Yu Si Yu quickly pulled herself together, assuming a proper composure as she lightly patted Yu Xiang's back. "Older sister is relieved that younger sister feels this way," she said softly, "I did not expect that little Yu Xiang is all grown up..."
Yu Xiang wiped her tears on her sleeves and retorted with a sneer: "Is older sister genuinely relieved or just faking it? Old sister must be extremely disappointed for not being able to witness my utter despair. The day after sustaining injuries and being brought home, didn't older sister laughed joyously and said, 'Serves her right! Serves her right! Let's see how menacing she can be in the days to come.' I would like to ask older sister, how menacing have I been for you to begrudge me in such a way?"
Yu Si Yu was stupefied.
Yu Pin Yan who was still standing outside the door, frowned ferociously.
"How...how did you know?" Yu Si Yu abruptly turned and glared incriminatingly at her two maidservants, fury in her eyes. The maidservants shook their heads in alarm and retreated two steps.
How did she know? Naturally, from reading the novel. Though it seemed as if an entire millennium had come to pass, for Yu Xiang it was just a couple of hours, thus how could she have forgotten?
A sudden thought flashed through Yu Si Yu's mind. She whirled around and demanded: "You. You knew earlier that your legs are maimed?" Unexpectedly this damn girl now knew to bribe the servants and even plant spies. When did it happen?
Yu Xiang smiled,in dismal. "How can I not know my own body? Three days have passed and I can't even move my toes, if they're not maimed then what could it be? Contrary, this misfortune has allowed me to see through lots of misconceptions. Older sister, I would like to know when have I ever mistreated you to the extent of inciting your malevolence? I have always let you be the first to pick the clothes and jewellery that old madam bestowed us. The little precious adornments in my room that you fancied were completely for your taking. To help ease your livelihood, I give you five silver taels every month. I even took the blame when you once broke Old Madam's most treasured red glazed spring chrysanthemum twig patterned jade pot, where I knelt till both my knees were bruised and I couldn't walk properly for days. You did look extremely grateful and even appeased me, but inwardly were you not laughing at me? I have been for day and night and I still could not figure out when I mistreated you. Older sister, let's talk this over today."
Yu Si Yu was rendered utterly speechless by Yu Xiang's interrogation. Motherhad never noticed either of them. Under the idiom 'fellow sufferers sympathise with each other', she did truly try treating Yu Xiang wholeheartedly, but the Old Madam was distinctive. In her own youth, Old Madam had suffered because of a favored concubine. Now, in her old age, she lost her Di son and her Shu sons strove to seize the Marquis title and family possessions. As such, she distinctively stressed the differences between the Di and the Shu. Anything a Shu daughter deserved, she would get no less but could not expect more. Day by day, the Old Madam would critique and regulate her, fearing that a Shu daughter would inevitably grow over-ambitious and wreak havoc in the family.
Yu Xiang had always gotten whatever she demanded, allowing her to live a wilful life of flamboyance and luxury. While Yu Si Yu got by in a constant state of fear and trepidation. As time passed, she grew to resent Yu Xiang; a hatred that only grew more and more profound as time went by.
After all, Yu Si Yu knew that any inclination she harboured would be frowned upon, thus she could only clench her teeth and kept silence.
Yu Xiang glared at Yu Si Yu indignantly. All of a sudden, she turned to grab the decoction placed by her bedside and hurled it at Yu Si Yu, drenching her head and face. She then picked up a teacup and ruthlessly smashed it over. "You can't answer, can you?" Yu Xiang hollered hoarsely. "I, Yu Xiang, will not acknowledge such a ruthless and heartless person as my older sister! Get lost! You are not allowed to step into my room ever again!"
All this time, Yu Si Yu had treated 'Yu Xiang' as nothing but a dupe, the personal ATM, a punching bag, and scapegoat to shoulder blame and punishment. Now that Yu Xiang had transmigrated here, she naturally had to make a clean break from such a person. Having to contribute five silver taels every month when her monthly allowance was only ten silver taels, Yu Xiang could not afford to support her!
