All Hail Cousin Brother

Chapter 1069: Things Look Different

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

When Yu Lianyu and Yu Fangfei, who were already married and had left the Second Mansion, received the news that their Eldest Sister was returning to the residence, they also informed their husbands and elders and brought their husbands and children to the Yu Residence early in the morning.

As a result, the sparsely populated Yu Residence became much more lively.

As soon as they arrived, a team of guards was the first to guard both sides of the street in front of the Yu Residence. Immediately after, the sound of hooves could be heard. A six-wheeled carriage pulled by four horses slowly approached the Yu Residence. Warriors in heavy armor guarded at the side. The palace servants in front and behind raised the flags of the Eldest Princess.

This scene made the people from the Yu Residence, who had been waiting for a long time, immediately feel anxious. They subconsciously bent down, and even became reserved.

That made sense. The post-coronation ceremony was imminent. When Eldest Princess Shaoyi entered and left, guards had to be by her side to warn and intimidate the world. She had to retreat and not offend the nobles.

The carriage slowly stopped at the entrance of the Yu Residence.

Liu’er and Xia Tao alighted from the carriage on both sides and lifted the curtain. The sound of the hanging pearls and jade rings was extremely pleasant.

As soon as Yu Youyao alighted from the carriage, she went forward and bowed to Yu Zongzheng and Madam Yao.

The people from the Yu Residence were waiting to welcome her because she had been conferred the title of the Eldest Princess. She had a noble status and could not be neglected. However, she was also a daughter of the Yu Clan, so it was only right for her to bow to her elders.

After the etiquette was done, Yu Zongzheng welcomed Yu Youyao into the residence.

After the tea, Yu Zongzheng personally opened the ancestral hall and welcomed Yu Youyao into the ancestral hall to pay her respects. After kowtowing three times and bowing nine times, she offered a stick of incense and left the ancestral hall with red eyes.

Madam Jiang looked at Madam Yao and saw that she was standing in the courtyard with her head lowered.

After her Second Uncle’s death, Madam Yao was not as glorious as before.

Her two sons were not young anymore, but their futures were uncertain.

Her most beloved second daughter actually had a bright future ahead of her, but she was asked to enter a nunnery.

The clan was also very dissatisfied with her.

Madam Jiang thought about it and could only smile. She quickly went up to her. “Eldest Miss hasn’t returned to the capital for many years, and the residence has changed a lot.” As if feeling that these words were a little inappropriate, she quickly added, “The Old Madam’s An Shou Hall and the Jade Courtyard where Eldest Miss used to live are still the same. The family has always been taking care of it. Do you want to go take a look?”

Yu Youyao pressed the corners of her red eyes and said in a hoarse voice, “Thank you for your trouble, Madam. I haven’t returned to the capital for many years, so I naturally have to take a look.”

Madam Jiang had known in the past that the Eldest Miss of the residence was polite and appropriate to others. She would not embarrass them or show them any displeasure. She interacted with them very easily. After so many years, the former Eldest Miss had become the County Head, the Princess, and the Eldest Princess. She was about to become the Empress. Although she had an imposing aura, she was still the same as before.

Madam Jiang couldn’t help but feel relieved. She warmly brought Yu Youyao to the An Shou Hall in the north courtyard.

The An Shou Hall was still the same, but because its owner had passed away, it still looked a little desolate even though it was often taken care of.

Yu Youyao felt sad. She couldn’t help but think of everything that had happened with her grandmother. She couldn’t help but feel uncomfortable again and cry on the spot.

She looked at the couch that her grandmother often sat on in the past. “My Grandmother wasn’t in good health in the past, so she couldn’t sit for long. Most of the time, she lay crooked on this couch, and the peony-patterned armrests on both sides of the couch became smooth and shiny…”

It had only been more than four years since her grandmother had passed away. The once smooth and glossy peony-patterned armrest seemed to be covered in a layer of dust, no longer as bright as before.

Yu Youyao stayed in An Shou Hall for a long time before returning to the Jade Courtyard.

The Jade Courtyard was still the same as before she left. However, the tall parasol tree in the courtyard was no longer around, and the Yu Residence had planted a new purple elm tree.

Seeing that she was staring at the purple elm tree, Madam Jiang’s heart tightened. She hurriedly said, “After the parasol tree in the courtyard was cut down, your father sent someone to find a few more parasol trees and planned to plant them in their original places. For some reason, he planted them a few times, but none of them survived. Later, Madam Clan Chief said that you planted a purple elm tree in the Yu Garden in Xiangping. This purple elm tree is resistant. It has been alive since it was transplanted over. Over the past two years, it’s been growing better over time.”

Yu Youyao smiled. “Good.”

Madam Jiang felt relieved. Her eyes darted around. “The brothers and sisters at home are also talking about you. It’s rare for the Eldest Miss to come back, so go have a good chat with them. I’ll go to the main kitchen in the front courtyard to take a look first.”

Madam Jiang was still as tactful as before. Yu Youyao smiled and nodded. “I have the same intention. Madam, go ahead and do your work. You don’t have to accompany me all the time. The Yu Residence is also my own home, so I don’t live here. When I come back to my own house, there’s no need to be polite.”

Not long after Madam Jiang left, Yu Shanyan, Yu Shanxin, Yu Lianyu, and Yu Fangfei from the Second Mansion arrived at the Jade Courtyard.

The Yu Residence was still the same as before, but things were different.

Yu Youyao felt a little uncomfortable. She smiled and chatted with her brothers and sisters in the family. In the end, they had not seen one another for many years and were distant. Due to their different statuses, it was inevitable that they would be reserved.

After growing up, siblings also had a lot of etiquette to observe. They could no longer laugh and play like when they were young.

Yu Shanyan and Yu Shanxin also felt a sense of disappointment. They only exchanged a few words with her before leaving.

Yu Shanjing, who was born to Madam Jiang, was a little more than three years old this year. He was a round little person. He looked at her curiously with his bright black eyes. When she looked over, he pretended to be a little adult and bowed with his hands folded. He called out in a childish voice, “Hello, Eldest Sister.”

Yu Youyao couldn’t help but pinch his soft face. “How cute.”

Yu Shanjing’s face puffed up like a bun as he looked at her accusingly.

This made Yu Youyao burst out laughing. She immediately took out an incense token from her waist and gave it to Yu Shanjing.

Yu Shanjing was overjoyed to receive the gift. He said like a little adult, “Thank you, Eldest Sister.”

Yu Shanming was already seven years old and looked very much like Yu Zongzheng. Since he was young, Yu Zongzheng had been raised by him, so he was a little rigid.

He often heard from the servants in the residence that he was very close to his Eldest Sister when he was young. However, he was still young at that time and no longer remembered what had happened when he was young.

Seeing how imposing his Eldest Sister was, he couldn’t help but feel a little reserved.

Yu Youyao couldn’t help but sigh. “Brother Ming has also grown up.”

Yu Shanming smiled awkwardly, not knowing how to answer.

Yu Youyao felt disappointed and asked about their recent situation with a smile.

Yu Lianyu lowered her eyes. “Although my husband’s family is a poor family, they’re still a polite family. My father-in-law and mother-in-law treat me very well. When I got married, my mother-in-law helped to buy a dowry. My Eldest Sister also asked someone to buy a few shops for me. My husband studied hard. When everything in the Imperial Court is settled and he takes his official position, I plan to go down for reference…”

The Yu Residence’s family status was not low to begin with, so her husband’s family naturally did not dare to underestimate her. Even though her first child was a daughter, the family did not say anything and only asked her to be raised well.

Now that her Eldest Sister was about to be promoted, her husband’s family did not dare to neglect her.