You Yuji stepped out of her room and met Zhenxu, who was yawning, indicating she hadn’t slept well the previous night either. Last night, when You Yuji and Si Que returned from the Jinnan Prince’s Residence to the You family home, she instructed Zhenxu to prepare a carriage to follow them. Firstly, because she was used to having Zhenxu and Baohe around, and secondly, because traveling by carriage would be more convenient than riding a horse during the day.
However, only Zhenxu and Baohe had followed them last night, and now You Yuji wanted to find Lady Jing.
“Madam, when you went to the front yard for breakfast, Princess Que had already gone out,” Zhenxu reported proactively.
“Didn’t leave any message?” You Yuji asked.
Zhenxu shook her head.
You Yuji habitually thought of returning with Si Que and habitually worried about him. But the next moment, she suddenly realized that this person didn’t need her concern at all. She decided to return to the Jinnan Prince’s Residence as planned. If Si Que hadn’t returned by then, she wouldn’t wait for him.
You Yuji went to the main hall to speak with Jiang Chun and quickly moved on to discuss her mother’s illness. The old doctor beside Zhao Sheng said her mother’s body was not suited to the cold and extreme temperature differences of Chenjing, and even the often windy home of the Si Kingdom was not ideal for her recovery.
Originally, they had planned to return to the grasslands. But after hearing this, You Yuji changed her plan almost without hesitation.
She decided not to return to the Si Kingdom’s grasslands. Instead, she would take her mother back to the Su Kingdom, her mother’s homeland.
At lunch, her mother was too weak to come. You Yuji asked her cousin more about the Su Kingdom.
Jiao Yushu answered each question, explaining the situation in the Su Kingdom in detail. He was somewhat surprised by You Yuji’s sudden curiosity about the Su Kingdom. He couldn’t help but ask, “Why is my cousin suddenly so interested in the Su Kingdom?”
You Yuji smiled and said, “Doctor Li said mother is better suited to a warmer place for her recovery, so I plan to take her back to the Su Kingdom.”
Jiao Yushu paused with his chopsticks in hand, looked at You Yuji in surprise, and asked, “When did you decide to go to the Su Kingdom?”
“Just now.”
You Heng frowned, somewhat disapprovingly, “Not returning to the You family home? Going to the Su Kingdom still makes you a guest in a foreign land. It can’t compare to going home.”
Before You Yuji could respond, Jiao Yushu spoke, “How is the Su Kingdom a foreign land? The Jiao family has always been Aunt’s home.”
Jiao Yushu looked at You Yuji and said warmly, “The Su Kingdom has spring-like scenery all year round, warm and pleasant, with flowers blooming in full glory. You will like it.”
You Heng gave Jiao Yushu a glance.
Jiang Chun turned to Zhao Sheng and asked, “Can we also go to the Su Kingdom?”
You Heng burst into laughter, “There’s a saying: ‘Marry a chicken, follow the chicken; marry a dog, follow the dog; marry a monkey, and you’ll run all over the mountain.’ Chun, I see you haven’t married Zhao Sheng but my sister!”
Jiang Chun huffed twice and muttered, “I was just asking…”
Zhao Sheng turned to look at her and said, “If you want to go, we’ll go.”
“See, see!” You Heng laughed, looking at You Yuji, “Yuan Yuan, you don’t even know how many people will follow you to the Su Kingdom!”
You Yuji looked at Zhao Sheng and asked, “Can you leave your job in the capital?”
Zhao Sheng replied, “It’s just a minor official position. Whether I take it or not doesn’t make much difference.”
Zhao Sheng was an orphan, taken in by You Yuji’s father and raised in the military like a son. He had no family ties and his position in the capital was not important. If Jiang Chun wanted to follow You Yuji to the Su Kingdom, he had nothing holding him back.
You Yuji held a small porcelain spoon, slightly distracted. With this sudden change, many things needed to be planned from scratch. The family business established in the capital over the past two years would be greatly affected. To be precise, almost all of it would have to be abandoned. Going to the Su Kingdom was not like returning to the Si Kingdom, where she had many old connections and businesses. In the Su Kingdom, it would truly be a fresh start.