The decoction was just placed and left to cool before consumption. When Yu Si Yu was doused, she felt the burning medicine scalding her skin and leapt up from her seat with a shriek. As she did so, the teacup that Yu Xiang flung over struck her forehead, causing a big bump to swell up. Hissing in pain, she wrathfully screamed: "Yu Xiang, who do you think you are? You dare to be so ostentatious and rude!? Let me tell you. You are nothing but an unknown bas-"
Instantaneously, Yu Xiang stared at Yu Si Yu open mouth. This was the word that eventually condemned 'Yu Xiang' life thereafter to become a living hell.
Yu Si Yu had yet to complete the word when the room's door was abruptly kicked open, letting in a cold and ear-piercing voice, "Shut up!"
Yu Si Yu immediately turned as silent as a cicada in cold weather*. In the Marquis Yongle manor, the person she had always been most afraid of was none other than Yu Pin Yan.
[*T/N: 噤若寒蟬 (jìn ruò hán chán) - keep quiet out of fear]
In the original novel, nobody had intervened when Yu Si Yu exposed Yu Xiang's identity thus causing Yu Xiang to spiral into the most unbearable predicament. However, the situation was different now. Under Yu Pin Yan's protection, she would still retain the Di daughter of the Marquis manor title even with her unknown lineage.
All these were within Yu Xiang's scheme, however, she did not feel the slightest degree of complacent. Her wide eyes stared unblinkingly at the familiar figure now standing in the doorway, his imposing figure silhouetted against the light.
"Elder brother..." As soon as the word left her lips, large droplets of tear began to stream down her face. The spiritual connection was still so intense, it felt as though she had never been forced to undergo a life and death situation or even parted from her elder brother. Instead, it was as though the connection had merely been dormant this whole time, taking a short nap until this new presence had awakened it.
The small child reached both hands out in earnest for a hug. Her eyes were dewy with tears and brimming with strong yet devoted emotions, as if he was her entire world. The sight sent a strong burst of pain through Yu Pin Yin's heart. Without a second thought, he stepped forward and enfolded her into his bosom.
"There's nothing to be afraid of. Elder brother will definitely find a cure for you!" he vowed, making the oath with utmost resolution.
Yu Xiang tilted her head to look up at the contours of his face. Instead of responding, tears continued to spill uncontrollably down her cheeks. Once he had stepped out of the light, she discovered that while this man and older brother bore a seventy to eighty percent resemblance, he was ultimately not elder brother, though both were similarly good-looking. As he had gone through scores of internal strife and persecution, his brows held an unmistakable and indelible cynicism. His hug was also frigid, devoid of any warmth or attachment.
But why were those heartstrings that ought to be severed upon her death tied to him? She was aware that this man was not her twin, her closest half, but her confused heart was still soothed. Emotionally torn, Yu Xiang buried her head in the crook of his neck and continued to cry incessantly.
Yu Si Yu quietly retreated to the corner. Without Yu Pin Yan's order, she dared not leave on her own volition.
A large patch of wetness was growing on Yu Pin Yan's shoulder, dampened by unexpectedly scalding teardrops. Awkwardly, he raised his hand and gave his younger sister's frail back a reassuring pat. Even though a different bloodline flowed within her veins, in her heart he was indeed her biological elder brother. The elder brother who she gave her life for. No matter what her true name or origins were, she would always be his biological younger sister. Nothing could change that, now or ever.
His pats gradually became less awkward. Slowly, he felt the rigid body cradled against his chest relax and the shuddering of tiny gasps cease as well. Yu Pin Yan looked down at his younger sister with inscrutable eyes made gentle with fondness. Exhausted from weeping, the little girl had fallen into a sound sleep against him. Her eyelashes still sparkled with beads of unspilled tears, invoking a spike of tender affection.
