Si Que slowly lifted his eyelids and glanced at Cuiyu, then looked away and picked up a candied chestnut to peel.
That ambiguous glance made Cuiyu feel a bit uneasy. She instinctively looked at Lin Yingying, who had a smile on her face, which inexplicably calmed Cuiyu down. She decided to remain silent and closed her mouth.
Si Que finished peeling the candied chestnut and handed it to You Yuji.
You Yuji didn’t raise her hand but leaned slightly to accept the chestnut from him with a smile. Then she looked at the others and said warmly, “Ru Lin’s painting is quite impressive.”
Ru Lin was the lady who had just presented a painting as a gift.
Her face was still flushed from Cuiyu’s earlier remarks. Hearing You Yuji’s praise, she had no choice but to stand up and thank her before quickly sitting down again, lowering her head, and wishing the banquet would end soon so she could go home and have a good cry.
A perceptive matron quickly took the opportunity to present her family’s gift with a beaming smile, diffusing the awkwardness.
As for those who were furious with Cuiyu, they were clearly disappointed. Despite her outburst, she faced no punishment. Gradually, everyone realized that she was indeed relying on her close relationship with the Empress, and even the Emperor would be more lenient.
The gift-giving continued.
You Yuji surveyed the hall. After Cuiyu’s outburst, the young beauties in attendance seemed to have calmed down and were no longer casting flirtatious glances around. You Yuji turned to look at Si Que, wondering if he might be disappointed. For twenty years, he had disguised himself as a woman, often hiding his face with a veil and hat, yet he still couldn’t escape the gazes of many men. Those looks disgusted him. Now, with the young ladies casting affectionate glances at him, it could be seen as some sort of compensation. If these admiring looks made him happier, it was a good thing.
You Yuji once again admired Si Que’s specially chosen red attire for the day. She always liked to make him look more handsome and eye-catching, to ensure he received more admiring glances as a man.
As for the matters Cuiyu was worried about, You Yuji had no such concerns.
The bond between husband and wife was a lifelong contract. Trust was the foundation. Many things didn’t need to be spoken explicitly; even if they were never voiced, there was a tacit understanding between them.
If this unspoken contract were ever broken by one party, it would signal the end of their marriage.
Halfway through the luncheon, Lady Jing approached You Yuji with a smile and whispered that You Jiamu had already entered the palace.
“So soon?” You Yuji was taken aback, then joy filled her eyes.
Lady Jing laughed and said, “He’s covered in dust, likely having rushed back without stopping. He wanted to come straight here, but we gave him a mirror and persuaded him to wash his face first.”
You Yuji’s eyes curved with joy. She had missed him terribly during these three years. The luncheon was halfway through anyway, so she encouraged her guests to enjoy themselves, rose from her seat, and initially walked gracefully. Once she was out of the banquet hall, she quickened her pace.
Si Que, who had long wanted to leave, stood up and followed her. This action caused quite a few people in the hall to look disappointed.
However, when they learned that it was You Jiamu who had entered the palace, they immediately understood. Over the past few years, the two You brothers had gained considerable fame on the battlefield.
Si Que’s throne was acquired through a clandestine scheme. Emperor Chen, who was impatient to unify the nation, conquered many countries but never established a solid foundation. Si Que inherited the achievement of unifying twelve nations, yet it was indeed a troubled inheritance. After six years, the nation had only just begun to stabilize.
In recent years, You Heng had become the main general, leading mighty troops to defend the territories. You Jiamu joined the military at twelve, following You Heng, and by fifteen, he was commanding his own troops. Unlike You Heng’s bold and expansive tactics, You Jiamu was known for his cunning strategies, often winning with surprising and risky maneuvers. He had repeatedly turned seemingly hopeless situations into victories. In three years, despite numerous dangerous situations, he had never lost a battle. Many people had started to study his military tactics seriously.
You Yuji rushed back to the Tanchang Yingyue residence, where she encountered You Jiamu walking out.