However, nothing was more important than her mother’s health, and You Yuji was not someone who couldn’t let go. If she couldn’t take all her assets from the capital when she left, she would donate them to the poor.
Starting over wasn’t so bad.
As long as they were together, everything would get better.
After lunch, Zhao Sheng and Jiang Chun were about to leave to visit others for the New Year. You Yuji chatted with Jiang Chun for a while longer, personally sending her to the carriage. Before long, some of her father’s old comrades arrived to pay their respects. They were surprised to see You Yuji at home but didn’t ask many questions.
You Heng and You Jiamu received the guests while You Yuji spent some time by her mother’s bedside before returning to her room to change and head back to the Jinnan Prince’s Residence.
Si Que had not returned.
You Yuji’s gaze accidentally fell on the windowsill.
The window was open, and there was a bit of snow on the outer sill. The snow, which shouldn’t have been disturbed, was uneven, as if small animal paws had stepped on it.
Zhenxu followed You Yuji’s gaze and said, “Sparrows, perhaps.”
It could be sparrows, or it could be carrier pigeons—pigeons carrying messages for Si Que.
You Yuji was silent for a moment, then said softly, “Let’s go.”
“Um…” Zhenxu hesitated, “Aren’t we waiting for Princess Que? She came with you last night. Wouldn’t it be inappropriate for you to return to the prince’s residence alone?”
You Yuji didn’t respond, her gaze moving past Zhenxu to the open door.
Si Que appeared at the entrance of the small courtyard, walking slowly towards them. He was dressed in snow-white clothes, his face also covered by the white gauze of his hat, blending into the distant snow-capped mountains. Only the candied haws he held were exceptionally bright.
You Yuji walked to the door, leaning slightly against the side, and looked at the approaching Si Que with a smile, “Went to buy candied haws for your sister?”
Si Que raised his slender fingers to lift the white gauze of his hat, looked at You Yuji, and slowly bit the topmost red hawthorn. Then he handed the candied haws to You Yuji.
“Are they sour or sweet?” You Yuji took them and bit into the sugar-coated hawthorn.
“Maybe they’re spicy.”
You Yuji, while biting the candied haws, looked up at him, slowly curled her lips into a smile, and with the whole hawthorn in her mouth, softly said, “Hmm.”
Beside them, Zhenxu furrowed her brow, completely unable to understand what the two of them were talking about.
Liu Momo came over from outside, smiling as she informed You Yuji that You Heng wanted to speak with her. You Yuji nodded and asked where You Heng was.
You Heng was sitting under the old apricot tree, which was on the way out of the residence, waiting for You Yuji.
You Yuji and Si Que walked out together. Halfway there, they saw You Heng. Si Que continued walking forward without stopping, while You Yuji sat down across from You Heng.
Si Que, wearing his hat, walked forward with an expressionless face. He hadn’t walked far when he heard You Yuji’s soft laughter behind him.
He took a couple more steps before stopping suddenly at the sound of You Yuji’s affectionate “Brother.” He turned slightly to look at the siblings under the tree.
You Heng said something that made You Yuji smile sweetly and call out “Brother” again, her eyes curving in delight.
Si Que stood sideways, staring at You Yuji’s smiling profile through the lightly fluttering gauze of his hat.
“Brother.” He rolled the word around on his tongue, savoring it.
You Yuji and You Heng didn’t talk for long before she got up to leave. You Heng remained seated on the stone bench, smiling as he watched You Yuji walk away.
You Yuji noticed that Si Que had not walked ahead but was waiting by the roadside. She didn’t say anything, just smiled at him as she passed by and said, “Let’s go.”
She took a couple of steps before realizing Si Que was still standing there. She looked back in confusion, “Ah Que?”
Only then did Si Que start to move.
In the carriage, Si Que took off his hat and leaned languidly against the side of the carriage, sometimes motionless, sometimes slowly playing with a copper coin between his long fingers.
