step in to smooth things over.
However, her husband stopped her.
Though angered by the things he had learned, he knew that Ying Ying’s young age would garner her more sympathy than criticism.
He trusted his daughter’s intelligence.
Though his youngest daughter appeared sweet and gentle, she was stubborn and tough in ways she didn’t always show.
If anyone so much as hurt the people she cared about, she would harbor deep grudges and always find a way to get revenge, both openly and secretly.
Especially when it came to matters involving her older brother.
Once, someone had tripped Zhengqing, causing him to fall and be embarrassed.
In retaliation, Ying Ying lured the child responsible into a trap that left them with a broken leg.
She later tearfully called for help, and everyone praised her for her kindness.
No one believed the unlucky child’s claims that they had been tricked and bullied.
Meanwhile, Ying Ying smiled sweetly, offering comforting words that stung like salt in a fresh wound.
Afterward, the child never dared to come within three zhang of Zhengqing again.
In truth, this behavior was quite similar to Shen Xuefei’s, though Ying Ying’s methods were even more cunning, hidden beneath her innocent appearance.
Li Taixuan, having observed this many times, knew that his daughter was sharper and more decisive than his eldest son.
But he never exposed her, always quietly covering up any trace of scandal.
So what if his daughter was a bit crafty?
To him, she was still the most lovely and charming girl in the world.
Even General Li was a father who doted on his daughter.