All Hail Cousin Brother

223 Someone Instigated Her

Yu Youyao blushed and punched her. “How shameless. How can a young lady say that?”

Everyone laughed when they heard that.

Before she knew it, it was already late afternoon.

At this age, it was not good for others to stay too long at someone’s home, so they had to return home.

The few of them were a little reluctant to part. Song Wanhui held Yu Youyao’s hand. “Our house isn’t far away. If there’s a chance in the future, please come to my house to play!”

Yu Youyao did not want to go, not because of Song Wanhui, but purely because she did not want to have too much interaction with the Zhenguo Marquis Residence. However, she nodded. “Okay.”

Song Wanhui carried the big bag that Yu Youyao had prepared and happily got into the carriage.

Qi Sinian smiled. “I’ll write to you when I get back.”

In the end, it was Tang Yunxi who held Yu Youyao’s hand reluctantly. “Yao Yao, thank you for today.”

Yu Youyao asked Nanny Xu to take a look at her body. Nanny Xu was especially good at helping people recuperate, so she gave her a few delicate medicinal recipes. She also told her which food to eat more often and which food to avoid. She recommended a nanny who was good at body-building and was in the Education Department.

No one knew about this.

Yu Youyao shook her head. “Remember to write to me when you get home.”

Tang Yunxi nodded. She wanted to say more to Yu Youyao, but Tang Yunmeng had already urged her impatiently, “It’s getting late. Are you leaving or not?”

Tang Yunxi could only say, “Yao Yao, I’ll go back first.”

Tang Yunxi reluctantly got into the carriage and waved goodbye to Yu Youyao.

Thinking of the cold treatment she had received in the Yu Residence today, Tang Yunmeng felt unhappy. She said some harsh words like how Tang Yunxi was as fat and ugly as a pig.

Usually, when she heard this, Tang Yunxi couldn’t even raise her head. When she returned home, she would definitely cry. However, in the Jade Courtyard today, she saw that after going through what Yu Qingning did, Eldest Miss Yu seemed to be fine. Now, when she saw Tang Yunmeng, she was much calmer, unlike usual when she felt suffocated.

When Yu Youyao returned to the Jade Courtyard, the maidservants were packing up. Nanny Xu was bringing Dong Mei to tidy up the birthday gifts sent by the young misses today.

Yu Youyao had to go over and take a look.

Qi Sinian and Tang Yunxi had both given good gifts. They weren’t too expensive, but they looked very exquisite. Clearly, they were gifts prepared by their elders.

After opening the gift from Song Wanhui, Yu Youyao’s eyes lit up. “It’s a double fish round pendant.”

Coincidentally, this double fish round pendant also had a yellow and a red koi fish. It looked very much like the koi fish on the broken longevity lock. Yu Youyao couldn’t help but like it, so she played with it in her hand. Soon, she could tell that it was extraordinary. With a gentle twist, the round pendant separated into two koi fish.

Yu Youyao liked it very much, and immediately took the mutton fat jade pendant off and put it on the double fish pendant. She didn’t combine the two koi fishes together, and they just hung like that.

As she walked, the two koi fishes hit each other and she realized that the sound was extremely pleasant.

After a while, Liu’er returned.

Chun Xiao’s eyes flashed. Today was the Young Miss’s birthday banquet, and all the maidservants were busy in the courtyard. However, she had not seen Liu’er for most of the day. Liu’er was not a lazy person.

Yu Youyao took a sip of tea and stood up from her chair. “To Grandmother’s house.”

Chun Xiao and Liu’er followed behind.

When they arrived at An Shou Hall, Old Madam Yu sat on the couch with a dark expression, not even twirling her prayer beads.

Yu Zongzheng had probably just left the government office and had yet to change into his court clothes.

Yang Shuwan was sitting upright on a chair. She was wearing a formal dress with golden peony embroidery, revealing an oppressive beauty. Below her, Concubine He, whom she had not seen for a long time, was kneeling. She was wearing a bean-green willow branch dress and looked much more elegant than before.

However, probably because she had been grounded in the courtyard, her figure had become much slimmer. Even though she was kneeling, she still looked delicate and charming.

Yu Zongzheng couldn’t help but glance at her a few times. However, when his gaze landed on Yu Qingning, who was kneeling beside her, his expression darkened.

Yu Youyao went forward to greet Old Madam Yu.

Old Madam Yu’s expression softened a little. “Have you sent all the guests away?”

Yu Youyao nodded. “I gave them the medicinal tea I made and the ointment. Third Sister Song, Sixth Sister Qi, and Fifth Sister Tang invited me to their houses to play. They even said that they wanted to exchange letters.”

Old Madam Yu smiled. “It’s our first time holding a banquet, and you’ve already arranged to exchange letters. It’s obvious that our Yao Yao is doing well. It’s not like anyone is causing trouble.”

With that, she glanced gloomily at Yu Qingning, who was kneeling on the ground.

Yu Zongzheng also smiled. “Yao Yao has become a big girl and is becoming more mature.” Even though Fourth Sister was making a fuss, her family’s reputation wasn’t damaged.

Yu Youyao pursed her lips and chuckled.

Old Madam Yu stared at Yu Qingning coldly. “Who allowed you to come out?”

After the commotion, Yu Qingning also knew what was going on. When Old Madam’s gaze landed on her, she cowered. “I-I saw that there were no old maids guarding the door, so…”

Initially, she had only wanted to go over and make Yu Youyao feel uncomfortable. However, along the way, she had heard everyone talking about how glorious Yu Youyao was. Unknowingly…

Old Madam Yu sneered. “You went to the Jade Courtyard to cause trouble?”

Yu Qingning glanced at Yu Youyao viciously, shrank her stomach, and lowered her head, not daring to say anything else.

Old Madam Yu stared at her. “You’re sabotaging your own family.” After saying that, she waved her hand as if she was chasing away a fly. “Go back to your own courtyard. Nanny Jin will stay in the residence. She will only leave when you’ve learned the rules well.” Under Yu Qingning’s frightened gaze, Old Madam Yu turned to look at Nanny Liu. “All the maidservants in Hanlu Courtyard will be beaten ten times each and sold. None of them can stay. Lock the doors of Hanlu Courtyard tightly. Without my permission, Fourth Sister is not allowed to come out.”

Yu Qingning looked horrified. Before she could react, a heavy slap landed on her face, causing her to see stars and her ears to ring. She tilted her head—

The person who had hit her was her mother.

Concubine He knelt on the ground and cried bitterly. “Old Madam, Qingning is still young. She didn’t mean to cause trouble at Eldest Miss’s birthday banquet. Someone must have instigated her. Please investigate.” After saying that, she turned to look at Yu Qingning and said coldly, “Hurry up and apologize to your Eldest Sister.”

Qingning had moved into the Hanlu Courtyard. She was grounded in the Clear Autumn Courtyard and couldn’t help much. Old Madam had hired a nanny from the Education Department to detain Qingning in the courtyard to learn the rules. How could she not know how powerful these nannies were? How could she not worry about her daughter?

It was also because it was her eldest sister’s birthday banquet that the family was busy organizing it. That was why she found an opportunity to buy some wine and got someone to send it to the old woman guarding the door of the Hanlu Courtyard. Only then did she pass something to Qingning…