You Yuji noticed he seemed preoccupied. She didn’t know what was on his mind—perhaps it was related to his departure that morning? She didn’t press him. If he wanted to talk, he would.
Since Si Que was silent, You Yuji remained silent too, leisurely eating the pastries and New Year candies on the small table. Each candy was wrapped in bright red paper. She noisily unwrapped one and put the sweet candy into her mouth. The sweetness melted between her lips and teeth, and her gaze fell on the candy wrapper in her hand. The bright red color reminded her of the candied haws she had just eaten.
She glanced at Si Que, then unwrapped another candy and brought it to his lips.
Si Que raised his eyes and looked at her before accepting the candy.
You Yuji watched him closely, wondering why this little liar was unhappy. She moved to the side and continued eating her pastries, ignoring him.
When the carriage arrived at the Jinnan Prince’s Residence, You Yuji had just gotten off when she saw Lady Jing already waiting at the gate for her. Lady Jing personally helped You Yuji down, and in a low voice, reported, “Madam, after you returned home last night, Aunt Chunxing fell into the water.”
“Fell into the water?” You Yuji looked at Lady Jing in surprise.
“Yes,” Lady Jing explained, “No one knows why Aunt Chunxing would go sit by the cold, quiet pond in the middle of the night. Fortunately, a servant nearby saw her and pulled her out. The water was freezing, so catching a cold was inevitable, but fortunately, her life was saved.”
Lady Jing continued softly, “I heard Aunt Chunxing’s hometown is very far away. Maybe she was feeling homesick and went to sit by the pond alone and accidentally fell in…”
You Yuji frowned as she listened to Lady Jing’s words and quickly headed into the residence. Since there was nothing urgent to attend to and no hurry to return to Tanxiang Yingyue, she went directly to Chunxing’s quarters.
Si Que was still sitting in the carriage, watching You Yuji’s departing figure with displeasure. She didn’t even say goodbye, not even a glance back at him. When she was affectionate, she would hold him close, but now she walked away without a backward glance. This fox spirit’s changing moods were truly excessive.
This was the first time You Yuji had visited Chunxing’s quarters. The small courtyard was cold and quiet. Chunxing’s maid had gone to the kitchen to prepare medicine, leaving the courtyard without anyone to greet guests.
The first person You Yuji saw was Si Han, standing by the window.
Seeing Si Han unexpectedly, You Yuji was a bit surprised. Si Han was also surprised to see You Yuji here. She frowned and turned to go inside.
Lady Jing asked, “Madam, shall we lift her confinement since it’s the first day of the new year?”
You Yuji nodded casually and continued towards Chunxing’s room. Chunxing’s maid was just coming out with a basin of water. Seeing You Yuji, she was startled and hurriedly tried to bow.
“You may continue with your work.”
Chunxing lay weakly on the bed, her eyes closed though she was not asleep.
You Yuji sat by the bed, noticing Chunxing’s tightly furrowed brow, and guessed she was awake. She placed Chunxing’s hand back under the blanket and asked softly, “How did you accidentally fall into the water?”
Chunxing opened her eyes in surprise, not expecting the madam to come.
She opened her mouth to say something, but before any words came out, tears streamed down her cheeks.
Seeing Chunxing’s tears, You Yuji suddenly felt that she hadn’t simply fallen into the water by accident.
“Go see if there’s anything you can help with,” You Yuji instructed Lady Jing, sending her away. Then she leaned over and gently wiped Chunxing’s tears with a handkerchief.
She didn’t ask many questions.
The more she wiped, the more Chunxing cried. She cried silently for a while before hoarsely calling out, “Sister.”
“Hmm,” You Yuji responded with a gentle smile.
Chunxing suddenly grabbed You Yuji’s hand. She had never dared to be so bold before. Choking up, she asked, “Sister, can you hold me?”
She felt so cold, so very cold.
The surprise in You Yuji’s eyes was fleeting. She quickly leaned down and gently embraced the trembling, cold body. She placed her hand on Chunxing’s back, patting her softly to comfort her.
