In the East Wing, breakfast was served, which Du Yunluo finished slowly before getting up to leave.
Her residence, Anhua Courtyard, was located in the northeast corner of the Du Mansion. Passing through the central hall, one would reach her parents' Qinghui Garden. Du Yunru was about to get married and currently stayed with her mother, Mrs. Zhen, in the East Cross Courtyard of Qinghui Garden, being endlessly reluctant to part.
Beyond the garden lay her grandmother, Mrs. Xia's, Lianfu Garden.
Today, she had to visit Lianfu Garden to pay her respects. Du Yunluo didn't delay further and walked forward, following the path in her memory.
Halfway there, a voice called from behind, and Du Yunluo turned around to meet a pair of almond-shaped eyes.
It was her third sister, Du Yunying.
Du Yunying hurried over and affectionately linked arms with Du Yunluo.
Du Yunluo glanced down at Du Yunying's hand, wanting to shake it off, but held back: "Is Third Sister also going to Lianfu Garden?"
Du Yunying smiled charmingly: "It's the tenth day of the month. Who dares not go? I certainly don't dare. Have you seen the Fourth Sister?"
"Not yet," Du Yunluo replied casually.
In the Du family, among the Yun name generation, there were five girls in total, with Du Yunluo being the youngest.
The eldest sister, Du Yunru, and she were of the same mother, with the Fourth Mr. Du Yundi between them, all born to Third Madam Zhen.
The second girl, Du Yunhu, was a concubine's daughter. Her father was appointed to an official position abroad, so she lived with her parents, concubine, and elder brother Du Yuntao at the post and had not returned to the Capital for several years.
Next came Du Yunying, the apple of Second Madam Miao's eye, more favored by Miao than her brother Du Yunlang.
The fourth girl, Du Yunnuo, was only half a year older than Du Yunluo. Her background as a raised companion from Fourth Madam Liao made her beloved by her adoptive mother and close to her brother, Third Mr. Du Yunlan. In this family, no one would belittle her.
In the past, Du Yunluo often socialized with Du Yunying and Du Yunnuo, who were close in age, because her grandfather, Du Gongfu, liked to see their sisterly harmony.
Du Yunluo didn't have many friends from her youth and was too lazy to engage in such socializing, simply pleasing Du Gongfu since, after all, a family of sisters wouldn't compete against her.
But that was before.
Ultimately, she underestimated people's hearts.
She didn't seek anything from Du Yunying or Du Yunnuo, but that didn't mean they weren't envious of her advantages.
If there hadn't been a problem from stirring trouble out of nothing, Du Yunluo would have liked to leave then and there.
Unaware of her thoughts, Du Yunying kept chirping about funny stories as they headed to Lianfu Garden together.
Passing through the moon gate, the two nearly collided with a hurried figure, both stepping back a few steps, narrowly avoiding sitting on the ground.
Du Yunluo fixed her gaze and saw the person, who was still reeling, was Du Yunnuo.
"Fourth Sister, if you're not going to Grandmother's, why are you coming back this way?" Du Yunying adjusted the hairpin on her head, slightly annoyed, "Look, you almost made Fifth Sister fall."
Du Yunluo stepped back a few steps, shaking her head: "I'm fine. But Fourth Sister, what urgent matter came up?"
Du Yunying paused, thinking it rare that with Du Yunluo's temperament, she didn't raise her eyebrows and snap a few lines about the situation; today, her lack thereof was unusual.
Du Yunnuo calmed her breath, seeing no others around, motioned for the maidservants to step back, and spoke in a hushed tone, "I just came out from Lianfu Garden. Oh, how do I tell you this—it's just, I overheard."
Seeing Du Yunnuo's incoherent start, Du Yunying grew anxious: "Slowly now, we don't understand you. Isn't that right, Fifth Sister? Fifth Sister?"
Stunned, Du Yunluo came back to her senses only after being called several times by Du Yunying.
"Fourth Sister, what's the matter?" Du Yunluo took a deep breath.
This scene felt familiar to her.
That year, it was Du Yunnuo who eavesdropped on their grandparents' conversation about a visit from Dingyuan Marquis's Mansion and hurriedly informed Du Yunluo, resulting in subsequent events.
