All Hail Cousin Brother

251 Cousin, Do I Look Good

Yu Shuangbai’s eyes widened in shock. “This is your first time walking outside. Aren’t you worried that something will go wrong?”

Yu Youyao rolled her eyes. “So what if there’s a mistake? Can the Marquis of Changxing’s Residence eat us up? Besides, we’re all growing children. At the Flower Festival, as long as we don’t be rude or do anything too out of line, there’s not much etiquette to be observed. How can there be a big mistake?”

Yu Shuangbai thought about it carefully. “That’s true. Why didn’t I think of this?” Her expression relaxed and she wasn’t so nervous anymore. “Big Sister, when we go to the Flower Festival later, you have to bring me along. There will be many social events at the Flower Festival. I don’t want to stay by my mother’s side. I’ll definitely die of boredom.”

Yu Youyao smiled. “I’ve already made an appointment with Third Sister Song and Sixth Sister Qi to play together. They’ve been outside before and are more knowledgeable than us.”

Yu Shuangbai was finally relieved.

When Yu Jianjia heard this, she felt a little stifled.

It had only been a few days since Yu Youyao’s birthday banquet, but she had already written letters to the young misses of the various families. Even the Marquis of Changxing Flower Festival wanted her to come. It was obvious that they were getting closer.

In the second half of the year, it would probably be difficult to invite Song Wanhui and Qi Sinian over for her birthday.

At this moment, there was the sound of wheels outside the door. Yu Youyao’s eyes lit up. She picked up her skirt and ran to the door, only to see Chang An pushing her cousin into the house.

Yu Youyao’s voice was cheerful. “Cousin, why are you here!”

Her voice made everyone look at the door. Zhou Linghuai smiled. “I copied a Buddhist scripture for Grandaunt.”

These words made Old Madam Yu laugh. She turned to Nanny Xu and said, “Listen to him. He’s making fun of me. Those who don’t know better will think that he’s really filial.”

He wasn’t sending her Buddhist scriptures. It was probably just an excuse. He was worried that Yao Yao was going to the Marquis of Changxing’s Residence today, so he was in a hurry to see her.

Nanny Xu smiled. “This is killing two birds with one stone. It’s always been perfect. Isn’t he really filial?”

Madam Yao also laughed.

Zhou Linghuai and Yu Youyao had a good relationship. This was the first time Yu Youyao had gone out, so he was worried and came over to take a look. It was only human nature. He had to say goodbye to her before leaving.

Yang Shuwan pursed her lips. It was filial piety to copy a few Buddhist scriptures. Some time ago, she had set rules in An Shou Hall and copied countless Buddhist scriptures. She was really filial.

Yu Jianjia looked up and heard Yu Youyao’s clear voice. “Cousin, do I look good today?”

She lowered her head and immediately felt sick of it.

Old Madam loved to associate herself with others. She even treated an outsider better than her own granddaughter.

On the second day of Yu Youyao’s birthday, Old Madam had given Zhou Linghuai a top-notch carved-tooth calligraphy room. There was a carved-tooth brush, a carved-tooth cylinder, a carved-tooth paperweight, and a carved-tooth brush. They were considered expensive.

“You look good!” Zhou Linghuai looked at the little girl’s green clothes, which made her look pure. She looked more elegant and beautiful today than on her birthday.

Yu Youyao smiled sweetly and gently. She took the scripture from her cousin’s hand and unfolded it. “Cousin, your handwriting is good. Grandmother will definitely like the Buddhist scriptures you copied.”

Zhou Linghuai chuckled.

Yu Youyao took the calligraphy piece and turned to pass it to her grandmother. “Grandmother, look. This is a Buddhist scripture that Cousin copied. I’ve read it and it’s very well copied.”

“I have eyes, so I don’t need you to help me read it.” Old Madam Yu stared at her. Zhou Linghuai had written a script that was strict and neat. Even with just a glance, she felt that it was very dignified.

How could she not like it?

After handing the calligraphy piece to Nanny Xu and putting it away, Old Madam Yu said to Zhou Linghuai, “Your handwriting is good. Even your copying of Buddhist scriptures is different from others.”

Zhou Linghuai said respectfully, “As long as you like it.”

Old Madam Yu’s smile deepened.

Yu Youyao had already moved back to her cousin’s side. “Cousin, this is the first time I’m participating in the Flower Festival. Have you participated in the Flower Festival before?”

There were one or two such grand events like the Flower Festival every year, and they were all organized by the noble families in the capital. The imperial family held the most event, but she had never seen one before.

Zhou Linghuai’s expression paused for a moment before he said, “Youzhou is bitterly cold, and there aren’t many banquets in a year. Such a grand event has never happened before. I used to live in seclusion and rarely participated in banquets.”

Yu Youyao sighed softly. “It’s really not easy. It’s not like the small banquet in the capital that’s held every three days or a big banquet every five days. As long as it’s an auspicious day and there’s no joyous occasion, it can still be festive. This year, it’s also the year of the imperial examination. Every family has descendants studying, so they don’t dare to cause trouble. In the past, after the new year, invitations from various families would have long arrived.”

On the other hand, the peace of mind in the capital was maintained by hundreds of thousands of soldiers in Youzhou who had guarded the cold, suffered, and shed blood and tears. However, King You’s entire family did not have a good ending.

A trace of sarcasm flashed across Zhou Linghuai’s eyes.

Yu Youyao squatted beside her cousin and whispered, “Cousin, I used to like to read picture book. I’ve read many picture books from Youzhou.”

In the past, every autumn and winter, when Youzhou won a battle, news of victory would spread to the capital. The world admired the strong. Teahouses and scholarly houses were filled with stories about King You. There were many stories about King You, and even the servants in the family had to gather to tell them.

At the mention of King You, he had to tell her about his deep relationship with the Princess Consort.

Once, when she happened to mention it to her grandmother, her grandmother smiled and said, “Back then, His Highness and the Princess Consort were really like what was written in the book. She was a fair and graceful lady. Gentlemen would chase her.”

Curiously, she pressed her grandmother.

As her grandmother smiled, she said, “When Prince You was chasing the Princess Consort, that drama was really sensational… Later on, I saw their marriage. Princess Consort You was wearing a phoenix coronet and holding something in her hand.” She stretched out her hand to the size of an egg and continued, “It was such a big night pearl. The night pearl was like a red sun or like pigeon blood. It caused a stir in the capital.”

Little Youyao rested her chin on her hand as she listened to her grandmother tell her the story of a hero and a beauty. Her eyes sparkled as she felt that Prince You was really a good person.

Yes, he was better than her father. Her father did not treat her mother well at all.

Little Youyao had lost her biological mother since she was young, and her father did not dote on her. In her young heart, she yearned for her father to be more like Second Uncle and Prince You.

She often thought that her father would dote on her like Second Uncle, or be a great hero like Prince You.

Yu Youyao held her cousin’s hand and said in a sweet and soft voice, “A place’s water and soil can nurture a person. Even in a bitterly cold place, it also raises peerless men like Cousin. There are also unique people like Cousin’s friend. Wealth is in the capital, and there’s only one Song Mingzhao. It’s obvious that Youzhou is also a place of talent.”