Only Yu Mingyue knew that in the storybooks, her brother had also joined the Northern Army.
By then, Fourth Uncle had already returned to the capital and taken up his post. Her brother had to keep a low profile, so he went to the Northern Army to bide his time.
Father and brother must have had a plan, but Da Wei would indeed go to war in the future, so it was good for her brother to gain experience in the Northern Army.
Yu Mingyue had prepared things for Yu Mingjing for the imperial examinations, but since they were no longer needed, she decided to give them to Xie Jia’an.
Even if one had to rely on oneself, having more friends was always better.
When Yu Mingyue arrived, Xie Jia’an was playing chess with a scholar in the pavilion. Their moves were profound and unfathomable, and she couldn't quite grasp them.
Both played with an open and grand style, yet when their strategies merged, it became a complex and unpredictable game. Watching from the side, she was so nervous her palms sweated, as if she were personally experiencing a battlefield skirmish.
Finally, the scholar placed a black piece and said, "You lost!"
"Jia'an admits defeat," Xie Jia’an said respectfully, cupping his hands.
"You could have won, but you were too hesitant and lost the initiative," the scholar said, fanning himself and pointing to a spot where Xie Jia’an had just made a move.
"Thank you for your guidance, sir."
As they spoke, Yu Mingyue, being the junior, dared not interrupt until Xie Jia’an called her, "Sixth Miss, come and meet Master Tai Zhi!"
Yu Mingyue quickly stepped forward, "This junior, Yu family's Sixth Miss, pays her respects to Master."
"It's you?" the scholar said with a smile, fanning himself.
"Master, you've met this junior before?" Yu Mingyue racked her brain but couldn't recall ever meeting the scholar.
Master Meng was a descendant of Mencius, a great Confucian scholar of the era, possessing vast knowledge and learning. He had been famous throughout the land even in his youth.
Even Yu Mingyue's maternal uncle, Cui Jiulang, had said that if the world's talent were a stone, Meng Tai Zhi alone possessed eight-tenths of it.
Meng Tai Zhi nodded, "By the banks of the Luo River!"
Yesterday, Xie Jia’an had accompanied his father to a banquet at Wangjiang Tower, hosting two scholars: the present Master Meng Tai Zhi and Master Yuan Tianfeng, who hailed from Guigu (Ghost Valley).
Wangjiang Tower was located by the Luo River, and they had watched the scene clearly from upstairs.
Yu Mingyue replied gracefully, "You flatter me, Master."
Onlookers often see things more clearly. Her little schemes could not have escaped the Master's notice. Since he had brought it up, she had nothing to deny.
"You have spirit for one so young."
In that situation, the Sage had no choice but to speak as he did, but there might have been an element of gamble involved.
As long as the Luo family remained, the Sage would not severely punish the Luo clan. Yu Mingyue had clearly not disappointed him.
If his guess was correct, the Sage would soon heavily favor the Duke of Dingguo's mansion.
"I dare not accept your praise, Master. I simply do not wish to waste my time and energy on unimportant people," Yu Mingyue stated directly.
"Then what do you consider important?" Meng Tai Zhi became increasingly interested in this young lady.
"Family, friends, protecting those I wish to protect. If I have the ability, I hope for universal harmony and peace for the common people." Yu Mingyue smiled with childlike innocence, but the conviction in her eyes was clear.
"Good, good, good!" Meng Tai Zhi exclaimed three times. This young lady was indeed very interesting.
Looking at the girl smiling innocently and radiantly before him, Xie Jia’an felt a sense of shared ambition.
"This junior has heard that Master and Master Yuan are inseparable. I wonder if Master Yuan has also come to the capital?" Yu Mingyue asked.
Master Yuan's divination skills were unparalleled in the world. If he were in the capital, she wanted to ask him to divine for the Yu family.
Not only that, but many things in reality were different from the storybooks. The Seventh Prince and Su Wanqing had no interaction after their chance encounter in the Yu family garden.
Instead, Su Wanqing had been very attentive to her brother.
Could it be that Su Wanqing liked... her brother?
Yu Mingyue was startled by her own thought.
No, no. After returning, she would definitely have Chihua pay close attention.