As winter deepened, various families in the capital began sending New Year's gifts in advance, a time to showcase family strength. This year, the Yu family received very few.
To Yu Mingyue's surprise, Luo Lingyi, the most influential Princess of Qingping in the capital, came to visit.
Princess Luo Lingyi and her sister did not return to Youzhou with the Eldest Princess, but remained in the capital to await marriage.
The Eldest Princess and the Seventh Prince's entourage returned to Youzhou smoothly. With the cooperation of the Luo family, their first battle was a great victory. The Emperor was overjoyed and bestowed the title of Princess of Qingping upon Luo family's Yuan Niang Lingyi, and the title of County Princess Jiayang upon Luo family's Si Niang Lingyuan.
The Luo sisters were momentarily in the spotlight, with families in the capital vying to invite them to banquets. To avoid suspicion, Yu Mingyue, the former acquaintance, was long forgotten and relegated to a corner.
Yu Mingyue herself wished to quietly gather dust in a corner, not wanting to be brought up.
"Sister Mingyue," Luo Lingyi said, dressed in a white cloak today, her delicate beauty exuding nobility.
Yu Mingyue had already been informed by a servant and personally came to the courtyard to greet her. Seeing her enter, she bowed respectfully, her eyes lowered, her demeanor elegant, every move a textbook example of Wei Dynasty etiquette.
Luo Lingyi helped Yu Mingyue up, "Sister, you are too polite."
"Princess, please come inside," Yu Mingyue said, taking Luo Lingyi's arm and leading her into the room.
Yu Mingyue knew that Luo Lingyi's visit today must have a purpose. After Chidan served tea, she asked her maids to wait outside.
"I know that between us, it was I who wronged you. There are things I cannot say now, nor do I expect you to understand. But the harm has been done, and anything I say is in vain. If you resent me, I truly deserve it," Luo Lingyi said, looking at Yu Mingyue with an open and honest gaze, without any hint of deceit.
However, there was no trace of the joy of victory in her eyes; instead, a touch of melancholy was added.
"Sister, you speak too earnestly. This matter is beyond our control, and I understand."
"Sister, you call me sister, are you willing to forgive me?" Luo Lingyi smiled charmingly, revealing a few pearly white teeth, which was quite beautiful.
"If I say I have never blamed you, will you believe me?" Yu Mingyue asked, a smile in her eyes.
Because she knew the Luo family was rebelling.
The common people were displaced, and the ground was strewn with corpses.
She did not want war, nor did she want her father and brother to go to battle.
If Luo Lingyi became the Seventh Prince's consort, and future Empress, perhaps she could help the court reclaim military power without bloodshed.
Therefore, she also had selfish motives; she was not as noble as she seemed.
"I believe you!" For some reason, Luo Lingyi felt a sense of closeness to Yu Mingyue the first time they met, as if they had known each other for many years.
Her openness made Yu Mingyue feel a little ashamed, as she had deliberately approached Luo Lingyi at first.
"Sister, with your magnanimous heart, you will surely achieve great things in the future," Yu Mingyue said with clear eyes, offering her sincere blessings.
Luo Lingyi smiled gently, her smile warm, "I hope so. I hesitated for a long time before daring to see you, Sister. I came today to tell you news of the Heir. When I entered the palace, Consort Yao mentioned the Heir when speaking of the Seventh Prince, saying that the Heir is brave and skilled in battle and has already been appointed as the General of Guide."
"Really?" Yu Mingyue exclaimed in surprise.
Her brother had sent a letter once since he left. The army was not like other places; a letter from home was worth more than gold.
Luo Lingyi nodded, "The Heir has a boundless future, Sister. You can rest assured, everything will be alright."
This sentence was both to comfort Yu Mingyue and to reassure herself.
She hoped that everything would remain as peaceful as it was now, and that the thing her mother worried about most would never happen.
She was willing to be confined to the capital for the rest of her life in exchange for her family's safety and the peace of the Great Wei.