Could it be, upon waking, it was precisely this day?
Du Yunluo couldn't be sure, keeping her patience to listen.
Du Yunnuo pursed her lips, pointing toward Lianfu Garden, "I just went over, and Grandmother was discussing with Grandfather that yesterday afternoon, the wife of the Assistant Minister of Rites, Lord Shi, came to visit Third Aunt, but she also hinted to Grandmother that she came representing the Dingyuan Marquis, inquiring about betrothal to a girl from the Extraordinary Minister's family. When I heard, I got a real shock—weren't they speaking of the Young Master and Fifth Sister?"
Du Yunying's eyes widened sharply, glancing at Du Yunluo in surprise, and then asked Du Yunnuo in a low voice, "You're sure you didn't mishear?"
"Of course not! Not a single word was wrong," Du Yunnuo insisted with confidence.
"Then why is it Fifth Sister?" Du Yunying asked urgently, the question as it emerged making her feel it sounded off. Just as she was about to explain, Du Yunnuo picked up the thread of conversation.
"Why not Fifth Sister?" Du Yunnuo countered, seeing Du Yunying still doubtful of her, stomped her foot, "They're asking for a girl from the Extraordinary Minister's family, besides Third Uncle Shi, the Assistant Minister of Rites, who else in our family? The Eldest Sister's wedding date is already set, so naturally, it must be Fifth Sister. As for the Dingyuan Marquis' Mansion, the only suitable age is the Young Master. Isn't that obvious?"
Du Yunying felt a rush of indignation, understanding this clear matter herself. What she questioned wasn't their reasoning, but her unspoken thoughts couldn't be expressed. Not wanting Du Yunnuo to think her foolish, her mind raced quickly, saying, "What I mean is, our Du family is a true scholarly family, our fathers and brothers only wield pens to write articles, while the Dingyuan Marquis' title comes from military merit, passed down through martial skills, wielding weapons, it's not the same path. Why would the Marquis Mansion take a liking to our Fifth Sister?"
The statement did have some logic, and Du Yunnuo was fooled, tilting her head, "I don't know that. Fifth Sister, what do you think yourself?"
Slowly sweeping her gaze across her two sisters' faces, Du Yunluo confirmed it was indeed that day, so she wasn't in a hurry.
She knew the words Du Yunying hadn't spoken.
The sisters were similar in age, but a sister is a sister. After Du Yunru left home, aside from the Second Girl Du Yunhu, it should be Du Yunying's turn for marriage.
No matter whether Du Yunying had any suitors in mind or was eager to marry, she was displeased at the thought of her younger sister surpassing her.
It was simply a matter of order; first things first. Neither Du Yunying nor Du Yunnuo had spoken of marriage, so why should Du Yunluo leap ahead?
But such words were hard to utter, thus, the discussion segued to literature versus military.
Du Yunluo didn't expose her, only recalling her original answer.
At the time, she was also led astray by Du Yunying, earnestly wondering how it all came to be.
In the current dynasty, civil and military were not strictly divided, but with frontier wars ongoing, military officers subtly overshadowed civil officials. Dingyuan Marquis' Mansion had achieved great merit for the court, earned through life-and-death struggles and bloodied honors far beyond ordinary scholarly families. Meanwhile, the Du Family, since Du Gongfu, the former Crown Prince's Tutor, resigned due to leg illness, had dimmed in the aristocratic circles.
The Dingyuan Marquis' Mansion and the Du Family originally shouldn't have crossed paths.
Du Yunluo didn't understand back then, but now she did.
Those wolves in the Dingyuan Marquis' Mansion eyed Du Yunluo's unrestrained reputation; they wanted a spouse for Mu Lianxiao, avoiding virtuousness.
Du Yunluo frowned, feigning confusion, "I don't know either. What did Grandmother say? Did she agree or refuse?"
"They're in the process of discussing it with Grandfather!" Du Yunnuo cleared her throat, "I can secretly inform you, truth be told, I'm hoping Grandfather won't agree. That's the Dingyuan Marquis's Mansion — I don't want to see you living with a green lamp and old Buddha all your life."
Du Yunluo lightly bit her lip. She did spend a lifetime with a green lamp and old Buddha.