The siblings stopped at the same time, smiling at each other.
Three years ago, You Jiamu had already grown quite tall. She had thought he had reached his full height back then, but now, three years later, he had grown even taller.
You Yuji suddenly remembered many years ago when her brother was just a small child, sitting on their father’s knee, stretching out his hands and saying in a childish voice, “Daddy, when will I grow as tall as you?”
Their father had patted his head with a big hand and laughed heartily, “By the time you’re seventeen or eighteen!”
This year, her brother was eighteen and much taller than their father, though their father could no longer see it.
You Yuji collected her thoughts and smiled softly, “Jiamu has truly grown up.”
Yes, finally grown up, perhaps now he could protect his sister.
You Jiamu thought this silently, feeling a bit shy to say it out loud. He scratched his head bashfully and simply called out, “Sister.”
Even his voice had changed, becoming deep and resonant like a man’s, faintly resembling their father’s.
You Yuji slowly nodded and responded with a soft “Hmm.” Then she asked, “Have you seen Mother?”
“I have. I also saw Xingxing.”
At this moment, Si Que approached them at a leisurely pace. You Jiamu saluted him with a military gesture.
Si Que raised his hand to help him up, studying him for a moment, wondering if he would continue to grow and if he might become another You Heng.
When You Jiamu stood up, he hesitated briefly before calling out, “Brother-in-law.”
Si Que nodded, then frowned and asked, “Did you bring the mechanism you mentioned in your letter?”
“I did. I just gave it to Xingxing.”
Si Que asked again, “Are there two sets?”
“Of course!” You Jiamu replied immediately.
He knew well enough to avoid that taboo. Four years ago, when Queyuan asked him for a handmade walnut, he gave it to her without also giving one to Yushu, which made Si Que very unhappy. Since then, whether giving gifts proactively or when either Yushu or Queyuan asked for something, he always prepared two sets. If there was only one set, he would give it to neither of them.
“Alright, let’s not talk here. Let’s go inside,” You Yuji said softly.
As they walked, You Yuji spoke gently, “You can stay in the capital for a while this time.”
“I can stay for quite a while,” You Jiamu nodded, speaking without restraint. “Sister, if you have time, help me find a wife.”
You Yuji looked at him in surprise, unable to hold back her laughter. With her eyes curved, she said, “You’ve really grown up, thinking about starting a family. What kind of girl do you like? Is there anyone you fancy?”
“No, I don’t have time to fancy anyone. The army is full of men,” You Jiamu replied. “I want someone good-looking, and it’s best if she’s gentle.”
You Yuji scrutinized him closely, seeing that he was serious. After spending so much time in the army, he was indeed different from the noblemen in the capital, much less reserved.
Before they even entered the house, they heard Queyuan’s giggling. She was happily playing with the mechanism her uncle had brought her.
Yushu had a similar one and was surprised by the mechanism’s intricacy, but he clearly didn’t like it as much as Queyuan did.
Madam You was also there, smiling as she watched the two children.
Queyuan couldn’t get enough of the forearm-length mechanism, mumbling to herself, “If I have Tingyun make some poison to coat this mechanism, wouldn’t it be even more powerful!”
You Yuji had just stepped inside and heard Queyuan’s words. She couldn’t help but glance at Si Que. To her surprise, Si Que smiled and said, “Tomorrow I’ll have Tingyun come to the palace to create a special poison for you.”
“Great!” Queyuan was overjoyed.
Yushu frowned, looking at his sister with some concern, worried she might use it to prank someone.
You Yuji gently tugged on Si Que’s sleeve and whispered, “Nannan is only six years old, why are you letting her mess with poison…”
Si Que responded with an “Oh,” walked in, and sat down in a chair, looking innocently at his daughter. “Your mother won’t allow it.”