Gently, he wiped away the tears. Removing the extra pillow she had used to prop herself up, he then laid his younger sister flatly upon the bed and draped a quilt over her tiny body. Yu Pin Yan looked at her sleeping face. He then got up and spoke stiffly, "Step out of the room with me."
Yu Si Yu hastily obliged, keeping her pace even with his. Her complexion had completely transformed.
Arriving at a corner, Yu Pin Yan paid no heed to the medicinal dregs dripping down her face or her swollen forehead. Expressionlessly, he asked, "How did you know of Xiang er's matter?"
Though Yu Pin Yan was only fifteen, he loomed at an impressive height of seven feet. Spending ten years in the Imperial Palace, he'd learned to carry himself with a subtlety and disposition that matched even those of an adult. Those paternal uncles who had plotted to seize the family's possessions had either been exiled to far beyond, destroyed, orphaned, or imprisoned without parole. With the formidable means, Yu Pin Yan managed to establish a foothold for the once declining Marquis Yongle manor and rooted as the prominent aristocratic family in the capital.
Who would dare go against him in the Marquis Yongle manor?
Yu Si Yu ruffled her skirt and haltingly spoke, "I...I eavesdropped when I went to pay respects to grandmother the other day. Elder brother,...I..."
Yu Pin Yan did not wait for her to finish before asking again, "Did you mention to anyone else?"
Yu Si Yu wet her lips, "Wet nurse, Zhu Yun, Juan Bi, those few are aware too."
Yu Pin Yan coldly swept across Zhu Yun, Juan Bi, and the few other maidservants that all complexions turned deathly white.
Yu Si Yu stood stiffly on the spot and dared not move. She felt a sudden wave of remorse crashing over her. It would have been fine if like before Yu Xiang was sent away to fend for herself, but now, she was older brother's saviour, thus became untouchable. Her altercation with Yu Xiang basically meant falling out with older brother, who could say how she would spend the rest of her days henceforth?
As her mind spun with wild possibilities, she caught sight of Yu Pin Yan waving his personal attendants over and ordered, "Lock them up and let mother deal with them."
Yu Si Yu immediately tensed as those were all her competent people, she shrieked with urgency, "Elder brother, what have they done wrong to deserve your punishment? Just for the sake of a bastard-"
Yu Pin Yan indifferently told her, "She is my, Yu Pin Yan's, biological Di younger sister, not a bastard. I will only say it once. Should you disregard, prepare to go and accompany your yiniang in the countryside."
She was twelve now and awaiting a marriage proposal. What prospects could she have if she were banished to the countryside? Yu Si Yu trembled and promptly lowered her head, no longer daring to raise her voice. As she watched the attendants' black boots retreat down the hall, she finally released the breath she was holding and bitterly muttered, "Wait for mother's disposal? It is unlikely for mother to kill Yu manor's loyal and devoted servants for the sake of a bastard. For the time being, I will wait for elder brother to deliver them all back."
In the main courtyard, a hale and hearty old lady with greying hair at each temple was reclining on a divan with her eyes closed. Two meek little maidservants waited on her on both sides. One was thumping her leg while the other massaged her shoulders. An old maidservant in a green waistcoat entered and whispered softly to the old lady.
Old Madam's eyes snapped open, somewhat astounded. "She truly said that?"
"Report to Old Madam. Nubi dare not lie. She did indeed say that," the old maidservant composedly replied.
"If she genuinely feels that way, then perhaps it was worthy to have raised her these past ten years, compared to our Yu's true lineage. The Shu daughter truly is inferior after all!" Old Madam sneered, then beckoned to the old maidservant, "Saving Pin Yan is akin to saving the entire Marquis manor. In the future, no one is allowed to bring up her true identity. Find and bring Lin Shi over. Tell her I have words for her."
The old maidservant softly complied. As she stepped out of the threshold, she caught sight of the young Marquis striding over expressionlessly. She promptly bowed to him.