"If I say it's because my sister and I had a connection in our past lives, would you believe me?" Yu Mingyue tilted her head, looking at Luo Lingyi with a serious expression.
"I believe you!"
Yu Mingyue turned and hugged Luo Lingyi. "Sister, we are not enemies. Why can't we be close friends? Though we are women, we can still be loyal to each other and watch each other's backs."
...
As soon as Yu Mingyue returned to her courtyard, she was summoned by Cui Shi to the yard. "Your courage is growing by the day. You dare to send a maid back with a message and stay out all night. Do you know that if this gets out, your reputation will be ruined?"
"It was my fault," Yu Mingyue admitted obediently.
"What happened?" Her unusual docility gave Cui Shi a bad premonition.
"Sister Lingyi was poisoned. If she hadn't been saved in time, she might have died yesterday," Yu Mingyue said with a dejected expression.
"How dare they? Luo Lingyi is the orphaned daughter of the late princess. The emperor is barely unconscious, and they would do such a thing?"
"What wouldn't they dare? Wasn't it them who caused trouble for Empress Wang back then?" Yu Mingyue's voice turned angry.
"Don't talk nonsense."
"I am not talking nonsense. The night Empress Wang had trouble, there were martial artists involved. Now we know that the Yao family keeps a group of martial artists."
"Your courage is growing by the day, and you even dare to investigate such matters." Cui Shi's eyes were full of worry, not a hint of blame.
"Mother, is the emperor truly unaware? The Yao family is now a sharp blade. What wouldn't they dare to do? Mother, don't wait until the sword is at your throat to defend yourself. It will be too late!"
Yu Mingyue looked up at Cui Shi, her gaze burning. "Mother, what if it was me who was poisoned? What if it wasn't the Wang family that had trouble, but the Cui family?"
Cui Shi suddenly gripped her daughter's hand, her face pale, her whole being recoiling. "No, it won't happen."
"Mother, some things you can never truly understand the pain of until they happen to you," Yu Mingyue's eyes also reddened.
If she hadn't experienced near-death, she wouldn't have been able to say such words.
"If you want to go to Qinghe, I will allow it. Just don't say these frightening things to scare me anymore." Cui Shi's heart was in turmoil.
"Mother, did grandfather send a letter?"
"How do you know?" Cui Shi regretted it as soon as she spoke. The girl was trying to trick her.
"Did grandfather ask you to persuade Father and my brother to help Empress Wang seize power?" Yu Mingyue grabbed Cui Shi's arm and said very seriously.
Cui Shi changed the subject. "Why are you, a child, worrying about these things?"
"Hmph, Mother is still hiding things from me. But my maternal grandfather's hopes are likely to be dashed," Yu Mingyue said with certainty.
"What do you know?" Cui Shi was dismissive.
Empress Wang's return to the palace was a great boon for the aristocratic families.
"Mother is celebrating too early. If Empress Wang truly wanted to help the aristocratic families, why would she confiscate their property and make their clansmen leave Liancheng? Empress Wang saved her clansmen to repay a debt. After returning to the palace, her stance will no longer be for the aristocratic families, but for herself."
Cui Shi fell silent. Yue'er was right. If it were that easy, her father wouldn't have written to her. Empress Wang had probably already refused the aristocratic families' goodwill, and her father, helpless, had asked her to find Empress Wang.
"Mother, you must have a good cry to maternal grandfather."
"Cry?" Cui Shi was exasperated. "Wailing for no reason, what kind of decorum is that?"
"You can write a letter. Write about how difficult your days in the capital have been, write about your hardships. In short, you must tell maternal grandfather that you are having a very hard time and are struggling at every step."