Queyuan blinked once, then again, and on the third blink, her eyes began to redden. She walked over to You Yuji, looking aggrieved, and gently shook You Yuji’s hand. She didn’t say a word, just looked up at You Yuji with a pitiful and innocent expression.
You Yuji, seeing this very familiar look, sighed and hugged her onto the soft couch, seriously saying to her daughter, “You’re still too young to handle those things.”
“I’ll be good, I won’t want it,” Queyuan almost cried, her eyes red as she nestled in You Yuji’s arms, rubbing her soft cheek against You Yuji’s shoulder in a display of both understanding and vulnerability.
You Yuji patted her head, feeling a bit reluctant. She compromised, “If you want to handle poison, you must let Tingyun teach you first. When she says you’re ready, then you can use it, okay?”
“Okay!” Queyuan smiled with her eyes curved, looking like an innocent child.
She happily rubbed her face against You Yuji’s and then snuggled back into her mother’s arms, winking mischievously at Si Que.
Si Que smiled and looked away, reaching out to summon Yushu. When Yushu came over, he picked him up and sat him on his knee.
—After all, if the sister could sit on their parents’ lap, the brother couldn’t be left standing aside.
Queyuan soon slipped out of You Yuji’s arms and pulled her uncle over to play with the mechanism. You Jiamu patiently explained it to her.
Si Que then set Yushu down and told him to join his sister with their uncle.
Si Que’s actions did not escape You Yuji’s notice. She remained silent for a moment before instructing, “Tomorrow, let Zhuo Wen…”
She corrected herself, “Let Zhuo Wu come to the palace.”
Lady Jing had just acknowledged the order when Baohe, standing nearby, giggled and said, “It’s suitable to let Zhuo Wen handle it too, given that he spends all day at the Poison Pavilion.”
You Yuji also laughed and asked, “Is Zhanxue still ignoring him?”
Baohe covered her mouth, laughing and nodding.
When You Yuji and Si Que arrived midway through the banquet, You Jiamu had rushed into the palace and naturally hadn’t had lunch yet. Without needing You Yuji’s instruction, Lady Jing had already arranged everything. Soon, lunch was served. With just the family dining together, it was naturally more relaxed and joyful.
After lunch, You Yuji turned to Si Que and asked, “Are we leaving soon?”
“We can go anytime,” Si Que replied.
You Jiamu asked in surprise, “Where to?”
“We built a racetrack. We’re going for a ride,” You Yuji explained with a smile, already eager in her heart. She had known for some time that Si Que had built a racetrack for her, and today she finally got to go.
“Can we go too?” Queyuan asked, her eyes sparkling.
“You can, but you must behave.”
“Okay!” Queyuan was ecstatic. “Let’s take Dahuang and Dahei!”
Dahuang was her large dog, and Dahei was a dog that Si Que had insisted on giving to Yu Shu. They were siblings, almost identical in appearance.
Before departing, You Yuji changed out of her dress and into the riding outfit Si Que had given her. Only then did she realize why Si Que was wearing red today; it matched her red riding outfit.
Once dressed, she heard the faint sound of horse hooves and quickly stepped outside to see the horses Si Que had prepared. To her astonishment, she saw Si Que in his red attire sitting on Xuanying’s back.
Despite the years apart, she recognized Xuanying immediately, and Xuanying recognized her too, letting out a long neigh.
“Xuanying…” She hurried over, affectionately patting its neck and happily reminiscing with it for a while before reaching out her hand to Si Que and eagerly mounting the horse.
Turning to Si Que, she asked joyfully, “Did you bring Xuanying to the capital for my birthday?”
“Not exactly.” Si Que frowned slightly, leaning close to You Yuji’s ear and whispered, “Your birthday gift is myself.”
You Yuji was slightly stunned.
“I’ve dressed up meticulously. Isn’t this a feast for your eyes?” Si Que sighed. “Sister, don’t you want to enjoy this feast?”
His long, slender fingers slowly pinched the lapel pressed against his chest.